"Dedicated to streaming important classic and contemporary films..."
April 3, 2019 12:04 PM Subscribe
The Criterion Collection will officially launch its new Criterion Channel on April 8. Recently, they announced their first lineup, along with the most thorough explanation of the channel so far. Official trailer is here (initial announcement trailer here) and discounts for Charter Members in affect until April 7 after which point the price goes up. Service will work for Canadians and Americans but as yet not outside those two countries.
Ha, aspersioncast, I was literally coming to post the same thing. I was just noticing a couple of days ago that the Criterion selection on Kanopy was looking unusually generous.
posted by praemunire at 12:26 PM on April 3, 2019
posted by praemunire at 12:26 PM on April 3, 2019
I assume Criterion will continue to partner with Kanopy to provide some of their older catalog titles to library patrons, since I'm guessing that bulk physical-media purchases by libraries are still a pretty dependable revenue stream for Criterion.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:42 PM on April 3, 2019
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:42 PM on April 3, 2019
The version of Kanopy that I have access to only has a dozen films available and I've seen them all.
posted by octothorpe at 12:52 PM on April 3, 2019
posted by octothorpe at 12:52 PM on April 3, 2019
I will say that I am extremely curious to see what the actual smart TV app interface for Criterion is going to look like when it drops. I've been signed up since the initial announcement (annual FilmStruck subscriber here!) and was initially delighted when Criterion decided to do weekly movie nights on the website as a thank you to early subscribers.
The first couple of weeks I was able to watch "Mikey and Nicky" and "Chungking Express" from the comfort of my living room couch via preview streams hosted on VHX; And then for whatever reason (probably somebody pirating the streams) Criterion locked down the VHX streaming so it would no longer work with my Roku. I couldn't even watch it on my desktop computer without literally unhooking my whole dual-monitor setup. I can't really complain because it was a free bonus, but all the same I'm hoping their actual Roku app is a better experience.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:16 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
The first couple of weeks I was able to watch "Mikey and Nicky" and "Chungking Express" from the comfort of my living room couch via preview streams hosted on VHX; And then for whatever reason (probably somebody pirating the streams) Criterion locked down the VHX streaming so it would no longer work with my Roku. I couldn't even watch it on my desktop computer without literally unhooking my whole dual-monitor setup. I can't really complain because it was a free bonus, but all the same I'm hoping their actual Roku app is a better experience.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:16 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
I had a similar issue with the movie of the week. They won't even run on my laptop because I guess the connection between my laptop's GPU and the screen isn't secure enough for their software.
posted by octothorpe at 1:26 PM on April 3, 2019
posted by octothorpe at 1:26 PM on April 3, 2019
My monocle just popped.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 5:14 PM on April 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 5:14 PM on April 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
On the one hand, this seems exciting. On the other, I just can't do another subscription streaming service . . . I've lost track of what I have and I've probably only watched something on each one the first time I signed up. I miss the prevalence of physical media so much.
posted by treepour at 7:16 PM on April 3, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by treepour at 7:16 PM on April 3, 2019 [7 favorites]
If the “permanent streaming library” truly is most of the movies they’ve ever released, then this is exactly what i’ve wanted for years. I’d never subscribe to CBS, Disney, etc. – but Criterion? YESSSSS.
Now, if i could get my extortionary bandwidth cap raised so i could actually watch more than a few movies a month i’d sign up. Unfortunately, the Asshole Cable Internet Company wants $30 more a month (on top of an already overpriced rate) just so i could really use a service that only costs $10. Essentially, over three times the cost to just do the “last mile” delivery (with none of that kicked back to the content owners). The only competition, the Asshole DSL Internet Company advertises no data cap, but their speed is slow and less reliable plus their starting price just happens to match the price of the cable plan i’d need.
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS SHOULD BE HEAVILY REGULATED WITH PRICE CONTROLS JUST LIKE OTHER UTILITY COMPANIES.
posted by D.C. at 12:40 AM on April 4, 2019 [6 favorites]
Now, if i could get my extortionary bandwidth cap raised so i could actually watch more than a few movies a month i’d sign up. Unfortunately, the Asshole Cable Internet Company wants $30 more a month (on top of an already overpriced rate) just so i could really use a service that only costs $10. Essentially, over three times the cost to just do the “last mile” delivery (with none of that kicked back to the content owners). The only competition, the Asshole DSL Internet Company advertises no data cap, but their speed is slow and less reliable plus their starting price just happens to match the price of the cable plan i’d need.
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS SHOULD BE HEAVILY REGULATED WITH PRICE CONTROLS JUST LIKE OTHER UTILITY COMPANIES.
posted by D.C. at 12:40 AM on April 4, 2019 [6 favorites]
WILL THEY HAVE A CHANNEL STREAM?
Like, the main reason we pay for top tier DISH is because we want Turner Classic Movies which is, for us, the perfect "set it and forget it" when you want something going on but don't want the screaming attention grabbing of commercials, but want something that might be interesting if you decide to pay attention, etc etc.
If Criterion were to do an online channel stream, which I could turn on and have them curate movies out of their collection that they're going to serve to me, and even better if they were to not automate it with a Shuffle function but actually do programming like TCM does.. we might subscribe to them and drop DISH down a tier.
But if I have to always choose what comes next, I'm truly not interested.
posted by hippybear at 6:44 AM on April 4, 2019
Like, the main reason we pay for top tier DISH is because we want Turner Classic Movies which is, for us, the perfect "set it and forget it" when you want something going on but don't want the screaming attention grabbing of commercials, but want something that might be interesting if you decide to pay attention, etc etc.
If Criterion were to do an online channel stream, which I could turn on and have them curate movies out of their collection that they're going to serve to me, and even better if they were to not automate it with a Shuffle function but actually do programming like TCM does.. we might subscribe to them and drop DISH down a tier.
But if I have to always choose what comes next, I'm truly not interested.
posted by hippybear at 6:44 AM on April 4, 2019
Captain Fetid: ".(
Not available in my region (Belgium). Arr."
Yeah, that's probably never going to happen. Criterion is a small company and they're never going to be able to afford the rights to broadcast out of the US and Canada.
posted by octothorpe at 7:38 AM on April 4, 2019
Not available in my region (Belgium). Arr."
Yeah, that's probably never going to happen. Criterion is a small company and they're never going to be able to afford the rights to broadcast out of the US and Canada.
posted by octothorpe at 7:38 AM on April 4, 2019
If Criterion were to do an online channel stream, which I could turn on and have them curate movies out of their collection that they're going to serve to me, and even better if they were to not automate it with a Shuffle function but actually do programming like TCM does.
Kind of? I haven't heard about them having a "live" running stream, but: On FilmStruck, they maintained daily themed programming with curated double features, paired features + shorts, festivals spotlighting particular filmmakers/studios/genres, and favorite films hand-picked by notable filmmakers and celebs. Basically, you could click on that day's feature and go through all of the curated content in a single sitting. Based on their opening lineup announcement it sounds like they're sticking with that way of organizing things.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:54 AM on April 4, 2019
Kind of? I haven't heard about them having a "live" running stream, but: On FilmStruck, they maintained daily themed programming with curated double features, paired features + shorts, festivals spotlighting particular filmmakers/studios/genres, and favorite films hand-picked by notable filmmakers and celebs. Basically, you could click on that day's feature and go through all of the curated content in a single sitting. Based on their opening lineup announcement it sounds like they're sticking with that way of organizing things.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:54 AM on April 4, 2019
It's out today. And they have Berlin Alexanderplatz!
posted by paper chromatographologist at 2:40 PM on April 8, 2019
posted by paper chromatographologist at 2:40 PM on April 8, 2019
« Older Change the titles, change the story | Charges dropped in 2015 Texas biker brawl that... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by aspersioncast at 12:23 PM on April 3, 2019 [8 favorites]