Archived Criterion Streaming Discussion

[Tribe]

It irks me that Criterion thinks we are stupid with this bit about "branding" or working relationships etc. It's about the MONEY. Obviously, Hulu Plus is paying for the privilege of the exclusive arrangement while multiple arrangements were in the best interest of the customer. It's that simple. Thanks Criterion. The real message was received.

The days of threads devoted to arguments whether Criterion is a profit seeking business or a public service are long past us, I think.

[movielocke]

And if anything, the Hulu agreement is more like a public service, how many unreleased Criterion/janus library films were available for streaming on Netflix?

Also, anyone trying to rent the catalog upgrades to bluray from netflix has been shit out of luck for months, they only carry blurays of the new releases now. This is also true for a lot of the major studio catalog bluray upgrades if the catalog titles are pre 70s.

so I'm of the screw netflix mindset as well. I'll probably sign up for the hulu free trial just to watch the Powell and Korda films currently available streaming.

[redbill]

There hasn't ever even been that much of the Collection up on Netflix Instant, has there? Also, screw Netflix.

there's been a considerable number of Criterion titles on Netflix instant for about a year or so.

[swo17]

Define 'considerable'. Netflix at most probably has about 20% of the Collection available for streaming, and can't even be bothered to buy copies of many of the discs Criterion puts out these days. It sounds like Hulu is going to feature the Criterion brand more prominently and offer nearly all of their library for streaming. Seems like a no brainer to me. Also, isn't Hulu's streaming service cheaper than Netflix's? Just switch over already.

[Tribe]

It's my understanding Hulu is owned by corporate media interests with pretty deep pockets. I'm assuming Criterion is being paid some sort of premium for exclusivity here.

[matrixschmatrix]

I think the way Hulu is allowing Criterion to maintain their branding and brand identity- and evidently to put up special features from their discs- means that this move makes sense to me, even ignoring whatever money Criterion probably got for it. Special features, Eclipse movies, rarer-than-Eclipse movies, those are a huge part of what defines Criterion, and Netflix didn't seem to want any part of them.

[Cobalt60]

This may seen like a stupid question but is anyone else as annoyed as I am by the presence of the little "hulu" logo in the bottom left side of the screen the whole time your watching a movie?

[Cinephrenic]

Does the other corner have a 'wacky c'? Lol

[HistoryProf]

This may seen like a stupid question but is anyone else as annoyed as I am by the presence of the little "hulu" logo in the bottom left side of the screen the whole time your watching a movie?

No...and i've also never been anything but annoyed with their entire interface. it's not user-friendly, and the window is too small and the quality sucks compared to Netflix. Nor is Hulu available for streaming to my television via my roku box. Nor do any movies on Netflix have commercials before them - which I think Criterion is being particularly disingenuous about...they keep answer questions about ads by saying none will interrupt the film, but that doesn't mean they still arent' there at the beginning. And this is in the pay service! Hulu has been trying to figure out how to make people pay for their site since it began....and it's never been worth it. I think this was a terrible decision by Criterion, and will end up biting them in the ass as streaming continues to advance. People aren't just going to keep subscribing to different providers, and most everyone on earth watches other movies besides Criterion offerings - that's where Netflix will *always* trump hulu.

[Perkins Cobb]

This may seen like a stupid question but is anyone else as annoyed as I am by the presence of the little "hulu" logo in the bottom left side of the screen the whole time your watching a movie?

Really? So that would actually appear superimposed over the image for a 1.78:1 film?

That would be a dealbreaker for me, and so would any ads (whether during or "just" at the beginning of the film). I haven't endured either of those things since about 1995 and I'm not going to start now, no matter what rarities Criterion trots out. You mean people actually pay to watch movies on Hulu like this?

Maybe if this relationship proves successful Criterion will have the clout to get this nonsense discontinued. Why am I having a hard time convincing myself of that though....

[HistoryProf]

yes there is a hulu logo in the lower left corner of everything that they stream. everything. and everything on hulu+ has ads at the beginning, preceded by an announcement that your feature will be commercial free, after this brief message

Though I have to recant the roku issue as apparently it's been added recently. But strangely not everything available via the website is available via secondary streaming devices. I played with the trial stuff they let you watch to check it out and even the 1.5 to 2 minute clips had 1-2 minute commercials in front of them. overall it was incredibly frustrating.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

So this means Netflix will now start stocking all the actual Criterion DVDs, right?

[Perkins Cobb]

So this means Netflix will now start stocking all the actual Criterion DVDs, right?

No, I think that's BS. If anything Netflix will be more reluctant to carry Criterion DVDs (and especially Blus). They're basically looking for any excuse to drop physical media, and Criterion's F.U. is a pretty good one.

[ccfixx]

Is anyone else that is using Hulu Plus through their PS3 having better luck than I am?

I just signed up for the 1-week "free trail" to give it a test drive, and so far I'm not too impressed. I've used the regular ol' Hulu in the past on my computer, but I'm not fairing too well using my PS3 and TV.

I was quite impressed at first, actually, because I went straight to the Criterion section and chose to see how "Summertime" looked. It loaded up and played just as well as anything from Netflix that I've ever streamed... no complaints. However, I then thought I would try to stream something a little less demanding (i.e. movie trailers) and I can't get one single trailer to load and play for me... not even the 53 second "Smurfs" trailer. As a matter of fact, I've been staring at a Loading screen on my TV for over 10 minutes now. The software has locked-up my whole PS3. I can't get it to respond at all using the remote control.

[Elmyr]

I've been using Hulu Plus through my PS3 and haven't had any problems so far. I watched The Exterminating Angel in HD and it looked very nice, although it was the edited version missing the second arrival of the party guests. #-o The only less demanding item I've tried was the most recent episode of Parks and Recreation, which also went off without a hitch.

So far I'm pleased with this and don't mind spending the extra $7.99 a month to see what Criterion has in store. The only way I could understand some of the anger about this partnership is if Criterion ceased producing dvds and blurays and this was our only option. I see this more as a giant extra feature.

[redbill]

I signed up yesterday and used in on the ps3. watched 2 movies (Black Orpheus & Victim) with no problems.

[redbill]

Some CC are already starting to expire on Netflix Instant. Grand Illusion & Le Cercle Rouge are both gone on 3/1.

[MyNameCriterionForum]

So this means Netflix will now start stocking all the actual Criterion DVDs, right?

No, I think that's BS. If anything Netflix will be more reluctant to carry Criterion DVDs (and especially Blus). They're basically looking for any excuse to drop physical media, and Criterion's F.U. is a pretty good one.

Of course I was joking, as evidenced by all of our griping in the Netflix threads elsewhere.

Now, if all the independent DVD distributors Netflix can't be bothered to stock (Anchor Bay, Synapse, Code Red, et al) joined up with Hulu to offer some kind of channel, then I'd consider paying for the service. But still, frankly, fuck streaming; it's DVDs I want.

[Perkins Cobb]

Sorry for failing to recognize the sarcasm.

I'm fine with streaming if they get it right (I can't believe I just typed those words) but I'll give up movies if watching them with ads and watermarks somehow becomes the norm again. Screw that. Come on Criterion, you helped letterboxing go mainstream; don't let Hulu do this to your content!

I thought Netflix was bad: now I'm reminded it's the lesser of various evils.

[buskeat]

I'm not sure how often we're supposed to expect additions to Hulu Plus's Criterion offerings, but it seems a few titles have been added this week:

All four titles in the Alexander Korda Eclipse set
Kurosawa's No Regrets for Our Youth, One Wonderful Sunday and The Idiot
Border Radio
Haxan
Through a Glass Darkly
L'enfance nue
F for Fake
Threepenny Opera
Androcles and the Lion
Fiend Without a Face
Man is Not a Bird
Germany Year Zero

The one unreleased rarity that just popped up was Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Saga.

[starmanof51]

Interesting to observe that Netflix is not quite done adding Criterions despite the Hulu move. I see Mafioso coming to their streaming service on 3/31 and Heaven Can Wait on 5/1 (the latter according to Instantwatcher.com).

[Cosmic Bus]

In addition to the normal one-week trial, Microsoft and Hulu are offering a free month of Plus service for trying IE9.

[pinkston]

I think the most exciting thing to consider is that special features have been alluded to. This is something that Netflix just interested in delivering right now. And what is the main reason to watch a Criterion DVD instead of just streaming the movie? Why, yes, the features.

I am wondering if there have been any updates as to when special features will start to become available and what features will be included -- will it just be interview stuff, or will we be able to get commentary tracks, etc? Has anyone heard anything more about this?

[dwk]

Interesting to observe that Netflix is not quite done adding Criterions despite the Hulu move. I see Mafioso coming to their streaming service on 3/31 and Heaven Can Wait on 5/1 (the latter according to Instantwatcher.com).

Mafioso is a StudioCanal title and Heaven Can Wait is a 20th Century Fox title.

[jwd5275]

In case anyone is keeping track, Criterion just added 24 more movies on Hulu (six of which are they have not put out previously on DVD) and 8 more supplements.

Not going to list all 24 movies, however the 6 previously unreleased films are:

The Plough and Stars (1936) - John Ford
Fire Over England (1937) - William Howard and Alexander Korda
The Drum (1938) - Zoltan Korda
Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) - Bryan Forbes
La Truite (1982) - Joseph Lossey
L'Argent (1983) - Robert Bresson

Virgin Spring, Cronos, La Strada, For All Mankind, Knife in the Water and Mishima all had supplements added.