Netflix (DVD Delivery Discussion Only)

[MyNameCriterionForum]

The price issue is annoying and insulting, but for me - and many others here, I'm sure - it's less about money than about service: Their sudden and near-total disregard in the last 12 months for 75% of Criterion discs, almost 100% of smaller, vital labels' titles, and a slew of important catalog titles from the majors. That was unacceptable at any price (and seemingly a complete reversal of their earlier policies) -- the price hike is just icing on the roadkill. Fuck Netflix, for real. I think I can honestly say I'd LOVE to see them collapse and disappear at this point. It's just too bad they took so many mom-and-pop video stores with them.

[jwd5275]

Netflix goal is to be the new streaming version of Redbox ...

[unclehulot]

Netflix goal is to be the new streaming version of Redbox ...

So perhaps if they have their eyes on providing that kind of new release "A" title stuff, they'll end up with several tiers of streaming, including pay-per-title viewing....I can't imagine they could come up with a single fee for unlimited streaming that accounts for (and is fair to) those who only are interested in back catalog depth (which has been a real vaporware scenario anyhow, with so many titles disappearing over time...remember all the silent films, not to mention Criterions, they used to have?) IF I wanted to pay $5 for a new release, it would not be as a streaming offering, it would be off to a Red Box. That's why Vudu doesn't interest me personally. I WOULD feel better about dropping streaming and paying for disc rentals if they would go back to a comprehensive new release selection. Particularly having to pay $2 extra for "Blu Ray access" with almost none of the Criterions carried is a real kick in the teeth. I tend to do the BluRay access for a month to catch up on some HBO series or other, then drop it again.

I do think the real showdown with NF (and other streaming services) and ISPs is just beginning. It's already influenced my decision when streaming on a regular basis would max out my monthly 150GB cap. Many who start streaming heavily will find an unpleasant email reminder from ATT or Verizon that their "usage" is excessive....ATT charges $10 extra for each 50GB over the cap, Verizon threatens to cut off service or throttle your speed. Why do they market faster broadband connections, and then put us in the position (like NF in Canada now, of having to choose a poor quality streaming quality, which has us hankering back to the good ole days of VHS quality? Money I guess, but if anything is going to save the physical disc rental market, it's going to be THIS issue of ISP broadband tiered pricing and policies.

[Zumpano]

According to the e-mail Netflix sent me, my membership price it only going up $1.99

[Perkins Cobb]

Setting aside the fact that there's no such thing as "an old Diane Lane movie," the Atlantic has a thorough and level-headed assessment of why the price hike is a bone-headed move.

[richast2]

Just noticed this morning that all three films of Pasolini's Trilogy of Life are available for streaming.

[Perkins Cobb]

"Netflix notes that 75% of new customers are signing up for a streaming plan, and they believe that DVD rentals have already peaked." So much for that new "DVD division."

[Drucker]

more news:
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20 ... el-netflix" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Noiradelic]

NYT: Netflix Sees Angry Customers Cutting Profit

[Perkins Cobb]

All those people who cancel their service will come crawling back as soon as they realize there's no place else to go. And I'm sure Netflix is well aware of that, or they wouldn't have taken this hit. The only substantial change for them will be perceptual -- they've given up their atypical reputation as a customer-friendly company and joined the Walmart/Disney/Blockbuster list of cutthroat corporations people love to hate. Of course, we knew that two years ago, but now everybody gets it.

[knives]

There are several other companies out there plus libraries which are for free.

[Perkins Cobb]

And none of those have the breadth of Netflix's library, even in its currently ever-more-underwhelming state. The only people who will defect for good are (1) those who only watch new releases and somehow manage to get them from Redbox without spending more on gas than they would on Netflix; (2) those who turn to piracy (but isn't anyone who's able and willing to do that doing it already?); (3) those for whom the Netflix price hike shifts movies into the "luxury" rather than the "necessity" category.

But I guarantee you nobody's going to switch to Hulu, Blockbuster, or cable as a primary content source and find it to be in anyway comparable to Netflix.

A lot of people may leave Netflix and come back with a scaled-back plan, but again, I'd bet Netflix crunched numbers and is pretty confident there will be a net gain when it all shakes out.

[knives]

Well if Swo's stats mean anything Blockbuster has a better library than Netflix.

[swo17]

Yes, hopefully everyone is aware that Blockbuster is blowing Netflix out of the water as far as stocking new Criterion releases, as I'm tracking here. The same is probably also true for most new BD releases of classic films, though Blockbuster still has plenty of gaps. I'm currently relying mostly on my local library and using BB and Netflix to round it out. I couldn't do without Netflix but I'm using it much less now than before, and they're not getting any money from me for streaming.

[Perkins Cobb]

I'm glad BB is back on the Criterion bandwagon, but they're still not stocking most of the Shout Factory, VCI, Animeigo, Code Red/Scorpion, etc., that Netflix has dropped the ball on.

And then there's the whole concept of actually starting to root for Blockbuster as a thorn in Netflix's side, that I'm still trying to come to grips with.

[ando]

With the exception of an Eartha Kitt movie or two my two months at Netflix streamworld has been most disappointing. Granted, it's hard to top The New York Public Library for access to classic films (I'm really a bit spoiled) but the quality and quantity of titles available for streaming at Netflix is poor. I'll give 'em another month to improve but it looks like my summer fling with them is doomed.

Wait. Gotta hand it to them for having Odd Man Out available for instant streaming. For that alone I'm almost willing to reconsider extending my membership. Almost.

[Michael Kerpan]

I caught Oliveira's Oporto -- bwfore it disappears from the roster of films available for streaming. A lovely film -- see it before the end of today -- or it (supposedly) will be too late.

[aox]

Scumbag Subscribers.....

[swo17]

That graphic conveniently skims over how Netflix has burned through all of its goodwill during the past two years.

[aox]

So what you are saying is that you prefer whole milk.

[ando]

I prefer a halfway decent streaming collection of standard classics. No Godfather? No Singing In The Rain? No Citizen Kane? Isn't the whole point to be able to watch a classic at a moment's notice? The MFs sent me mail for years (not to mention the barrage of pop-up advertisements all over the Web) after I cancelled my mail service but I relented and re-subscribed. The streaming service doesn't come close to the availailty of great films through the mail service.

But thanks, Michael, for the heads up on Oporto.

[Michael Kerpan]

Oporto was actually gone by last night -- not sure when it "evaporated" during the course of the day.

[bjeggert82]

Frustrating: Sidney Lumet's Deathtrap is playing on Instant in widescreen, but is only available to buy on DVD in full frame. So after watching it and getting all excited to add it to my collection, I can't (or won't, rather). Here's hoping Warner Bros. puts together a Blu-ray or at least a remastered DVD.

[Perkins Cobb]

Frustrating: Sidney Lumet's Deathtrap is playing on Instant in widescreen, but is only available to buy on DVD in full frame. So after watching it and getting all excited to add it to my collection, I can't (or won't, rather). Here's hoping Warner Bros. puts together a Blu-ray or at least a remastered DVD.

Also Running on Empty and a few films that MGM released in 4:3 (e.g., Monkey Hustle). Rare cases where Netflix is streaming a better master than the DVD used.

[Perkins Cobb]

The Blue Underground gialli that I'm testing on Netflix streaming all have a pronounced stutter in the motion throughout. See, for instance, The Bloodstained Shadow or The Pyjama Girl Case. Can anyone else confirm this? It's very obvious on my plasma; less so on my laptop. I just watched something else that looked fine, so it's not an issue of a temporary server or ISP slowdown.

I'm trying to isolate examples where Netflix is offering a streaming encode that's fucked, where the same master is perfectly fine on disc, and this looks like a particularly indisputable one. (And also trying to verify for certain that I don't have an issue where my ISP or streaming device can play back some Netflix streams fine, but not others ... although I can't imagine how that could be the case.)