Following the controversial termination of WarnerMedia’s beloved FilmStruck streaming service, a new digital home for great movies has been announced.
Criterion, on Nov. 16, released that the team will be launching a new subscription service, housing solely its famed Criterion Collection.
FilmStruck was given the ax on Nov. 29, and many film lovers were upset. Those impacted by FilmStruck’s services, from celebrities to casual watchers, took to social media and petitioned for a revival of FilmStruck, but it was to no avail.
This point was where Criterion stepped in.
The Criterion Collection was one main selling point of FilmStruck’s catalog, known for its beautiful preservation, restoration, and distribution of classic films both vintage and contemporary.
The Criterion service, in the wake of FilmStruck, will supposedly contain many on-screen and off-screen exclusives.
In a recent post on Criterion.com, the team released info about its service’s contents, including “programming director spotlights and actor retrospectives featuring major Hollywood and international classics and hard-to-find discoveries from around the world, complete with special features like commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, and original documentaries.”
Nicholas Messina, a specialist professor of communication and a former FilmStruck subscriber who provided insight on FilmStruck’s initial demise, responded to Criterion’s announcement with, “While the loss of FilmStruck as a whole is detrimental, the creation of the Criterion Collection service is a brilliant alternative.”
Messina continued, “I believe that a majority of individuals were attracted to FilmStruck for access to the Collection in the first place.”
At this point, Criterion is projecting a 2019 release of their unnamed service at $10.99 per month or $100 per year.
That considered, the Criterion team is said to be looking for subscribers to sign up now to support the service’s development; in exchange, these so-called “charter members” will receive exclusive benefits.
Criterion’s service will be accessible for the U.S. and Canada at launch and is intended to roll over to other country closely after.
Criterion is publicly calling for FilmStruck lovers to support this budding 2019 service. User interest would reaffirm the artistic and cultural need for easily-accessible digital film archives.
Messina concluded, “It’s a step in the right direction. The people were given the opportunity to speak and their (our) voices have been heard! So to the new Criterion Collection service, I say, ‘here’s looking at you, kid.’”
Following much protest, there has been the talk of WarnerMedia planning to re-emerge with a “more comprehensive” service inspired by bits of FilmStruck. Criterion, on its official website, mentioned that The Criterion Collection would also be accessible on WarnerMedia’s service upon its release.
PHOTO COURTESY of Madison Movie
