UPDATE: It seems if you relied on streaming Criterion titles on Netflix that option will not be available by the end of 2011 as Criterion has posted on their Facebook page that all of the Criterion titles streaming on Netflix will be gone by the end of the year. They will, of course, continue to provide their titles through physical DVD and Blu-ray rental.
Today Criterion announced they have debuted more than 150 titles on Hulu Plus and over the coming months, that number is expected to swell to more than 800 films. Hulu is also expecting to bring the best aspect of Criterion’s titles, the commentaries, documentaries, interviews, original trailers, essays and more to the service as well. This is being perceived as a big deal by everyone and their mother, but I wonder how many subscribers it will actually bring.
Looking over Peter Becker’s post at Criterion, the best aspect of the deal seems to be the following:
On Hulu Plus, you’ll find everything in our library, from Academy Award winners to many of the most famous films by art-house superstars like Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, and Federico Fellini to films so rare that they have never been seen in the U.S. in any medium. Some of these lost gems have been so hard to see that even most of the Criterion staff will see them for the first time only when they go live on Hulu Plus! Each month, we’ll be highlighting a mix of programs, centered on themes, directors, actors, and other creative artists, as well as celebrity picks, and mixing them with deep cuts from the catalog that will be unknown to all but the most prominent cinephiles in the world.
Hulu Senior VP, Eugene Wei, also adds:
But just as exciting are the titles still to come. These include not just more well-known classics but also movies that have been difficult or impossible to find on video in any format. Le Silence de la Mer, by one of my favorite directors, Jean-Pierre Melville. The extended filmography of Kenji Mizoguchi. Early shorts by Chaplin. L’Assassin Habite au 21, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s first feature.
Criterion and Hulu Plus have already debuted films not yet available on Criterion Blu-ray or DVD yet, most notably the recently acquired Charlie Chaplin titles such as The Kid, City Lights and The Circus.
This is all fine and dandy, and at $95.40 a year Hulu Plus is certainly not a bad deal. It’s basically the same price as NetFlix Instant a year, but it’s obviously targeting a more specific fanbase. I have a hard time believing people that tune in to Hulu Plus are also the same fans that tune in each week to catch up on “The Bachelor” and “Harry’s Law”.
Criterion’s Peter Breck says, “For the true cinephile, this should be a dream come true.” I know I would love to have access to everything Criterion is offering on Hulu Plus. However, I personally wouldn’t have the time to dig into it. I have too much to watch as is and I would likely never even tune in as NetFlix Instant has more than enough to keep me busy, including a bevy of Criterion titles.
I also wonder if Criterion titles are worth as much to people without the supplements, packaging and detailed booklets. As Criterion has grown its online profile the word “Collection” seems to be used less and less when discussing the company. However, isn’t that exactly what it is? A collection. I’ve always got the sense the hardcore Criterion fans not only love the films, but they love owning all of them that they can, creating a valuable art house collection at home that can not only be watched, but adored and displayed proudly.
That’s all just from my perspective of course. Perhaps you’re already a Hulu Plus user and you can now take the time to watch Kurosawa’s Madadayo in-between an episode of “30 Rock” and “Chuck”. I’d be curious to hear from you and what your take on this new deal is. You can check out everything that’s currently available right here.
