D.A. Pennebaker's first film, Daybreak Express, is just the sort of wonderful tidbit that makes this site worth the money to me. I never would have seen it if they hadn't paired it with the feature it ran with in 1958 (Neame's The Horse's Mouth). Filmstruck isn't perfect (all the hosted intros I've seen so far are horrible), but it's got a lot going for it.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Monday, 21 November 2016 04:01 (seven years ago) link
Hosted intros? Don't like the sound of that.
Anyone know if FilmStruck is 1080p, as opposed to Hulu's 720p?
― Jazzbo, Monday, 21 November 2016 17:53 (seven years ago) link
people on the Reddit Criterion/Filmstruck forums have complained about quality but Criterion-people seem borderline audiophilic in their craze for picture quality
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Monday, 21 November 2016 17:55 (seven years ago) link
If they're concerned about picture quality they shouldn't be streaming
― slathered in cream and covered with stickers (silby), Monday, 21 November 2016 18:54 (seven years ago) link
^^^^^
― Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 21 November 2016 19:53 (seven years ago) link
AppleTV app is live
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Sunday, 4 December 2016 00:48 (seven years ago) link
They are basically the Steve Hoffman folk of the film world. BluRay era has been a golden age for system setup/region coding online dick-size contests.
― a full playlist of presidential apocalypse jams (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 4 December 2016 05:56 (seven years ago) link
A FB friend (who may be an ILXor, though I can't remember his screen name) who knows how to wrangle databases heard my plea last night and extracted the data from Filmstruck's "Browse All" source code that allowed me to make this:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TWx8-b5fbqenVr6r64hf3GktufPAgc61akPIvKoV2XA/edit?usp=sharing
A spreadsheet with Filmstruck's current offerings, sortable by title, director, year, runtime, country. Note 2 sheets, Basic Filmstruck and Criterion Channel. It may be less useful than the one I made of Criterion on Hulu, because films are being added and dropped much more frequently.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Sunday, 4 December 2016 16:24 (seven years ago) link
Thanks for that!
― A big shout out goes to the lamb chops, thos lamb chops (ulysses), Sunday, 4 December 2016 19:39 (seven years ago) link
some surprising omissions: very little Minelli, only one Lubitsch, no Tod Browning, no Sturges, no Sirk, only a handful of Fellini, only one Cukor... plenty of oddball curation clearly swung by copyright ownership instead of best options too: four Robert Downey Sr. films but no Putney Swope?
― A big shout out goes to the lamb chops, thos lamb chops (ulysses), Sunday, 4 December 2016 19:55 (seven years ago) link
xpost You're welcome! I'm going to try to keep up with arrivals and departures to keep the spreadsheet up to date, but they are being VERY stupid about announcing that sort of stuff (I found out Mulholland Dr. is leaving the site at the end of January, but not from Filmstruck itself) so if anyone wants to mention comings and goings on this thread, that'd be great.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Sunday, 4 December 2016 19:58 (seven years ago) link
Nice list! Wow, that's a strong sales pitch...ugh. I'm really disappointed because the little Roku TV I bought this year for the living room has no option to turn off its (subtle, not always dstractingly present) soap-opera effect and by the time I was sure it wasn't my imagination, it was too late to return the thing. So now I'm sort of hesitant to plunk down for Filmstruck when it goes Roku since it'll be sabotaging the entire ''get myself educated in great film'' thing.
― walk back to the halftime long, billy lynn, billy lynn (Doctor Casino), Sunday, 4 December 2016 22:28 (seven years ago) link
You might want to double check your TV settings re: soap opera effect. A friend had this issue, I had to go in and change her TV's settings on every input.
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Sunday, 4 December 2016 22:36 (seven years ago) link
Oh believe me I've looked, through every menu and submenu. AFAICT it does not have any kind of off switch. It's definitely more pronounced on certain content but I suspect this may reflect arcane details of what framerate/medium the content provided to Netflix was inteded for. Robotech (the DVD version from the early 2000s) looked fine the entire way through. From Dusk Till Dawn made the actors look like plastic cutouts sliding wildly around the screen somehow moving a little faster than they should, especally any time the camera moved.
I keep praying for a firmware upgrade that fixes this but I doubt many folks are clamoring for it. Just pissed that the online reviews suggesting this was really the best option for this size TV never thought this was worth mentioning. Maybe earlier models didn't do this, or something.
― walk back to the halftime long, billy lynn, billy lynn (Doctor Casino), Monday, 5 December 2016 00:21 (seven years ago) link
It's classic that a thing happens and ILX's first reaction is to make a spreadsheet
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Monday, 5 December 2016 16:41 (seven years ago) link
::shrug:: for me, it's an easier way to browse
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Monday, 5 December 2016 17:18 (seven years ago) link
The in-app browsing system is not good! A spreadsheet is very helpful for this thing!
― A big shout out goes to the lamb chops, thos lamb chops (ulysses), Monday, 5 December 2016 19:14 (seven years ago) link
So the non-Criterion content is pretty meh, right? I was actually more interested in TCM-style films than Criterions.
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Monday, 5 December 2016 19:34 (seven years ago) link
Downhill Racer is only available this month, I see.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Thursday, 8 December 2016 21:39 (seven years ago) link
There was never going to be a lot of content that people would think of as "TCM-like" on this, and it seemed like they let a lot of people think otherwise.
― Chris L, Thursday, 8 December 2016 21:54 (seven years ago) link
makes you wonder what TCM even has to do with it? Why not just Criterion: the App?
― dan selzer, Thursday, 8 December 2016 21:57 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, they've been unnecessarily vague about everything but the price.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Thursday, 8 December 2016 22:33 (seven years ago) link
A friend recommended the Warner Movie Archive for classic American stuff but the library looks pretty shallow even for a one-studio service and reviews were bad.
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Friday, 9 December 2016 03:03 (seven years ago) link
FS has legit shit quality streaming and they told me they wont have chromecast support until sometime next year
― kurt schwitterz, Friday, 9 December 2016 03:31 (seven years ago) link
Shit quality like they're actually streaming in SD? Lots of compression artifacts? Stuff like that?
― Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Tuesday, 13 December 2016 14:17 (seven years ago) link
Lots added in the last few days.
Filmstruck:Cairo StationThe Return of the Prodigal SonThe Sixth DayThe SparrowSaladinAlexandria, Again and ForeverAn Egyptian StoryThe LandCairo As Told By Youssef Chahine
The Tall Blond Man With One Black ShoeLa Moutarde Me Monte au NezParis 36
Criterion:Koko: A Talking GorillaMy Crasy LifeAn Innocent WitchA Story from ChikamatsuEternal Return, TheEndless DesireHeat Wave; Oil-Hell Murder (both Hideo Gosha)Poil de Carotte (Duvivier)Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, TheAsk Father (Harold Lloyd short)Boudu Saved from DrowningOliver Twist (Lean)Courage for Every DayUncle Yanco (Varda)Fear of FearMother Kusters Goes to HeavenAmerican Soldier, TheJunkopia (Chris Marker)
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Wednesday, 14 December 2016 16:25 (seven years ago) link
Help Center is Helpful -- https://help.filmstruck.com/hc/en-us/
Movies leaving the service in the next 6 months: https://help.filmstruck.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000301047-Movies-Leaving-FIlmStruck
Available audio commentaries: https://help.filmstruck.com/hc/en-us/articles/232060448-List-of-Audio-Commentaries-in-FilmStruck
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Sunday, 25 December 2016 18:04 (seven years ago) link
good stuff!
― A big shout out goes to the lamb chops, thos lamb chops (ulysses), Monday, 26 December 2016 01:55 (seven years ago) link
When they go Roku I think I'm totally in.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 26 December 2016 22:11 (seven years ago) link
They said "early December" for the Apple TV and it was available on Dec. 1st. They're saying "early 2017" for Roku so I unrealistically have my hopes up for Jan. 1st.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Monday, 26 December 2016 22:52 (seven years ago) link
Looking at that aforementioned list, it seemed like a million titles were leaving the service. Does that mean the Criterion Collection, assuming you pay for it, is a constant, but everything else comes and goes?
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 December 2016 17:07 (seven years ago) link
I think that's mostly true -- Downhill Racer and Mulholland Dr. are on short engagements on Criterion and I think they'll be gone from the site entirely.
I guess I should watch that huge collection of Chaplin Keystone/Essanay/Mutual shorts before they're gone on 4/21, because they're not on the Criterion side.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Tuesday, 27 December 2016 17:35 (seven years ago) link
Even if you’re paying for the Criterion Collection, not all of the titles are available at once. I’m assuming they’re rotating that stuff, too.
― Jazzbo, Thursday, 29 December 2016 15:21 (seven years ago) link
I actually don't mind when streaming selections rotate, it helps me focus a bit better. The choice paralysis of the entire Criterion Collection, which would take how many years to watch their entirety, is overwhelming. Basically as it is with Netflix and Amazon not keep adding stuff to my watch list, and if it happens to be unavailable when I want to actually watch it, that's when I resort to downloading.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 29 December 2016 17:03 (seven years ago) link
Yeah I can't imagine being in a situation on Filmstruck where it feels like there was nothing to watch. Rotate away.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 29 December 2016 17:09 (seven years ago) link
23 films under 4 banners added on the Filmstruck side --
Alain Resnais Errol Morris Cinematography by Rudolph Maté Behind the Iron Curtain
Withnail and I added on Criterion
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Saturday, 31 December 2016 03:52 (seven years ago) link
Todd Haynes' Safe available until the end of this month, plus the supplemental bits (incl. Haynes' 1978 short "The Suicide") and the commentary track from the home release.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Wednesday, 4 January 2017 14:03 (seven years ago) link
Come on, Roku ...
Haven't read the thread, but I skimmed this piece from a while back, which was not hopeful: http://www.thestreamingadvisor.com/2016/04/26/another-film-buff-service-really-turner-is-getting-streaming-wrong/
I dunno. I hope it sticks around. But I've got to admit, from a so-called "cord-cutter" perspective, I'm not a fan of the slow creep of services. Netflix, plus Amazon (which, granted, comes with many other benefits), plus Filmstruck, plus internet, plus phone, plus satellite radio, etc. Something has to give, eventually.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 14:36 (seven years ago) link
Putting a lot of energy into being a service for film buffs is like starting an athletic shoe company that specializes in turquoise equestrian gear.
This guy is full of shit. That analogy shows he is way outside Filmstruck's target demo and can't relate to anyone who's in it.
We just cancelled DirecTV on Sunday, freeing up $$$ to get what we actually want minus the home shopping and religious channels. I think that's a pretty common situation for cord- and dish-cutters.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Wednesday, 4 January 2017 14:52 (seven years ago) link
That's how I feel, basically. I'll spend, as least to some extent, just not on the 90% of sports and reality shows and other bullshit I don't want. But I do agree Filmstruck's target demo is somewhat limited. Not a growth model.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 14:55 (seven years ago) link
really enjoying this service. agree it's not the biggest target demo, but every time i look for a movie on amazon or netflix it's just wall to wall shit so something like Filmstruck feels like an embarrassment of riches by comparison.
― ryan, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 15:01 (seven years ago) link
I had a brief Roku daydream that maybe Filmstruck's channel would be integrated with the Watch TCM channel, which according to TCM's device-activation page is "coming soon." But that's not really possible so I woke up.
― aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuu (melting robot) (WilliamC), Wednesday, 4 January 2017 15:04 (seven years ago) link
Yeah people who CUT DA CORD to live on Netflix is like throwing out all your records to listen to Pandora
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 15:06 (seven years ago) link
My wife is always trying to get me to listen to Pandora "if you like x, then ..." channels or whatever, and I keep telling her, I have the music I like and if I want to hear music I like I'm going to put on music I like, not hope that the algorithm driving the Dolly Parton channel or whatever will stick to classic country and not follow "Coat of Many Colors" with, like, something from Florida Georgia Line's Christmas album.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 15:39 (seven years ago) link
IDK cable TV seems to me to be at least 90% garbage or stuff totally outside my interests, at least whenever I'm at my relatives' for Christmas and spend any time surfing through it. So if I had that cord, cutting it would be more like getting rid of Pandora than getting rid of my record collection. I'm still interested in Filmstruck when it hits Roku and will almost certainly give it a try for a month or two, I mean it's cheaper than a single movie ticket or a few rentals so I don't have to watch THAT much for it to be worth it.
Might finally punt Netflix tbh - that's kept me looped in mostly because the person I share it with watches a fuckton of old TV shows on it while she's working, and because there's always at least ONE thing floating around in current rotation that I'm into, like my recent ill-advised Robotech binge. But my actual queue has had some of the same stuff in it for YEARS and if I've never felt compelled to finally sit down and watch it that's probably a sign. The overwhelming majority of new arrival stuff is about as interesting to me as what might be found clicking through the cable movie channels, nope, nope, nope, nope, ehhh maybe if I'm in the right mood, nope.....
― mega pegasus for reindeer (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 4 January 2017 16:15 (seven years ago) link
DiretctTV/ATT app might be the best solution. Cut the cable cord (or just pay for internet), subscribe to DirectTV app for 30 bucks/mo and get all the live TV you want more or less? Just no DVR recording ability.
― dan selzer, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 16:25 (seven years ago) link
At this point I'm basically paying $8 a month for the Internet and $10 a month for Netflix, but I guess I should also count going to the movies in my budget for these things...
― mega pegasus for reindeer (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 4 January 2017 17:24 (seven years ago) link
$8 for internet? How do you do that?
My wife last night, when we were going through these things, was asking if I was getting enough value out of Netflix, and I was like, what do you mean, like how many things do I have to watch for it to be worth it? And she said, yeah, I don't know, maybe three to make it make more sense than a la carte purchases? And I said whether I watched enough or not was moot, because I've downloaded a shit ton of stuff over the years for nada, and if paying a few streaming services makes me feel better then dammit, I'd say they're a bargain.
And then she asked to watch The Crown, and I restrained myself from saying "see, you need Netflix!"
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 17:39 (seven years ago) link
Ha, it's an unusual situation - it's a big house, so we're splitting reasonably fast broadband twelve ways. Generally haven't had any speed issues or anything.
― mega pegasus for reindeer (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 4 January 2017 18:02 (seven years ago) link
I pay for Hulu, Netflix, Filmstruck and Fandor.
Because I like throwing away money.
― dan selzer, Wednesday, 4 January 2017 18:14 (seven years ago) link