• A Long Time Coming

    By Peter Becker

    HULU

    It’s not often that you get to say you are going to meet millions of new people on a single day while making a wish come true for many of your oldest friends, but that is exactly what is happening to the Criterion Collection today, as we go live with a major exclusive new offering on Hulu.

    When I first started working at the Criterion Collection about seventeen years ago, I remember coming across a file box full of typed and handwritten letters that viewers had sent to Jon Mulvaney, our longtime customer liaison. At that time, the company was sometimes referred to as the “Rolls-Royce of laserdiscs”—an honor, to be sure, but one that was meaningful to a vanishingly small sliver of the American public. Many of our editions sold hundreds, not even thousands, of copies, at prices as high as $125 for a single film, but we had a very dedicated audience of movie lovers who had come to value Criterion for our commitment to quality, and for the array of special features we had pioneered starting in 1984, when we published the first ever commentary tracks and special features to appear alongside motion pictures.

    It is tempting to say that a lot has changed since then, but the truth is, even more has remained constant. We don’t make laserdiscs anymore, but we are still dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and using the latest technology to present them in editions that will deepen viewers’ appreciation and understanding of the art of cinema. Customers still write to Jon Mulvaney all the time, but now instead of pens and typewriters, they send him e-mail or post to our Facebook page or Twitter.

    When I think back to all the letters I read that day, I realize that even the subjects of those letters haven’t changed much at all. Most were and are passionate pleas for us to release a favorite film or seek out a particular director’s work, but then, as now, one of the most common requests was for some kind of subscription program that would give customers access to everything we put out.

    Starting today, there are more than 150 of our most important films online on the Hulu Plus subscription service. Over the coming months, that number will swell to more than 800 films. For the true cinephile, this should be a dream come true. 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.

    Criterion has always been a company driven by its mission, not by any particular medium, and while we still see our core business as producing the world’s best DVD and Blu-ray versions of the world’s best films, this new venture with Hulu represents a huge expansion of our reach. Not only will Hulu users have access to the largest digital archive of Criterion movies for the first time, Hulu Plus subscribers will now be able to stream our films (and yes, before long, many of our supplements too!) on a wide array of devices, including iPhones, iPads, PlayStations, and Internet-connected television sets.

    And finally, why Hulu? In short, because they get it. As their regular viewers know, the Hulu user experience is exactly what it should be: simple, elegant, and focused on the content. Hulu has built their brand on letting the shows and movies take center stage. Nobody does it better, and we’re honored that they see Criterion as a good match for their audience. We’re going to do all we can to make the experience of Criterion on Hulu Plus an exciting adventure for all of us, so please check it out and let us know what you think. (For more details on how it will work, here’s a blog post by Hulu’s Eugene Wei.)

     

129 comments

  • By Chris
    February 15, 2011
    09:12 AM

    While I appreciate what's being done for the ADD crowd, I don't know who these people are that would prefer to watch such glorious films in an inferior compressed streaming format, let alone a cell phone with a 4" screen. The times are a-changin', for sure, but it just really seams like a step back for the quality of these films. I stream films through Netflix on my Playstation 3, but even their "HD" streams are only comparable to a standard DVD. For the films that will never see the light of day again from Criterion, I think it's a great way to offer them to the public, but for everything else that's either already release or will be released, I think it's a tragedy. I dread the day when Criterion, Masters Of Cinema, Second Run, Oscilloscope Films, Cinema Guild, etc. give up on the physical media format.
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  • By Folashade Kehinde
    February 15, 2011
    09:27 AM

    I love Criterion on hulu.
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  • By Matthew
    February 15, 2011
    09:29 AM

    While I agree that streaming is not yet up to the quality of actual Blu rays, remember that the "physical media format" is digital anyway. Once streaming capabilities are increased, these films will be able to come through with exactly the same quality as on discs. Unlike music, where vinyl still has a small but loyal following, film is not workable as an analog medium on a personal basis. I've seen 2/3 of the Criterion catalog, but if it wasn't for VHS (sadly) and DVD, I probably would have only been able to see half that number at most. While I agree with you that it seems crazy to watch a movie like, say, Solaris on an iPhone, I would point out that a)Criterion will also be providing supplements, which will be a pleasure to have on a portable device and b)I'm sure there are people who would be horrified that we were watching, say, Solaris on a 40-inch screen, instead of on a full screen using a film print. The one true loss in moving fully to an online presence would certainly be the excellent Criterion design capabilities, but I honestly don't see the physical format being entirely abandoned anyway. But only time will tell.
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  • By Hoebag
    February 15, 2011
    09:31 AM

    If a 720p film streamed on your PS3 looks merely DVD quality then you a) have a poor quality television, b) have your PS3 connected using S-Video or some lesser cable or c) are unfamiliar with how HD works vs. upconverting. The HD streaming from Netflix looks fantastic.
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  • By Nicholas
    February 15, 2011
    09:32 AM

    I am not even in America, so I can't use this new service at all, but damn Chris, you are a whiney bitch. "ADD crowd"? What? Poor people have ADD now? My iPad carrying rich friends got ADD too I suppose? You think that offering more options in viewing older, great movies is "a tragedy"? You know what's a tragedy? The Holocaust. This is a sweet deal. Hulu Plus is what, $8 a month? Do you know how damn cheap that is? I can buy maybe one or two new Criterion movies every few months at $30-5 australian or so, and now I've watched them so many times, and given them to my ADD riddled friends, they're all scratched up. Do you want to buy me new copies? You want kids in film school learning Na'vi because they can't afford to get their own copy of Wild Strawberries in order to learn Swedish? Damn. You dread the day Criterion gives up on physical media format? I CAN'T EVEN USE THIS AND I'M APPRECIATIVE. Get a clue gramps.
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  • By Chris Benz
    February 15, 2011
    09:33 AM

    Fantastic news and a great step forward BUT I'm heartbroken! The films are only available in the US. Please please please tell me there's going to be a solution for the rest of the world. I'm an Australian and a devoted Criterion customer. Chris
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  • By Aileen
    February 15, 2011
    09:41 AM

    Is Hulu available in Canada?
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  • By Aileen
    February 15, 2011
    09:42 AM

    Nix my last query, I just saw a previous post. When will this be available outside of the US??
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  • By Kyle
    February 15, 2011
    09:43 AM

    Why not expand the offerings on Netflix as well? I appreciate the films available there, but I haven't noticed a large amount of additions lately? Is it safe to assume you are choosing Hulu over Netflix?
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  • By Steve Kvaal
    February 15, 2011
    09:44 AM

    I hope this new access format will also allow access to the wonderful supplemental materials that accompany many (most?) Criterion Collection films. My wife and I find the commentaries and documentaries to be like film classes held in our own recliner-furnished living room.
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  • By dk
    February 15, 2011
    09:47 AM

    Will we still be able to see them one at a time through the Criterion website? I do not want a Hulu subscription.
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  • By mattttt
    February 15, 2011
    09:48 AM

    this is great, i am going to get hulu+ now! oh, @chris, why complain about a great thing?
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  • By Kim
    February 15, 2011
    09:49 AM

    I am also wondering what this means for Criterion on Instant Netflix. I would love to subscribe to Hulu Plus but it is not in my budget to subscribe to both Hulu and Netflix. And right now I am happy with Netflix.
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  • By Plueschdoktor
    February 15, 2011
    09:53 AM

    Know this funny cursing characters in comicbooks? Well, put any amount of them in my email and you will get an inkling about my feelings toward the German movie industry esp. the distribution-companies. Not only are we often offered movies that are censored and/or in an embarassing quality (can you imagine "Short Cuts" in 1.33:1 format, in German with English subtitles? Yeah, you get the idea), let alone the amount of music and video-clips that are barred on the internet ("Sorry, the service you requested is not availablalala"). So streaming is not an option at all for me at the moment as aren't blu-ray DVDs because you don't get a codefree player in Germany. Any questions? Warm regards Plueschdoktor
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  • By mmdanziger
    February 15, 2011
    09:54 AM

    Exciting but bittersweet for those of us residing outside the US. If only it were available in Israel...
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  • By Rab
    February 15, 2011
    10:06 AM

    Count me in as another Netflix subscriber who wonders what this means. Personally, I kind of think choosing Hulu would be like choosing HD over Blueray discs. Please release information regarding Netflix. Do you plan to pull movies? Do it now before even more people hound you and ask.
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  • By Joe Johnson
    February 15, 2011
    10:07 AM

    Simply fantastic! Although if I must complain, having direct access to so many great films could lead to many Criterion fans neglecting families, missing work, and forgetting to eat. Thanks so much.
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  • By Jason Michael Beland
    February 15, 2011
    10:10 AM

    It is a shame that hulu is not available in Canada for the moment. Would have been fantastic.
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  • By Chris B
    February 15, 2011
    10:15 AM

    Count me in as someone who believes ubiquity is a great thing, and I own at least half of the catalog. I was just out to ignore the fine print and sign up for Hulu+, but noticed the tidy codicil that says that Hulu + is ad-supported! Does this mean that we have to sit through dreadful soap commercials at some arbitrary time in order to stream our beloved collection?!? Count me back out...
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  • By Arlene Herring
    February 15, 2011
    10:18 AM

    Congratulations, you're obviously very excited, and I very much appreciate what Criterion has done for movie lovers worldwide over the years, but why can't I find 'Sapphire' in Hulu Plus when 'Victim' and 'League of Gentlemen' are there -- aren't they all part of the same set of Basil Dearden films? Is Hulu Plus the reason we've had to wait so long to rent these (and what other) movies on Netflix? Should I give up my Netflix subscription for a Hulu Plus one? Must I have both?
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  • By Phil in France
    February 15, 2011
    10:19 AM

    Glad to see Criterion getting on board with Hulu, but sad to see they're not available to the -rest of the world.- Of course, I have a proxy that allows me to watch Hulu from France (and an American bank account to pay for Hulu Plus) but I would LOVE to see studios with your leverage trying to push into other geographic markets.
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  • By Brian Fantana
    February 15, 2011
    10:21 AM

    great for Criterion, great for Hulu, great for consumers, a real blow to Netflix but their offerings of indies and foreign language classics is diminishing dramatically as they get into bed with Starz and EPIX -
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  • By Ryan
    February 15, 2011
    10:21 AM

    What a great move! Love Hulu and love Criterion. Look forward to watching many great films.
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  • By Josh Dill
    February 15, 2011
    10:22 AM

    I'm a new Hulu Plus user, so I've not tried to watch any movies on the services yet. Here's my question: do films break for commercials like the TV shows do? If so, will the Criterion films be shown un-interrupted or will there be arbitrary breaks thrown into the presentation? I can't say that I'd enjoy watching a film where some car commercial comes crashing through.
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  • By Rich
    February 15, 2011
    10:26 AM

    Hulu Plus gets it? Obviously they don't get much as their share of the online market is not near to Netflix. So, please don't pretend this is anything but a money deal, where Hulu made a better offer. Like others, I have Netflix and won't be doing two online services, particularly with the current technology where results are less than standard definition, let alone hi-def. So, am I glad some poorly distributed films will get a venue? Yes. Other than that this news is a snooze-fest.
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  • By Josh Dill
    February 15, 2011
    10:33 AM

    @Rich - I understand your point about not wanting to subscribe to two different services. I'd also love to have all of this content on Netflix. However, I think the value is still there. I have Netflix (streaming only) and Hulu and that costs me a grand total of $17 per month. That's the extent of my entertainment costs. I don't subscribe to cable anymore. $17 is half the cost of ONE Criterion film on DVD and a fraction of the cost of monthly cable service. Even if you have to subscribe to two streaming services, I still think this is a cost-effective way to consume media.
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  • By Ed
    February 15, 2011
    10:34 AM

    I'm glad that HULU "gets it", but what exactly is "it"? They certainly don't get that people outside of the United States like to stream media too. I'm disappointed in Criterion. The Criterion Collection is an excellent showcase for World Cinema, but I guess you can only see it in the good ol' USA.
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  • By Tom
    February 15, 2011
    10:39 AM

    I also wonder about Netflix since I don't have the money or inclination to add Hulu plus for the foreseeable future? Having said that, I'm glad that these movies will be getting a much wider distribution.
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  • By Remy
    February 15, 2011
    10:45 AM

    I strongly oppose Hulu's move to put much of its content behind a paywall. It will restrict access to millions of potential viewers. The fact that Criterion is supporting this move saddens me. Basically, this is Internet TV for rich people. What about the rest of the population?
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  • By MB
    February 15, 2011
    10:49 AM

    I call it "Who-lu." Who uses that service really? If Criterion were interested in bringing the films to largest possible audience they would have settled for nothing less than Netflix. It does the CC filmmakers a disservice to take the money over an increased audience. Netflix is about to become the Market. While CCs will be collecting digital dust on who?lu. The ten people on this page who signed up might become a thousand but we're talking billions of eyeballs, not a little league game.
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  • By Jeff
    February 15, 2011
    10:52 AM

    I wish this was a netflix announcement.
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  • By Steven
    February 15, 2011
    11:05 AM

    Canada, We cannot get hulu in canada! sadly.
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  • By ginshari
    February 15, 2011
    11:13 AM

    This is the old auteurs.com. I stopped using them when I discovered the reviews I wrote for other film fans were being published on the Internet under my name and were searchable via Google. Do you want potential employers looking through all the films you like to watch?
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  • By Edward Cole
    February 15, 2011
    11:15 AM

    I'm with the voices that are disappointed to see the Criterion Collection 1) Not being streamed on Netflix and 2) Available only to paying Hulu customers. It's frustrating that Criterion has aggregated so many fine films only to make them available at a price point that it well out of the range of many people who would take pleasure and edification from them.
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  • By Killian
    February 15, 2011
    11:16 AM

    According to instantwatcher.com, Criterion films are still available for streaming on Netflix, at least until June. Hopefully this means Hulu won't have exclusive streaming rights.
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  • By Steve B
    February 15, 2011
    11:23 AM

    I wish this was about Netflix and not Hulu.
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  • By Ahoyskin
    February 15, 2011
    11:25 AM

    @ Josh Dill: Per the Eugene Wei article on the Hulu blog, there will be no advertisements during any Criterion stream. The only possibility is for an advertisement prior to the viewing. @ Steve Kvaal: The same article also states that Hulu will be adding bonus material over time, which is a first. Just signed up for my free trial, hoping not to be dissuaded.
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  • By Michael
    February 15, 2011
    11:26 AM

    @MB: In December 2010, Hulu had approximately 26 million unique users. For comparison, as of December 2010, Netflix had crossed into 20 million subscribers. Hulu has had at least up to 40 million unique users in one month in the past.
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  • By Anthony
    February 15, 2011
    11:34 AM

    Just what I want to watch - Criterion with commercials.
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  • By Justin
    February 15, 2011
    11:42 AM

    @MICHAEL Hulu has 26 million users, not Hulu Plus - Hulu Plus is set to reach 1 million subscribers soon. The best way to get these films to the largest audience would definitely be Netflix. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-02-03-hulu-plus-viacom_N.htm
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  • By Lynda
    February 15, 2011
    11:43 AM

    I'd be willing to pay the extra for hulu+ even though I already have Netflix, but my TV doesn't support Hulu+ and I'm not interested in watching films on my computer. Will I now have to buy yet another piece of technology to make my TV Hulu+ compatible? It's getting too complicated!
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  • By Kyle
    February 15, 2011
    11:54 AM

    My blu-ray player has hulu plus built in and I tried it. I like the interface but did not like the ads on the TV shows I watched. It's good to hear the films won't have commercials at that got really annoying. If hulu plus had more options for current tv shows that I actually like to watch I would seriously consider it in addition to netflix and would drop my cable subscription. Currently the only shows I watch I can usually see on demand on the respective website but there are a handful which are not available on demand and are also not available on any services like hulu. It's frustrating that there is no perfect solution, but this is always how it's been. Criterion's offerings certainly a nice boost to getting a hulu account I'm just a little confused why there was no word about netflix in this announcement at all.
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  • By Dain Binder
    February 15, 2011
    12:20 PM

    This is a a nice addition but many of these are already available on Netflix streaming (not sure why it says exclusive above); and if they don't have it streaming it is available on DVD. It is great to see Hulu getting more content though and I hope the partnership works out.
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  • By Tom
    February 15, 2011
    12:26 PM

    I suppose the the "techi's" won't be happy till they have completely done away with the pleasure of actually owning the world's great films in physical form. I imagine the next step will be to simply plug some wires into one's brain (or possibly via "wifi") experience "films" (apparently an already outdated word). I find myself saddened by all of this so-called "progress".
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  • By Matt
    February 15, 2011
    12:27 PM

    I'm very disappointed in this announcement. Since Criterion has started putting out so many great titles on blu-ray that I can barely keep up with those, I've decided to only buy blu-ray from now on. Having the Criterion titles that have not yet gotten a blu-ray release available on Netflix has been a great stop-gap for me when I want to watch those films, and when they get a blu-ray release, I'll buy them. Sure, the "HD" streaming quality isn't up to blu-ray standards, but it's better than, or at least as good as, a standard DVD. In that sense, the availability of Criterion films streaming on Netflix has been a great thing for me. That being said, I'm a Netflix subscriber. I pay my monthly Netflix fees not just for the Criterion titles, but for the many other non-Criterion films they have as well. If Criterion moves away from Netflix, I'll be unhappy to lose those options, but I'll still maintain my Netflix subscription. On the other hand, (other than this new Criterion content apparently) there's hardly anything on Hulu Plus that I'm at all interested in. If I were to subscribe to Hulu Plus, it would only be for the Criterion content. I'm sorry, but I just can't justify another monthly subscription fee for that -- I'd rather put that money toward another Criterion blu-ray. So sorry, I'm not subscribing to Hulu Plus for this. I'd beg you to please not move away from Netflix, but I'm sure that if that's happening, it's already too late -- the agreements are made, the contracts are signed, and whatever is being done is already in the works. I guess that as long as I can at least get the DVDs from Netflix, that will have to do.
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  • By Phil Skaggs Jr.
    February 15, 2011
    12:28 PM

    Being a grad student with not so much income to go to physical copies of Criterion, I am excited by this. I currently subscribe to Netflix, but I will probably be switching when I get home tonight. I mean, watching lots of Criterion for cheap was a big reason I went to Netflix.
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  • By Brian
    February 15, 2011
    12:40 PM

    Tally up another, "wish this was for Netflix" comment. Not a subscriber to Hulu+ and don't think this will tip the scales to make me become one.
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  • By Cheesus
    February 15, 2011
    12:42 PM

    Wow. I was going to say that even though Criterion has the valiant aim of trying to be format-agnostic, entering in to the streaming age will test that strategy since the technology and services are changing so rapidly. But my personal feelings regarding the announcement have already been voiced emphatically by most of the comments on this list: + I don't imagine I will join yet another subscription service (i currently subscribe to netflix) + If I did change subscription services, I would not choose one that could not stream to my TV (currently, I would be forced to watch Hulu movies on my laptop) + I do not plan to buy any additional hardware to make movies stream to my TV (an expensive Sony PS3 is quite enough hardware for one living room) I thought the quality of HD streaming Criterions on Netflix was quite good (those who have not found it to be so might have insufficient bandwidth). I just kept hoping for more selection (particularly since some titles were SD-only, even though Criterion has released them on Bluray). That said, I wondered how profitable it was for Criterion to partner with netflix. I wondered if they received royalties per viewing, like consignment sales, or what the arrangement was? Perhaps the Hulu deal is anticipated to be more profitable than Netflix. It will remain to be seen whether the audience will migrate. Wall Street already predicts Netflix's decline, based on falling revenue (expense for content acquisition and declining potential subscriber growth), so maybe Netflix viewers will end up migrating elsewhere anyway. You know what I miss the most? My local brick-and-mortar video rental store, where I could walk in and rent Criterion discs for $.99/night.
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  • By Stev Hayashi
    February 15, 2011
    12:46 PM

    So now we know why Netflix has been pulling all Criterion Blu-ray releases lately from Netflix. It was a bad sign when all my queued blu-rays from them converted to dvd back in the end of Fall/beginning of Winter. The end of the Netflix/Criterion marriage is coming soon....
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  • By Matt
    February 15, 2011
    12:46 PM

    @CHEESUS -- To be fair (but I'll emphasize first that I don't support this move to Hulu Plus at all), there is a Hulu Plus application available for the PS3 now which can be downloaded for free from the Playstation Store.
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  • By DANIEL
    February 15, 2011
    12:49 PM

    I am not enthusiastic at all about the HULU project. One of the characteristics which have made the Criterion Collection so popular among collectors was the limited editions of its titles. Criterion Has now replaced the workshop with the assembly line. The "Rolls Royce of DVD's" has become the Ford of DVD's.
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  • By Heidi Reisert
    February 15, 2011
    01:06 PM

    I am not in the least excited about this. I have no interest in paying for yet another suspcription service, especially one which has nothing that appeals to me apart from the Criterion films. Netflix may have its limitations, but unlike hulu I can get obscure films not considered popular enough to deserve a stream on DVD. The much-hated cable TV shows dozens of films per month that are out of print and not available on netflix, hulu or anywhere else. I pay enough to watch movies as it is, eight dollars a month to access a collection I have already seen the bulk of is something that is not going to happen. Count me among those who want to know what this means for nexflix. Will Criterion be pulling the streams or even the actual DVDs?
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  • By Steve Dallas
    February 15, 2011
    01:06 PM

    *sigh* Count me as one of those Netflix subscribers (since 2004) that is very happy with them and is not signing up for Hulu just for one vendor. Sorry, Criterion, but I think this is a bad move.
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  • By MDL
    February 15, 2011
    01:32 PM

    Yeah, I also stream NetFlix but not Hulu. I too wish NetFlix had made this deal. Is it worth it to just get Hulu for the Criterion titles? Maybe. I see among the first 150 titles around 20 of them are not actually available on Criterion DVD or Blu-ray. So if more titles come along that we cannot see on DVD or Blu-ray yet [or ever?] then it probably will be worth it.
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  • By Mike R
    February 15, 2011
    01:36 PM

    What's the incentive to purchase new discs if even the supplementals will be streamed? I'm rethinking some near term purchases. In fact, I'm getting a little buyer's remorse looking at my shelf of discs...doing the math in my head on how much I've spent so far.
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  • By BABS
    February 15, 2011
    01:39 PM

    The icing on the cake for me, is the news that supplements will be available as well. I've long wanted to participate more in Criterion's own streaming services, and have streamed some films, but was always a bit let down that the supplemental materials that made Criterion's name (along with their attention to quality) were not included. I personally will be subscribing to hulu plus, immediately. thanks for offering this, Criterion! A job well done, once again.
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  • By Mark Kawakami
    February 15, 2011
    02:00 PM

    I think this is great. Hulk is an excellent service, and they seem to be committed to beating Netflix on depth of library. I can't wait until the supplements stream as well, this have definitely been missing from the online scene for way too long.
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  • By John
    February 15, 2011
    02:01 PM

    I don't understanding the enthusiasm and the whining from both sides of the parties. Criterion's announcement to stream their films on Hulu Plus is just an extra option. It satisfies consumers who can't afford to buy all of Criterion's catalogs, while at the same time it marks Criterion's move into the rapidly-changing way customers consume their media which will help the company stay afloat in a declining home video market. (Would you rather see Criterion go under?) As far as we can tell, they are not doing away with physical discs yet. So keep supporting that market if that's what you're into. And Criterion isn't forcing you to subscribe to Hulu's streaming service either. Netflix has an adequate Criterion catalog anyway. What no one has brought up is the issue of rights. Criterion doesn't *own* the films, they can only own the rights to distribute films, assuming they haven't been outbid or denied (think of all those OOP titles). To have their entirely catalog (or nearly all of it) available to stream is momentous and apparently hardly appreciated.
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  • By Matt
    February 15, 2011
    02:10 PM

    @JOHN -- What concerns me is this word "exclusive" that's being bandied around both here and on the Hulu site. If this is going to co-exist with Netflix, then that's fine, but if it means that we'll start to see titles disappearing from Netflix, and/or that new titles will not be added there, I'm not ok with it. Perhaps if Criterion were to elaborate on what this development means for Netflix subscribers, it might do a lot to alleviate (or justify, as the case may be) the apprehension.
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  • By David
    February 15, 2011
    02:11 PM

    I can just second what a few of my fellow Non-Americans mentioned here. Please keep the physical medium alive. The quality and catalog size of DVD/BR in mainland Europe is mostly shameful. I can't remember the last time I bought a DVD/BR here in Germany. 95% of my collection is imported from either the UK or the US. Which brings me to one sad point about Criterion that I'm sure isn't really your fault: Your BRs are region-coded unlike most of the BRs from major studios. I guess it's a license/rights issue. As some one mentioned here, there are no (legal) code-free BR players available, and since most BRs are not region-coded anyways, there's little demand for code-free players. Personally, I ended up importing a US PS3 for a significant price which sole purpose is playing Criterion BRs that also cost me a ton of money in postage, duty and taxes to import. So for Europeans like me, Criterion still feels a lot like Rolls-Royce which basically is OK with me. It just makes me sad that a large portion of what I spend on my pricey Criterion addiction goes into other pockets than yours.
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  • By Patrick
    February 15, 2011
    02:54 PM

    I hate to be a complainer, but I'm a Netflix user and most of my devices support Netflix. The only thing I have that supports Hulu is my laptop and I am not inclined to watch movies on that. Is there some kind of difficulty working with Netflix that hasn't been made public?
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  • By ferarfamily@yahoo.com
    February 15, 2011
    03:01 PM

    I also wish you were more on Netflix and love the Criterion films, but do not want to add another subscription as I am otherwise very content with our Netflix subscription!
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  • By Andrew
    February 15, 2011
    04:05 PM

    I briefly tried hulu plus and hated it. The streaming is downright awful. Netflix is at least competant, and they Have DVD as well. Come in criterion, go on Netflix!
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  • By Tony
    February 15, 2011
    04:21 PM

    But but but...what about the commercials? Wouldn't Godard laugh with a contemplative stare through his darkly shaded glasses? Hulu brings a great addition to the Criterion film collection with a time-slip of advertisements to warp your little fucking minds.
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  • By Marcel
    February 15, 2011
    04:39 PM

    please, please, please, let me get what i want This service available in the Netherlands...
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  • By Dan Alban
    February 15, 2011
    04:41 PM

    I hope this is also made available on Netflix
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  • By Cheesus
    February 15, 2011
    04:45 PM

    Matt - Touche. You are right. Hulu is available to stream through PS3. I should have investigated this first. However, I remain with the crowd that views this without enthusiasm, since I refuse to subscribe to two different streaming services. One of them will have to win. I'll give it some time to see who or what emerges to take my limited money. At the moment, I will not switch to Hulu only for Criterion titles. What is interesting in this debate is Criterion's position that they will only abandon Netflix streaming, but continue to work with Netflix in providing them optical discs. I find this interesting because Netflix has made no bones about the fact that they are on a path to abandoning physical discs. So the long and short of it is that At Some Point, there will be no Netflix/Criterion relationship. That may make me reconsider the value of the Netflix subscription (along with other troubles they seem to be facing in acquiring and retaining content), but I have not committed to a transition from Netflix to Hulu solely based on this news.
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  • By Kim
    February 15, 2011
    04:49 PM

    Criterion just confirmed that while hard copy DVD/BR will still be available via Netflix everything streaming by Criterion on Instant Netflix will be gone by the end of the year so watch those instant Criterion titles now. Seriously Criterion I think this is an absolutely horrible move and I am extremely disappointed. I don't like Hulu+ and I don't want to subscribe to them just to see your titles when Hulu has little else that interests me. I loved that I could watch so many Criterion titles instantly on Netflix. It is because of that I ended up buying many Criterion DVDs. Okay so you can't search "Criterion" on Netflix that is a minor thing compared to all the other benefits Netflix has over Hulu+ including a much larger subscriber base.
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  • By ajiav
    February 15, 2011
    05:14 PM

    I am okay with this announcement. I can subscribe to both netflix and hulu plus for under $20 a month, which seems perfectly affordable to me (no, I'm not wealthy). Even if I were paying $8 a month just to have access to a streaming "Criterion channel," I would consider that a good deal. I pay more than that for one pizza. Combined with the viacom deal a few weeks back, it seems that hulu plus is finally on the road to becoming a viable competitor for netflix, and I enjoy the continued efforts on both sides to secure more content. No complaints for me, happy to be along for the continuing development of this format. I will continue to buy titles that appeal to me as well. Don't see the downside.
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  • By Jon Mulvaney
    February 15, 2011
    05:18 PM

    Answers to some of the questions that have been coming up here
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  • By Rich
    February 15, 2011
    05:27 PM

    Clearly Criterion/Janus are not run by stupid people. They don't have to be geniuses to take a look at paid subscribers to Netflix and Hulu Plus and see that by not going Netflix they are impacting many, many more of their customers. Clearly the people behind Hulu Plus, (GE, Fox and Disney) are taking a loss trying to make Hulu Plus viable. So, it's a big paycheck for Criterion. They took the money and looked the other way and are now trying to get us to drink the company Kool-aid. No thanks.
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  • By Matt
    February 15, 2011
    06:08 PM

    @CHEESUS -- "One of them will have to win. I’ll give it some time to see who or what emerges to take my limited money. At the moment, I will not switch to Hulu only for Criterion titles." My sentiments exactly. The thing is, I'm subscribed to Netflix for a lot more than Criterion. While Criterion has a lot of great films, they don't have even nearly everything that I want to see. While a percentage of my Netflix viewing is Criterion, it's not all of it or necessarily even most of it. On the other hand, there's not much other than Criterion that I'm interested in on Hulu Plus. If I were to subscribe to Hulu Plus, it would only be for the Criterion content. I can't justify the cost of both. Given that, Netflix wins.
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  • By Ovid
    February 15, 2011
    06:41 PM

    I find it baffling that so many people are complaining about having to spend $8/month to be able to stream what will eventually be 800+ Criterion titles. An average Criterion DVD retails for $40! American consumers have become so spoiled and their unwillingness to actually pay for content so pathological that it's devastating journalism, the arts, and everything else that makes a society culturally vibrant. I subscribe to both Netflix and Hulu+ for a total cost of $18/month. I can watch both on my TV with a Roku box that cost me $80--over a conservatively estimated useful life of two years, that comes to $3.33/month. If somebody had told me five years ago that I could watch thousands of films (including 800+ Criterion/Janus titles) on demand whenever I wanted for $21 plus change a month, I'd have ji**ed my pants. Sorry, but you mewling little brats need to grow up.
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  • By Ryan Michael Painter
    February 15, 2011
    06:50 PM

    I'm just wondering if we can expect to see physical releases of the films that are currently offered on Hulu that haven't been released by Criterion on Blu-ray or DVD? A 'Zatticichi' boxset? 'I Was a Teenage Zombie' on Blu-ray? Yes. please. As a side note I'm surprised that those living outside the U.S., but are still avid fans of the Criterion Collection, don't understand that Criterion doesn't own the rights to sell, stream or otherwise broadcast the films in their collection outside of the U.S. Even if Hulu was available in Australia or Europe the Criterion titles wouldn't be available (at least not from Criterion). I also find it funny that there are many that are up in arms over the cost of Hulu+. How many Criterion DVDs or Blu-rays can you buy for under $10?
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  • By Mike
    February 15, 2011
    06:52 PM

    really sad... criterion on netflix was perfect. would let me watch something i didn't necessarily know much about, or re-watch a favorite. don't know if i will follow to hulu, will just use netflix to get criterion discs by mail and my public library has surprisingly many, many criterion discs including new ones pretty regularly for free
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  • By Peter
    February 15, 2011
    07:46 PM

    I for one hope that we will have a physical format media for a long time to come. I don't have issues with streaming when it comes to renting a movie I haven't yet seen. But when it comes to buying a movie; just like music....I want a hard copy. Steaming is a great way to rent movies, but lets face it; the quality just isn't the same. At this point in time, Vudu is the only company that can come close to blu-ray quality; but that is only if your internet connection is fast enough for it. But you loose the the lossless audio (like DTS-HD Master Audio) that I spent good money upgrading my home theater to get; and I am so glad I did because it sounds amazing. At this point, I have more issues with Netflix than I do with Hulu. Netflix is doing so much to faze out dvd and blu-ray rentals to focus on streaming; but yet their selection of streaming titles is WAY BELOW AVERAGE to say the least. Also there have been s few titles that I have added to my Instant Queue that have suddenly vanished because that titles expired. To me that is utter BULLSHIT!!! If that is how they are going to play, then I will keep collecting my own dvd's and blu-rays. As for my issues with Hulu Plus. They are pretty much what everyone elses are...and that is that they don't offer CBS and CW shows, as well as titles Fringe that are on FOX but made by Warner. My other is that they are only offering the Dolby Stereo on things....COME ON.....REALLY! These shows are being offered broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1 so why aren't they being offered on Hulu Plus that way.
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  • By Wila
    February 15, 2011
    08:14 PM

    Hey this is great. Any way you can make Hulu watch-able in other countries, though, like SPAIN!??!!
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  • By Glenn
    February 15, 2011
    09:09 PM

    Looks like this is about branding and money. What a shame Netflix has to lose Criterion titles to a second-stringer (quality-wise) owned by the very big media companies that pollute the airwaves nightly. Fortunately, Netflix continues to bring its streaming subscribers some amazing and obscure foreign fare. Hulu ... well, I hear they got the Colby Report back. Yuck.
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  • By Aidan
    February 15, 2011
    10:13 PM

    I'm intrigued by the idea of extras over streaming. That may be enough to persuade me to take another look at Hulu Plus soon.
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  • By Bill
    February 15, 2011
    11:00 PM

    I don't care just so long as I can rent the disks on Netflix. What's the point of beautifully remastering movies just to stream them on line?
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  • By richard r.
    February 16, 2011
    01:13 AM

    Yes, Glenn, imagine a business having to think about....MONEY! Criterion is a business, lest we all forget. Just because they occasionally release Pedro Costa or Naruse films doesn't mean they're somehow above self-preservation.
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  • By BABA
    February 16, 2011
    01:46 AM

    guys, it's an extra $8 a month to join Hulu. I now have hulu and netflix, thanks to this news. it's still cheaper than buying the disc, and unfortunately, as anyone who works in media knows, this is the future, so get used to it. physical media is not going to be around much longer and soon data rates will be high enough for streaming to make discs irrelevant.
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  • By Mark
    February 16, 2011
    07:30 AM

    This is horrible. I had hulu plus for about a month. I say about a month because of the fact that I only used it for about half of that month and realized it was useless. I'm a Netflix devotee and a Criterion Collection devotee. I personally own all of the CC Fellini Films. CC has such a great body of work under them. All this move means to me is that I won't have access to it anymore as I dont plan on paying for hulu plus just to be able to access these films. Why not Netflix, such a smarter move.
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  • By Kyle
    February 16, 2011
    07:37 AM

    Making this deal exclusive sucks. Don't take this films away from Netflix. Netflix is actually a useful service. Hulu Plus is a waste of money; it performs very poorly, the content is lacking, and it costs far more than it's worth, with the added bonus of commercials on top of the monthly fee. I loved having Criterion on Netflix, please don't let the deals expire. I definitely will not be switching to follow along.
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  • By Rich
    February 16, 2011
    08:33 AM

    KYLE, Obviously you realize this is a done deal - casting a blind eye toward what Criterion's loyal customers want. If they wanted to support their customers they would have been non-exclusive. Clearly, GE, Disney, et al were willing to pay big bucks to ensure that Criterion would be EXCLUSIVE to their service. It's all about the money. But, if it's all about the money, that's a two-way street. I could easily download a film that Criterion has the rights to in high-def, with no commercials for FREE. I don't do that because I don't believe it to be all about the money. Perhaps, I should reconsider.
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  • By Mel Grell
    February 16, 2011
    09:04 AM

    e Tu Criterion?
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  • By Rick
    February 16, 2011
    12:57 PM

    What about Canada? I've been buying Criterion for years and also use Netflix. Hili doesn't exist in Canada. Does tha
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  • By Rick
    February 16, 2011
    01:01 PM

    What about Canada? I've been buying Criterion for years and also use Netflix. Hulu doesn't exist in Canada. Does this mean Netflix will no longer have what Criterion titles are now in the catalogue in Canada? I get the economics and the opportunity for Criterion but what about it's customers?
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  • By Johko
    February 16, 2011
    01:29 PM

    I think this is a great development, and Netflix better brace itself for lots more competition in the near future. We shouldn't want the entirety of film content on one provider anyway. Netflix may have a fantastic collection, but they could care less about the art of film. What I hope to see some day is a site that has a substantial curated collection and that is actually organized in a sensible fashion. Right now Netflix is just a filing cabinet full of movies, but what if we could have an online film museum? I would love to see a curated streaming site that has the film lover in mind, with titles organized by country and director, plus also pages for say, expressionist films, screwball comedies, films noir, etc., rather than the absurd Netflix categories like "darkly cerebral foreign dramas".
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  • By Lowman
    February 16, 2011
    01:39 PM

    Sorry but HULU sucks. How soon before you come running back to Netflix?
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  • By Matthew
    February 16, 2011
    02:03 PM

    Wow. Just wow. What a bunch of whiny self-entitled little babies. I have tears of laughter streaming down my face from the serious indignation on display from people who refuse to pay an extra 8 measly bucks a month for 'another streaming service'. As though that 8 bucks will destroy your finances or have your family living in emaciated states as a result. Skip a couple of lattes every month. Problem solved. US consumers are the most spoilt and selfish in the civilized world. In other countries, consumers would happily pay $30 or more a month for access to a service like Netflix or Hulu Plus. Heck, I'd even pay $30 a month if Criterion decided to set up their own Hulu-like service, that consisted of solely their own content. Yet, all of these great services and content get thrust upon Americans who will always manage to find something wrong or something that inconveniences them. Why Hulu Plus and not Netflix? Because Hulu Plus generates revenue through subscriptions AND advertising. This means that Criterion, and subsequently creative rights owners, get a much better slice of the pie than the few cents they'd get on Netflix. And Hulu were even accommodating enough to only load ads on the front end, so as not to spoil the movie. These all-you-can-watch streaming services are drastically underpriced, and they still get complaints. I hope Netflix and Hulu raise their prices or include even more front-loaded advertising. More revenue means more money to spend on content. More money to spend on content means access to higher quality content. Higher quality content means more subscribers. For those dismissing this is 'all about money' for Criterion; grow up. They'll make a single digit fraction on each stream, compared to what they'd make per unit on a physical media sale. What you really mean is that this is 'all about money' for YOU. Because you're too selfish and cheap to cough up another 8 lousy bucks a month. For envious non-US residents, do a Google search for USVideo and buy a Roku XDS.
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  • By Andy
    February 16, 2011
    02:33 PM

    A question that I haven't read yet (possibly not even relevant) is the value of my physical collection. When I first read that ALL the Criterion films were going to be available on HULU with supplements coming down the pipeline, I wondered where my collection stood. With nearly 200+ in my collection (and still growing every month), I always saw the collection as not only the best films with the best quality, but also an investment. Many of them have paid off like "Spinal Tap", "The Killer" and "Dead Ringers". Will this addition to online streaming devalue my collection? Will a person not pay top dollar due to an instant stream of "Stagecoach" for a mere $7.99? Perhaps worrying a bit too much, but it just feels like my favorite imported beer I have been buying at my local beer store is now being sold at Costco. I will always support Criterion with purchases of new releases and slowly building the collection to everything (in and out of print) in physical format, but I cannot support this HULU move. It feels like a cheap move for a collection that is a definite cut above the rest. Half of the enjoyment of this collection is the art. The package as a whole is what brands the Criterion Collection, not a cheap $7.99 Hulu knock-off. By the by, when is Bennett Miller's documentary "The Cruise" ever going to see a spine number?
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  • By Thomas
    February 16, 2011
    04:22 PM

    All the encomiums to Netflix fail to note the number of films that are streamed in the wrong aspect ration. The Starz and Epix films are particular offenders, but I have also noticed it on other titles. For instance, White Dog is not in the proper aspect ratio. This is a Criterion film. Netflix does not identify films that are modified in this way. Perhaps it is because of Netflix’s lack of integrity in this regard that drove Criterion into Hulu’s arms.
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  • By Will
    February 16, 2011
    05:30 PM

    This is awesome! One question though: films that are out of print - will you be releasing them on this service? After looking at the current selection, I don't think I'm joining til I see rarer films on the list.
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  • By Ovid
    February 16, 2011
    06:49 PM

    @Andy: Yes, this move will devalue your collection of CC physical disks. I have no idea how old you are, but if you know anything about the history of media formats (ranging from phonographs to reel-to-reel to cassettes to 8-tracks to Betamax to VHS to Laserdisc to DVD to HD-DVD to Blu-ray) you should know that buying this kind of content on physical media is not and can never be an "investment." The only exception to this rule is certain vinyl releases, which for various cultish reasons still manage to bewitch collectors. Media serve as vehicles to bring content to consumers. As their fidelity improves, older formats go into obsolescence and lose their resale value. Are we supposed to slow or stop the march of improvement so that people's collections don't lose their value? If we did that we'd still be listening to 78s and trying to watch movies on projectors. If you want an investment, but gold or real estate.
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  • By David Kelly
    February 16, 2011
    07:59 PM

    To the previous poster who claimed that Hulu is "TV for rich people". Hardly, I just subscribed to HuluPlus when I heard about Criterion going on there. It is a mere $7.99 a month to have HuluPlus. You get all those TV seasons, you get lots of other movies, plus you get the Criterion movies. All streaming to my HD TV. I have Netflix and HuluPlus now, and I even have an added feature at Netflix to allow me to rent blu-rays by mail, and ALL combined, it costs me $21.00 a month. Not a "rich people" thing at all.
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  • By James S.
    February 16, 2011
    08:49 PM

    Criterion, it was nice knowing ye. Dropping Netflix streaming is a major smack in the face to your devoted fans. Did Hulu/Comcast/NBC get to you? Your coverage and exposure on Netflix was fine. If you can't support your fans, then I can't support you. Pity...you guys used to be cool.
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  • By Jesse Betteridge
    February 16, 2011
    09:05 PM

    I was extremely disappointed to read that Criterion has decided to blatantly disregarded the availability of online streaming for Canadian audiences. So I wrote this on the subject: http://bit.ly/hBZuck No chance that an exception will be made for Netflix Canada? Are we just going to be left in the dust yet again?
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  • By Another Matt
    February 16, 2011
    10:08 PM

    This is ridiculous. A smack in the face?? I'm embarrassed that this kind of talk is going on on the Criterion board. Criterion has been the trend setting pioneer in the home video market from day one. This is absurd for all you bozos to be attacking them for doing what they have always done: Changing the game. Do you like all those special edition DVDs that you own from EVERY studio? Thank Criterion. No one did it before they did on laserdisc way back when. Did any of the those studios include bonus features or commentaries?? Of course not, because no one knew if it would be profitable. Criterion did it out of love for the medium and for its history. Fortunately they were able to find a niche, and thats why they are still around today. No one benefits when no one can make any money. Criterion certainly can't keep doing the things we love them to do without money and ultimately it is only WE that will suffer. Everyone wants the benefits of capitalism without any of the drawbacks. In order for something to work, it has to make money. Also...Their coverage on Netflix was fine?? Says you, someone already clued in on what they are doing. Their coverage on Netflix isn't fine. Half the movies show a criterion box and then you get a different dvd in the mail or you stream a sucky transfer with half the image gone. If you love Criterion, support them. We have them built up as this enormous powerhouse studio, but they are a small company, made up of a few people who love films just like we do. Let them do what they have been doing for nearly 30 years...providing the best in home video.
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  • By Robert Caldwell
    February 16, 2011
    10:40 PM

    Thank you. I renewed my Hulu Plus account today. I was amazed at how good the streaming looks. For those complaining--true, it's not blu-ray, but with a high quality Internet connection, the quality is stunning for streaming video. I can't wait to delve into the collection. It's like returning to film school. I eagerly look forward to the supplementary materials.
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  • By Ovid
    February 16, 2011
    11:06 PM

    @ ANOTHER MATT Well said! These people threatening to take their balls and go home at the prospect of paying $8/month for EIGHT HUNDRED f*cking Criterion titles (many of which we haven't even seen yet) are a bunch of psychotic little crybabies. We're talking "civilization in decline" levels of immaturity here. Any serious cinephile I know would kill for a deal like that. You have to pay 1.5 to 2 times that just to watch ONE of the latest Hollywood pieces of sh*t at the local cineplex. Why aren't they complaining about that? Ignore the whiners, Criterion. Serious film lovers don't begrudge $8 for on-demand access to the greatest film catalog ever assembled. In fact, we'll even tell our friends to sign up, and we'll bend over backwards and even happily spend more to ensure your survival in an increasingly lean marketplace.
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  • By Still Andy
    February 16, 2011
    11:13 PM

    @ Ovid - My current laserdisc collection of Criterion films is valued higher now then when purchased. My vinyl collection continues to grow exponentially. My VHS selection (oddly) continues to go up in price. My DVD & BR Criterions are currently growing and growing in value (see current prices of "Tokyo Olympiad") The value of the Hulu streams....? Criterion has always been for the collectors and the die-hard cinephiles. This does not connect with the Hulu format. Again, I must stress, this just seems like an odd Costco move for Criterion.
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  • By Doug
    February 16, 2011
    11:36 PM

    I will deeply miss Kurosawa movies in my Netflix queue, but I won't chase them down to Hulu Plus... I feel that the above statement implying millions is probably wrong, but I suppose we shall see. This is a most disappointing move.
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  • By Doug
    February 16, 2011
    11:36 PM

    I will deeply miss Kurosawa movies in my Netflix queue, but I won't chase them down to Hulu Plus... I feel that the above statement implying millions is probably wrong, but I suppose we shall see. This is a most disappointing move.
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  • By Ovid
    February 17, 2011
    12:00 AM

    @ Andy I'm skeptical of your vague and unverifiable claims, but let's take a look at the one claim that IS verifiable: Tokyo Olympiad. Why is it worth so much? Because it's out of print. It's not even available for rental on Netflix. In other words, the value of your precious hoarded commodity is a function of its scarcity, i.e., of the inconvenience caused to the rest of us by its not being in print and the prices that a few determined would-be owners (or speculators) are willing to pay in the face of that scarcity. If Tokyo Olympiad were streamed (on Hulu, if Criterion still owns the rights, or perhaps elsewhere if it doesn't), the resale value of your copy would indeed plummet. No more scarcity, no more value. Am I supposed to shed tears for you because a great film suddenly becomes inexpensively available to an infinitely larger audience and the value of your collection is the casualty of that boon to humanity? Are the rest of us supposed to subsidize the resale value of your collection at the cost of our own access to great art? Get real.
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  • By Matthew
    February 17, 2011
    01:14 AM

    Internet hype and/or furor has no real world impact, so Criterion should disregard the whiny babies on this topic. Internet hype made everyone think that Snakes On A Plane, Wanted and Scott Pilgrim Vs The World were going to be the highest grossing films of all time. Internet furor would lead everyone to believe that the casting of Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight sounded the death knell for that movie. 90% of the people whining in these comments will join up with Hulu Plus anyway. They won't admit, especially after their primadonna meltdowns here, but they will eventually come to their senses and realize that $7.99 is chicken feed. The Internet runs on hot air. And the majority of that hot air dissipates as soon as it is released. The real world numbers are all that matters, and I have a feeling they will show that Criterion has made a good move for both them and Hulu. So, stop your complaining and get out your credit card. You know you will anyway, so don't even pretend that your faux protest holds any real weight, in this world or any other.
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  • By Ed
    February 17, 2011
    02:36 AM

    Wow, so disappointed. Have no way to stream Hulu to my TV, and it's unlikely I'll trade Hulu for Netflix anyway. Really wish this didnt have to be exclusive. Thanx Criterion :/
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  • By yragcom1
    February 17, 2011
    08:30 AM

    I have no desire to use Hulu if I have to buy something else to stream it to my TV. Netflix is the ultimate for the cheapo streamer like me. An internet connection, a Wii (did you get that? A Wii...A Wii), and $7 a month, and you're hooked up. And for another $2, I have one DVD sent to me. If I want a Criterion disc, I'll rent it. I'm not buying new equipment just to watch Hulu,who should be concentrating on distribution technology at a lower cost, not content.
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  • By David Kelly
    February 17, 2011
    09:48 AM

    @YRAGCOM1, Again, as I said earlier, you said, "Hulu should be concentrating on distribution technology at a lower cost, not content." I can stream Hulu as easily as Netflix, for EIGHT DOLLARS a month. Hulu is EIGHT DOLLARS a month. And it streams from my modem to my HD TV just like Netflix. I have BOTH, and it is only $21.00 a month combined for me to: Stream Netflix, rent DVDs by mail from Netflix(INCLUDING blu rays), AND stream Hulu. 21 Bucks a month, for all of it.
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  • By DavidH
    February 17, 2011
    10:16 AM

    Another of my fantasies shattered: I expected, upon joining Hulu, that the comments sections here would be edifying, filled with interesting stories about film and technology and design. The truth is that there are as many egocentric whiners and ignorant, selfish people among Criterion collectors as there are in any other population. Have none of you heard of incremental steps? Do those of you outside the U.S. actually believe that your country has been singled out for exclusion--purposely? You've never heard of contract negotiations? Are you that ego-centered? And talk about demanding! If Criterion doesn't tell you immediately whether to drop Netflix, whether it will release films in your favored format, or if people don't stop watching films on their iPhones, you will stamp your little feet and take your eight bucks elsewhere. Well, good luck with that. Best wishes to Criterion on Hulu. I will keep Netflix for now, but look forward to giving this service a try before I blather on and on about what's wrong with it.
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  • By What about Andy?
    February 17, 2011
    11:29 AM

    @ Ovid - I think that is the basis of my argument here. While, again, I am a huge supporter of the Criterion Collection, Eclipse series, Essential Art House, and even the Merchant Ivory collection, my major concern is value. As an owner of an independent bookstore, I am constantly debating with customers the value of e-readers. With the only plus of convenience, the big negatives are lacking bookshelves, community environments, social interaction, and price devaluation. What I mean by this is when customers come into the store; they complain that the price of a hardback book is $25, when they can get it on their e-reader for less expensive. When have we de-valued those things that are important to us. When I was younger, I used to save up for books and when I had enough money I would buy the book, read it a dozen times, and put it on the bookshelf with a sense of accomplishment. The argument of price just lessens the experience. That is my major argument with Hulu. While I agree that it would reach a bigger audience, I worry that the physical format will become clutter. In example; if someone watches "Naked" on Hulu, loves the film, wants to purchase it, but discovers that it costs $40 (because they are not familiar with the quality that Criterion offers), will they buy the film? Every week I buy Criterion films. Every week I work over 90 hours, and to hold that film in my hand, to smell the fresh printing of the book, to see the hard work that goes into each film - I would gladly pay even more for these quality films. Criterion works hard to make these films perfect; I work hard because I want to pay for the value in the production. Does a click on a website have that same value? Does the average Hulu watcher have the same? I love Criterion. Never doubt that, but again, I just don't think this is a bad move. I don't believe that Bergman was meant to be watched on an iPhone, I don't believe that Kurosawa was meant to be seen on a laptop, I don't believe that the new Dearden set should be watched in any other format then the physical discs. Technology doesn't make things easier; it lessens the value of what you have.
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  • By Julian
    February 17, 2011
    12:50 PM

    I'm also very disappointed that this isn't netflix that we're talking about. I hate Hulu.
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  • By Julian
    February 17, 2011
    12:54 PM

    @What About Andy I feel that way about books and LPs, but I just don't like any of the physical media formats offered for films. I'm perfectly OK with having a digital film library.
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  • By John
    February 17, 2011
    01:17 PM

    VUDU!!! No subscription fees and the only one streaming in 1080P. Ok, probably more compression then a Blu-Ray, but way better then Netflix or Hulu and you don't have to pay a dime until you actually want to watch the movie. Please put your movies there! - John
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  • By BABS
    February 17, 2011
    03:19 PM

    you will all pay $8 for a super sized double quarter pounder with cheese extra value meal, yet you complain about having hundreds of classic films at your fingertips, streamed in perfectly acceptable quality, for $8 a month, as your VHS collection continues to "appreciate in value." forgive me for allowing myself to indulge in the ridiculousness of this thread but it had to be done.
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  • By Ovid
    February 17, 2011
    03:31 PM

    @ What About Andy? You make an eloquent case for the old ways, and your love for these physical artifacts and the craftsmanship that go into them is apparent. I love independent book stores, and you have my sincere respect for that alone. But the times are changing, and Criterion has no choice but to keep abreast of those changes. All change involves some gain and some loss, and ultimately consumers choose in favor of the balance that benefits them most. If you make the argument that Bergman and Kurosawa weren't meant to be watched on iPhones and laptops, you're basically arguing that Criterion (and home video in general) have no right to exist since those directors' films were meant to be watched on the big screen, with other people. Once you step out of that original context, where you draw the line is really arbitrary. If I'm in a hotel room, the option of being able to watch any one of hundreds of Criterion films on my laptop or iPad (whose screen, when held inches from my face, looks quite large indeed) instead of the trashy pay-per-view hotel movies is an option too good to pass up. It sure beats lugging around a DVD player and hundreds of DVDs. And when I'm at home I just stream through my Roku box to my TV at quality better than DVD and slowly inching its way towards 1080p. Many (most) of the films I watch I wouldn't have bought anyway, I would simply have rented. If a film is dear enough to me to have to own it then I'll buy the Blu-ray, but I realized a long time ago (albeit after buying hundreds of DVDs) that I rarely watch the DVDs I own and just couldn't justify spending that much money for something I would use once, twice, or maybe an absolute maximum of five times. Few people have unlimited budgets, and I'd rather put my money where it does the most good.
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  • By John-Michael
    February 17, 2011
    03:53 PM

    I think this is a fantastic moment. I probably will not take advantage of the service because I regularly buy Criterion discs. They do such a great job with these films. They look and sound amazing! Streaming services are just nowhere near the quality of the discs, especially blu-ray. Beyond that I appreciate the much more tangible experience of owning a physical representation of the art. Its just no fun collecting file names. So why am I excited? If it hadn't been for NetFlix and the internet I would have a much, much narrower conception of cinema and be that much poorer for it. Without the internet I would have been largely limited to what the video stores carry and what Best Buy stocks. I don't live in a major city or college town so there is no way to get beyond recent blockbusters and a narrow range of classics. Criterion's efforts with Hulu amount to one of the largest disseminations of art to the less advantaged in society that I am aware of. I have a great difficulty in seeing that as anything other than a wonderful thing. There will always be a market for physical media. People will always collect. While the market for discs as a whole will inevitably shrink, Criterion customers largely strike me as the collecting sort. I only see this as boosting their disc sales through expanded awareness while bestowing an impressive gift upon society. I am sure similar services will be avilable in other countries before long.
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  • By Blair
    February 17, 2011
    04:21 PM

    It's pretty amazing how we the consumer have become so spoiled in the past few years, and yet we continue to complain while technology only makes things more amazing for us. Take Criterion. Before Netflix, I had to pay roughly $4-5 to rent movies individually from my local video store (my local library had few Criterion movies available). So okay, rent from the video store (or purchase discs online/local retailer, however that is very expensive IMO). Then when Netflix came along I was able to rent Criterion discs for a monthly fee. Wonderful. Then a lot of Criterion titles came to streaming, even better. But of course streaming meant no supplements that I sometimes cherish. So now Criterion leaves Netflix streaming, however still gives Netflix customers the option to rent discs. Instead we can pay $8 a month to stream their entire collection plus supplements (eventually). And we are complaining about this? Think about how far we have come. It wasn't long ago that I had to pay to rent each title individually. And now for the price of two movie rentals back in the day I can watch as much Criterion as I can handle for a month. If you don't realize how amazing that is, then I don't know what to tell you. I understand the Netflix streaming members who may be upset about this. But let's also look at this with a more level head. I'm guessing the majority of Netflix streaming only members still have a DVD or BD player attached to their TVs. They can pay $2 more a month and get the Criterion disc if they really want to watch them. Also I just looked on the Hulu Plus website and it's amazing how many options there are for streaming devices. I say bravo to Criterion. The future of home movie film viewing is streaming (and yes BD quality streaming will come in due time). We sure have come a long way in little time.
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  • By Kevin
    February 17, 2011
    06:15 PM

    Echoing the sentiments of many already, y'all need to tell us what's up with Netflix in light of this announcement. There was some fanfare when Criterion and Netflix announced a loose partnership some time ago, so what's the deal now?
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  • By jim k
    February 18, 2011
    04:17 PM

    While I'm not a fan of streaming, this is good news in a couple ways even for a tech luddite such as myself. The affordability of the deal is fantastic, as is the idea of the whole catalog becoming available. The second reason I like this is more selfish. Working in a respected and large independent record store that carries loads of used dvds, I'm envisioning plenty of people selling their hard copy Criterion titles to the shop. As one that enjoys actually holding a physical product in my hands and reading the extensive liner notes, it looks like I'll need to find some more shelf space rather soon.
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  • By C
    February 20, 2011
    03:54 PM

    I don't see this as a loss for Netflix at all. It was a stupid move on Criterion's part, if you ask me. I was just checking out Hulu's category section. They don't even have a genre for foreign films. But Criterion is getting their own ~special section~ so that's all that matters. This will obviously bring more appreciation to their collection, right? I don't think so. There's more of an audience for their films on Netflix. But whatever. Doesn't Hulu Plus still have ads? How is showing commercials before their films "better representing them" ? Haha. Money talks.
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  • By JB
    February 20, 2011
    09:00 PM

    I just signed up for Hulu Plus. Criterion's presence leaves a lot to be desired. For starters, I am surprised that such a director-focused company has no way for users to browse by, well, director. In fact, many of the movie descriptions don't even mention the director. Second, Hulu itself. It's not immediately intuitive how one rates movies in order to tailor recommendations. "Nobody does it better"? Actually, I think MUBI does, and it's regrettable they're being left out in the cold in favor of the Glee Internet Network. In any event, I hope Criterion will continue to improve its user experience on Hulu, since this appears to be the way it's going to be from here on out.
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  • By Cody Short
    February 22, 2011
    09:59 AM

    Adding movies to Hulu is cool, but pulling them from Netflix? WHAT? Criterion on Netflix has been the best thing that ever happened to my TV. I'm TERRIBLY disappointed. Come on. Turn this thing around.
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  • By Anthony
    February 22, 2011
    06:32 PM

    Really guys? Pulling the films from Netflix and moving to a subpar service? Thanks. You guys just made me question your ability to think.
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  • By Froggy
    March 01, 2011
    10:48 AM

    Re: STREAMING VIDEO I run everything through my computer with an H.I.S. 5770 video card and/or then through my ONKYO 608 then to my HDTV - ALL with 1.4a HDMI cables (PS3 thru the receiver only) I can't not tell the difference between most streaming and BluRay the quality is so good I think it depends on your system You need at least 5 mbps speed from your ISP Hope that helps OH, the 7.1 sound is incredible! Hope that is helpful I
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  • By oral seymour
    March 02, 2011
    05:06 PM

    If you made the move for financial reasons then say so but the crap about better experience? Please spare me.....Netflix doesn't have ads, Hulu does and I still see ads on my Hulu plus subscription even though I am paying money.
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  • By BLS
    March 26, 2011
    03:45 PM

    All I want to say is: MATTHEW rocks. Well-played comments, sir!
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  • By David Kelly
    April 16, 2011
    10:54 PM

    I am especially loving this Criterion on HuluPlus thing, now. I am getting more and more titles on HuluPlus, via Criterion, that AREN'T EVEN OUT in the Collection, yet. Shindo's "Kuroneka" and Antonioni's "Identification of a Woman" just to name two. It's awesome!
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  • By nicolas
    June 18, 2011
    07:11 PM

    I have no problem with Hulu plus if that is what people want. What I am frustrated about recently is that the new Criterion releases of 2011 are not going to Netflix. I phoned Netflix, but they could not give me a reply. Yet it appears that Criterion will be released on Blockbuster and Classicflix.com. hat is going on here. I sent an email to Criterion, but have not received a response.
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