FilmStruck

Last updated

FilmStruck
TypeStreaming service
IndustryFilm
FoundedNovember 1, 2016 (2016-11-01)
DefunctNovember 29, 2018 (2018-11-29)
Successor Max
The Criterion Channel
Headquarters
Atlanta
Owner Turner Broadcasting System
Website www.filmstruck.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

FilmStruck was a film streaming service from Turner Classic Movies which catered to cinephiles and focused on rare, classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent cinema. It launched in November 2016 and succeeded Hulu as the exclusive online streaming home of The Criterion Collection. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It was discontinued on November 29, 2018, and was replaced by the Criterion Channel nearly two years later. [6]

Contents

History

FilmStruck was launched on November 1, 2016, after being announced in April 2016. [7] At the time of its launch, FilmStruck had 500 movies available to stream, 200 of them from the Criterion Collection library. [8] As of February 2018, the combined channels on the service provide access to over 1,600 films, including more than 1,200 films licensed from the Criterion Collection. [9] On April 26, 2018, FilmStruck absorbed sister stand-alone service Warner Archive Instant, with current and new subscribers to the FilmStruck website. [10]

On October 26, 2018, it was announced FilmStruck would shut down on November 29, 2018, due to WarnerMedia's restructuring. [6] In response, a group of film directors and actors signed a letter dated November 12, 2018, appealing directly to Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich in an attempt to save the service. The letter was signed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Damien Chazelle, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Gray, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Barry Jenkins, Rian Johnson, Christopher Nolan, Barbra Streisand, and others. Previously, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese had urged Warner Bros. to continue the service. [11] Four days after the letter was released, WarnerMedia and Criterion announced that The Criterion Channel would launch as a standalone service in Spring 2019, with a smaller version of the service also being available via HBO Max, then WarnerMedia's upcoming streaming platform when it launched on May 27, 2020 until it slightly rebranded as Max in May 23, 2023. [12]

Library and programming

Films available on FilmStruck came from studios and distributors such as Film Movement, First Run Features, Global Lens, Flicker Alley, Icarus Films, Janus Films, Kino, MGM, Milestone, Oscilloscope Laboratories, Shout! Factory, and Warner Bros. [13]

FilmStruck organized films in themed collections, while the Criterion Channel had original content such as their "Meet the Filmmaker" and "Adventures in Moviegoing" series, five-minute micro-lectures, as well as thematic programming like Friday double features and Tuesday short and feature film pairings. Some films featured hosted introductions. [8] [14]

In early 2018, FilmStruck announced it had acquired hundreds of classic film titles from the Warner Bros. library, including Casablanca , Citizen Kane , and Singin' in the Rain . [15]

Reception

The Verge praised the availability of "best films ever made", while criticizing the catalog search functionality in July 2017. [16] Geek.com praised the delivery on home theater streaming media devices and the mobile app, but criticized the desktop delivery dependency on Flash. [17]

International availability

FilmStruck Curzon was announced in January 2018. The service became available in the United Kingdom in February 2018, [18] with launches in other markets to have come over the next two years. [19] Plans to launch in France and Spain were announced in May 2018. [20]

In France, the SVOD service features films from Carlotta Films, MK2, RKO, and StudioCanal and was launched in June 2018. [21] In Spain, the service serves up films from Wanda, Caramel, and A Contracorriente Films. It offers a combination of the local content as well as European and global films. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TNT (American TV network)</span> American pay television channel

TNT is an American basic cable television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) that launched on October 3, 1988. TNT's original purpose was to air classic films and television series to which Turner Broadcasting maintained spillover rights through its sister station TBS. Since June 2001, the network has shifted its focus to dramatic television series and feature films, along with some sporting events, as TBS shifted its focus to comedic programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turner Broadcasting System</span> Former American media conglomerate

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. was an American television and media conglomerate founded by Ted Turner in 1965. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner on October 10, 1996. As of April 2022, all of its assets are now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The headquarters of Turner's properties are largely located at the CNN Center in Downtown Atlanta, and the Turner Broadcasting campus off Techwood Drive in Midtown Atlanta, which also houses Turner Studios. Some of their operations are housed within WBD's corporate and global headquarters inside 30 Hudson Yards in Manhattan's West Side district, and at 230 Park Avenue South in Midtown Manhattan, both in New York City, respectively.

Paramount Media Networks is an American mass media division of Paramount Global that oversees the operations of many of its television channels and online brands. Its related international division is Paramount International Networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boomerang (TV network)</span> American cable television channel

Boomerang is an American cable television network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turner Classic Movies</span> American classic movie-oriented television channel

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Criterion Collection</span> American home video distribution company

The Criterion Collection, Inc. is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films". Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinephiles and public and academic libraries. Criterion has helped to standardize certain aspects of home-video releases such as film restoration, the letterboxing format for widescreen films and the inclusion of bonus features such as scholarly essays and commentary tracks. Criterion has produced and distributed more than 1,000 special editions of its films in VHS, Betamax, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray formats and box sets. These films and their special features are also available via The Criterion Channel, an online streaming service that the company operates.

Redbox Automated Retail LLC is an American video on-demand streaming and video rental company specializing in DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD rentals and purchases and formerly video games via automated retail kiosks and TVOD, AVOD and FAST services via its website, Android and iOS apps and many consumer electronic devices. Redbox kiosks feature the company's signature red color and are located at convenience stores, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, mass retailers, and pharmacies.

TCM Movies is a British pay television channel featuring classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros. film libraries, which include many MGM titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vudu</span> Content delivery and media technology company

Vudu is an American digital video store and streaming service owned by Fandango Media, a joint-venture between NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery. The company offers transactional video on demand rentals and digital purchases of films, as well as integration with digital locker services for streaming digital copies of films purchased as home video at retail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartoon Network</span> American cable television channel

Cartoon Network is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Cartoonito, Adult Swim, and Toonami under its purview. The channel is headquartered at 1050 Techwood Drive NW in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HBO (Canadian TV channel)</span> Canadian premium TV network

HBO is a Canadian premium television network from Crave, which is owned by Bell Media. The channel is primarily devoted to original programming and special events sourced from the HBO and Cinemax subscription services in the United States, as well as domestic motion pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movies Anywhere</span> Digital locker for movies

Movies Anywhere(MA) is a cloud-based digital rights locker and over-the-top streaming platform that allows users to stream and download purchased films, including digital copies redeemed from codes found in home video releases as well as digital purchases from participating services. Movies Anywhere is operated by The Walt Disney Company. The platform provides content from Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. The system utilizes an internal platform known as KeyChest, which synchronizes content licenses from digital distribution platforms linked to a central user account.

The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the intention of putting previously unreleased catalog films on DVD for the first time. In November 2012, Warner expanded the Archive Collection to include Blu-ray releases, Some Warner Archive releases, such as Wise Guys, previously had a pressed DVD release but have lapsed out of print and have since been re-released as part of the Warner Archive collection.

HBO Go is a partly-inactive authenticated video on demand of the pay television service HBO. The service allowed subscribers to HBO via television providers to access its programming on-demand via the HBO website, mobile apps, and digital media players among other devices.

Foxtel Movies is a suite of 11 pay television film channels in Australia which began broadcasting on 1 January 2013. Owned by Foxtel, the channels replaced the now-defunct Movie Network and Showtime suites.

HBO Now was an American subscription video on demand streaming service for premium television network HBO owned by WarnerMedia subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc. Officially unveiled on March 9 and launched on April 7, 2015 the service allows subscribers on-demand access to HBO's library of original programs, films and other content on personal computers, smartphones, tablet devices and digital media players. Unlike HBO Go, HBO's online video on demand service for existing subscribers of the linear television channel, HBO Now was available as a standalone service and does not require a television subscription to use, targeting cord cutters who use competing services such as Netflix and Hulu. As of February 2018, HBO Now had 5 million subscribers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otter Media</span> American media company

Otter Media Holdings, LLC is an American digital media company owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The company was founded in 2014 by AT&T and The Chernin Group as a holding company of the anime streaming service, Crunchyroll who the latter invested in 2013.

Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service which is the property of parent subsidiary WarnerMedia Direct, LLC, a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, as HBO Max, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and their related brands. The service also carries first-run programming from the HBO pay television service, original programming under the "Max Originals" banner, and content acquired via third-party library deals and co-production agreements.

References

  1. ↑ Kleeman, Sophie (April 26, 2016). "21 Classic Movies Getting Yanked From Hulu Soon". Gizmodo .
  2. ↑ "TCM and Criterion to Offer Streaming Service, FilmStruck". The New York Times. April 27, 2016.
  3. ↑ Cox, Jamieson (April 26, 2016). "FilmStruck is a streaming service for movie nerds, and it's launching this fall". TheVerge.
  4. ↑ Smith, Gerry (April 26, 2016). "Time Warner's Turner Appeals to Film Nerds With Web-Only Service". Bloomberg.
  5. ↑ Spangler, Todd (October 6, 2016). "Turner to Launch FilmStruck Classic Movie-Streaming Service Oct. 19". Variety.
  6. 1 2 Spangler, Todd (October 26, 2018). "WarnerMedia to Shut Down FilmStruck Subscription-Streaming Service". Variety . Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  7. ↑ Plaugic, Lizzie (November 1, 2016). "Turner Classic Movies and the Criterion Collection launch streaming service for film nerds". The Verge. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Belth, Alex (November 2, 2016). "FilmStruck Is the New Go-To Destination for Serious Movie Buffs". Esquire. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  9. ↑ "All Movies on FilmStruck". JustWatch. February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  10. ↑ Spangler, Todd (February 26, 2018). "Turner's FilmStruck Adds Warner Bros. Classic Films, As Warner Archive Service Winds Down".
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike (November 14, 2018). "PTA, Cuaron, Streisand, Del Toro, Edgar Wright, Inarritu, DiCaprio, Chazelle, Nolan Among Directors Appealing To Warner Bros To Save FilmStruck". Deadline. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  12. ↑ "New, Independent Criterion Channel to Launch Spring 2019". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  13. ↑ Perez, Sarah (November 2, 2016). "Turner's streaming service for film geeks, FilmStruck, goes live". TechCrunch. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  14. ↑ Castillo, Monica (June 30, 2017). "What Is FilmStruck, and Should I Subscribe?". The New York Times. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  15. ↑ "TCM Brings Hollywood Classics to FilmStruck". The Criterion Collection.
  16. ↑ Brandom, Russell (July 7, 2017). "The world's greatest movies are trapped on a terrible website". The Verge . Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  17. ↑ Minor, Jordan (August 10, 2017). "Filmstruck is a Fantastic Subscription to Film School". Geek.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  18. ↑ Lodge, Guy (February 18, 2018). "Streaming: is the future Filmstruck?". The Guardian. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  19. ↑ Clarke, Stewart (January 19, 2018). "Turner, Warner Bros. Launching Movie SVOD Service FilmStruck Internationally". Variety. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  20. 1 2 Richford, Rhonda (May 24, 2018). "Time Warner's Movie Streaming Service FilmStruck to Launch in France and Spain". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  21. ↑ Paoli-Lebailly, Pascale (June 14, 2018). "Turner's FilmStruck launches in France". Advanced Television. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.