Netflix has completely changed the way we watch series and movies, but the availability of certain content is tied to agreements, licenses, permissions, and a long list of conditions that annoy users. These obstacles also affect many must-see classic films, which remain on the sidelines of the digital world. But no more: FilmStruck wants to become the Netflix of classics, and its catalog definitely demands attention.
Some specialized media cover in detail the changes in the catalogs of the main streaming services, starting with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. Needless to say, the original projects of each service remain intact and globally available, but traditional media see streaming as a monster about to destroy everything in its path (or rather, already destroying), and once they achieve the minimum technical conditions, they withdraw their series and movies to offer them on their own. Unfortunately, this causes an unwanted saturation of the market and forces users to maintain four or five different subscriptions.
Joining the party is FilmStruck, a new service that arises from an agreement between Criterion (a company known for distributing classics in home formats) and none other than Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Now, I must admit its catalog is gigantic. I haven't finished scrolling the official page yet, and I'm only at the letter M, under which I found Metropolis and the 1953 version of Moulin Rouge. Some films are not that old (late '90s), and I came across several that already belong to this century, but a trained eye will easily spot works like Lord of the Flies, The Great Dictator, Yojimbo, Beauty and the Beast (1946), The Elephant Boy, Heavy Metal (1981)... well, I think I could keep naming movies until tomorrow.
Unfortunately, the quality and quantity of titles in FilmStruck's catalog is irrelevant, because TCM decided to follow the same stupid and senseless rule as other distributors: imposing geographic restrictions, essentially "only for the United States". Another worrying aspect of its terms and conditions is the zero-refund clause, something many users should question before paying the seven dollars per month they ask. I like classics as much as anyone, but with those rules, all they do is make Netflix more attractive.
