Streaming services are a dime a dozen these days. From Netflix, to Amazon Prime, to Hulu, it seemed like every movie buff out there could find what they want. No generation in history has had as much access to films at the click of a button than we do today. But just when I thought I had seen it all and all of my movie needs were met, FilmStruck came along.
FilmStruck was a unique streaming service that gave movie lovers access to classic cinema from around the world, including select films from the Criterion Collection. With the ability to watch the special features, commentary, and interviews with most of the movies, it truly offered a unique and thoughtful experience.
Unfortunately, FilmStruck has been shut down. With only around 100,000 subscribers, that wasn’t enough to impress the new management of the AT&T/Time Warner merger. There are talks of a Warner Brothers and Criterion Collection streaming service to launch within the next year and hopefully those will turn out to be solid substitutes. But as a movie lover, this news hurts.
The Fallen Idol (1948) 
Body Heat (1981) 
The Third Man (1949)
I never had much exposure to films that came out prior to the ’60s. It’s no surprise that Netflix or Amazon isn’t using their home page to promote a black and white film noir from 1948. Or that Walmart and Best Buy aren’t stocking their shelves with Blu Rays and DVDs of remastered works of a foreign director from the 50s. It seems that the big streaming services care about pumping out original content and acquiring the license to stream all of the latest and most popular content. While that isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, it also simultaneously creates a gap for an entire generation of people. We are constantly exposed to new content and this makes it difficult to discover an entire history of film that has helped to shape the movies we love today. FilmStruck filled a void that I believe most people (including myself) don’t think about often, if at all.
It was because of FilmStruck that I discovered my love of film noir. The Big Sleep, The Fallen Idol, Touch of Evil, The Third Man, Body Heat, Night Moves, the list goes on. FilmStruck offered something that the other streaming services don’t – a gateway to an entire genre of classic movies that enhance your appreciation of film in ways that most modern day movies can’t. FilmStruck ultimately helped me to gain an appreciation for a different era of film and as a result, has deepened and refined my love for movies. So for that I thank you, FilmStruck. You will be missed.
