From Goddard, Tarkovsky, Fellini, Antonioni to Bergman, Yasudo, Hitchcock and so many more, The Criterion Collection offers an extensive, thoughtful, and curated library of films dedicated to spotlighting the crowning achievements of filmmakers that have shaped cinema.
Since its founding in 1984, the Criterion Collection has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world. The home video distribution company is committed to preserving film history, providing state-of-the-art- restorations, and ensuring each film is formatted as its maker would want it seen by audiences.
Cinephiles can rejoice because the Criterion Collection has officially found a new home, The Criterion Channel.
The Criterion Channel is a new independent streaming service featuring the full library of the famed curated series of films from throughout cinema history. Its new streaming service will house more than 1,000 classic and contemporary films.
The news is a huge sigh of relief for film enthusiasts, following the announcement last year that FilmStruck — which featured much of the Criterion Collection’s library — would discontinue its streaming service.
Like… I went into @FilmStruck a little under the weather and before taping anything received a homemade fennel and pea shoot soup, like… these were flesh and blood people who really, truly cared about the work they were doing and the people who made and appreciated film 😢💔
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) October 26, 2018
Criterion released an official statement on the launch of its new streaming service,
“We are incredibly touched and encouraged by the flood of support we’ve been receiving since the announcement that FilmStruck will be shutting down on November 29, 2018. Our thanks go out to everyone who signed petitions, wrote letters and newspaper articles, and raised your voices to let the world know how much our mission and these movies matter to you…”
The Criterion statement continued,
“We’ve been trying to make something a little different for the past two years—a movie lover’s dream streaming service, with smart thematic programming, where the history of cinema can live and breathe, where a new generation of filmmakers and film lovers can explore the classics or revel in rarities,”
The service will be available Apr. 8 in the US and Canada but the website is now accepting subscribers.
The Criterion Channel will be available in two different subscriber plans. Charter subscribers can choose to sign up on a monthly basis for $9.99 a month (following a 30-day free trial). Charter subscribers who wish to sign up for an entire year can stream Criterion films for an $89.99 annual rate.
If you want a discounted price, however, make sure to sign up before April 8, because after this date, prices rise to $10.99 per month or $99.99 annually.
In the meantime, check out the Criterion’s DVD closet series, where legendary filmmakers and actors reveal their most beloved films. Peep below to see Academy-Award nominated director, Barry Jenkin’s personal cinematic collection.