MOVIES IN HULU HELL (1 Viewer)

[PODER]

Am I the only one frustrated with HULU? It seems that once they get their claws into a movie they're not letting go.
They started streaming PALM SPRINGS in July of 2020, and as far as I can determine the only DVD yet available is
from Germany. And now SUMMER OF SOUL appears to be caught in the same net. Can anyone explain their policy
regarding DVD and Blu Ray releases of films they control?

 

[TravisR]

Can anyone explain their policy
regarding DVD and Blu Ray releases of films they control?

I'm only guessing but unfortunately, I'd say that their most likely policy is they'll never release their movies any other way in order to force you to pay for their streaming service.

 

[Carl David]

Was just about to make a comment before I saw the words by Travis.

He's correct.

Some of the streaming companies will have no interest at releasing their movies on disc as they will want as many subscribers as possible to use their streaming service.

I have commented on this in other threads. It's the way it's all going.

What you will see going forward is more films getting produced by these streaming companies all financing their own movies but only allowing them to be viewed on their own platforms.

Therefore, you will have to be a subscriber to 3, 4 or 5 different companies to watch all the new movies getting released etc.

The streaming services are cheap at the moment to get consumers in the habit of using (and relying on) them for their movie watching habits.

There is also a wide range of choices on the platforms with most of them having a big database of titles to choose from.

That will change going forward once the industry has got as many subscribers as possible (market saturation).

The choices between the platforms will decline with more exclusive content from each company and the big boys like Disney not allowing any competitors to stream their content (Does Disney already do this?).

The prices will also rise significantly.

Instead of the common practice of $14.99 per month or whatever the standard prices are now to perhaps $49.99 per month or even more.

 

[Dick]

I try to remain unaware of what Netflix and Hulu and the rest are producing. I do not have cable service (I run only DVD, Blu-ray and 4K movies on my 65" OLED). I did do a trial subscription with Netflix from my computer and was able to watch Joon-ho's OKJA, which made me want to find and purchse a Blu-ray. No such luck. Same with MUDBOUND and a few others. I found out that A-list directors were doing movies for that company, and we were fortunate to get THE IRISHMAN, MARRIAGE STORY and ROMA through Criterion. It does not look like any further licenses will be granted, though. So, I simply try not to know what's being produced in those studios, other than ones I bump into here at HTF. As the ancient addage goes, "What you don't know...."

 

[Jake Lipson]

The weird thing about Palm Springs in particular is that it was never meant to go exclusively to Hulu.

It was acquired at Sundance by Neon and Hulu with plans for Neon to do a wide theatrical release first, followed by a Hulu debut later.

COVID-19 changed all of that and the decision was made to move up the film's debut on Hulu. I think Neon made it available to a handful of drive-in locations, but this was back in the early days of the pandemic when all movie theaters were completely shuttered. So it made total sense to put the film on Hulu at that time. It was making the film accessible at a time when no one could go out to see new movies. I was very grateful to have it available at that time. was restless and didn't have any idea how long it would be until I could safely leave my house. So it was a wonderful little gift to me to receive a movie as good as that when it came out.

The thing that is confusing to me is that if Palm Springs had been a traditional theatrical release first via Neon, it almost certainly would have been released to disc. All of Neon's theatrical releases come to disc (usually via Universal) and then end up on Hulu a few months later. Portrait of a Lady On Fire, which had its theatrical release interrupted by the pandemic, even got its debut physical media release in the Criterion Collection. Because there is no physical media release yet for Palm Springs, I think it is clear that Hulu added some kind of language into the contract to the effect that they have it exclusively in the United States.

As others have noted, the moment that a streaming service authorizes a home media release of any of their films, they lose the exclusivity on that title. I don't think it is a coincidence that Roma and Marriage Story came to disc via Criterion. Of course they are noteworthy films form auteur directors which deserve their spot in the collection. But for Netflix, there's a difference between letting Criterion have those titles instead of any other distributor. Criterion titles are premium priced and intended for the collector's market. The hardcore film fans can get them, but average Joes won't bother, and you'll never find their discs in a Walmart bargain bin. Even though a Criterion is technically available to everyone, average film fans will just go to Netflix to watch those instead of paying Criterion prices. And you won't see those films available at digital retailers like Vudu or iTunes. So Netflix still retains some control when Criterion puts something out.

But of course the vast majority of films that are made by Netflix, and the other streamers, are not going to join the Criterion Collection. They don't have directors who are a big enough deal to write physical media releases into their contracts. As others have said, those films are likely to stay streaming exclusives in perpetuity. This may rightly annoy those of us who hang out at HTF because we're into physical media, but with disc sales dropping each year, I don't think the average consumer really cares all that much. They're probably just as happy to press a button and stream it whenever they want.

There are some streaming films that I would like to own on physical media that I don't. But I have never skipped watching a streaming film just because I know it probably won't come to disc. Streamers are often giving homes to films that wouldn't get made otherwise, so I have to applaud the fact that some of these movies exist at all. Streamers aren't perfect, but I think the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

[Carl David]

It will be unfortunate I think if most movies made in the future will be stream only after limited theater runs.

It's a possibility this will happen.

I do think streaming could kill the movie industry.

I hope I am wrong.

I'm not sure they will be able to make as much profit on making movies as they have done in the past.

I would be interested to know how much they make from all these TV productions.

I can't keep up with how many are out there.

Many people binge watch a lot of these series.

It seems to me TV shows will overtake movies at some point.

However, I don't know the figures to back that statement up.

 

[Kent K H]

I would instabuy Palm Springs if it was released on blu/4K. I didn't even know it had a DVD release in Germany.

If someone wanted to put together a list of films that are streaming in the US but put out on disc overseas, it would be of interest to me, that's for sure.

 

[Malcolm R]

It also depends if the film started its life as a major studio production then was later sold to streaming. Some of those, like Paramount titles to Netflix, come out on disc usually a year or so later.

But, yes, if they're wholly developed and funded by the streamer there's no value to them to make a disc available unless they want to work with a director that has the clout to pull that string.

 

[TonyD]

Palm Springs along with some of the other Hulu movies are available to purchase as a digital version.
Probably could get Palm Springs in 4K for $5

 

[Jake Lipson]

Palm Springs along with some of the other Hulu movies are available to purchase as a digital version.

Where? I haven't seen it available anywhere other than Hulu.

 

[TonyD]

Well. You’re right. I could have sworn I saw PS pop up for sale.

Now I’m not sure what I saw.

 

[SeanAx]

The points I was about to make have mostly been made, and made well. Just a few additional notes.

Just one other thing about a Criterion Collection release of a movie otherwise exclusive to Netflix: it's a status thing. Getting the Criterion treatment gives a film a stamp of cultural importance, at least to those who pay attention to those things. And because it's so exclusive, as noted above, it adds value to a title rather than diluting it. It's a matter of dollars and cents to Netflix and Hulu and other streamers who negotiate the conditions of purchase.

But note these rights of many of these aren't into perpetuity. They may run five years or more, but since they are not produced in-house but are pick-ups, they don't own them indefinitely. At some point, "Palm Springs" will complete its exclusive windows at Hulu and the rights will become available again for home video.

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

I feel the same way about many of the '60s-'80s Hanna-Barbera cartoons (those not yet released on DVD and/or Blu-Ray) on the Boomerang streaming service. That is, I feel this portion of what's yet to be released isn't going to be out on DVD anytime soon, in order for them to make us pay to see these on said service. I do hope I am wrong!

~Ben

 

[Carl David]

The points I was about to make have mostly been made, and made well. Just a few additional notes.

Just one other thing about a Criterion Collection release of a movie otherwise exclusive to Netflix: it's a status thing. Getting the Criterion treatment gives a film a stamp of cultural importance, at least to those who pay attention to those things. And because it's so exclusive, as noted above, it adds value to a title rather than diluting it. It's a matter of dollars and cents to Netflix and Hulu and other streamers who negotiate the conditions of purchase.

But note these rights of many of these aren't into perpetuity. They may run five years or more, but since they are not produced in-house but are pick-ups, they don't own them indefinitely. At some point, "Palm Springs" will complete its exclusive windows at Hulu and the rights will become available again for home video.

I have for a while now always thought that Criterion seems to have built its reputation to the point that you mention.

There are videos on YouTube posted by collectors showing their pride that they own every single Criterion Blu Ray that has been released.

I have noticed the reverence many collectors show the company in forums like bluray.com and cheer every release etc.

Criterion have definitely taken full advantage of that reputation with some titles that seem odd or not consistent with their historical releases from my perspective in relation to certain films that they have put on disc.

Nothing wrong with that. Just an observation.

But to me they are releasing some films that perhaps are not as culturally important as some of these keen collectors think they are but because it's Criterion then "oh it must be good" and so I will buy it and sing their praises etc.

I have noticed they have released a few movies from directors that are to me the inferior selections from their oeuvre not only artistically but from a box office standpoint too but because some of those directors are "big names" then it's "Oh great it's that director I will be buying this on disc".

Obviously, movies are subjective and I am not trying to put anyone down for choosing what they want to purchase for their own leisure but I definitely agree with you about the status aspect you mention with some consumers.

To be fair, Criterion have earned the reputation they receive for a lot of great releases over the years and I think with them still going it might perpetuate a little longer the physical media business.

Without them it will probably be a quicker transition to a streaming only industry.

At the moment there seems to be co-operation between physical media and streaming businesses but how long this continues I don't know.

As far as I am aware the major streaming companies don't release their own movies on physical media but license them out.

How long before they stop doing that altogether? It's not as if they have a strong motive to continue licensing them out.

To answer that question you will need to know how much they are receiving in revenue for licensing them out. If that fee declines over time due to the declining physical media sales then probably not too many years away.

Criterion also stream their disc catalogue as well which I am assuming they probably get the rights to with any disc they put out but I can't imagine the big players permitting this for much longer or if they do the length of the rights will probably shorten or be very limited.

At the moment the streaming business is probably very small for Criterion with only a limited number of subscribers compared to the major players such as Netflix.

If those numbers increase exponentially to the extent they become a threat to companies like Netflix then you will see how quickly the big companies will change their tactics.

As it stands Criterion is left to be a niche player and that's all. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Apple+ is doing the same thing. The Tom Hanks film GREYHOUND was released on Apple+ 16 months ago and there is no sign of a home video release. In fact, it appears that the only Apple+ film to get a home video release to date is the Bill Murray film, ON THE ROCKS.

 

[John*Wells]

you now Netflix is doing this now. I managed to get my hands on all Seasons of House of Cards on Physical Media. Also when Cobra Kai was on Youtube Premium in Season 1 and 2, It was made available for Digital Purchase. Sony also released it on DVD. However, Since Netflix acquired it, I have seen no digital purchase option in the apple Store and No DVD for Season 3 as yet. I am being told not to expect any either

 

[Carl David]

You know I completely forgot about TV series.

All the streaming companies create their own series so you have to be a subscriber to watch them as they are unavailable on other platforms.

Imagine having 4 great series on 4 different platforms at the same time.

This service starts to get expensive if you want to watch all 4.

Can't imagine many future series getting disc releases.

Isn't the upcoming Peter Jackson "Get Back" documentary on Disney + only?

Don't know if that is getting released in cinemas or not.

That will probably get a disc release, however.

Anything Beatles is big business.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Imagine having 4 great series on 4 different platforms at the same time.

This service starts to get expensive if you want to watch all 4.

It doesn't have to be expensive if you exercise some patience. Simply subscribe to one service at a time, and when you finish the series there, cancel and subscribe to the next service. Wash, rinse and repeat.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

When I paid for regular basic cable (so no premium channels like HBO or anything like that), the bill was well over $100 a month, just about everything had commercials, and there wasn’t much I actually watched.

If there are four programs on four different streaming services I want to watch, that’ll wind up being about $40 a month. That’s still far less than what cable cost me.

 

[TravisR]

Isn't the upcoming Peter Jackson "Get Back" documentary on Disney + only?

Don't know if that is getting released in cinemas or not.

That will probably get a disc release, however.

Anything Beatles is big business.

Well, it's six hours long so I can't imagine the whole thing playing in any theater. Maybe there will be a premiere and they'll play the first of the three episodes. Disney is only distributing the movie so like you, I'm sure it will get a Blu-ray/DVD release whenever Disney +'s exclusivity window ends.