Anyone else heard of Filmin? I feel I have to share the good news having just watched Stephen Frears’ brilliant The Hit (Terence Stamp! John Hurt! Fernando Rey! Tim Roth in his film debut) – basically a chilly British crime film in the Get Carter mold, crossed with a road-trip across scorched and parched Spanish landscapes. I’d never heard of it but Filmin recommended it after I rewatched Sexy Beast.
Other recent watches include Michael Mann’s Thief, Misery, Black Adder, Inside Number 9, Something Wild, Peter Bogdanovich’s Targets, a Peckinpah trilogy of Convoy, Straw Dogs and The Chase, the great new Vonnegut documentary, The Guns of Navarone (!), In the Heat of the Night, An American Werewolf in London, lots of Tati, and even Spielberg’s 1941 (I’ve always wanted to see it but it turns out it’s every bit as crap as its reputation).
So, basically it’s everything I hoped streaming services would be when they started – the history of film and TV all there ready and waiting for you – rather another hugely expensive identikit Netflix or HBO production (some of which admittedly have their charms).
I’ve currently got around 150 films on the ‘Saved to watch later list’. Plenty of classic film noir, westerns, 70s Hollywood of the Easy Riders Raging Bulls sort, Hammer horror, Ealing comedies, loads of classic French and Italian cinema and a fair amount of modern stuff of the more indie persuasion. There’s even a few Bernard Cribbins films which I’ll be giving a go. And I’m finally going to be able to see Michael Winner’s Hannibal Brooks again. It’s an absolute joy.
And all for 7.99 Euros a month. While it’s a Spanish site (vast majority of films available in English though you often can’t remove the Spanish subtitles) I imagine the cleverer Afterworders can find a way to access it (even the Word podcast is sponsored by a VPN company now).
And finally, I have no personal interest in it other than I think it’s simply one of the best things the internet has ever given us.
Love Hannibal Brooks
This may fit in here without being worth a thread of its own.
The London Nobody Knows is a documentary in which James Mason takes his plummy accent and tightly furled umbrella for a walk around late 60s London. Not the swinging London version usually celebrated, but the meths drinkers and Salvation Army kitchens of the forgotten people left behind. It’s a fascinating programme which always disappears from YouTube whenever it is put up, but Talking Pictures TV are showing it at 13:30 tomorrow (Tuesday 9th August).
Well worth seeing.
Also on Daily Motion at https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5h8w0m
Top tip, thanks Gatz.
I shall explore (I think my VPN has an option for Spain so should be okay).
Another film streaming platform that may be of interest is MUBI.COM. My elder boy signed up for the free trail last week and has been exploring – very much art house films (lots of David Lynch, Truffaut etc etc).
https://mubi.com/showing
Thanks for the heads-up. sounds good. I can almost always find something to watch on YouTube and archive.org, and also dig a bit of old. In fact, I prefer it. Though we have Netflix, I can countenance a time when we don’t, as between my own collection and the above plus BBC IPlayer, I do wonder what netflix actually offers.
Ive just got a new telly which has the Roku app on it. Browsing through the film apps (there’s 100’s most with copyright films that have been lost to time for good reason.)
I discovered one called Movieland.tv. It’s absolutely full of classic films, including all the Hitchcock’s. MGM musicals, Warners gangster movies.
All the films seems to be pre 1974 (Enter the Dragon, Papillion, Freebie and the Bean seem to be the newest films available. It’s a treasure trove of classic movies and its all free. God knows how legal it is but if you’ve got a Roku
With commercials presumably. Am sure it is legit. Many similar apps
It says it will play ads. Not seen one yet.
That suggests they aren’t attracting advertisers yet. Hopefully they have sufficient backing to survive until they get some.
Lots of music documentaries too which should appeal to people here
I’ve just bought a new telly (an LG OLED, tech nerds) and it has something called Rakuten TV pre-installed.
What’s that, then? Never heard of it.
I was wondering what it was too. I have it installed on my far less poncey TV. After a brief perusal I’ve never bothered watching anything it offers up.
I barely watch telly, but it was last year’s model dirt cheap(ish) in the John Lewis sale.
I once designed a MP3 player with an OLED screen, which was pin-sharp, and have been waiting for the tech to roll out to idiot laterns.
Me neither although last night I did watch a slight if entertaining Arena episode on Brian Catling that’s currently available on iPlayer (nudge).