Comments on: Further Adventures in VOD

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:44:19 +0000

I must admit watching movies at work...guilty as charged.. I watch on ERTX Movie Stream

By: Suzi Doll

Suzi Doll — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:23:16 +0000

I was at the whim of my Internet connection from Monday night till today because of problems in my phone line. The more technology there is behind something, the more things there are to go wrong. And, who wants to watch a film on a tiny computer screen all by yourself, especially if you work a job where you are at a computer screen all day. Film is a communal experience, even if you are watching it on your tv with a friend or two.

I think many who get such a kick out of downloading films are more excited by the ability to do so than about actually enjoying the movies. They are either in love with technology and gadgetry, sort of like the “stereo nuts” of my day, or they derive satisfaction from “collecting” films so to speak. Neither are really about the movies.

By: David Savage

David Savage — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:08:12 +0000

Emmet,
I watched BORN TO WIN last night on JAMAN and, apart from noticing the same kinks you made reference to, enjoyed it very much. A strange film: Sort of like The Owl and the Pussycat meets Panic in Needle Park? And then that ultra-downer of an ending! I didn’t see that coming. Really was a cold shower at the end. Most of all, I loved — LOVED — those gritty, pre-gentrification NYC locations. Would that we could play hooky and catch “Sudden Terror” at the Rialto on 8th Avenue again! ;-)

By: R. Emmet Sweeney

R. Emmet Sweeney — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:01:31 +0000

Thanks for chiming in and clarifying those points, Reid. Here’s hoping that other VOD sites will work with you soon, as SpeedCine is the easiest way I’ve found to find movies online. I don’t know how I’d stumble upon some of these video streams otherwise.

Suzi! Why so glum! Watching movies on-line is pretty easy, and unlike TV, can be watched whenever you choose. Nothing’s perfect, as you’re at the whim of your internet connection, but I say the more ways to get films legally available, the better. I think Ned and Saraeg would agree!

By: David Savage

David Savage — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:42:10 +0000

In response to Ned, I just received a new VHS copy of THE OUTSIDE MAN, because I too missed it at Anthology’s festival. It’s a few years old, but never viewed. MGM Home Video. Quality I’d say B+. Just go to Amazon and you’ll find several vendors selling it for a buck and under.

Cheers,
DAVID SAVAGE

By: Reid Rosefelt

Reid Rosefelt — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:18:05 +0000

Thanks for giving SpeedCine a workout. Right now there are about 800 free films in the database, but there are so many other legal films available. I expect to break 1000 soon. The Auteurs putd amazing films out for free, but they take them in and out, so until I can arrange for a feed from them I can’t list them. There is also one great site with free films–but they spammed me when I registered, and I won’t do that to my users. As SpeedCine attracts more users, it’ll be easier it will be for me to convince more sites to work with me.

As for some films being “Search Only,” it’s nothing very mysterious. It’s just a way of keeping the A-Z index useful as it gets bigger and bigger. I will have to curate it a bit, or it won’t be much of a browsing experience. At he same time, I’ll always make every film available in search. Right now pretty much everything is available in the A-Z; all free films will always be visible in the A-Z index.

We should have iTunes in next week.

Best,

Reid Rosefelt, SpeedCine

By: suzidoll

suzidoll — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:20:20 +0000

Hmmmm! Lot’s of technology with lots of frustrating bells and whistles to complicate watching b-movies that tv stations used to show all the time (day and night) with just a click of your tv’s on/off button (in the days before they reran old tv shows instead).

Now THAT was truly v.o.d.

By: saraeg

saraeg — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:27:33 +0000

thank you so very much for showing us the different internet sites to find long ‘lost’ movies that we love and have not seen in many years. i just had the guilty pleasure of watching ‘hercules unchained’ on amc b movies without commercials just like in the old days before amc was taken over and commercials were added. i am going to try to find other old movies that i have not seen in many years on free streaming because i cannot afford to buy from online dvd stores. again thank you so very much, r.e. sweeney.

By: Ned Merrill

Ned Merrill — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:13:30 +0000

Great! THE STONE KILLER was one of two I missed at the Anthology retro. Anyone have any leads on THE OUTSIDE MAN (Jacques Deray, 1972)?