While the driving force behind every major streaming service is obviously going to be the high profile original content that justifies their entire existence and helps draw in subscribers unsure if they should take the plunge to shell out that monthly fee, it’s important not to forget about the classics.
One of the benefits that comes from established studios like Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. launching their own platforms is that each has an extensive back catalogue to pad out the library, a luxury that Netflix and Prime Video don’t have. Of course, with streaming rights changing hands all over the place and contracts lapsing on a monthly basis, the aforementioned trio will eventually have all of their own in-house titles under the same roof one day.
For now, though, Netflix still boasts an impressive lineup from around Hollywood, and this week alone five classic movies were added. First off, Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are regarded as two of the finest comic book blockbusters ever made, and still inspire the genre to this day.
Meanwhile, Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness sees the A-list megastar deliver one of his best performances in an uplifting drama, and Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman’s Rain Man is the sort of broad, crowd-pleasing prestige drama that the industry doesn’t really make anymore, one that managed to score huge critical, commercial and awards season glory.
And finally, though the reputation and standing of Kevin Costner’s Dancing with Wolves may have dipped over time, it’s still the second highest-grossing Western ever and turned the actor into an acclaimed and award-winning filmmaker in one fell swoop, so fans of classic cinema certainly have plenty to sift through on Netflix this week alone.
Published: Mar 6, 2021 03:54 pm