Last year we saw Mickey Mouse going public domain and now every year more and more talkie movies are going public domain too. The talkies began in 1928, and I would say they got very close to what we have today in about 1934 or 35.
That means that every year people will have hundreds of “new” releases on public domain, making paying for watching new movies unnecessary. One thing is preferring the new movies when you have to pay both for new and old movies. Another thing is paying for new films when you have hundreds of old movies as good as the new ones (or better) for free.
I don’t know about you, but I could spend the rest of my life watching public domain classics, no problem. For instance, I read a dozen books last year, only two of them were less than a 100 years old.
I would say Hollywood is in a pinch right now, something that will make them miss the days when their biggest enemy was piracy.
Well, I read around 20 books last year and neither was older than 50 years old. I’ve also seen a few movies and neither was older than 34 years old.
If I was watching a movie made in 1934, I’d be bored as hell. My point kinda is: don’t assume people have the same preferences you do.
30’s movies feel weirdly modern until the Hayes code. Check out Gold Diggers of 1933 for some premium shit talking.
exactly this. I have no desire to watch a “talkie” in 2025. movies from my childhood don’t even really hold up anymore. society and culture changes so fast. I think it would be a real niche group of ppl that go back and watch these old movies
There’s nothing truly vital in 2020s filmmaking that its counterparts weren’t similarly adept at 50/70/100 years ago. The stuff that really counts like acting. editing and scene composition doesn’t corrode over the decades because it’s gold
Probably true, but nonsensical. Free your mind and learn from the past. You’ll notice it wasn’t that different and people had incredible skills.
I don’t understand that at all. What about being old makes something boring by default?
Well, you don’t really have to understand, that was my whole point - different people like different things.
For me it’s mostly the pacing and the horrible acting in old movies.
There’s no need for most people to agree with me. Even if 10% of Netflix subscribers decided to cancel it and move to classic movies, that would already be a crisis for them.
And don’t forget that humans have flock mentality. If this gets a little popular, it will be easy for it to explode. Just look at Nintendo now trying to contain the retro gaming boom and emulation.
Next ten years we will see classics led by John Wayne, James Stewart and Kirk Douglas going public, and that would be enough for millions to drop the new so-so movie stars.
Where will people watch the movies? Someone still has to provide a service where you can get them. Most people don’t want to download and store them somewhere, Netflix is just easier. And Netflix can easily add them to their collection as well.
There’s this thing called YouTube, maybe you’ve heard about it.
Better yet, Peertube