Nostalgia on Netflix
Netflix welcomes acclaimed classics from recent decades to their extensive list of available movies and TV shows. Priscilla Valdez ’15
Netflix satisfied the streaming needs of over 50 million subscribers worldwide in 2014, according to forbes.com, with its extensive collection of old favorites and new titles. This year, however, Netflix brings its users back to the past with its recent additions to the site.
Priscilla Valdez ’15
Though competing streaming companies such as HBO and Hulu Plus offer the promise of the most current and updated TV episodes, Netflix’s vision differs. Their first additions for 2015, and those from the past year such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), offer subscribers a nostalgic experience.
A look at Netflix’s most recent uploads reveals that a clear majority of the titles were released in the 1980s and 1990s, several from the early 2000s, and just a few TV shows from later years. January 1, Netflix uploaded classic films like Footloose (1984) and 101 Dalmatians (1996), with popular sitcom Friends (1994) leading the hype.
Friends fans raved across social media at the October announcement of the show’s upcoming addition to the site, and waited patiently for the arrival of the acclaimed series.
“I am honestly so excited that Friends is on Netflix now,” Convent of the Sacred Heart senior Mari Riera said. “When I first started watching the show I had to actually buy all the seasons on DVD, but it’s just so much easier this way.”
Suddenly, movies long forgotten or simply lost among dust-covered collections of VHS tapes are readily available at the click of a button. While it is possible that Netflix could be attempting to attract older generations to their audience, it is just as likely an appeal to pop culture’s recent fixation on throwbacks.
Binge-watchers old and young can now enjoy favorite movies regardless of generation gap. Other Netflix additions for January include Sunset Boulevard (1950), Dirty Dancing (1987), Batman & Robin (1997), and Mean Girls (2004).
– Priscilla Valdez, Co-Arts & Entertainment Editor
For the full list visit: http://www.vulture.com/2014/01/whats-new-on-netflix-streaming-january-2015.html
