Bye Bye Lovefilm.

Film This afternoon I cancelled my Lovefilm-by-post account, almost twelve years to the day from when I originally signed up for what was originally the ScreenSelect service on the 29th February 2004.

I've already written at length about the implications of this on the favourite film of 1960 post, with some facts and figures.

As I said there, being subscribed to three subscription streaming services and also having access to iPlayer and YouTube and Vimeo and ... simply made being sent dvds through the post seem gratuitous.

I need to get around to watching all those Netflix exclusives.  And Amazon Prime exclusives.  And whatever else there is on NowTV.

An update:

The last film I watched was as Osama, Siddiq Barmak's 2003 film about the implications Taliban rule in Afghanistan has for the life of a twelve year old girl. Often visually beautifully, it's also unremittingly grim but it seems fitting that my final hire should be something I wouldn't otherwise necessarily watch and is from a list (#1001films). I've worked my way through a fair number of lists of films I wouldn't necessarily watch across the years.

The final film I received was actually The Saragossa Manuscript but after belatedly looking at the duration and some reviews decided to send it back unwatched anyway. Which I've also done a fair few times over the years too.

None of which is to say I won't ever sign back up again. Popping the envelopes in a post box on my way to the supermarket wasn't much of an event. 

Nevertheless, It's going to be strange not receiving replacements.

For twelve years I've been in the rhythm of watching and posting these shiny discs, of almost always having post, and this is another activity which is going online.

On the upside I'll be able to choose what film I'm watching next in the evening.  On the downside I'll have to wait even longer for that film to be available to me (assuming I wait for it turn up on a subscription streaming service and don't simply rent a stream or some such).

Plus the danger is that I'll be more conservative with my choices and spend all my time watching Anna Kendrick films.

We'll see.

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