iTunes users now have the ability to download over 400 movies, thanks to an agreement between Lionsgate Entertainment Corp. and Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. recently announced the release of 150 Lionsgate films in its library of downloadable movies. Users can now download big-name Lionsgate titles such as “Rambo” and “Terminator 2,” or “Dirty Dancing” for the less action-oriented viewer.
This addition brings the iTunes movie database up to a count of over 400 titles.
“The iTunes Store is by far the most popular online movie store in the world,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be adding this phenomenal collection of Lionsgate titles from Hollywood’s leading independent studio, including such blockbusters as ‘Terminator 2.'”
These iTunes downloads are $9.99 per video and allow users to watch select movies and television shows on their computers, fifth generation iPods and the recently released Apple TV.
This offers a different movie watching experience than most people are used to, and it hasn’t resonated well with some.
Lenny Armijo, a senior integrative physiology major, said downloaded videos take away from the movie watching experience. He said the video on fifth generation iPods is too small and an example of a diminished movie watching experience.
Armijo said for $9.99 he could just buy the DVD he was after.
Digital rights management only allows files downloaded from iTunes to be viewed on Apple products. Home studios not equipped with the recently released Apple TV box are unable to play iTunes video content.
This is an issue Randy Hargrove, a company spokesman of Blockbuster Inc., took with iTunes movies and online movie downloads in general.
“A computer screen is not the normal movie watching experience,” Hargrove said.
He said people have made investments in their home entertainment studios, and downloaded video content does not comply with this investment.
Still, the Internet offers a large medium for the silver screen, as well as the television screen.
Online companies such as Vongo offer similar services to the iTunes movie database, and Web sites like YouTube often skirt legal standards and practices to bring viewers motion pictures.
Hargrove said Blockbuster does intend to implement an online movie download service sometime this year, but they do not see it becoming big business in the next one to two years.
Other problems with downloaded video content are the physical quality of downloaded videos, which is not quite up to par with the DVD medium.
Owning the DVD not only produces better image quality, but would avoid the proprietary issues downloaded files cause. They can also be watched on any DVD player.
Despite these issues, Apple is doing well with their online movie database. They have sold over 50 million television shows and 1.3 million movies over iTunes.
Hargrove said Blockbuster intends to keep its focus on store based business, which includes in store rentals and mail ordered rentals. He said 68 percent of movie sales go to in-store transactions, with another 26 percent going to movie theaters.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Jon Swihart at jon.swihart@thecampuspress.com
