Where Netflix this month seemed all about shedding
as many older titles as possible, Amazon looks to be doing just the opposite, adding an impressive mix of genuine classics, public domain flicks, TV shows, and a diverse blend of 1980s and '90s content. In some ways the service has one-upped its larger competitor by acquiring a number of Netflix's recent castoffs, including
King Kong (1976), the original
The Odd Couple (1968), and David Cronenberg's
Shivers (1975).
CLASSICS
Classic (i.e., pre-1982) movies are growing into one of Prime's unsung strengths. In addition to the older titles it often shares with Netflix, the service continues to add an assortment of rarely seen potboilers like
Hour of the Gun (1967),
The Red House (1947), and
Three Came Home (1950), along with bona fide classics such as Howard Hawks' majestic
Red River (1948) and, not one, but
three Marilyn Monroe pictures (
Bus Stop,
Niagara, and
How to Marry a Millionaire). There's also the campy fun of 1966's feature-length
Batman movie, plus Abbott & Costello fooling around in 1952's
Jack and the Beanstalk (you know, for kids). A summary of exclusive classics wouldn't be complete without mentioning Stanley Kubrick's
Dr. Strangelove (1964) and the Roger Corman biker flick,
The Wild Angels (1966), starring Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, and Bruce Dern.
