Watching Woody Allen
Find it online.
Keep it on your shelf.
Streaming is a convenient way to explore Woody Allen's films, especially if you are deciding where to begin. For the ones you want to return to, I still think physical media is the better choice.
Find a film
Finding Woody Allen films with JustWatch
A DVD or Blu-ray on your shelf does not disappear because a licensing agreement ends. With streaming, you are at the mercy of changing catalogues, regional availability and the services you happen to pay for. Finding a film today tells you very little about whether you will be able to watch it in six months.
The JustWatch website and app are useful starting points because they bring together listings from different streaming services. Set your country before searching. A film available to someone in the United States may have entirely different options in the UK.
Search for the film you want, then look carefully at the type of offer:
- Subscription means access through a particular subscription. Check which one.
- Free viewing may include adverts.
- Rental means paying separately for a limited viewing period.
- Purchase adds the film to a digital library under that service's terms.
Those distinctions matter. Finding a film on Amazon does not automatically mean it is included with Prime, and a free trial is not the same as a permanently free film.
The UK listing for Annie Hall is a handy example of how JustWatch separates the options. Follow the link through to the actual provider and check the price, subtitles and terms before paying. Treat JustWatch as a guide, rather than a guarantee that every listing is still correct.
Changing catalogues
Why films leave streaming services
Netflix explains that films and television programmes can leave when licensing agreements expire. When deciding whether to renew, it considers whether the rights remain available, how popular a title is in a region and what the licence costs.
Your interest in watching the film again does not enter that decision individually. Neither does the fact that you added it to a watchlist months ago.
This is why a list of Woody Allen films on Netflix, or any other subscription service, needs regular checking. A title might move elsewhere, become a paid rental or have no convenient streaming option in your country. Paying for several services still cannot guarantee access to the particular film you want.
If you are working through the Woody Allen filmography, it is worth keeping your own list of what you want to see. Otherwise, whatever happens to be available can end up deciding which parts of his work you discover.
Digital ownership
What a digital purchase actually gives you
Buying a film digitally is different from relying on a subscription catalogue. It usually gives you continuing access without paying for each viewing. The details still depend on the service.
Amazon's UK guidance says purchased titles will generally remain available to download or stream, but licensing restrictions or other limited reasons can make them unavailable.
Apple's guidance makes an important distinction. Purchased films generally remain accessible, and removal from its services is described as unlikely. Apple also says purchases can be permanently downloaded to a compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac or Windows PC. Those downloads can be watched offline and cannot be removed from the device by Apple.
So it would be wrong to suggest that every digital purchase is as precarious as a subscription listing. If you prefer digital copies, read the provider's terms and use its supported download options. Simply assuming that a film will always be waiting in an online library is less sensible.
The case for discs
Why physical media is better for a collection
The main advantage of a DVD or Blu-ray is straightforward. Once you have the disc and a compatible working player, watching the film does not require a continuing streaming subscription. A change to an online catalogue cannot remove that copy from your shelf.
That matters particularly with a director whose work you want to explore over time. You might watch Annie Hall now, return to it after Manhattan, then move towards the family relationships in Hannah and Her Sisters or the moral questions in Crimes and Misdemeanors. Owning the films lets you make those choices without checking which company currently offers them.
Basic Blu-ray playback on a compatible standalone player does not need an internet connection. Online extras and player updates are separate considerations. You can watch the film even when your broadband is having a bad evening.
Discs need looking after, and players eventually need replacing. They take up space too. Physical media is not indestructible, but those are practical limitations you can manage yourself.
A streaming licence expiring is somebody else's decision.
Before you buy
Check the edition before buying
Owning a disc does not automatically mean owning the best-looking version of a film. An old DVD should not be assumed to beat a good HD stream. The transfer and the particular release matter, so read a review of the edition you are considering rather than buying on the strength of the format alone.
For a film such as Manhattan, the presentation of Gordon Willis's black-and-white photography is worth paying attention to. Check that the release preserves the original framing, and look at what reviewers say about the transfer.
There are a few other details to check before ordering:
- Make sure the disc format works with your player.
- Check the region code, especially with imports. DVD and Blu-ray use different region systems. Sony's Blu-ray guide explains the letter codes and region-free exceptions.
- Confirm the available audio languages and subtitles.
- Check the actual extras. A booklet, interview or commentary is a reason to consider an edition only if it is included.
Second-hand copies can be worth considering, but check the disc's condition and the seller's description. A familiar cover does not tell you everything about the release inside it.
Build a collection around the films you want to keep
Your films.
Your choice.
There is no need to buy everything at once. Streaming and rentals are useful for trying a film you have never seen. If it gives you something you want to return to, that is a good reason to look for a disc.
For anyone starting from scratch, these five essential Woody Allen films offer several different ways into his work. Follow the films that interest you rather than feeling obliged to assemble a complete set.
I would rather have a small collection of films I know I want to watch again than depend entirely on a succession of subscriptions.
Looking for a film to add to your collection? Browse the Woody Allen Films shop for DVDs and Blu-rays.
Use JustWatch to find what is available now. For the favourites, DVD and Blu-ray still make a very good case for themselves.