Alamo Drafthouse Launches Their Own VOD Platform Chock Full Of Cinephile Treats For Purchase And Rental

By Ethan AndertonMay 7, 2020 10:00 am EST

Since everyone is more hungry than ever to watch movies right now, the specialty movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse is launching Alamo On Demand, a VOD platform for cinephiles to digitally buy and rent movies. Curated by the movie nerds at Alamo Drafthouse, the new service has partnered with Lionsgate, Magnolia Pictures, NEON, Sony Pictures Classics and more to offer an eclectic mix of blockbuster favorites, genre gems, indie treasures, arthouse favorites, and more.

Alamo Drafthouse announced Alamo On Demand in an official press release today, revealing the new platform created in partnership with ScreenPlus and Vista Cinema. It's available right now for buying and renting an outstanding array of movies, including dozens of Fantastic Fest selections that might have otherwise gone under your radar.

The new VOD service came as a result of Alamo Drafthouse wanting to keep championing movies when there aren't any movie theaters open for people to see them. Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse founder and Executive Chairman, said in a statement:

"I'll describe the scenario that sold me on the ScreenPlus platform. Alamo Drafthouse had been promoting Portrait of a Lady on Fire to our guests for months. We love people to see films in the cinema first and foremost, but the reality is not everyone can always make the time for every movie they want to see. This platform allows us to give folks who missed Portrait of a Lady on Fire in cinemas another chance to see it, which is simply an extension of our enthusiasm and support for the film. Alamo On Demand helps us to continue the conversation past the theatrical window and recommend movies we love to our community. And in these shuttered days and beyond, these rentals and purchases help support your neighborhood theater."

Here's a taste of some of the current and upcoming titles that will be offered through Alamo On Demand:

Lionsgate's ARKANSAS, APOCALYPSE NOW FINAL CUT, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM, LA LA LAND, A SIMPLE FAVOR, KNIVES OUT, and DIRTY DANCING.

NEON's Academy Award Best Picture Winner PARASITE and PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, as well as the documentary premiere of SPACESHIP EARTH.

An exclusive premiere of the new documentary KATE NASH: UNDERESTIMATE THE GIRL, which will include a livestream Q&A and performance by Kate Nash.

Magnolia Pictures' RBG, SKATE KITCHEN and RAISE HELL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson's music documentary JUNUN.

Severin Films and Alejandro Jodorowsky's modern masterpiece SANTA SANGRE.

Well Go USA's 2018 South Korean masterpiece BURNING, starring Steven Yeun and considered by many to be one of the best films of the 2010s.

Drafthouse Films' entire catalog, including Academy Award nominees THE ACT OF KILLING, THE LOOK OF SILENCE, and BULLHEAD, as well as the acclaimed Riz Ahmed breakthrough film FOUR LIONS.

A "movie riffing" screening of the rediscovered cult classic ROAR from the renowned comedy collective Master Pancake Theater.

Shout! Factory's Ramones-starring classic ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL.

A wealth of restored genre films from American Genre Film Archive like Ed Wood's TAKE IT OUT IN TRADE and NINJA ZOMBIE.

Family programming like the New York International Children's Film Festival's KID FLICKS ONE AND TWO, two programs of award-winning and audience favorite family shorts from the NYICFF 2019 festival, and the 50th anniversary restoration of Harry Nilsson's THE POINT.

As you can see, this isn't just a collection of the same movies that hop around from streaming service to streaming service. As Sarah Pitre, Alamo Drafthouse's Senior Director of Programming and Promotions, says:

"Every title on the platform has a champion on the Alamo programming team. Alamo On Demand is a curated library, with each film nominated and personally recommended by a programmer."

Those curated titles will only continue to grow as new content is added. For example, Laird Jimenez will keep the company's Weird Wednesday series alive with some genre film classics, Sarah Pitre will hone in on her favorite female-driven films, Fantastic Fest programmer Evrim Ersoy will recall festival favorites along with some exclusive and never-before-seen-online content from Fantastic Fest veteran filmmakers. There will even be curated collections to go hand-in-hand with in-theater marketing for new tentpole releases when theaters are back open for business.

Right now Alamo On Demand is only available through your web browser, but there will be apps coming for iOS and Android very soon. It sounds like a great way for cinephiles to connect with some titles that they otherwise might not have easily found, and it will help keep Alamo Drafthouse going strong as we wait for the projectors to turn back on.