As Of Today There Are 1,800 Fewer Classic Movie Titles On Netflix Instant

Perhaps you were waiting for just the right night to tuck yourself in on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, get all cozy and finally watch Dr. No on Netflix Instant. Well, unless you did that before today, you’re outta luck: Netflix pulled about 1,800 classic  titles from its streaming library last night as part of its effort to ramp up their programming instead of simply offering a whole bunch of movies.

Slate first noted the yank, which happened at midnight last night, and blamed the movies’ online demise on a move by Warner Instant Archive to take its titles for its own service. However a Netflix spokesman told CNET that it was all part of a deal with Epix for titles the company decided just not to renew.

If some movies aren’t watched enough, Netflix decides to give them the boot.

“Netflix is a dynamic service, we constantly update the TV shows and movies that are available to our members,” Evers said. “We will add more than 500 titles May 1, but we also have titles expiring, this ebb and flow happens all the time.”

He adds that most of the titles going away are older features, but there’s a whole bunch of new stuff showing up recently like ParaNorman and Hunger Games and as of today,  MI:2, if you’re into Tom Cruise being a spy or whatever happens in that one.

For a full list of what’s been disappeared, check out InstantWatcher.com’s list.

Netflix said to eliminate 100s of classic titles [CNET]

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