LEADING GLOBAL PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION STUDIOS STUDIOCANAL AND ITV STUDIOS PARTNER ON THE LAUNCH OF ‘BRITISH SCREEN CLASSICS’ A CHANNEL FEATURING THE BEST OF BRITISH CLASSIC FILM AND TV SERIES
The leading production and distribution studios, STUDIOCANAL (a CANAL+ Company) and ITV STUDIOS are partnering to launch a new classic British Film and TV FAST channel – BRITISH SCREEN CLASSICS.
The channel offers a multitude of film and TV gems from the collections of ITV STUDIOS and STUDIOCANAL, which between them own the majority of classic British films, and many classic British TV series. STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most prestigious catalogues in the world, boasting around 9 000 titles, spanning 100 years of film history. ITV STUDIOS owns one of the largest English language film catalogues in the world containing several thousand films. BRITISH SCREEN CLASSICS brings these iconic libraries together on one linear channel for the first time ever and is available to viewers now in the UK through LG Channels and Pluto TV. Samsung TV Plus in the UK launches the channel from 11thSeptember, followed by several other platforms.
Catering for a broad audience of classic film lovers, launch titles will include Anna Karenina, Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), Henry V (1945), Clockwise, Happiest Days of Your Life, Tales of Hoffman . Highlights to the service in coming months, many restored in 4K, will include A Town Like Alice, The Man in the Iron Mask, Whistle Down the Wind, The 39 Steps, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Hamlet (1948), The Third Man, Went The Day Well?, The Dam Busters, Clockwise, School For Scoundrels, The Happiest Days Of Your Life. The channel will take viewers on a journey through Britain’s great cinematic heritage by delving deep into the history of legendary British film studios and production houses such as Ealing, Korda, Hammer, British Lion, ITC and Rank.
From comedy to horror, war, adventure, drama, and romance; every theme and genre is covered, from the great directors including Frank Launder, David Lean, Powell and Pressburger, Anthony Asquith to name a few, with unforgettable performances from iconic stars such as Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Jenny Agutter, Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Julie Christie, Richard Burton, Alec Guinness, and many more.
John Rodden, Head of Catalogue and Home Entertainment for STUDIOCANAL UK comments : “BRITISH SCREEN CLASSICS will be a special destination for lovers of cinema and TV, bringing together the very best of classic British entertainment for the first time on a single channel, expertly curated by film lovers, for film lovers.”
Graham Haigh, EVP Global Business Development and Digital Distribution, ITV Studios, said “British Screen Classics is a powerful, unique and vibrant addition to ITV Studios’ suite of FAST channels. We are delighted to be partnering with STUDIOCANAL to combine the treasures from our respective film catalogues, bringing the very best of the golden age of British Cinema to a whole new audience.”