questions about IFC & International Channel...
 

I'm considering upgrading my cable package & am wondering how much some of these extra channels are worth.

Does IFC edit their movies or show commercials? Do they have a good sized library or is it pretty much the same stuff every month?

Is there much to get involved in & enjoy on the International Channel for someone who only speaks English? Or is it more of a novelty type thing where you tune in for a couple of minutes every once in a while to hear people "talk funny?"

Any comments are appreciated...

Re: questions about IFC & International Channel...
 

I'm familiar with both channels. IFC doesn't edit their movies, and quite often shows them letterboxed. You'd have to have had it for several months at least to get bored with their selection. They also show neat things like Cannes coverage and the European Film awards.

The International Channel is, IMO, less useful for a monoligual Anglophone. They used to show Hong Kong action films on Friday nights, which had subtitles. The only reason I watched the International Channel was for Italian soccer, which they show every Sunday. When we got our dish I started watching it on RAI International, instead, since they show more matches, and have highligh shows as well.

IFC shows all films uncut, without any commercials, and usually they are OAR.

You can browse their schedule on their website:

http://www.ifctv.com/

Thanks for the info, guys. Whether or not movies were letterboxed was one of the big questions I meant to ask.

believe me, IFC doesnt cut anything out! No commercials, its actually a pretty cool channel

Sadly, it used to be an even cooler channel before The Sundance Channel came along... I guess Sundance has a bigger budget, because they seem to end up with most of the bigger name indie and foreign films. Still IFC is just as good, and therefore, along with Turner Classic and Sundance, the best movie channel out there.

Yeah, I'd say Turner Classic, IFC and Sundance are in a deadlock for best movie channel. I just wish they'd stop using the stupid logos at the bottom. Other than that as far as I can tell they are always uncut and OAR, which is nice. I wish at least one of them would go HD, I'd watch it more often.

I probably watch Turner the most just because there are so many classics I haven't seen but know by reputation, it's good to catch up. Some indie films had to be independant just because they weren't very good :p

I've had IFC for a year now and it is the channel that is most often on. While they do tend to recycle their schedule, there are always a couple movies a month I've never seen (or haven't in a really long time). Samurai Saturdays is almost always one of the 26 Zatoichi films :thumbsup:, though last year they did throw in Throne of Blood a month before it was released on DVD.

I would say, don't hesitate to get IFC. Uncut, uninterupted movies. Dinner for Five is a hoot. If you like indies, go for it.

A word of warning if you have kids. Many of the movies are not appropriate for young ones and they play R-rated at any time of the day. So if you have the ability to lock channels, I'd use it.