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A Criterion Channel Companion

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Murderous Melodramas

This Month on the Channel

Murderous Melodramas

In its midcentury heyday, Hollywood melodrama wallowed in blazing Technicolor, operatic plot twists, gloriously bad behavior, and even foul play. These films’ surging emotions push their characters toward outright violence, infusing the women’s picture with noirish thrills. In the hands of masters such as Douglas Sirk (<em.Written on the Wind) and Vincente Minnelli ( Some Came Running ), melodrama became a vehicle for subversive critiques of American life, using stylization and excess to reveal the dark currents beneath a repressed, conformist society. Above all, the genre was a gift that kept giving to women stars like Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, and Dorothy Malone, who sank their teeth into juicy parts that let them “do a little exploding,” as Mary Astor said of her role in the deliciously perverse <em.Desert Fury.

14 films·Explore the collection

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This Month's Collections

Ninón Sevilla: Queen of the Mexican Cabaret

Ninón Sevilla: Queen of the Mexican Cabaret

4 films

Two Black Comedies by Joel Potrykus

Two Black Comedies by Joel Potrykus

2 films

Short Films by by Onyeka Igwe

Short Films by by Onyeka Igwe

7 films

Desire, Death, and Samsara: The Films of Khyentse Norbu

Desire, Death, and Samsara: The Films of Khyentse Norbu

4 films

Directed by Jonathan Demme

4 films

Two Films by Terry Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes

2 films

Daniel Clowes’s Adventures in Moviegoing

4 films

BlackStar Film Festival Presents

14 films

Starring Harry Dean Stanton

18 films

17 films

On the Channel

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Next film in 58 min

Series

Latest Closet Visit

Paul Rudd

Paul Rudd

6 picks • May 2026

Lisa Kudrow

Lisa Kudrow

5 picks • May 2026

Steve Zahn

Steve Zahn

7 picks • Mar 2026

Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac

14 picks • Apr 2026

Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk

13 picks • Apr 2026

Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm

10 picks • Mar 2026

Criterion Closet

On the Channel

Recently Added

Poster for Ghost World

Ghost World

2001 • United States

Poster for Landfall

Landfall

2020 • Puerto Rico

Poster for Married to the Mob

Married to the Mob

1988 • United States

Poster for Straight Time

Straight Time

1978 • United States

Poster for Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

1989 • United States

Poster for Christine

Christine

1983 • United States

Poster for Farewell, My Lovely

Farewell, My Lovely

1975 • United States

Poster for Bye Bye Love

Bye Bye Love

1974 • Japan

Poster for Bad Influence

Bad Influence

1990 • United States

Poster for Desert Fury

Desert Fury

1947 • United States

Poster for The Long, Hot Summer

The Long, Hot Summer

1958 • United States

Poster for No Down Payment

No Down Payment

1957 • United States

Poster for Violent Saturday

Violent Saturday

1955 • United States

Poster for Travellers and Magicians

Travellers and Magicians

2003 • Bhutan

Poster for Specialised Technique

Specialised Technique

2018 • Nigeria

Poster for Are We Good?

Are We Good?

2025 • United States

Poster for S the Wolf

S the Wolf

2025 • France

Poster for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

1998 • United States

Poster for The Last Temptation of Christ

The Last Temptation of Christ

1988 • United States

Poster for Bigger Than Life

Bigger Than Life

1956 • United States

Exclusive Streaming Premieres

Fresh from Theaters

Poster for Are We Good?

Are We Good?

2025 • United States

Poster for Two Prosecutors

Two Prosecutors

2025 • Germany

Poster for Eno

Eno

2024 • United States

Poster for The Love That Remains

The Love That Remains

2025 • Iceland

Poster for CONBODY VS EVERYBODY

CONBODY VS EVERYBODY

2023

Poster for Lumiere, Le Cinema!

Lumiere, Le Cinema!

2025 • France

Poster for Magellan

Magellan

2025 • Philippines

Poster for Flickering Ghosts of Loves Gone By

Flickering Ghosts of Loves Gone By

2021

Poster for Resurrection

Resurrection

Poster for Videoheaven

Videoheaven

2025 • United States

Poster for How to Shoot a Ghost

How to Shoot a Ghost

2025 • United States

Poster for Mistress Dispeller

Mistress Dispeller

Poster for Happyend

Happyend

2024 • Japan

Poster for Peter Hujar’s Day

Peter Hujar’s Day

2025 • United States

Poster for The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire

The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire

2025 • United States

Poster for Megadoc

Megadoc

Poster for Carol & Joy

Carol & Joy

2025 • United States

Poster for Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus

Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus

2025 • United States

Poster for Cloud

Cloud

2024 • Japan

Poster for Union

Union

2024 • United States

On the Channel

Leaving Soon

July 31

Poster for We're No Angels

We're No Angels

1989 • United States

Poster for Saturday Fiction

Saturday Fiction

2019 • China

Poster for Review

Review

2015 • United States

Poster for Desk Set

Desk Set

1957 • United States

Poster for No Way Out

No Way Out

1987 • United States

Poster for The Deep Blue Sea

The Deep Blue Sea

2011 • United Kingdom

Poster for Cat People

Cat People

1982 • United States

Poster for Gone in 60 Seconds

Gone in 60 Seconds

1974 • United States

Poster for Breathless

Breathless

1983 • United States

Poster for His Girl Friday

His Girl Friday

1940 • United States

Poster for Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

2009 • United States

Poster for The Thing from Another World

The Thing from Another World

1951 • United States

Poster for Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

1939 • United States

Poster for Woman of the Year

Woman of the Year

1942 • United States

Poster for Declaration of War

Declaration of War

2013 • United States

Poster for Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

2011 • United Kingdom

Poster for Pictures of Ghosts

Pictures of Ghosts

2023 • Brazil

Poster for Dos Estaciones

Dos Estaciones

2022 • Mexico

Poster for One Hand Don’t Clap

One Hand Don’t Clap

1991 • United States

Poster for The Apartment

The Apartment

1960 • United States

Series

Adventures in Moviegoing

Adventures in Moviegoing

Rebecca Miller

4 films

Adventures in Moviegoing

Justin Simien

3 films

Adventures in Moviegoing

Sofia Coppola

5 films

Adventures in Moviegoing

David Chase

5 films

Adventures in Moviegoing

Paul Feig

5 films

Adventures in Moviegoing

Tessa Thompson

7 films

Series

Observations on Film Art

Motifs of Destruction in DAISIES

Observations on Film Art

Motifs of Destruction in DAISIES

Daisies · 1966

Dissolves in THE LONG DAY CLOSES

Observations on Film Art

Dissolves in THE LONG DAY CLOSES

The Long Day Closes · 1992

Staging in THE RULES OF THE GAME

Observations on Film Art

Staging in THE RULES OF THE GAME

The Rules of the Game · 1939

Staging and Performance in IVAN THE TERRIBLE, PART 2

Observations on Film Art

Staging and Performance in IVAN THE TERRIBLE, PART 2

Ivan the Terrible, Part II · 1958

Reflections in and on YI YI

Observations on Film Art

Reflections in and on YI YI

Yi Yi · 2000

Spontaneous Play in PARADE

Observations on Film Art

Spontaneous Play in PARADE

Parade · 1974

Physical Media

From the Collection

Poster for Judex

Judex

1963 • France

Poster for Ugetsu

Ugetsu

1953 • Japan

Poster for Body and Soul

Body and Soul

1925 • United States

Poster for Streetwise

Streetwise

1984 • United States

Poster for Godzilla vs. Biollante

Godzilla vs. Biollante

1989 • Japan

Poster for Hopscotch

Hopscotch

1980 • United States

Poster for Pickpocket

Pickpocket

1959 • France

Poster for I Married a Witch

I Married a Witch

1942 • United States

Poster for Chronicle of a Summer

Chronicle of a Summer

1961 • France

Poster for Cameraperson

Cameraperson

2016 • United States

Poster for Salvatore Giuliano

Salvatore Giuliano

1962 • Italy

Poster for When We Were Kings

When We Were Kings

1996 • United States

Physical Media

Box Sets

Box set cover for Roberto Rossellini’s War Trilogy

Roberto Rossellini’s War Trilogy

3 films

Box set cover for Eclipse Series 25: Basil Dearden’s London Underground

Eclipse Series 25: Basil Dearden’s London Underground

4 films

Box set cover for Police Story / Police Story 2

Police Story / Police Story 2

2 films

Box set cover for Letters from Fontainhas: Three Films by Pedro Costa

Letters from Fontainhas: Three Films by Pedro Costa

3 films

Box set cover for 3 Films by Louis Malle

3 Films by Louis Malle

3 films

Box set cover for Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films

Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films

3 films

Box set cover for Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar

Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar

6 films

Box set cover for Streetwise/Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell

Streetwise/Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell

2 films

Box set cover for Eclipse Series 2: The Documentaries of Louis Malle

Eclipse Series 2: The Documentaries of Louis Malle

7 films

Box set cover for Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 3

Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project No. 3

6 films

Box set cover for Eclipse Series 9: The Delirious Fictions of William Klein

Eclipse Series 9: The Delirious Fictions of William Klein

3 films

Box set cover for Brief Encounters / The Long Farewell: Two Films by Kira Muratova

Brief Encounters / The Long Farewell: Two Films by Kira Muratova

2 films