# Movies that just plain disappeared **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184 "2004-04-04T13:57:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TheOnlySaneOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheOnlySaneOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOnlySaneOne)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/21 "2004-04-05T03:11:30Z")
There was a made-for-TV ‘Generation X’ movie on Fox years ago, based on the comic. I only saw it played once during Mardis Gras, then it just died. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/22 "2004-04-05T03:36:52Z")
Brainscan- Horror film about a new video game and a sort of AntiJiminy Cricket with a bizzare hair do? For a while HBO showed it once a week. I’m not surpised it’s tough to find as it was IMHO just an average little horror film. Generation X-This happens often. The network buys a pilot, but ends up not wanting the series. Rather than just leave the pilot in a vault, they wait until rerun season and show it as a movie. Generation X had poor special effects and plenty of other problems. AFAIK, the episode has never been made available to the public. However, I’m sure you can find a vender at your local comic convention who can sell you one. I’ve seen plenty of of folks selling the pilot for an unsold live action Justice League series. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/23 "2004-04-05T04:32:03Z")
They apparently made a TV-movie of _A Wrinkle in Time_, about a year or two back. Alfre Woodward was Mrs. Whatsit. I only saw the teaser for it on a video, once…haven’t been able to find hide nor hair of the movie itself. Likewise, there was apparently a _second_ animated “Far Side” (as in Gary Larson) special made. It was mentioned in Larson’s _There’s a HAIR in my Dirt!"_ book, and I’ve seen a few screen grabs in isolated reviews…but it doesn’t seem to have been released commercially, otherwise. Damn it. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/24 "2004-04-05T04:51:37Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > My son and I were talking about foolproof movie subjects - for me it’s submarines, prison and time travel. I will watch movies on these subjects that I suspect I won’t like. We got to talking about specific movies and I mentioned _The Final Countdown_ featuring Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen and the USS Nimitz. I realised I had seen this at a theatre and never saw it again. It wasn’t ever on TV and I don’t recall ever seeing a video at a video store. I now crave to see it again and can’t find it. > > Any other favourite examples? Do you want the [special edition?](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00019GHQ6/qid=1081140328/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-6487924-2694231?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846) Or the standard [widescreen?](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000096IAC/qid=1081140328/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl74/103-6487924-2694231?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846) Or [full screen?](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000096IAD/qid=1081140328/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl74/103-6487924-2694231?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846) or is [VHS](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6302010306/qid=1081140328/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl27/103-6487924-2694231?v=glance&s=video&n=507846) your cup of tea? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Mook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mr.Mook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Mook)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/25 "2004-04-05T05:15:05Z")
Yellowbeard. That movie was frickin’ hilarious, and I’ve NEVER seen it on TV. Lobelia Overhill said: snip - I think it’s called Sole Survivor … ? a movie about a band of pilots who crashland in the desert or something. I saw it on TV years ago, never seen it again since. Loads of people ask about it when this sort of thread appears on MBs - snip Are you thinking of “Flight of the Phoenix?” ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/26 "2004-04-05T05:59:44Z")
> [@Ellis Aponte Jr.](#): > > **Boom** is a great call and what about other late-period Liz Taylor flicks like **X, Y and Zee** ; **Hammersmith Is Out** ; and **The Driver’s Seat**. > > Same with late Brando movies like **Night of the Following Day** , **Burn!** , and **The Nightcomers**. > > And come to think of it, late Rita Hayworth movies such as the interesting oddities **The Naked Zoo** and **The Road to Salina**. > > Another thing: does TV ever show **Ryan’s Daughter** , one of the biggest blockbusters of 1970? It’s not on DVD. I was able to get very reasonably priced copies of Nightcomers and Driver’s Seat at [half.com](http://half.com). ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/27 "2004-04-05T06:42:29Z")
White Dwarf… still lookin’. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/28 "2004-04-05T08:01:56Z")
> [@Master Wang-Ka](#): > > Michael Cimino’s _Heaven’s Gate_, the movie that supposedly changed the way Hollywood works, is very difficult to find. Then again, it wasn’t a very good movie… [It’s out on DVD, and Netflix rents it.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0792843584/qid%3D1081152049/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-0305937-5798561) ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/29 "2004-04-05T08:09:46Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > They apparently made a TV-movie of _A Wrinkle in Time_, about a year or two back. Alfre Woodward was Mrs. Whatsit. I only saw the teaser for it on a video, once…haven’t been able to find hide nor hair of the movie itself. [This Canadian production](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0290382/combined) will be shown on [ABC](http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271%7C87152%7C1%7C,00.html) on May 15, 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/30 "2004-04-05T08:12:52Z")
> [@Master Wang-Ka](#): > > _Johnny Got His Gun_, starring Jason Robards, Timothy Bottoms, and others. . . . I’d LOVE to find this one on DVD – it may be the most powerful antiwar movie I’ve ever seen… [It’s available on VHS.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000F4EU/qid=1081152742/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-0305937-5798561?v=glance&s=dvd) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/31 "2004-04-05T12:41:29Z")
Michael Mann’s _Manhunter_, widely seen on video because of the Hannibal Lecter link, was only in the theaters for about two weeks. I saw it in the theaters and liked it a lot. _Heartbeeps_ with Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters disappeared off the face of the Earth. I hear it was awful. Still, it’s curious that the big _Man on the Moon_ biopic didn’t mention that its subject actually made a feature film at some point. Much more interesting than his work on _Fridays_. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/32 "2004-04-05T16:01:17Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > What a great call. I have never heard of this and look at it - A Mike Nesmith production with roles for people like Junior Walker, King Cotton, Stiv Bators as Dick Slammer, Bob Goldthwait, Jello Biafra as an FBI agent (obviously), ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, Ted Nugent, Michael Nesmith. > > Another must see. No. No, it’s not. I happened upon this movie, wondered why I had never heard of it before because it sounded so great for the reasons specified above, plus music by Devo! Considering all that, it’s almost impressive that it’s as bad as it is. I would never, ever watch this again. Just wanted to throw that in. As far as my contribution to the “movies that disappeared”, I can’t think of anything that was made and then vanished, but as far as _ideas_ for movies that seem to have just vanished, whatever happened to this movie they were going to make of Stephen King’s _Desperation_? My copy of _Creepshows: The Films of Stephen King_ says it’s due out in 2000 or something. So…what happened? They made _Dreamcatcher_ instead?! Blech. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/33 "2004-04-05T16:22:15Z")
My pick for this thread would be the PBS version of Lanford Wilson’s **The 5th of July** starring Richard Thomas and an early Jeff Daniels. I got to see it live as well as the movie. Near as I have been able to dtermine it isn’t out on VHS or DVD. - crosses fingers that someone will make a liar out of me!\* ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/34 "2004-04-05T16:46:11Z")
_It’s Pat_, starring the androgynous character from Saturday Night Live, was yanked from the theatres within hours, it seemed. It is available on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), and sadly, has received some 5 star ratings from posters. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/35 "2004-04-05T16:47:38Z")
Heartbeeps- I remember liking this movie a lot. However, my age was still a single digit at the time. I do distinctly remember a geriatric robot borscht belt comedian. White Dwarf- Again, a pilot for a series that was never made. The odd thing was that Fox aired it again a year later. AFAIK never released commercially. In this case the video vendors likely to have a copy will be found at Trek and B5 conventions. Beware any dealer dressed as a Ferengi, or any guy who tells you he’s “fully functional.” ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/36 "2004-04-05T16:56:05Z")
It’s Pat- I heard the rumors. When it was shown on cable, I watched just to see if really was that awful. It was. It isn’t so bad it’s good. It’s a bad premise, mixed with poor writing, that drags on for far too long. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/37 "2004-04-05T17:02:29Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > It’s Pat- I heard the rumors. When it was shown on cable, I watched just to see if really was that awful. It was. It isn’t so bad it’s good. It’s a bad premise, mixed with poor writing, that drags on for far too long. But it does have an appearance by **Ween**!!! Yes, I have sat through this movie just to see that part. Stop looking at me like that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/38 "2004-04-05T17:06:30Z")
> [@Earl Snake-Hips Tucker](#): > > Actually, that’s the [other “Who Has Seen the Wind”](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0076919/combined), which just coincidentally shares the title. Nothing else in common. You’re right, it’s not the same one at all. I should have followed the link instead of just spotting the title and jumping in. Duh! (But the one I linked is still good, and the book is one of my favourites.) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/39 "2004-04-05T17:20:11Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > … I mentioned _The Final Countdown_ featuring Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen and the USS Nimitz. I realised I had seen this at a theatre and never saw it again. It wasn’t ever on TV and I don’t recall ever seeing a video at a video store … I’ve seen it on television a few times, though not in the last 8 or so years. Also, _The Final Countdown_ is available at my local video places. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184/40 "2004-04-05T17:24:08Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > _It’s Pat_, starring the androgynous character from Saturday Night Live, was yanked from the theatres within hours, it seemed. > It is available on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), and sadly, has received some 5 star ratings from posters. There is no movie so bad that someone won’t post on the IMDB user comments: **"OMG this is the most Awesome Movie EVER it is just soo KEWL!!!"** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-just-plain-disappeared/238184.md?page=3)