So I just got a Netflix account set up and requested to rent the DVD of Barbarian Queen. How long before this gem is likely to show up in my mailbox? I know exact estimates are difficult, as it would depend on how many others have it queued up. But a ballpark average might be possible. 2 days? 2 weeks? 2 months? 2 years? What’s the story here? (No, it is not available on streaming video. Already checked.)
Hard to say, especially with the USPS being what it is. I can get movies the next day, but I live not that far from a Netflix distribution warehouse.
Is it marked with a wait? If it isn’t it should ship to you in the next day or so. You’ll get an email telling you it shipped.
if it is marked with a wait, it’s either “short” “long” or “very long” and that information would be needed for people to share their experience with waits. 
Are you talking about a movie marked “currently unavailable?” If yes, it could be tomorrow, or never. That status means at the moment it is not available on DVD.
If I mail back a DVD on Monday, they log it in on Tuesday, send out the next DVD in my queue on Wednesday, which I would get on Thursday. Every once in a while it will be a day shorter or longer for the whole process, but as long as I have a new DVD for the weekend, I don’t much care.
DVD’s that are not yet released or available are listed as unknown and in the saved section. Once the Netflix availability is known, it will change to available followed by a date. Anything in your regular queue without a special note (long wait, short wait) you can probably expect it to be shipped in 24 hours. If it has a blue play button, you can watch it online or on your tv if you have the correct device.
The Barbarian Queen is currently unavailable from Netflix, so Hello Again’s answer applies: they may get it at any time, or it may never become available. I have so far had only one movie from my “Saved” queue that wasn’t an upcoming release eventually become available (How I Won the War).
too late to edit: I looked up Barbarian Queen (1985) and the DVD availability date is unknown. If it’s not available on DVD, when and if it will ever be available is anyone’s guess.
If the DVD says ‘Save’ it means they don’t have it yet, look for ones that say ‘Add’ (or ‘Play’ for instant watch).
As far as turnaround it depends. I live close to a shipping facility, so if I send a movie in on Monday, they receive it and ship out the next one in my queue on Tuesday, and I’ll get the new one Wednesday. It’s impressive. Before I signed up I figured there would be at least a week between sending and receiving.
Eh. I bought it at an online download site called Graboid. Quality is low, but it beats my smeary videotape from the 90s.
Keep it in your queue. The more people that have an unavailable movie in their queues, the more likely Netflix will pursue getting some copies.
I’ll leave the request up. My wife has found some online stuff she has enjoyed, so it’s working out good except for the whole barbarian queen thing. Strange, I’ve seen it described as a cult film. Must be a very small cult.