# What are among the biggest-name movies unavailable on DVD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061 "2006-04-24T22:35:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/21 "2006-04-25T18:48:29Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > For reasons I can’t fathom: **Hamlet** , Kenneth Branagh version. > > It’s been ten years, but it still isn’t out on DVD nor does there seem to be any soild plan to release it in the near future (a post at IMDB claims that the studio said it might not be released until 2008 now). First thing that came to my mind as well. Great movie and should be in every high school in America on DVD. Shame. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/22 "2006-04-25T18:59:40Z")
**Walloon** how are you making those lists? Several of the contents I have seen or even own. Perhapse there is no current printing in the US, but they are often easily available. (though I am awaiting many on your list to come out, like ‘if’ and ‘O you luicky man’) ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/23 "2006-04-25T19:08:40Z")
With the Internet Movie Database, clicking through to [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). ---
**Author:** ![Dusty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@Dusty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/24 "2006-04-25T19:22:30Z")
IMDb can often be horribly out of date as far as DVD availability goes. I can’t count how many movies it claims aren’t available when a simple search on Amazon would prove otherwise, or ones it says are available that are long out of production. Which is baffling, when you think about it. Being an Amazon company, you’d think they’d be directly linked to their database. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/25 "2006-04-25T19:25:56Z")
_The Seven Percent Solution_, from 1976. my favorite Sherlock Holmes movie. My video copy is wearing out!!! It’s obscure but the fantasy films of Karl Zeman would all be purchased by me if they came out in DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/26 "2006-04-25T19:59:37Z")
> [@Dusty](#): > > Being an Amazon company, you’d think they’d be directly linked to their database. Movies at the IMDb are linked directly to the Amazon inventory database. ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/27 "2006-04-25T20:17:26Z")
Henry V (Branagh version) is out on DVD in the U.S. I have a copy. Maybe it’s out of print at the moment, but it has been released. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/28 "2006-04-25T20:18:17Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > **Walloon** how are you making those lists? > Several of the contents I have seen or even own. Perhapse there is no current printing in the US, but they are often easily available. > (though I am awaiting many on your list to come out, like ‘if’ and ‘O you luicky man’) I would make a distinction between movies that were released on DVD in the US but are now out of print, and movies like Song of the South or The Day The Clown Cried (the Jerry Lewis Holocaust film) that will never see the light of day. The latter is a much smaller list. Note that the OP asked for renowned films, and many of these are actually known for being awful or offensive. ---
**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 25, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/29 "2006-04-25T20:44:49Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > The latter is a much smaller list. Note that the OP asked for renowned films, and many of these are actually known for being awful or offensive. You’re reading my mind. A lot of the films named so far are really under the radar … and I’m don’t find it surprising that they’re not on DVD. Pulling from Walloon’s more recent list, the following are more like what I had in mind: • Reds (1981), directed by and starring Warren Beatty • Blade Runner (1982)_, directed by Ridley Scott • The Last Emperor (1987)_, multiple Oscar-winner, including Best Picture • Throw Momma from the Train (1987)\* • The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988) • Henry V (1989)_, starring Kenneth Branagh • Beauty and the Beast (1991), Disney • The Player (1992)_, directed by Robert Altman • Schindler’s List (1993), directed by Steven Spielberg • Lolita (1997)\*, directed by Adrian Lyne from the novel by Vladimir Nabokov … except that I have seen \*Bladerunner \* on DVD very recently (a copy of the Director’s Cut borrowed from a friend). To me, “out of print, but easily rentable or available in second-hand stores/Ebay” still qualifies as “available on DVD”. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/30 "2006-04-25T21:03:11Z")
Not exactly what you’d call a “big name” movie but _[Love and Human Remains (1993)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107447/)_ with Thomas Gibson (Greg from _Dharma & Greg_) and Mia Kirshner from _The L Word_ is not available on DVD. I only mention it since I thought it was at least a somewhat interesting movie. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/31 "2006-04-25T22:26:28Z")
_Pirates of Penzance_. Damn, I love that movie. I want my DVD. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/32 "2006-04-26T00:14:16Z")
Branagh’s **Hamlet** on DVD did not show up on Netflix the last time I looked for it there. Not really major movies, but… **A Rose for Emily** and **The Rocking Horse Winner** , both short story adaptations, are unavailable on DVD. You can’t even get the RHW on VHS these days either. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/33 "2006-04-26T00:40:00Z")
Umm… > [@bordelond](#): > > • Blade Runner (1982)_, directed by Ridley Scott > • Throw Momma from the Train (1987)_ > • The Player (1992)\*, directed by Robert Altman > • Schindler’s List (1993), directed by Steven Spielberg …are all in print. Check Amazon or Netflix. > [@](#): > > • Henry V (1989)\*, starring Kenneth Branagh Amazon has the Criterion version for sale. Blockbuster Online, last I checked, had it on wait list. Netflix doesn’t carry it at all, for some reason. > [@](#): > > • The Last Emperor (1987)_, multiple Oscar-winner, including Best Picture > • Beauty and the Beast (1991), Disney > • Lolita (1997)_, directed by Adrian Lyne from the novel by Vladimir Nabokov …are out of print. **Emperor** has been released several times, but for some reason, Bernardo Bertolucci has a hard time getting his early movies released in the U.S., Oscars or no Oscars – _1900_ is out in Region 2, but I can’t find _La Luna_ anywhere. **Lolita** surprised me, I just rented that from Netflix a few weeks ago. **BATB** is on Disney’s 7-year rotation plan; the Platinum Edition came out in 2002. > [@](#): > > • Reds (1981), directed by and starring Warren Beatty > • The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988) Never on DVD, not even other regions, as far as I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![Dusty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@Dusty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/34 "2006-04-26T01:33:55Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Movies at the IMDb are linked directly to the Amazon inventory database. They can’t be, otherwise there’d be no discrepancy between them. I can find many examples if you want them, but one I know of right off hand is _Different From the Others_, which [IMDb](http://imdb.com/title/tt0009878/) says isn’t available anywhere, but [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006GAOOA) lists as available and in stock. I thought at first maybe it was because of the difference in titles–Amazon uses the English title and IMDb keeps the orginal German–but that doesn’t hold for other films. _Leaves from Satan’s Book_ is availble on Amazon and IMDb knows this, despite it listing it under _Blade af Satans Bog_. They appear to be wholly disconnected. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/35 "2006-04-26T02:22:12Z")
One that has personally annoyed me for some time now: _Cannery Row (1982)_ I have never heard any explanation for why it is not now nor ever has been made available on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/36 "2006-04-26T03:05:27Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Umm…are all in print. With that “umm”, you don’t sound very sure that they are. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/37 "2006-04-26T04:33:26Z")
> [@Dusty](#): > > I thought at first maybe it was because of the difference in titles–Amazon uses the English title and IMDb keeps the orginal German–but that doesn’t hold for other films. _Leaves from Satan’s Book_ is availble on Amazon and IMDb knows this, despite it listing it under _Blade af Satans Bog_. They appear to be wholly disconnected. Shoot the Piano Player is available from Criterion and it’s new so I don’t know why IMDB wouldn’t know that. They must do it some weird way because Lolita’s Canada VHS flag is lit up even though it’s only used copies available, yet there are used copies of the DVD on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) and IMDB doesn’t recognize that. Which means that just because a flag’s lit up, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s even in print right now either. I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/38 "2006-04-26T05:12:54Z")
[The Star Wars Holiday Special](http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/). Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/39 "2006-04-26T05:36:03Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > With that “umm”, you don’t sound very sure that they are. Umm… [Blade Runner (Director’s Cut)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0790729628/qid=1146029307/) [Throw Momma From The Train](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009ML1Z2/qid=1146029372/) [The Player](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0780618564/qid=1146029424/) [Schindler’s List](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00012QM8G/qid=1146029483/) [Henry V (Criterion Collection)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0780021320/qid=1146029516/) [The Last Emperor (Director’s Cut)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305261032/qid=1146029604/) – OOP [Lolita (1997)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00001IVFG/qid=1146029646/) – OOP [Beauty and the Beast (Special Platinum Edition)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00003CX8Y/qid=1146029684/) – OOP ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061/40 "2006-04-26T06:11:45Z")
Then what’s with the “umm”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-among-the-biggest-name-movies-unavailable-on-dvd/354061.md?page=3)