A Movie Buff's Guide to Movies Lacking a DVD Edition

My mom once went to the movies, it must have been 1963 or 1964. She didn't know what she was in for, since she did not know the movie playing. It was Tom Jones, and she was as taken by surprise, as was the Academy, giving it all those Oscars. She never forgot the experience. At the time this happened, it did not occur to her, that she would ever be able to see the film again. Seeing movies was explicitly a transitory experience, one-off, to only be kept in (fond) memory.

Nowadays a person can keep a film library professional scholars could only dream of twenty or so years ago. As time progresses more material becomes available. And it works both ways, since it's old films being released as well as new films. Up till now there's not been a carrier with so much variety of material available as DVD, not even VHS. When VHS was introduced there already was a lot of film history to be caught up with, now with DVD double so, and the new carrier (it seems to be Blu-Ray) can now start on its ten year journey just to catch up in width and price level. But what will be the price of plastic in ten years time?

This is a high time for a movie buff like me. One wouldn't want to be on the selling side of the market, with these prices one wants to be buying. Spending just a couple of dollars or euros to purchase a work which has cost some people a lot of time, effort and investment, sometimes (a couple of years of) their life. And with most people swallowing the crap that's coming mainly from TV-land, someone like me is very well off indeed. I pick up all those unknown underappreciated works for next to nothing, while you pay yourself silly to keep your soapy addictions satisfied. Thank you very much indeed, even though I understand you never really intended to subsidize my movie affiliation. It weren't the most sold Long Playing records that have become the collectables, it takes vision to be overlooked and only later to be rediscovered.

Still, one of the most peculiar phenomenons is the complete distortion of any kind of relationship between price and quality. One can buy a masterpiece of a movie for a dollar, while at the same time paying an undisclosed amount for the greatest piece of crap ever. Over here somebody apparently thought that every Dutch person wanted a copy, so they released Pulp Fiction in such numbers, that the standard new price right now is 2,50 Euros. Same thing is about to happen to the Kill Bill films (now 5 euros). If there's still profit to be made, it must be very slim. But it can also work the other way round. That's why I would like to list the most incomprehensible of all the (non-)DVD releases.

Sounder (1972)

Is it a racist thing that this classic is not widely released? In a two-disc special edition, containing as an extra feature a thorough documentary on the portrayal of black people in American cinema. Is this not a film everybody should've actually really really seen? As far as it's available, the film has had a criminal treatment. I got two DVD-copies: both look like they've transferred a full-screen VHS copy straight onto DVD. And this is a film shot in the widest aspect ratio, with awe-inspiring beautiful images of the Southern US. Even more strange, I can play these discs on my computer, but not on my DVD-player.

White dog (1982)

To keep with Paul Winfield and the topic of racism, why can't I get this swan song from the great Samuel Fuller? The simplicity of the basic idea, a dog trained to attack black people, turns it into effective education on the topic to this day. I've seen it once long ago on TV, and now this is one of my Tom Jones's.

Say anything (1989)

Well, it has been released, even on our region 2. But I just can't seem to find a copy. I found it second hand, but when I wanted to buy it, they couldn't find the disc. It would make a nice double with Almost Famous. Cameron Crowe fares best when he's being autobiographical.

The last valley (1970)

Whether this is very good, I wouldn't know, since it's nowhere to be seen. But it does raise my interest when Michael Caine and Omar Sharif are doing this medieval adventure piece made by James Clavell, author of Shogun, and also maker of To Sir With Love, with Sydney Poitier playing the inspirational teacher, as opposed to the troubled youth he played in Blackboard Jungle. Those are available, but the more unique sounding Last Valley is not.

Stand and deliver (1988)

Another and one of the best of these classroom-in-turmoil films. Ramon Menendez must be one of the most obscure living people in Hollywood, with not very much more to his credit. The highlight of the careers of Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Philips.

North Dallas Forty(1979)

It's not so much amazing to find Ted Demme on this list, and also that this film is not available in Europe. Since it's all about American Football, which never caught on over here. But it is amazing to see Americans treat a top sports film with no regard, especially since the sport is so much American.

Sleuth (1972)

It's supposed to be released in Europe next month, but they've already delayed it once. First an inferior remake had to be done, before this classic would get another chance on DVD. It was released before, but it must have been in a criminally low printing, since it can not be found anywhere.

Kapo (1959)

I've come across a copy of this once, and now I can slap myself for not buying it. Well, it was 30 Euros. But now I can't find it, not even on region 1. And when you admire Gillo Pontecorvo, it's extra valuable, for the man has got a real limited oeuvre.

Face to face (1967)

Probably the most highly regarded spaghetti western that wasn't made by Sergio Leone. Along with The Great Silence. And spaghetti westerns do so well on DVD, since it was the assault of the transfer from wide-screen to full-screen, which emphasised the B-movie quality of the genre.

Investigation of a citizen above suspicion (1972)

Another Italian B-movie cult classic only to be found in Italy itself.

Raiders of the lost Ark (1981)

It really was not nice from misters Spielberg and Lucas, the way they forced us to buy the whole crappy trilogy, just to get the one good film. It should be enough just to not go see the upcoming fourth film. Maybe someone could supply me with an illegal copy of that?

The westerner (1942) & The good fairy (1936)

William Wyler's got a lot of movies out on DVD, but not these. At least, not in Europe. The Good Fairy was even scripted by Preston Sturges!

Wagonmaster (1950)

Why can't I get one of John Ford's absolute masterpieces? Only in a pre-ordained box-set.

Wise blood (1979)

Is it because John Huston put himself on the credits as Jhon Huston that this, one of his latter blossomings, has been totally overlooked?

De smaak van water (1982)

This [The taste of water] is one of the best Dutch films ever, and it was already rare on VHS, it's now completely non-existing on DVD. While at the same time there are a whole lot of (bad) old Dutch movies to be picked up for less than 5 Euros.

Just a few other remarkable DVD-absentees:

Lonely are the brave (1962)

Twilight's last gleaming (1977)

Freud (1962)

The roots of heaven (1958)

The spirit of St. Louis (1957)

Fedora (1978)

The last hurrah (1958)

Twentieth century (1934)

The devils (1971)

The fixer (1968)

Tristram Shandy: a cock and bull story (2005)