16 Classic Movies You Can’t Stream Anywhere, From Hitchcock’s ‘Rebecca’ to ‘Wild at Heart’ (Photos)
No matter how many streaming platforms seem to pop up and demand your attention and subscription dollars, there are incredibly still movies that are just…missing. Not for streaming, not for rental, not for digital purchase, nothing. These movies are simply unavailable digitally. Maybe you can catch a cable broadcast or can find a DVD lying around, because chances are you’re not seeing a repertory screening of these either right now.
For years there were Disney movies, Studio Ghibli films, art house classics and James Cameron blockbusters that had no home, though that’s changed even within the last few months as HBO Max, Disney+. Criterion Channel and Peacock have all emerged, but there are still plenty that are not available at the push of a button. It can do with how Hollywood treats its film history, legal puzzles in terms of who owns what or the financial reality that it doesn’t make sense to restore something no one will pay to watch anyway. But these are hardly obscure curios lost to time, they’re Oscar winners and box office hits that for whatever reason streamers have neglected. (All availability is subject to change and has been verified by the service JustWatch.com)
“Rebecca” (1940)
While Netflix will be launching a remake of the Daphne Du Maurier novel “Rebecca,” the original film from Alfred Hitchcock, which won Best Picture in 1940, is still unavailable. Another film that Netflix recently remade, “The Boys In the Band,” is also curiously missing from streamers.
“My Fair Lady” (1964)
The Audrey Hepburn musical classic won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, but can’t win the hearts of any streamer.
“Cocoon” (1985)
Several of Ron Howard’s movies have finally been picked up streamers after being long forgotten, but not this one starring the late Wilford Brimley, which also won an Oscar for Don Ameche.
“Il Postino” (1994)
The Italian biopic based on the life of Pablo Neruda was nominated for Best Picture at the 1996 Oscars and won one for its original score.
Mask (1985)
Cher and Peter Stoltz star in this biographical film directed by Peter Bogdanovich about a man with a massive, facial skull deformity.
Silkwood (1983)
How many massive names do you need? Mike Nichols’ “Silkwood,” starring Meryl Streep, Cher, Kurt Russell and Craig T. Nelson and co-written by Nora Ephron, was nominated for five Oscars but is stuck in digital purgatory.
Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)
There’s a chance we may get a remastered version of Alan Parker’s surreal, cult album film that blends animation and live-action narrative with Pink Floyd’s album “The Wall,” but for now it only exists on DVD, and also some questionable other web links, but no formal streaming service.
Prizzi’s Honor (1985)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The original “Straw Dogs” with Dustin Hoffman is not the only Sam Peckinpah film that’s conspicuously absent from streamers, including “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia” and “Junior Bonner.”
Sleuth (1972)
Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier were both nominated for Oscars for the film based on the Anthony Shaffer play, but internet sleuths will have to keep searching for it.
Wild at Heart (1990)
“Dogma” (1999)
It’s somewhat remarkable that a Kevin Smith film starring both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck is just missing from Smith’s larger View Askewniverse.
“Dawn of the Dead” (1978)
George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” does happen to be available on practically a dozen streaming services, but not so with the equally famous “Dawn of the Dead.”
“Pink Flamingos” (1972)
John Waters’ camp classic with Divine is still just a product of cult midnight screenings and doesn’t exist on a streamer.
“Super Mario Bros.” (1993)
Okay, maybe you don’t need to rush to see the live-action “Super Mario Bros.” movie with Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo, but you would think it would be somewhere if you were that curious.
Read original story 16 Classic Movies You Can’t Stream Anywhere, From Hitchcock’s ‘Rebecca’ to ‘Wild at Heart’ (Photos) At TheWrap
