Obtain Elusive Cinema: Top 5 Methods for Accessing Non-Streamable Movies

Quick Links

• Look for Digital Once-Off Purchases
• Buy Physical Discs (Obviously)
• Try Thrift Stores, Pawn Shops, or Classifieds
• Your Library Might Have It
• Ask Around on Social Media

Online streaming should have put every movie and show at our fingertips, making physical media obsolete, but time and time again, something I want to watch is streaming nowhere, and it can’t be bought digitally. The good news is that you still have options if you can’t find the movies or shows you want online.

Look for Digital Once-Off Purchases

If it’s not available as part of a digital streaming subscription service, you should check if the content you want isn’t available as a once-off digital purchase from a platform like Apple TV or Amazon. Even if the content eventually becomes unavailable for sale, it should still be in your library. At least, in theory, it should .

The benefit of getting these shows as a once-off purchase is that you still have all the convenience of streaming, and you don’t have to keep paying to re-watch your comfort shows, like Star Trek or King of The Hill.

Buy Physical Discs (Obviously)

SarahJayne91 / Shutterstock.com

SarahJayne91/Shutterstock.com

The simplest way to get movies or shows that aren’t available through any digital streaming service and are unavailable for digital sale, is to buy a physical copy on disc. Most new movies and many shows still get physical disc releases, and, of course, there’s a staggering back-catalog of Blu-ray and DVD releases. Physical movies are worth collecting for a variety of reasons , but the most important may be that some films and shows are only available on disc, never becoming part of any streaming service, or leaving them with no sign of their return.

Try Thrift Stores, Pawn Shops, or Classifieds

While discs are still readily available, many movies are no longer actively in stock or in print. This means there are no more new copies to order, and you’ll have to look for a used copy. Ironically, the internet has made this easier than ever, since people put up used copies of movies on sites like Facebook Marketplace , eBay, or Craigslist all the time. You can also physically go to a thrift store or pawnshop (or give them a call) in the hopes that you’ll find a specific movie. However, I usually go to places like these without the explicit goal of finding a specific movie, but rather to see if I can pick up any gems that aren’t available anymore.

Your Library Might Have It

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A library is a place where lots of media are kept, such as books, newspapers, and videos. In the before-times, we would go to this place, and it would let us borrow some of that media for free. If your town or city still has one of these ancient sites, you can try asking the librarian if they have a copy of the movie you’re looking for.

Incidentally, some people had the clever idea of recreating libraries on the internet, so you can also look at something like the Internet Archive’s Moving Image Archive and your obscure movie or show might actually be there, ready to watch right this moment.

Ask Around on Social Media

You never know what people have knocking about their cupboards, basements, or attics. So it can’t hurt to put the word out on social media that you’re looking for a particular movie or show. Someone might have a copy gathering dust that they’re willing to part with for a good price, or sometimes even just the cost of shipping.

The harder a movie or show is to find, the more valuable it is when you get possession of a good copy. Take care of it, and maybe donate it to a library or archive when you’re done with it. Too much has been lost from the history of film and television, no need to make something rare even more so!

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