By Lee Pfeiffer
It may be understandable to think that the vast majority of major films have been released on home video but, in factthere are countless high profile titles that have yet to appear, or perhaps were once available but have gone out of circulation years ago. The unavailability of certain titles is generally due to either the lack of suitable master prints or rights problems. In either scenario, movie fans are deprived from seeing everything from genuine gems to guilty pleasures. Writing on his blog wwwthemagnificent60s.com, Cinema Retro contributing writer Brian Hannan focuses on one such "orphan" title, the 1968 production "A Place for Lovers". The film garnered few positive reviews and was met with a collective yawn by audiences despite the presence of screen legend Marcello Mastroianni and newly-minted star Faye Dunaway, fresh off her triumph in "Bonnie and Clyde". Adding to the prestige, the film was directed by the legendary Vittorio De Sica. Hannan points out that years ago film critic Harry Medved named the film as one of the 50 worst movies ever made, an opinion he takes issue with. In fact, Hannan argues that the movie has enough redeeming values to qualify for recommended viewing. Click here to read his review of the movie.
(Although "A Place for Lovers" is not available in the U.S. or U.K. on home video, it is presently streaming on YouTube.)