First-Ever Stanley Kubrick’s Movie That He Tried to Destroy Is Now Out for Streaming

When you look at the work of some of the most successful creators out there, it's easy to feel like your work is lacking. While a healthy dose of self-criticism does wonders for any artist, there is a line into self-hatred that you don't want to cross. You'd be surprised how many people who are considered the best of the best fall into this trap.

Hatred of one's own creation is exactly what drove Stanley Kubrick 50 years ago to get rid of 10 minutes of his very first movie and change its narrative. It is only now that justice is being restored to Fear and Desire.

Why Did Kubrick Hate Fear and Desire?

Although many cinephiles know Kubrick for some of his best work like The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, or Full Metal Jacket, like any other talent he had a debut. And Kubrick's debut ended up causing him so much pain that he put his heart into trying to destroy it and move on as quickly as possible.

While the film itself wasn't Stanley Kubrick's most hated for any particular reason in the script, it wasn't his favorite in terms of reaction. The first audiences who saw Fear and Desire when it was released in 1953 didn't understand the psychological aspect of the film, causing the director to cut about 10 minutes from the movie to make it more conventional.

According to the film's star, Paul Mazursky, who went on to have a directing career of his own, Kubrick ended up hating the film so much that he tried to burn the negatives. That makes the fact that the scraps were found and restored 50 years later all the more special.

Fear and Desire, the very first film by iconic director Stanley Kubrick, was restored in 4K by Kino Lorber in partnership with the Library of Congress in 2023 to its original form, revealing the deep philosophical message behind the war film.

Where to Watch Fear and Desire?

One of the best pieces of news is that Kubrick's original, restored version of Fear and Desire is not only complete, but also available for streaming. While you can rent or buy the movie for your personal collection on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV, you can also stream it on Kino Now.

Kino Now is a new streaming service from Kino Lorber, which just launched in 2023. While you may not be familiar with it now, the service already has more than 1000 of the best movies in the art house, independent, and classic categories. So give Kino Now a try, or check out Fear and Desire now on familiar platforms.