The rarely seen film, which is only available on a long out-of-print VHS or in low quality ten-minute segments on You Tube, concerns four soldiers in a fictitious war who find themselves trapped behind enemy lines after a plane crash. I assume the ensuing struggle forces them to confront their fears, and also their desires.
Despite Kubrick's insistence that the film not be seen, he doesn't actually own the copyright, so his estate's hands are tied. Page said that "efforts to restore and release Fear and Desire on DVD will move forward with as much sensitivity to the filmmaker as possible." I'm not entirely sure what that means, but I'd like to see this happen nonetheless. Kubrick was a notorious perfectionist and I'm guessing that "unwatchable" Kubrick is still better that most directors on their best day.
Plus the tag line is killer: "Trapped... 4 Desperate Men and a Strange Half-Animal Girl!"
Stanley Kubrick's Fear and Desire</> to Finally be Released on DVD? [WSJ Speakeasy]