Ford at Fox: 24 Film Boxset

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shearerchic · #26 Post by **shearerchic** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:42 pm

From Movies Unlimited:

[quote]FORD HAD A BETTER IDEA: The diverse works of the great John Ford are on view in an incredible schedule of releases from Fox Video called The Ford At Fox Collection. This celebration of the master director's labors for the studio will bring us many flicks from his folio that have never before surfaced in any home video format, much less on DVD.
Most people know John Ford as the director behind such John Wayne classics as Stagecoach, Fort Apache, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. But â€œPappyâ€

Derek Estes · #27 Post by **Derek Estes** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:00 pm

A Quick List

The Essential John Ford

The Grapes Of Wrath
How Green Was My Valley
My Darling Clementine
Drums Along The Mohawk
Becoming John Ford Documentary

John Ford's American Comedies

Doctor Bull (1933)
Judge Priest (1934)
When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)
Up The River (1930)
What Price Glory?
Steamboat â€˜Round The Bend

John Ford's Silent Epics

Four Sons (1928)
The Iron Horse (1924)
3 Bad Men (1926)
Hangman's House (1928)
Just Pals (1920)

Individually Released:

When Willie Comes Marching Home,
The Iron Horse
Hangman's House
3 Bad Men
Up The River
The Prisoner Of Shark Island (1936)
Pilgrimage (1933)
Born Reckless (1930)

Ford At Fox

All of the above, including:

Young Mr. Lincoln
Tobacco Road (1941)
Wee Willie Winkie (1937)
The World Moves On (1934)
Seas Beneath (1931)
Four Men And A Prayer (1938)
also:
Frontier Marshal (1939) Alan Dwan

Features:

20 DVDs
screw-bound folder
hardback 172-page book,
reproductions of souvenir books for The Iron Horse and Four Sons
Becoming John Ford documentary,
packaged in a heavy duty vinyl box

#28 Post by **zedz** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:26 pm

I can't find the "swoon" emoticon.

filmnoir1 · #29 Post by **filmnoir1** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:53 pm

This is really interesting but also disconcerting because I had hoped that they would release more of his silent films, and the re-releasing of other films that are currently available seems unnecessary to me. However, that being noted, I will definitely be purchasing this set.

#30 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:04 pm

screw-bound folder makes me worried. Please tell me this set isn't going to look like one of those hideous Complete TV Series DVD releases where the discs are housed in paper sleeves!

Pete Hoskin · #31 Post by **Pete Hoskin** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:12 pm

Full details have just been posted over at DVD Times. This really looks to be an exciting package. It's superb news that both versions of 'The Iron Horse' will be included - the UK version (which the BFI put out on DVD a few years back) and the US version.

denti alligator · #32 Post by **denti alligator** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:26 pm

Merry Xmas to me! This and the fourth season of The Wire on the same day. Nice.

Derek Estes · #33 Post by **Derek Estes** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:50 pm

A closer look here. Can't fucking wait!

#34 Post by **domino harvey** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:55 pm

I hope those are circular tabs and not invisible folder pockets or something.

Luke M · #35 Post by **Luke M** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:05 am

"No cinephile collection would be complete without Ford's masterpieces..."

And yet most cinephiles would probably own at least one of the previously released titles. I own 5.

ptmd · #36 Post by **ptmd** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:13 am

"No cinephile collection would be complete without Ford's masterpieces..."

And yet most cinephiles would probably own at least one of the previously released titles. I own 5.

Yes, exactly. I'm tremendously excited about this release and I applaud Fox's decision to put the effort into releasing some back-catalog titles that are pretty obscure. On the other hand, while I don't want to seem churlish by complaining, I'm a bit annoyed that they have decided to make some of the rarer titles exclusive to the $300 boxset. I realize that Tobacco Road is not likely to be a big seller as an individual disk, but couldn't they have packaged all the other previously-unreleased films in another smaller box set, or, better yet, included them in the other ones?

I own all the existing Fox Ford DVDs except Steamboat Round the Bend, so I can easily get 12 new Ford films by purchasing the "American Comedies" and "Silent Epics" box sets plus Pilgrimage and Born Reckless. 12 Ford films for $140 MSRP is a steal, but it would cost me more than that just to get such minor films as Wee Willie Winkie and Four Men and a Prayer (plus the Dwan). That makes six additional films, none of them particularly great, for $160. The economics of that don't make any sense at all, and I wish it was possible to get them some other way.

#37 Post by **domino harvey** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:23 am

we'll surely be able to get this for ~30% off retail somewhere for a pre-order, so ~$210 for the set is worth it (2 dupe titles for me if we're counting) assuming they're securely housed in this set.

tryavna · #38 Post by **tryavna** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:28 pm

ptmd wrote:such minor films as Wee Willie Winkie and Four Men and a Prayer

I feel your pain, so I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you about the packaging decisions Fox has made.

But I tend to view Four Men and a Prayer as one of Ford's most underrated pre-1939 films. It's possibly the most politically radical/angry film Ford ever made -- and certainly it's the only one that deals with geopolitics in any serious way. Fans of Eric Ambler's novels and Hitchcock's British thrillers will find it particularly fun. (Plus, it's one of those rare movies wherein George Sanders played a heroic character.)

dx23 · #39 Post by **dx23** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:33 pm

I see that the press release states that the Young Mr. Lincoln in the collection is only the feature film. This set would have been appropiate for the Criterion release to be part of.

unclehulot · #40 Post by **unclehulot** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:05 pm

I certainly hope the other silents are hidden away (for now) as extras, or something.....if not, I think they've made a big mistake. If not in THIS release, when, pray tell? Plus, it means not being able to chuck out the VHS dubs from the AMC showings (well, since I'm a big fan of Phil Carli's accompaniments on those versions, they're staying anyhow). I know, I know, there's a lot to be excited about, but if the silents where ALL there, I would get this, despite duplicating those titles already sitting on my shelf....but now I'm thinking I'm paying for stuff AGAIN, and not getting stuff I REALLY want that they are sitting on! Perhaps if FOX were to send me custom DVDs of the Frank Borzage silents as consolation...

filmnoir1 · #41 Post by **filmnoir1** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:20 am

DVD Times has the full specs up now. My only question is why Frontier Marshall is not included in the massive box set, but will be included in the smaller John Ford's masterpieces at Fox one. I think they should provide those who are willing to lay down such a large investment on this with more than just reproductions of posters, and booklets. However, the large full color book is nice. I am still planning on purchasing this.

ByMarkClark.com · #42 Post by **ByMarkClark.com** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:33 am

I read through the specs, but I still don't see what the contents of the Silent Ford and Ford Masterpieces boxes will be, or anything that tells me which of these titles will be available separately. Did I miss this somewhere?

htdm · #43 Post by **htdm** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:21 pm

Looks like the Movietone soundtrack for Four Sons will not be on the DVD due to music copyright issues.

Lino · #44 Post by **Lino** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:37 pm

I'm glad they're splitting up the collection. It feels very sensible, too. Might spring for the Essential package myself.

Scharphedin2 · #45 Post by **Scharphedin2** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 5:18 am

ptmd wrote:
"No cinephile collection would be complete without Ford's masterpieces..."
I own all the existing Fox Ford DVDs except Steamboat Round the Bend, so I can easily get 12 new Ford films by purchasing the "American Comedies" and "Silent Epics" box sets plus Pilgrimage and Born Reckless. 12 Ford films for $140 MSRP is a steal, but it would cost me more than that just to get such minor films as Wee Willie Winkie and Four Men and a Prayer (plus the Dwan). That makes six additional films, none of them particularly great, for $160. The economics of that don't make any sense at all, and I wish it was possible to get them some other way.

Why not look at this way: Forget the single releases and junior box sets. You get 18 previously unavailable Ford films by purchasing the Gift Box (going by Domino's calculation that would make it apx. 11 dollars and change pr. title through e-tailers). Thrown in at that price, you also get three Ford documentaries from WWII (Dec. 7th, Torpedo Squadron and Battle of Midway) and the documentary on Ford specifically made for this set. Then you get Dwan's Frontier Marshall as a bonus feature film. And finally you get a 172 pp book + assorted paraphernalia.

This is an incredible release! A similar effort on Borzage's career would be just, but I suppose that would necessitate joint efforts with Warner Bros(?)

Scharphedin2 · #46 Post by **Scharphedin2** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:06 am

davidhare wrote:I hate to say this - and I surely stand to be shot down in flames - but I would far FAR prefer a Borzage box.

David, I love Ford's films, and own just about every DVD that has been released of his work. Still, having just recently had the chance to see a selection of Borzage's films, I am 100% with you!! A Borzage box of this nature (or any release of his work in any permutation from various studios) would actually excite me a lot more than this Ford release -- "far FAR" more, in fact (and I am not a little excited about the Ford as it is).

mentalist · #47 Post by **mentalist** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:39 am

Well i just pre-ordered the Ford At Fox box from Amazon, about $200. Pre-ordered the Criterion Berlin Alexanderplatz as well. So my play money is sell and truly spent, till after Xmas at least. Bring on December.

ellipsis7 · #48 Post by **ellipsis7** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:08 pm

Looks like...

#49 Post by **zedz** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:16 pm

This can be had from Barnes and Noble for $95. See the Bona-Fide Bargain thread for details. Oh, and Merry Christmas!

amnesiac · #50 Post by **amnesiac** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:43 am

The DVD covers look great