Ford at Fox: 24 Film Boxset

[HerrSchreck]

Holy ouch! That is just fucking rotten.

Schreck SMASH.

Seriously, dude you need to get somebody on the line. Find someone who handles Fox public relations, tell them your story. That's how I ahem got my Reviewers Copy cough of Sunrise when it first came out, without going thru that stupid Buy 4 get Sunrise free thing. Fox direct usually wont send you stuff, though in this case there should be somebody you can talk to. That is just an awful awful story. And I fear they're going to turn around and offer you a gift certificate, and you'll be screwed out of the box.

[htdm]

Anyone have a number for Fox corporate?

1-888-223-2FOX

[whaleallright]

n/a

[HerrSchreck]

Fucking figures. The days when Customer Service was once a Job, with employees (usually old women with catwoman/librarian glasses smelling like rosewater and stuck in the 1950's) with pleasant dispositions that treated the work as something just slightly more pleasant than Red Hot Sewing Needles In The Urethra-- with a simultaneous Hydrochloric Acid High Colonic-- are long gone. 99% nowadays all you get is RAGE RAGE RAGE, and its all teen & twentysomethings... though it gets worse as you catch even older, even more hateful, life-stranded cooks wearing the headset (though I'm truly glad you found a member of that 1% and had this -- surprisingly-- work out to your satisfaction, despite the delay & runaround). I had my own experience with it today.

I thought for sure you'd wind up w a gift certificate... and you'd wind up cashing it for The Big Trail (D O N O T M I S S, Jonah!) or the Borzage.

[hammock]

I received a call from Fox today. Apparently the grumpy person I had been in contact with at FoxDrop (see details above) has "left the company," and the person I spoke to was very nice and offered to send me a new copy of THE ESSENTIAL JOHN FORD as well as the HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY disc on its own.

The number they provided to me is (888) 223-2369. But don't dial (888) 223-2569 by accident, as I did, or you'll get a phone-sex hotline.

I wonder how many people calling the phone-sex line accidently calls the Fox line and how long it takes them to realize they dialed the wrong number. Glad you finally got the service you deserved!

[Erikht]

I have to ask this: When I read about the Complete set, the only subtitles listed are French and Spanish, the same for the smaller sets. But the single editions seems to be with English subs as well. Are there English subs on the complete Ford at Fox?

[manicsounds]

There are for the sound films, and they are not listed for the silent films, as they have English intertitles.

[Erikht]

There are for the sound films, and they are not listed for the silent films, as they have English intertitles.

Thank you.

[Erikht]

Okay, after a long delay in Norwegian customs I finally got it today. The thing is large, to say the least, but in prime condition. I think I might buy another one for the library, this looks fantastic.

[Erikht]

The Iron Horse. Which to see first, the International version or the US version?

[HerrSchreck]

US

[Erikht]

Thank you.

That's this evening sorted, then.

[Erikht]

Wow. What a movie. And did that man have a Lincoln fetish, or what?

Thanks again for your tip, HerrSchreck. Spot on.

[Erikht]

As I bought "Ford at Fox" just now, and live in Norway, it doesn't look like I can use the offer some of you mentioned Fox had, that they would send you a copy for free if you bought the big packet. Does somebody know how I can get hold of this film, for a reasonable price?

[Narshty]

If you mean Frontier Marshal, it's the second disc in the 2007 re-release of My Darling Clementine (the one with this cover).

[HerrSchreck]

Pretty good film too, Frontier Marshall is. Not My Darling Clementine territory, but a damn good western to kick back and eat chinese food to.

Unless you're a scholar or a real Ford fanatic, the International Version of the film is a mere curiosity for the file. Whereas once, and for years, in the absence of the US release version, it was worth its weight in gold dust, it's now a mere asterisk. As for Ford's revisiting the subject of Lincoln, he really sort of seemed to inherit it from DW Griffith. By osmosis or proximity perhaps, since he's one of the few big time "all-American" filmmakers who came up during the silent era and the NYC--> Hollywood days who did NOT work for Grif. But you'll see Ford working thru Birth of a Nation terrain a few times in his career, and revisiting some of the themes in that then-hugely-influential film. Remember that back then and despite the charges of racism, the film was very much considered by an awful lot of people, directors and moguls included, to be the best film ever made.

[Erikht]

It got brought home to me (the racism, that is) when I saw "Prisoner of Shark Island" a few days ago. Yesterday and today I saw "Steamboat round the bend", "Judge Priest" and "Doctor Bull". The last seems to be set in the North, or something like that, but the last two very much the South. Even so, Will Rogers seem to soften the racism these two films somehow. Another actor I will take a closer look at next month. Any of his silents around, he looks like one of those actors that would excel both with and without sound.

I must admit that 2 months ago I had only seen "stagecoach" and "The searchers," and I thought "okay, that's decent westerns." Then I saw "The man who shot Liberty Valance," and I bought this boxed set the same evening. Now I see these films at the rate of 1-2 every day. Best buy I ever did. I will have to get hold of more in a couple of weeks at this rate. How is it with Ford silents, are there any more than the ones in the set?

I have become a John Fordaholic.... I will end my days alone and forgotten, covered in ripped-off rubber knots and faintly whisteling "Dixie"....

And thanks, Narshty. seems like I have to double dip in order to get hold of "Frontier Marshal."

[Narshty]

As for Ford's revisiting the subject of Lincoln, he really sort of seemed to inherit it from DW Griffith. By osmosis or proximity perhaps, since he's one of the few big time "all-American" filmmakers who came up during the silent era and the NYC--> Hollywood days who did NOT work for Grif. But you'll see Ford working thru Birth of a Nation terrain a few times in his career, and revisiting some of the themes in that then-hugely-influential film.

Actually, Ford was an actor in Birth of a Nation as a Klansman on horseback. As he started directing only two years later it's a fair bet he took notes on the set.

Yesterday and today I saw "Steamboat round the bend", "Judge Priest" and "Doctor Bull". The last seems to be set in the North, or something like that, but the last two very much the South. Even so, Will Rogers seem to soften the racism these two films somehow.

I think it's the affection of John Ford for Stepin' Fetchit as well (the two always remained good friends). Though his act is slightly squirm-inducing the tone towards him is entirely benevolent and accepting. Ford stands back and lets him do his thing just as much as Rogers. There's a moment in Scott Eyman's commentary in Steamboat where he quotes a black audience member saying how amazing it was to see Will Rogers and Stepin Fetchit hanging out as buddies, wandering off to go fishing, which in itself was an affirming image.

[HerrSchreck]

Actually, Ford was an actor in Birth of a Nation as a Klansman on horseback. As he started directing only two years later it's a fair bet he took notes on the set.

Appreciate that-- I always thought of him as bitparting around in his brother's shadow and proximity after following him to Hollywood, until he finally "assistanted" his way up to helming a film. I'm sure-- since I've got a few Ford docs, plus FORD AT FOX-- I've heard that detail before but it slipped my mind because of it's one-shot, quick nature viz Grif.

The guys who I meant to compare him to are of course guys like Raul Walsh, von Stroeheim, Tod Browning, etc, who had more repeated contact with the guy and really got to watch him for sustained periods on the set for entire shoots, and over multiple pics. This is what I mean by the (somewhat cheeky) "osmosis" statement.

But you're right, there was some contact there. Has anyone been able to pick him out in BoN?

[Erikht]

Actually, Ford was an actor in Birth of a Nation as a Klansman on horseback. As he started directing only two years later it's a fair bet he took notes on the set.

Appreciate that-- I always thought of him as bitparting around in his brother's shadow and proximity after following him to Hollywood, until he finally "assistanted" his way up to helming a film. I'm sure-- since I've got a few Ford docs, plus FORD AT FOX-- I've heard that detail before but it slipped my mind because of it's one-shot, quick nature viz Grif.

The guys who I meant to compare him to are of course guys like Raul Walsh, von Stroeheim, Tod Browning, etc, who had more repeated contact with the guy and really got to watch him for sustained periods on the set for entire shoots, and over multiple pics. This is what I mean by the (somewhat cheeky) "osmosis" statement.

But you're right, there was some contact there. Has anyone been able to pick him out in BoN?

As I understand it, he is the guy with the white sheet over his head.

I saw "Up the River" yesterday. I must admit that I appreciate it when they release films that are not complete (though this was quite complete). It is nice to be able to see the stuff that still exist. Why don't they do this more?

[Props55]

For those who still haven't picked it up, FORD AT FOX - THE COLLECTION is currently available from Amazon for $174.99 (42% off list). Although I haven't read of it as being "officially" OOP it's not been listed at DVD Price Search from the major on-liners for some time and new and used prices have rarely been better than 20% off MSRP.

[Props55]

FORD AT FOX is no longer listed via DVD Price Search as available at the River. It is however listed at four other e-tailers at $269.98. What gives? Has this been reissued/repressed?

[movielocke]

I just got my set today.

Hot damn. greatest dvd purchase I've ever made, despite that I loath double dipping and I already had most of the studio classic ford films. I have a lot of photography books, coffee table and otherwise. I'm pretty snobby about what's good enough printing for me to bother buying; other than museum quality printing of short run books for an exhibition, the book with this set has some of the finest printing I've ever seen for a film related book, ever. I immediately put it in mylar, and damn it's a big book, nearly didn't fit.

Now I'm seriously thinking of getting the Borzage set as well though buying this was an immensely stupid budget wise.

I checked all the discs, many had some minor radial scratching all had some dust, the damn hubs are crazy annoying, but there was no severe scratching (though there's a weird 'bubble' like look to the center rings of most of the double sided discs. I wish they had put these in a binder with sleeves, or better yet in thin cases like the disc hidden in the back of the set, but it's an amazing and arresting presentation despite how unwieldy it is in practice.

my only real complaint is that the backing board of the main box front panel was unglued when it got to me. I'm going to have to get some rubber cement to glue it back.

also young Mr Lincoln really stands out as "criterion collection disc one" it's a shame they didn't put Iron Horse as a double sided disc and include the second disc of YML. oh well.

[movielocke]

I watched Just Pals. A terrific, 50 minute bout of proto-Ford. Delightful, romping entertainment. I felt like the energy that Bucking Broadway kept trying to project, and never quite managed, was much better handled here. Ford was really quite skilled with child actors, as the boy here gives a more natural performance than any of the other actors in the film (who to be fair were silent film actors doing their pantomime thing). The scene of the boy in school has a really great little moment, when he passes a note to the girl, and she refuses because he's got shoes that are falling apart, his reaction is real and expressive and not at all over the top.

I was often reminded of Chaplin's The Kid, during this film, this is not nearly so great, and it's got a painfully annoying resolution (the kid says hey, listen to me and everything works out? pshaw). I do think the rapidity by which the town resorted to lynching Bim the bum was fascinating and telling.

[movielocke]

Hangman's House also very good. The transfer is noticeably more damaged than Just Pals.

I am VERY impressed with the scores on these discs. ONly a handful of instruments, but absolutely stellar quality, and great sense of timing. It underscores very effectively. having watched bucking broadway two days ago, the high caliber of these scores really exposes how wretched Sosin's Overscoring piano only sound alike silent scores are. And previously I'd been inclined to go rather lightly on Sosin, having seen many silents theatrically with only piano accompaniment, now I'll probably join the cadre of disdainers. The man is a hack.