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F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

post #1 of 51
5/30/08 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
According to Savant:

Quote:
Sometime around Christmas, Fox Home Video will be giving us a special F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box, on a 3 to 8 split. Murnau's titles are Sunrise, Four Devils and City Girl while Borzage's brood includes Lazybones, Seventh Heaven, Street Angel, The River (fragments), Lucky Star, They Had to See Paris, Song O' My Heart and Liliom. That's quite a list and I fear the box is going to be as expensive as last year's John Ford collectables.

What fabulous news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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post #2 of 51
5/30/08 at 7:15am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

I was expecting something like this, but it's nice to see it confirmed that Fox are actually going ahead.

As you say, fabulous...
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post #3 of 51
5/30/08 at 7:43am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

AWESOME!! Apparently the Ford set sold well enough.
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post #4 of 51
5/30/08 at 7:56am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Several of these I've been waiting decades to see, so I'm really thrilled to read this announcement.
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post #5 of 51
5/30/08 at 10:44am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Great news, but a few thoughts... Isn't "Four Devils" included on the existing "Sunrise" DVD in a fragmented form? Is this set going to include a more complete version? I ask because "The River" is singled out as fragmented, while this title is not.

Also, with this set containing roughly half the number of films of Ford at Fox, I wonder why Savant is concerned about it costing as much. I'm sure it won't be cheap, but a $300 MSRP?
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post #6 of 51
5/30/08 at 11:56am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

I already got SUNRISE, and it did have bits of FOUR DEVILS on it. I'll still pick up the set. That FORD one was great, if not a bit cumberson
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post #7 of 51
5/30/08 at 12:20pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

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post #8 of 51
5/30/08 at 12:46pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Fabulous news--particularly LILLIOM, which I thought might have been included on CAROUSEL. I believe that prints of BAD GIRL and AFTER TOMORROW exist, but are prints of DOCTORS'WIVES, YOUNG AMERICA, YOUNG AS YOU FEEL extant?
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post #9 of 51
5/30/08 at 2:13pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Wow! Really fantastic news! Both of these filmakers were truly artists.
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post #10 of 51
5/30/08 at 3:33pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

They Had to See Paris! Yah!
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post #11 of 51
5/30/08 at 3:45pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Bad Girl - there's one I would love to see.
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post #12 of 51
5/30/08 at 3:48pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

That does leave 5 more films that Borzage made at Fox from 1930 to 1932. Maybe those will be included in a second volume. I hope it does, since that would mean Young As You Feel would get a release also.
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post #13 of 51
5/30/08 at 7:23pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles H
Fabulous news--particularly LILLIOM, which I thought might have been included on CAROUSEL.

The two-disc SE of "Carousel" has Fritz Lang's 1934 version of "Lilliom". (Quite great, BTW.) Borzage's version is dated 1930, according to IMDB. Looking forward to seeing it.

Too bad they're apparently holding a few titles back. It would be nice to have everything in one place. Maybe it's a restoration/time-limit thing.
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post #14 of 51
5/31/08 at 8:01am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

very exciting news!

hopefully, this'll prompt Warners to release some of the dozens of Borzage films that are stagnating in their warehouse!
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post #15 of 51
5/31/08 at 8:05am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Would love to see more Borzage on dvd: WB (THE SHINING HOUR, THREE COMRADES, THE MORTAL STORM, HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT, GREEN LIGHT, SMILIN' THROUGH, THE SPANISH MAIN, FLIRTATION WALK, MANNEQUIN, THE VANISHING VIRGINIAN, SEVEN SWEETHEARTS), LionsGate (MOONRISE--arguably his masterpiece, THAT'S MY MAN!, THE MAGNIFICENT DOLL, I'VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU), Disney? (THE BIG FISHERMAN), and filing this under "It Ain't Going to Happen"): Columbia (MAN'S CASTLE and NO GREATER GLORY) and Universal/MCA (LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW?, DESIRE, HIS BUTLER'S SISTER, DISPUTED PASSAGE, TILL WE MEET AGAIN). Borzage was a hugely underrated talent, and it's sad to see how neglected his output is today....possibly because of the blacklist in the fifties. It is great to see that Fox will be opening their vaults on his silent and early talkie films.
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post #16 of 51
5/31/08 at 10:12am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

If Fox is going to make this another $300 set, I hope they try and include all of the surviving Murnau and Borzage films they have access to.
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post #17 of 51
5/31/08 at 11:13pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by jdee28
If Fox is going to make this another $300 set, I hope they try and include all of the surviving Murnau and Borzage films they have access to.
I hope it features better packaging, and better quality control that picks up on scratched discs!
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post #18 of 51
6/1/08 at 6:37pm
Thread Starter 

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles H
Would love to see more Borzage on dvd: WB (THE SHINING HOUR, THREE COMRADES, THE MORTAL STORM, HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT, GREEN LIGHT, SMILIN' THROUGH, THE SPANISH MAIN, FLIRTATION WALK, MANNEQUIN, THE VANISHING VIRGINIAN, SEVEN SWEETHEARTS), LionsGate (MOONRISE--arguably his masterpiece, THAT'S MY MAN!, THE MAGNIFICENT DOLL, I'VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU), Disney? (THE BIG FISHERMAN), and filing this under "It Ain't Going to Happen"): Columbia (MAN'S CASTLE and NO GREATER GLORY) and Universal/MCA (LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW?, DESIRE, HIS BUTLER'S SISTER, DISPUTED PASSAGE, TILL WE MEET AGAIN). Borzage was a hugely underrated talent, and it's sad to see how neglected his output is today....possibly because of the blacklist in the fifties. It is great to see that Fox will be opening their vaults on his silent and early talkie films.


Would be so thrilled to see ALL of these, especially the Warner and Universal titles - Borzage was one of THE greats and even his lesser efforts stood out.
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post #19 of 51
8/1/08 at 7:51am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Looks like Fox have confirmed a release of Seventh Heaven, I hope that means the whole box is still a goer:

Fox Studio Classics - Coming Soon
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post #20 of 51
8/1/08 at 8:05am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Howson
Looks like Fox have confirmed a release of Seventh Heaven, I hope that means the whole box is still a goer:

Fox Studio Classics - Coming Soon

That's been up there for some months; certainly long before Savant's news.
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post #21 of 51
8/1/08 at 12:36pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

When I look at the Fox Website under "For Christmas 2008" it says "Chico- Heaven- Diane"

I gather Heaven is Seventh Heaven but what does the rest mean?
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post #22 of 51
8/1/08 at 2:53pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard M S
When I look at the Fox Website under "For Christmas 2008" it says "Chico- Heaven- Diane"

I gather Heaven is Seventh Heaven but what does the rest mean?

Those are Janet Gaynor's and Charles Farrell's character names.
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post #23 of 51
8/1/08 at 4:43pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard M S
When I look at the Fox Website under "For Christmas 2008" it says "Chico- Heaven- Diane"

I gather Heaven is Seventh Heaven but what does the rest mean?

"Chico! Diane! Heaven!" was the two lovers' way of saying I love you and became a mantra.
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post #24 of 51
8/1/08 at 8:42pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Thank you both!
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post #25 of 51
8/27/08 at 10:48am
Thread Starter 

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

From ClassicFlix:

Quote:
**Fox** has announced their much anticipated Murnau and Borzage Fox Box Set for release on December 9th. Info is preliminary, including the title, and no additional details are yet available.

The titles are:

Lucky Star (1929)
Sunrise - Special Edition (1927)
Liliom (1930)
They Had to See Paris (1929)
Seventh Heaven (1927)
Bad Girl (1931)
Song 'O My Heart (1930)
Lazy Bones (1925)
Street Angel (1928)
City Girl (1930)
Retail price is 239.98.

I take it that this only a small portion of the films that will be included?
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post #26 of 51
8/27/08 at 11:00am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by CinéKarine
From ClassicFlix:



I take it that this only a small portion of the films that will be included?

Hopefully, otherwise the retail price sounds ridiculous.
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post #27 of 51
8/27/08 at 4:07pm

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcel H.
Hopefully, otherwise the retail price sounds ridiculous.

Well, that's $24.00 a film if that's the final list. Do I wish it were cheaper? Yes. But realistically, this box isn't going to sell by the boatloads. Do I think it will sell twice as many items if it were half the price? I doubt it.

We would be paying collector's prices for collector's films. I'm just happy these films are being released at all. That's the key for me.
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post #28 of 51
8/28/08 at 5:00am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

I was hoping his other Will Rogers film, Young As You Feel, would be included also.
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post #29 of 51
8/28/08 at 6:40am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

If I could swing the $240--I would, but since the only item that I feel I HAVE TO HAVE is Borzage's "Liliom," (since I've had Murnau's "Sunrise" for years now) I'll probably make other arrangements. If it were half the price, I'd bite the bullet--but my debt is already well into the irresponsible mode. Pity.
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post #30 of 51
8/28/08 at 7:07am

Re: F.W. Murnau / Frank Borzage box set from Fox

I wonder if Fox is making a misstep here. This box was always going to have a niche audience, but even rabid hardcore cinephiles are having trouble justifying the price tag. If you have unlimited disposable income, it's one thing, but with so few films (and only a handful of certifiable classics among them), I can't imagine paying three figures for this - no matter how nice the packaging. Is this really going to be the only way to get a hold of these films?
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