20th Century Fox's 'Film Noir Classics' DVD Series (1 Viewer)

[John Hodson]

DVD Times has the full specs for wave five of those 'Fox Film Noir' releases here, coming March.

 

[TimJS]

Artwork up at DVDTimes, see John's link above.

Tim

 

[dave bula]

DVD Times has the full specs for wave five of those 'Fox Film Noir' releases here, coming March.

Fox sure seems to like Eddie Muller these days, don't they?

 

[Jason_V]

This is a similar question to the one I posted in the Studio Classics thread. I've never seen any of these movies and want to start with the best one available. Everyone's got great things to say about all of them, but which is the best movie?

 

[Ruz-El]

Everyone's got great things to say about all of them, but which is the best movie?

My favorites:

"Nightmare Alley" : Great sideshow elements.

"Somewhere In the Night" : A real mind bender.

These are the 2 that I would how my friends as really great, pulpy movies. Not to take anything away from the others (I haven't watched the 3 from December yet.)

 

[MichaelScott]

For me I think I would start out with:
Laura and Nightmare Alley
You can't go wrong with either one.

 

[JeremyErwin]

Laura's interesting because it features Vincent Price in one of his less demented performances.

 

[Dave GR]

For me I think I would start out with:

Laura and Nightmare Alley

You can't go wrong with either one.

I'd echo those comments. I think Kiss of Death is also among the very best so far. You can't really go wrong though - I've got all 12 titles and enjoyed every one of them.

 

[seanOhara]

I've never seen any of these movies and want to start with the best one available. Everyone's got great things to say about all of them, but which is the best movie?

Somewhere in the Night is the most quintesentially noir, though I think Panic in the Streets is a better film. Either of those or Laura would be great places to start.

I would recommend staying away from Call Northside 777, The Street with No Name, and The House on 92nd Street -- they're the three weakest in the series so far, and appeal mainly to hardcore noir aficionados.

 

[dave bula]

Definitely Nightmare Alley & Laura, both superb films, are the best of the first 10 of the Fox Series (haven't had time to watch #11 & #12 yet).

Also, if you're a fan of film noir, you musn't miss the 2 Warner box sets, especially the first one. In particular, Out Of The Past, Murder My Sweet, and Asphalt Jungle - all are excellent noir films.

 

[RafaelPires]

I got all the titles in this series and there isn't a single one that I can not recommend. I really Like Call Northside 777, a great James Stewart film. My favorites are Laura, Whirlpool, Somewhere in the night and Kiss of Death.

And can't wait for wave 5 (Fallen Angel is a favorite of mine).

I hope this series surpasses the 24 discs that were originally palnned, cause Fox have many more noirs that needs a dvd release.

I am specially looking for I Wake Up Screaming, Boomerang, House of Strangers, Road House, Hangover Square, The Lodger, Dragonwyck (though I doubt the later one can be classified as a regular noir).

 

[Jason_V]

Alright, I went a little crazy last night. I got my boyfriend's father Laura and The Dark Corner for Christmas. I got myself Laura, Nightmare Alley, Panic in the Streets and The House on 92nd Street. I probably won't get around to watching anything until Sunday or Monday.

 

[AlexHL]

For me, there are three clear standouts: Laura, Nightmare Alley and Kiss of Death.

 

[Jim_K]

Any word on what titles will be in wave #6 or even whether Fox is continuing this series?
I'm really interested in seeing Siodmak's Cry of the City and the long rumored The Lodger and Hangover Square. Though I won't snub my nose at any other selections.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I haven't heard, but the following are coming out the week after next on March 7th.

• Fallen Angel
• No Way Out
• The House on Telegraph Hill

Crawdaddy

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

I sure hope Fox continues past the March wave, since the following are still MIA on R1 DVD (including the three that Jim K just mentioned):
CRY OF THE CITY (1948)
ROAD HOUSE (1948)
FOURTEEN HOURS (1951)
THE LODGER (1944)
HANGOVER SQUARE (1945)
MOONTIDE (1942)
MAN HUNT (1941)
INFERNO (1953)
RIVER'S EDGE (1957)
VIOLENT SATURDAY (1955)
SWAMP WATER (1941) / LURE OF THE WILDERNESS (1952, remake of the former)
SLATTERY'S HURRICANE(1949)
HOUSE OF STRANGERS (1949)
THE 13TH LETTER (1951)
23 PACES TO BAKER STREET (1956)
I WAKE UP SCREAMING (1942) / VICKI (1953, remake of the former)
BIGGER THAN LIFE (1956)
SHOCK (1946)

 

[ted:r]

I seem to recall that a post mentioned that Eddie Muller had said on his web site that he had recorded commentaries for "Cry Of The City", "Vicki" and "The Brasher Doubloon". To me, it seems likely that a) the series will continue and these will be the next three. Unless of course Fox elects to just sit on them, commentaries and all!

Of the ones Fox has and are noted as Film Noir in "Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style, Third Edition", the one that I'm hoping for is "House of Strangers" with Edward G. Robinson, Richard Conte and Susan Hayward (there is simply nowhere near enough Hayward out on DVD!) and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

 

[Pete York]

Jim_K wrote:

Any word on what titles will be in wave #6 or even whether Fox is continuing this series?

I didn't even realize continuing or not was an issue. As far as I know, when Fox started this line they committed to 24 titles, which would give us another 9 this year. And to further randomly speculate, in some notes I have to keep track of possible releases, I have The Brasher Doubloon for the 'Film Noir Classics' and Cry of the City for Criterion (which doesn't make too much sense, but then the Dassin Fox noirs came out from CC around the same time as the first 'Film Noir' wave).
EDIT: Whoops, beaten to the punch by ted:r.

 

[seanOhara]

I already have the newest releases, and the insert offers no clues as to what'll be in the next wave. It doesn't even list the titles for this wave. In fact, it still lists No Way Out as a December release!

I believe it's the exact same insert as the one with Kiss of Death, etc., except it's missing the rebate offer.

 

[Eric Vedowski]

ted:r wrote



That's what happened to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.