Fox Studio Classics and Film Noir 2005 (1 Viewer)

[Derek Estes]

Thank you Barrie! Once again you are the bringer of good news! I can't wait for Leave her to Heaven. It is one of my favorites! The colors should look stunning on DVD! 2005 is looking to be even better than 2004! I would have never thought.
Also, in one of Barrie's columns Samuel Fuller's House of Bamboo was mentioned as a consideration for the March unveiling of the Noir Collection, I hope it comes in one of the future groupings, it was never properly released on VHS, and I think it is fantastic!

 

[Derek Estes]

From what I understand, that is because Fox, like many other studios, came late to the game you could say, to restoring their classic catalog. Unlike, say Warners that was, to my understanding, one of the first studios to own their own restoration lab (I think about 15 years ago, but I may be wrong). By spacing the releases to one a month they were able to give each of the titles the time and money (for restoration) that they deserve. I think many of them look better than I ever remember seeing them. I hope they are able to continue as well as they have been. I think that Robert Harris talked about this in his Digital Bits column at the time the Studio Classics line was launched. He knows far more about this than me!

 

[Paul_Scott]

WOW!
ALTTW, the one Fox "classic" i most wanted along with LHTH, the one Fox classic i most want to see but haven't.
i'll be looking forward to RTPP too, since i enjoyed the hell out of the first film.

although i think i will miss looking forward to a 'classic' at the begining of every month, i'm thrilled with what is finally coming.
now i can finally toss out one of my last remaining Fox LDs


with LHTH, ALTTW, and Dirty Mary Crazy Larry due from AB, my hardcore Fox want list will finally be completed.
wow.
great stuff to look forward to.

 

[Chip_HT]

Call Northside 777 - one I've wanted to see since last spring when I first developed my interest in film noir after attempting to write a story in the noir style. Plus it has Jimmy Stewart, always a favorite.

 

[Chris Cheese]

Well there's obviously no way to really define what is noir and what isn't, and in the end it's completely subjective, but two things that almost everyone seems to agree on is that noirs began with the Maltese Falcon in 1941 and ended with Touch of Evil in 1958 (thereabouts for both anyway) and that they're always in black and white.

 

[RafaelPires]

Great!!!At last Laura, plus a Letter to 3 Wives, Leave Her to Heaven (just hope that it shows that glamorous technicolor)and Call Northside 777. I'll be picking these 4 titles with grand pleasure.
And in January we will have Pinky released too!

 

[Geremia P.]

Yes, but Leave Her to Heaven is the exception [along with Niagara and maybe a couple others] that proves the rule.

 

[Derek Estes]

I disagree, on both counts.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Andrew,
What are you talking about? I never said anything about film noir not being part of this discussion. Please, check my previous post again.








Crawdaddy

 

[John Hodson]

For a discussion of Film Noir, I don't think you can do better than read this thread.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I wasn't saying that you said film noir wasn't part of this thread. Maybe you should check my post again. I was implying that I think Fox's classic film releases, or their strategy should be part of this thread, since we're discussing a line in which most of their classic films have falled under.

Andy

 

[Robert Crawford]

Whatever, is your implication, it's not important enough to hijack this thread on a side issue.





Crawdaddy

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I know it doesn't really make any difference at all, but I'd like to clarify whether these new noir releases will be issued under Fox's current "Studio Classics" label or whether we'll see a totally new series specifically for these releases?

 

[John Hodson]

A new line; someone will no doubt correct me but I seem to recall 'Fox Noir Classics' as the title?

No doubt Herb Kane will keep us up to speed in this thread

 

[Herb Kane]

When we attended the HTF meet in LA last month and after asking Mr. Staddon a couple questions regarding the new noir releases, I was left with the impression that the new "line" would be similar to their "War Classics" releases (groups of 3 or 4 that are released sporadically) in a rather informal manner - just my interpretation and I could be wrong. Regardless of their format, I am ecstatic and I’m sure Fox will do a great job.

I’m not sure if this was already mentioned, but when we were there, Mr. Staddon gave us a preview of the newly restored Laura in one of their theaters. It looked absolutely amazing on a 20+ foot screen…

Without veering too far from the topic of this thread, there are several good links among this thread discussing film noir, but to say that it is limited to B&W film only would wrongly exclude upwards of two dozen or so films – a dozen or so of which, I would classify as quintessential film noir e.g. Desert Fury, Hell On Frisco Bay, Hell’s Island, House Of Bamboo, I Died a Thousand Times, Inferno, Niagara, Second Chance, A Kiss Before Dying, Slightly Scarlet and most certainly, Leave Her to Heaven.

Herb.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Agreed!





Crawdaddy

 

[Chris Cheese]

Yeah, there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part noirs are considered black and white anyway. I haven't seen many of those color ones, so I can't really comment on that. I'll be getting this one regardless, although I do admit that my preference for noir is certainly black and white. I'm just happy to get any noir, really!

Also, 1964 is certainly outside of the noir era. I think it is generally agreed on that at the most noirs went up through about 1960 or so. But whatever, we'll just see what happens. I'm willing to be those two titles got switched in the press release.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Vertigo could be considered a colour Film Noir, but it really is a 'stand alone' film in my book - it's in a class of it's own and doesn't 'belong' to any genre or sub-genre.

I can't wait to finally own Laura.

 

[rich_d]

Perhaps your right about not belonging well to any genre but Vertigo (which I truly love) belongs in the films that are hard to classify category (for one thing).

But 'stand alone' ... perhaps not. For example, what would set it apart from Chinatown?

 

[george kaplan]

I've had long discussions about this in other threads, but just a short summary for this one.

I certainly consider films like Chinatown, L.A. Confidential, Body Heat, etc. to be film noirs, though they are neither b&w, nor made before 1960.