FOX MOD scope news (1 Viewer)

[Thomas T]

I'm a huge Ernest Borgnine fan and bought "The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Three Brave Men", both panned and scanned to an inch of their lives -- the thought of a remastered 16;9 widesceen version of both would be great (also "Free" was the final movie of Michael Curtiz)

Actually, after Best Things In Life Are Free, Curtiz directed The Helen Morgan Story (1957), King Creole (1958), The Proud Rebel (1958), The Hangman (1959), The Man In The Net (1959), A Breath Of Scandal (1960), Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn (1960), Francis Of Assisi (1961) and his final film, The Comancheros (1961).

 

[rdimucci]

Thanks for the news Joe.
This may cause them to also offer a wider range of titles to Twilight Time (a few, like APRIL LOVE, were knocked back due to quality issues) and give them an opportunity to re-issue certain titles like VIOLENT SATURDAY (recently released on Blu Ray in France).
"Let the remastering begin!"

The ACTUAL Fox archives don't seem to be in any better shape than their video operation. Three recent examples from the American Film Institute's recent attempts at reperatory showings of Fox films: (1) No 35mm print of VIOLENT SATURDAY could be located, and the AFI showed a 16mm pan-and-scan television print; (2) No print of THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX could be provided, and the scheduled showings were cancelled, (3) No 70mm print of THE SOUND OF MUSIC was available, and a 35mm showing had to be substituted.

Perhaps that last glitch was not Fox's fault. The AFI had originally scheduled a Digital Cinema Package showing of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. But when the AFI's new digital projection equipment was not installed in time, they had to revert to a film showing. Perhaps Fox's 70mm print (I assume that they have just one) was already booked elsewhere.

 

[rdimucci]

Good news regarding this rethinking of Fox's MOD program. I've purchased more than 100 discs from the Warner program, but from Fox -- zero. Unless they bring in new management and staff, though, I'm skeptical that Fox can right this ship. Once you become used to working in a slipshod manner, it's hard for the same people to suddenly pull a 180 and start doing things totally differently.

 

[classicmovieguy]

"Flight of the Phoenix" is scheduled for release in 2 days time in Australia...

 

[Robin9]

The ACTUAL Fox archives don't seem to be in any better shape than their video operation. Three recent examples from the American Film Institute's recent attempts at reperatory showings of Fox films: (1) No 35mm print of VIOLENT SATURDAY could be located, and the AFI showed a 16mm pan-and-scan television print;

The AFI should have projected the French Blu-ray disc. Everyone who's seen it agrees it looks wonderful.

 

[borisfw]

Add A Flea in Her Ear , with Rex Harrison , to the horrible Pan & Scan library of Fox Cinema Archives . I bought it on an impulse when I was shopping at Amazon after it dropped to 14.99 for about a minute . Never again will I buy a Fox Archive movie till I read some kind of review of any disc this program puts out .

 

[Charles Smith]

Not that Amazon's information on this type of thing is dependable, but I see there is NO clue or mention as to aspect ratio on this one. I'd leave a blistering comment there, and write one to Fox.

 

[MatthewA]

Add A Flea in Her Ear , with Rex Harrison , to the horrible Pan & Scan library of Fox Cinema Archives . I bought it on an impulse when I was shopping at Amazon after it dropped to 14.99 for about a minute . Never again will I buy a Fox Archive movie till I read some kind of review of any disc this program puts out .

Ouch. That's one I've wanted to see since a friend of mine appeared in a production of the original play a few years ago.

What kind of studio has such contempt for its back catalog? Maybe things will change once the News Corp. split is complete.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Saw a lovely clip from "Flea in Her Ear" in the Rex Harrison 'Biography' episode and it looked fun - but I'm not spending my money on a Fox MOD until some thought and care is spent on the transfers used.

 

[borisfw]

This is something I don't understand . Maybe some of the more knowledgeable people,on this board , who understand aspect ratio better than I can answer this question . Why does Fox show Goodbye Charlie on FMC in widescreen but release it in the Fox Cinema Classics on DVD in Pan and Scan ? When I bought the DVD I thought I had recorded it off of FMC in widescreen . So I assumed it was safe to buy the Cinema Classic DVD . When I received the DVD and it was in Pan and Scan I thought maybe I had not remembered correctly . But I found my recorded DVD today and it is in widescreen . So again , why release the DVD in P&S if they have been playing it on their own channel in widescreen ? I don't get it .

 

[Doug Bull]

"I don't get it "


Neither does anybody else.

 

[borisfw]

"I don't get it "


Neither does anybody else.

OK . Thanks for your input .

 

[Lromero1396]

The ACTUAL Fox archives don't seem to be in any better shape than their video operation. Three recent examples from the American Film Institute's recent attempts at reperatory showings of Fox films: (1) No 35mm print of VIOLENT SATURDAY could be located, and the AFI showed a 16mm pan-and-scan television print; (2) No print of THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX could be provided, and the scheduled showings were cancelled, (3) No 70mm print of THE SOUND OF MUSIC was available, and a 35mm showing had to be substituted.

Perhaps that last glitch was not Fox's fault. The AFI had originally scheduled a Digital Cinema Package showing of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. But when the AFI's new digital projection equipment was not installed in time, they had to revert to a film showing. Perhaps Fox's 70mm print (I assume that they have just one) was already booked elsewhere.

AFI would seriously show a 16 mil P&S print of a 'Scope picture? Gee I guess that story about the P&S print of House of Bamboo wasn't a lie.

 

[Doug Bull]

Borisfw,

It seems obvious that those in charge of the Fox Archives are not movie enthusiasts.

They've clearly been told to produce and release these mods as cheaply as humanly possible.

There appears to be little or NO effort made to find the best quality source available to them.
I am almost certain that they have hundreds of old Videotapes on hand dating back to the pre-widescreen TV days. ( 70s, 80s and maybe 90s)
And unfortunately those antiquated tapes remain the easiest and cheapest source for the Fox Mod program.

I'm certain they wouldn't even be aware that their own FMC has a widescreen transfer of "Goodbye Charlie".

Their attitude is beyond comprehension.


Doug.

 

[Lromero1396]

Borisfw,

It seems obvious that those in charge of the Fox Archives are not movie enthusiasts.

They've clearly been told to produce and release these mods as cheaply as humanly possible.

There appears to be little or NO effort made to find the best quality source available to them.
I am almost certain that they have hundreds of old Videotapes on hand dating back to the pre-widescreen TV days. ( 70s, 80s and maybe 90s)
And unfortunately they remain the easiest and cheapest source for the Fox Mod program.

I'm certain they wouldn't even be aware that their own FMC has a widescreen transfer of "Goodbye Charlie".

Their attitude is way beyond comprehension.


Doug.

And Fox is still not making the promised improvements.

 

[ShowsOn]

Apparently the Fox MOD release of Teenage Rebel is 4:3 pan and scan even though I have a recording from TCM that is widescreen.

 

[lionel59]

They are also happy to provide European dvd companies with anamorphic Wide Screen transfers while releasing Pan-and-Scan versions through Cinema Archives in the USA. Some recent examples:
THE RAID with Van Heflin has been released in its intended 1.66:1 ratio in France.
THE FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST has been released in 2.35:1 (16:9) in France.
Sometimes French dvds have forced French subtitles, however a good copying program can usually remove them for those who wish to own a subtitle-free copy.

 

[Matt Hough]

They are also happy to provide European dvd companies with anamorphic Wide Screen transfers while releasing Pan-and-Scan versions through Cinema Archives in the USA. Some recent examples:
THE RAID with Van Heflin has been released in its intended 1.66:1 ratio in France.
THE FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST has been released in 2.35:1 (16:9) in France.
Sometimes French dvds have forced French subtitles, however a good copying program can usually remove them for those who wish to own a subtitle-free copy.

and the aforementioned 23 Paces to Baker Street.

 

[DeWilson]

Reading films that have aired on FMC or licensed out to TCM airing letter-boxed but being put out P&S is just crazy - it's like one division of the company (Home Video) doesn't know what the other (Television) has prepared.

Or is it a matter of one department wanting the other to kick in towards the already done lab costs?

 

[JoeDoakes]

This is something I don't understand . Maybe some of the more knowledgeable people,on this board , who understand aspect ratio better than I can answer this question . Why does Fox show Goodbye Charlie on FMC in widescreen but release it in the Fox Cinema Classics on DVD in Pan and Scan ? When I bought the DVD I thought I had recorded it off of FMC in widescreen . So I assumed it was safe to buy the Cinema Classic DVD . When I received the DVD and it was in Pan and Scan I thought maybe I had not remembered correctly . But I found my recorded DVD today and it is in widescreen . So again , why release the DVD in P&S if they have been playing it on their own channel in widescreen ? I don't get it .

When you say widescreen, do you mean letterbox?