To Fox: _The Blue Max_ would be nice eventually. (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

Dear 20th Century Fox:

The 1966 World War I aviation epic The Blue Max would be a lovely film to see committed to DVD. Any chance that might be considered for your 2003 releases? I bet the elements are in pretty bad shape, huh. Well, a second- or third-quarter 2003 release would give your team plenty of time to fix the film up.

Just a title for you to consider.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

JB

 

[Robert Crawford]

Fox,
How about the following titles for dvd release consideration:

• DECISION BEFORE DAWN (1952)
• THE ENEMY BELOW (1957)
• SAILOR OF THE KING (1953)
• THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS (1956)
• THE HOUSE ON 92ND STREET (1945)
• 13 RUE MADELEINE (1946)
• AN AMERICAN GUERILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES (1950)
• DESTINATION GOBI (1953)
• THE FROGMEN (1951)
• THE GLORY BRIGADE (1953)
• The Desert Fox (1951)
• The Immortal Battalion or The Way Ahead (1944)
• Sink the Bismark! (1960)
• The Hunters (1958)
• Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

Crawdaddy

 

[Jeff_HR]

I Think that is an excellant list Mr Crawford. I'd buy just about all of them.

 

[Brian E]

Fox, I'll buy any war title you see fit to release! The Blue Max is on the top of my want list.

BTW: Thanks for the great war titles you're releaseing on Tuesday, I'll be buying all of them.

 

[Peter Staddon]

OK,

Lets start with the Blue Max.

Currently we have a horrible transfer that we will not release we are working on a completely new transfer for eventual DVD release - may take 12 months. It's a great film and needs to be done properly.

The Enemy Below

Sink The Bismark

The Desert Fox

Are going to be released in the Fox War Classics Line later this year.

Many of the others are under consideration.

Crawdaddy, 13 Rue Madeleine is a great movie that I may have to bump up closer to the top of the list. Thanks for the reminder.

Thanks for your interest,

Peter Staddon

 

[Jay E]

Great News Mr Staddon!

I'm so happy that The Blue Max is being worked on.

Looking forward to picking up The Enemy Below, Sink The Bismark & The Desert Fox on DVD also.

 

[Jeff_HR]

Outstanding news Mr Staddon!!! Those films will join my library as soon as I can get my hands on them!

 

[RichWright]

Hello,
I am hoping that someone of influence at Fox will see this and please consider releasing the 1958 Korean airwar film, "The Hunters," to DVD (hopefully in "widescreen" format.)
To those readers who are under 30, you probably don't even know that this film exists - as it hasn't been shown on TV for at least 25 years. Yet it is a very good aviation film starring Robert Mitchum and Robert Wagner, and was the "Top Gun" of its day. If you like "Top Gun," you would definitely like, "The Hunters."
It's about the airwar over Korea in 1951. Mitchum plays an older fighter pilot (a "retread" from WWII) who arrives in Korea to fly F-86 jet fighters against Chinese Mig 15s. Wagner plays the young hot shot pilot who causes trouble in Mitchum's flight (like Tom Cruise's "Maverick" did in "Top Gun.")
It had the full cooperation of the Air Force in filming, and there's a LOT of great action scenes with real and FX footage of F-86's dogfighting "Migs" (actually U.S. F-84's made up to look like Migs). George Lucas actually took some of the FX combat scenes from "The Hunters" and integrated them into the first "Star Wars" film (updated, of course.)
"The Hunters" is just a very entertaining film for anyone who likes combat aviation films, and I would think that the market for any decent aviation related DVD would be significant.
The film was directed by Dick Powell, and if you've ever seen Powell's, "The Enemy Below" (made in the same year, also by Fox, and also starring Mitchum,) "The Hunters" is of the same quality.
So I hope that someone of influence will at least ask Fox to consider putting out "The Hunters" - if only a limited number. I would dearly LOVE to see it again after all these years - and I have no doubts that others would too.
I would think that if Fox made it well known that it was considering releasing "The Hunters," (maybe in aviation magazines as well as other venues) it could then get enough pre-release orders that it would take the risk out of their producing the DVD's. I know I'd order one in a second! Just a thought for perhaps convincing the studios to try it.
Perhaps it would also be to Fox's advantage to put out a double set - with "The Hunters" on one side, and "The Enemy Below" on the other. Perhaps that would be more economical for them while providing a better product for the consumer.
Anyway, if anyone at Fox reads this, Please consider bringing "The Hunters" to DVD. I think it'll be worth your while.
Thank you.
Richard M. Wright
The Hunters The Hunters

 

[Jack Briggs]

It's a great film and needs to be done properly.

And we can rest assured it will look marvelous. Thank you tremendously for the wonderful news, Mr. Staddon!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Peter,

I appreciate your fast response to this thread as well as Fox's effort in releasing classic films on dvd. Hopefully, many of our members will continue to support Fox by purchasing several of these wonderful titles.

Crawdaddy

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks for the update - can't wait to add these titles to the collection. Glad to hear The Blue Max is being worked over for the best possible transfer - I'd expected that the DeLuxe Color materials are in poor shape and need restoration.

Time to listen to the CD soundtrack of The Blue Max again!

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

This is indeed excellent news! Thanks much, Peter; three more DVDs I will definitely purchase (DESERT FOX, ENEMY BELOW, SINK THE BISMARK). It just dawned on me there is one more classic Fox war-themed film, more well-known than most, that everyone (including myself) forgot to list here and in the other Fox War Classics thread:
HEAVEN KNOWS MR. ALLISON (1957), directed by John Huston, starring Robert Mitchum & Deborah Kerr.
Anyway, more power to you, Peter, and to Fox.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Another excellent choice that I completely forgot about but it's an excellent film with two actors that had very good screen chemistry together.

Crawdaddy

 

[Jeff_HR]

"The Hunters" now that it has been mentioned, is a film that I do remember watching on TV years ago. It was a good film. I'd take it on video in any form, although DVD is better than a VHS version.

 

[David Lambert]

Thank you, Peter, for the great news on Sink The Bismark and The Enemy Below...two of my favorite naval films! I will add these to my wishlist immediately!

 

[Douglas R]

Excellent news indeed! May I add my hope that these will be released in the U.K. at the same time as the U.S. and not many, many months after as is so often the case. I also hope that The Man Who Never Was is added to the release schedule soon. Whilst I'm at it - what about Inn of the Sixth Happiness?

 

[Brian E]

Mr Staddon
Thank You

 

[Robert Crawford]

Peter,

I have added two more titles starring Robert Mitchum to the above list. Again, thanks for your consideration in this matter.

Crawdaddy

 

[Peter Staddon]

"Heaven knows Mr Allison" is a great film that I remember seeing a number of times in my youth!! It is being worked on for a release as part of a future wave of Fox War Classics.

"The Hunters" I am not familiar with. I will have to pull a copy and try and find some time to watch it.

Thanks for your input.

Peter Staddon

 

[Jeff_HR]

Great news about "Heaven knows Mr Allison"! I personally think that it is one of Mitchum's best efforts.