TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT DEBUTS Manufacture-On-Demand DVD SERIES (1 Viewer)

[moviepas]

Me & My Gal(1932) with Spencer Tracy was played often in my part of the world on mid-90s cable TV. I have never had cable I was lent a tape of it and it was excellent. We will see what the DVD-R is like in comparison.

Salzburg Connection I have had for some time as a pressed disc. I customer of my former shop brought a copy of the paperback for me to road back in the 90s and I found it a great read. We are still in touch he was rapt when I was able to tell him the film was finally available.

After what Fox did to their negatives & preprints in bad storage in thew 1930s and were burnt, another fire 30 years later in the same general area, and, the nitrate negative general destruction after they made new masters, how does one expect any better from this company. Different ownerships and managements do not seems to have made any difference. I worked for them for 11-13 years but in the field with their suburban newspapers and only once or twice went to their nearby office and printery(although earlier I worked one Sat nite for a proof reading service there on a Sunday newspaper on the market at the time). I, at least, got paid every week if my figures were in on time.

 

[lionel59]

Update re HILDA CRANE. I have been informed by a website movie store that this title is in Letterbox fornmat (ie. non-anamorphic 2.35:1). The Wide Screen transfer broadcast by FMC is excellent so there is every chance it will be the same print.

 

[Professor Echo]

I posted this elsewhere, but thought it might be useful here. For those who have Fox Movie Channel HD, the 2:35 presentations are cropped to fit widescreen TVs without any black bars.

Here I thought I could make my own DVD-R anamorphic copies and improve upon their sorry MOD program, but they found a way to screw even that up and once again thwart the original intentions of filmmakers. I can still create my own anamorphic copies of films that were originally 1:85, but at the original Cinemascope studio, that doesn't help much.

 

[Matt Hough]

I posted this elsewhere, but thought it might be useful here. For those who have Fox Movie Channel HD, the 2:35 presentations are cropped to fit widescreen TVs without any black bars.

Here I thought I could make my own DVD-R anamorphic copies and improve upon their sorry MOD program, but they found a way to screw even that up and once again thwart the original intentions of filmmakers. I can still create my own anamorphic copies of films that were originally 1:85, but at the original Cinemascope studio, that doesn't help much.

I noticed that they had done that with The Man Who Never Was last week. I recorded Boy on a Dolphin but had only started watching it, but they didn't seem to have done it to that CInemascope film.

 

[Professor Echo]

I don't know how far you watched, Matt, but I would be interested to know if they do air that one in its original ratio. Sometimes they don't zoom in until part of the way through the first scene. The credits are always run full CinemaScope. Please let me know if the entire feature is in Scope. Thanks.

 

[Justin Ray]

Today's Releases:

Looks as though Tales of Manhattan replaced the previously scheduled Wake Up and Dream. No mention of the W.C. Fields segment that Fox featured on their VHS release of Tales of Manhattan, but the lack of special features on most of the other FCA titles makes me wonder if the Fields bit will be absent from the DVD-R release.

 

[Justin Ray]

Today's Releases:

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Looks as though Tales of Manhattan replaced the previously scheduled Wake Up and Dream. No mention of the W.C. Fields segment that Fox featured on their VHS release of Tales of Manhattan, but the lack of special features on most of the other FCA titles makes me wonder if the Fields bit will be absent from the DVD-R release.

Note: FCA's release of Tales of Manhattan runs 118 minutes; FMC has shown a restored print (and by restored, I mean with all six stories) of the film, running 127 minutes, with the Fields' segment mostly in-tact. If the Fields' story IS included on this DVD release, it will likely arrive as an extra.

 

[moviepas]

The Fields sequence referred to was in the Image release Inside Hollywood 11: 20th Century-Fox in 2002. It is listed on the start of the back slick blurb and 13mins. I believe there was a Laserdisc of the film but I never saw it.

 

[lionel59]

According to the specs given at Oldies.com THE FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST is -no surprise here- PAN AND SCAN! I believe the European transfer was 16:9 CinemaScope.
By the way, the French transfer of THE RAID is in 1.66 to 1, the correct aspect ratio.They have also released a CinemaScope transfer of GUNMAN'S WALK with Van Heflin and Tab Hunter. Maybe the French dvd companies don't take "No" for an answer when they request a transfer of a movie in its correct ratio. They did better than Twilight Time in getting an anamorphic Blu Ray master of VIOLENT SATURDAY. TT were told they could only have a LBX master.(Admittedly, this was before they began releasing titles in Blu Ray).
Thanks again Fox MOD. We'll keep looking for better, overseas transfers of your titles.

 

[Mark Collins]

Boy On A Dolphin is in LB. I have watched it many times. I did not know Fox Movie Channel was in HD. I have HD on all channels but that one. I am waiting for King of the Khyber Rifles. I returned Tender is the Night and Marriage Go Round even though Marriage was in LB. So they do release some titles in the right ratio. I have no idea what they are thinking. I believe Ron stated here that he brought this whole issue up to them when visiting the lot. I believe he said they knew about the problem but made no comment.

I have faith in James FInn and wonder where he comes down on all of this. He has helped and solved problems with Fox before. Perhaps he will comment on this thread when he has a free moment.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Boy On A Dolphin is in LB. I have watched it many times. I did not know Fox Movie Channel was in HD. I have HD on all channels but that one. I am waiting for King of the Khyber Rifles. I returned Tender is the Night and Marriage Go Round even though Marriage was in LB. So they do release some titles in the right ratio. I have no idea what they are thinking. I believe Ron stated here that he brought this whole issue up to them when visiting the lot. I believe he said they knew about the problem but made no comment.

I have faith in James FInn and wonder where he comes down on all of this. He has helped and solved problems with Fox before. Perhaps he will comment on this thread when he has a free moment.

I brought up the issue with Fox during our HTF Meet event there. As of right now, they haven't done a thing to improve this MOD program. I won't buy another Fox MOD title until they prove to me that they have improve their PQ issues with actual title releases out in marketplace. It's up to consumers to influence these studios in improving the products they sell us.

 

[Mark Collins]

Glad you made the correction Robert. I still however wonder how many titles have been release in LB and what the heck is going on over there. I have yet to purchase one title from the program. Rifles might bring me out but only after i read a review here.

I refuse though to give up on James Finn or people such as you. I think this thread should keep going and going with more members stating the same thing you have. We know Fox does value HTF members. Many of the early 30s and 40s titles I would like but have not purchased them just for the reasons you and many members have said.

 

[jdee28]

FYI, a number of Fox MODs are currently on sale at Amazon for $11.49.

 

[Professor Echo]

Mark, thanks for your answer about BOY ON A DOLPHIN, but I was specifically asking how it's shown on FMC HD and if it's in 2:35 or cropped. I guess I'll just wait for them to show it again and check it out for myself.

A quick question to keep me from having to re-read the entire thread again: Have any of the FOX MODs been released in anamorphic widescreen? I ask because I noticed my local libraries are getting some titles in now and I don't want to waste my time checking out these if they are all P&S or flat letterboxed. Thanks.

 

[Mark Collins]

Marriage Go Round is the only one I know of. I returned it to Amazon with no problem because I was upset about Tender Is The Night. I also must check out how to get FMC in HD from Direct TV. Perhaps I cannot.

I should add that I never viewed Marriage. I just went by what people said about the film in I believe another thread. Night was clear on the outside of the package that it was P&S. I had also read that it was on a HTF thread. I thought all stated the ratio at least on the back of each but could be wrong. I have only held the two titles i spoke of in my hand and quickly sent them back.

Thanks for the FYI on the sale at Amazon! I have spent a lot of money at the B&N sale over the past few weeks. Have to watch my budget because I can go crazy at B&N sales. I updated my Hitchcock film Library and added a few new films. Do not regret the upgrade on Lady or the 39 Steps. Great BDs!!

 

[Brent S]

Note: FCA's release of Tales of Manhattan runs 118 minutes; FMC has shown a restored print (and by restored, I mean with all six stories) of the film, running 127 minutes, with the Fields' segment mostly in-tact. If the Fields' story IS included on this DVD release, it will likely arrive as an extra.

Fox's 1996 VHS runs 127 minutes, even though the packaging says 120 minutes. The majority of the Fields story is included, i.e., the tailor shop and the lecture.

If the DVD indeed is 118 minutes, Fields' segment is certainly a question. Or like the VHS, maybe Fox's info is wrong?

Once someone knows for sure, please report.

 

[Matt Hough]

Mark, thanks for your answer about BOY ON A DOLPHIN, but I was specifically asking how it's shown on FMC HD and if it's in 2:35 or cropped. I guess I'll just wait for them to show it again and check it out for myself.

A quick question to keep me from having to re-read the entire thread again: Have any of the FOX MODs been released in anamorphic widescreen? I ask because I noticed my local libraries are getting some titles in now and I don't want to waste my time checking out these if they are all P&S or flat letterboxed. Thanks.

I've gotten about thirty minutes in, and Boy on a Dolphin is still in its Cinemascope ratio, so I'm assuming it's going to stay that way.

I've reviewed a few of the Cinemascope Fox MODs, and they're all over the map. The Marriage-Go-Round and Sons and Lovers are anamorphic widescreen. The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker is letterboxed but not anamorphic. Say One for Me is pan and scan as is 23 Paces to Baker Street.

 

[lionel59]

WAKE ME WHEN IT'S OVER, THE DUCHESS AND THE DIRTWATER FOX, HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS, ONE FOOT IN HELL. THE OREGON TRAIL, THE SECOND TIME AROUND, SONS AND LOVERS, and OH MEN! OH WOMEN! are anamorphic 2.35:1 transfers in the Fox Cinema Archives series.I think THIS IS MY LIFE is also anamorphic. Some of the titles released in non-anamorphic Letterbox format have had 16:9 releases elsewhere (eg. FROM HELL TO TEXAS, TAKE HER SHE'S MINE)
THE MARRIAGE GO ROUND is a good anamorphic transfer which reportedly had a processing flaw which did not show up on my Sony Bravia monitor.In comparison to Pan/Scan or Letterbox transfers,this kind of transfer is practically as "rare as hen's teeth" in the catalogue.

 

[classicmovieguy]

"Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox" was previously available as a pressed disc (a flipper with both widescreen and pan/scan prints), so Fox is simply recycling what it already had on hand.

 

[Doug Bull]

There are some members here who seem to accept a 4:3 letterbox transfer as being OK.
Certainly it's better than pan and scan, but...
It may have been quite acceptable back in the Laserdisc days, but there were no other alternatives if you wanted to view a widescreen movie close to the correct aspect ratio.

The huge problem was and still is the horribly low and poor detail that a 4:3 letterbox disc delivers.
I just refuse to buy non Anamorphic Discs of Widescreen Movies.

Take note FOX, I'm sure I'm not alone.

We can only pray and hope that Fox Archives start releasing full Anamorphic transfers where applicable.
Anything less is totally unacceptable in 2013.