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Fox Cinema Archives release, Jan. 2014: WIDESCREEN

posted 10 years ago by hobnob53
18 replies | jump to latest

Beneath the 12-Mile Reef has just been released on DVD by 20th Century Fox.

The release is part of the studio's Fox Cinema Archives series, but what's surprising is that the DVD is in its original widescreen format. So far, all but one or two CinemaScope movies released on the FCA line have been in poor pan-and-scan prints, a policy that's been met with a lot of anger among film collectors, especially since it was Fox that pioneered modern widescreen films.

Even better news is that the print is pristine and the film looks excellent.

Beneath is one of a few early 50s films Fox neglected to renew its copyright on in the late 70s and early 80s, so it's been in the public domain for decades. Most video versions have been pan-and-scan, though there are a couple of widescreen p.d. releases as well, but the quality of most of these bootlegs hasn't been very good.

However, the original negative is still held by Fox, and the fact that the film is in the public domain doesn't mean the original studio can't also release it, which generally means it should be the best print available. So if you're looking for a good widescreen copy this should be the choice. Retail price varies from site to site but is normally around $19.99.

Perhaps because this was 20th's third 'Scope film (the first two, The Robe and How to Marry a Millionaire, have long been out on standard DVD), Fox decided to do it justice by releasing it in its correct aspect ratio. Or could it be that they're finally going to start issuing all their widescreen films in their proper format? Nah.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Thanks Hobnob! Always looking for any upgrades on movies I have in my DVD collection. (heck, I still have a few VHS's like SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD, another Fox movie shot in CinemaScope, but never released on DVD or its proper ratio).

I do have a copy of BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF and in widescreen, but as is, it is a public domain version, meaning it does not look as pristine as it should, the audio is not as sharp and there were a few cut scenes, namely Gilbert Roland throwing his Greek "punch" at poor Peter Graves.

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

Hey, my pleasure, Big-G! I have a p.d. w/s version too but figured this would be the best option, even though it's technically a DVD-R.

However, I subsequently saw another new FCA title, In Love and War, a film also shot in CinemaScope, and they're releasing it in pan & scan. So BTTMR is, as expected, a widescreen exception, not Fox turning over a new leaf.

I like Seven Cities of Gold too, but if it ever comes out via FCA, expect a grainy p-&-s p-of-s.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

While not a great movie, for me SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD is interesting because, I am close to one of the missions Father Junípero Serra founded (Mission San Juan Capistrano, where the swallows come to roost every Spring). As a kid in school, we learned about Father Serra and Portola and currently have streets named after them. And to my knowledge, this is the only Hollywood film where these characters were fleshed out. If you ever find out anything about a possible DVD release (and in widescreen), feel free to PM me!

BENEATH will be interesting to see only because of the great underwater scenes, which always looked murky in previous versions I've had. I hope that this new release, we will see it the way the filmmakers had wanted us to view it.

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

While I haven't watched the entire disc yet, from the early going this FCA release of Beneath does look good, underwater scenes included. I suppose it's the best we'll ever get anyway, unless Fox does a Blu-ray.

When the studio began shifting its output from standard to widescreen films in 1953, Darryl F. Zanuck famously told his producers, "Give me movies with width, not depth!" With Beneath the 12-Mile Reef he really got his wish!

I'll certainly let you know if I ever hear anything about Seven Cities of Gold. I'd like to have it too. The Fox Movie Channel used to show it in widescreen, but they've sort of been merged with FXM and while they still run older films during the daytime their letterboxing can be a bit hinkey -- not correct, if at all.

Though I knew about the film I never actually saw it until it ran on FMC a few years ago, and frankly it was better than I expected. Only Jeffrey Hunter as an Indian was hard to swallow -- fittingly, I guess, you know, considering Capistrano and all....

I especially couldn't help wincing in bemusement when he pronounced, with studied solemnity, the immortal line: "But we will keep...the scissors."

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Yes, I very much agree on the miscast of Jeffrey Hunter. Ironically, he played a part-Cherokee in THE SEARCHERS, and with these two movies, he would be the brother of the WEST SIDE STORY women, Natalie Wood (SEARCHERS) & Rita Moreno (SEVEN CITIES).

For BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF, I decided to watch some of my PD. Yikes! Last year, I finally got an HD T.V. but, had yet to watch this film. Needless to say, it looks terrible. Very glad, I won’t be watching this edition anymore.

And in reading some comments on Amazon.com, all the reviewers agree, that this is the best version they have ever seen. A definite step up over anything else. The only debit I could find among them was that it had no special features. That, I don’t mind at all. Picture quality that is my biggest need, and it looks like they have delivered. I did meet Terry Moore a couple of years ago, but unfortunately, I never had a chance to bring up this film (it was mostly MIGHTY JOE YOUNG talk).

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

How is Terry? I remember reading many years ago that when she went to Korea to entertain the troops the commanding officer wouldn't allow her to go on stage because she was wearing what he deemed as too brief a bikini to allow his men to see. She was not shy. This was around the time she made Beneath the 12-Mile Reef.

I hadn't seen the Amazon reviews so I'm glad they're good for this release. Of course a major problem people have always complained about with Amazon is that when there are multiple editions of a film on DVD they just lump all the reviews together on every edition's site, so you can't know which one they're talking about unless the reviewer specifies it.

I agree with you about extras. Mostly I don't care about them. Having the film uncut, in a good print, with good picture and sound and in its correct aspect ratio, is all that matters. Most extras don't interest me, and some of the commentaries I've heard are so amazingly stupid I'm stunned the companies had the nerve to add them on.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Terry was definitely not one who was afraid to show a lot of skin! If I recall, she and Robert Wagner did some publicity pictures for BENEATH with her in a bikini, but ultimately, she did not come close to wearing anything like that in the movie (unless there are cut scenes I am totally unaware of, and maybe this version brings them back? ).

She was very, very nice, and it was great talking about MJY and how she got along wonderfully with the whole cast - Robert Armstrong, Frank McHugh, her lifelong friendship with Ben Johnson, and it was especially fun hearing about the tug-of-war men (Primo Carnera, etc) and how they virtually treated her as their own little girl! Incidentally, she never had seen KING KONG, when she was making MJY.

And unless it is a movie I am really interested in knowing more about, like say METROPOLIS, I really don’t care if it contains any special features or a commentary. We’ve enjoyed movies without them in the past. I just want the best available print possible.

I am going try to look for this film over the weekend. I seriously doubt I will find it, but it is no harm to check. Search Barnes & Noble, yes, but my local Fry’s has just as good as a selection as well, so I will give them a shot (otherwise, it is an Amazon order).

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

If you mean you're going to look for Beneath, it's sold only on line -- like all Fox Cinema Archives titles: one of those "Not Sold In Stores" discs. Shop around for the best price. Usually FCA titles can be found for about $18.75, sometimes a bit higher, but if you see a sale it can be a few dollars less. Unfortunately, as a new release it almost certainly won't be on sale (that takes a few months).

Yes, you and I have the same attitude about whether commentary and extras are important. For me, only on particular films I really like, or where there may be something offbeat as an extra. Both Criterion's and Classic Media's Godzilla come to mind as examples of extras I wanted to see or hear.

Terry has a very brief two-piece (not really bikini) shot in the film Man on a Tightrope (1953), with Fredric March as the head of a circus troupe in Czechoslovakia that decides to make a break for freedom. Terry's his daughter and there's a 30-second sequence where she's swimming with Cameron Mitchell, her new-found lover in the circus; more accurately, rolling around in the water as they get swept downstream, kissing and groping one another, in what looks like a very cold river.

The scene would be sexier if they both really didn't look like they were freezing!

But I guess Terry liked the effect on her nipples.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

You are right hobnob. I gave it my shot this weekened that perhaps the movie might be available at some retail. No such luck at Barnes & Noble or Fry's (and sometimes, they do sell used DVDs, so maybe I could have lucked out). It is a definate online order.

Yes, I recall that scene in MAN ON A TIGHTROPE, and how terribly unconforatable it must have been for both of them! It is a good bet, she probably preferred the warmer waters of Key West (though I do recall her stating that the u/w kissing scene with Robert Wagner required a lot of practice).

And it is ironic that Terry would not be seen in a full-fledged bikini in a motion picture until A MAN CALLED DAGGER from 1968 (when she was nearly 40). I've actually never seen that movie before, only the trailer. I don't think it has been available on DVD. But I understand it is not very good however, and even the film's star, the late Paul Mantee didn't think much of it.

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

Yes, the Keys in winter are infinitely better than Czechoslovakia in summer, especially in 1953! But I imagine Robert Wagner didn't mind their "practice" sessions either, particularly if they pretended their hotel-room quilt simulated being underwater. With the pillows as stand-ins for sponges.

I know of but have never seen A Man Called Dagger, and what little I've heard of it confirms how poor it is. But I'm glad TM got a chance to wear a bikini in a movie at last, long after I'm sure she was wearing them in public. The Howard Hughes influence must've helped too. I never really found Terry all that good-looking or even sexy, but I suppose wantonness works just as well.

As for this DVD, as I said, check around for the best price, though at this time I think there won't be much difference.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

It never hurts to check online pricing and I will eventually order it. However, I had been saving up to buy the recently released Harryhausen Sinbad blu-rays as well as IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD MAD WORLD.

But I will buy it and when I do, I will come back here and give my review of this new disk (and I'm sure it will be a positive one).

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

Which Harryhausen Sinbad Blu-rays are you speaking of, Big G? If you mean the one (or ones?) from Twilight Time the only title still available is Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger and it's limited to one copy per customer -- meaning it's probably selling fast.

I thought another of his Sinbad movies had been released by TT too -- wasn't it The Golden Voyage of Sinbad? But I just checked their listings on SAE and it's not there, meaning it's sold out. I think I recall seeing a notice to that effect a number of weeks ago. Did you manage to get it? No other RH films are listed.

Now that Criterion has switched to Blu-ray/DVD combo packs the days of less pricey DVD releases from the label are over. $39.99 is once again the new normal. Unfortunately, IAMMMMW has so many features that it's priced at $49.99. My advice is to wait till Barnes & Noble has another of its 50%-off sales and pounce then...though that probably won't be till June or July. (As we've discussed, with a membership card you get 55% off.) Alternatively, once or twice a year Criterion itself has a 24-hour on-line 50%-off sale, but I think you have to be signed up for their newsletter and/or have a Criterion store account to receive email notification of a sale. (And, of course, you have to see the email in time!) Do you get these notices? It's interesting, because over the course of the 24 hours the site regularly updates what's selling fastest, what's been sold out, and so on, plus you get one or two additional email reminders about the sale. I imagine in both cases a lot of people will want to buy IAMMMMW, but we should be able to get ours without fuss. Personally, I'm waiting for a sale. $24.99, and even better $22.49, is a lot better than $49.99, and I'm in no hurry for it.

BTW, I saw the prices for Beneath the 12-Mile Reef on Amazon, Movies Unlimited and SAE. At this time the first two have it for $19.99 and the third has it for $18.75. Prices can fluctuate, of course, sometimes daily, but I hope this helps a bit.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

It's a good thing you told me Hobnob. I just ordered EYE OF THE TIGER. As for GOLDEN VOYAGE, I am afraid I missed out on that (but I will get that eventually through other means. It is my destiny after all! ).

And you are probably right that I should wait for another Criterion sale at Barnes & Noble. I have the membership card and get the coupons via e-mail, but I don't get the Criterion on-line 50% off sale from them. Interestingly, we have two local B&N and I have yet to see IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD in either of the stores.

I have seen BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF listed at those prices. Rakuten.com (formerly Buy.com) has it listed for $19.98. Barnes & Noble online has it for $17.99

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dvd-beneath-the-12-mile-reef-robert-wa gner/3638175?ean=24543901501

My B&N membership may knock it down, but it might be offset by the shipping and handling. We will see!

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

Big G -- I just checked Amazon for you and found TT's Golden Voyage for sale new for $34.95 on Amazon Marketplace. ORDER QUICKLY!! The next lowest price is $85.95!!

Get back to me later.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Thanks hobnob! Unfortunately, I don’t come into some money until next week (what money I do have right now, goes into paying bills). Damn! Hopefully that price will stay there until that time. If not, well then, someone else will eventually have it available down the line and hopefully selling it for less than 80 dollars!

For BENEATH THE 12 MILE REEF, the Barnes & Noble online seems to be the cheapest price at $17.99. However, I will wait until I get their next coupon on e-mail, hopefully offsetting considerably the tax, plus shipping and handling.

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

Well, I hope you do manage to get it sorted out, Big G. That price is only $5 more than the original cost and I doubt the seller has more than one copy.

One thing I've learned about SAE, including Twilight Time, is that if something in a limited edition that you know will be a big seller comes up for pre-order, don't wait; or, if they're actually available at that time, get it as quickly as you can. This has happened to me a couple of times with CDs there, losing out on something I wanted because it sold hyper-fast.

This also means keeping a close eye on the product's status. SAE sometimes -- but by no means always -- issues a "low-quantity alert" on fast-selling items. But that's only sometimes. More often than not you have no idea something's about to disappear until after it's vanished for good.

However, normally they do do this with TT discs (they currently have such alerts on the Blu-ray of Enemy Mine and the DVD of the 1966 Stagecoach, so both will probably be gone within a few days). So you usually have some warning with that particular label. But I remember that when TT's BR of Christine was coming up, something I never saw before happened: it sold out before its release date...and in that instance there were no low-quantity alerts of any kind. On the day of its official debut it was gone and made their listings for only a few hours! Lucky for me I didn't want it.

As for BTTMR, that DVD will be around for a good long time, so no worries there. Also you're lucky in that the price only varies by a dollar or two -- not like the $50-plus variations on some titles we know! -- so it's not as though you'd be paying a huge difference with one seller vs. another.

[–] Big G-2 10 years ago

Unfortunately, it looks like someone grabbed the GOLDEN VOYAGE 34 dollar copy. And now the cheapest price is 65 dollars! Thanks anyway Hobnob. I appreciate it. It does save me from sweating this thing out for a week.

I will get it eventually somewhere (but if the price goes over $100 dollars, then I say nay to that!).

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

I tried!

But if you can find it for $65, I'd still pounce. Sacrifice Reef for another month if you have to and get it. Unfortunately, it won't be getting any better.