Which Fox Film Noir title should I try first?
03-14-06, 01:35 PM
#1
Which Fox Film Noir title should I try first?
Hi there! I love old black and white films and have been curious about the Fox Film Noir titles for a while. Having just finished up my Val Lewton set, I'd like to try one or two of Fox's series. Can anyone suggest maybe a title or two that would be great blind buys for me to sample the series? I'm kind of inclined toward "Laura" and I'm curious about the one with Lucille Ball (can't remember title), but I'd like some suggestions too. Thanks! 
03-14-06, 02:23 PM
#2
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Laura is one of the definitive films noir. There is a reason that it is number one in the collection. It would make a great blind buy. The title with Lucille Ball (Dark Corner) was surprisingly good. I also really enjoyed Kiss of Death. I received Dark Corner, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Kiss of Death as part of a contest, otherwise I might not have been exposed to them. Kiss of Death has one of the most memorable film debuts that I have ever seen: Richard Widmark.
03-14-06, 02:25 PM
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Nightmare Alley has been my favorite so far and I also really enjoyed Panic in the Streets. That said, I'm a noir junkie and I own em' all. Laura is the good "safe" choice for a starting point... The Lucille Ball title is The Dark Corner.
Here's the DVDTalk noir thread if you're interested in other titles that aren't available in the Fox series. > http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=260301
Here's the DVDTalk noir thread if you're interested in other titles that aren't available in the Fox series. > http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=260301
03-14-06, 02:34 PM
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You just can't go wrong with any of the above thats been suggested. Laura, as Zhivago said...is a good safe starting point. I'm very fond of Fallen Angel, which is a nice one to get with Laura. Double dose of Dana Andrews and FA has one of my fave commenteries. Get those two and work on the rest afterwards. I own all of the Fox noir titles and will no doubt buy all the rest that come. Also loved No Way Out. Brutal stuff.
I too love the Val Lewton box...outstanding.
So thats 3 corpses I'm in-love with:
Linda Darnell
Simone Simon
...and Laura.
I too love the Val Lewton box...outstanding.
So thats 3 corpses I'm in-love with:
Linda Darnell
Simone Simon
...and Laura.
03-14-06, 05:36 PM
#7
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Fox's noirs are good, and Fox offers the dvds at a great price, and they have great transfers with good extras.
But compared to the noirs of Warner, Paramount, Universal and especially RKO, the Fox noirs just aren't as much fun. As D.K.Holmes points out, the other studios' noirs were meant to excite, thrill, scare and amuse. They may also have had deeper impulses, but excitement was the ostensible goal. Fox, under the leadership of Zanuck, wanted to educate. Being a well-meaning mainstream liberal type politically (though a Republican when it came to business), Zanuck wanted to make movies that helped rectify the ills of society. That's all well and good, but it's an attitude can make for some pretty dry, polemical, didactic films, especially in a genre that advertises itself as all action and thrills.
That being said, within the Fox cannon, "Laura" is as good a place to start as any, followed by the great "Kiss Of Death".
But I would first recommend Warner Brother's initial noir box-set:
A couple good Universal noirs are "This Gun for Hire" and "Criss Cross". If you have an all region player, there's a decent dvd of "Double Indemnity" available in the UK, which is rightfully considered one of the best noirs ever.
If you're not too hung up on the quality of a dvd's presentation, this DVD (pictured below) has five GREAT public-domain noir films (in an acceptable presentation) for around $20. It has D.O.A., Detour, The Stranger, Scarlet Street and Too Late For Tears. And it has a bonus disc loaded with lots of great vintage noir trailers.
But compared to the noirs of Warner, Paramount, Universal and especially RKO, the Fox noirs just aren't as much fun. As D.K.Holmes points out, the other studios' noirs were meant to excite, thrill, scare and amuse. They may also have had deeper impulses, but excitement was the ostensible goal. Fox, under the leadership of Zanuck, wanted to educate. Being a well-meaning mainstream liberal type politically (though a Republican when it came to business), Zanuck wanted to make movies that helped rectify the ills of society. That's all well and good, but it's an attitude can make for some pretty dry, polemical, didactic films, especially in a genre that advertises itself as all action and thrills.
That being said, within the Fox cannon, "Laura" is as good a place to start as any, followed by the great "Kiss Of Death".
But I would first recommend Warner Brother's initial noir box-set:
A couple good Universal noirs are "This Gun for Hire" and "Criss Cross". If you have an all region player, there's a decent dvd of "Double Indemnity" available in the UK, which is rightfully considered one of the best noirs ever.
If you're not too hung up on the quality of a dvd's presentation, this DVD (pictured below) has five GREAT public-domain noir films (in an acceptable presentation) for around $20. It has D.O.A., Detour, The Stranger, Scarlet Street and Too Late For Tears. And it has a bonus disc loaded with lots of great vintage noir trailers.
03-14-06, 08:35 PM
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Laura is one of the best films I've ever seen. And it's amazing to watch Vincent Price in a straight role before he was typecast as a looney horror film star.
03-14-06, 09:51 PM
#11
Thanks to everyone who replied to my initial post! I think I will start with LAURA. slop101's suggestion about the Warner Bros. set is good (and I really liked the Val Lewton set), but I think I'll test the waters of Noir with the Fox line and see if I get hooked before I consider a box set. Anyway, thanks again everyone!
03-15-06, 12:51 AM
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DVD Basen has reviews for all 15 titles.
I own all 15, but I'm partial to LAURA (and the other Otto Preminger films in the series), NIGHTMARE ALLEY, Sam Fuller's HOUSE OF BAMBOO and the maniacal laugh of Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark) in KISS OF DEATH.
Here's a link to all 15 Fox Noirs!
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/uk/home.php3?&mvis=ok&ok6=go
Here's a link to all 15 Fox Noirs!
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/uk/home.php3?&mvis=ok&ok6=go
Last edited by Tony Block; 03-15-06 at 12:59 AM.
03-15-06, 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by slop101
But compared to the noirs of Warner, Paramount, Universal and especially RKO, the Fox noirs just aren't as much fun. As D.K.Holmes points out, the other studios' noirs were meant to excite, thrill, scare and amuse. They may also have had deeper impulses, but excitement was the ostensible goal. Fox, under the leadership of Zanuck, wanted to educate. Being a well-meaning mainstream liberal type politically (though a Republican when it came to business), Zanuck wanted to make movies that helped rectify the ills of society. That's all well and good, but it's an attitude can make for some pretty dry, polemical, didactic films, especially in a genre that advertises itself as all action and thrills.
That being said, within the Fox cannon, "Laura" is as good a place to start as any, followed by the great "Kiss Of Death".
But I would first recommend Warner Brother's initial noir box-set:
That being said, within the Fox cannon, "Laura" is as good a place to start as any, followed by the great "Kiss Of Death".
But I would first recommend Warner Brother's initial noir box-set:
If you had to pick just one from the Warner set, Out of the Past is a fine, fine movie. Hands down my favorite noir of all.
My personal choice in the Fox line is also Nightmare Alley.
05-16-06, 07:46 AM
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Watched Laura last night. My first "Noir"
absolutely LOVED it. My wife and I were enthralled from start to finish. Also picked up Nightmare Alley, and will be giving that a spin very soon.
absolutely LOVED it. My wife and I were enthralled from start to finish. Also picked up Nightmare Alley, and will be giving that a spin very soon.
05-16-06, 08:35 PM
#15
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Gotta throw my hat in for Laura as well. It's my favorite noir by foir.
Last year I went on an awesome noir streak via Netflix. Come to think of it, there's a bunch I didn't get to yet......
Last year I went on an awesome noir streak via Netflix. Come to think of it, there's a bunch I didn't get to yet......
