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20th Century Fox - The First 50 Years
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9786305837534
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
ISBN: 6305837538
Label: Image Entertainment
Languages: English (Original Language),
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Image Entertainment
Region Code: 1
Release Date: August 15, 2000
Running Time: 129 minutes
Studio: Image Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: January 21, 1997
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Editorial Review:
Darryl Zanuck was an anomaly among Hollywood moguls, a studio head who rose from the ranks of writers and producers and never lost his respect for stories or screenwriters. 20th Century Fox: The First 50 Years, a whirlwind tour through the studio that Zanuck built, never reveals much of the man but ably documents his achievements. Writer-director Kevin Burns, who has made a career chronicling the studio's fortunes, spotlights Fox's industry-shaking innovations--the sound-on-film Movietone process in the late 1920s and the widescreen CinemaScope process in the early 1950s--and dives into the crisis of Cleopatra, which threatened to bankrupt the studio. It was saved by a little musical by the name of The Sound of Music. To illustrate the studio's early foray into TV production, he unearths extremely rare clips of telefilm remakes of Fox classics Laura (starring Robert Stack) and Miracle on 34th Street (with Thomas Mitchell). The balance of the portrait is an infomercial for the studio's greatest hits, a montage of classic film clips only intermittently spiced with interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Narrated by James Coburn, this documentary is an entertaining look at the changing face of Hollywood and the changing fortunes of its classiest studio. Though rarely as probing as it could be, it's pleasantly informative. --Sean Axmaker
Step inside the Hollywood dream factory! If you love movies, you won't want to miss this fascinating and fact-filled chronicle of the first 50 years of Twentieth Century Fox. Hosted by James Coburn, this look back at the birth of a major Hollywood movie studio is packed with 129 minutes worth of clips from over 120 films, revealing interviews, archival footage and fascinating film outtakes. You'll witness the boom times and the hard times. The unforgettable stars and stories. The trend-setting innovations and behind-the-scenes moments. They're here to enjoy as Shirley Temple, Tyrone Power, Betty Grable, Henry Fonda, Marilyn Monroe and more great stars shine...as beloved classics (The Grapes of Wrath, Miracle on 34th Street), musicals (The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!) and little gems (Charlie Chan at the Opera) shape legends and lore...as studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck builds an unforgettable Hollywood dream factory. They're all here. For a movie fan, they're all a dream come true.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - A great look at the history of Fox
Not being familair with the history of 20th Century Fox, this was a great way to learn A LOT about the ups and down of the studio. One of the added bonus videos was pretty neat - the presentation to the Board members back in the 40's. It showed off areas of the studio and the "stars" of that time - many I thought "who's that?" A great overall collection for film buffs wanting to learn about the Fox studios.
Rating:  - A great DVD for any history buff
When I moved to Hollywood about 5 months ago I did not know anything about the motion picture business nor the city where I live. As someone who loves history I started out to seek good books on the history of Hollywood. Most of the I found where good but dry. I found this DVD about a week ago and I love it. The DVD takes a look at the history of 20th Century Fox. The DVD moves at a good speed and really looks at the people and the films that made 20th Century Fox what it is today. The clips ... Read More
Rating: - Movie buffs, old timers, and foxy people only!
I found this an extremely interesting documentary on The Studio, (as it was known before it's slew of Drew Barrymore vehicles, where she plays a virgin... again.) It was also fairly entertaining. The DVD, however, is recommended, in my humble opinion, to only those who are self-acknowledged movie buffs, or were alive at the time of Fox's first 50 years, or who are just FOX-y people. This is not recommended for the casual viewer, but for the viewer with the specific requirements mentioned. On the plus ... Read More
Rating: - WOW! Better than "That's Entertainment!"!
I'm usually not a fan of big, blowsy, overblown studio self-tributes, but this is the happy exception! At just over two hours, the documentary is concise, well written, and brilliantly edited. Super-cool James Coburn provides the "voice of god" narration. The title is a little confusing, however. It suggests that the documentary covers only "the first 50 years" (1915-1965) but the program actually acknowledges Fox's history up to the present (although not in as much detail). ... Read More
Rating:  - With James Coburn as narrator, you know what to expect
The litmus test for this kind of compilation film is usually the time spent on and the patience you have with lesser known material. Usually titles are lesser known for a reason. However, as this doco runs over 2 hours (It's no joke that one title is The Longest Day), I found myself growing more and more desperate for lesser known material, like a man with a restricted diet. The problem with the films of this particular studio is that their catalogue doesn't contain much of anything that hasn't been ... Read More
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