Directed by John Ford

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solaris72
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:03 pm
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Directed by John Ford

#1 Post by solaris72 » Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:36 am

It looks like Commodore Ascot's documentary "Directed by John Ford" will be getting a release:
Actually, we're [he and Bogdanovich] re-cutting and updating the John Ford documentary. We've done new interviews with Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Walter Hill and others. It's really exciting. It will air on Turner Classic Movies [this October].
No doubt a DVD release will follow.

Narshty
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#2 Post by Narshty » Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:47 pm

Is this a Warner production? And is it getting a DVD release?

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Jeff
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#3 Post by Jeff » Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:58 pm

Narshty wrote:Is this a Warner production? And is it getting a DVD release?
No. It's owned by Bogdanovich. If TCM is showing the recut version, it may or may not turn up on a Warner DVD eventually, but it's going in "Old Films" for now.

I'm very pleased that this is finally getting shown. When people were speculating about what Ford film(s) Criterion had acquired, I would have sworn that this would have turned up as a supplement. It's probably better this way though, because Criterion would have excised most of the film clips, just like in Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron. I suspect that TCM will be able to license most of the clips, and they'll certainly have all of the Warner ones. Directed by John Ford is a pretty good film in its own right, so I wish that they wouldn't re-edit it. Boggy could just as easily craft a short follow up film with the new interviews.
Last edited by Jeff on Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Narshty
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#4 Post by Narshty » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:00 pm

I was certain this would make it onto whatever Ford they were doing too, but the Anderson piece isn't too bad (rather too brief though). I'd love to see the whole thing in its original form, but Bogdanovich has to restore his directorial reputation in the run-up to Criterion's inevitable release of To Sir, With Love 2.

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kinjitsu
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#5 Post by kinjitsu » Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:17 pm

Variety Review:

Directed by John Ford

"Directed by John Ford" bears the same title, and contains much of the same material, as Peter Bogdanovich's pioneering 1971 study of Hollywood's most lauded director, the man Walter Hill herein calls the Charles Dickens of the cinema. Thirty-five years on, Bogdanovich has reworked his invaluable docu, adding contempo interviews and a surprise kicker. As the earlier film has long been out of circulation, this edition allows a new audience to benefit from the insights, and experience the vitality, of Henry Fonda, James Stewart and John Wayne sounding off about their irascible taskmaster. Pic will air on Turner Classic Movies in October, and enjoy a long life as a homevid title for buffs. continued...

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JonDambacher
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"Directed By John Ford"

#6 Post by JonDambacher » Tue May 27, 2008 3:43 am

"Directed By John Ford"

Peter Bogdanovich's "Directed By John Ford" made in 1971 was the first film examining the work and voice of a legendary filmmaker.

Through the art of motion pictures John Ford was the master of the American story. Ford's heroes were typically idealistic, entangled in lost causes and fighting losing battles against the flow of history. Bogdanovich referes to this interpretation as "the glory in defeat." These are men who labor against the current of life, but never seem to obtain what they desire. Yet, their struggles have a special nobility, so in the long run, it doesn't really matter whether they win or lose. Not only do his films chronicle the westward development of American society, but they bring to life the romantic spirit of the people and their attitudes, drives and dreams.

Commissioned by the American Film Institute to create a basic documentary on the first Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Bogdanovich dove into Ford's rich and varied career by exploring his collective vision in an output of more than 145 films encompassing both the silent and sound era, an output which the old master simply called, "a job of work."

Previous studies of any director's work had always been stuck to print and outside opinion. In any medium the study of film, in the same manner as traditional arts are studied, was a relatively new approach. Bogdanovich, more or less looking to the future, paved the way for audio commentaries and "Behind-The-Scenes" featurettes that are so common today.

"Directed By John Ford" is composed with the opinions of the people who actually made the films and spins together footage from twenty-seven of Ford's pictures. On/off camera interviews between Bogdanovich and Ford as well as some of the major actors who worked for Ford, (John Wayne, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda), create the backdrop of this complete film portrait. With a loving and tender narration of the film from Orson Welles (who's famous quote suits the picture, "I prefer the old masters; by which I mean: John Ford, John Ford and John Ford...") bridges the gap between Welles' generation of filmmakers and Bogdanovichs'. Some of Bogdanovichs' contemporaries followed in his footsteps, most notable are Richard Schickel and Martin Scorsese, making their own series/documentaries on cinematic history. In 1971 "Directed By John Ford" set the standard high for all cinema portraits that followed.

Being the first film about filmmaking that directly responds to needs in film education and film literature, we should preserve such a piece for those who wish to study such subjects. For every over-populated American cinemaplex, we should continue to plunge forward into the dust of this young art form and establish classic cinematic reference points with which a solid film education can begin.

Criterion should step on this opportunity to release this American classic.

-- Jon Dambacher

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ellipsis7
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#7 Post by ellipsis7 » Tue May 27, 2008 4:30 am

The revised and updated version is interesting, but as Variety notes it's like living in two parallel time zones simultaneously, with the original material and the new interviews working from different perspectives, while Orson Welles' original narration has to be bent to the new cut.... Still there remains valuable archive footage as the basis of the whole docu...

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tryavna
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#8 Post by tryavna » Tue May 27, 2008 11:02 am

ellipsis7 wrote:it's like living in two parallel time zones simultaneously
I'd agree with this. The other major problem is that the new version also has too many endings/climaxes. (Imagine Peter Jackson doing for a documentary what he does for Return of the King.)

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Polybius
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#9 Post by Polybius » Tue May 27, 2008 7:02 pm

Narshty wrote:Bogdanovich has to restore his directorial reputation in the run-up to Criterion's inevitable release of To Sir, With Love 2.
I'm hoping it's paired with Hustle as a double set.

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JonDambacher
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Re: "Directed By John Ford"

#10 Post by JonDambacher » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:33 pm

**UPDATE**
I spoke with Mr. Bogdanovich regarding the above piece the other day. He's informed me that his now legendary documentary will soon be seeing the light of a DVD laser. It will be available on DVD in May through Warner Home video.

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Jeff
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Re: "Directed By John Ford"

#11 Post by Jeff » Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:17 am

JonDambacher wrote:It will be available on DVD in May through Warner Home video.
Swell. I hope that they are able to license all the clips for video that they were able to show on TCM. It would also be nice if there were an option to view the original 1971 version, but I'm certainly not counting on that. I wonder if this will be attached to a new release of a Ford film or released on its own.

Once they make the official announcement, I'll move this back to the Warner section where it began.

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domino harvey
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#12 Post by domino harvey » Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:32 am

Maybe along with a new slew of John Ford titles? [-o<

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bearcuborg
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Re: "Directed By John Ford"

#13 Post by bearcuborg » Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:25 am

JonDambacher wrote:I spoke with Mr. Bogdanovich...
Do you know him personally? I met him a few times, and I would like to know if he's going to do another Duane movie from The Last Picture Show series... [-o<

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ellipsis7
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#14 Post by ellipsis7 » Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:09 am

The version headed for DVD is probably the updated version, referred to by me above, which uncomfortably segues new interviews and narration, with the original Welles narration, 1971 interview with Ford etc... Still a valuable resource nevertheless...

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JonDambacher
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#15 Post by JonDambacher » Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:22 am

ellipsis7 wrote:The version headed for DVD is probably the updated version, referred to by me above, which uncomfortably segues new interviews and narration, with the original Welles narration, 1971 interview with Ford etc... Still a valuable resource nevertheless...
Direct quote from the man himself, "... I re-did the film in 2006 and that it was shown on TCM that year... And will be available on DVD in May through Warner Home video... I feel that the new version is infinitely better than the original and I hope you get a chance to see it!"

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ellipsis7
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#16 Post by ellipsis7 » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:34 am

JonDambacher wrote:
ellipsis7 wrote:The version headed for DVD is probably the updated version, referred to by me above, which uncomfortably segues new interviews and narration, with the original Welles narration, 1971 interview with Ford etc... Still a valuable resource nevertheless...
Direct quote from the man himself, "... I re-did the film in 2006 and that it was shown on TCM that year... And will be available on DVD in May through Warner Home video... I feel that the new version is infinitely better than the original and I hope you get a chance to see it!"
Yes, I saw it on TCM, and indeed have a recording of the same - now includes interviews with likes of Spielberg, Eastwood etc., which may or may not add to it...

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souvenir
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#17 Post by souvenir » Thu May 07, 2009 1:47 pm

DVD listed for September 15 at DVD Empire and as part of a repackaged Ford/Wayne set

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domino harvey
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#18 Post by domino harvey » Thu May 07, 2009 1:58 pm

But minus the Long Voyage Home (No great loss) and Stagecoach (Biggest possible loss)

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ellipsis7
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#19 Post by ellipsis7 » Thu May 07, 2009 2:15 pm

THE LONG VOYAGE HOME features a strange variety of accents, including Wayne's Swedish turn, but is redeemed, at least partially, by Greg Toland's superb camerawork. Indeed there is persuasive dissent from revisionist views that now categorise this film as a minor work......
The Long Voyage Home
Capsule by Jonathan Rosenbaum
From the Chicago Reader

The revisionist view of this 1940 adaptation by John Ford and Dudley Nichols of four one-act plays by Eugene O'Neill downgrades it in favor of the once-neglected Ford westerns--in large part because, unlike the westerns, it was widely praised when it first came out. But it's about time to restore some balance and recognize this film as a remarkable achievement. This rambling, melancholy tale of merchant seamen and their lonely lives features arguably the best cinematography by Gregg Toland outside of Citizen Kane, and apart from the very special case of Lumet's reading of Long Day's Journey Into Night, O'Neill's finest work, it's certainly the best realization of O'Neill's vision on film. It's also as personal and as deeply felt as any of the more recently canonized Ford masterpieces, and does more with the expressionistic style he often adopted during this period than many of his better-known works. The ensemble acting is extraordinary; John Wayne turns in one of his few successful "actorly" performances as a Swede, and Thomas Mitchell, Barry Fitzgerald, Ian Hunter, Ward Bond, Mildred Natwick, John Qualen, and Joe Sawyer are equally impressive. The display of emotion here is more direct than is usual with Ford, but the dreamy atmospherics provide an ideal container for this raw feeling. An essential work.

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domino harvey
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#20 Post by domino harvey » Thu May 07, 2009 2:20 pm

I have rarely been more miserable during the duration of a film than when I suffered through the Long Voyage Home. Everyone always mentions the cinematography as though it were some exceptional achievement, but plenty of good films also look beautiful. I see no reason to settle on praising this one for making such a rotten film look presentable unless its strictly on "silver lining" terms (along with hearing John Wayne order a "yinyer beer")

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Cinetwist
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#21 Post by Cinetwist » Thu May 07, 2009 2:24 pm

Rosenbaum is right, it's a masterpiece. Toland's work is astonishing and was evidence for what greatness was yet to come.

I can't believe it's low repuation, especially among Ford scholars.

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Cash Flagg
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#22 Post by Cash Flagg » Fri May 08, 2009 5:43 pm

From Classic Flix:
New material assembled for DIRECTED BY JOHN FORD includes two major elements:

• Newly shot interviews with Harry Carey Jr. (a Ford regular), Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Walter Hill, all of whom have been influenced by Ford, as well as Bogdanovich, who wrote and directed not only the original but also this updated version.

• New sequences featuring clips and interviews outlining Ford's vision of the family, his use of rituals and the sense of spirituality as portrayed in his work, including scenes from such pictures not previously mentioned such as The Wings of Eagles and How Green Was My Valley, as well as the impact of his complicated relationship with Katharine Hepburn on Ford and his work, using clips from Mary of Scotland and audio recordings.

This restructured version of DIRECTED BY JOHN FORD should be considered an entirely new work. Bogdanovich has said this updated version is more personal than the original. Both the original Orson Welles narration and the interviews with John Ford, John Wayne, James Stewart and Henry Fonda have been kept intact but somewhat re-edited and rearranged to give a new sense of understanding to John Ford as a person and director.

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domino harvey
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#23 Post by domino harvey » Fri May 08, 2009 5:54 pm

Which is the same specs as the TCM broadcast

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kinjitsu
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Re: Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971)

#24 Post by kinjitsu » Fri May 08, 2009 5:55 pm

Beat me to it.

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DeprongMori
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Re: Directed by John Ford

#25 Post by DeprongMori » Wed Mar 18, 2020 4:02 pm

I could have sworn I heard Bogdanovich’s Directed by John Ford was included as a supplement on a recent Ford Blu-ray release, but so far haven’t been able to locate it. Any pointers?

(I may be misremembering this from Nick Redman’s 2007 Becoming John Ford documentary being included in the Ford at Fox box.)

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