Kudos to Fox for Murnau, Borzage set

A frequent complaint of mine is how the major movie studios gouge DVD collectors.

They reissue the same titles — primarily films no older than the '80s — over and over in various "special," "deluxe," ultimate" or "super-sized-ginormous" editions. (OK, I made up that last one. Kind of.)

Vintage TV shows come in "best-of" collections or half-season sets so fans end up paying twice the price of complete seasons.

Meanwhile, the studios' older titles languish, including uncountable fan favorites.

So it's only fair that when a studio seems to be making an effort, it should receive a pat on the back.

Such is the case with Fox Home Entertainment, which has been delving deep into the 20th Century Fox film archives, as witnessed by last year's massive "Ford at Fox" box set — 24 films from John Ford's earliest output, including a startling number that had never been on video, or even TV. ("Ford at Fox" is quite pricey, but many of the films are also packaged in smaller, more affordable sets.)

And in that same spirit, Fox is now offering the new box set "Murnau, Borzage and Fox" (1925-32, b/w, 12 discs, $239.98), focusing on William Fox's nurturing of two filmmakers who, while not as well remembered as John Ford, are nonetheless important for their groundbreaking work — the German artist F.W. Murnau and Salt Lake City native Frank Borzage. (Who was a Catholic, just in case you're wondering.)

Murnau is best known for "Nosferatu" (1922), his innovative silent horror film, the first — albeit "unofficial" — adaptation of "Dracula."

But he made other films that were just as memorable and significant — chief among them the classic "Sunrise" (1927), considered by many to be his masterwork, and one of the best films of the silent era (or maybe any era).

"Sunrise" is a compelling story of redemption about a farmer who plots to kill his wife but can't go through with it, ultimately realizing his folly and seeking forgiveness. Adapting the German expressionist style for his first American film, Murnau created a striking, truly timeless film, which is the capstone of this collection.

Borzage was a prolific actor and director during the silent era, and he continued to direct films and episodic television through the 1950s. Oddly, he may be best known for his last movie, "The Big Fisherman" (1959), though it is hardly his best work.