RIP mark f
 

Hey everybody! Just thought I should let you all know that mark f died really early Friday morning. For those of you who don't know, I'm his daughter.

The last movie he watched was Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. I think he liked it. He was having great difficulty talking by that point, but when I asked it seemed like he nodded in response. I certainly cried a lot, but I was already emotional, worried about him.


I remembered he wrote this here years ago, and when I mentioned it to my mom she said, well, that's what we'll do then. If any of you want to, you can listen to some of this music to remember him.


If you want to delve into some of his reviews or some of his favorite movies, here's the thread he made on that topic.

https://www.movieforums.com/communit...highlight=mafo

Here are some photos of him:

This is one of him holding me when I was a kid that I have framed on my wall.


Here he is kissing a portrait of his mom.


Him with our cat Harold when he was a kitten, surfin' the web (likely even on movieforums!)


Last Christmas in his Christmas cracker crown.


Some goofs with my childhood best friends back in first grade.


On vacation.


A couple photos from a collage I made him several years back.



On a jungle gym.



In a tree.



On the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.



He was constantly taking photos.



Ever the moviemaker.



Opening a Christmas present with his teeth.



With one of his old best friends.



Him and my mom in a hot air balloon.



The two of us at a Dodgers game.


When I was a little baby.


Him and my mom on their wedding day.


His mom giving him a kiss on his birthday.



On a pony as a child.


I really like this gif Mr. Minio made for his most recent birthday thread, so I thought I'd share it here.

I'm really grateful that there's a place where a lot of his thoughts and writing is located that I can come back to whenever I want (as long as you don't shut down!)

I'd love it if you all could share some of your favorite memories of him in this thread.


(The edit is because I wasn't paying attention to the attachment limit. Hopefully this works and everyone can see the previously missing images!)

I am so sorry for your loss.

mark f was incredibly welcoming and the social glue--always recognizing birthdays and anniversaries.

One of my favorite things about him was that I'd read reviews posted by other users (or I would post a review), and a day later those films would pop up in one of his posts.

His absence will be strongly felt here. Lots of love to you and your family as you process his loss.

Please accept my condolences.

I can’t say I knew him as well as some here may have, but like Takoma I found him an incredibly welcoming, positive presence. He will certainly be missed.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Aw, so sorry to hear this :(

We didn't talk a whole lot, but I always found him to be a really interesting poster, both with the massive amount of films he had seen, the extensive write-ups he wrote on them (mainly in the countdown threads), and the work he put into the Birthday/Anniversary threads.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Oh man. This actually feels kinda weird. Never had a fellow forumite die before.

The man knew his music. Lots of five star albums listed.

Same. I considered it a badge of honor when I'd mention a movie and it would show up on his list the next day. (Mostly because it meant I'd seen a film that he hadn't! :))

I still feel like the new guy here, so I wish I'd conversed with him more. This makes me sad.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I didn't know him well, but like Takoma mentioned, Mark always remembered people's birthdays and anniversaries. He cared about people. I'll miss seeing him around.


Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

I joined the forum in 2009 and from the very start it was really apparent what a fantastic person Mark was and how great was his depth of film knowledge. He was always kind. Always level headed. Always welcoming. Always helpful. Always posting birthday and anniversary threads. Always wishing the best for everyone. I don't think there's really anybody here who didn't respect him.

I remember several years back I'd joined a Hall of Fame and was having trouble finding a usable copy of one of the nominations from a source I trusted. The online source I'd found was fuzzy and unwatchable. I tried buying a cheap DVD copy off eBay, but the disc turned out to be the wrong region code and I couldn't play it. Next thing I knew, I had a private message from Mark asking for my address so he could send me his DVD copy to watch. A few days later it appeared in my mailbox. I was stunned by his willingness to help, but that was just the kind of person he was.

I knew his health had been failing him the last few years, but I probably took it for granted that he'd still be around for awhile yet. I took it for granted that he'd still be there for me to hit up for recommendations for whatever the next forum countdown might be. I'm really deeply sorry for your loss and your family's loss, Sarah, but I'm also really sad for the huge loss his passing is to this community. He meant a lot to a lot of people, even if some of us never got the privilege to actually meet him in person. I will miss him a lot.

I do remember sometimes when he'd ask me to look for a movie for him he'd say, there are people already reviewing it on movieforums! I've gotta watch it.

Thank you Miss Vicky. This means a lot to me. I feel the same way. I definitely took for granted that I'd have more time with him too.

i don’t have any specific memory per se. but all my memories of our messages are ones i will cherish. he helped when i was in a dark place, so i will always appreciate that.

your family is in my thoughts

Re: RIP mark f
 

Gosh such sad news. I was thinking about Mark lately and noticed he had been posting less than usual and I worried something might be wrong.

Thanks for remembering everyone's birthdays and anniversaries and for all that you did for us MoFos.

I am very sorry for your loss. I came here not that long ago from another forum along with a lot of other people. But your dad went out of his way to make me feel welcome. He was one of the first people to communicate with a lot of the newcomers. He posted that he spent Thanksgiving with his loved ones. That's comforting to hear. My deepest condolences.

He was the best of us.

I physically slumped when reading. Im very sorry for your loss Sarah, and thank you for telling us. If theres a heaven hes there, he brought nothing but kindness to everyone, always.

RIP Mark F my friend, you were a friend to everyone. May your happiness be eternal.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Very sad to hear this. He seemed like a great guy, and he'll be missed here. So very sorry for your loss.

Oh man. My heart goes out to everyone involved, and thank you for your post Sarah.

I didn't know Mark like you did, of course, but it should be obvious by now that he has impacted quite a few of us, even just on MoFo. I joined this forum back in 2008, when I was 16 years old and just starting to develop as a film watcher. It goes without saying that Mark was a great mentor of sorts, although to me his mentorship permeated the entire forum. Seeing that Top 100 thread you linked gave me a rush of nostalgia, and I recall back then returning to the thread consistently, usually after watching a classic, to see what Mark had to say about it.

In his honor, I'll choose Bjork's Homogenic - a favorite we both share - to listen to. On top of that, he once recommended that I watch Allegro Non Troppo, which I never actually did and always felt bad about. Assuming I can track the film down I would love to watch that, too.

Rest in peace.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Oh gods. My sincere condolences for your loss. I'd be lying if I said I knew him but I do know that he was universally loved on MoFos. The amount of effort he put into remembering everyone's birthdays and anniversaries and for all that he did for us. He will be greatly missed by all. R.I.P.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Bjork is a great choice! And I love Allegro non Troppo too. I hope you can find it!

Thank you for your kind words!

Sad news indeed and my sincere condolences. He was passionate about these forums and its members, showing continual generosity and goodwill. He will be sorely missed but also fondly remembered. RIP.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I respected Mark F a lot. Sad to hear he passed away. May he rest in peace.

Re: RIP mark f
 

So sorry to hear. I’ve only been posting here for a few years but I’ve always been keen to read his thoughts and reviews. He’ll be greatly missed here on MoFo and by those who knew and loved him.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Oh no, what a crap way to start a new day :(

Mark clearly had a huge thirst for film and was one of those on here who's ratings I would always take note of. I never really conversed with him as much as I probably ought to have but part of me was always aware of how it was less easy for him to type than many, yet when asked about his thoughts on a certain film he would always take the time and effort to give them.

So sorry for your loss Sarah, he'll be sorely missed here and my thoughts go out to you and yours.

Requiescat in pace Mark!

Re: RIP mark f
 

I'm sorry to hear that. It's been posted a lot already, but Mark really was one of the best members this site ever had. Just a great presence not only as an avid fan of the cinematic arts but just as a generally genial presence who did a lot to make this place feel like a community. He will definitely be missed, and you have my condolences.

Ouch. This one can be felt. And I’m not even a family member nor the MoFo who knew him the best or the longest.*But that just proves the presence mark had here and the person who somehow emerged quite clearly from a seemingly simple forum member profile. He shined through that. Not necessarily because he went out of his way to do so, but because he so effortlessly did even so.

Mark made most people just feel instantly connected and respected by him. He was of course a movie guru. Perhaps the grandest I’ve ever witnessed. But he was so kind and it’s very hard for me to think of a moment where I didn’t think that mark must be such a great and lovable guy in real life too. I feel jealous for those who knew him for real cause I would’ve loved to meet him. It’s not all members from a “random forum” you feel like that about. But with mark it was like that.

I’ve been on and off the forum for long now and haven’t really noticed any changes in mark’s posting behavior, because I haven’t been active enough on here. I guess mark was one of those members that you felt like would always be here when you logged in. Even if there were breaks here and there. Like, mark would never not be a MoFo member. He would never not be a presence on here. And I’m certain that doesn’t change even if he’s gone. His posts will still be here. His lists, his reviews, his watching updates. They’ll be here.

As I said I’ve logged on here much less frequently and even combining that with mark’s recent declining health which I did not know too much about, he was still to be seen and noticed by me until the end. He wished me happy birthday, like always, he wished me a happy anniversary, like always, and not even three weeks ago, he liked my post I did in the Filmmaking Thread about my own adventures as a filmmaker. He was there, always, and it’ll be weird that he suddenly isn’t. That I won’t see his name pop up as frequently as I’m used to.

But I’m happy to have known him the best I could through this forum and that is truly the power of an online community. One shouldn’t neglect that power.

I’m sending all the best wishes to friends and family and especially to you, Sarah. I certainly will not forget mark and his contribution to this forum. Both as a true cinephile and a great guy. He will be missed on here that’s for sure.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I didn't really know him on a personal level, but I'll miss his cute little birthday greetings he always left me. I had no idea he had any health problems, so I'm kinda stunned by this :(

Sorry for your loss @sarah f
I have interacted less with him, being relatively new on the forum, but he was always pleasant to speak with.


RIP.

Holy **** no. Some time ago I read a post of his that said that he didn't have much to live. It was in response to why he recollects his review, I think. I knew about his condition, of course. But this still hits hard.

mark f's dedication to the birthday, anniversary, and (actors') RIP threads might seem like a trifle to some, but it meant a lot to me. He was one of the few people who remembered my birthday this year. I never would've imagined that l would be posting in his RIP thread this year.

He always repped my posts in Movie Tab II and Rate the Last Movie You Saw threads. Even if nobody else seemed to care. Of course, he posted a lot in these threads, too. The number of films he would watch was insane, and so was his tendency to give most of them his trademark rating. :)

Movies were his life. And movies are my life, too. So even though we often had different opinions about specific films, he was one of my favorite cinephiles here. After I created my latest top 300 thread, he watched whatever was available of the films he hadn't seen before. His eager resolution to watch everything was incredible. In one thread whose title was something like 'What makes you watch a film?' he replied 'It exists.' :)

It's true what others are saying. Mark was always helpful and friendly. Though my opinion is only limited to MoFo, I think he was a good person. Miss Vicky's story about Mark sending her his DVD is just one proof of that for me.

A lot of love and support to you, @sarah f! I lost my mom this year so I will allow myself to say that I know how you're feeling. If I may, there's definitely time for grief and remembering. But there's also time for you as a person. Please do not forget about it and don't stop caring about your own mental health, too. This is a hard time for you and your family. But don't make it overwhelm you. You can both remember your loved one and continue with your life. This was my realization after my mom's death. Sorry if it was uncalled for in this thread.

But yeah, the other day I was thinking: Isn't 2022 just the worst? Also, good music taste!

So, once again:

All hail the reigning Monarch of Movie Binge and Film Knowledge!

https://i.imgur.com/ypZU0Tc.gif

Gosh, I sure hope they have movies in heaven. :(

https://i.imgur.com/WZ51AjL.png
https://i.imgur.com/zosWWSA.png
https://i.imgur.com/thfknUH.png
https://i.imgur.com/J52sFfz.png
https://i.imgur.com/7mantTL.png
https://i.imgur.com/oWO3ezY.png
https://i.imgur.com/vv7U0q1.png
https://i.imgur.com/xBDtHJo.png
https://i.imgur.com/v6uPMAO.png
https://i.imgur.com/grUO297.png

What a beautiful write-up, Minio. A perfect mix of all emotions.

And that gif. Amazing. Great to remember to laugh and smile even so. Sometimes that’s the best way of remembering someone. To bring out that smile.

And mark f is very much like Indy. Wanting to seek out even the most obscure thing out there. Because “it exists”. Love it. A movie treasure hunter to be treasured.

Saw the headline a couple of hours ago but couldn't bring myself to open the thread. Mark was my friend and I am in tears. Can't say anything else.

Thank you so much Sarah for having the thoughtfulness and strength to share. Condolences to you and your family and God bless.

RIP MY BROTHER

I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a great poster and an asset to the site. RIP Mark.

I'm sorry, Sarah. It's heartbreaking news for all of us but I can't imagine what it's like for his family.

Mark was a funny guy, and I mean that in both senses of the word. Both are compliments. He had an offbeat sense of humor sometimes that took me awhile to get used to, but which made me like him even more once I had. On the rare occasion that Mark would talk about politics or culture or something other than movies, he would often add "Shut up, Mark!" to the end. Just his little way of showing humility in the face of life's great problems, I think. I just ran a search on the database and it appears in his posts 33 times.

Most of my best memories of Mark are the ones where I got to interact with him directly on the podcast. We did the Oscar podcast for 11 years. I know people have (hilariously) expressed doubt that he's really seen that many movies, really watches that many each week, but as someone who talked to him in real time...it's true. It's all true. Obscure (but relevant) references came off the top of his head no matter what we talked about. The fact that he kept doing it, and kept providing those kinds of insights after his stroke, is a testament to how much he loved movies, and how much he loved sharing that love with others.

Specifically, the thing I remember most is not one of the Oscar podcasts, but one we did where he talked about Jaws, his favorite film. In particular, I remember how, despite his usual eloquence, he was stuck trying to explain why he loved some part of the film, and he just sort of spat out "...it just flows so smoothly!" in a sing-songy voice that sounded like a kid talking about his favorite toy. It makes me think that one day as a child Mark walked into a movie theater and never really left.

Mark talked about his health issues from time to time, so I'd be lying if I said I didn't wonder, each time we recorded something, whether maybe it was the last time. I'd just started thinking about the next one a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if it'll happen any more or not, but if it does, it won't be the same without him. This place won't be the same without him. That he can loom so large over a place that's existed for decades, and had so many others come and go, speaks to the depth of his love of cinema, and the way he helped people here love it more, too.

We're still on Thanksgiving break, and while we don't have Mark to be thankful for any more, we do have everything he taught us about movies, and his amazing example as a pure cheerleader for, and lover of, the art form that brought us all here. I am thankful I knew him.

---

Sometimes when someone comes around the site and posts some link or something, I won't ban them, I'll send them a PM saying something like "if you're not here mostly just to talk about movies, you're probably in the wrong place." That's almost always the phrase I use: "not in the right place."

Mark was in the right place.

---

Now I'm starting to cry a little, and this is getting too long (shut up, Chris!), so I'll stop there. Mark, you were my friend and I'll miss you. Rest in Peace.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I've been sat here for a while now just stunned. I'd noticed the lack of movement in the birthday/anniversary thread and, to be honest, I didn't want to know because I feared what I'd hear.

I don't really know what to say atm, except to thank Sarah for letting us know. I've shed a good few tears here, so now I'm going to have a good laugh in the memory of my friend mark and watch Richard Pryor: Live On The Sunset Strip. I think he'd like that.

I'll be back later with some thoughts and memories.

R.I.P. mark :(

R.I.P. I appreciate how welcome he made me feel here. He upvoted pretty much all of my writeups since I joined, even the poorly written ones, and when a movie I posted about showed up on his list of ratings, it felt like a badge of honor, especially if he liked it. This combined with his birthday and anniversary celebrations have a lot to do with why I keep coming here, so I'll definitely miss him very much. My mother-in-law is a stroke victim, so I know how devastating that can be.

Speaking of anniversaries, I'm glad I got to make this for him last year and that he liked it:

Happy (2021)
Movie (2021)
Forums (2021)
Anniversary (2021)
Mark (2021)
F.! (2021)

Re: RIP mark f
 

Oh man, so sorry for your loss, @sarah f. As a relative newcomer here, I echo what everyone else have said about how welcome Mark made everybody feel around here. I raise a glass to him.

It was Richard Pryor: Live in Concert that was his favorite, but I'm sure he'd appreciate you watching that one too. ;)

Thank you!

Re: RIP mark f
 

So sad to hear this, and getting quite emotional here, especially reading all the replies.

A truly great person, so welcoming and friendly. I interacted with him a lot throughout my time here and we were always regularly giving each other rep and comments.

When I joined I had very little film knowledge and he helped me on my journey to learn more, even though in terms of taste we definitely diverged paths in recent years, something he always had a good sense of humour about :)

I'm not sure what else to say at the moment, so sorry for your loss Sarah and family.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Sad news.

Dude actually watched A Night to Dismember after I wrote a borderline incoherent write up of it.

A Night to Dismember!

If that doesn't say something about both his openness to watching absolutely everything, as well as his generally welcoming attitude to every weirdo and not-so-weirdo who posts here, I don't know what does.


Much respect.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Mark also finally watched Satantango in 2019 after several years of me pestering him about not having seen this masterpiece. If you're wondering what was his rating of the movie, well, it's not very surprising. :)

Also, forgot to share this yesterday, but when I started the Free Movie Links thread last year or so, I posted a few titles I couldn't find anywhere. Since I wasn't subscribed to the Criterion Channel (all three of them were on it), he PMed me with his log in information and said I could use his account whenever I want, in spite of me being active here for only about a year. So yeah, as others have mentioned, very friendly guy :up:

Mark F is the kind of MoFo we should all aspire to be. One willing to watch every movie made, and one who doesn’t judge others for their tastes or opinions in films. We should all have been so lucky to learn from him.

His depth of knowledge and sheer amount of films consumed in his lifetime was inspiring. His anecdotes about watching certain films during their theatrical run were amusing.

The world is a lesser place in his absence.

My condolences to you, Sarah. Oscar chat wont be the same with out his presence.

Same as A Night to Dismember!


Seems about right.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I'm gonna miss ya big guy. Wherever you go when you die... they're gonna need a bigger boat. Thank you Sarah for letting us know.

This news hits pretty hard. Sorry for your loss Sarah, your father was a great man.
I felt a strong kinship with him about Movies, Spielberg, Cats and Family.
He was always a big contributor to that family feeling I often feel around here.
I will miss him greatly, RIP my movie brother. ❤️

genuinely can't imagine this forum without him. i rarely think to check the movie tab/rate the last movie you watched threads these days, but i randomly stumbled into one the other day and the very first thing i noticed was that there hadn't been a mark f post in a little while. no offense to the rest of you, but i can't think of another boarder whose weeklong absence i would ever notice like that. but mark was such a steady presence and this is such a titanic loss for his family, for us, and i'm tempted to say even for cinephilia as a whole because i'm not sure i've ever encountered a movie fan with his passion, knowledge, or generosity. a truly inspiring person who can't be replaced.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I'm so sorry Sarah. I loved your dad. I think most of us did. Yes, he was a movie expert, but behind the movies are our emotions, and how we connect our emotions and relate to other human beings on here. I'm so sorry. I know he was going through a lot of health problems, but I just can't believe it.



I have family over, and I can't stop telling them how much Mark meant to me, and this entire community.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I don't know who he is as I'm new, but my sincerest condolences just the same. I lost my father two years ago, and I know how much it hurts. I'm sure your father was a good man.

Re: RIP mark f
 

oh gosh i am so sorry for your loss. i sadly never interacted with him but i always read his posts in the "rate the last movie you watched" thread. he's an iconic poster and a beloved part of the forums and is dearly missed <3

An impossible task. Every time someone created a thread about your favorite movies of a particular decade or some such, I was blown away by Mark's huge list of movies. I admired him for it.

I first met mark on another site (I know, remember when other sites existed? :D) and he was much like he was here, (without the comfort of beng a fixture, of course) but the thing which struck me after a few enquiries and discussions was just how many films he'd seen and how well he could recall them. Since I was a small child I'd been 'the movie guy' among my friends and, well, pretty much anyone I knew. Suddenly I had one of those for myself and it was really cool. Years later he came here and I asked him if he was the same mark f as on the other site, which of course he was, and it was so nice to reconnect and feel as if I'd found him again.

Other than our shared love of Jaws (yeah I've got Charlie's Angels at #3 on my 100, but I've got the same #1 as mark so I must know something, right?), the main conversation I remember us having was about Paths Of Glory, a film he really loved.... And cried at the end of obviously. :D I think if I'm known for anything on this site it's probably my love of Drew and dismisal of Kubrick, so when I saw Paths Of Glory (a film I was in no rush to see) I was surprised that I quite liked it. Not hugely, but it instantly became my favourte of the Kubrick films I've seen (which wasn't hard, but still.) For one of the few times in this site I wrote in nerdy film speak and wrote a long PM about the sound editing, use of long tracking shots and stuff like that. I got a reply addressing some of what I'd said (and added extra facts and discussion about one of the scenes I'd especially liked) and also asking if he could post that PM on the site. I asked why he'd want to do that? I can't remember what he said exactly, but I do remember he seemed annoyed. Annoyed that I'd question it (I was my usual suspicious and cynical self in my reply) but I also felt he was annoyed that I didn't show that side of me on the site and he wanted to display it. Maybe to encourage me to do so more often? Maybe to show others something akin to the HK he'd met on that other site when my love and passion for cinema was so much stronger? Maybe just to show that the guy who has Charlie's Angels at #3 on his all-time list does actually know what he's talking about (even if he doesn't care about it) and, maybe this says more about me than him, but I felt in that exchange that I'd seen the teacher side of him then. That I was like a pupil who had shown that he could do it, but wouldn't do it and what I was seeing was not his anger at me but his frustration with me. A frustration which I think eventually gave way to acceptance. At least, I hope it did.

The other thing which always came across so strongly on this site was his love of his family. His close friends too, of course, but his family was all to him and I'm pleased that he had one more Thanksgiving with you all. I know how much he loved that and how happy it made him.

Lastly, he was the first person on the site to whom I bestowed the moniker of Mofo Royalty. There've been a few others, but he was the first to inspire me to think that way.

I nearly died 5 1/2 years ago and when I talk about it with friends and family and things get to the lump in your throat/what if it hadn't gone well stage, I tell them the same thing. I'll tell you all the same thing now, as well as to remind myself of its truth - be thankful for the extra time we've had. Let's just be happy that we've had it for however long it lasts and know that I'm thankful for every extra day I've had with you.

The King is dead, long live the King.

I've been showing my mom this thread and she said to tell you you nailed it with this description. We both really appreciate all the love everyone's been sharing here. Thank you all!

RIP Mark. My condolences to you and your family Sarah. I got choked up when I saw the thread and I continue to get choked up as I read the sentiments. Community matters no matter where we find it and Mark knew that as evidenced by the time he took for personal threads and all the stories we are hearing here.

Like a lot have said, when I discovered a new gem I always found myself searching the forum to see what Mark thought. One time I remember seeing Mark had watched a movie I had been championing in a hall. So I knew he hadn’t seen it, and it gave me that little jolt others have mentioned having the same experience. His gifs in my birthday or anniversary thread always felt the most personal. Was constantly amazed and not just how many movies he had watched but his recall for everything about them, even outside of the actual film.

He will definitely be missed.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Just signed in to post for a few minutes at this deeply sad and terrible news.

Mark was one of the most knowledgeable guys and was always lovely to talk to.

I once sat in PMs and had a conversation with Mark about our tastes in movies, our faves, and he was genuinely interested in my own favourites and kept asking questions about my top 10, and the conversation eventually got round to me asking him if there were any movies he didn't like.

He sent me a 2 page response explaining that there was pretty much none.
He loved cinema, and everything about the process behind movies of all types, and he loved to gather info and loved to study everything he could about everything he watched, no matter how bad anyone else said the movie/s were, he was fascinated by almost every movie he'd seen.

Mark was a real fan of movies, and a true cineaste.

RIP, Mark

Only been here a couple of years and Mark seemed to be a cornerstone. I can't really add anything more that hasn't already been stated. Just that he seemed to enjoy my twisted humor.


I've been a member of a sports forum since '00. We have had our share of disappearing members through the years and also wondered what happened to them. With that being said, thank you for posting this Sarah.


Thoughts for your family and RIP Mark.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Just realized Mark had the same initials as the site itself.

Some things are just supposed to happen, man.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Ugh, just ugh. :( Thanks for sharing with us, sarah f, when you probably would rather be doing something else.

I can remember the VERY FEW times I made it here and beat Mark to the punch in posting some bit of actor/actress news. I always felt like the queen of the world if I could get here before he did. :) I'll admit, though, it was RARE. He was always so sharp and so on the ball about all things related to movies.

Many hugs and prayers of condolence to your entire family. May the God of all comfort surround you in these days.

Wow. I've been reading this forum
without an account for years. I am truly saddened by the passing of your beloved father, Sarah. I agree he was MoFo Royalty, Honeykid. Absolutely.

Just a thought here. I mentioned earlier about our sports forum (Detroit Lions) and about twelve years ago we lost an icon in spike714. Our administrator added this banner at the top of the page, a quote from spike. Maybe do something like this also, or am I out of line.


https://www.movieforums.com/communit...chmentid=90037

Re: RIP mark f
 

First of all, my condolences to @sarah f and all of Mark's family. This thread itself shows just the influence that he had to everybody who knew him. When we talk about how Mofo is still ticking, I'd say that he's a huge reason for that if not the biggest reason. His passion for films was like no other. I'd always joke to people about how insane it was how he was basically 100% on every list here, and that's one of my biggest goals too so I have him to thank for that.

Like many, the Oscar podcast coming out was last waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas morning to me. I always loved hearing his insight and what he had to say. Hell I'm still ashamed I haven't seen CODA after how emotional Mark responded to it.

The mafo top 100 was a serious baseline for me when I first came to this forum in regards to knocking out some of the most well versed movies. There's a bunch there that have become favorites of mine as well.

When my jokes went too far and pestered others he was the one to always send me back down to earth. Which is good because then he saved me from possibly getting banned. I remember some of his PMs to me and they made me chuckle and get over whatever my issue was.

He won't be forgotten.

I've only been here a year and a half, but mark f had already become an important part of my time here and I'm incredibly sad that he's gone. My condolences to his family - it's good to hear he had people close to him there, and had that support, love and comforting presence to the end. I'll miss him one hell of a lot.

Very saddened to hear this. While I knew all about his ill health it still came as a bit of a shock when I was told of his passing. He was a wonderful ambassador for the forum, and I don't mean just in his unrivalled film knowledge. He was an extremely warm and welcoming presence, always happy to lend an ear or respond to any query

While I hadn't done so for a while due to getting caught up with my own issues, I would periodically check in with Mark to ask about a film perhaps but largely to ask how his health was. I was always saddened to hear of his struggles and that no improvement was on the horizon really as he seemed like such a genuinely good guy

Due to health problems of my own (mental and phsycial) my time spent on here has become pretty sparse. However the one thing I would do on every visit was make sure to head to the 'Rate the last movie you saw' thread and search for Mark's posts to catch up on what he had been watching and what he had enjoyed. I wanted to see what we agreed or disagreed on and I wanted recommendations. In fact a few years back I actually started work on a database of sorts of films he had rated to keep track of what he thought was worth watching; anything over a 3 really

He was one of the people on here whose opinion I most agreed with; rarely taken in by arthouse films, not afraid to love superhero films or big Hollywood productions etc. I feel that subconsciously I also changed the way I rated films because of him. In contrast to what I used to be like it's pretty rare now for me to rate anything over a 4. And if I do it's in with a shout of making my top 100 list. On a purely selfish level that's one of the things I'm most sad about. While it has largely been abandoned now, several years back I started work on a new top 100 list and I wanted him to see it. I felt he'd be one of the most appreciative of it perhaps and I also just wanted him to see it

In terms of movies he was probably my guru in a sense. The man whose opinion I would seek out, whose recommendations I would listen to, whose thoughts I'd respect. I wasn't someone who ever had a go-to critic really, so in a way he was like my Roger Ebert

Anyway I've sort of just waffled away there with random thoughts so I'll leave it at that, and just send my deepest condolences to Sarah and the rest of his friends and family. I hope he left you with a host of wonderful memories to look back on and enjoy

Re: RIP mark f
 

Also for at least a while I imagine any time I see a new film I think to be really good I'll think of Mark and how it's unfair he's no longer able to watch and enjoy it. He would undoubtedly be able to appreciate it more than myself. Also films like the forthcoming Indiana Jones film - Mark should have been able to see how Indy bowed out before he himself did too

When logged in to MoFo and read the title of this thread, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Mark was one of the people who made me feel welcome here when I joined.

It took me a while to understand his ratings because he rated so many movies to that it seemed like there were very few movies that he actually liked. When I asked him about it, he explained that he liked those movies, but he saved the higher ratings for the best of the best movies. I always watched for any movies that he rated or higher because I knew that those were the movies worth watching.

MoFo just won't feel the same without him. :(

@sarah fMy condolences to you and your family. Mark will be missed. :(

I just looked at the first page of the Movie Forums Top 100 of the 2010s - Preliminary Thread, and I noticed that Mark didn't send in his list for the countdown.

This is going to be the first countdown without his input, and it's going to feel strange not reading his thoughts about the movies as they are revealed. I always looked forward to what he had to say in the countdowns.

Re: RIP mark f
 

My condolences to Mark's family and friends and everybody who knew and loved him. I've corresponded with Mark on many occasions over the years. Sad to know he is gone.

Now Id like to know all the ones he rated 4 or higher so that I could watch them, but it would probably take me years to do so.

Gonna miss his Dodgers in our Fantasy Baseball league, Mark knew his baseball :yup: and really wish he had won the Fantasy Baseball league at least once. He deserved it.

Damn this just sucks so much :(

If you're interested in his ratings, here's his IMDb page with almost all of them, sorted from highest-rated to lowest-rated. 42,022 in all.

He had a link to the IMDb page in his signature, too.

Re: RIP mark f
 

So incredibly sorry to hear. You must know how much he was loved and respected around these here parts, Sarah. And will remain so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8FaDaTD_hA

Re: RIP mark f
 

I'm at a loss for words on this one, but I felt the need to say *something*. Mark is MoFo. When I think of MoFo, it's Yoda and it's Mark to me. I lost my mother five years ago now, and I cried about her just Friday night. It's something that never goes away, there will be things that remind you of him at seemingly random moments that will probably overwhelm you, Sarah. I don't know how you mourn or how you will process this type of event, but if you ever want to talk to somebody who has gone through something similar, I'd be more than willing. I don't expect you to, but just know that offer is always on the table.

Rest in peace to a real one.

mark f is MoFo.

Re: RIP mark f
 

So sad to hear this. Condolences to you Sarah. Mark was so valued on this site. I would read every single word of his posts on this forum whenever I saw one, and try to digest what was on the page infront of me. I think that's a sign of both knowledge and respect. I've lost count of how many films I've watched solely because Mark brought them to my attention.

This place will simply not be the same without him. However, more than just being one of the most knowledgeable film persons I've ever encountered. Mark just seemed one of the nicest human beings too.

Rest easy Mark.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I am sad to hear this :(

Re: RIP mark f
 

As I've thought about this, I've remembered Excalibur, a film that Mark included on his top 100 list and I had never heard of before but instantly watched simply on the basis of his glowing recommendation. Now I find myself thinking about how its approach to Arthurian myth - the once and future king being one with the land on which he ruled - feels comparable to how much Mark was so much a part of this site. Enough so that I feel like posting the film's final scene, stirring enough on its own but now feels like it's going to be inextricable from my memory of the man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ll4qS4anGo

@sarah f

Sorry for your loss. Mark was great person and he knew almost every movie. I knew I could rely on him.

I would get reps from him on things I would never think he would rep me on. Even got messages when least expected it.

I knew your dad was a fan of Last American Virgin as am I.

Now mark can watch his films 24/7 and never be tired.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Sorry to repeat from the Shoutbox, had to put this here so it's not lost in the depths of the Shoutbox's dungeons.

You know, a lot of the time people don't realise what they have until it's gone.

But with Mark, we knew exactly what and who he was.
Literally a legend in his own time...

We were lucky to have known him, and we knew that when he was here, not after he was gone.

And what made that even more special, was we would actually tell him that often, and Mark being Mark, would shrug it off.

Dude had absolutely no hubris.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Oh, Sarah, I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for your beautiful tribute. It was so kind of you to include us in this way.
Your father will be greatly missed here at MoFo.

Saw this float by on the sidebar and my stomach just dropped.

Like many on the site, I knew about Mark's declining health, and with his recent ramping up of posting RIP messages in the Shoutbox, I had a feeling he was getting close. Although Mark was an old school MoFo like myself, I never got to know him personally. We would discuss film, especially back during my Lynch-obsessed phase on the site. I recall Mark posting that he didn't care for Inland Empire, and I attempted to convince him he was mistaken. Instead of just brushing me off or repeating his dislike, the guy went and watched the film again multiple times. His opinion of the film didn't change, but I remember being blown away that he would sit through a 3 hour experimental mess of a film like Inland Empire multiple times in an effort to see what I was seeing. Turns out Mark was right, as my like for that film has faded to the point that I don't watch it anymore.

I always thought of Mark and Holden as being the twin towers of cinematic knowledge on the site. Sure, there are plenty of other knowledgeable MoFos on the boards, but these guys just seemed like they had seen pretty much every film ever made. Reading or listening in to one of their discussions on a podcast always felt like I was sitting in on a lecture from two eminent film professors who were just hanging out shooting the shit. As was mentioned earlier, Mark had an almost childlike, boundless love for film, and he seemed unfazed by other people's opinions on which films he liked and why: he loved the films that he loved, even if others considered them cheesy or too mainstream. His was a pure love of the artform, and we are all better for knowing him.

Godspeed Mark F. I will miss you, MoFo will miss you, and the world of cinema will miss you.

Sarah F, please accept my family's condolences.

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."
-TS Elliot

Holy crap :eek:

Re: RIP mark f
 

42,022 movies.
If every movie was exactly 2 hours long...
That's as near as makes no difference 10 years, minimum.

I just let that sink in for a moment before I posted.

The fact that Mark was able to remember details of almost all of them so he could smash through the Questions Tab on a daily basis, is absolutely insane.

God, I'm gonna miss him.

Yeah, the number is incredible. And it's even more impressive when you realize he's seen a lot of movies multiple times. He's in the top 3 of the people I "know" that saw the most films. There's a guy from Los Angeles who's seen 40,000, too. I once thought he was Mark and even messaged Mark to ask but turns out they're separate people! Imagine that, two 40K-something film marathoners in the Los Angeles vicinity! There's also a guy from Norway who's seen more than 33,000 and is still going strong. The dude has a wife and a kid now but it doesn't seem to faze him! I'm pretty sure both of these people will end up beating Mark mathematically, but I don't think they rewatch films as often as Mark did.

I mean, it's just a number, but it's rather fun to see and realize how much is much when talking about Mark's film watching. We always knew he saw a lot of movies but only when put into an actual humongous number does it really ring out. A film legend, indeed.

That's only the movies he rated on imbd though. There are definitely some he never got around to rating there, especially ones he hadn't watched again since he started putting his ratings there.

Re: RIP mark f
 

I told someone this in a private message the other day, but he used to keep ledgers where he would handwrite every movie he watched and its rating and the date, so there are books filled with that info if they're still around somewhere. I took a look last night too at a couple books he had of film ratings, one of which he worked on, and there were handwritten notes in those too of his own ratings or updated ratings over time. Believe it or not, back in the 80s he rated a lot of things even lower than he would now. There was a big shift at some point, if I'm remembering correctly, where he basically adjusted all his ratings up one.

I'd love to see that typed up at some point.
Like on online diary of his work.

Mark's work with movies is legendary, Sarah.
Of course, it's all up to you guys on that, but speaking from personal experience knowing him and all.

Hope you guys are going ok considering what's happened. We're all still thinking of you and your family, no doubt about that.

Also, while you're online, I want to extend our group hand, and let you all know that we're all here for you guys, whenever and in whatever capacity you need us.

Re: RIP mark f
 

My condolences. He was the king of this forum, and he loved the art form of movies like very few people could.

Frankly, I'm shocked to learn that he had time to watch baseball games.
That's time he could've spent watching movies! :)

Always had time for a Dodgers game. My mom told me a story yesterday about how they had taken a vacation and were ending it going to a friend of hers wedding, but that the Dodgers were playing that day, so he watched that instead of going to the wedding and that game was when this happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4nwMDZYXTI

Apparently he was very smug about his decision afterwards.

I remember another member, Deadite, passed away a few years ago (I have posted here for 10 years, most frequently in 2012-2014): https://www.movieforums.com/communit...hlight=deadite
Both were very valuable members.

Re: RIP mark f
 

Man this made me tear up, my condolences @sarah f

Truly one of the best members this forum had. In my more active days he gave me so many great reccomednations. I wonder how many of my top 100 I watched because of him.

This is tough

:(

My entire extended family missed a now-legendary local sports moment because we were at a cousin's wedding. Also 1988, coincidentally. Your dad made the right decision. My cousin has never lived that down. :)

Re: RIP mark f
 

Rest in peace, Mark. You were a real pal.

Just going through the reviews section and getting some quotes...

I'd recommend going through his reviews.
They're short, sweet, and inciteful.

On Joe (1970)



On Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
No rating


On EXistenZ (1999)



On Who Framed Roger Rabbit


On Jaws (1975)
No rating

On Cloverfield (2008)


On Total Recall (1990)


On The Exorcist (1973)
No rating

On Black Narcissus (1947)


On Sleepy Hollow (1999)


On Avatar (2009)


On Casablanca (1942)


On Australia (2008)


On The Fly (1986)


On American Werewolf In London (1981)


On Room At The Top (1959)


On The Thing (1982)


On Heaven Can Wait (1943)


On Blue Velvet (1986)


On Inglourious Basterds


ON Woman Of The Year (1942)


On Point Break (1991)


On Natural Born Killers (1994)


On Alice In Wonderland (1951)


On Forest Gump (1994)


On A Clockwork Orange (1971)


On 12 Angry Men (1957)


On Alien (1979)


On 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968)

I always got a kick out of it when mark would repost his Bringing Up Baby review:

It made me laugh every time.

That's adorably hilarious. :)

Re: RIP mark f
 

Mark f was the best person on this site. Full stop.

The man always read my reviews, always gave me a rep, and wouldn't hesitate to talk to me about movies. He was my damn Vice President for crying out loud.

His love of Jaws was infectious. To the point that when he gushed about it I would find myself throwing it in my dvd player just to revisit it.

It blows my mind still to think that I started here before Mark did. He was such a presence here that it feels like he was here since the beginning. He had such a warm heart toward cinema and the people here that I am simply floored at this post. Sarah, my condolences to you and your family. May he continue to watch the movies he loves in a better place.

I hate that I've been MIA from this site this year, as I feel like I never had the chance to really talk to him lately. It almost felt like he LIVED on this site. This is a huge loss for this community.

I'm going to miss that guy, he was the genuine deal when it came to watching movies and being an all-around great guy. He was also so damn proud of you Sarah.

I thought I remembered this fact correctly but had to dig to be sure. Mark came to MovieForums because I invited him. We were both members of a long-defunct other movie board. It was fairly active but nothing like MoFo. I thought he would be a good fit and as that board began to wither away I kept emploring him to check it out. He finally did and the rest is MoFo history...

For all the similarity in taste and having messaged each other hundreds of times and done all of those MoFo podcasts together I never met Mr. French in person. By the time I got to Portland, OR and was making semi-regular trips down to La La Land I believe Mark's health was already at the point where he wasn't leaving the house much. Would have loved to catch a classic at The Cinerama Dome or someplace else with him.

I am very glad I introduced him to this community that he got to interact with so incessantly and so joyously for all of those years.

Enjoy your Big Sleep, you celluloid hero worshipper whose own love for cinema touched so many others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_QkUVZGPc

Re: RIP mark f
 

Just a quick throw down of Mark Fs Mofo 1950s list, the list that I had the pleasure of hosting:

Marks List
1. Alice in Wonderland (#27)
2. The Quiet Man (#51)
3. Paths of Glory (#8)
4. Room at the Top (#73)
5. Rear Window (#2)
6. Some Like It Hot (#11)
7. Friendly Persuasion (Did Not Place)
8. The Caine Mutiny (#80)
9. Sunset Blvd. (#3)
10. The Bridge on the River Kwai (#7)
11. 12 Angry Men (#1)
12. North by Northwest (#5)
13. The Nun’s Story (Did Not Place)
14. People Will Talk (#88)
15. Singin’ in the Rain (#10)
16. The Importance of Being Earnest (Did Not Place)
17. A Streetcar Named Desire (#19)
18. The Trouble with Harry (Did Not Place)
19. Night and Fog (#54)
20. Seven Samurai (#6)
21. Oklahoma! (#97)
22. The King and I (Did Not Place)
23. Guys and Dolls (Did Not Place)
24. The Big Country (#66)
25. Vertigo (#4)

Mark’s animation countdown ballot:

Re: RIP mark f
 

I know I'll never be able to watch The Fountain again without thinking about how Mark didn't like it, but he knew I loved it, and I felt like he was far gentler in sharing his opinion of it because of that. He still totally shredded me, but something tells me he was holding back.

I went back and read one of my posts about it that he repped, and I'm kinda a wreck now.

:(