British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Modman

It's not unheard of e.g. within a few of weeks of the release of Bait some were getting without a booklet.

Bait was sold out of the booklet pretty much by release day. Some buying them were already missing out on booklets from some retailers.

With that IIRC the BFI thought it would be a slow seller making only around 1,000 with booklets but it was incredibly successful selling large quantities. They should have seen pre-orders were very high and made more booklets but they didn’t.

Challenge with BFI titles is it seems hit and miss which sell very very fast and which don’t. Think with other labels it’s easier to guess what will sell quickly based on genre and how well their other releases in that area have sold.

[xiiidan]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

Bait was sold out of the booklet pretty much by release day. Some buying them were already missing out on booklets from some retailers.

With that IIRC the BFI thought it would be a slow seller making only around 1,000 with booklets but it was incredibly successful selling large quantities. They should have seen pre-orders were very high and made more booklets but they didn’t.

I got Bait on release date for a signing with no booklet.

[Darby1985]

Originally Posted by Modman

It's not unheard of e.g. within a few of weeks of the release of Bait some were getting without a booklet.

God, I remember the uproar when people who pre-ordered Horror Express from Arrow weren't all getting booklets. THAT was bad.

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Darby1985

God, I remember the uproar when people who pre-ordered Horror Express from Arrow weren't all getting booklets. THAT was bad.

Bait was the same some pre-orders missed out as the BFI didn’t a second print run without booklets even whilst it was a pre-order so not enough copies to go around with booklets even day 1.

BTW was not a customer of that but was screwed in a direct sale by Arrow and my pre-order had no booklet.

Is crappy by the likes of Arrow and BFI where they don’t explicitly identify stock with and without booklets and slipcases where relevant.

At least the likes of Indicator, Eureka and 88 identify if you are buying the LE or a later standard release without the goodies.

[Aclea]

After I Start Counting any bets on the BFI doing other Fun City titles like Smile and Rancho Deluxe that seem in their wheelhouse?

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Aclea

After I Start Counting any bets on the BFI doing other Fun City titles like Smile and Rancho Deluxe that seem in their wheelhouse?

Would love some, both of those especially! Fingers crossed. Did they get Radio On from them as well? I know they did the DVD, I mean the HD master.

[Modman]

Originally Posted by rapta

Would love some, both of those especially! Fingers crossed. Did they get Radio On from them as well? I know they did the DVD, I mean the HD master.

I listened to a Pure Cinema podcast with the founder of Fun City last week and i believed he stated that the BFI offered them Radio On along with some other titles (not specified).

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Modman

I listened to a Pure Cinema podcast with the founder of Fun City last week and i believed he stated that the BFI offered them Radio On along with some other titles (not specified).

Ah so it was the other way around. Still, could be that BFI asked for some in return. Rancho Deluxe would be a wise one to acquire, who doesn't like Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston in their prime (plus Harry Dean Stanton and Slim Pickens)?

And it's kinda embarrassing at the lack of Frank Perry on UK Blu-ray - Diary of a Mad Housewife is coming to Indicator at some point, but where's The Swimmer or Play it As it Lays? We only have Doc, that's literally all, and that was released years ago (5 years in fact).

[BarnDoor]

I imagine that the BFI, like Fun City, would have to licence Smile and Rancho Deluxe from MGM, presuming they're with MGM in the UK.

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by rapta

Ah so it was the other way around. Still, could be that BFI asked for some in return. Rancho Deluxe would be a wise one to acquire, who doesn't like Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston in their prime (plus Harry Dean Stanton and Slim Pickens)?

And it's kinda embarrassing at the lack of Frank Perry on UK Blu-ray - Diary of a Mad Housewife is coming to Indicator at some point, but where's The Swimmer or Play it As it Lays? We only have Doc, that's literally all, and that was released years ago (5 years in fact).

Really frustrating with Diary of a Mad Housewife. I caved and got the Kino disc, which is solid, but this film has such a radically different American television version. Still, Perry went from having virtually none of his films on Blu to having a ton of them get nice releases in the States, and I’m glad he (and his wife) are getting their due. Play it as it Lays continues to have legal barriers-it can screen in 35mm, but it never even had a VHS release

[Gerby]

Last Summer is the one i want most but i understand there are issues with that one too. It's a really good film, probably my favourite Frank Perry film along with The Swimmer & Man On A Swing.

[blujazz]

With SPACE JAM 2 (!!!) drawing attention to THE DEVILS, could this bolster interest in a blu-ray director's cut release? Would be super to have like a BLADE RUNNER approach with multiple versions in one package, with some talking heads explaining the history of the film.

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/blu-rays-dvds/devils

[fabio_p]

Emailed BFI today regarding a replacement disc of La Belle et la Bete and got a reaction within 5 minutes from Ben. Really good customer service

PS: Did the same for the Akira UHD but Funimation said they can't send a disc to The Netherlands because of licensing restrictions. Well that didn't kept
them from selling a copy to me, although that was via another online store

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by blujazz

With SPACE JAM 2 (!!!) drawing attention to THE DEVILS, could this bolster interest in a blu-ray director's cut release? Would be super to have like a BLADE RUNNER approach with multiple versions in one package, with some talking heads explaining the history of the film.

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/blu-rays-dvds/devils

Warner Brothers (US end) STILL say NO!

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by blujazz

With SPACE JAM 2 (!!!) drawing attention to THE DEVILS, could this bolster interest in a blu-ray director's cut release? Would be super to have like a BLADE RUNNER approach with multiple versions in one package, with some talking heads explaining the history of the film.

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/blu-rays-dvds/devils

There's still no adequate legally cleared material for any extended cut that's even good enough quality for an SD release, let alone an HD one.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by blujazz

With SPACE JAM 2 (!!!) drawing attention to THE DEVILS, could this bolster interest in a blu-ray director's cut release? Would be super to have like a BLADE RUNNER approach with multiple versions in one package, with some talking heads explaining the history of the film.

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/blu-rays-dvds/devils

Absolute piss take they refuse to release the film but feel absolutely fine to drop an appearance of it in a bloody kids film.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Absolute piss take they refuse to release the film but feel absolutely fine to drop an appearance of it in a bloody kids film.

They've released it on DVD and on streaming and for TV screenings from the few channels that will take it: you can buy it from HMV or Amazon and people could buy it from itunes so they're hardly refusing to release it. They're not going to pay for an HD master with shite material of a film that has always lost them money in every incarnation that everyone would kvetch about looking like crap.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Aclea

They've released it on DVD and on streaming and for TV screenings from the few channels that will take it: you can buy it from HMV or Amazon and people could buy it from itunes so they're hardly refusing to release it. They're not going to pay for an HD master with shite material of a film that has always lost them money in every incarnation that everyone would kvetch about looking like crap.

Gretchen, stop trying to make kvetch happen!

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Gretchen, stop trying to make kvetch happen!

That's so kvetch!

[CelestialAgent]

...and now the director of Mogul Mowgli is attached to Blade, somehow

https://deadline.com/2021/07/blade-d...iq-1234721241/