British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[BarnDoor]

Anyone know what The Terminal Game (1982) is about? I can't find anything about it.

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by yukito

Will be getting short sharp shocks vol.3. But my OCD is already kicking in I thought starting from now all releases would be 4K with slipcover...

Why did you think that?

[FollowTheBear]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

Anyone know what The Terminal Game (1982) is about? I can't find anything about it.

No, I even skimmed through the chapter on short supporting films in my copy of Offbeat: British Cinema's Curiosities, Obscurities & Forgotten Gems, but found no reference. Great to have something so obscure on the schedule. God, I love the Flipside!

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

Anyone know what The Terminal Game (1982) is about? I can't find anything about it.

Directed by Geoff Lowe, apparently:

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8d2966e4

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba93138a2

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

Directed by Geoff Lowe, apparently:

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8d2966e4

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba93138a2

& features Welsh actor John Francis. looks like it is one of those things NOT listed on IMDB.

[yukito]

Originally Posted by RossyG

Why did you think that?

Since they change packing from time to time I just assumed.

[Rayjg]

What a great line-up

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

& features Welsh actor John Francis. looks like it is one of those things NOT listed on IMDB.

Can users submit films there, like here? It's not listed here either, but someone with the details could add it easily.

[rapta]

I might be reading into it too much, but is BFI Ben hinting not just at more Ozu, but potentially some Naruse upgrades as well?

Someone asked about more Ozu upgrades to coincide with the upcoming theatrical season, to which he replied:

Nothing else this year, but something early next all being well...

And then they asked about Mizoguchi and Naruse, to which he replied:

Now that would be telling... Nothing for Mizoguchi though.

Brilliant news on both fronts if they turn out to be successful!

[ToonySpoonGoon]

Ozu set is tempting but im expecting a complete Ozu set from Criterion anytime now

[Mr. Thomsen]

Great announcement! BBC Ghost Stories release is a must for me, but I am very tempted by everything.

[ParanormonWisdom]

Originally Posted by RossyG

Why did you think that?

Because up to now the BFI have despite occasional changes always been consistent regarding the formatting of their Flipside collection releases.

Flipside 1 - 9: Separate blue case blu-ray and clear case DVD (later rereleased as dual format blu-ray/dvd sets in clear cases)
Flipside 10 - 40: Dual format blu-ray/DVD releases in clear cases
Flipside 41 - 45: Blu-ray only in scanvaro (?) type cases.
Flipside 46: Dual format 4K UHD/blu-ray in scanvaro type case with slipcover

Considering its obscurity I'm a little surprised the BFI went to the expense of authoring and releasing Full Circle on 4K, and equally unsurprised to see Short Sharp Shocks 3 reverting to blu-ray only.

[DavidGallow]

Originally Posted by ParanormonWisdom

Because up to now the BFI have despite occasional changes always been consistent regarding the formatting of their Flipside collection releases.

Flipside 1 - 9: Separate blue case blu-ray and clear case DVD (later rereleased as dual format blu-ray/dvd sets in clear cases)
Flipside 10 - 40: Dual format blu-ray/DVD releases in clear cases
Flipside 41 - 45: Blu-ray only in scanvaro (?) type cases.
Flipside 46: Dual format 4K UHD/blu-ray in scanvaro type case with slipcover

Considering its obscurity I'm a little surprised the BFI went to the expense of authoring and releasing Full Circle on 4K, and equally unsurprised to see Short Sharp Shocks 3 reverting to blu-ray only.

I think you may be the only one who assumed the BFI would make 4K status quo from now on. 4K is still niche and it'll be case by case. Some of these titles barely benefit from HD never mind 4K.

[The Hornets]

They could release Full Circle on UHD as they weren’t paying all the costs as the same 4K master was used for Shout’s UHD in US and La Chat Qui Fume in France whilst it was also used for BD only by Imprint in Australia.

Therefore not really a standard Flipside given there were labels globally involved. Always thought it would be the exception.

Very surprised BFI doing a UHD of Gregory’s Girl as not really classic UHD genre fare and think they said other UHDs they put out have performed poorly. Am surprised the LE of Get Carter still not sold out a year after release.

[ParanormonWisdom]

Originally Posted by DavidGallow

I think you may be the only one who assumed the BFI would make 4K status quo from now on. 4K is still niche and it'll be case by case. Some of these titles barely benefit from HD never mind 4K.

I never assumed 4K would be the norm for BFI Flipside from now on, indeed I state my surprise at Full Circle getting a 4K release. Was simply explaining yukito's presumed logic.

Full Circle is the only Flipside release I don't own, mainly because the £25 UHD price tag has put me off buying it.

[ParanormonWisdom]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

They could release Full Circle on UHD as they weren’t paying all the costs as the same 4K master was used for Shout’s UHD in US and La Chat Qui Fume in France whilst it was also used for BD only by Imprint in Australia.

Therefore not really a standard Flipside given there were labels globally involved. Always thought it would be the exception.

Very surprised BFI doing a UHD of Gregory’s Girl as not really classic UHD genre fare and think they said other UHDs they put out have performed poorly. Am surprised the LE of Get Carter still not sold out a year after release.

If I remember rightly Psychomania was a joint project with Arrow Video USA while I Start Counting and the Radio On restoration were collabs with another USA label who's name escapes me (a Vinegar Syndrome sub-lable?) so Full Circle isn't without presient.

Plus unlike many other Flipside titles I'm sure Full Circle really shines in 4K in a way say The Body Beneath or Mr.Topaze never could. A fact that probably influenced their decision to go with a UHD release.

Re Gregory's Girl I've noticed that last time I checked it seems to be deliberately priced lower than your average boutique UHD release (at HMV and Amazon anyway) If that's the case with future releases I'll definitely be picking up them up on that format.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by rapta

I might be reading into it too much, but is BFI Ben hinting not just at more Ozu, but potentially some Naruse upgrades as well?

I wouldn't assume plural; there's been no signs of any Naruse restorations other than for Floating Clouds, which is only just coming out in Japan next month.

[GaryCouzens]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Can users submit films there, like here? It's not listed here either, but someone with the details could add it easily.

Yes they can. I've done it several times myself.

The BFI Archive has no holdings for The Terminal Game (not even articles or reviews in any magazines or books) so it's anyone's guess what it's being mastered from. Maybe a filmmaker's personal print, which was the case with The Dumb Waiter, The Face of Darkness and The Mark of Lilith on Short Sharp Shocks 2.

[Dogwood]

Very, very happy to see the Ozu films getting a release.

Minor grumbling: from a purely personal, subjective point of view, though, I'm not exactly in love with the box art. OK it's light years better than the weirdly cropped, blurry stills they used to use for Ozu (with that awful lens flare logo, ugh), but I was hopeful BFI had upped their design game in the last year or so. They were doing some quite striking stuff with the Bergman covers, The Proposition, even Get Carter was lovely and understated.

A pity but hey ho, it's the films that really count.

[trobrianders]

Originally Posted by Dogwood

Very, very happy to see the Ozu films getting a release.

Minor grumbling: from a purely personal, subjective point of view, though, I'm not exactly in love with the box art. OK it's light years better than the weirdly cropped, blurry stills they used to use for Ozu (with that awful lens flare logo, ugh), but I was hopeful BFI had upped their design game in the last year or so. They were doing some quite striking stuff with the Bergman covers, The Proposition, even Get Carter was lovely and understated.

A pity but hey ho, it's the films that really count.

I do like the cover art. That basic 40s-60s kitsch design was always to be found in the homes of ordinary people like from Ozu's films. I grew up in the 60s in a house that had some household items that looked like that. It is properly nostalgic, perfectly in tune with Ozu's domestic lives.

Quite often young designers will make awful misjudgements. I've worked with young and old. They got it right this time.