British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Patient-X]

So if Eyes Without a Face is anything to go by we can expect these to be released early 2018

[tenia]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Presumably with the James Bernard score, which was the major selling point of the BFI DVD?

That's what the Amazon listing is claiming.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Judex

Honestly thought Rocco and his Brothers would be coming from MoC. Either way I'll be getting it day one, great film. Same with Night and the City, Preminger set.

Same here, was hoping they'd upgrade it. Doubt they will now with this BFI announcement, but wonder if it's still worth getting their DVD edition extras-wise? Will have to wait and see.

Wondering if Eureka feel like their toes are being trod on a little with three new BFI releases being the same titles as some of theirs (though I guess two of them will be different enough to justify it, and the other one was a title a lot of us were wishing they would upgrade anyway). Either way I'm happy about the Visconti, but not sure the Murnau is completely necessary...but I guess both companies released Nosferatu on DVD in the first place so no harm done!

[aewb]

Originally Posted by rapta

Same here, was hoping they'd upgrade it. Doubt they will now with this BFI announcement, but wonder if it's still worth getting their DVD edition extras-wise? Will have to wait and see.

Wondering if Eureka feel like their toes are being trod on a little with three new BFI releases being the same titles as some of theirs (though I guess two of them will be different enough to justify it, and the other one was a title a lot of us were wishing they would upgrade anyway). Either way I'm happy about the Visconti, but not sure the Murnau is completely necessary...but I guess both companies released Nosferatu on DVD in the first place so no harm done!

I assume that Eureka didn't renew the rights to Rocco and the BFI have picked them up, the opposite of what happened with Il Bidone.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by aewb

I assume that Eureka didn't renew the rights to Rocco and the BFI have picked them up, the opposite of what happened with Il Bidone.

I believe so too. The new 4K restoration was available, I doubt MoC would have let it go if they keep the rights.

[rapta]

I wonder if it will feature the same extras then, or even both the Italian and French soundtracks. Odd they haven't mentioned that yet.

Also a little bit surprised it's going to be Dual Format - since they released A Farewell to Arms as a Dual Format, it looked like the BFI were going to stop releasing Dual Format titles (other than Eyes Without a Face which was delayed for over a year, and they couldn't really go back on their decision since so many people had already pre-ordered it and were already impatient about the delays).

Also slightly interesting that both Rocco and His Brothers and Night and the City are both 'Limited Edition' releases, much like the Around the World with Orson Welles and Charlie Chaplin: The Mutual Films sets. I'd kinda like to know how limited they are...whether they're 2000 or 4000 units, or more. I think I asked them about that in regards to the Welles and Chaplin sets and they couldn't give me a straight answer...

[rapta]

Nah, I'm pretty certain it doesn't really work like that. It will be a limited print run in the 1000's that they set in advance - for example, Arrow often do something in runs of 2000 or 4000, but sometimes with special packaging such as steelbooks the minimum is 3000 (and steelbooks are usually only for popular titles).

Since these BFI limited editions are regular Amaray editions (perhaps with a O-ring/slipcase though) they could be anything between 2000 and 6000 in quantity (or more)...point is they won't repress it if it's a limited edition, so once it's gone it's gone!

When I asked the BFI directly, they told me they couldn't find out exactly how many and just guessed it would 'no be less than 2000'...but it could've been as much as 4000 or 6000 (or even more...to give another example, Arrow pressed as many as 10,000 copies for their Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 box set). Point is, they aren't telling us so we think we might miss out and buy it sooner rather than later - a clever sales tactic, but it's also selective, as they have revealed how many a couple of their box sets are limited to.

I guess it doesn't really matter though, as it just so happens that Rocco and His Brothers and Night and the City are the two titles I'll be getting first of these newly-announced titles! I wonder if there will be any more for November/December that haven't been announced yet? Also intrigued what the artwork will be like, and the packaging on some of them.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by Patient-X

So if Eyes Without a Face is anything to go by we can expect these to be released early 2018

My first thought as well. Their release of Night and the City looks more favourable to me on paper than the CC edition coming out on Tuesday, I just don't know how long I can wait for them on that one if it does get pushed. The overlaps with Eureka are definitely interesting, but maybe the limited editions have something to do with it all Either way some of these would be double to quarduple dips for me, so Ill have to wait and see what they bring out.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

My first thought as well. Their release of Night and the City looks more favourable to me on paper than the CC edition coming out on Tuesday, I just don't know how long I can wait for them on that one if it does get pushed. The overlaps with Eureka are definitely interesting, but maybe the limited editions have something to do with it all Either way some of these would be double to quarduple dips for me, so Ill have to wait and see what they bring out.

Why would these be delayed? Eyes Without a Face was delayed because of Le Sang des Bêtes, not the film itself...

As for the limited editions theory, the only one that overlaps with Eureka that's limited is Rocco and His Brothers, which Eureka never got round to upgrading so some have speculated that might mean they let the rights lapse and the BFI were able to pick it up instead - Nosferatu and The Birth of a Nation don't seem to be limited edition releases.

As far as I can tell, Nosferatu will differ from the MoC release in that it will have the James Bernard score and a selection of 'silent chillers', so will be worth the double-dip. The extras on The Birth of a Nation seem to be different from the MoC edition and I think somebody mentioned it's a separate restoration that the BFI were involved in before Eureka even released theirs so sounds like it will also be worth a double-dip (though I reckon I'll get the MoC edition first next time it's on sale).

I would prefer if the BFI didn't repeat releases so often - re-releases of The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and all of the Pasolini titles in a box set, plus two new editions of films already available on UK Blu-ray - but I guess I should be glad they're picking up the pace and releasing more frequently than even on Blu-ray. Makes me wonder what we have in store next year!

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by rapta

Why would these be delayed? Eyes Without a Face was delayed because of Le Sang des Bêtes, not the film itself...

As for the limited editions theory, the only one that overlaps with Eureka that's limited is Rocco and His Brothers, which Eureka never got round to upgrading so some have speculated that might mean they let the rights lapse and the BFI were able to pick it up instead - Nosferatu and The Birth of a Nation don't seem to be limited edition releases.

As far as I can tell, Nosferatu will differ from the MoC release in that it will have the James Bernard score and a selection of 'silent chillers', so will be worth the double-dip. The extras on The Birth of a Nation seem to be different from the MoC edition and I think somebody mentioned it's a separate restoration that the BFI were involved in before Eureka even released theirs so sounds like it will also be worth a double-dip (though I reckon I'll get the MoC edition first next time it's on sale).

I would prefer if the BFI didn't repeat releases so often - re-releases of The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and all of the Pasolini titles in a box set, plus two new editions of films already available on UK Blu-ray - but I guess I should be glad they're picking up the pace and releasing more frequently than even on Blu-ray. Makes me wonder what we have in store next year!

I definitely have no reason to think they'd be delayed other than the long wait for Eyes, just fear for my wallet is all. The CC of the Dassin film is going to be hard to ignore. Never thought I'd be buying Nosferatu again but I think you're right there too.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Presumably with the James Bernard score, which was the major selling point of the BFI DVD?

Looks to be. I love the film, so if they can pack a great selection of extras too I don't mind double dipping. Reference to some silent chillers below looks very promising. Genuine, Tale of a Vampire (is that the right name?) would be one thing I'd love to see.

NOSFERATU (Blu-ray)
A Film by F W Murnau

F W Murnau's horror classic was the first screen adaption of Bram Stoker's Dracula. As potent and disturbing now as ever, it paved the way for the future of gothic cinema.

Featuring some of the most iconic images in cinema, Murnau's interpretation of this great vampire tale has been much imitated not least by Werner Herzog, whose Nosferatu the Vampyre is an admiring tribute.

This restoration is accompanied by James Bernard's acclaimed score, and extras include a selection of silent chillers.

Special features
TBC

[BigNickUK]

Nosferatu listing is no longer on amazon

[Judex]

Originally Posted by BigNickUK

Nosferatu listing is no longer on amazon

It's still there. Nosferatu

[huntauk]

It's been a great year of releases by BFI! The Dreyer set has been the cherry for me so far.

I'll probably put the Preminger set on the Xmas wishlist and grab Night And The City day one and wait patiently for Thieves Highway form Arrow the following month.
The alternative Nosferatu release is interesting, I may even pick that up on release also. The Ferrara too.

I really don't care for Birth of A Nation. Fabulous technical achievement in the context of film history but one hell of an effort to sit through.

[Judex]

The Wages of Fear 23 Nov

Murder in the Cathedral 23 Nov

[rapta]

Nice one. The Wages of Fear day one for me probably!

[dallywhitty]

I'm happy with my MoC releases of The Birth of a Nation and Nosferatu, so I probably won't double-dip. That Pasolini set sounds tempting, though, even if I already have Salo on its own.

[BarnDoor]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

In regard to BFI's announcements for the last few months of the year, I'm wondering if Britain/London on Film could be a theme, just as Gothic and Sci-Fi have been in recent years. Obviously this could apply to pretty much anything in relation to the Flipside range and BBC's output, so we'll have to wait and see. But I'd love to see this get a Blu-ray release:

http://www.canterburyfestival.co.uk/...y-on-film.aspx

Fantastic news. I wonder if this will be a Flipside title?

[grim_tales]

Originally Posted by Judex

The Wages of Fear 23 Nov

Murder in the Cathedral 23 Nov

Seems they havent gone live yet

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Judex

The Wages of Fear 23 Nov

Murder in the Cathedral 23 Nov

Ooh, Murder in the Cathedral sounds good! Thanks for the heads-up, Judex. I already have the Criterion Wages of Fear, but I'll still keep an eye on the BFI release's specs and contents.