British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[gouryella]

Can anyone give me their thoughts on the Seven Samurai disc? First off I can't afford the Criterion and from what I gather it's superior to the BFI one so with that being said I have read mixed reviews on the BFI release in fact 1 positive and 1 negative. Doesn't seem to be many around.

Amazon reviews generally say poor subtitling and I know amazon instant reviews say that but I did see the same comment about the Blu-ray. The positive website review said the subtitling was good.

It's got to be better than my old Hong Kong DVD release right?

[rapta]

Originally Posted by gouryella

Can anyone give me their thoughts on the Seven Samurai disc? First off I can't afford the Criterion and from what I gather it's superior to the BFI one so with that being said I have read mixed reviews on the BFI release in fact 1 positive and 1 negative. Doesn't seem to be many around.

Amazon reviews generally say poor subtitling and I know amazon instant reviews say that but I did see the same comment about the Blu-ray. The positive website review said the subtitling was good.

It's got to be better than my old Hong Kong DVD release right?

I saw it a while back and whilst it's very watchable, but apparently it is the worst of the BFI Kurosawa transfers and the Criterion is much clearer. That said, I still very much enjoyed the film...I just wish it was a slightly better transfer. It's not as bad as I was told though, just a little worn and not as much detail as the Criterion release.

If I were you I'd look at getting the Kurosawa Samurai Collection from BFI when it's around £20, and get Rashomon separately if you haven't already (which is just as good if not better than the Criterion). That's what I did - after buying the Seven Samurai steelbook and selling it on - and it's worth a purchase even though a couple of them look a bit ropey. Far cheaper option than importing Criterion editions, but obviously some of those do look considerably better. Just depends how much you're willing to spend!

I'd actually say BFI's Seven Samurai looks slightly better than their Throne of Blood transfer, from memory.

Here's a review of the PQ with some screencaps: http://www.criterionforum.org/DVD-re...u-ray/bfi/1285

[Arch Stanton]

It's alright, just very dirty and grubby. Same with most of the films in that box-set. For £20 I'm content with it.

I also compared a few of the films to the Criterion and The Hidden Fortress and one other (can't remember which) are in slightly different aspect ratios too.

No idea re accuracy of subtitles.

[gouryella]

Thanks for the comments. I wish I had got the boxset when it was around £20 a short while ago. Bought this with Rashomon from HMV with plenty of others in their promotion. Truth be told I was looking for a 5th title or it was a case of putting 4 back and I decided on Seven Samurai even though in the back of my mind I had doubts about it more so with the subtitling problems than the picture but from what you both said seems to be there's no real problem there.

As I'm not ever going to buy the Criterion if I want it on Blu-ray I guess I'll have to keep it. Either that or swap it or return it for store credit. HMV don't do refunds for change of mind as far as I'm aware.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by gouryella

Thanks for the comments. I wish I had got the boxset when it was around £20 a short while ago. Bought this with Rashomon from HMV with plenty of others in their promotion. Truth be told I was looking for a 5th title or it was a case of putting 4 back and I decided on Seven Samurai even though in the back of my mind I had doubts about it more so with the subtitling problems than the picture but from what you both said seems to be there's no real problem there.

As I'm not ever going to buy the Criterion if I want it on Blu-ray I guess I'll have to keep it. Either that or swap it or return it for store credit. HMV don't do refunds for change of mind as far as I'm aware.

Hey, you could always keep it sealed and wait to see if you can get the box set, and then make your money back by selling it on eBay or something. Looks like a nice edition though (does it come with a booklet?) but obviously you'd be double-dipping on it if you ever wanted to get the box set.

I reckon somebody in the UK is bound to revisit these Kurosawa titles one day and restored them properly - whether it's BFI, MoC, Arrow, or Criterion themselves - and these will do in the meantime. If that still doesn't look likely in, say, 5 years' time...you can always go region free and import them! As I've expressed though, they're still watchable and better than the previous DVD editions as far as I'm aware, as well as being the most affordable way of owning the films in HD.

[Spiderwalk]

I recently ordered the Samurai Collection from Amazon for £21. I was hovering over the buy now with one click button for a while, because I knew that the Criterion versions were much better. However... I checked Wow-HD to see how much the current price was, and the total cost for the four Criterion's was exactly £100 (weirdly!). So I had to go with the BFI set.

[NjabPhungula]

Originally Posted by rapta

I reckon somebody in the UK is bound to revisit these Kurosawa titles one day and restored them properly - whether it's BFI, MoC, Arrow, or Criterion themselves - and these will do in the meantime. If that still doesn't look likely in, say, 5 years' time...you can always go region free and import them! As I've expressed though, they're still watchable and better than the previous DVD editions as far as I'm aware, as well as being the most affordable way of owning the films in HD.

I'd love to see BFI actually release the new 4K restoration of Seven Samurai (as well as Ikiru) if Toho will let them. I just don't see it happening anytime soon since the current blu-ray of SS is still pretty recent and problem wouldn't want to upset certain people by making them double dip so soon . One can dream, though. I just wonder when we'll see "High and Low" "Bad Sleep Well", "Red Beard" and so forth on blu-ray.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by NjabPhungula

I'd love to see BFI actually release the new 4K restoration of Seven Samurai (as well as Ikiru) if Toho will let them. I just don't see it happening anytime soon since the current blu-ray of SS is still pretty recent and problem wouldn't want to upset certain people by making them double dip so soon . One can dream, though. I just wonder when we'll see "High and Low" "Bad Sleep Well", "Red Beard" and so forth on blu-ray.

Yes, I'd be over the moon if they upgraded any of the remaining Kurosawa titles - especially Ikiru, Red Beard, Stray Dog, High and Low, Drunken Angel - but unfortunately as I discussed a few pages back, the guy I got in contact with at the BFI said there are no upcoming plans for any upgrades to Japanese stuff (though there are mutterings about Mabuse). Unless he just wanted it to be a surprise, I guess we're not getting any soon...

I do hope they change their minds next year and just put out at least one, because Rashomon is one of the best discs they've ever done in my opinion. Might be because it's my favourite Kurosawa and one of my favourite ever films, but they managed to match Criterion's transfer (with a slightly stronger encode) and include worthwhile extras, and a booklet. Plus it only cost about a tenner on release, and people are buying it right now for £6! You'd never, ever get that with Criterion. I'd even be happy with another box set, as long as they can do the films justice this time.

Arrow seem to be the only studio right now acquiring Japanese stuff that people are asking for, other than Criterion. Kobayashi, Ito, Yoshida, Fukasaku, Masuda, Suzuki, Nakata, Miike...admittedly many of those are more cult/pulp cinema but at least they're delivering these Japanese acquisitions! Frustrates me when I see Criterion announcing restored Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kurosawa, Teshigahara, Kobayashi, Oshima - and even the Lone Wolf & Cub films - and yet many of those aren't coming out here. Could be that they're hoarding the materials and withholding them from UK distributors, or the Japanese studios are batting UK labels away from certain titles, but it's a little disheartening to say the least.

Let's hope things change in the new year. I'd love to see more Kurosawa from BFI (or Eureka/Arrow if they're able to), and maybe a few more surprises too (Teshigahara, Oshima etc). I wonder if MoC can get hold of Cinelicious' restoration of Funeral Parade of Roses (I hope so). I can't wait to see Arrow's The Human Condition set as it looks to be the most exciting Japanese release of the year in my opinion (in the UK at least).

[gouryella]

Originally Posted by rapta

Hey, you could always keep it sealed and wait to see if you can get the box set, and then make your money back by selling it on eBay or something. Looks like a nice edition though (does it come with a booklet?) but obviously you'd be double-dipping on it if you ever wanted to get the box set.

I reckon somebody in the UK is bound to revisit these Kurosawa titles one day and restored them properly - whether it's BFI, MoC, Arrow, or Criterion themselves - and these will do in the meantime. If that still doesn't look likely in, say, 5 years' time...you can always go region free and import them! As I've expressed though, they're still watchable and better than the previous DVD editions as far as I'm aware, as well as being the most affordable way of owning the films in HD.

Yeah it says it has a booklet but obviously haven't opened it to look at it. If I sold it I doubt I would clear £6 and then I would be losing money. Not ideal lol.

I have a region free player that's not my main one but doubt I would ever buy a Criterion. They are just way above my budget. I never pay more than £7 in theory £6.99 for a single film Blu-ray. Bought my first BFI title Anthony Asquith's Underground about 4 or 5 months ago and have between 40-50 currently. After the HMV spend that's is for a while now though.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by gouryella

Yeah it says it has a booklet but obviously haven't opened it to look at it. If I sold it I doubt I would clear £6 and then I would be losing money. Not ideal lol.

I have a region free player that's not my main one but doubt I would ever buy a Criterion. They are just way above my budget. I never pay more than £7 in theory £6.99 for a single film Blu-ray. Bought my first BFI title Anthony Asquith's Underground about 4 or 5 months ago and have between 40-50 currently. After the HMV spend that's is for a while now though.

Just keep it. You're bound to get some enjoyment out of it.

[Foggy]

Anyone know what BFI discs are in the HMV sale? I know Vivre Sa Vie which I'm looking to pick up, but someone mentioned some Cassavetes films are in there too?

[gouryella]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Anyone know what BFI discs are in the HMV sale? I know Vivre Sa Vie which I'm looking to pick up, but someone mentioned some Cassavetes films are in there too?

faces
the killing of a chinese bookie
bande a part
man with a movie camera
around the world with orson welles
night and the city
germany pale mother
rashomon
saturday night sunday morning
vivre sa vie
aguire wrath of god
lonliness of the long distance runner
the leopard
the innocents
the edge of the world
here we go round the mulberry bush
late autumn
battle of coronal and falkland islands
day the earth caught fire
seven samurai

These are the ones in my local HMV.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Anyone know what BFI discs are in the HMV sale? I know Vivre Sa Vie which I'm looking to pick up, but someone mentioned some Cassavetes films are in there too?

Originally Posted by gouryella

faces
the killing of a chinese bookie
bande a part
man with a movie camera
around the world with orson welles
night and the city
germany pale mother
rashomon
saturday night sunday morning
vivre sa vie
aguire wrath of god
lonliness of the long distance runner
the leopard
the innocents
the edge of the world
here we go round the mulberry bush
late afternoon
battle of coronal and falkland islands
day the earth caught fire
seven samurai

These are the ones in my local HMV.

Sorry to be pedantic, but it's Late Autumn. They also have Ozu's Tokyo Story too.

[gouryella]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

Sorry to be pedantic, but it's Late Autumn. They also have Ozu's Tokyo Story too.

Think I was just shortening Late Autumn & An Autumn Afternoon into a new condensed film.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by CavebobSpongeman

What sale?

5 for £30 / 3 for £20 offer.

[CavebobSpongeman]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

5 for £30 / 3 for £20 offer.

Thanks yeah, just saw it on the site, looks like a trip to HMV for me then. Any essential titles from that list? I'm somewhat of a BFI virgin.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by CavebobSpongeman

Thanks yeah, just saw it on the site, looks like a trip to HMV for me then. Any essential titles from that list? I'm somewhat of a BFI virgin.

It's pretty hard to recommend certain titles, as I don't know what type of films you like. They're all good purchases though. My own personal favorite is Aguirre, Wrath of God, closely followed by Bande à part.

[TheRingshifter]

Originally Posted by CavebobSpongeman

Thanks yeah, just saw it on the site, looks like a trip to HMV for me then. Any essential titles from that list? I'm somewhat of a BFI virgin.

Night and the City is one of my absolute favourites.

[CouncilSpectre]

Tried to pick 5 so that it would fit with the 5 for £30 deal, but I'd say that all these were essentials, for me at least...

Bande a Part
Vivre Sa Vie
Night and the City
Rashamon
Seven Samurai
Late Autumn
Tokyo Story

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by CavebobSpongeman

Thanks yeah, just saw it on the site, looks like a trip to HMV for me then. Any essential titles from that list? I'm somewhat of a BFI virgin.

Only got a handful myself, the Kurosawa titles are a must if you haven't seen them. With Rashomon being one of my top 10 films of all time. Bande A Part is good but I've been a tad lukewarm towards to Godard films I've seen so far. Other than that, I've not seen many others, already own Tokyo Story but haven't got around to watching it yet. Others I've seen is Aguirre (which I like, but I actually find it one of Herzog's weakest, but I'm well and truly alone on that) and The Innocents (which is superb if you like Gothic Ghost stories).

If they add Eyes Without A Face at a later date, that's a must buy, that's been my favourite BFI release thus far.