British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by DefLeppard

Yeah ,while I agree that PDF on DVD is a good alternative but converting those pages into a high-res JPEG wouldn't be taking much space on a BD50 disc (320mb for a 80 page at 4mb per page) [Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't recall any of the UK boutique labels doing a release on BD25 anymore] and one can view it on their HT system without the need to use computer.

I don’t understand why Arrow are so precious with the material from their booklets. Criterion put all of their essays online on the day a disc is released, it would be so much easier if others followed suit. I have a high-end computer that’s less than a year old and it doesn’t have a dvd drive in it, and from what I understand this is increasingly the norm for many modern laptops, so PDF’s on dvds would be useless for me.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I don’t understand why Arrow are so precious with the material from their booklets. Criterion put all of their essays online on the day a disc is released, it would be so much easier if others followed suit. I have a high-end computer that’s less than a year old and it doesn’t have a dvd drive in it, and from what I understand this is increasingly the norm for many modern laptops, so PDF’s on dvds would be useless for me.

It could just be the images used in the booklets, or some of the writings being sourced on a license basis (with their own unique contractual issues). It would obviously take some time to go through each booklet and remove any sensitive elements that could get them in legal trouble. Then again, several of their booklets have been uploaded with no such problems, so who knows what the fuss is all about.

[DefLeppard]

Originally Posted by rapta

BD-25 is still used for some titles when the bitrate is maxed out and the extras are light. Some recent examples include a handful of Indicator titles, Arrow's Spotlight on a Murderer, and I was watching MoC's City Girl just yesterday which was BD-25 (several BFI releases are the same actually). Still, an image would take up barely any room like you say.

Thanks for correcting me ;Ashamed to say this but yet to watch City Girl that was bought during those fab Flashfriday deals in 2015.

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I don’t understand why Arrow are so precious with the material from their booklets. Criterion put all of their essays online on the day a disc is released, it would be so much easier if others followed suit. I have a high-end computer that’s less than a year old and it doesn’t have a dvd drive in it, and from what I understand this is increasingly the norm for many modern laptops, so PDF’s on dvds would be useless for me.

Unsure if this has got anything to do with licensing (from the home labels/territory restrictions/directors/estates etc) or more importantly ,the business practice by Arrow . Luckily ,we still have BFI and Eureka who are producing booklet with most of their releases without restricting into 'first press only' release.

EDIT: As said earleir, PDF on DVD is a dinosaur but folks can still enjoy it as long as they're made available however it would be more convenient if the booklet content be made available on BD itself .

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by jcmw98

I was thinking, with the Woodfall boxset and the pricing.

The Alan Clarke collection had about, thirty films in it for an RRP of £149.99 which equates to five pounds a film.

So if you use the same sort of pricing with this set, at five pounds a film, we should expect to see it at around £40. I'm guessing it'd be closer to £50 though.

I fully expect this to be all wrong and for BFI to announce it at £475, but still, a bit of speculation never hurt anyone

I bet it will break down to a pretty good deal per film, but it'll seem hefty sum all in one splodge.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by DefLeppard

Thanks for correcting me ;Ashamed to say this but yet to watch City Girl that was bought during those fab Flashfriday deals in 2015.

Hey, according to my collection on this site I bought this in November 2013, so it took me even longer than you to watch it! I loved it, probably the most engaged I've been in a silent film to date (though The Passion of Joan of Arc, which I watched directly afterwards, was a completely different experience). I'm very keen to watch my other Murnau titles now though, and will have to get the Early Murnau set from MoC (I had a few of those on DVD but sold them).

[DefLeppard]

Originally Posted by rapta

Hey, according to my collection on this site I bought this in November 2013, so it took me even longer than you to watch it! I loved it, probably the most engaged I've been in a silent film to date (though The Passion of Joan of Arc, which I watched directly afterwards, was a completely different experience). I'm very keen to watch my other Murnau titles now though, and will have to get the Early Murnau set from MoC (I had a few of those on DVD but sold them).

I know its very difficult to maintain 1:1 ratio for watching and buying .The Passion of Joan of Arc-I liked it on the first viewing and if it's anything to go by the 4k trailer of upcoming CC release, it looks like a worthly double dip too. BFI's Napoleon (1927) is very good and I'd recommend you to watch (ignore if you've done so already).

[sjt]

Some puzzling omissions from the Woodfall set, including both of Richardson's films with Jeanne Moreau - Mademoiselle and The Sailor from Gibraltar - which led to the collapse of his marriage to Vanessa Redgrave, and Laughter in the Dark, probably the best Nabokov adaptation after Kubrick's Lolita. And since the BFI already have a DVD available of The Charge of the Light Brigade, I wonder why that isn't making the jump to HD as well. Apart from anything else - a veritable who's who of British stage and film actors - it contains the funniest sex scene ever filmed, between Jill Bennett (John Osborne's then wife) as the social-climbing-on-behalf-of-her-husband Mrs. Duberly and Trevor Howard as a briskly business-like Lord Cardigan.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Perhaps there will be a second set in the works ?

I mean you can't have everything and that 8 disc set looks superb.

[FriendlyDragon]

Originally Posted by jcmw98

I was thinking, with the Woodfall boxset and the pricing.

The Alan Clarke collection had about, thirty films in it for an RRP of £149.99 which equates to five pounds a film.

So if you use the same sort of pricing with this set, at five pounds a film, we should expect to see it at around £40. I'm guessing it'd be closer to £50 though.

I fully expect this to be all wrong and for BFI to announce it at £475, but still, a bit of speculation never hurt anyone

It's £64.99 direct from the BFI. That seems pretty reasonable for 8 discs, but I'm not sure how their own prices normally compare to those from other retailers.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by FriendlyDragon

It's £64.99 direct from the BFI. That seems pretty reasonable for 8 discs, but I'm not sure how their own prices normally compare to those from other retailers.

A smidge over £8 a film (incl. Tom Jones), who could complain about that? Ha, who am I kidding, many people here

[Alan Clarke]

I am looking forward to the Woodfall set. I already have Loneliness Of A Long Distance Runner though.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by sjt

And since the BFI already have a DVD available of The Charge of the Light Brigade, I wonder why that isn't making the jump to HD as well. Apart from anything else - a veritable who's who of British stage and film actors - it contains the funniest sex scene ever filmed, between Jill Bennett (John Osborne's then wife) as the social-climbing-on-behalf-of-her-husband Mrs. Duberly and Trevor Howard as a briskly business-like Lord Cardigan.

The BFI's DVD, like every MGM/UA release of the film on DVD and BD overseas, is a heavily cut version - and not just mandatory censorship cuts but a missing reel that's not on the existing HD master (but was on their problematic VHS master that was apparently accidentally destroyed). The censor cuts would hinder any UK restoration, but it's not a title the BFI have ever put that much effort into considering the vast amount of material they hold on the film - which apparently includes the original rough cut of the film before Laurence Harvey was cut from the film. Of course, holding the material doesn't mean they'd have the right to release it.

[grahams76]

Originally Posted by Alan Clarke

I am looking forward to the Woodfall set. I already have Loneliness Of A Long Distance Runner though.

I must say i find it exceedingly odd that your avatar is of Sight & Sound editor Nick James. Weird.

[jcmw98]

Originally Posted by grahams76

I must say i find it exceedingly odd that your avatar is of Sight & Sound editor Nick James. Weird.

Is that who that is?!

I've literally wondered that since the Alan Clarke BFI Boxset-gate.

[Levon]

Wondering if anyone can help me here?

So I'm wanting to delve into Spanish cinema but I only really know of El Sur, which I plan to pick up soon. Can anyone recommend some classics that are available on blu ray? (preferably UK releases) It would be greatly appreciated.

Gracias

[DefLeppard]

Originally Posted by Levon

Wondering if anyone can help me here?

So I'm wanting to delve into Spanish cinema but I only really know of El Sur, which I plan to pick up soon. Can anyone recommend some classics that are available on blu ray? (preferably UK releases) It would be greatly appreciated.

Gracias

Not sure if you're into the kind of genre to which these films belong to..

[Show spoiler]

[havalina]

Originally Posted by Levon

Wondering if anyone can help me here?

So I'm wanting to delve into Spanish cinema but I only really know of El Sur, which I plan to pick up soon. Can anyone recommend some classics that are available on blu ray? (preferably UK releases) It would be greatly appreciated.

Gracias

BFI has also done Cria Cuervos, which is v.good film. Studio Canal have released a boxset of early Almodovar and some of his later stuff is also on blu.

but in general, classic Spanish cinema is very poorly served on bluray in UK, not sure about imports. No idea what the score is with Viridiana and Exterminating Angel, for example - Arrow did DVDs but no sign of blus that I know of.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by Alan Clarke

I am looking forward to the Woodfall set. I already have Loneliness Of A Long Distance Runner though.

I really want this set despite owning three of the films already. I'm curious to see if The Knack is an improvement over the Kino release.

[Si Parallel Universe]

and I was annoyed that I had two of the set.

[Si Parallel Universe]

A veritable shame if there s no follow up to the Woodfall set.