British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[rkish]

OZU...OZU...OZU!!!

I received my copy of "An Autumn Afternoon" that shipped out from the UK on Saturday. I had "Late Autumn" shipped separately, after getting burned by Royal Mail this past Christmas...they made up for it big time on this one. Late Autumn shipped on Sunday, so I'm hopeful to see it tomorrow or Saturday.

Looking very forward to seeing "A Hen in the Wind", as it's a first time for me.

ENJOY!

[pro-bassoonist]

SDVD only

PRE ORDER
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Miners-Hymns...6531307&sr=1-1

On 20 June, the BFI releases The Miners’ Hymns (2010) on DVD. This compelling elegy in film and music to the coal mining history of North East England is the result of an exceptional creative collaboration between renowned experimental American filmmaker Bill Morrison (Decasia) and acclaimed Icelandic musician and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson.

Focusing on the mines in the Durham area, The Miners’ Hymns shows the intense labour, endurance, vibrant community and rich culture that characterised the lives of those who worked underground during the twentieth century, and the legacy of mining in the region.

Collaged from archive film from the BFI National Archive, Amber Films & Photography Collective, BBC and the Northern Region Film and Television Archive, The Miners’ Hymns celebrates social, cultural and political aspects of the now-extinct mining industry, and the strong regional tradition of colliery brass bands.

Jóhann Jóhannsson’s newly composed modern classical score draws upon the region’s brass music and moves from dark and brooding minimalism to moments of rousing transcendence. The soundtrack album, also titled, The Miners’ Hymns, was released on Monday by FatCat Records on its 13071 imprint.

The Miners’ Hymns project was initially commissioned by producers FORMA for the 'Brass: Durham International Festival’ and was premiered there with a live performance of the score in Durham Cathedral on 15 and 16 July 2010. As a finished film, The Miners’ Hymns had its worldwide premiere at The Tribeca Film Festival in New York during April 2011.

More details on Bill Morrison and Jóhann Jóhannsson and the special features on the disc are included in the attached press release. Check discs are in now. Please let me know if you would like a review copy.

To get a taste of the film, click here to see a 3 mins trailer: http://www.vimeo.com/21476387

Pro-B

[Alex DeLarge]

I just received my Ozu's and ALICE bds today and the booklet shows a picture of THE CONFORMIST duel release!! Any formal announcement yet? I would like to thank the BFI for releasing such important cinema in high-definition, for this is the only way many of us cinephiles can watch classic films. I'm sure there are many like me who don't live near a major city with a theatre that schedules retropsectives.

[zombeaner]

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

I just received my Ozu's and ALICE bds today and the booklet shows a picture of THE CONFORMIST duel release!! Any formal announcement yet? I would like to thank the BFI for releasing such important cinema in high-definition, for this is the only way many of us cinephiles can watch classic films. I'm sure there are many like me who don't live near a major city with a theatre that schedules retropsectives.

The Conformist is coming from Arrow Academy, not BFI.

[monkeywonder]

I was wondering if this is why Il Conformista seems to have disappeared from the Arrow site, but I just rechecked the leaflets with my Alice/Ozu releases and my leaflets only list releases to 20th June and don't say anything about Il Conformista Alex, was it in your BFI catalogue leaflet or a something from the retailer?

I saw Il Conformista at the BFI as part of their Bertolucci season and it was fantastic. It would be shame if no one ends up releasing it at all

[Yami]

I'm pretty sure The Conformist was never up on Arrow's site in the first place.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by Yami

I'm pretty sure The Conformist was never up on Arrow's site in the first place.

I believe it was only listed as part of this Digital Fix article.

[Alex DeLarge]

My Mistake! It comes from a leaflet in my RIFIFI bd which is Arrow: I had the inserts mixed-up. I still love the BFI but really looking forward to Bertolucci's masterful film as well as De Sica's THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS (only in dvd??). Again, sorry for the confusion

[rkish]

Well...decided to check out "Late Autumn" and "A Mother Should Be Loved" first...

Late Autumn was a great transfer and a good watch again...it's a shame that the first and last reels of A Mother Should Be Loved are MIA...but BFI did a great job of introducing and concluding the story for us. A first view of this film and possibly the most exciting nuance of these releases.

Can't wait for "An Autumn Afternoon" and "A Hen in the Wind" tomorrow!

MichaelB...any word on the next Ozu releases?

[Schonfelder]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

This is great.
Hoping for more English-friendly releases of Skolimowski's films...

[Schonfelder]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Most of Skolimowski's films are already available in English-friendly form - you just have to shop around a bit.

The Polish features (Identification Marks: None, Walkover, Barrier, Hands Up!, Ferdydurke and Four Nights With Anna) are out on DVD in Poland, the first four in a box set, all with English subtitles (except Ferdydurke, which was in English to begin with).

The Shout is out on a terrific DVD from Network.

Moonlighting and The Lightship are out on DVD in the US.

Essential Killing is already out in Poland (complete with English menus as well as subtitles), but I'd personally wait for Artificial Eye's Blu-ray.

That leaves Le Départ, The Adventures of Gerard, King Queen Knave, Success is the Best Revenge and Torrents of Spring. Skolimowski has more or less disowned the second and fifth of those, and he's none too keen on the third (though others are). There are rumours that Le Départ may be out on DVD before too long, which leaves Success is the Best Revenge - sadly, that's one of my favourite Skolimowskis, but it's also just about his most perversely uncommercial film, so we may have a long wait.

Thanks for the info, Michael !
Guess i haven't made myself clear, though, when i was saying "English-Friendly" i thought about english-friendly market too (i don't have any idea about how to buy a dvd from Poland, do you ?).
To be frank, i have those four Polish releases on dvd-r (downloaded from karagarga , along with some others - including Torrents of Spring and King Queen - don't remember if the source of the two are vhs, beta or other), but i think they deserve a brighter spot in the US/UK/etc market - and better releases, too. Speaking of that, i disagree about the Network release of the Shout - not that it's bad, but i don't like the blacks and lack of detail in the shadowy areas, the transfer doesn't do justice to the look of the film - and although it has a nice commentary track, the audio isn't that good and the dvd doesn't even has subtitles...
Waiting for the AE release of Essential Killing too, but i already saw a bd-rip of the Polish release and it looks stunning.
Can't wait for Deep End !

[Andrew_HD]

I can help Speak this funny language


Andrew

[Schonfelder]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Presumably you know how to buy a DVD from other countries? It's exactly the same process, only you use a Polish retailer like Merlin, Empik or Punkt44.

Thanks a lot for the links, i didn't know any of them until now
And 99% of the dvds/bds/vinyl etc that i buy are from other countries, since i'm from Brazil, just didn't happen to buy anything from Poland (until now).

[Schonfelder]

Originally Posted by Andrew_HD

I can help Speak this funny language


Andrew

If i have any doubt, i'll send a message, then

[TJS_Blu]

I ordered Nighthawks from amazon.uk back in April along with some pre-orders. Amazon sent me a notice that they were cancelling the Nighthawks disc due to unavailabilty from the supplier. In the event this has happened to you, try Zavvi, I did and just received the ship notice.

[juzzam]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

I ordered Nighthawks from amazon.uk back in April along with some pre-orders. Amazon sent me a notice that they were cancelling the Nighthawks disc due to unavailabilty from the supplier. In the event this has happened to you, try Zavvi, I did and just received the ship notice.

I got it from Zavvi about a month ago, shipped straight away. Seriously great release.

[alibaba-uk]

Zavvi (and the other sites run by The Hut) still have stock of these I am told - or rather, if their site says they do they genuinely do. As all the blu-ray only releases are being replaced with 'double play' editions then if Amazon are out of stock they are unlikely to be getting more.

[Funktion]

Most of you are probably aware by now, but the BFI is also releasing Deep End as a 3 disc limited edition (with a bonus DVD featuring footage from a recent Q&A session).
It's currently listed at Amazon for less than £13.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-End-3-...dp/B0055OJUK2/

[rkish]

Does anyone with information/ties to BFI know what the next Ozu releases will be?

[Kaminari]

Would love me some Floating Weeds or Tokyo Twilight