British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Cremildo]

Nice announcements. I own the Criterion Sunday Bloody Sunday and the Twilight Time Nuremberg, so I won't be getting those, but I might get Cyrano. Really like the 1950 version and have always been curious about that Depardieu one.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Those are fantastic announcements for 2020. I will be in for all of those at some point. BFI knocking it out of the park on all of those.

[Aclea]

Amazed at how long it's taken for Cyrano to get a Bluray release over here (even France took its sweet time) considering how big an international hit it was. Hopefully some of the other Pathe restorations released in France without English subs like Le Hussard sur le Toit/The Horseman on the Roof and Voici le Temps des Assassins will also be forthcoming.

[Si Parallel Universe]

My local HMV messed up on taking BOGOF stickers off the BFI Blus and I got there just in time to get Eye of the Needle & Mr Topaze for £7.50 each, effectively.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by senseabove

You folks are sleeping on Tongues Untied. It's of-its-era, but in spite of its dated style it's still an incredible, powerful film. It's a shame they're not just doing a complete works of Marlon Riggs, though. All that's left is Black Is... Black Ain't, Ethnic Notions, and Color Adjustments though the rights to the last two are probably tricky.

Happy for Beat the Devil to finally get a release! I was holding out for a non-Twilight Time release with a better package. Here's hoping they can include the theatrical cut for curiosity's sake.



For the folks in the US who want to sample, Rigg's entire body of work is on Kanopy.

I’ve been wanting Tongues Untied for 4 or 5 years since I first heard about it and could only find US DVD copies that I’m not even sure were still in print then. I really appreciate the BFI’s commitment to queer cinema with the Jarman sets, Maurice, My Beautiful Laundrette, Pink Narcissus, Love is the Devil, Nighthawks and plenty of others. Even the Cocteau films too. Really happy to see more of the classic, defining films out like Peccadillo rereleasing The Watermelon Woman on DVD last year and Buddies on BD this year, or some of Network’s releases like The Naked Civil Servant and the odd Criterion title as in Desert Hearts.

Hopefully Sunday Bloody Sunday adds a few extras otherwise I’ll just get the Criterion. Best the Devil is a long time coming.

Twilight Time of Beat the Devil had these:

Audio Commentary by film historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman
Extras:"Alexander Cockburn: Beat the Devil" documentary (22:43)
Theatrical Trailer (2:28)

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by rapta

and also great news they got Huston's Beat the Devil (surely via Sony, which could confirm a studio deal).

I would expect so, given that that's who Twilight Time got it from.

[Aclea]

It's a Romulus film in the UK. The restoration was done by Sony but used elements provided by Romulus, so they probably have licensing rights to the restoration in their territories. Since the BFI also released Moulin Rouge, Room at the Top and Cosh Boy they obviously did a package deal with them.

[Si Parallel Universe]

More Bogie on Blu is always welcome

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

I’ve been wanting Tongues Untied for 4 or 5 years since I first heard about it and could only find US DVD copies that I’m not even sure were still in print then. I really appreciate the BFI’s commitment to queer cinema with the Jarman sets, Maurice, My Beautiful Laundrette, Pink Narcissus, Love is the Devil, Nighthawks and plenty of others. Even the Cocteau films too. Really happy to see more of the classic, defining films out like Peccadillo rereleasing The Watermelon Woman on DVD last year and Buddies on BD this year, or some of Network’s releases like The Naked Civil Servant and the odd Criterion title as in Desert Hearts.

If you haven't seen it, I also recommend Karen Everett's portrait of Riggs, I Shall Not Be Removed:

I Shall Not Be Removed - YouTube

[thisis2]

..would BFI have any plans to release the 2 Hitchcock silent movies which were released in the US by Kino , namely BLACKMAIL and MURDER ! , which after all were beautifully restored by BFI themselves..?..

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

My local HMV messed up on taking BOGOF stickers off the BFI Blus and I got there just in time to get Eye of the Needle & Mr Topaze for £7.50 each, effectively.

A very fair price for both. Though a little too long Eye of the Needle is an effective thriller with a plot eventually playing out in quite small scale for very big stakes. There are a couple of goofs involving WWII chronology and RAF operations which will irritate some though it was the sight of post-nationalisation locos and rolling stock (some of which dated from as late the 1960's ) during the scenes set on and around railways that briefly took me out of the film. And keep an eye on the background and road markings during the sequence Faber (Sutherland) takes a taxi to Marylebone Station...

[Yami]

Originally Posted by thisis2

..would BFI have any plans of releasing the 2 Hitchcock silent movies which were released in the US by Kino , namely BLACKMAIL and MURDER ! , which after all were beautifully restored by BFI themselves..?..

Nope, sadly the BFI don't have the rights to release any of the Hitchcock films that they restored.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by Fnord Prefect

A very fair price for both. Though a little too long Eye of the Needle is an effective thriller with a plot eventually playing out in quite small scale for very big stakes. There are a couple of goofs involving WWII chronology and RAF operations which will irritate some though it was the sight of post-nationalisation locos and rolling stock (some of which dated from as late the 1960's ) during the scenes set on and around railways that briefly took me out of the film. And keep an eye on the background and road markings during the sequence Faber (Sutherland) takes a taxi to Marylebone Station...

Thanks I'll try to keep them peeled

[ravenus]

I would have thought Beat the Devil to be a worthy candidate for some good extras, a commentary even. I will still buy it, but hoping for a bump in on-disc material for this.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I would have thought Beat the Devil to be a worthy candidate for some good extras, a commentary even. I will still buy it, but hoping for a bump in on-disc material for this.

Oh I'm pretty confident that BFI will indulge us

[thisis2]

Originally Posted by Yami

Nope, sadly the BFI don't have the rights to release any of the Hitchcock films that they restored.

thanks for the info..the reason i was hoping for a region B blu-ray of BLACKMAIL is because of Kino's defective transfer of the audio version of the movie which is also present on their disc..looks like i'll have to settle for the Kino..at least they got the silent version right..

[Yami]

Originally Posted by thisis2

thanks for the info..the reason i was hoping for a region B blu-ray of BLACKMAIL is because of Kino's defective transfer of the audio version of the movie which is also present on their disc..looks like i'll have to settle for the Kino..at least they got the silent version right..

That's not to say that there will never be a UK release, but it's not going to come from the BFI. Rights are with StudioCanal, who may licence it to either Network or Indicator but no release has been announced yet.

[Gerby]

Just seen on Amazon they have a listing for a dvd release of Children's Film Foundation Bumper Box Vol. 2 for a March release.
Fantastic news! i love all these CFF releases that they've been putting out.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Childrens-F...s%2C167&sr=8-3

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by Gerby

Just seen on Amazon they have a listing for a dvd release of Children's Film Foundation Bumper Box Vol. 2 for a March release.
Fantastic news! i love all these CFF releases that they've been putting out.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Childrens-F...s%2C167&sr=8-3

That is good news.

Dennis Waterman features in one of these as a child .. Will anyone notice the difference in height ?

Well I guess I'll be hanging on to my old Network DVDs still until they release the shorts they put across the four original volumes.

[fatboyslim142]

Has anyone got a complete list of ALL (& NOT just BFI ones) UK Children's film foundation releases?