British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[ptb2010]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

She's so young and so indistinguishable in it that you don't pick up on the fact that it is her. I can't remember the frequency of appearance if I'm being honest.

I've only seen this on TPTV so I imagine the Blu Ray will be a marked improvement in quality on the TV showings.

Sorry but from the moment she first appears you know it's Joan. She's in it quite a lot, from first appearing at the youth club dance with her brother, getting attacked by our hero/villain, then later when she becomes his girlfriend and again when she announces her pregnancy and he brushes her off, being the gent he is! Her billing is deserved.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by ptb2010

Sorry but from the moment she first appears you know it's Joan. She's in it quite a lot, from first appearing at the youth club dance with her brother, getting attacked by our hero/villain, then later when she becomes his girlfriend and again when she announces her pregnancy and he brushes her off, being the gent he is! Her billing is deserved.

Wait a second I never mentioned anything about her billing being deserved or not. I just said to me she looks indistinguishable in this role. I mention that in comparison to later more distinguishable roles where she is prominent front and centre. I didn't say anybody wouldn't recognise her. This was after all only her fifth credited role.

[latehong]

BFI programme highlights announced for 2020

From May – September 2020, the BFI will present a major nationwide season celebrating Japanese film, featuring the great classics of Ozu, Mizoguchi and Naruse, the samurai swordsmen of Kurosawa and the creative dissidents of the New Wave. Vivid visions of anime masters and the netherworlds of J-Horror will be back on the big screen and we’ll also celebrate contemporary visionaries such as Takeshi Miike, Takeshi Kitano and Naomi Kawase. As the world’s attention is on Tokyo for the Olympics over the summer, the season will include spectacular live events, special guest appearances, talks, workshops and fun for families, and the BFI will work in close collaboration with partners to present events and screenings across the UK.

The season will include BFI re-releases, a major season at BFI Southbank and new collections of film on BFI Player, DVD & Blu-ray and in Mediatheques. The season will also draw on the BFI National Archive’s significant collection of early films of Japan dating back to 1897, including travelogues, home movies and newsreels, offering audiences a rare chance to see show how European and Japanese filmmakers captured life in Japan in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Fingers crossed for another try for Mikio Naruse movies, especially his later widescreen films.

[Rutger Lundgren]

Originally Posted by latehong

BFI programme highlights announced for 2020

Fingers crossed for another try for Mikio Naruse movies, especially his later widescreen films.

That all sounds so, so good. It should be an exciting year.

[havalina]

At the very bottom of that article it lists upcoming releases inc DVD/Blu-ray: BEST OF PLAY FOR TODAY VOL.1

Has this been mentioned before? Sounds very promising cause there's some real riches there.

Also it would be great if the Japan season results in them finally upgrading more Kurosawa and, especially some Naruse finally making it to blu.

[BarnDoor]

Originally Posted by havalina

At the very bottom of that article it lists upcoming releases inc DVD/Blu-ray: BEST OF PLAY FOR TODAY VOL.1

Has this been mentioned before? Sounds very promising cause there's some real riches there.

For me that is by far and away their most exciting announcement for some time. Can't wait to see what's in it, and the promise of further volumes makes it all the more intriguing.

If they're not going to do a separate set of his works (they really should), I hope some Peter McDougall stuff finds its way on there, particularly Just Another Saturday and Just a Boys' Game, both fantastic.

[Ben_C]

Would love to go see a bit of Kitano and Kurosawa at the cinema.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by latehong

BFI programme highlights announced for 2020



Fingers crossed for another try for Mikio Naruse movies, especially his later widescreen films.

You'll be happy to know that a few years ago I did ask BFI whether they would ever consider upgrading any of their Japanese DVD titles to Blu-ray, and they said there were no immediate plans but Naruse specifically might be someone they would look into again (Japan-wise, they since have upgraded An Actor's Revenge, and also released a Koreeda set). Considering that Carlotta released some of his films on Blu-ray last year, I reckon it's fairly likely we'll get a Naruse set from at least one label in 2020/2021, and it sounds like BFI are the most curious (and maybe even best equipped, unless MoC are feeling ballsy).

Alternatively, I could see us getting an Oshima set from one of these labels (MoC, Arrow Academy, Criterion) since there are several of his films not available on UK home video and others have gone OOP (e.g. Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, Empire of Passion, In the Realm of the Senses).

[Spiderwalk]

R.I.P. Nicky Henson

[ptb2010]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

R.I.P. Nicky Henson

I hadn't heard this. Worked with Nicky a few years ago. Lovely man! Such a shame. So young.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by rapta

Considering that Carlotta released some of his films on Blu-ray last year, I reckon it's fairly likely we'll get a Naruse set from at least one label in 2020/2021, and it sounds like BFI are the most curious (and maybe even best equipped, unless MoC are feeling ballsy).

The masters in the Carlotta set are old and ropey, they're in real need of a new restoration. I believe that Floating Clouds got a 4K restoration a few years ago, but hasn't even had a release in Japan as yet. Fingers crossed for that one at least.

It also wouldn't surprise me to see the BFI release something like Hakujaden - the first colour anime film, which had a 4K restoration and Blu-Ray release in Japan last year.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by ptb2010

I hadn't heard this. Worked with Nicky a few years ago. Lovely man! Such a shame. So young.

I'd heard a number of times that he was a very nice man, good to have it confirmed again.

I've always had a soft spot for Psychomania. It was a staple of late night telly when I was growing up. There wasn't any mention of it in the news reports.

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

R.I.P. Nicky Henson

See also: Witchfinder General

"Fellow actor Ian Ogilvy posted news of Henson's death on Facebook, describing him as "my oldest and dearest friend"."

[CrockettandTubbs]

RIP Anna Karina, too! (she died on Saturday)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/15/m...rina-dead.html

[jackranderson]

HMV’s website appears to be selling Derek Jarman Vol 1 set.
https://store.hmv.com/store/film-tv/...-one-1976-1986

“Back in stock soon”

Hopefully they’re able to fulfil as they’ve taken money up-front.

[nitin]

Otto Preminger seems to be a bit of a forgotten director these days and while his career is inconsistent and filled with frequent highs and lows, any director of films such as Anatomy of a Murder, Laura, Advise and Consent, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Angel Face, Daisy Kenyon and the movie I want to talk about, Whirlpool, deserves more recognition.

Whirlpool is a gloriously silly and hokey story played straight and made with an effortlessly high degree of skill while also imbuing its characterisations with a reasonably acute psychological awareness. The plot is basically a riff on The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari (minus the twist) and The Testament Of Dr Mabuse but Preminger does not go for german expressionist flourishes and instead opts for a similar style to his own Laura.

Gene Tierney is once again hypnotising in her beauty but also does a quite a credible job of portraying a woman that is mentally affected by being boxed in by a patriarchal society that has no interest in her needs or wants. Richard Conte is miscast as an upper society psychiatrist that is married to Tierney’s character (Conte basically comes across as he does in many other films of his where he plays working class tough guys) but his character has an unusually nuanced arc which he is able to still get across. Jose Ferrer gets the showiest role as the antagonist of the films and runs with it, pronouncing every consonant and vowel with mischievous glee and going along for the ride with the more ridiculous turns for his character’s role in the story.

This is included in the BFI’s Otto Preminger Collection. The blu is sourced from an older Fox master that has a surprising amount of damage present and also has noticeable warping and frame instability issues. Otherwise the source is pretty sharp and detailed and with a good greyscale. The encoding is subpar but adequate. If you can afford it, I would recommend TT’s release of the film which is from the same Fox master but is much better encoded and also seems to have reduced the warping and instability (it is still there but not as noticeable as on the BFI’s disc).

[Rutger Lundgren]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

HMV’s website appears to be selling Derek Jarman Vol 1 set.
https://store.hmv.com/store/film-tv/...-one-1976-1986

“Back in stock soon”

Hopefully they’re able to fulfil as they’ve taken money up-front.

That's wonderful news, I just hope that my wallet will recuperate from the holiday spending by the time it becomes available.

[ptb2010]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

HMV’s website appears to be selling Derek Jarman Vol 1 set.
https://store.hmv.com/store/film-tv/...-one-1976-1986

“Back in stock soon”

Hopefully they’re able to fulfil as they’ve taken money up-front.

Does this include the uncut Sebastiane with the slow motion erection shot that disappeared from the tv showing and the last Blu Ray release? Prudes everywhere these days.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by ptb2010

Does this include the uncut Sebastiane with the slow motion erection shot that disappeared from the tv showing and the last Blu Ray release? Prudes everywhere these days.

Do we know if it’s an uncut uncut or cut erection?

[Mose Harper]

Originally Posted by nitin

Otto Preminger seems to be a bit of a forgotten director these days and while his career is inconsistent and filled with frequent highs and lows, any director of films such as Anatomy of a Murder, Laura, Advise and Consent, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Angel Face, Daisy Kenyon and the movie I want to talk about, Whirlpool, deserves more recognition.

I just recently, finally, got around to watching the films in this set.
Going into it, Whirlpool was far and away the title I most enjoyed, with Fallen Angel being the biggest disappointment, and ...Sidewalk being a nonplus shoulder shrug.

While I still enjoyed Whirlpool, my reaction to both of the others this time was radically different. Absolutely loved Angel and ...Sidewalk had me riveted too. I'd rate it even higher, if not for the unlikely, but the code necessary, end turn.

All in all, a great set.
Hopefully Warner Archive will see fit to kick out Angel Face this year.