British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Areopagita]

So Toda Family is included, as it was in the earlier release. I hope it will be an upgrade of some kind, not just an upscale of the old SD master. I wish it was one of the other, yet unreleased Ozu films, but I guess the new edition is a kind of replacement for the older one, so it makes sense that it should contain the same films.

[magnetiques]

Originally Posted by Richard A

Just got my copy of Funeral Parade of Roses, a pleasingly prompt delivery from a Base.com pre-order.

Looks great. Plan to view this w/e.

did it come in a slip?

[Richard A]

Originally Posted by magnetiques

did it come in a slip?

No.

Although it is a full size inlay type Scanavo case as per recent BFI policy.

[NormanicGrav]

I've placed an order for both Funeral Parade of Roses and Flavours of Green Tea Over Rice, and the Akira Kurosawa Samurai Collection recently shipped from HMV.

I have the older release for Tokyo Story and another one of Ozu's films Late Autumn last year. I was going to go for more of Ozu's works since it was 2 for £16 at HMV but considering Tokyo Story got re-released with the 4K restoration I've been having second thoughts about whether to go for the older releases especially as Tokyo Story pretty much has the same content (and probably more) with a better transfer.

[Areopagita]

Well, I wouldn't hold my breath about the rest of the Ozu releases being upgraded. Tokyo Story is substantially more famous than the other ones, so perhaps it will be the only one that gets a second release. Of course I'm not sure about that, we'll have to wait for the next BFI announcements to see if I'm wrong or not.

And then there's the problem with the reddish tint of the more recent transfers of the colour films.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Areopagita

So Toda Family is included, as it was in the earlier release. I hope it will be an upgrade of some kind, not just an upscale of the old SD master. I wish it was one of the other, yet unreleased Ozu films, but I guess the new edition is a kind of replacement for the older one, so it makes sense that it should contain the same films.

Per Ben Stoddart on the Facebook group it’s the same SD master, and other Ozu titles would require the expense of conducting scores.

Interestingly there’s an 80 minute version of the Ozu doc but the BFI wasn’t able to license it

[kristoffer]

I preordered Tokyo Story from the BFI store since I only have the old release and really love this film!

[rapta]

Originally Posted by kristoffer

I preordered Tokyo Story from the BFI store since I only have the old release and really love this film!

I have it preordered from Base as I agree with you - it’s a film I absolutely don’t mind double-dipping on. I also have The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice on its way (and Funeral Parade of Roses, which I’m surprised MoC passed up on) and the Kitano box set also hopefully arriving next month (one of my heroes, do an instant preorder).

As for hopes for more Japanese stuff from BFI later in the year - including more Ozu, maybe some Kurosawa, or possibly even Naruse - I think I saw on social media that there were no further plans for any more this year. That said, they could be playing coy, and I’d be surprised if we got no Kurosawa from them as a Seven Samurai at least needs a new edition even more than Tokyo Story did. They did tell me they were looking into Naruse as a possibility but it’s looking less likely now, though maybe someone braver like Arrow or MoC have that in their sights. I wish someone would release some Teshigahara over here though (aside from his documentary on Gaudí).

[kristoffer]

Completely agree om Seven Samurai! I have actually contemplated getting a Region A player just to watch the Region A CC version!

[fredzappa]

Originally Posted by rapta

They did tell me they were looking into Naruse as a possibility but it’s looking less likely now, though maybe someone braver like Arrow or MoC have that in their sights. I wish someone would release some Teshigahara over here though (aside from his documentary on Gaudí).

Surely It's just a matter of time until one of them releases Nature, in particular after Carlotta already released it on bluesy in France...

[rapta]

Originally Posted by fredzappa

Surely It's just a matter of time until one of them releases Nature, in particular after Carlotta already released it on bluesy in France...

Yup, that’s exactly my thinking. Eureka were disappointed by sales of their DVD set so might hold off, and if BFI sounded interested but haven’t announced a set amongst their Japan retrospective, I wonder if Arrow are most likely (or Criterion, maybe even Second Run).

[Yami]

The BFI aren't doing Naruse on Blu-Ray, the HD masters aren't good enough.

We can look forward to Studio Canal doing Ran on 4K UHD if that Australian listing comes true.

[Areopagita]

The current B-region release of Seven Samurai is watchable, so actually I'd prefer a Blu-ray version Redbeard or Stray Dog finally (and Dodes'kaden while they're at it). An upgrade of Seven Samurai would be great, though. As for Ozu, they have already released almost all of his sound films on Blu-ray or DVD (these owned by Shochiku) and the silents are in a pretty poor shape, so I guess they don't find it feasible to buy the licenses, commission new soundtracks and then release just a DVD.

[Yami]

They still have the licenses for a few silents that they've yet to release, but they don't have the budget to commission new scores so they've sat unreleased.

As much as a better transfer of Seven Samurai would be nice, the list of best Japanese films that the BFI published the other day has something like over 40 films (I stopped counting) that are unavailable in the UK. All labels should concentrate on them before re-releases.

[Areopagita]

There's much more I'd like to see than there is on the BFI list. It's pretty good, but if you choose one film from each year, there have to be some omissions. I'd be grateful for UK Blu-ray releases of "The Yellow Handkerchief" (which is on the list) and "Carmen Comes Home" (which isn't). They seem like something Arrow could do for their Academy Line. However, I see that those two are with Shochiku, so perhaps BFI is more likely to release them?

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Yami

The BFI aren't doing Naruse on Blu-Ray, the HD masters aren't good enough.

We can look forward to Studio Canal doing Ran on 4K UHD if that Australian listing comes true.

Are the Carlotta releases no good then?

Originally Posted by Areopagita

The current B-region release of Seven Samurai is watchable, so actually I'd prefer a Blu-ray version Redbeard or Stray Dog finally (and Dodes'kaden while they're at it). An upgrade of Seven Samurai would be great, though. As for Ozu, they have already released almost all of his sound films on Blu-ray or DVD (these owned by Shochiku) and the silents are in a pretty poor shape, so I guess they don't find it feasible to buy the licenses, commission new soundtracks and then release just a DVD.

Agreed, I would love them to do Red Beard and Stray Dog - as well as Ikiru, High and Low, Drunken Angel, maybe even I Live in Fear and The Bad Sleep Well. I don't really get why they haven't done those as I thought the Kurosawa titles are their top sellers (along with Godzilla, which they never upgraded and now Criterion have the rights).

[Yami]

Originally Posted by rapta

Are the Carlotta releases no good then?

I don't personally own them, but I've read that they're pretty ancient masters that barely advance over an upscale and the screencaps do look dreadful. It would explain the BFI's reticence, though I can't explain the 2016 screening of a 4K restoration of Floating Clouds that has never been screened/released/mentioned anywhere else since (or at least I can't find any evidence).

[Jafar]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

Any rumours on the new Late Spring transfer coming to the UK?
I picked up some Ozu titles in HMVs 2 for £13, and they had Late Spring but it wasn’t in the offer. It has also disappeared from the BFI shop https://shop.bfi.org.uk/directors/yasujiro-ozu.html and is only available from 3rd parties on amazon, so I’m assuming it’s out of print?

Really hope a remastered Late Spring would be next after Tokyo Story.

[Ben_C]

Originally Posted by Areopagita

There's much more I'd like to see than there is on the BFI list. It's pretty good, but if you choose one film from each year, there have to be some omissions. I'd be grateful for UK Blu-ray releases of "The Yellow Handkerchief" (which is on the list) and "Carmen Comes Home" (which isn't). They seem like something Arrow could do for their Academy Line. However, I see that those two are with Shochiku, so perhaps BFI is more likely to release them?

Would love to see a UK release of The Yellow Handkerchief, and I’m sure one of our boutique labels could put together a nice set for Yamada’s Samurai Trilogy too.

[manicsounds]

I have the Carlotta Naruse box and the transfers are from dated HD masters that were used for the DVDs and for TV broadcast, and while they are good there are still telecine wobble, scratches, inconsistent grey levels, etc.