British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Wes M.]

Originally Posted by benkell

Regarding L'Age d'Or i wouldn't be surprised if they cancel any orders because they don't seem to update the website very often (still showing in stock last time i looked) and being OOP surely they can't source the stock from anywhere, hope i'm wrong for the people who have ordered it.

Yep, I'm expecting a no-show on this one.... Catching OOP discs is a frustrating experience. I remember last year, I went to pick up Arrow's Fox and his Friends, as I had been upgrading my Arrow Fassbinder DVDs, and at the time, this edition was out of stock everywhere - and 3rd party prices were rising steadily on Amazon. I asked Arrow. No reply. I spent an afternoon, searching the backroads of the Net trying to secure a copy and eventually did so, from a bookstore in London. Great I thought, but I saw two weeks later, its on sale again everywhere, and to add salt to the wound, Arrow had it for a fiver in the next sale...

[benkell]

Originally Posted by Wes M.

Yep, I'm expecting a no-show on this one.... Catching OOP discs is a frustrating experience. I remember last year, I went to pick up Arrow's Fox and his Friends, as I had been upgrading my Arrow Fassbinder DVDs, and at the time, this edition was out of stock everywhere - and 3rd party prices were rising steadily on Amazon. I asked Arrow. No reply. I spent an afternoon, searching the backroads of the Net trying to secure a copy and eventually did so, from a bookstore in London. Great I thought, but I saw two weeks later, its on sale again everywhere, and to add salt to the wound, Arrow had it for a fiver in the next sale...

Yes it sure can be a thankless task, seems to be a load of stuff going OOP recently and making matters worse is the mad rush to grab anything Fox(Disney acquisition) related which makes it impossible to keep up.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by benkell

As i stated in a previous post i've bought a few BFI Flipside titles at reasonable prices from them and sometimes waited weeks for a dispatch but they have always arrived.
Regarding L'Age d'Or i wouldn't be surprised if they cancel any orders because they don't seem to update the website very often (still showing in stock last time i looked) and being OOP surely they can't source the stock from anywhere, hope i'm wrong for the people who have ordered it.

Well, I would be pissed off and refuse to use them again, especially after having some £12 copies on my radar before the discount code made Simply the cheapest option

[benkell]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

Well, I would be pissed off and refuse to use them again, especially after having some £12 copies on my radar before the discount code made Simply the cheapest option

I've used them in the past purely because they were the cheapest option for a few Flipside titles and they've always come through,i wouldn't give up hope yet because they take their time dispatching stuff.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

And Short Sharp Shocks for November, a new Flipside title that sounds very interesting:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HB68CHP

I only wish Panic was on there, but I've wanted The Lake for years.

These really do look fascinating. Have you or anyone else seen any of the other shorts previously?

[Gerby]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

These really do look fascinating. Have you or anyone else seen any of the other shorts previously?

Never seen any of them but after doing some research on them, they all sound great. You can watch The Sex Victims for free on the BFI player, i'm gonna check it out at this weekend.

[IVI13]

The two Algernon Blackwood films are also on the BFI Player
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...es-1949-online
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...or-1949-online
Death Was A Passenger
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...er-1958-online

[CelestialAgent]

Pocketful of Miracles specs

Audio commentary by Jim Hemphill (2020)
A Pocketful of Archive Shorts: a tangential dive into archive film, exploring some of the themes and iconography of Pocketful of Miracles featuring Street Scene - Men with Cart (1898, 1min); Beggar's Deceit (1900, 1 min); Cunard Mail Steamer Lucania Leaving for America (extract) (1901, 3 mins); American Liner 'Lusitania' Entering New York Harbour (1911, 1 min); Fruitlands of Kent (1934, 12 mins); Love on the Wing (1939, 4 mins); I Am a Reporter (1961, 13 mins)
Image gallery
Trailer
***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new essays by Leigh Singer, Maura Spiegel and Sarah Wood and full film credits

Lynn + Lucy specs

Fyzal Boulifa Talks to Danny Leigh (2020): the director of Lynn + Lucy is interviewed by film critic Danny Leigh
Nichola Burley Talks to Nia Childs (2020): Nichola Burley talks to curator and filmmaker Nia Childs about her approach to acting, delving into the psychology of Lucy and how she tackled the difficult issues of Lynn + Lucy
Roxanne Scrimshaw Talks to Nia Childs (2020, 15 mins): Roxanne Scrimshaw chats to Nia Childs about being street cast for Lynn + Lucy and how she found her first experience of acting
Roxanne Scrimshaw casting interview (2018, 7 mins): Roxanne Scrimshaw's first conversation with casting director Lara Manwaring
Roxanne Scrimshaw and Nichola Burley callback audition (2018, 13 mins): Roxanne Scrimshaw and Nichola Burley attend callback auditions together for the first time
The Curse (2012, 13 mins): Fyzal Boulifa's 2012 Cannes-winning and BAFTA-nominated short is an allegory of emancipation inspired by his mother's experience growing up in Morocco
New Towns in Britain (1956, 14 mins): this 1956 documentary commissioned by the Foreign Office for US audiences reports on the planning and development of Harlow New Town, the location of Lynn + Lucy
Image gallery
Trailer

Dementia specs

Daughter of Horror (1957): Dementia was picked up by producer Jack H Harris and re-released as Daughter of Horror in January 1957. Whilst also featuring music without dialogue, Harris made a number of edits and added narration by actor Ed McMahon
Newly recorded audio commentary by film critic and editor-in-chief of Diabolique magazine, Kat Ellinger
Alone with the Monsters (1958, 16 mins): a study of people's unconscious cruelty to others, this bold experimental film was directed by Nazli Nour with cinematography by the great Walter Lassally
Trailers from Hell: Joe Dante on Daughter of Horror (1957/2013, 2 mins)
Before & After: restoring Dementia (2015, 3 mins): a series of short clips from Dementia that illustrate the work done by the Cohen Film Collection for their 2015 restoration
Dementia trailer (2015)
Daughter of Horror trailer (1957)
Image gallery
***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new essays by Ian Schultz and the BFI's William Fowler and Vic Pratt

Tales from the Hood specs

Limited Edition 2-disc set (3,000 copies)
Audio commentary by Rusty Cundieff (2017): the co-writer and director covers the film in detail
The Making of Tales from the Hood (2017, 56 mins): a lengthy retrospective that explores the film in detail
Interview with Rusty Cundieff (2020): the director is interviewed by music and film critic Adam Murray
Interview with Darin Scott (2020): produced exclusively for this release, the producer and co-writer is interviewed by the BFI's Abigail Yartey
Trailer
Gallery featuring original storyboards and sketches provided by director Rusty Cundieff
***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new essay by Adam Murray and full film credits

La Haine specs

2-disc Limited Edition
Fietto le pou (1990, 7 mins): a young man shoots hoops (or tries) in a gym, when a young woman appears whom he attempts to impress
Cauchemar blanc (1991, 10 mins): a group of guys cruise the streets looking for someone to rob
Assassins... (1992, 12 mins): Mathieu Kassovitz's short film which he would later develop into the feature Assassin(s) in 1997
Preparing for the Shoot (1995, 6 mins): behind-the-scenes footage as Kassovitz and his cast and crew prepare to embark on making La Haine
The Making of a Scene (1995,7 mins): a look at the shooting of a particularly challenging scene in the film
Trailers
Clips
Many more extras to be confirmed
Fully illustrated perfect-bound book featuring essays on the film and its continuing influence, the importance of music in La Haine, an in-depth interview with Mathieu Kassovitz, and much more

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Gerby

Never seen any of them but after doing some research on them, they all sound great. You can watch The Sex Victims for free on the BFI player, i'm gonna check it out at this weekend.

Thanks for that. I’m going in totally blind, which is the way I always do things. I was just curious as to what people thought of the shorts.

[Stoicdelon]

L'age d'Or cancelled by SimplyHE

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by Stoicdelon

L'age d'Or cancelled by SimplyHE

I ordered one from ebay & it was cheaper than getting it from HMV.

[oddbox83]

Am I the only one who always reads the title in my head as "Large Door"? Someone else pointed it out to me many years ago, and I cannot shift it.

Given the film itself, it suits.

[Wes M.]

Originally Posted by Stoicdelon

L'age d'Or cancelled by SimplyHE

I haven't received a cancellation email yet but I'm guessing they'll get to me at some stage. I think this order was dead in the water when I placed it last week. At least the website, as of a few hours ago, is now up to date, and shows out of stock...

[stepeanut]

Is this an insensitive time to post this?

[Stoicdelon]

Originally Posted by stepeanut

Is this an insensitive time to post this?

[justwannaboogie]

Yep, mine was cancelled so in desperation I've ordered from Cex. Expecting it to turn up scuffed, missing a disc and without a booklet.

[James78]

Originally Posted by Gerby

Never seen any of them but after doing some research on them, they all sound great. You can watch The Sex Victims for free on the BFI player, i'm gonna check it out at this weekend.

Thank you for the tip Gerby. I watched The Sex Victims last night but was disappointed. I thought it was cheesy rather than spooky or atmospheric. However, I still have high hopes for the rest of the films on the Short Sharp Shocks Blu-ray. It's now available to pre-order from Amazon:

[gouryella]

Originally Posted by stepeanut

Is this an insensitive time to post this?

You can keep that pocket size release. I have the full sized version.

[Wes M.]

Originally Posted by stepeanut

Is this an insensitive time to post this?

I've nosed around this BR for so long, watching the price ping-ponging in my Amazon cart - that I haven't secured a copy is in the words of the great Blind Willie Johnson, nobody's fault but mine...

(And I still haven't received my cancellation notice from Simply!)

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Wes M.

I've nosed around this BR for so long, watching the price ping-ponging in my Amazon cart - that I haven't secured a copy is in the words of the great Blind Willie Johnson, nobody's fault but mine...

(And I still haven't received my cancellation notice from Simply!)

No cancellation notice either