British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Yami]

Originally Posted by rapta

Ah yes, straight from the horse's mouth. I guess everyone's looking Toho's way then...still, what's wrong with the current masters that Criterion presumably used?

Criterion seem to make their own masters for their Kurosawa releases. For example, see how inferior Toho's Seven Samurai is in comparison

I think Toho are slowly working around to it though - I believe Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress have recently had 4K restorations

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Yami

New masters

nice, the comments on my post prove useful

I'm still sad about the BFI not being able to upgrade Bigger Than Life in time before the license expired

[Hollywoodnova]

I've had my eye on the Marlene Dietrich BFI set over the last few days on Amazon, and they weirdly keep dropping the price like 40p at a time. I don't know what they're doing.

I feel like I'm playing a card game. Trying to bluff and see how low it goes before pulling the trigger, but at any moment it might jump back up and I'll miss my chance.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M8GWSMJ

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Hollywoodnova

I've had my eye on the Marlene Dietrich BFI set over the last few days on Amazon, and they weirdly keep dropping the price like 40p at a time. I don't know what they're doing.

I feel like I'm playing a card game. Trying to bluff and see how low it goes before pulling the trigger, but at any moment it might jump back up and I'll miss my chance.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M8GWSMJ

Amazon has a long history of playing games with their prices. It seems like every time I log into my account at one or another of them, I get a list of the things in my cart's "Saved for Later" section that have gone up or down in price.

There must be an algorithm for when and why they make these (typically small) changes, but I'll be damned if I know what it is.

At any rate, I got my copy of that Dietrich set from Rarewaves, for US$39.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Hollywoodnova

I've had my eye on the Marlene Dietrich BFI set over the last few days on Amazon, and they weirdly keep dropping the price like 40p at a time. I don't know what they're doing.

I feel like I'm playing a card game. Trying to bluff and see how low it goes before pulling the trigger, but at any moment it might jump back up and I'll miss my chance.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M8GWSMJ

I'm playing the same game. I was gonna grab it at £25-ish but it keeps dropping...will I regret it at some point if it goes back up?

Perhaps I'll order one, cancel it within a few hours if it drops again, and keep doing that to ensure I've always ordered one at the lower price. Thing is, these days Amazon sometimes dispatch stuff really quickly so it's too late to cancel.

EDIT: Dammit, literally just went back to my basket and it's gone up in price again by over a pound...there goes that game!

[DefLeppard]

Originally Posted by rapta

I'm playing the same game. I was gonna grab it at £25-ish but it keeps dropping...will I regret it at some point if it goes back up?

Perhaps I'll order one, cancel it within a few hours if it drops again, and keep doing that to ensure I've always ordered one at the lower price. Thing is, these days Amazon sometimes dispatch stuff really quickly so it's too late to cancel.

Now it's @ £24.72.

[rapta]

Great news in regards to Renoir's The River: we may well be finally getting a UK Blu-ray in the near future. No timeframe on that yet but was implied there would be an [eventual?] announcement.

Could obviously be this year or next, but whenever it is I'm looking forward to that one (even if it's been well over 5 years since Criterion released their own upgrade of their initial DVD release). I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait!

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by rapta

Great news in regards to Renoir's The River: we may well be finally getting a UK Blu-ray in the near future. No timeframe on that yet but was implied there would be an [eventual?] announcement.

Could obviously be this year or next, but whenever it is I'm looking forward to that one (even if it's been well over 5 years since Criterion released their own upgrade of their initial DVD release). I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait!

Is this from the Facebook group?

The Criterion is stacked - Renoir introduction, Around the River documentary, Scorsese interview, producer audio interview, Paul Ryan visual essay. However, it's worth noting their DVD featured the hour long Rumer Godden: An Indian Affair, and an additional triple dip with the BFI DVD, with Kumar Shahani introduction and an anthology of pre-Partition British Indian short films.

Panorama of Calcutta, India, From the River Ganges (1899) - filmed in Varanasi - YouTube

Picturesque India or, In and About Calcutta (1913) - filmed in Mumbai and Kolkata - YouTube

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...ia-1938-online
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...ia-1938-online
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...er-1945-online

[Thewanderingfox]

Originally Posted by DefLeppard

Now it's @ £24.72.

Ordered it at £26 only to see it go to £22 in a span of a couple of days At this point I feel like Amazon is trolling me as it goes down in price each day I log in here.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

Is this from the Facebook group?

The Criterion is stacked - Renoir introduction, Around the River documentary, Scorsese interview, producer audio interview, Paul Ryan visual essay. However, it's worth noting their DVD featured the hour long Rumer Godden: An Indian Affair, and an additional triple dip with the BFI DVD, with Kumar Shahani introduction and an anthology of pre-Partition British Indian short films.

Panorama of Calcutta, India, From the River Ganges (1899) - filmed in Varanasi - YouTube
Picturesque India or, In and About Calcutta (1913) - filmed in Mumbai and Kolkata - YouTube

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...ia-1938-online
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...ia-1938-online
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...er-1945-online

Yes, the BFI guy replied to my comment asked a while back and mentioned The River specifically (said they couldn't upgrade Woman of the Dunes unfortunately, nor any Alex Cox).

Hopefully they can at least match the Criterion in some way, even if they can't license everything.

[malcy30]

BFI exclusive of I Start Counting with exclusive art cards just shipped.

[tejego]

Is there a chance for the BFI to upgrade Woman of the dunes?

[Cinematt]

Originally Posted by tejego

Is there a chance for the BFI to upgrade Woman of the dunes?

The answer is literally 2 posts above you!

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by malcy30

BFI exclusive of I Start Counting with exclusive art cards just shipped.

Is this from their shop?

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

Is this from their shop?

Yes. Was mentioned in one of the threads here.

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/pre-order-i-start-counting.html

Special offer: Pre-orders will be shipped with a limited edition I Start Counting! postcard set (pictured), featuring Matt Needle's cover artwork and a range of images from the film. These are only available while stocks last, so pre-order today to get yours!

[Ozu Teapot]

Originally Posted by malcy30

Yes. Was mentioned in one of the threads here.

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/pre-order-i-start-counting.html

Special offer: Pre-orders will be shipped with a limited edition I Start Counting! postcard set (pictured), featuring Matt Needle's cover artwork and a range of images from the film. These are only available while stocks last, so pre-order today to get yours!

Similarly there's a Radio On tote bag with pre-orders of Radio On from the BFI shop, again available while stocks last.

[andantelise]

Is it just me or is BFI's shop not working?

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/

[mattyl149]

Originally Posted by andantelise

Is it just me or is BFI's shop not working?

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/

I can access it OK

[andantelise]

Originally Posted by mattyl149

I can access it OK

Ok, I'm able to view it again.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by malcy30

Yes. Was mentioned in one of the threads here.

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/pre-order-i-start-counting.html

Special offer: Pre-orders will be shipped with a limited edition I Start Counting! postcard set (pictured), featuring Matt Needle's cover artwork and a range of images from the film. These are only available while stocks last, so pre-order today to get yours!

Word of warning. My order just arrived and no postcards so BFI Shop shafted me.

Will try phoning later today to see what's going on.

Annoyed as paid £1.50 more than Amazon to guarantee the postcards.