British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[rapta]

Originally Posted by malcy30

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.

Hmm that is concerning. I was tempted to go with them to get those postcards and the same for Radio On, but if there's no real incentive why bother? I'm sure they'll sort you out though, in the past they've been very accommodating. I once contacted them to get something sent with more sensible postage (their old store used to charge high postage for very small items) and they were very easy to deal with over the phone.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by rapta

Hmm that is concerning. I was tempted to go with them to get those postcards and the same for Radio On, but if there's no real incentive why bother? I'm sure they'll sort you out though, in the past they've been very accommodating. I once contacted them to get something sent with more sensible postage (their old store used to charge high postage for very small items) and they were very easy to deal with over the phone.

Yes only went with them for the postcards.
Can't fault the delivery as sent 1st class and did arrive next day. You are though paying £2.50 for this.

Let's see what they say if I can get through by phone. On a work call at present, so will try phoning after.

[AlexJRascal]

Also received my pre-order of I Start Counting from BFI Shop sans postcards.

I did half-jokingly wonder if this might happen because I pre-ordered before they announced the cards.
But really, it's not a difficult bit of logistics to marry them up, is it?

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by rapta

Hmm that is concerning. I was tempted to go with them to get those postcards and the same for Radio On, but if there's no real incentive why bother? I'm sure they'll sort you out though, in the past they've been very accommodating. I once contacted them to get something sent with more sensible postage (their old store used to charge high postage for very small items) and they were very easy to deal with over the phone.

Tried phoning and no one answered in 15 minutes so gave up.
Emailed and got a reply in 30 minutes.
Apologised for error and said they would post me the postcards today.

Sounds as if it's a cock up by whoever was packaging the orders. Either not told about the postcards or just forgot.

[AlexJRascal]

Originally Posted by malcy30

Tried phoning and no one answered in 15 minutes so gave up.
Emailed and got a reply in 30 minutes.
Apologised for error and said they would post me the postcards today.

Sounds as if it's a cock up by whoever was packaging the orders. Either not told about the postcards or just forgot.

Thanks. I've not had any reply to my email from earlier this morning but sounds like they'll get to me eventually.

Maybe they're working their way down the inbox, newest first.

[malcy30]

Originally Posted by AlexJRascal

Thanks. I've not had any reply to my email from earlier this morning but sounds like they'll get to me eventually.

Maybe they're working their way down the inbox, newest first.

Was amazed i got the reply so fast. Was only just a few minutes after their auto reply saying given reducing staffing with Covid replies may be delayed.

[Professor Echo]

Any of you chaps ever see HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH? I like lots of 60's stuff, but I wasn't too big a fan of THE KNACK. Is MULBERRY along those lines?

[FollowTheBear]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Any of you chaps ever see HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH? I like lots of 60's stuff, but I wasn't too big a fan of THE KNACK. Is MULBERRY along those lines?

I really dug (check the '60's lingo man!) Mulberry Bush. It's ostensibly a proto 'sex comedy', but don't let that put you off as it's an enjoyable romp with an appealing lead performance from Barry Evans as the (admittedly rather old) sixth former looking to sow his wild oats in 60's suburbia. Actually, what I love about this film is the way in which the search for the then much discussed Permissive Society takes place in not the usual 'hip' places, such as L.A. or London or Paris, but in . . . . New-town Stevenage! In fact, so enraptured is the film with the newly-minted suburb that you can't help but be carried away with the hazy, good natured vibe of it all. The archival extras are also superb, well-up to the usual high-standards of the Flipside imprint.

[BarnDoor]

One new listing for July has appeared on Amazon: Ingmar Bergman, Volume 1 (with 3 more to come)

Ingmar Bergman Vol. 1 (5-disc Blu-ray)
Directed by Ingmar Bergman, Alf Sjöberg and Gustaf Molander

For over 50 years, Ingmar Bergman produced ground-breaking works of cinema that established him as one of the world's most acclaimed, enduring and influential filmmakers.

Ingmar Bergman: Volume One marks the first of a four volume celebration of the auteur's work – available on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK – and reflects on the opening stages of Bergman's career.

Presented over 5 discs, the set features 2K restorations of eight early written or directed by Bergman. Including initial partnerships with regular collaborators (such as cinematographer Gunnar Fischer and actor Birger Malmsten), these early works exhibit his burgeoning talents, introducing themes and tones that he would continue to develop over the next five decades.

The films:
Torment (Dir: Alf Sjöberg | Scr. Ingmar Bergman, 1944), Crisis (1946), Eva (Dir: Gustaf Molander | Scr. Ingmar Bergman, 1948), Music in Darkness (1948), Port of Call (1948), Prison (1949), Three Strange Loves (1949), To Joy (1950)

Special features

5-Blu-ray set featuring 2K restorations of all 8 films
Perfect-bound book featuring new essays by Jan Holmberg (CEO of the Ingmar Bergman Foundation), Philip Kemp, Geoff Andrew, Jessica Kiang, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Kat Ellinger, and Laura Hubner
Ingmar Bergman: The Early Years (2021): a new video essay by writer, filmmaker and film journalist Leigh Singer
Ingmar Bergman Guardian Interview (1982, 62, audio only): Bergman pays tribute to Alf Sjöberg, the director of Torment, discussing his influence and impact on his own career
Other extras TBC
Limited edition (5,000 units)
Newly commissioned artwork by Andrew Bannister

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

One new listing for July has appeared on Amazon: Ingmar Bergman, Volume 1 (with 3 more to come)

I assume ALL of these will be previous Tartan titles?

[CelestialAgent]

Torment - Eclipse Series, not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Crisis - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Eva - Criterion Channel, not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Music in Darkness - not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Port of Call - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Prison - not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Three Strange Loves [Thirst] - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
To Joy - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)

These aren't the only BFI Bergman titles:

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

One new listing for July has appeared on Amazon: Ingmar Bergman, Volume 1 (with 3 more to come)

Hopefully if any of his TV stuff gets included in future volumes, they include the ORIGINAL mini-series versions.

[Wes M.]

This is very good news. I actually bought some of the 15 year old Tartan DVD editions a few months ago (most of them are still easy to find, and cheap), plugging gaps in my Bergman collection in preparation for reading Peter Cowie's biography and the other 4 or 5 Bergman related books I have. But it will be good to upgrade these to Blu-Ray - his early films are often overlooked in favor of the later heavyweights, but each of them is a delight. I wonder will there be an overlap with AE's Classic Bergman BR set ?

[knuckles96]

uh....YES

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Wes M.

But it will be good to upgrade these to Blu-Ray - his early films are often overlooked in favor of the later heavyweights, but each of them is a delight. I wonder will there be an overlap with AE's Classic Bergman BR set ?

Maybe in volume 2 perhaps? It Rains On Our Love deserves a reissue.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

Torment - Eclipse Series, not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Crisis - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Eva - Criterion Channel, not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Music in Darkness - not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Port of Call - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Prison - not in Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
Three Strange Loves [Thirst] - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)
To Joy - Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (Tartan DVD)

These aren't the only BFI Bergman titles:

What's in Play for Tadoy that's connected to Bergman?

[justwannaboogie]

Oh hell yes, guess it was only a matter of time before a UK label jumped on Bergman. I bought the old AE set just for IRoOL, so it'll be interesting to see how it compares. Already have the Criterion set so having to double dip is a bit annoying but if it's Bergman I'll buy it

I really hope Face to Face extended cut is included.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

One new listing for July has appeared on Amazon: Ingmar Bergman, Volume 1 (with 3 more to come)

According to Ben Stoddart, in reply to a comment on my post of this in the BFI Facebook group:

Sorry. None of the later volumes will be a mixture of MGM and the Swedish owned films. MGM wouldn't even allow that in the UK, even if it was an option, which it isn't.

Also another reply:

Persona is MGM in the US but it will be included in our later volume.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by justwannaboogie

Oh hell yes, guess it was only a matter of time before a UK label jumped on Bergman. I bought the old AE set just for IRoOL, so it'll be interesting to see how it compares. Already have the Criterion set so having to double dip is a bit annoying but if it's Bergman I'll buy it

I really hope Face to Face extended cut is included.

I think Face to Face, not in the Criterion set, is owned by Paramount so I'm not sure if this will be included or not.

[IanSchultz23]

Face to Face won’t be included