British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Surge92]

I was finally able to order the Herzog box set, but I had to do it over the phone. It was my first time calling the UK.

[Rutger Lundgren]

Originally Posted by Mr. Thomsen

How does the BFI webshop pack box sets?

Well... My Herzog and Kurosawa sets both arrived with some damage - Kurosawa in particular with a nasty tear on the spine - but it's been a while, so I don't remember whether it was due to poor packaging or BFI just sent them damaged, because why not.

[Surge92]

Originally Posted by Rutger Lundgren

Well... My Herzog and Kurosawa sets both arrived with some damage - Kurosawa in particular with a nasty tear on the spine - but it's been a while, so I don't remember whether it was due to poor packaging or BFI just sent them damaged, because why not.

When I called to order my Herzog box set, I specifically asked the sales lady to send me the most pristine copy they had. I haven't ordered from BFI in a while, but I don't recall their packaging being particularly special. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my movie arrives safe and sound. For some reason, that Herzog set is going for ridiculous prices elsewhere. That's why I went with BFI.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by koberulz

They told me last week that one of the items in my order was out of stock with the supplier, and they'd send the remainder first thing Monday morning with the OOS item to follow when available.

I believe it is now Tuesday.

So they did indeed send out the bulk of my order later on that Tuesday...the OOS item is still pending.

Le sigh.

[blujazz]

Originally Posted by blujazz

It wouldn't surprise me if there's going to be a BFI rerelease of a few Kurosawa films on blu-ray given there's a Kurosawa season at the BFI Southbank from Jan-March 2023.

https://www.bfi.org.uk/press-release...press-releases

Same thing happened this year with Truffaut, and last year with Bergman.

Ben on FB:

“I wish there were DVD titles we could upgrade. But there weren’t any before and there aren’t any now. High quality HD masters either don’t exist or are not currently accessible to us. As I’ve said countless times before it’s impossible for the BFI to create new masters, and even if we could, I don’t personally think it’s our responsibility to. Much like when we release but don’t restore Truffaut, Bresson, Bergman or Ozu titles.”

[McCrutchy]

March 2023 pre-orders have been announced. Both titles are set for 27 March:

Drench yourself in the high-energy, sweatbox that was the British 2 Tone explosion of the late 1970s, early 1980s, with this legendary concert film.

Brilliantly capturing the vibrancy of the genre, Dance Craze offers a vivid, immersive snapshot of the 2 Tone era, through dynamic concert performances by The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers.

Newly restored by the BFI from original film materials and made available on Blu-ray and DVD for the very first time ever. The release will feature a brand new Dolby Atmos sound mix supervised by Jerry Dammers and Dermot James (Chrysalis Records).

The Soundtrack: Released through 2 Tone Records/Chrysalis Soundtracks, will be available as a Deluxe Edition 3LP vinyl and 3CD box sets. Both will include the previously unreleased 27-song soundtrack, along with the original 1981 album.

• New 4K restoration
• Original mono/stereo/5.1 surround mixes and Dolby Atmos® surround sound mix
• Outtakes
• Booklet featuring new writing on the film
• Other extras TBC

Alternately distressing, instructive, contestable, and fascinating, Juliet Bashore’s quasi-documentary plunge into the 1980s porn industry takes an unsparing look at issues of misogyny, drug abuse, and exploitation via the story of two women—the naive newcomer Tigr and her partner, the magnetic, imperious porn veteran Sharon Mitchell — caught in a toxic romance.

By turns mesmerizing and unsettling, Kamikaze Hearts is both a fascinating record of pre-gentrification San Francisco’s X-rated underground and an intense, searing love story. The film offers a disturbing glimpse of the modification of bodies, feelings, and lives.

Presented in a new 2K restoration from the original 16mm A/B camera negatives, Kamikaze Hearts has been restored by Kino Lorber in collaboration with the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project at the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

• Presented in High Definition
• Audio commentary by director Juliet Bashore, actors Sharon Mitchell, Jon Martin and Howie Gordon, and performance artist Shelly Mars
• Crash (excerpt): In 1990 Juliet Bashore workshopped a 'fictional' version of Kamikaze Hearts through the American Film Institute. This sketch is one of the outcomes from the AFI project.
• Interviews (2022, 173 mins): A selection of newly recorded interviews totalling almost three hours with Juliet Bashore, Sharon Mitchell , Annie Sprinkle & Beth Stephens, Susie Bright, Howie Gordon, Jon Martin
• Original trailer
• 2022 trailer
• English subtitles for the Deaf and partial hearing (feature only)
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by artist, curator and co-founder of Club des Femmes Sarah Wood

[CelestialAgent]

Glad to see we can get a documentary on the X-rated industry even when the real thing can’t pass below an R18!

[Mike0284]

My order from DiabolikDVD arrived today.



It's a shame that the Watership Down 4K was cancelled.

[trobrianders]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

March 2023 pre-orders have been announced. Both titles are set for 27 March:

Presumably all rights issues have been resolved.

From the youtuber who posted a 76 minute edited version in 2013 (still up):

Strange.... After all these years Madness or their management suddenly decided to block some of the clips of them in this movie, they placed a "Worldwide Block" on the clips which meant the entire video got blocked worldwide !!!

I didn't know about this because as the video uploader I can still watch any of my uploads even if they get blocked worldwide. Wasn't until a number of viewers alerted me that they could no longer watch the video that I became aware of it...

So I've had to edit out those Madness clips to be able to restore it so that everyone can watch this amazing historical footage of the 2 Tone era...

Sorry about that folks and to Madness who I've been a lifelong fan and their management I say a big F*** YOU to you, miserable b*******...

[koberulz]

YouTubers getting mad that they can't infringe copyright is always hilarious.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

March 2023 pre-orders have been announced. Both titles are set for 27 March:

This is a coincidence. Just last night I was watching Throat 12 Years Later which has Sharon Mitchell in it.

[Rutger Lundgren]

Originally Posted by koberulz

YouTubers getting mad that they can't infringe copyright is always hilarious.

A bit less hilarious when what they upload is hard or impossible to obtain through legal channels. Still not entirely right, perhaps, but I can sympathize.

[trobrianders]

Originally Posted by Rutger Lundgren

A bit less hilarious when what they upload is hard or impossible to obtain through legal channels. Still not entirely right, perhaps, but I can sympathize.

I agree. I've never considered anything on youtube the finished article. It only serves as a reference or trailer resource. If I want something I get the licensed item as I'll be doing with the BFI release.

Besides, that fella wasn't 'getting mad', he was simply having a gentle dig.

[koberulz]

Didn't seem that lighthearted to me, but then I'm not familiar with the guy. I do see plenty of reaction channel hosts posting complaints that their videos keep getting taken down and the companies are being unreasonable and blah blah fair use, which isn't how fair use works.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

March 2023 pre-orders have been announced. Both titles are set for 27 March:

KH is very welcome news. 👍

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

KH is very welcome news. 👍

Indeed it is.

[pnaschy]

Originally Posted by Mike0284

My order from DiabolikDVD arrived today.



It's a shame that the Watership Down 4K was cancelled.

I live in the UK and ordered Ghost Stories for Christmas direct from the BFI shop and it still hasn't been shipped and you have yours in the USA.

[dr727]

Originally Posted by pnaschy

I live in the UK and ordered Ghost Stories for Christmas direct from the BFI shop and it still hasn't been shipped and you have yours in the USA.

Mine showed up from in Hawai’i via Amazon last week. It seems like BFI Shop (a small staff as I understand it) is often last to ship but maybe they’re just slower and/or overburdened with popular releases. Either way, it’s nice that you supported them directly.

[koberulz]

Finally got (most of) my order!

Why are BFI's booklets so short? Like, literal height, not number of pages. They just barely fit both clips, all the discs I just received had the booklet jar loose from one clip and bash against the other, causing damage.

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Finally got (most of) my order!

Why are BFI's booklets so short? Like, literal height, not number of pages. They just barely fit both clips, all the discs I just received had the booklet jar loose from one clip and bash against the other, causing damage.

I wonder if they’re scaled for the old Amaray cases instead of the Scanavo ones they now use.