British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[DavidGallow]

Originally Posted by Cecil B. DeMille

BFI's Ben Stoddart had the following to say on Facebook when asked about the future possibility of DVD only releases of titles without an HD master:


Many on this forum still quote the overall home video sales figures which show that DVD is still the most popular medium. But from what I can see, this is mainly due to old people and country folks still buying a lot of DVDs. Ben's statement shows something that many of us already know, which is that the collector's market is primarily a Blu-ray/UHD market.

Joe and Jane Bloggs still buy a DVD if they're buying a movie. But they're buying a Star Wars, Marvel or Pixar not a BFI, Arrow or Eureka. So overall DVDs do still rule the roost but the loyalists like us who make up the boutique market are all about blu and 4K. So DVD to us a niche inside of a niche market. Which is a rather dangerous place to try and operate so I'm not surprised Ben (and none of his equivalents at other companies) have the same answer and approach.

[The Hornets]

Probably with BFI people have been bit too many times with DVD to BD upgrades.
Look at recent releases like the Ghost Stories vol 1 or the two BTF volumes on BD.

For titles like Childrens' Film Foundation they really need to be releasing on BD rather than continue with DVD boxsets. People are expecting these will come to BD at some point so very few will still buy the DVDs.

Interesting point on the BFI Seven Seal UHD under performing. I presume many especially those in the US are holding out on a Criterion version which will have depressed sales. Others like Get Carter and Gregory's Girl are probably more likely to be UK only helping sales.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Cecil B. DeMille

BFI's Ben Stoddart had the following to say on Facebook when asked about the future possibility of DVD only releases of titles without an HD master:


Many on this forum still quote the overall home video sales figures which show that DVD is still the most popular medium. But from what I can see, this is mainly due to old people and country folks still buying a lot of DVDs. Ben's statement shows something that many of us already know, which is that the collector's market is primarily a Blu-ray/UHD market.

I imagine the UK market and US are not the same in this regard. DVDs still outsell either BD and 4K in the US, and there's weekly data to show that.

I don't even think what he says is representative of the market. He is part of a boutique label, so they cater to more serious collectors who are more likely to buy BD than DVD now. They don't represent the mainstream market.

[StLouisRibs]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I imagine the UK market and US are not the same in this regard. DVDs still outsell either BD and 4K in the US, and there's weekly data to show that.

I don't even think what he says is representative of the market. He is part of a boutique label, so they cater to more serious collectors who are more likely to buy BD than DVD now. They don't represent the mainstream market.

That’s not really true on a like-for-like basis; as said above, the number is weighted against BDs (and UHDs obviously) by virtue of the sheer amount of TV and other DVDs that come to the market without a Blu-ray equivalent. A look at the sales figures shows that the absolute biggest movies (your Avatars and Marvels and John Wicks, which I would assume are literally something like 25% of all video sales for the entire year when combined together) are generally selling 60% BD or so (and depending on the title, 1/4-1/3 of that is UHD). And a giant proportion of the DVD buyers are, indeed, institutions (libraries, yes- but also Netflix/DVD.com - whose exit from the business probably will actually depress total DVD sales noticably).

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

That’s not really true on a like-for-like basis; as said above, the number is weighted against BDs (and UHDs obviously) by virtue of the sheer amount of TV and other DVDs that come to the market without a Blu-ray equivalent. A look at the sales figures shows that the absolute biggest movies (your Avatars and Marvels and John Wicks, which I would assume are literally something like 25% of all video sales for the entire year when combined together) are generally selling 60% BD or so (and depending on the title, 1/4-1/3 of that is UHD). And a giant proportion of the DVD buyers are, indeed, institutions (libraries, yes- but also Netflix/DVD.com - whose exit from the business probably will actually depress total DVD sales noticably).

Thanks, and good points. I do wonder if looking at bigger movies like Avatar and John Wick to show 4K and BD outselling DVD can skew the numbers the other way too just like DVD TV show sales? It just seems like those kind of movies are more likely to be bought in a premium format. Also, do the charts that come out from DEG or Media Player News factor in institution purchases? I thought they were based on consumer purchases only. Or Is it simply the case that there's no way to distinguish institution sales from regular consumer sales bought on Amazon, etc..?

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by Yami

Criterion will probably put it out in the States and there's a chance that ITV will put it out themselves in the UK (they've released the P&P restorations pretty reliably). There's no chance of any other UK label doing it

Doesn't look like A Canterbury Tale has received a new restoration and I was hoping for some love for Gone to Earth which is now in the realm of the scalper for the OOP Kino blu. (There's no sign of it in the BFI blurb nor the Cinema Unbound trailer).

Although more physical releases may stem from the season, hopefully.

[MifuneFan]

New BBFC rating for a cinema screenings of I Know Where I'm Going (1945) in October. I have to imagine a physical release will follow as it's long overdue now. The film was restored by BFI and The Film Foundation a couple years ago.

https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/i-kno...jpwwc0zmzexmjg

Restoration Details

The Film Foundation and the BFI National Archive completed the 4K restoration of I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING! utilizing the original nitrate camera negative. A nitrate print and two nitrate fine grain negatives were also referenced: individual shots that had been cut from the original negative were present in the other prints, and reel 10 has now been returned to its original length by the inclusion of a second dissolve. Soundtrack reconstruction was completed in parallel. This was especially needed because much of the original sound negative had been replaced by poor quality duplicate material in the past. The result is a restoration of Powell and Pressburger's beloved film that returns it to its full glory.

Restoration Credits

Restored by the BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation in association with ITV. Restoration funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. Additional support provided by Matt Spick.

[CrockettandTubbs]

I wonder if we'll ever get The Hill (S Lumet, 1965) on blu?

With Warners, so could they release it as part of the Archive Collection?

[Vault of Horror]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

I wonder if we'll ever get The Hill (S Lumet, 1965) on blu?

With Warners, so could they release it as part of the Archive Collection?

Would love to see The Hill on blu. Probably one of my most wanted titles.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Fixed it for you.

I didn't Know, it appears

(Thanks, and fixed)

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

I wonder if we'll ever get The Hill (S Lumet, 1965) on blu?

With Warners, so could they release it as part of the Archive Collection?

It’s insane to me that this hasn’t made it to Blu Ray yet!

[rapta]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

I wonder if we'll ever get The Hill (S Lumet, 1965) on blu?

With Warners, so could they release it as part of the Archive Collection?

Originally Posted by Vault of Horror

Would love to see The Hill on blu. Probably one of my most wanted titles.

A great film that I finally got to see on iPlayer a few years ago but definitely needs restoring. Surprised Warner Archive or Criterion haven't got to it yet as it has several high-profile fans who namedrop it quite regularly.

Probably due to it being an under-the-radar top-tier Lumet film with perhaps Sean Connery's finest performance as an actor (that I've personally seen, anyway).

[DavidRoylance]

I think we will get the biggies from the P & P playbook on 4k this Autumn via BFI.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

New BBFC rating for a cinema screenings of I Know Where I'm Going (1945) in October. I have to imagine a physical release will follow as it's long overdue now. The film was restored by BFI and The Film Foundation a couple years ago.

https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/i-kno...jpwwc0zmzexmjg

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by rapta

A great film that I finally got to see on iPlayer a few years ago but definitely needs restoring. Surprised Warner Archive or Criterion haven't got to it yet as it has several high-profile fans who namedrop it quite regularly.

Probably due to it being an under-the-radar top-tier Lumet film with perhaps Sean Connery's finest performance as an actor (that I've personally seen, anyway).

I learned recently that it was Christoper Nolan that apparently got Warner to bring The Hiill back into print years ago. Maybe he could work some more magic and get it released on BD now.

Here's some posts in the WAC thread about it:

Originally Posted by UltraMario9

From what I understand, Christopher Nolan used his power at WB to get The Hill back into print through Warner Archive but only on DVD? Any reason why they couldn't release a Blu-ray?

Originally Posted by UltraMario9

He mentioned it himself in one interview I'm struggling to find right now. Will update this post when I do.

Prior to that interview, it seems the idea was ignited by Angelina Jolie in this THR Roundtable which took place months before the Warner Archive DVD was released.

Timestamp: @43:50 onwards

Angelina Jolie, Christopher Nolan and more Directors on THR's Roundtable | Oscars 2015 - YouTube

[Dogwood]

Originally Posted by rapta

A great film that I finally got to see on iPlayer a few years ago but definitely needs restoring. Surprised Warner Archive or Criterion haven't got to it yet as it has several high-profile fans who namedrop it quite regularly.

Probably due to it being an under-the-radar top-tier Lumet film with perhaps Sean Connery's finest performance as an actor (that I've personally seen, anyway).

This was first film I seen with an on-screen Harry Andrews performance - and immediately recognised him as the voice of Woundwort in Rosen's Watership Down adaptation. He actually popped up in another decent Lumet film I watched the other week (The Deadly Affair). Great performer.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by DavidRoylance

I think we will get the biggies from the P & P playbook on 4k this Autumn via BFI.

Don't get your hopes up! On the BFI Facebook group it sounded like they only have Bluebeard's Castle, as most other Powell & Pressburger films are with ITV (and a few are StudioCanal).

So if we get Blu-ray of, say, I Know Where I'm Going it'll likely come from ITV themselves (and likely Criterion in the US).

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I learned recently that it was Christoper Nolan that apparently got Warner to bring The Hiill back into print years ago. Maybe he could work some more magic and get it released on BD now.

Here's some posts in the WAC thread about it:

Yes it was Jolie I was thinking of when I typed that, as I saw that interview and remember her mentioning it.

I would love any more Lumet on Blu-ray to be honest. I watched Q&A the other night and would happily own a copy of it...not sure who has the rights though; I thought it was either StudioCanal or Sony but the stream says it's Fox (so Disney). Same deal with The Verdict and Family Business then, sounds like...

Other Lumet titles are out there from various studios/licensors such as Hollywood Classics (Daniel), Universal (A Stranger Among Us), MGM (The Fugitive Kind, Garbo Talks, The Group), Paramount (Child's Play, Night Falls on Manhattan, That Kind of Woman) and Sony (Gloria). Hoping a UK boutique might get a couple of these (e.g. Daniel, Child's Play), Criterion might port over The Fugitive Kind, and perhaps Warner Archive will port over Prince of the City too...

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I learned recently that it was Christoper Nolan that apparently got Warner to bring The Hiill back into print years ago. Maybe he could work some more magic and get it released on BD now.

Here's some posts in the WAC thread about it:

Don't think Nolan and Warners are on quite the same terms now as they were then...

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Don't think Nolan and Warners are on quite the same terms now as they were then...

We'll see. Warner are trying to sway him back:

https://collider.com/christopher-nol...luca-comments/

With De Luca and Abdy looking to reverse course from the ill-fated tenure of Kilar, however, the door isn't shut on a reunion. "We're hoping to get Nolan back," De Luca told Variety. "I think there's a world." There are signs their relationship is thawing. For one, Warner Bros. sent Nolan a juicy seven-figure royalty check for Tenet as a good-faith bonus for the film with no strings attached. Nolan appears to be receptive to their overtures too, returning to the Warner Bros. lot for Oppenheimer's post-production.

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by rapta

A great film that I finally got to see on iPlayer a few years ago but definitely needs restoring. Surprised Warner Archive or Criterion haven't got to it yet as it has several high-profile fans who namedrop it quite regularly.

Probably due to it being an under-the-radar top-tier Lumet film with perhaps Sean Connery's finest performance as an actor (that I've personally seen, anyway).

I think the box ticking/NY Times appeasing release schedule and the subsequent UHD upgrading of established top sellers as a financial safety net for the inevitable dip in sales would almost certainly relegate this as a very low priority.

I sent an email recently and received a courteous reply to my question would I regret buying the DVD releases of Z & Le deuxième souffle (Z a pricey EBay acquisition) that I should basically buy with confidence.

I've bought more Criterion DVD's than UHD/blu rays recently; the aforementioned titles, Knife in the Water, Il Fidanzati, Il Posto, Dillinger is Dead, 49th Parallel, Spirit of the Beehive, Coup de grâce, Young Torless, The Complete Mr Arkadin, Mysteries of the Organism, Sweet Movie & Wise Blood. Titles that with an almost certainty I predict won't be upgraded anytime soon.

In a nutshell, we've seen the last of the release of Tunes of Glory and the like.

[Douglas R]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I imagine the UK market and US are not the same in this regard. DVDs still outsell either BD and 4K in the US, and there's weekly data to show that.

I don't even think what he says is representative of the market. He is part of a boutique label, so they cater to more serious collectors who are more likely to buy BD than DVD now. They don't represent the mainstream market.

Looking at my extended family members, DVD reigns supreme. Hardly anyone buys Blu-rays. It's easy to read internet forums and wrongly conclude that most film purchasers are keen on Blu-ray discs. The in-store HMV selections have far more DVDs than Blu-rays.