British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Withnail74]

BFI bank holiday boxset sale on at their website:

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/dvd-blu-ray/...iday-sale.html

[Yurakucho]

A recent episode of NHK World's show "J-Flicks" featured Ozu's earliest surviving film Days of Youth with the show's narrator Guy Perryman in the role of the film's benshi (narrator, reading the characters' lines and even doing sound effects). It was great - would really like to see Guy benshi-ing the entire film on a restored BFI Blu-ray (what's the picture quality like on BFI's Ozu's Student Comedies DVD?) Come on BFI! There can't be too much legal red tape around providing a random benshi soundtrack option, the film's from 1929...
A link to the episode - Days of Youth bit starts just after the 45-minute mark: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2036083/

[CelestialAgent]

Great time for Malayalam cinema, considering some of the biggest Indian films of this year (The Goat Life, Bramayugam, Aavesham, Manjummel Boys, Premalu) and Second Run releasing Thamp. BFI are releasing Cannes title All We Imagine as Light (Sideshow/Janus have US rights).

https://www.screendaily.com/news/can...194016.article

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by Hammerlover

THE BALLAD OF TAM LIN is a must: Roddy McDowall's sole directorial effort, with gleaming cinematography by Billy Williams and Hollywood legend Ava Gardner in cold ***** mode. My only question: will this be a new restoration or the same transfer that Imprint used?

I saw this last night, and rather enjoyed it. Roddy McDowall certainly seems to have chosen the most beautiful of the genre actresses around at the time; having Stephanie Beacham, Madeline Smith and Jenny Hanley all in one film was rather nice.

Doing a little research on the film after watching it, it would appear that there are actually two different cuts of the film. Is there any info on which one is the one included on the BD?
As it's oop in the USA at the moment, I was hoping that there ought be a chance of it appearing on a second Severing Folk Horror set, with maybe both cuts included.

[GaryCouzens]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

I saw this last night, and rather enjoyed it. Roddy McDowall certainly seems to have chosen the most beautiful of the genre actresses around at the time; having Stephanie Beacham, Madeline Smith and Jenny Hanley all in one film was rather nice.

Doing a little research on the film after watching it, it would appear that there are actually two different cuts of the film. Is there any info on which one is the one included on the BD?
As it's oop in the USA at the moment, I was hoping that there ought be a chance of it appearing on a second Severing Folk Horror set, with maybe both cuts included.

As far as I'm aware there have been several edits over the years, and quite a few alternate titles as well. The BFI's release is based on Paramount's HD master.

Back in 1970, the BBFC passed the film with a X certificate (it was later rerated AA) and cut the F-word from Ian McShane's line "I shall be in the f***ing prime of my life" - a soundtrack edit only, as McShane is facing away from the camera as he says this. The unexpurgated dialogue is apparently lost as it doesn't feature in the BFI's version and the US Blu-ray and DVD releases I'm told don't include it either.

[T4ffer]

Just watched You're Human Like the Rest of Them.

According to some lists on Letterboxd and also the BFI Shop site, it should contain The Evacuees (DVD only), but I couldn't find it on the DVD or Blu-Ray. Is it an Easter egg or did I get a stripped down reprint? There was some talk of that disc going OOP some time ago, perhaps BFI was able to halt that and release it without that particular film?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by T4ffer

Just watched You're Human Like the Rest of Them.

According to some lists on Letterboxd and also the BFI Shop site, it should contain The Evacuees (DVD only), but I couldn't find it on the DVD or Blu-Ray. Is it an Easter egg or did I get a stripped down reprint? There was some talk of that disc going OOP some time ago, perhaps BFI was able to halt that and release it without that particular film?

Maybe ask Ben in the Facebook group as to why it isn't there etc.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

I saw this last night, and rather enjoyed it. Roddy McDowall certainly seems to have chosen the most beautiful of the genre actresses around at the time; having Stephanie Beacham, Madeline Smith and Jenny Hanley all in one film was rather nice.

Doing a little research on the film after watching it, it would appear that there are actually two different cuts of the film. Is there any info on which one is the one included on the BD?
As it's oop in the USA at the moment, I was hoping that there ought be a chance of it appearing on a second Severing Folk Horror set, with maybe both cuts included.

ALL the BD released appear to be the same version (Director's Cut) & here's some info from the DVDcompare site:

Standard practice in the UK at the time had films being submitted to the BBFC prior to any theatrical release starting with the script and working up to the final edits.

In the March 1970 submission, The Ballad of Tam Lin had one word censored: At 22:47 (on the UK BD) the word '****ing' has been removed from the dialogue line "I shall be in the ****ing prime of my life".

No known version of the film that has been released has ever had the word restored and this includes all DVD and BD releases. Hence the version we have today is not considered cut being a prerelease change requested by the BBFC.

[CelestialAgent]

Big Banana Feet Q&A - should be different to the Glasgow Film Festival one that’s on the disc

YouTube

Originally Posted by T4ffer

Just watched You're Human Like the Rest of Them.

According to some lists on Letterboxd and also the BFI Shop site, it should contain The Evacuees (DVD only), but I couldn't find it on the DVD or Blu-Ray. Is it an Easter egg or did I get a stripped down reprint? There was some talk of that disc going OOP some time ago, perhaps BFI was able to halt that and release it without that particular film?

I never logged the film so maybe it isn’t on there? I don’t see reviews referencing it.

[ukpaul]

Originally Posted by T4ffer

Just watched You're Human Like the Rest of Them.

According to some lists on Letterboxd and also the BFI Shop site, it should contain The Evacuees (DVD only), but I couldn't find it on the DVD or Blu-Ray. Is it an Easter egg or did I get a stripped down reprint? There was some talk of that disc going OOP some time ago, perhaps BFI was able to halt that and release it without that particular film?

I bought this early on and it's not on my copy either. Looking inside the existing file structure there are some empty chapters so The Evacuees (apparently a documentary on the collection he edited) could have been planned for inclusion but availability/rights etc. stopped it.

Also, the timing of The Unfortunates is different being about 15 minutes instead of 45 minutes as advertised (the booklet has the right timing). On looking around, the series it was part of ran 30 minutes each and this excerpt looks to be half of a double header with Nicol Williamson, so what is on the disc looks correct. What appears to have happened is that the earlier details on this release never got updated to match the finished product. As mentioned, Ben Stoddart via the BFI facebook site may be able to say for sure.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by ukpaul

I bought this early on and it's not on my copy either. Looking inside the existing file structure there are some empty chapters so The Evacuees (apparently a documentary on the collection he edited) could have been planned for inclusion but availability/rights etc. stopped it.

Also, the timing of The Unfortunates is different being about 15 minutes instead of 45 minutes as advertised (the booklet has the right timing). On looking around, the series it was part of ran 30 minutes each and this excerpt looks to be half of a double header with Nicol Williamson, so what is on the disc looks correct. What appears to have happened is that the earlier details on this release never got updated to match the finished product. As mentioned, Ben Stoddart via the BFI facebook site may be able to say for sure.

Ben's reply to someone asking in the Facebook group, having taken up my suggestion:

I can only logically think it's the first one and was listed in error. It was an episode from the series 'Release' and given it's owned by the BBC, we wouldn't have included it as an Easter Egg and not credited it properly. Perhaps there was a desire to include it but it couldn't be licensed/cleared. If there's no mention of it on the sleeve or in the booklet (which I've checked) then it definitely isn't on the disc anywhere. The whole release is deleted now anyway but regardless I'll get the BFI Shop listing updated. Thank you for flagging it up.

[CelestialAgent]

This is a good reminder that sometimes online databases and Letterboxd have inaccuracies, and sometimes they linger around even a decade later.

[dr727]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

This is a good reminder that sometimes online databases and Letterboxd have inaccuracies, and sometimes they linger around even a decade later.

Very true. And for what it’s worth:

Letterboxd uses tMDB for its metadata. Anyone can create an account there and correct incorrect data, add additional data and/or posters, etc.

DVDcompare accepts submissions for missing entries as well as corrections for existing entries. Both can be submitted through their forum, also open to anyone who wants to make an account.

[Aunt Peg]

I saw All We Imagine as Light a couple of days ago and it is speculator.

BFI have a winner on their hands with this gem.

[TB Trev]

Ken Russell's The Devils needs a Blu-ray release, even if it's censored.

I remember Ken's Treasure Island from Channel 4 (mid-1990s),
it's never even been released on DVD, or any other format.
Made on PAL videotape.
It was on YouTube but it's been taken down, this is all I could find...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcqpPWcCN0

Blu-ray/s of both please, BFI.

[GaryCouzens]

Originally Posted by TB Trev

Ken Russell's The Devils needs a Blu-ray release, even if it's censored..

It won't get one, unless there's a major change of heart at Warner Bros.

In any case, the version with the two extra scenes from the UK theatrical cut out on DVD isn't an uncut version, it's a less-cut version.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by TB Trev

Ken Russell's The Devils needs a Blu-ray release, even if it's censored.

I remember Ken's Treasure Island from Channel 4 (mid-1990s),
it's never even been released on DVD, or any other format.
Made on PAL videotape.
It was on YouTube but it's been taken down, this is all I could find...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcqpPWcCN0

Blu-ray/s of both please, BFI.

Like others have said, highly unlikely re: The Devils. The BFI would have released it on Blu-ray back when they released the DVD, if they could have!

Treasure Island though... Interesting! Yes, if rights are available, I'd be all over an upscale release. Looks appropriately barmy from that clip.

[grahams76]

I'll never understand the reasoning for allowing the BFI to release The Devils on DVD but not on blu-ray. Like the format makes any difference to any 'potential' outrage.

[ravenus]

Was it a case of Warner denying a BD release for The Devils or of the BFI deciding that the supplied source material was not HD-release grade?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by grahams76

I'll never understand the reasoning for allowing the BFI to release The Devils on DVD but not on blu-ray. Like the format makes any difference to any 'potential' outrage.

I'd rather have it on DVD than NOT at all. What I don't get is the reasoning for NOT allowing the 2004 director's cut, which the commentary is edited from, to be released.