British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[MifuneFan]

Who the hell is that guy on the front of the cover

[Deadend45]

The Samurai Collection [1954] badly needs a upgrade.

[Jerry2345]

Originally Posted by Deadend45

The Samurai Collection [1954] badly needs a upgrade.

Yes, but not as badly as the Crime collection:

[BarnDoor]

Do we know if there will be more releases for October and November?

[Dogwood]

I believe they're using the same designer, Matt Needle, for both new releases announced, and I think he's done a great job. Understated, but also very eye-catching, and nice to have them share a consistent layout. Would be ace to have the upcoming BDs also presented in that style.

[drush9999]

Originally Posted by Sterling450

By the way, Ben Stoddart over at the BFI FB group stated that no other Kurosawa UHDs are planned, only "some Blu-Ray upgrades".

Yeah and not Red Beard either as the HD master is not good enough.

Probably High and Low and some others.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by chrismansell

What are the odds we get a Stray Dog UHD?

At this point, I would take a Blu-ray only release of Stray Dog. One of my favorite Kurosawa films.

[Persona]

Super excited about Seven Samurai, just pre-ordered from HMV (thanks cooey!). I've yet to see Stray Dog, I had the DVD a few years ago and got rid of it thinking it will surely get a Blu-ray release, still waiting

[shimmy]

As far as BFI's catalog goes Rashomon, Yojimbo and Sanjuro are the only Kurosawa releases that are not in desperate need of an upgrade.

[tofurice]

We need the High & Low blu asap. The fact it is stuck on DVD is a travesty.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by drush9999

Probably High and Low and some others.

It'll be the same 4K restored titles Toho released in Japan last year, so basically Stray Dog, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and High and Low. Might be sensible to pair Yojimbo and Sanjuro together (surely could've considered UHD if that were the case), and maybe Stray Dog and High and Low too (but they'd do fine on their own, on regular Blu-ray at least).

Hoping eventually we see Drunken Angel, I Live in Fear, The Lower Depths, The Bad Sleep Well and Red Beard, but we'll have to wait 'til those have been restored and released in Japan first. I'd of course be up for new discs for Throne of Blood and The Hidden Fortress as well but can wait for those.

Hoping we might also see Godzilla 4K from BFI since they technically still hold the UK rights and only 'leant' them to Criterion for their big box set (did the same for the Jacques Demy set, IIRC).

PS: Another title that's had a 4K restoration I'm hoping to see is Humanity and Paper Balloons, though maybe since MoC released that on DVD they might try to upgrade it themselves. BFI may be able to access it as part of their Toho dealings though, as they did for Floating Clouds, so we'll see...

PPS: Kagemusha has also been restored but that's likely in Criterion's court, and they'll have to negotiate with Disney over that one. Good luck to them...

[gekats]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

I don't understand the love for that short at all.

You've got to love a film where someone ejaculates into the lens. (Just kidding.)

I'm not even sure Pink Naricisus is even that popular as you claim.. And anyway, I fail to understand why certain certified classic films/directors are held in such great regard. It's all a matter of taste.

Anyway, in this case, one could "objectively" argue about its cultural significance: Bidwood apparently had little technical knowledge, yet his childlike, synthetic low-tech effects and lushly colorful visuals have influenced everyone, from Perre et Gilles to Fassbinder's Querelle.

To understand its appeal, if genuinely interested, maybe briefly revisit its opening with the long tracking shot in the meadow, that artificial horizon, and those creakily animated spiderwebs and butterflies.

I could understand Pink narcisus might feel repetitious; being an obsessive homage to male body, the film consists of short vignettes centered around a single model. If this is what irritated you, maybe it would be helpful to revisit the film thinking of it as a series as interrelated short fantasies.

Finding a film which combines genuine cinematic ingenuity and titilation is truly rare. I consider this an astonishing achievement.

[SilverBlueSnow]

Seven Samurai UHD is a huge release. The film is BFI’s best selling vhs/dvd/bluray of all time! Adrian Martin is a favorite of mine.

I wonder how many units these LEs are - I can’t see any numbers anywhere!

BFI ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[oddbox83]

It's just not my cup of tea I suppose.

Maybe it's "fake" popularity, but it's mentioned longingly in this thread for a BD and I noticed it seemed to pop up quite commonly on BFI player. Maybe the algorithm guessing based on what else I'd watched.

But yes, conspicuously absent on BD for now, so maybe the DVD wasn't that great a seller and it's simply a more popular streaming title where people like me give it a go out of curiosity.

It may be relevant that I also didn't take to Querelle.

Originally Posted by gekats

You've got to love a film where someone ejaculates into the lens. (Just kidding.)

I'm not even sure Pink Naricisus is even that popular as you claim.. And anyway, I fail to understand why certain certified classic films/directors are held in such great regard. It's all a matter of taste.

Anyway, in this case, one could "objectively" argue about its cultural significance: Bidwood apparently had little technical knowledge, yet his childlike, synthetic low-tech effects and lushly colorful visuals have influenced everyone, from Perre et Gilles to Fassbinder's Querelle.

To understand its appeal, if genuinely interested, maybe briefly revisit its opening with the long tracking shot in the meadow, that artificial horizon, and those creakily animated spiderwebs and butterflies.

I could understand Pink narcisus might feel repetitious; being an obsessive homage to male body, the film consists of short vignettes centered around a single model. If this is what irritated you, maybe it would be helpful to revisit the film thinking of it as a series as interrelated short fantasies.

Finding a film which combines genuine cinematic ingenuity and titilation is truly rare. I consider this an astonishing achievement.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

It’s almost 70 minutes long, a feature is by definition not a short.

I couldn't remember and thought something more like 50 minutes, but... no wonder I felt it took an age.

[tofurice]

Anyone else ever have issues trying to use their BFI membership on their store? Its only 15% anyway so I may as well use HMV but still, they don’t make it easy.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

It’s almost 70 minutes long, a feature is by definition not a short.

It is 71 mins long. A good release of the film would include ALL the existing footage the director shot for an unfinished sequel among the extras.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

It is 71 mins long. A good release of the film would include ALL the existing footage the director shot for an unfinished sequel among the extras.

Less than 70 just comes from PAL speedup.

Does it even exist? One of the cases where even though he disowned the film and it was taken out of his hands, I would love to see his rushes and how he would have edited it, but I can’t imagine the film any other way than how it is.

Originally Posted by gekats

I'm not even sure Pink Naricisus is even that popular as you claim.. And anyway, I fail to understand why certain certified classic films/directors are held in such great regard. It's all a matter of taste.

Would say its popularity mostly comes from queer circles and people invested in the history of Scala but not sure how much it crosses over outside of that, its rediscovery in the DVD era is relatively recent.

[Stanshall]

The Toho 4K of High and Low is outstanding, comfortably the best of their 4K restorations, would love that to get an English language release, so it's a shame it won't be through BFI. I get it, though. It doesn't have the commercial cache of SS. I imagine the BD will look ****ing great, though, assuming it's coming from them.

[aladsto]

Originally Posted by tofurice

Anyone else ever have issues trying to use their BFI membership on their store? Its only 15% anyway so I may as well use HMV but still, they don’t make it easy.

I've never had that particular issue, but the BFI websites are utter rubbish... Websites in plural, because you have to create separate log in details for BFI, BFI shop and Sight and Sound!