British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[PowellPressburger]

I wonder if the Chantel Ackerman transfers / color will be identical to the Criterion set.

[shimmy]

BFI knocking it out of the park. Im in for all three Kurosawa releases. High and Low is my second favorite of his so I am a little peeved its not a 4K disc but I am aware of BFI's policies so Im sure they had valid reasons. Im most happy about Stray Dog though, its been long overdue for this film.

[shimmy]

Is anyone else having trouble making an order from BFI's site?

EDIT: Never mind, its working now.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

I wonder if the Chantel Ackerman transfers / color will be identical to the Criterion set.

Based on Ben’s Facebook posts, Jeanne Dielman is identical.

Originally Posted by shimmy

BFI knocking it out of the park. Im in for all three Kurosawa releases. High and Low is my second favorite of his so I am a little peeved its not a 4K disc but I am aware of BFI's policies so Im sure they had valid reasons. Im most happy about Stray Dog though, its been long overdue for this film.

It’s surprising the number that are stuck on DVD.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by rapta

In for both Kurosawa and possibly Cronos too! Incredible lineup.

When I posted this, Yojimbo & Sanjuro hadn't appeared yet, so even more incredible! And heard amazing things about All We Imagine as Light, so that's definitely in my sights too (though considering the strength of these announcements, I'm going to wait for a sale for that one).

Will get the Akerman set(s) at some point but in no rush, as I'd honestly probably leave it on the shelf for quite a while before I actually watched it. So priority here are the Kurosawa titles - definitely High and Low and Stray Dog, but might be tempted to upgrade Yojimbo & Sanjuro (regular Blu-ray though, might get UHD eventually...shame there's no Dual Format option for this and Seven Samurai).

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

I mean, it's the very definition of a first-world problem, but after the carnage of Q4 2024 I was really hoping for a quieter 2025. Or at the very least a quiet Q1 2025, but nope.....

Yeah, I mean January is already full-on with the Radiance, Arrow, Criterion and Eureka slates, and Radiance just announced another must-have slate for February too. I haven't actually pre-ordered anything for 2025 yet but was about to figure out what is essential and what can go on the backburner (Indicator titles, as nice as they are, haven't been the priority for over a year now).

Hard to decide, but for January I'm leaning towards two from Radiance (Il posto/Il fidanzati, Underworld Beauty), two from BFI (High & Low, Stray Dog), and then only a couple of others from either Criterion (Mikey & Nicky), Arrow (The Gift, The Cell, Inglorious Basterds, Incubus), Indicator (Sahara, Edge of Eternity), 88 Films (Rouge, Love Unto Waste) or Eureka (Running on Karma). February is going to be Radiance again (Nomad/My Heart is That Eternal Rose, Hokuriku Proxy War) and maybe BFI (Cronos), and March so far is just BFI (Yojimbo & Sanjuro). Let's hope Second Sight don't suddenly announce something incredible for the first couple of months of 2025...

Originally Posted by blimey

Both Stray Dog and High & Low had 4k UHD released by Toho last year. So I should imagine BFI licensed those restorations just like the other Kurosawas they already released. The reason why no UHD option is provided is likely the same as Ikiru: no appreciable quality difference.

Exactly, and let's just watch as Criterion now release High and Low and Stray Dog on UHD, and everyone eats them up. They did just that for The Rules of the Game, for example.

Conversely, I do wonder if BFI considered doing Yojimbo & Sanjuro as Blu-ray only, but then Criterion made their announcement and they decided to match it.

Originally Posted by justwannaboogie

That's got to the best monthly announcements from any boutique label in years.

Obvious hyperbole, but you make a good case. It's all subjective, but yes I would buy every one of these titles. I even want Yojimbo & Sanjuro 4K eventually but will just buy the Blu-ray initially (and can pick up 4K discs later on, if I ever can afford the setup).

[Cinematt]

Very pleased I resisted the temptation to upgrade the Criterion BDs for Yojimbo and Sanjuro, and that the BFI were actually (as I suspected) being coy with their response of no more Kurosawa currently planned in 4K. It is a shame they haven't gone for 4K for High and Low, I'd really love to hear their reasoning, but it is true that even the decade old Criterion BD looks really good so there may have been less of an incentive for them. I hope it wasn't a commercial decision though, although the samurai films have always been the big sellers for Kurosawa, High and Low's star has been seriously ascending in recent years and I suspect there will be a lot of interest in it.

edit - I just remembered Spike Lee is remaking High and Low with Denzel Washington, if its profile wasn't already high enough.

I'm also thrilled they've got Cronos, as that's another Criterion I won't have to upgrade, and as I've already got The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth in 4K I don't have to fight the temptation of a very expensive upgrade should Criterion update their box now. I think that just leaves Mimic and Blade 2 from his filmography without a 4K somewhere in the world, I wonder if Arrow's new WB deal could help with that.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

It is a shame they haven't gone for 4K for High and Low, I'd really love to hear their reasoning,

This is what Ben Stoddart said on FB about High and Low not being on 4K:

Originally Posted by Ben Stoddart

We have to make a call based on the master, and that’s why this film (much like Ikiru), is Blu-ray only.

[Cinematt]

That does surprise me, but if they considered it and decided against it then that's probably a fair choice, it's not like they don't know what they're doing.
There should be more to gain from High and Low - Ikiru's negative is lost so there were always limits on what could be done there - but perhaps they weren't happy with other aspects of the 4K master being offered. Toho don't always offer up their best or allow others to tinker with them.

[Dragun]

Originally Posted by blimey

Both Stray Dog and High & Low had 4k UHD released by Toho last year. So I should imagine BFI licensed those restorations just like the other Kurosawas they already released. The reason why no UHD option is provided is likely the same as Ikiru: no appreciable quality difference.

The descriptions on the BFI store links do not include language like "4K restoration." Hopefully these are not sourced from old HD masters.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by Dragun

The descriptions on the BFI store links do not include language like "4K restoration." Hopefully these are not sourced from old HD masters.

The email announcements says "New Restoration", so I hope it's the 4K restoration.

[pathman]

So does this leave Kagemusha as the only title we haven't seen so far from BFI in terms of what Toho restored/released in 4K in Japan?

[PhatsoCallum]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

The email announcements says "New Restoration", so I hope it's the 4K restoration.

Though the BFI shop page just said "presented in high-definition" for high and low and also stray dog. For the double pack it mentions new 4k restoration. Hopefully we can get confirmation

[mande2013]

Even though I’m sure the Toho UHD of High and Low is fine, I suppose it just happens that a 1080p FiM encode isn't much of a discernible downgrade in quality, similar to Carlotta’s Werckmeister Harmonies vis-a-vis Criterion’s 4K or Indicator’s Blu-ray of The Last Detail compared to the Shout 4K.

This seems to be a common trend of FiM encoded Blu-rays not really being discnernible downgrades from non-FiM UHDs released by other labels.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by pathman

So does this leave Kagemusha as the only title we haven't seen so far from BFI in terms of what Toho restored/released in 4K in Japan?

Yes, but the rights for that are with Disney (via Fox), and therefore the 4K is likely to come from Criterion at some point (as we also got with Godzilla recently).

Other non-Kurosawa 4K restorations that BFI could release include Humanity & Paper Balloons (fingers crossed, might not be UHD-worthy but at least Blu-ray) and Submersion of Japan (aka Tidal Wave).

I believe Toho only license titles out once they've debuted the restoration on disc in Japan first, so we won't have any more Kurosawa's til they've done just that.

[Dogwood]

Jesus. I was tapping submission even before Yojimbo/Sanjuro got thrown into the mix. Please, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is spongy and bruised...

[Stanshall]

In for pretty much all of these and absolutely delighted. Only slight downside is the Toho 4K of High and Low is probably the best looking b/w 4K I own, total stunner, so I'd hoped for a BFI 4K! I'll definitely hold onto it and pick up the BFI BD and hope the convenience of on-disc subs make it worthwhile. Buzzing about everything else.

[tofurice]

Ackerman is a must

[trobrianders]

I'll stick with my Criterion BD of High & Low and just upgrade my Criterion DVD of Stray Dog. With Yojimbo/Sanjuro I've got a soft spot for their package design so I'll stick with a Criterion upgrade to 4k. BFI's designs are a bit drab. I remember those brutal tones from the public sector 70s of my childhood. BFI are probably still nostalgic for those days

Getting a bit sick of the focus on del Toro. Can't stand him. Now BFI are in on the act.

The Ackerman sets are definites. Hoping the talk of BFI encode superiority is true and not just a thing people like to repeat.

[GreatUncleBaal]

Originally Posted by trobrianders

Getting a bit sick of the focus on del Toro. Can't stand him. Now BFI are in on the act.

Erm, it’s one single release.

[Anthony Thorne]

Originally Posted by trobrianders

Getting a bit sick of the focus on del Toro. Can't stand him.

He speaks highly of you though.