British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[MifuneFan]

Finalized extras for Yojimbo /Sanjuro are now up!

Extras

• Restored 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Sword For Hire (2024, 25 mins): Kurosawa scholar Jasper Sharp discusses Yojimbo and Sanjuro in this analytical assessment
• Audio commentary on Yojimbo by film critic Philip Kemp (2000)
• It is Wonderful to Create – Yojimbo (2002, 45 mins): the film is examined in detail in this documentary study
• Introduction to Sanjuro (2003, 5 mins): filmmaker Alex Cox introduces Sanjuro
• Newly recorded audio commentary on Sanjuro by Japanese-Australian filmmaker Kenta McGrath
• It is Wonderful to Create – Sanjuro (2002, 37 mins): the film is examined in detail in this short documentary study
• Out of the Dust Storm and into the Koi Pond (2025, 18 mins): Nic Wassell considers the role of nature as a background to the machinations of mankind in role of nature as a background to the machinations of mankind in Yojimbo and Sanjuro
• Alex Cox on Kurosawa (2003, 9 mins): the director discusses the life and work of Akira Kurosawa
• Original Japanese trailers
• Image galleries
• Both films include original 3-channel Perspecta audio
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with new writing on both films by Hayley Scanlon, writing on both films by Akira Kurosawa, originally published in 1964, original reviews and credits

[rebbirds]

Any news about their work on Eille Norwood's Sherlock Holmes?

[MifuneFan]

New single disc Standard release of Funeral Parade of Roses coming Feb. 17th

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Funeral-Par...=Zn6b3lLiuvCym

[T4ffer]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

New single disc Standard release of Funeral Parade of Roses coming Feb. 17th

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Funeral-Par...=Zn6b3lLiuvCym

What did the second disc have?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by T4ffer

What did the second disc have?

Eight restored avant-garde short films from director Toshio Matsumoto

Nishijin (1961, 25 mins)
The Song of Stone (1963, 24 mins)
Ecstasis (1969, 11 mins)
Metastasis (1971, 8 mins)
Expansion (1972, 14 mins)
Mona Lisa (1973, 3 mins)
Siki Soku Z Ku (1975, 8 mins)
Atman (1975, 11 mins)

[T4ffer]

Day-um... I just removed the movie from while culling my wishlist, given that I had seen it and thought it was great but have other priorities, but I wasn't even aware of the shorts - those would have sold me on it. But I probably noticed the LE release too late to get it anyway.

[latehong]

DVD Beaver review of Stray Dog

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by T4ffer

Day-um... I just removed the movie from while culling my wishlist, given that I had seen it and thought it was great but have other priorities, but I wasn't even aware of the shorts - those would have sold me on it. But I probably noticed the LE release too late to get it anyway.

There's several copies on Fleabay.

[Jonatan C.]

Stray Dog and High & Low sent from rarewaves

[trobrianders]

Originally Posted by latehong

DVD Beaver review of Stray Dog

Very happy to hear BFI's BD 'shows more information in the frame - notably the top and two side edges'.

[drush9999]

Originally Posted by latehong

DVD Beaver review of Stray Dog

Hmm I checked my newly arrived disc and "remarkable upgrade" is not how I see it. It's alright better than my old Criterion DVD, but we're spoilt for way better these days, I'd temper your expectation.

[chrismansell]

I sadly don't have time to sit and watch the whole thing, but having checked out the first five minutes or so of the Stray Dog blu-ray, while it evidently hasn't been given the same loving restoration treatment as Seven Samurai and High & Low I think the new image does it some favours. The train sequence in particular exudes the atmosphere of oppressive heat Kurosawa intended it to now, in a way the stream I watched on the BFI Player some years ago never quite managed to convey.

[Cinematt]

Originally Posted by drush9999

Hmm I checked my newly arrived disc and "remarkable upgrade" is not how I see it. It's alright better than my old Criterion DVD, but we're spoilt for way better these days, I'd temper your expectation.

I believe it's another Kurosawa movie with a lost negative and the materials that remain don't seem to be as good as with other movies. Obviously the sales potential is also much lower than with his big hitters, so I don't know how much better we'll ever see, but it's not one I'm upset about skipping 4K even though Japan got one.

[justwannaboogie]

Japanese films from the 1940s making it on to the format is a miracle in itself, I'm certainly not expecting flawless visuals. BFI have no doubt given it the best treatment.

[Lasse Reden]

Stray Dog and High and Low have gone MIA on Amazon.co.uk for me a day before release. I'm from central Europe and had this happen with certain labels, didn't expect it with BFI though. Hopefully it's just OOS and not a permanent block to my location. I could get them from BFI directly, but shipping is £8 for 2 titles and i don't know if they're IOSS registered. For that amount i could get multiple items shipped from Amazon, without fear of additional import charges. Elsewhere the prices are higher too.

Edit:
The price also jumps from 33.98 to 38.98 on the BFI store when i go through checkout. Not sure how they arrive at that amount, even if you take local VAT into account.

Edit 2:
It seems the ticket price is for paying BFI members. ��

[hutchyboy]

Originally Posted by Lasse Reden

Stray Dog and High and Low have gone MIA on Amazon.co.uk for me a day before release. I'm from central Europe and had this happen with certain labels, didn't expect it with BFI though. Hopefully it's just OOS and not a permanent block to my location. I could get them from BFI directly, but shipping is £8 for 2 titles and i don't know if they're IOSS registered. For that amount i could get multiple items shipped from Amazon, without fear of additional import charges. Elsewhere the prices are higher too.

Edit:
The price also jumps from 33.98 to 38.98 on the BFI store when i go through checkout. Not sure how they arrive at that amount, even if you take local VAT into account.

Edit 2:
It seems the ticket price is for paying BFI members. ��

https://limelightcollection.co.uk/ is an option, shipping would be similar to what you see on BFI I think but they're IOSS registered at least.

https://limelightcollection.co.uk/pr...ay-dog-blu-ray

https://limelightcollection.co.uk/pr...nd-low-blu-ray

[Lasse Reden]

Originally Posted by hutchyboy

https://limelightcollection.co.uk/ is an option, shipping would be similar to what you see on BFI I think but they're IOSS registered at least.

https://limelightcollection.co.uk/pr...ay-dog-blu-ray

https://limelightcollection.co.uk/pr...nd-low-blu-ray

Thanks, i'll look into it!

[Jonatan C.]

Originally Posted by Lasse Reden

Thanks, i'll look into it!

I bought them in rarewaves. They are in transit but I don´t expect Customs charges (I´ve ordered before and always arrived without surprises). Just so you know there are options

[Deadend45]

I was interested in the Kurosawa sale mentioned in the BFI email today until I saw it was the old scans only and lost any interest.

[MifuneFan]

Finalized extras for the Chantal Akerman set are now up. It now says it's limited to 2,000 copies.

https://shop.bfi.org.uk/chantal-aker...y-box-set.html

• Five Blu-ray set featuring 14 landmark films by Chantal Akerman
• Audio commentaries on Saute ma ville and Je tu il elle by So Mayer and Selina Robertson of the queer feminist film curatorial collective Club des Femmes
• Audio commentary on Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles by Kate Rennebohm and Simon Howell of the Akerman Year podcast
• Audio commentary on Les Rendez-vous d’Anna by Kate Rennebohm
• Chantal Akerman 1976: An Interview (1976, 59 mins): the filmmaker discusses her early films with B Ruby Rich
• Autour de Jeanne Dielman (1975, 69 mins): insightful documentary by Sami Frey showing the working relationship between Akerman and Delphine Seyrig
• Entretien avec ma mère, Natalia Akerman (2007, 30 mins): Chantal Akerman talks to her mother, Natalia
• Interviews with Babette Mangolte and Aurore Clément (2007, 53 mins total)
• Leaving Home – New World Vision (2024, 14 mins): artist Sarah Wood meditates on News From Home in a newly commissioned video essay
• 72-page perfect bound book featuring new essays by Lillian Crawford, Catherine Bray, Diana Cipriano, Justine Smith, Daniella Shreir, Pamela Hutchinson, Jerry White, Sarah Wood and Hannah Strong plus archive articles by Janet Bergstrom and Laura Mulvey
• Limited edition of 2,000 copies