British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[MifuneFan]

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

4K UHD - Blu-ray

The Hidden Fortress (4K UHD)
Director: Akira Kurosawa

New 4K Restoration of Kurosawa’s much-loved classic.

A story of rival clans, hidden gold and a princess in distress, The Hidden Fortress is a thrilling mix of fairy story and samurai action movie. It was Kurosawa's first film shot in the widescreen process of Tohoscope, and he exploited this to the full in the film's rich variety of landscape locations, including the slopes of Mount Fuji.

The Hidden Fortress became Kurosawa's biggest box office hit to date and won the 1959 Berlin Film Festival. Some twenty years on, the film's influence would have even greater impact on the world’s box office, when George Lucas borrowed elements of its plot for the first of his Star Wars series.

Extras

• Restored 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly recorded audio commentary by Japanese-cinema expert Tony Rayns
• Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create – Hidden Fortress (2002)
• Interview with George Lucas (2001, 8 mins)
• Original trailer
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with a new essay on the film by Kenta McGrath]

[MifuneFan]

Object Z (1965)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FBX25P2R/

Object Z (DVD + Blu-ray)
Director: Daphne Shadwell

Unseen since its first transmission on ITV in 1965, this vintage six-part Rediffusion sci-fi serial will delight all aficionados of the glorious golden age of British television drama.

A mysterious mass – known only as Object Z – is discovered by Professor Ramsay (Ralph Nossek) as it hurtles through space, threatening earth with destruction. As society erupts into a riotous state of panic and extremist political factions attempt to snatch control, the world’s nations must unite to find a solution - in the face of potential Armageddon. Scientists June Challis (Margaret Neale) and Robert Duncan (Denys Peek) alongside television producer Peter Barry (Trevor Bannister) become embroiled in the race to find answers - but time is running out.

Hard-hitting and contemporary, Rediffusion’s progressive programming challenged the traditional dominance of BBC television in the 1960s. The cataclysmic world-under-threat sci-fi of Object Z will appeal to everybody who thrilled to Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass.

Episodes:

Episode 1 – The Meteor
Episode 2 – The World in Fear
Episode 3 – Flight from Danger
Episode 4 – The Aliens
Episode 5 – Too Late
Episode 6 – The Solution

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Object Z (1965)

[Show spoiler]
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FBX25P2R/

This will be transferred from film elements, I imagine?

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by ravenus

This will be transferred from film elements, I imagine?

The original series was shot and broadcast on videotape and was also telerecorded onto film.

The BFI holds these films.

[Yurakucho]

Poor cover for The Hidden Fortress.

[ryanhoward79]

What a killer slate for the month of August! Great to see some Herzog and Kurosawa 4K love!

[oddbox83]

Incredible slate! Two Herzog's on 4K and a slice of rare TV scifi are definitely day one.

[mande2013]

I'm guessing we can expect the Herzog 4Ks to be on Rarewaves at some point...

For some odd reason, Eureka's Trouble Every Day 4K isn't on there.

[DaveStone]

Damn! Now that’s a top-tier slate. Herzog and Kurosawa are instant buys. Bravo, BFI!

[exidor]

Weirdly lop-sided extras packages on the Herzogs - 2 hours on Aguirre, 15 minutes on Nosferatu. I assume it's subject to change.

[CouncilSpectre]

Damn that's a mighty fine set of titles!

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by mande2013

I'm guessing we can expect the Herzog 4Ks to be on Rarewaves at some point...

For some odd reason, Eureka's Trouble Every Day 4K isn't on there.

If you look at the Rarewaves thread here am sure it said they sell very few if any new Eureka releases.

[CrockettandTubbs]

I won't be upgrading the Herzogs. Quite happy with the boxset.

[Garmonbozia_]

BFI is absolutely killing it. They have no choice but to re-release High and Low soon. Really excited about the Herzogs. Hopefully the Cassavetes films will follow after that..

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by exidor

Weirdly lop-sided extras packages on the Herzogs - 2 hours on Aguirre, 15 minutes on Nosferatu. I assume it's subject to change.

Pure guess but maybe the disc needs room for the English cut of Nosferatu.

[MovieBuff647]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Nosferatu The Vampyre (1979)

4K UHD - Blu-ray

Is Fidelity in Motion encoding this or no?

[JackyJacquard]

Originally Posted by Yurakucho

Poor cover for The Hidden Fortress.

Ngl all of their Samurai covers suck ass

Originally Posted by mande2013

I'm guessing we can expect the Herzog 4Ks to be on Rarewaves at some point...

For some odd reason, Eureka's Trouble Every Day 4K isn't on there.

They haven’t added any new Eureka titles in months. Oddly enough when I was in a physical HMV shop their staff said they don’t have them offline because they ‘fell out with’ the label too.

[ophone]

Anyone know if there will be German releases of the Herzog films in 4K?

[GreatUncleBaal]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

If you look at the Rarewaves thread here am sure it said they sell very few if any new Eureka releases.

Yeah, they had the Mabuse boxset,
but practically none others for preorder in the last several months, no idea before then.

[PhatsoCallum]

Originally Posted by mande2013

I'm guessing we can expect the Herzog 4Ks to be on Rarewaves at some point...

For some odd reason, Eureka's Trouble Every Day 4K isn't on there.

BFI titles now up on rarewaves. Doesnt have the pre order special code like the last couple months. Will be waiting for a 10% code to pop up from them