British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Arkadin]

no worries.
I've kind of lost track of Bfi because they seem to be kind of obsessed with Flipside lately.
I mean it's great that those films are being released, but I'd rather have known classics any day.
can't wait for Tokyo Story though.

[Grubert]

It's not the end of the world. The security stickers on some of my Lionsgate Blu-rays left so much residue that the case stuck to the one next to it on the shelf.

In America they have something called Goo-Gone that apparently works wonders. In Europe you might have to make do with 3M's Easy Clean Pen.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Grubert

It's not the end of the world. The security stickers on some of my Lionsgate Blu-rays left so much residue that the case stuck to the one next to it on the shelf.

In America they have something called Goo-Gone that apparently works wonders. In Europe you might have to make do with 3M's Easy Clean Pen.

That happened to me with King of New York.

[adamhopelies]

Nail varnish remover has always worked for me.

[Arkadin]

if it's on the outside of the plastic, lighter fluid is my stickycrapgetteroff of choice.

[Arkadin]

wow, Here we go round the mulberry bush--
I have that soundtrack because it was recommended on this list of great soundtracks.
it features the spencer davis group.
that is so cool that it is coming to bd.

[the blob]

A Zed & Two Noughts! Wonderful.. hopefully they'll follow it with The Draughtsman's Contract. Will it be region locked as Fox has US rights?

[McCrutchy]

FYI--I updated the titles post (Post #2) as requested.

[Arkadin]

looks great!
thanks so much.
btw: I noticed the other day on amazon.uk that prices for the Arden films have finally come down to around 10 pounds.
that's usually when I think about ordering the titles that I interest me, but not enough to pay the release day price.
I really want to see " The Other Side of Underneath"
It sounds amazing.

[adamhopelies]

So, my copy of The Pleasure Girls arrived yesterday, and the sticker problem was actually far worse than I've actually seen before. I've removed most of the residue, but the case is pretty much ruined underneath. Does anyone know where I can buy 2 replacement clear amaray cases from (I have The Party's Over en-route? This sort of thing never usually bothers me, but the existing case is an absolute state.

[adamhopelies]

Ignore my previous comment, I've decided to buy a couple of regular blue Amaray cases, I might as well make the flipsides all match if I'm replacing the case anyway!

[McCrutchy]

FYI--The pre-order for the oft-delayed BD of The Innocents (now due out 23 August) has dropped to £13.99 (£11.91 without VAT).

For those looking to bundle to save on overall shipping, several of the Chaplin BDs will be out that day, as well as the rather interesting-looking Dogtooth.

[Reduman]

Originally Posted by rich_adamson

I don't mean to offend anyone, but when I consider that you can get a film like The Innocents in a superb edition from BFi for less than $30 shipped from Amazon UK seems like a steal compared to buying a lot of the crap that comes out in the US for $25-30 when they are first released. It is actually quite amazing how cheap (comparatively of course) so many of these classics from BFI, Artificial Eye, MoC, and other UK distributors are in comparison to the crazy prices US distribs charge for something like Law Abiding Citizen or Ninja Assassin. When you consider the quality of the films, as well as the packages that BFI put together in terms of supplements and technical quality, they truly seem like bargains. Now like I said, I don't mean to upset anyone with this, but it just seems silly to complain about these prices, when many of us pay that much for much lower quality stateside.

I have to agree with you there. I live in Germany and I travel to the UK ca. once a month for work reasons. I still find it cheaper to import (the brilliant) BFI discs from amazon.co.uk, rather than buying them from a high street store (HMV, WH Smith etc.) when I am over there. This is despite having to pay ca. 2 GBP for postage and packing and the VAT rate is bumped up to 19% (the German rate) as opposed to the 17.5 % in the UK (though that might change soon with the emergency budget). The average price for a blu-ray seems to be ca. 15 GBP or thereabouts, often less. That to my mind is good value. I saw a new release (Up in the Air) at a 'Saturn' store (a sort of German Best Buy Store) in Munich 2 weeks ago. It cost 29 € - (ca. 25 GBP) - an absolute disgrace!
Stores got away with charging those sorts of prices a few years back, but now I would advise people just to leave such products on the shelves. I eventually bought my 'Up in the Air' blu from amazon.co.uk, for just over 18.00 GBP all told - a saving of 7 GBP over Saturn's price, despite the extra costs involved. I know bricks and mortar stores have higher overheads, but differences of 10 € or more for the self-same product is crazy. Go figure.

[PowellPressburger]

Rec'd my order of The Party's Over and The Pleasure Girls and that sticker they used does come off decently. You just kind of pull most of it off carefully and use some tape to removes the rest.

Just be careful that the insert isn't too high near that edge that you don't ruin your artwork when removing. try pulling the insert down some from the bottom if it seems the sticker may be over the insert.


I ordered these titles Friday and I got them today in the U.S. my fastest amazon UK order ever.

[Schonfelder]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Blu-ray releases from June till September:

21 June

The Adelphi Collection: Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary (1953) & My Wife’s Lodger (1952)
The Adelphi Collection showcases long-neglected works produced by this family-run British film studio. This second release is a double-bill of rare, early Diana Dors comedies. Also starring Sid James. Dual Format Edition

19 July

The films of Yasujiro Ozu – an extensive new BFI DVD project launching in Dual Format Editions
- Tokyo Story (1953) & Brothers and Sister of the Toda Family
- Late Spring (1949) & The Only Son
- Early Summer (1951) & What did the Lady Forget?
(NB: The supporting features in each package are on DVD only)

Anyone knows if these titles are/will be region free ? Or at least, if they´ll be playable in region A, or will they bi region B - locked ?

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by schonfelder

anyone knows if these titles are/will be region free ? Or at least, if they´ll be playable in region a, or will they bi region b - locked ?

region-free
all the right noises
anti-clock
the bill douglas trilogy
comrades
gazwrx - the films of jeff keen
herostratus
institute benjamenta
is your honeymoon really necessary/my wife's lodger
london in the raw
magick lantern cycle (kenneth anger)
man of violence/the big switch (aka strip poker)
nighthawks
the other side of the underneath
the party's over
penny points to paradise/let's go crazy
permissive
the pleasure girls
primitive london
separation
that kind of girl
winstanley
a zed and two noughts

region b
arabian nights
the bed-sitting room
the canterbury tales
the decameron
early summer
the innocents
late spring
the leopard
the loneliness of the long-distance runner
privilege
red desert
salo - the 120 days of sodom
saturday night and sunday morning
tokyo story

cc

[Funktion]

I have a question regarding these upcoming "dual format" releases: are these on 2 discs (a Blu-Ray and a DVD) or on a single dual-sided disc (one side BD, the other DVD)?

I was under the impression these would be 2 disc releases (a BD with an added DVD), but I was just reading Mondo Digital's review of the Diana Dors double feature release and they wrote «this dual-format release, featuring the DVD on one side and the Blu-Ray on the other».

I seriously hope BFI didn't opt for dual-sided discs, I really dislike those, and I would avoid purchasing further titles if that was the case.

[manicsounds]

2 discs, 1 BD, 1 DVD

[Funktion]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

2 discs, 1 BD, 1 DVD

Thanks.
I'm glad that's the case.

[psicon]

I"m sad to read The Innocents is region locked. More and more getting a region free player becomes a priority.