British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Ozu Teapot]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

...I wouldn't mind so much if it was a matter of the steelbook only being available through Zavvi, and an amaray release being available through other outlets, but for now isn't it the case that the steelbook is the only version of this BFI release so far announced? If Zavvi's exclusivity means no other option, then I think that's carrying rights a bit too far.

It does seem that it's a matter of the steelbook only being available through Zavvi, and an amaray release being available through other outlets. As I posted on the previous page :

Originally Posted by Ozu Teapot

Back in June this subject was being discussed over on the Criterion Forum with much speculation over the possible steelbook only release of Seven Samurai and MichaelB posted :

It is a bit frustrating not to know when the amaray version will be out - but then personally I'm not in a hurry to get it as I have the BFI Kurosawa Samurai DVD box set and could actually do with less things I want to buy!

[Judex]

Originally Posted by djvaso

I can not agree with this unless you are a steelbook fetishist. As previously said, Blu-ray disc in keep case will be available everywhere. Also, I am almost sure that steelbook edition will not contain a booklet.

I doubt that, Simply because BFI always produce a booklet with their releases.

[theprestige85]

For those of you who are interested, Foyles bookstore (the London Shaftsbury branch at least|) have some great deals on BFI blu rays. Some titles are as little as £6. Saw a few I wanted to get for £7. Worth checking out.

[Funktion]

A while back I purchased the BFI BD release of Underground, and fell in love with one of the shorts included on that release: Under Night Streets, a short made by the British Transport Films. It's beautifully shot, with lovely black and white cinematography, and a somewhat usual tone in its narration. It features a fascinating look at what happened between the closing and re-opening hours of the underground transportation services.

I was wondering: what other documentaries in the same style would you recommend? Preferably whose action occurred at night, and its availability in HD/BD would be a plus.

[Mr Kite]

Not sure about the technical history behind these, but I was wondering if the Ghost Stories For Christmas will ever get a Blu Ray release?

[Mr Kite]

Originally Posted by James78

I asked them about this last year. Here is the response:

Hi,

The original negatives are in the BBC archive. It's not a question of the negatives not surviving, it's more to do with whether they have been scanned in order to create a new HD master which in this case they have not. We (the BFI) have licensed the films from the BBC and therefore it is their decision as to whether they are going to create new HD masters and in turn supply them to us. Sadly that is not the case.

Best regards,

Ben

Thanks for the info. Seems a little strange the Beeb would not go down this route.........or have they and decided not to supply the BFI and go it alone.

[Ozu Teapot]

Does anyone know if the BFI plans to release any more Ozus on Blu in the new year?

I seem to remember their original intention was to release 32 films and by my reckoning they've released 26 so far (14 over the dual format releases, 3 in the Melodramas DVD set, 5 in the Student Comedies DVD set and 4 in the Gangster Movies DVD set - and that's including the fragments of I Graduated But... and A Straightforward Boy on those latter two sets).

I'll settle for DVDs if that's what they have to be but Blus would be nice!

[Myshkin]

That's what I've been wondering for a while too. It was a real disappointment when they went to DVD only (especially just in time for one of my faves, Tokyo Twilight) but now even they've dried up. They used to announce shortly after the new releases but it's been 6 months now. Wasn't the original intention for them to be released over a 2 year period?

[dylan32]

Originally Posted by James78

I asked them about this last year. Here is the response:

Hi,

The original negatives are in the BBC archive. It's not a question of the negatives not surviving, it's more to do with whether they have been scanned in order to create a new HD master which in this case they have not. We (the BFI) have licensed the films from the BBC and therefore it is their decision as to whether they are going to create new HD masters and in turn supply them to us. Sadly that is not the case.

Best regards,

Ben

Dissapointing, but I'm not sure how much these would benefit with a blu release...

There is a new expanded set on the way in October, which looks like the old set but with the forthcoming M R James disk included.

Definate purchase for me as I've not got the original box, and love 'whistle'.

[Yami]

The dual-format edition of Riddles of the Sphinx is limited edition and will it will only be available on DVD once it sells out. I wouldn't have minded this approach with the Children's Film Foundation releases (though, to be honest, I'm only interested in The Boy Who Turned Yellow), which were sourced from HD transfers but released on DVD-only.

[ravenus]

Don't know if this has already been discussed but it seems that the BFI will release Herzog's film Nosferatu The Vampyre next year in dual format. Will have to make a choice between this release and Shout Factory's release, I wish both of them do great jobs.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=12244

[rapta]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Don't know if this has already been discussed but it seems that the BFI will release Herzog's film Nosferatu The Vampyre next year in dual format. Will have to make a choice between this release and Shout Factory's release, I wish both of them do great jobs.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=12244

As expected! Yesssss! Where the heck is Aguirre, the Wrath of God though? They announced that back in April and still no word on a release date for the BR. Maybe they will release both in Spring? As well as Kaspar Hauser? I'm ready to go Herzog-mad with my wallet

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Pooch

I'm wth Adam on this one. The BFI is meant to be about giving greater access to films, not limiting such access. And surely, if the Steelbook was available everywhere, rather than just via Zavvi, and only via a Zavvi website at that, would mean that they'd sell more copies, meaning more money, meaning more Steelbook releases in the future.

Very and a very decision from the BFI.


Pooch

The BFI has just had yet another cut in government funding of 10% while still being expected to take on extra initiatives and duties ever since the UK Film Council was closed down (in an absurd bit of gesture politics that cost several times more than keeping it going). Even before that, a couple of decades of almost criminal financial mismanagement and disastrous leadership (particularly in the catastrophic Wilf Stevenson years) have left them limping from crisis to crisis, so the lofty ideals of the founders of the BFI were abandoned long ago, initially on purely idealogical grounds (back in the 90s Stevenson wanted to change the organisation on similar monetarist lines to John Birt's failed internal market at the BBC while disenfranchising the inconvenient membership) and later out of financial necessity as Stevenson's successors tried to clean up the mess they inherited. Compared to the BFI stills library, which has priced itself out of the market completely with ridiculously exorbitant charges, the video division has generally done a better job of balancing accessibility and not losing too much money.

When a video company does an exclusive deal with a retailer, the retailer buys a set number of copies - rather than the usual sale-or-return deal - which means that the distributor doesn't have to worry about unsold copies being returned and can often cover the entire cost of a release. Without such deals, they'd have to press more copies and end up having to remainder many of them at knock down prices like the BFI's first batch of flipside BD titles and films like The Leopard and The Red Desert which ended up being dumped for a fiver each because they pressed more than they could sell at full price.

In the current climate, making the books balance when they have less money to play with is a priority,especially since the money from these kind of deals finances future titles. Though it is a shame that they entered an exclusive deal with a mail order-only company with one of the worst reputations for customer service in the UK.

[kristoffer]

Since it doesn't look like BFI will release a normal version of SS i went and pre-ordered the Zavi steelbook. Can't wait to see it in HD.

[joebacons]

The Seven Samurai steelbook -

Originally Posted by djvaso

I am almost sure that steelbook edition will not contain a booklet.

This is a listing of the features shown on the Zavvi web page:

Digitally Re-mastered in High Definition
Play with or without Original Intermission
Original Japanese Theatrical Trailer
The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-Cinema Expert Tony Rayns Discusses Kurosawa's Career and Influence
Fully Illustrated Booklet with Essays and Credits

[rapta]

Originally Posted by joebacons

The Seven Samurai steelbook -



This is a listing of the features shown on the Zavvi web page:

Digitally Re-mastered in High Definition
Play with or without Original Intermission
Original Japanese Theatrical Trailer
The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-Cinema Expert Tony Rayns Discusses Kurosawa's Career and Influence
Fully Illustrated Booklet with Essays and Credits

Nice. Would be weird for a BFI release to not come with a booklet. Can't wait for this one!

[crazyman]

Originally Posted by joebacons

The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-Cinema Expert Tony Rayns Discusses Kurosawa's Career and Influence

Ah, Christ.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by crazyman

Ah, Christ.

that one is new and not included on the criterion release?

[theprestige85]

Err, seems like theres a mix up on the classification on Cassavetes' Shadows. On the dual box art, it specifically states that it's rated PG. However, the discs themselves are classified as 15

[djvaso]

Originally Posted by joebacons

The Seven Samurai steelbook -



This is a listing of the features shown on the Zavvi web page:

Digitally Re-mastered in High Definition
Play with or without Original Intermission
Original Japanese Theatrical Trailer
The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-Cinema Expert Tony Rayns Discusses Kurosawa's Career and Influence
Fully Illustrated Booklet with Essays and Credits

I am glad that I was wrong .