British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[jacobvongunten]

Seven Samurai is on Film4 tonight at 11.10pm, and in HD for those with access to that version of the channel. I assume it will be the print used for the BFI Blu - has a proper review of that disc appeared on the net yet?

[CrockettandTubbs]

Moviemail have a Jan clearance sale on at the moment: ends the 29th. There aren't many blu rays on offer but they have the dual format version of Bertolucci's Before the Revolution for £6.99.

All the extras are on the 2nd disc (the DVD) so hopefully the disc arrives
undamaged for anyone who orders. The blu-ray.com review is here:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Befor.../22764/#Review

[edcresdee]

Originally Posted by crazyman

Hope they get some Jackie Chan in there too.

BFI Rush Hour trilogy Blu-ray boxset please

[rapta]

Originally Posted by edcresdee

BFI Rush Hour trilogy Blu-ray boxset please

Haha. Drunken Master all the way.

[Cinemach]

Finally got around to ordering/watching Underground, and I've got to say it just might be my favorite BFI blu release I've seen thus far. Being a huge fan of silent cinema it's a fantastic restoration and discovery: the visual ingenuity and camerawork are right up there with much of Hitchcock's best of the period, and the location work across the city is of just as much interest. Really terrific extras package too, with two scores, programs about the Underground, and a handful of actualities - including rare footage of a young Anthony Asquith with his then-Prime Minister father.

Many, many kudos--kinda surprised there isn't a review up here or at the Beaver, but it comes highly recommended from me. And it's currently on sale from Base for £8.99 (which is where I ordered from)!

[joebacons]

^ Thanks for the recommendation! I just put an order in at Base.

[Buffalo66]

Originally Posted by Cinemach

Finally got around to ordering/watching Underground, and I've got to say it just might be my favorite BFI blu release I've seen thus far. Being a huge fan of silent cinema it's a fantastic restoration and discovery: the visual ingenuity and camerawork are right up there with much of Hitchcock's best of the period, and the location work across the city is of just as much interest. Really terrific extras package too, with two scores, programs about the Underground, and a handful of actualities - including rare footage of a young Anthony Asquith with his then-Prime Minister father.

Many, many kudos--kinda surprised there isn't a review up here or at the Beaver, but it comes highly recommended from me. And it's currently on sale from Base for £8.99 (which is where I ordered from)!

I agree with this sentiment.

[Funktion]

Originally Posted by Cinemach

Finally got around to ordering/watching Underground, and I've got to say it just might be my favorite BFI blu release I've seen thus far. Being a huge fan of silent cinema it's a fantastic restoration and discovery: the visual ingenuity and camerawork are right up there with much of Hitchcock's best of the period, and the location work across the city is of just as much interest. Really terrific extras package too, with two scores, programs about the Underground, and a handful of actualities - including rare footage of a young Anthony Asquith with his then-Prime Minister father.

Many, many kudos--kinda surprised there isn't a review up here or at the Beaver, but it comes highly recommended from me. And it's currently on sale from Base for £8.99 (which is where I ordered from)!

While I did enjoy Underground, and it really does feature some lovely camera work, my main interest in the package ended up being the short Under Night Streets. I simply loved it.

That's why I love the BFI releases. There's always far more to each than just the main feature, be it the shorts/documentaries/interviews they fill their discs with, the lovely booklets, you can always see the care that went into each and every one of them.

[tenia]

Too many BFI late, too many pearls I still have to watch.

[DukeOfPrunes]

Are there any plans / Is there any chance for the BFI to release the Svankmajer complete short films collection on Blu-Ray? Just like Alice, do they have the rights for a potential BD release of other feature films like Faust, Conspirators of Pleasure or Luncay? Thanks in advance, guys!

[rock, stone]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

No plans whatever on any count, as far as I'm aware. HD masters of most or all of the shorts simply don't exist at present, the BFI turned down Faust when it was on offer a few years ago, and the later features are mostly handled by New Wave (Little Otík being the exception), who decided to make them DVD-only.

The sad fact is that aside from the shorts and Alice, the UK market for Švankmajer's films is tiny. And the cost of upgrading the shorts to Blu-ray is too big to be viable for a single label - the DVD package (which I produced) relied almost entirely on off-the-shelf masters.

That's pretty heartbreaking.

[DukeOfPrunes]

That's a shame, really. I love Czech animation and I'm really eager to see some of the masterworks by Trnka and Barta on Blu-Ray (Krysar would look fantastic). Karel Zeman fans can grasp the museum's BD, but there was no restoration for the three films involved. Well, at least we have a good HD presentation of the 2007 movie "Kuky se vrací"

[rapta]

Originally Posted by DukeOfPrunes

That's a shame, really. I love Czech animation and I'm really eager to see some of the masterworks by Trnka and Barta on Blu-Ray (Krysar would look fantastic). Karel Zeman fans can grasp the museum's BD, but there was no restoration for the three films involved. Well, at least we have a good HD presentation of the 2007 movie "Kuky se vrací"

Would love to see more Czech animation restored and would support a kickstarter. As you said, Svankmajer in particular but also Trnka and Barta. In particular, this was a childhood favourite:

The Old Man Of The Mountains - Jiri Trnka Studio (with Brian Blessed) - YouTube

[pro-bassoonist]

NEWS/TRAILER
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=13092

Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City Heading Back to British Cinemas

The British Film Institute has released a brand new trailer for legendary Italian director Roberto Rossellini's classic film Roma, città aperta a.k.a Rome, Open City (1945), starring Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi, Marcello Pagliero, Vito Annichiarico, and Giovanna Galletti. Recently restored, Rome, Open City will open in select theaters across the United Kingdom on March 7th.

Synopsis: Rossellini's film about the last days of the Nazi occupation of Italy, which provided the neo-Realist movement with a blueprint. A priest who is also a resistance leader flees the Gestapo, hides out with a pregnant girl and is eventually caught and executed.

Rome, Open City was restored by Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna, CSC - Cineteca Nazionale, Coproduction Office and Istituto Luce Cinecitta.

Rome, Open City (1945) - Trailer - YouTube

Pro-B

[Buffalo66]

Let's hope that means a BD coming eventually.

[DukeOfPrunes]

My fingers are crossed!!

[theprestige85]

Thinking of getting this Everest blu ray that's come out recently. Sounds interesting.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by Buffalo66

Let's hope that means a BD coming eventually.

Arrow have Rossellini's War Trilogy so if a blu is coming it'll be from them in the UK.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by Judex

Arrow have Rossellini's War Trilogy so if a blu is coming it'll be from them in the UK.

I think they actually only have Rome, Open City from the trilogy.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by Yami

I think they actually only have Rome, Open City from the trilogy.

Yep, you're right. For some reason I thought they were all in the "Neo-realist" set they have.

Just looking now Enelle Products have Germany Year Zero.
Paisan doesn't have a UK release.