British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by don3663

Anyone know how the BFI film festival works. Id like to see a couple of films and the tickets open at 10AM. How fast do they sell out?

Most of the high profile films and events will already have been on sale to BFI Members of various tiers; and that's after the fairly massive allocations of free tickets to the film companies, industry bods, celebrities, friends of celebrities etc

So you can pretty much forget about any of the big premieres. You might get single seats at the farthest edges of the cinemas here and there but demand will be fierce and the website itself is notoriously a circle of Hell and Damnation. It was a little better last year but it's still prone to crash for hours on end or lose all your bookings at the last moment. It's a nightmare.

If you're willing to undergo the torture, they do now do secondary showings of the big premieres at various locations, usually in the mornings; sometimes you get lucky and the film-makers stick around for those showings too, so it's worth a punt. Otherwise, the more obscure films are usually available - and often where you'll get the best stuff that might not get a wider release - but you can probably quite safely skip the morning rush and pick up tickets for them when the website has started working again.

Good luck: Better you than me.

EDIT: Possibly apocryphal but I heard that even Stanley Kubrick couldn't get tickets one year. He'd decided to book like a normal punter rather than pull any strings and was disgusted to find that most of the tickets had gone before any were sold to the public.

[don3663]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

Most of the high profile films and events will already have been on sale to BFI Members of various tiers; and that's after the fairly massive allocations of free tickets to the film companies, industry bods, celebrities, friends of celebrities etc

So you can pretty much forget about any of the big premieres. You might get single seats at the farthest edges of the cinemas here and there but demand will be fierce and the website itself is notoriously a circle of Hell and Damnation. It was a little better last year but it's still prone to crash for hours on end or lose all your bookings at the last moment. It's a nightmare.

If you're willing to undergo the torture, they do now do secondary showings of the big premieres at various locations, usually in the mornings; sometimes you get lucky and the film-makers stick around for those showings too, so it's worth a punt. Otherwise, the more obscure films are usually available - and often where you'll get the best stuff that might not get a wider release - but you can probably quite safely skip the morning rush and pick up tickets for them when the website has started working again.

Good luck: Better you than me.

EDIT: Possibly apocryphal but I heard that even Stanley Kubrick couldn't get tickets one year. He'd decided to book like a normal punter rather than pull any strings and was disgusted to find that most of the tickets had gone before any were sold to the public.

Yeah I never expected to get to the big showings.

Anyway, picked up tickets to see Shape of Water, Breathe and Thoroughbreads. None of the seats are too my liking but nvm.

[witchmania]

I've never been to the LFF before (it's never been very convenient for me, what with me living up North), but decided to give it a go this year. Managed to snag tickets for Lucrecia Martel's Zama and Hong Sang-soo's On The Beach At Night Alone, along with the restoration of A Matter Of Live And Death.

Would have been fun to have gone to some of the starrier events (like the Shape Of Water premiere), but I figured the general stress and clamour of that sort of thing might kill the enjoyment.

[IanSchultz23]

From my experience of going for the last two years with a press pass, if it says it's sold out the chances of it actually selling out is next to none. There are almost always returns on the night for even the biggest film of the year so I would just turn up on the night and stand around at the box-office, the general public get priority over the press in these circumstances and there are often enough for both. There are people try to sell their spare ticket for the event at the box-office often too.

I'm really looking forward to it this year as well.

[Ctzalman]

anyone in the US pick up the alan clarke set? i'm having a hell of a time with amazon.uk. i placed an order back in july, it arrived pretty banged up. their packaging job was a joke: literally a single piece of paper crumpled up along with the set in an oversized box. all four corners were pretty dinged up, one so much that the outer cardboard slipcover had a visible tear/hole in it. i contacted amazon and requested a replacement. $57 shipping fees to send the sucker back, which amazon covered. the replacement never arrived. they sent out a third copy, which arrived yesterday in even worse condition than the first order. again, a single piece of paper for packaging protection, again in an oversized box. the entire edge of the top and bottom of the slipcase is torn end to end. so now they're going to attempt to send out a fourth copy. they have also agreed to pay for the return shipping fees again. during my conversation with the customer service rep (this was for the third delivery attempt), i was assured that they would contact the shipping department to ensure proper packaging to prevent against damage. i was told this same line yesterday, but am highly doubtful that this will be the case.

can anyone who ordered the set directly from the BFI comment on their packaging job? i have a feeling that the fourth delivery attempt will also arrive damaged due to poor packaging protection.

i really don't understand how difficult it is to wrap the sucker in bubblewrap or foam padding before sticking it in a box. i paid ~$125 USD for the set. amazon has now supposedly mailed out four copies of the set and twice eaten $57 in return shipping fees (not to mention their cost to mail the set to the US). that's over $600 in expenses incurred on behalf of amazon for my $125, all because some nitwit doesn't have the common sense to use bubblewrap..?

[fdm]

Originally Posted by Ctzalman

anyone in the US pick up the alan clarke set? i'm having a hell of a time with amazon.uk. i placed an order back in july, it arrived pretty banged up. their packaging job was a joke: literally a single piece of paper crumpled up along with the set in an oversized box. all four corners were pretty dinged up, one so much that the outer cardboard slipcover had a visible tear/hole in it. i contacted amazon and requested a replacement. $57 shipping fees to send the sucker back, which amazon covered. the replacement never arrived. they sent out a third copy, which arrived yesterday in even worse condition than the first order. again, a single piece of paper for packaging protection, again in an oversized box. the entire edge of the top and bottom of the slipcase is torn end to end. so now they're going to attempt to send out a fourth copy. they have also agreed to pay for the return shipping fees again. during my conversation with the customer service rep (this was for the third delivery attempt), i was assured that they would contact the shipping department to ensure proper packaging to prevent against damage. i was told this same line yesterday, but am highly doubtful that this will be the case.

can anyone who ordered the set directly from the BFI comment on their packaging job? i have a feeling that the fourth delivery attempt will also arrive damaged due to poor packaging protection.

i really don't understand how difficult it is to wrap the sucker in bubblewrap or foam padding before sticking it in a box. i paid ~$125 USD for the set. amazon has now supposedly mailed out four copies of the set and twice eaten $57 in return shipping fees (not to mention their cost to mail the set to the US). that's over $600 in expenses incurred on behalf of amazon for my $125, all because some nitwit doesn't have the common sense to use bubblewrap..?

I did just order it a couple days ago via BFI's website. (Yes the thought of getting it through amazon uk horrified me and it just sat in my cart there for a long long time, for obvious reasons.) Seemingly the price recently dropped at BFI as part of their 20th anniversary sale, so in the end there wasn't a good reason to put it off any longer.

It's my first order from BFI directly, but I recall reading good things about their packing. (Plus I might still know a guy there if there's problems.) I did get charged and I assume it's on its way to the USA or soon will be. Paid about $138, which in the end if there is no grief, will be well worth the it.

My experiences with amazon uk aren't dissimilar, but if I do bother, I usually give up after the first disaster. Once in a while I might try a second time, but that's pretty much it. If it's damaged it goes back. (And amazon usa isn't much different, though I'm a little more inclined to retry if I even made it to a first time (and at this point I rarely bother to order anything media-wise from them any more)).

[Ctzalman]

Originally Posted by fdm

I did just order it a couple days ago via BFI's website. (Yes the thought of getting it through amazon uk horrified me and it just sat in my cart there for a long long time, for obvious reasons.) Seemingly the price recently dropped at BFI as part of their 20th anniversary sale, so in the end there wasn't a good reason to put it off any longer.

It's my first order from BFI directly, but I recall reading good things about their packing. (Plus I might still know a guy there if there's problems.) I did get charged and I assume it's on its way to the USA or soon will be. Paid about $138, which in the end if there is no grief, will be well worth the it.

My experiences with amazon uk aren't dissimilar, but if I do bother, I usually give up after the first disaster. Once in a while I might try a second time, but that's pretty much it. If it's damaged it goes back. (And amazon usa isn't much different, though I'm a little more inclined to retry if I even made it to a first time (and at this point I rarely bother to order anything media-wise from them any more)).

I just checked out the BFI website, I was not able to even find the set in the store anymore..

[Gorgon]

Recently received the 50th Anniv ed. of Mike Powell's "Peeping Tom" ( Studio Canal) but what I wanted to mention was at the same time I ordered (and received) BFI's outstanding release of Powell's "The Edge of the World".
Oh man, this guy was such a brilliant film director even at the outset.
Subject matter has long fascinated me and the extras are so informative in and of themselves. I suggest BFI provided an excellent release of this lesser known yet wonderful film.
Also, I wished to add, IMHO the devastation of Powell's career following 'Peeping Tom' is an utter travesty.
On "The Devils" dvd, Ken Russell talks about this at length in the extras. And Ken could probably write a BOOK about ostracizing!

[fdm]

Originally Posted by Ctzalman

I just checked out the BFI website, I was not able to even find the set in the store anymore..

You're right... just checked. I don't know when it disappeared but now I'm wondering a bit more about my own lack of shipping notification so far.

[fdm]

Nothing to help any, but there's supposedly plenty of stock for the Clarke box, so I should be okay (knock on wood). No idea why it's not coming up on the bfishop website, but maybe an email to them would help get it back?

(Edit: I did get shipping notice finally today 9/21.)


And in case it wasn't posted here, BFI is having a 20th Birthday Offer. Some good prices on selected blu-rays (and dvds). (And possibly other items may be discounted so wouldn't hurt to investigate your want list.)

[Gorgon]

Originally Posted by fdm

And in case it wasn't posted here, BFI is having a 20th Birthday Offer. Some good prices on selected blu-rays (and dvds). (And possibly other items may be discounted so wouldn't hurt to investigate your want list.)

TY much for the info!

[SteveBriz]

Originally Posted by fdm

Nothing to help any, but there's supposedly plenty of stock for the Clarke box, so I should be okay (knock on wood). No idea why it's not coming up on the bfishop website, but maybe an email to them would help get it back?


And in case it wasn't posted here, BFI is having a 20th Birthday Offer. Some good prices on selected blu-rays (and dvds). (And possibly other items may be discounted so wouldn't hurt to investigate your want list.)

Kusturica's Underground blu for 7 quid ! I paid 3 times for it on release.

[magnetiques]

got underground, zed & two noughts and rashomon for 21 quid

[s-hell]

Originally Posted by SteveBriz

Kusturica's Underground blu for 7 quid ! I paid 3 times for it on release.

Originally Posted by magnetiques

got underground, zed & two noughts and rashomon for 21 quid

Plus shipping. My order of a £7 disc amounted to a total of £13.50.

[rapta]

Underground was only £6 in the recent HMV/Fopp offer. Of course, I got a copy right away!

[s-hell]

Nice... Seems to get OOP now.

[magnetiques]

Originally Posted by s-hell

Plus shipping. My order of a £7 disc amounted to a total of £13.50.

still much cheaper than anywhere else that i found. amazon only have 3rd party listings for underground starting at £18 & hmv for £25!

[s-hell]

Yes, I know, that's why I ordered it. But I find the EU shipping prices of some shops pretty discouraging. £6.50 for the 1st disc, further discs + £4.00. I sometimes feel tempted to book a flight and fetch the discs personally.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by fdm

Nothing to help any, but there's supposedly plenty of stock for the Clarke box, so I should be okay (knock on wood). No idea why it's not coming up on the bfishop website, but maybe an email to them would help get it back?

(Edit: I did get shipping notice finally today 9/21.)


And in case it wasn't posted here, BFI is having a 20th Birthday Offer. Some good prices on selected blu-rays (and dvds). (And possibly other items may be discounted so wouldn't hurt to investigate your want list.)

No 'Shadows' by Cassevete in that sale

[adamhopelies]

I don’t think it was listed in the press release, but Celine And Julie Go Boating has an audio commentary from Adrian Martin.