British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[nitin]

For what it’s Worth, having just given the Criterion El Sur a spin last night, it’s a massive improvement over the decent but unspectacular BFI disc.

[rapta]

ICYMI, La Belle et la Bête has been pushed back to August 6th. But at least it's finally coming! Final specs are as follows:

• Newly presented in High Definition from the French 4K restoration (by SNC and the Cinémathèque française)
• Feature commentary by cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling
• Des Réves de Cocteau en numerérique, l’aventure de la Belle et la bête (2013, 51 mins): documentary featuring interviews with author Dominique Marny, Prof. David Gullentops, Serge Toubiana, and Ellen Schafer
• Christian Bérard et Jean Cocteau, deux magiciens du spectacle (2013, 24 mins): documentary film focusing on the production history of La Belle et la Bête
• Deleted scenes (6 mins): film and audio clips from scenes that were not included in the final film
• Barbe Bleue (René Bertrand, 1938, 13 mins): an animated version of Perrault's Bluebeard
• Original theatrical trailer
• BFI trailer (2013)
• Stills gallery
• Illustrated booklet with essays by Dr Deborah Allison, Marina Warner and George E Turner, and full film credits

I also noticed BFI are theatrically distributing Cocteau's Orphée later in the year (October). Perhaps another upgrade to Blu-ray is imminent? I hope they get onto Renoir next...

[ravenus]

I'll probably do a more detailed review later but having watched Mukti Bhawan aka Hotel Salvation I have to say I found it unworthy of the Tokyo Story comparison. It's a lot less interesting than the Bollywood film Piku, a more obviously glossy riff on the same theme. And if you're looking for scenery of Benaras / Varanasi you might as well put on Masaan, a much more worthy look at the flow and intersection of different streams of life in the city of the Ganges river. Makes me a lot more wary about blind-buys.

If you already like the movie then technical merits on the BFI blu-ray are sound - decent digitally captured image with a clean 5.1 DTS-HDMA track that uses the surrounds for subtle atmospherics. There's a bunch of interviews as extras which I haven't as yet seen.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Just had an email from HMV saying the release date of Comfort Of Strangers has been updated to 23/07/2018.

Which would be today.

Its not due out until late September. I deliberately paired something else with this because of my budget so I'd get charged separately in September. Anyone know whats going on ?

[Si Parallel Universe]

Cool. However I'm still none the wiser

[BarnDoor]

The latest BFI Soutbank programme guide confirms that Distant Voices, Still Lives will be released 22nd October.

[cool hand bluke]

Originally Posted by nitin

For what it’s Worth, having just given the Criterion El Sur a spin last night, it’s a massive improvement over the decent but unspectacular BFI disc.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't tell me this stuff!

In fact, I bought the Spanish Blu-ray. Watched the opening, admired how beautiful, like
an old masters, it looked. Thought I'll watch it another time.
Two years later I rediscovered it on my shelves and decided to watch it.
However, it wouldn't play. Within those two years, it had converted itself into a coaster.
Then when I heard the news of the BFI release, I was overjoyed.
And I watched it shortly after I bought it, fearing it might turn into a coaster too if I didn't.
And now there is a version that is a "massive improvement" on the BFI disc.

Tempting though

[nitin]

Originally Posted by cool hand bluke

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't tell me this stuff!

In fact, I bought the Spanish Blu-ray. Watched the opening, admired how beautiful, like
an old masters, it looked. Thought I'll watch it another time.
Two years later I rediscovered it on my shelves and decided to watch it.
However, it wouldn't play. Within those two years, it had converted itself into a coaster.
Then when I heard the news of the BFI release, I was overjoyed.
And I watched it shortly after I bought it, fearing it might turn into a coaster too if I didn't.
And now there is a version that is a "massive improvement" on the BFI disc.

Tempting though

See here for some examples: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-r...ur_blu-ray.htm

It’s an ever bigger difference in motion IMHO.

[nitin]

Also, somewhat disappointingly, Nick Wrigley has tweeted that there is noticeable macroblocking in the (many) dark scenes on the Beauty and the Beast release.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by nitin

Also, somewhat disappointingly, Nick Wrigley has tweeted that there is noticeable macroblocking in the (many) dark scenes on the Beauty and the Beast release.

Was really looking forward to this...sold my DVD copy and pre-ordered the new disc. Would like to see a review first, see how bad it actually is.

[XGEEKEDGERX]

Originally Posted by rapta

Was really looking forward to this...sold my DVD copy and pre-ordered the new disc. Would like to see a review first, see how bad it actually is.

Looks pretty chronic based on his post. Not up to scratch at all.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by XGEEKEDGERX

Looks pretty chronic based on his post. Not up to scratch at all.

Dammit. After delays, how could they get The Wages of Fear, Rashomon and Eyes Without a Face so right, but somehow drop the ball on La Belle et la Bête?! Very, very frustrating.

Pre-order cancelled.

[XGEEKEDGERX]

Originally Posted by rapta

Dammit. After delays, how could they get The Wages of Fear, Rashomon and Eyes Without a Face so right, but somehow drop the ball on La Belle et la Bête?! Very, very frustrating.

Pre-order cancelled.

Same, sticking with my Criterion for now. It's a huge ball drop IMO.

[IVI13]

https://twitter.com/shittydeath/stat...40675424514053

[ravenus]

Is that an actual size image or a massive zoom? This is the sort of thing that should be addressed with a recall and issue of corrected discs, like what Blue Underground recently did for their Amsterdamned blu.

[oddbox83]

The BFI need to sort this encoding out. I've seen this on their discs before, it drops dark scenes way too low in bitrate.

[nitin]

Nick said it was averaging 3-6 MBPS in dark scenes which is just silly.

[CouncilSpectre]

Yeah, that's a problem.

D- must do better.

[javi92]

Cancelled mine until more information comes out.

[DefLeppard]

Looks like there won't be any BFI sale like the one we had last year (around July 2nd week?) .. There were many titles down to £7.99 on Amz during that sale. ..