British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Ben_C]

Originally Posted by rossbirks

Received my Koreeda set today from amazon. Beautiful! This guy is mostly a blind spot for me outside of Shoplifters but I have heard about his movies for years. This looks like the perfect crash course.

My copy from Amazon hasn’t even been dispatched yet (ordered 17th April).
Still Walking is probably my favourite of the Koreeda films I’ve seen, though I’ve yet to see the earlier films that comprise the rest of this set. Very much looking forward to seeing them.

Edit: got a dispatch email an hour ago, so my copy may turn up tomorrow

[adamhopelies]

The Day The Earth Caught Fire is an excellent film. I only picked it up as part of an HMV offer but I must have watched it at least three times in the 18 months since.

[jackranderson]

That Kore-Eda set is wonderful, Booklet seems great, lots of bonus features & a nice sturdy outer box. However, not a fan of the blue cases, does anybody know where I can buy some clear ones? They’re really thin by the way.

[rapta]

Got my Koreeda set on Friday and it is indeed a handsome looking set! Of course it would've been even more handsome with clear cases but it's not a dealbreaker for me. Hard outer box, slimline cases and a lovely booklet are enough for me. 4 films for £35.99 isn't bad either for a new release (roughly £8.99 each). Happy with this! Other labels should take note when it comes to packaging/pricing.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by rapta

I'm also curious to see it, as a fan of Mason but also because it was partly shot in my hometown of Winchester. I noticed in some screengrabs on DVDBeaver that the cathedral was in the film, and then I found on another site a few other locations I go past nearly every day! Very bizarre.

There are a couple of scenes shot by the river, and there's a scene in the area where they hold the Christmas market every year. There's also a scene set in the cathedral grounds and a brief shot by the walls. There are a few glimpses of the shops, but they've changed so much over the years, it's hard to tell what's what! One of the interiors looked suspiciously like BHS in Southampton.

As for the Southampton filming locations; there are a couple scenes filmed at the docks, and there's a bus scene that was filmed in the Northam area near where the old Meridian TV Studio used to be. There's also a strip club scene, which looked like upper Shirley to me.

The disc includes some nice bonus features: There's a tram ride through Southampton (probably filmed in the late 1800s to early 1900s) and a really interesting documentary about Southampton docks, filmed in the mid 60s.

As for the film itself, it's pretty dreary to be honest! The swinging 60s scenes feel shoehorned in, and they don't really fit with the overall tone of the film. Also, the ending feels somewhat convoluted, and wouldn't be out of place in an Agatha Christie or a Columbo movie.

I guess it's nice to own for the filming locations and the extras, but I cant recommend it for the film. It does have a cracking soundtrack though!

[robsinden]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

There's also a strip club scene, which looked like upper Shirley to me.

You know her well then?

[Si Parallel Universe]

I enjoyed Stranger In The House . It's not classic Mason but its worth the price tag I paid to own it.

I think the only bits that feel really contrived to me are the casting of Bobby Darin. I feel it's a hangover from the days of British films casting American stars in order to get a film made but he seems to be an odd choice even then.

The family home being occupied by the sister of Mason's character and the over-blown 'Colonel' brother in law. Olgilvy as a rather old person for someone on the cusp of their 21st.

Mason rambles through the picture until the last quarter of it. The redemption of his character understated somewhat. The Dostoevsky novel skewered into it doesn't quite work for me. Apart from its use as the final dialogue.


I liked the extra short David Bailey film and the Southampton Dockumentary

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by robsinden

You know her well then?

Upper Shirley is an area of Southampton that you don't want to walk around after dark!

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

There are a couple of scenes shot by the river, and there's a scene in the area where they hold the Christmas market every year. There's also a scene set in the cathedral grounds and a brief shot by the walls. There are a few glimpses of the shops, but they've changed so much over the years, it's hard to tell what's what! One of the interiors looked suspiciously like BHS in Southampton.

As for the Southampton filming locations; there are a couple scenes filmed at the docks, and there's a bus scene that was filmed in the Northam area near where the old Meridian TV Studio used to be. There's also a strip club scene, which looked like upper Shirley to me.

The disc includes some nice bonus features: There's a tram ride through Southampton (probably filmed in the late 1800s to early 1900s) and a really interesting documentary about Southampton docks, filmed in the mid 60s.

As for the film itself, it's pretty dreary to be honest! The swinging 60s scenes feel shoehorned in, and they don't really fit with the overall tone of the film. Also, the ending feels somewhat convoluted, and wouldn't be out of place in an Agatha Christie or a Columbo movie.

I guess it's nice to own for the filming locations and the extras, but I cant recommend it for the film. It does have a cracking soundtrack though!

I found another site somewhere and noticed there was a sequence filmed around Clifton Hill/Romsey Road in a house near Oram's Arbour (right near the railway bridge). And yeah I first noticed it was filmed in Winchester on the DVDBeaver review; I noticed the bit in the Cathedral Close (I worked at the Christmas market last year so saw that bit nearly every day).

Yeah I won't rush to buy it but might pick it up as a curio eventually.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by rapta

I found another site somewhere and noticed there was a sequence filmed around Clifton Hill/Romsey Road in a house near Oram's Arbour (right near the railway bridge). And yeah I first noticed it was filmed in Winchester on the DVDBeaver review; I noticed the bit in the Cathedral Close (I worked at the Christmas market last year so saw that bit nearly every day).

Yeah I won't rush to buy it but might pick it up as a curio eventually.

You can't go wrong on the price it is at Base.

[rapta]

Talking of good prices, just noticed the Lino Brocka set is only £13.99 over at TheEntertainmentStore: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lino-Broc...item23996fdebe

Great price for two films you can't get together elsewhere! Both use the same WCP restoration as Criterion used too.

[minister_x]

Also at Amazon for the same price: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N941RHA/

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by rapta

Talking of good prices, just noticed the Lino Brocka set is only £13.99 over at TheEntertainmentStore: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lino-Broc...item23996fdebe

Great price for two films you can't get together elsewhere! Both use the same WCP restoration as Criterion used too.

£12.35 @ rarewaves ebay

[hanz0]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

That Kore-Eda set is wonderful, Booklet seems great, lots of bonus features & a nice sturdy outer box. However, not a fan of the blue cases, does anybody know where I can buy some clear ones? They’re really thin by the way.

i have been looking too, pretty sure we are looking for the Viva Elite 6 or 7mm blu-ray clear cases, i can't find them anywhere

edit: i don't even think they are made in clear, i see them on amazon in blue only.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by minister_x

Also at Amazon for the same price: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N941RHA/

I'd actually recommend going with a third party seller. Think I got it from Amazon originally and it was bashed up in-transit due to their thin card mailers, and same again when I asked for a replacement.

Originally Posted by jackranderson

£12.35 @ rarewaves ebay

Even better! Had no trouble with rarewaves from memory.

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by rapta

I'd actually recommend going with a third party seller. Think I got it from Amazon originally and it was bashed up in-transit due to their thin card mailers, and same again when I asked for a replacement.



Even better! Had no trouble with rarewaves from memory.

Maybe I’m wrong but wasn’t it rarewaves that did the Woodfall set? Certainly a store to keep an eye out on!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by rossbirks

Received my Koreeda set today from amazon. Beautiful! This guy is mostly a blind spot for me outside of Shoplifters but I have heard about his movies for years. This looks like the perfect crash course.

Mind is wending its way across the pond. Hopefully it should arrive by Monday. Nobody Knows is my favorite of his so far.

[JackDunno]

Sorry if this has been brought up a number of times - but is there any indication that BFI are going to release any more Akira Kurosawa films? Or maybe Criterion might start releasing them?

I just bought the BFI Kurosawa Crime Collection DVD Boxset because it is becoming less and less available. However, I would prefer them on Blu-ray.

[floor pie]

Originally Posted by JackDunno

Sorry if this has been brought up a number of times - but is there any indication that BFI are going to release any more Akira Kurosawa films? Or maybe Criterion might start releasing them?

I just bought the BFI Kurosawa Crime Collection DVD Boxset because it is becoming less and less available. However, I would prefer them on Blu-ray.

From the Crime set High and Low has been released on blu by Criterion, and Stray Dog, Drunken Angel and The Bad Sleep Well have DVD releases from Criterion which I own and are very solid (still waiting on Stray Dog from Amazon).

The Bad Sleep Well would look amazing on bluray though, but who knows when Criterion are next putting out more Kurosawa. And I'm not holding any hope for BFI, Criterion puts out so much finer releases anyway. It's weird though how BFI give something like the Ozu films relatively good releases, yet Kurosawa only gets the minimum effort.

[JackDunno]

Originally Posted by floor pie

From the Crime set High and Low has been released on blu by Criterion, and Stray Dog, Drunken Angel and The Bad Sleep Well have DVD releases from Criterion which I own and are very solid (still waiting on Stray Dog from Amazon).

The Bad Sleep Well would look amazing on bluray though, but who knows when Criterion are next putting out more Kurosawa. And I'm not holding any hope for BFI, Criterion puts out so much finer releases anyway. It's weird though how BFI give something like the Ozu films relatively good releases, yet Kurosawa only gets the minimum effort.

Absolutely; I hope Criterion releases them too! BFI put out a number of Kurosawa releases back in 2014, but almost nothing since. I'm assuming there must be some rights issue or something for them to be delayed this long.

It's just a strange situation that some of the best films by one of the greatest filmmakers ever haven't yet had the blu-ray treatment.