British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by rapta

I swear every time there's an Amazon code I get the "Unfortunately you are not eligible to the offer. Check out our different categories and deals of the day." notice.

When am I eligible? Probably when I sign up to Prime, which would obviously counter any money I saved.

I get free prime on a family members type deal and I wasn't eligible. Can't make out why I wouldn't be eligible or how you become so.. Their loss. I have plenty of places to shop for what I want.

Originally Posted by DefLeppard

I thought first one was Joanna(1968). At the time of my purchase (about an year ago from eBay), it was OOS on all major online stores.

I still see copies of it floating around. Didn't know it was OOP.

[jackranderson]

With all these BFI knockdowns, I’m praying either amazon or base (or any store / website) knocks down the Alan Clarke Set before I spend £80 I ain’t got

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

With all these BFI knockdowns, I’m praying either amazon or base (or any store / website) knocks down the Alan Clarke Set before I spend £80 I ain’t got

It's never made a promotion yet.

[Yami]

It has been around the £45 mark on at least one occasion.

[Darby1985]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

It's never made a promotion yet.

It's been 50 quid at Zavvi more than once.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

Never heard of it, but French Cancan is £4.99 at base.com

It's not top tier Renoir or Gabin, but definitely worth a punt at that price.



"Society needs its illusionists."

Jean Renoir's first film in France since La Regle du Jeu had been met with almost unanimous hostility by critics and public alike 16 years earlier, French Cancan was a very deliberate attempt to reconnect with a French audience with a populist subject matter. As added security he cast Jean Gabin in the lead, though the results fall a long way short of their previous pre-war collaborations. Based loosely on the creation of the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris, offering `the illusion of the high life for modest purses,' and the romantic entanglements of financially insecure and terminally unfaithful impresario Jean Gabin and his latest discovery Francois Arnaul, who is pursued by a prince and a baker's boy but really wants Gabin, it's the sort of soufflé that should be a lot of fun. That it never really fulfils that promise isn't for want of trying: Renoir recreates la Belle Epoque with the kind of colours his father would have used and fills the supporting cast with colourful characters from all stratas of French society (a very young Michel Piccoli among them), and even casts veteran performers who graced the real Moulin Rouge like Edith Piaf, Patachou, Andre Claveau and Jean Raymond in cameos, but the script doesn't really do much with the material or the characters.

At times it's hard to escape the feeling that Renoir wasn't really the right director for the film - while not exactly heavy-handed, doesn't seem to have the lightness of touch this sort of thing needs. More surprisingly his use of the camera is surprisingly unadventurous and distinctly lacking in joie de vivre in the climactic musical number, much of which looks like it was shot from the cheap seats to make sure he gets everyone in the frame, proscenium arch style - not entirely out of place for a backstage story, but a rather disinterested approach you doubt the pre-war Renoir would have made.

There are hints of the old Renoir in its acceptance of the various characters faults - "No better, no worse, just different," as Giani Esposito's suicidal Prince admits - and in the casual merry-go-round of relationships and alliances and the importance of appearances (because "Appearances are all that can save us"), but this is neither deep enough nor superficially enjoyable enough to offer more than the odd passing pleasure as it inoffensively puts its characters through their paces in a somewhat workmanlike fashion. Not bad, just not nearly as good as its pedigree almost seems to demand it should be.

The BFI's Region B-locked Blu-ray/DVD combo benefits greatly from the recent restoration of the film, and is a noticeable improvement on the Criterion DVD. None of the extras from that earlier release - TV interview with Renoir, introduction by Peter Bogdanovich, new interview with production designer Max Doury and stills gallery - have been carried over, though there's a good selection of new ones carried over from the French Blu-ray release, but given the English subtitles that version lacked: a 57-minute documentary on the making of the film, a featurette on the restoration and a booklet (but not the additional 51 minute documentary on Renoir's legacy or the original trailer from the French release). As with the Criterion release, this is the uncut French version of the film rather than the heavily censored US release.

[DefLeppard]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

It's never made a promotion yet.

I bought mine for £45 on Zavvi. Speedyhen had this for £54-£55; can't recall the exact listing price.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by Yami

It has been around the £45 mark on at least one occasion.

Originally Posted by Darby1985

It's been 50 quid at Zavvi more than once.

Price drop maybe but never been part of an official BFI Promotion as far as i know. That's what I meant.

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

Price drop maybe but never been part of an official BFI Promotion as far as i know. That's what I meant.

Price drop is what I meant, other sets have been quite cheap on Base, so I’m still hoping, although I understand it’s unlikely.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Price drop is what I meant, other sets have been quite cheap on Base, so I’m still hoping, although I understand it’s unlikely.

Best of luck

[CrockettandTubbs]

To my shame, I haven't even started my Alan Clarke at the BBC set yet

I remember getting it from speedyhen for £56 in October 2017.

It was well packaged with no damages

[Dougling]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

To my shame, I haven't even started my Alan Clarke at the BBC set yet

I remember getting it from speedyhen for £56 in October 2017.

It was well packaged with no damages

You're not alone. I had every intention of going through it all when I got it, but all I did was watch the TV version of Scum because I'd never seen it before and then not get around to the other stuff. I might go back to it again soon.

[Si Parallel Universe]

There is so much more to Alan Clarke than Scum . Treat yourselves. Explore that box set.

[Dougling]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

There is so much more to Alan Clarke than Scum . Treat yourselves. Explore that box set.

I'm aware. I've seen a lot of it before. I'm just talking about getting round to watching the box properly, regardless of what is first watch or rewatch.

[Si Parallel Universe]

I surprised myself at how much I enjoyed revisiting a lot of it. I'm sure others will too be pleasantly surprised

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

There is so much more to Alan Clarke than Scum . Treat yourselves. Explore that box set.

Check out his superb 1985 Northern Ireland movie Contact tonight on BBC4 at 10pm: it's incredibly tense at times - especially the abandoned car sequence - as it follows a British patrol. It helps that it definitely doesn't end up with the main character meeting an alien taking the form of his dead father.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

Anyone know where I can get Peter Watkin's "Privilege" dual format release, with the ORIGINAL blue cover, from?

I know it got re-released with a new white cover & NO spine number but I want it with a spine number & original arwork otherwise it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Yeah, back when I bought this from Amazon, I was surprised and disappointed that it didn't have the original cover.

[Ste7en]

I've finally ordered that Robbe-Grillet set. I'm not quite sure what to expect.

I'm not in the slightest bit interested in erotica, but it looks like an interesting set.

[ravenus]

Alice is not boogeyman horror but Czech animation / mixed media film-maker Jan Svankmajer's adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic has its share of grotesque moments. Svankmajer has a visual fetish for still objects, puppetry, automatons and collages, and makes handy use of all of these in his creation of a weird ambience. It's not very kinetic - certain scenes like the Mad Hatter's tea party become tiresomely repetitive - but its uniquely odd vision makes Alice worth visiting.

The BFI's blu-ray is old now but still provides a handsome presentation of the film with detailed textures. While the bulk of the film leans towards an earthy look, when vivid colors like red and green appear, they stand out well. There are lossless Czech and (dubbed) English tracks. On-disc extras are slim, mainly a couple short film adaptations of the story. Some extras on this combo pack are exclusive to the DVD. There's also a decent sized booklet included.

[jackranderson]

Derek Jarman’s Blue is now £6.79!
I got this in HMVs 2 for £25 just a couple of months ago.

https://www.base.com/buy/product/blu...c-bfib1341.htm