British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by mattyl149

Apart from their bigger titles, a lot of the older films Network put out on Blu-ray as part of The British Film range only have basic restoration done. In every release they state what they've done. A lot of the titles still have warps, scratches, missing frames and so on

The ones they've put more work into have Network Restoration on the front

Why should any particular film have a higher priority over something else? As for the whole British Film argument, The Red Shoes (a British film) was restored with funding from the United States Film Foundation and Martin Scorsese an American film director oversaw and fundraised for it. Shouldn't they be more concerned about all the American films that need restoration as well rather than focusing on a British film?

The BFI have a budget and they have to decide how best to spend that. They haven't necessarily spent their money restoring French or Japanese films, but they have put them out as they have the rights, and it may also be that they hold a copy of the print which might be the best one in existence

I'm glad they're putting these films out as we may not see them otherwise. Every label has a limit to what they can feasibly release every month and so if not for the BFI, then there's no guarantee that another label would have released them

I guess a lot of this is comes down to what we see the BFI as. Maybe the British thing sets to much of a precedent in my mind. Indeed there is the issue what other distributor would release certain film's. Well, Third Window would probably snap up any rights to Japanese film's should they become available to them, as that's there jam.

Indeed international cooperation has greatly increased in the last 10 or so year's across all areas of the film industry. And that's nothing but a good thing.

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

I also suspect they're in it for the money, in the nicest possible way. They have a strong relationship with Japanese studios that allows them to make these films available to an English speaking audience, and Japanese film clearly does very well here. If these lines turn a profit then it helps them bring British films that have less of an audience to the screen, with less worries about those ones turning a profit.
Also, this was meant to be the year of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan has been doing a major international cultural push to build a long term tourism audience while the focus is (or was supposed to be) on the country. It's no coincidence you've had the likes of Sue from bake off, Paul from bake off, and that muppet from Top Gear all doing headline tour of Japan shows recently. It wouldn't even surprise me if that was a factor with Studio Ghibli finally going to streaming services. It also makes it an opportunity for the BFI to do something that has been on their wish list and to get more out than they would have been allowed to access in other years.
Whatever the reason though, I bloody love Japan so I've been very happy

James May: Our Man in Japan is great!

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by aewb

Seems harsh to criticise the BFI when they've released the complete Humphrey Jennings, massive Alan Clarke and Derek Jarman box sets and restored the reputation of neglected/forgotten filmmakers like John Krish, Margaret Tait and Jack Bond. Not to mention the British Transport films, Flipside range and loads of other stuff I can't be bothered to list.

Two British releases I'd like to are the Terence Davies trilogy and a selection of Ben Rivers shorts.

Still gutted about missing Derek Jarman Vol 1!

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

James May: Our Man in Japan is great!

And that's my excuse to post this.

[Areopagita]

There's also the problem of the BFI not owning the rights to many British films. I'm waiting for a Blu-ray release of A Canterbury Tale, but somehow ITV (which I presume owns the rights) doesn't seem too keen on the idea, while the film is just this kind of thing BFI would be likely to do.

[Sifox211]

Any Blu-ray release of A Canterbury Tale would be welcome, but has this film been restored yet? It seems I Know Where I'm Going! is the next one up for release.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Still gutted about missing Derek Jarman Vol 1!

There were some copies on eBay recently for £100 used/£120 new (now gone). I got vol 1 and 2 from a seller together for £130 used which seemed the best I was going to get. £239.99 + £14.99 Delivery new on Amazon! Even outside of the additional discs, there’s additional shorts that aren’t featured on the standard releases that are very much worth watching.

I did some research afterwards and there’s plenty of gaps with that set, including some 70s early shorts that are on the Second Sight DVD of The Tempest, music videos (many are on YouTube, and Artificial Eye put out a VHS compilation of Pet Shop Boys videos), Derek (documentary by Isaac Julien, issued by BFI on DVD), Life as Art documentary (previously on BFI Player but now seemingly only available on an Umbrella Entertainment DVD), the Criterion documentary and Jordan’s Dance for Jubilee. ArtFundUK have a few Jarman videos on their YouTube channel as well. Plenty of Jarman’s credited short films seem to be impossible to find outside of screenings (although a couple made it to a RaroVideo Italian compilation.) However, obviously the BFI is the most complete set in terms of his features.

Although, Jazz Calendar (seemingly impossible to find outside of the boxset) does unfortunately have a replaced musical soundtrack.

[benkell]

Originally Posted by Areopagita

There's also the problem of the BFI not owning the rights to many British films. I'm waiting for a Blu-ray release of A Canterbury Tale, but somehow ITV (which I presume owns the rights) doesn't seem too keen on the idea, while the film is just this kind of thing BFI would be likely to do.

I would love a Blu-ray release of A Canterbury Tale.

[nitin]

The BFI have 4 scheduled Japanese releases in Jan-Jul 2020. Sure one is a boxset of 3 movies so 6 movies in 7 months. If you really want to count their standalone re-release of Maborosi from the Koreeda boxset, then 7 in 7 months.

In the entirety of 2019, they released the Koreeda boxset of 4 movies only.

In 2018, the released one Japanese movie.

So sure, they have gone from 1 movie in 2018, to 4 in 2019 and 6/7 in the first 7 months of 2020. But not sure on what basis anyone might say they are turning into the JFI or “heavily tilting” in that direction.

[benkell]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Any Blu-ray release of A Canterbury Tale would be welcome, but has this film been restored yet? It seems I Know Where I'm Going! is the next one up for release.

Do you know who will be releasing I Know Where I'm Going?

[Cremildo]

Actually - and unfortunately - they don't release enough Japanese films, like most labels.

Maybe Network or Indicator are more recommended to those who are somewhat allergic to Japanese films.

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Actually - and unfortunately - they don't release enough Japanese films, like most labels.

Maybe Network or Indicator are more recommended to those who are somewhat allergic to Japanese films.

I take antihistamines every time I watch Seven Samurai.

[Rutger Lundgren]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

Artificial Eye put out a VHS compilation of Pet Shop Boys videos

And what am I supposed to do with that?

Seriously though, there are lots of great films from all around the world that I'd love to see BFI (or any other UK label, for that matter) tackle, but if they want to give us more Japanese cinema, I'm perfectly fine with that as well.

[magnetiques]

Originally Posted by Scottishguy

Whoa slow down buddy. The London hipsters have yet to get beyond anime and Japan yet

You also forgot Vietnam

I love how you submit a surly response that's supposing you're more worldly than the 'young bloods' running BFI, when this all started with you suggesting they aren't doing their patriotic duty of putting Britain first.

to me it's so trivial, but still:

a) it's Japan season. celebrating 100 years of japanese film: https://www.bfi.org.uk/japan. As someone mentioned, the Olympics were on the horizon so it would be the perfect time.

You want Vietnamese, HK, Korean, etc films available but Japanese films in particular are a problem?? doesn't add up.

b)

I've just been noticing more and more their releases are becoming more heavy with Japanese films.

Oh boy. They announced all the Japanese titles that they have been releasing (huge grand total of 4) together, back in February. They staggered the release dates and we only have Tokyo Story and the Takeshi trilogy coming.

oh btw, at the same time they also announced:

• The Guinea Pig (first ever blu-ray release)
• Friendship’s Death (restored by BFI and receiving it's world premiere on home video)
• The Battle of the Sexes
• The Year of the Sex Olympics
• Little Joe
• The Best of the Central Office of Information
  

There's also Mark Cousin's Women Make Film, to round that list out.

hmmn, it's almost as though their focus is British film?

What irks me about this though, is why complain about having the likes of Ozu and Funeral Parade of Roses being available on our shores? BFI went the extra mile and even included an unrestored audio track on The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice.

Bizarre.

[Scottishguy]

Originally Posted by magnetiques

I love how you submit a surly response that's supposing you're more worldly than the 'young bloods' running BFI, when this all started with you suggesting they aren't doing their patriotic duty of putting Britain first.

to me it's so trivial, but still:

a) it's Japan season. celebrating 100 years of japanese film: https://www.bfi.org.uk/japan. As someone mentioned, the Olympics were on the horizon so it would be the perfect time.

You want Vietnamese, HK, Korean, etc films available but Japanese films in particular are a problem?? doesn't add up.

b)

Oh boy. They announced all the Japanese titles that they have been releasing (huge grand total of 4) together, back in February. They staggered the release dates and we only have Tokyo Story and the Takeshi trilogy coming.

oh btw, at the same time they also announced:

• The Guinea Pig (first ever blu-ray release)
• Friendship’s Death (restored by BFI and receiving it's world premiere on home video)
• The Battle of the Sexes
• The Year of the Sex Olympics
• Little Joe
• The Best of the Central Office of Information
  

There's also Mark Cousin's Women Make Film, to round that list out.

hmmn, it's almost as though their focus is British film?

What irks me about this though, is why complain about having the likes of Ozu and Funeral Parade of Roses being available on our shores? BFI went the extra mile and even included an unrestored audio track on The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice.

Bizarre.

I'm not complaining as I've stated. I'm just worried of an emerging a bias towards Japanese cinema, 100th anniversary, Olympics or not. And I don't see what patriotism has to do with wanting to persevere the fruits of your own culture.

Yes I think the BFI, as I've stated, should be primarily focused on releasing British films, as the name suggests.
You disagree? Fine by me. I'm not looking for consensus.

And in regards to my response you quoted, I was being flippant. I make no pretensions to being worldly or any of that guff. But aye sorry if it did indeed irk you. I can come across as very blunt and forthright.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by Scottishguy

I'm not complaining as I've stated. I'm just worried of an emerging a bias towards Japanese cinema, 100th anniversary, Olympics or not. And I don't see what patriotism has to do with wanting to persevere the fruits of your own culture.

Yes I think the BFI, as I've stated, should be primarily focused on releasing British films, as the name suggests.
You disagree? Fine by me. I'm not looking for consensus.

And in regards to my response you quoted, I was being flippant. I make no pretensions to being worldly or any of that guff. But aye sorry if it did indeed irk you. I can come across as very blunt and forthright.

The statistics are above, there is no emerging bias on the facts except in your view.

[Aclea]

As part of the Royal Charter when it was established, one of the BFI's roles has always been to promote access to world cinema. It's still the very first part of their current mission statement.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Still gutted about missing Derek Jarman Vol 1!

https://store.hmv.com/store/film-tv/...-one-1976-1986

There you go

[Levon]

Bloody BFI, releasing foreign films over here!
What's the matter with just watching Bridget Jones' Diary over and over again?
They should keep those films off OUR SHELVES!
Instead of enriching our home media with culturally significant cinema from other countries.

[Scottishguy]

Fine. I sit corrected. Happy now?