British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[RossyG]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

Excellent, off beat film made with an unusual perspective.

I wouldn't call it off-beat. It's shot almost like a documentary. It's chilling as it's so convincing.

[thuata]

The Birth of a Nation no longer appears on the BFI store, did it go out of print ?

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by thuata

The Birth of a Nation no longer appears on the BFI store, did it go out of print ?

Not OOP - best price is £9.19 at base.com

[thuata]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

Not OOP - best price is £9.19 at base.com

Out of print doesn't mean it's sold out everywhere, I'm just not aware of the BFI removing items from their store for other reasons.

[bengb96]

Does anyone know if there are many differences between the booklet in the new Tokyo Story and the old Blu-ray/DVD combo?

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by thuata

The Birth of a Nation no longer appears on the BFI store, did it go out of print ?

I already have the Eureka MoC edition. How is the BFI version different?

[thuata]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

I already have the Eureka MoC edition. How is the BFI version different?

Different master, I only own the BFI so I can't compare them myself but theirs is supposed to be slightly superior.
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparison....php?fid=20693

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

I already have the Eureka MoC edition. How is the BFI version different?

Both are absolutely worth getting for the extras.

MoC extras: Music by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra in 2.0 stereo and DTS - HD Master Audio 5.1
Short archival introductions to the film by D. W. Griffith and Walter Huston
Newly rediscovered original intermission sequence and 1930 re - release title sequence
Seven Civil War shorts directed by Griffith: In the Border States (1910); The House with Closed Shutters (1910); The Fugitive (1910); His Trust (1910); His Trust Fulfilled (1910); Swords and Hearts (1911); and The Battle (1911).
A lengthy booklet with writing about the film, rare archival imagery, and more.

BFI extras: 1930 sound reissue prologue (1930, 6 mins), 1930 sound reissue intermission and introduction to Act 2 (1930, 2 mins): D W Griffith in conversation Walter Huston
Out-takes and original camera tests
Melvyn Stokes on The Clansman, D W Griffith and The Birth of a Nation (2015, 20 mins): newly filmed interview
The Greatest Mother of Them All: Kate Bruce (1920, 1 min): short newsreel on the Griffith actress
The Coward (Reginald Barker, Thomas H Ince, 1911, 69 mins): a faint-hearted soldier in the American Civil War regains his courage
The Rose of Kentucky ( D W Griffith, 1911, 17 mins): rural romance set in Griffith's home state
Stolen Glory (Mack Sennett, 1912, 14 mins): comedy set during a parade of Union Civil War veterans
The Drummer of the 8th (Thomas H Ince, 1913, 29 mins): poignant Civil War drama presented in two cuts
The Rebel Yell (1932, 9 mins) archival film in which reunited Confederate veterans recite the famous battle cry of the South
Stills and Collections Gallery (2015, 13 mins)
Birth of a Nation at 100 (2015, 32 mins): roundtable discussion filmed at the BFI Southbank
Birth of a Nation orchestral score recording sessions
D W Griffith on Lux Radio Theatre with Cecil B Demille (1936, 6 mins): interview in which the two legends reminisce
Illustrated booklet with essays by Ashley Clark and Kevin Brownlow and Patrick Stanbury, and full film credits

[CelestialAgent]

I can't recommend the film but I can definitely recommend the BFI release for giving the film the proper context and the other films.

[Hintermann]

My BFI copy of The Day The Earth Caught Fire just arrived. Whopping release with loads of extras including interviews with Val Guest and also a booklet. Going to watch it this afternoon.

[Fnord Prefect]

Originally Posted by thuata

The Birth of a Nation no longer appears on the BFI store, did it go out of print ?

Probably been a run on it this last week or so thanks to the recent wave of BLM inspired cancel culture, most likely thanks to folk reading about it in regard to the disappearing of Gone With the Wind. I somewhat doubt the BFI will have suddenly deleted it so not to offend a tiny minority of historically and culturally ignorant reactionary censorious ****tards.

Thinking about it if they're buying it out of curiosity it's hardly the best of introductions to silent cinema...

[koberulz]

I bought it ages ago but still haven't got around to actually watching it. Not sure if I'm ever in the mood for three hours of silent cinema to be perfectly honest, I find them more difficult to get through than talkies of the same length.

[Areopagita]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

I already have the Eureka MoC edition. How is the BFI version different?

Originally Posted by thuata

Different master, I only own the BFI so I can't compare them myself but theirs is supposed to be slightly superior.
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparison....php?fid=20693

The BFI is actually much better in terms of PQ (the Eureka version is too contrasty) and it includes the original music score. Unfortunately it is somewhat poorly encoded (macroblocking on many vignette shots), but I think its superior nevertheless (the American Twilight Time release is the same master, but well encoded).

[Gerby]

Originally Posted by koberulz

I bought it ages ago but still haven't got around to actually watching it. Not sure if I'm ever in the mood for three hours of silent cinema to be perfectly honest, I find them more difficult to get through than talkies of the same length.

Content aside, it's a tremendous piece of cinema. It's a bit pointless to buy it & not watch it at least once.

[koberulz]

Well yeah, but it's just one of those things where I have to be in the right mood to watch a silent film, and have enough time spare, and everything else. I hope to get to it, it's just a bit more of a chore than something like Sherlock Jr. or Gone with the Wind.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

My BFI copy of The Day The Earth Caught Fire just arrived. Whopping release with loads of extras including interviews with Val Guest and also a booklet. Going to watch it this afternoon.

Yeah it's a terrific package. I only get anal about the blue case (BFI policy for blu-ray only releases).

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Yeah it's a terrific package. I only get anal about the blue case (BFI policy for blu-ray only releases).

Oh, the case look good enough, much better than some of the others you see these days.

Saw the film last night. Really well made, typically British and for those times (the early 60s) almost prophetic. I am old enough to remember what the mood was like back then.

[Areopagita]

Originally Posted by bengb96

Does anyone know if there are many differences between the booklet in the new Tokyo Story and the old Blu-ray/DVD combo?

Apart from a slightly different graphic layout, the new booklet contains a short appreciation by Lindsay Anderson which was not present in the older one. The new extras are also described at the end.

I cannot check the PQ of the new release at the moment, but the booklet says:

This 4K restoration of Tokyo Story is by Shochiku Co., Ltd.

The restoration was conducted by IMAGICA Corp. and Shochiku MediaWorX Inc. in 2017 from a 35mm interpositive which was made from the internegative, the most original film element available. It is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The sound has been restored from an original 35mm optical soundtrack print and is presented in original mono.

[bengb96]

Originally Posted by Areopagita

Apart from a slightly different graphic layout, the new booklet contains a short appreciation by Lindsay Anderson which was not present in the older one. The new extras are also described at the end.

I cannot check the PQ of the new release at the moment, but the booklet says:

Thank you for getting back to me. I was just wondering as I have the older copy and had the new one pre-ordered at HMV, but it's still not here a week after dispatch, so was just worrying about what I might miss out on in the limited booklet if I have to get it later.

[latehong]

Sreenshots from the new BFI Tokyo Story

Comparison with the 2010 BFI, 2013 Shochiku, 2013 Criterion (from DVDBeaver):

2010 BFI:


2013 Shochiku:


2013 Criterion:


2020 BFI: