British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[prophecygirl]

Looks like it’s sold out now. Shame.

[Dan8700]

BFI's Naked compared with the Criterion: night and day, and at last in the right ratio. Also wonderful extras, it seems.

[Aunt Peg]

My Out of the Blue, Naked & Bleak Moments all arrived last week and I've already watched them (expect for the extras). Outstanding releases from the BFI on all fronts.

I'd forgotten just how brutal and confronting Naked was and remains.

[sjt]

Originally Posted by Aunt Peg

My Out of the Blue, Naked & Bleak Moments all arrived last week and I've already watched them (expect for the extras). Outstanding releases from the BFI on all fronts.

They're having an altogether exceptional year really. I've only just caught up with their recent releases of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Pawnbroker, and both are absolutely exemplary products doing full justice to the films themselves in terms of both their presentation and contextualisation, materially adding to the BFI's ever-burgeoning reputation in this kind of endeavour (a modus operandi the amateur oafs at Curzon/Artificial Eye would do well to emulate....).

[sjt]

Oh, and I should most certainly have added their most remarkable release of the lot: E.A. Dupont's Piccadilly, bizarrely ignored, unreviewed and not even properly itemised for content on this very website and yet easily the major find of the year, for me at least. The restoration is breath-taking - this, on a 90+ year-old film! - and the extras are both watchable and informative (though the biography of Dupont listed on blu-ray.com isn't on the disc: but the 53' Anna May Wong one certainly is). There's a wonderful (and beautifully produced) big booklet, too.

Even so, it's the film itself that impresses, with its unexpectedly steamy sexual content and sets even Van Nest Polglase would have drooled over, evoking a jazz-age London that probably never quite existed at this level of visual refinement and splendour in real life. Anna May Wong is extraordinary as the steely-yet-innocent vamp who seduces the whole of London society - really, as a social document alone this film is priceless - and the cinematography is jaw-dropping in places (like all the major contributors to this film - designer, director - the DoP was German). There's even a newly-composed jazz-based score by Neil Brand which adds immeasurably to the overall effect.

If you haven't seen it - or, just as likely, even heard of it - remedy the omission as soon as possible. If you've any feeling for silent cinema, or the forgotten gems of a bygone age, write to Santa immediately while stocks last...

[justwannaboogie]

Originally Posted by sjt

Oh, and I should most certainly have added their most remarkable release of the lot: E.A. Dupont's Piccadilly, bizarrely ignored, unreviewed and not even properly itemised for content on this very website and yet easily the major find of the year, for me at least. The restoration is breath-taking - this, on a 90+ year-old film! - and the extras are both watchable and informative (though the biography of Dupont listed on blu-ray.com isn't on the disc: but the 53' Anna May Wong one certainly is). There's a wonderful (and beautifully produced) big booklet, too.

Even so, it's the film itself that impresses, with its unexpectedly steamy sexual content and sets even Van Nest Polglase would have drooled over, evoking a jazz-age London that probably never quite existed at this level of visual refinement and splendour in real life. Anna May Wong is extraordinary as the steely-yet-innocent vamp who seduces the whole of London society - really, as a social document alone this film is priceless - and the cinematography is jaw-dropping in places (like all the major contributors to this film - designer, director - the DoP was German). There's even a newly-composed jazz-based score by Neil Brand which adds immeasurably to the overall effect.

If you haven't seen it - or, just as likely, even heard of it - remedy the omission as soon as possible. If you've any feeling for silent cinema, or the forgotten gems of a bygone age, write to Santa immediately while stocks last...

And the Charles Laughton cameo is just the icing on the cake

[Django100]

Got to agree that the BFI have had a brilliant one this year. Hopefully 2022 will prove just as good.

Really looking forward to Box 3 (and 4!) of the Bergman collection.

[CelestialAgent]

Stoddart on Facebook

**Deletion Notice** Our Blu-ray release of Les Demoiselles de Rochefort will be deleted on 31/01/22. There are less than 200 units in stock at our warehouse, and I doubt any retailers are sitting on loads of it.

I can't get into details I'm afraid. Our rights expire and it's not available to renew, and that's all I can say about it.

[sjt]

"I can't get into details I'm afraid. Our rights expire and it's not available to renew, and that's all I can say about it."

Ah, BFI Ben-speak!

For which read "Crit**ion are a bunch of conniving c***ts"......

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Aunt Peg

My Out of the Blue, Naked & Bleak Moments all arrived last week and I've already watched them (expect for the extras). Outstanding releases from the BFI on all fronts.

I'd forgotten just how brutal and confronting Naked was and remains.

Out Of The Blue is pretty awesome too.

[israels]

I just had a quick look at some scenes from Naked and Bleak Moments.
Naked is authored by Visual Data Media Services while Bleak Moments is done by White Label.

At a glance there's quite a difference.
Naked looks great with plenty of nicely resolved grain. It also looks pretty untouched with some white specks popping up in several scenes.
Meanwhile Bleak Moments looks like a blocky mess when watched up close. At a distance it's probably fine, but it's a shame both films didn't get the same treatment.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by sjt

"I can't get into details I'm afraid. Our rights expire and it's not available to renew, and that's all I can say about it."

Ah, BFI Ben-speak!

For which read "Crit**ion are a bunch of conniving c***ts"......

I asked him that question and did expect that kind of response, but thought I'd ask anyway.

Reminds me when Criterion first came to the UK and bought up whole libraries of titles that Eureka were interested in renewing...it nearly strayed into that kind of frustrated territory, but Kevin bit his lip quite admirably.

Curious what might happen to Godzilla now, or will BFI continue to hold the UK rights for that? I still don't own that film on Blu-ray, though only because I skipped the chance of getting the massive Criterion set when it was £90-ish on Zavvi a year or two ago (still kicking myself).

[raphph]

Originally Posted by israels

I just had a quick look at some scenes from Naked and Bleak Moments.
Naked is authored by Visual Data Media Services while Bleak Moments is done by White Label.

At a glance there's quite a difference.
Naked looks great with plenty of nicely resolved grain. It also looks pretty untouched with some white specks popping up in several scenes.
Meanwhile Bleak Moments looks like a blocky mess when watched up close. At a distance it's probably fine, but it's a shame both films didn't get the same treatment.

I also watched Career Girls at the Mike Leigh retrospective at the BFI and noticed that the film was restored in same visual style of the new Naked BFI release. I.e. slightly on the blue colour side…

[CelestialAgent]

Again Stoddart on the Facebook group

**Limited Edition Deletion** Our 4-disc box set (including book), Of Flesh and Blood: The Cinema of Hirokazu Koreeda is now deleted. It will be re-issued in 2022. The re-issue will include the films and all of the on-disc extras but it won't include printed material or have a slipcase.

I know it's out of stock at the BFI Shop but other retailers do have copies. If you want this 2019 version and don't have it, now's the time!

[Richard A]

The Nigel Kneale penned 1954 BBC adaptation of 1984 appears to be slated for April 2022.

EDIT: Edited the above as I thought at first it was the 1965 Theatre 625 version but I think it must be the 1954 original with Peter Cushing and Andre Morell as that's the one we've all been waiting for. Or maybe we'll get both.

[Gerby]

Originally Posted by Richard A

The Nigel Kneale penned BBC Theatre 625 adaptation of 1984 appears to be slated for April 2022.

I'm looking forward to The Draughtman's Contract on BD in the 4th Quarter of 2022!

[Killer Meteor]

1984...how many times has this been announced and postponed? I think 2022 is when the Orwell estate no longer has a say in it!

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by Gerby

I'm looking forward to The Draughtman's Contract on BD in the 4th Quarter of 2022!

At last

... wait, that’s nearly a year away

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

1984...how many times has this been announced and postponed? I think 2022 is when the Orwell estate no longer has a say in it!

https://www.theguardian.com/books/bo...at-happens-now

.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Richard A

The Nigel Kneale penned 1954 BBC adaptation of 1984 appears to be slated for April 2022.

EDIT: Edited the above as I thought at first it was the 1965 Theatre 625 version but I think it must be the 1954 original with Peter Cushing and Andre Morell as that's the one we've all been waiting for. Or maybe we'll get both.

Saw this on Twitter earlier. Great news! Would like to see this version, and was wondering if Indicator might get the 1956 version as well (seems up their alley, and think it's with Sony).

Also mentioned in that article are some titles we already knew were coming, but specified a bit more. Two titles from Truffaut (The 400 Blows, Jules et Jim), the last two Bergman sets as well as separate edition of Cries and Whispers (maybe even 4K?) as well as Liv Ullmann's Faithless.

However I also notice mention of Peter Greenaway, in particular The Draughtsman's Contract, but there could be a box set with a notorious name like that. Also mentioned is Black History Month (no specific titles/directors, but maybe finally some Charles Burnett upgrades) and a Satyajit Ray season in July/August via BFI Distribution (but not sure what they could release on Blu-ray that hasn't already been by Criterion or Artificial Eye).