British Film Institute (BFI) Discussion Thread

[Johnnie Gray]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Is there a reason Ikiru is £20?

It's the cost of Living.

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by Johnnie Gray

It's the cost of Living.

Lmao

[Jonatan C.]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Is there a reason Ikiru is £20?

Maybe because it has 2 discs?

[jackranderson]

Originally Posted by Jonatan C.

Maybe because it has 2 discs?

That makes sense, cheers!

[CelestialAgent]

RIP Jack Bond (Separation, Anti-Clock, It Couldn’t Happen Here)

https://www.theguardian.com/film/202...laborator-dies

Originally Posted by jheez

Kagemusha is with Disney, so there’s a distinct possibility that one may never be released outside of Japan

After the Searchlight licenses (The Shape of Water, All of Us Strangers) and strongly rumoured titles like The French Connection and Nightmare Alley, I could definitely see Criterion upgrading it.

[OceanBlue]

Very happy to see the recent BBC ghost story adaptations are getting a Blu-ray upgrade (this past Tuesday night's new one was the best one I've seen in a few years).

[CouncilSpectre]

How do the BFI Truffauts (The Soft Skin, The 400 Blows, The Last Metro) compare to the earlier AE discs? I have the AE Truffaut sets and the only one I "upgraded" to the BFI version was Jules et Jim, are the others worth swapping out? I think the BFI The 400 Blows was from a new 4K restoration?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

How do the BFI Truffauts (The Soft Skin, The 400 Blows, The Last Metro) compare to the earlier AE discs? I have the AE Truffaut sets and the only one I "upgraded" to the BFI version was Jules et Jim, are the others worth swapping out? I think the BFI The 400 Blows was from a new 4K restoration?

From DVDcompare (The BFI releases have more extras & the things in red are ONLY on Artificial Eye (the rest of the extras on AE are also on BFI) releases & in blue are ONLY on BFI releases):


1) The Soft Skin:

Presentation with Serge Toubiana (4:20)

"Between Masters at War" 2022 presentation by Dr Pasquale Iannone (17:53)
"Paris Through the Lens" shorts (with Play All) (7:55)
- "Paris Street Scene" (1900) (0:45)
- "A Bird's Eye View of Paris" (1910) (7:10)
"Old Portugal at the Ocean's Edge" 1896 short (0:53)


2) The 400 Blows: - 4K restoration transfer.

Film Introduction by Serge Toubiana (4:15)

"Les mistons" ("The Mischief Makers") 1957 short (18:13)
"Truffaut, Bazin, Renoir: A Love Story" presentation by Catherine Wheatley (2022) (19:41)
"Images of Paris" shorts (with Play All) (7:55)
- Panorama Around the Eiffel Tower (1900) (1:14)
- Lunch on the Eiffel Tower (Topical Budget 149-1) (1914) (1:06)
- Metropolitan Railway of Paris (1913) (5:34)
Image Gallery (1:08)
2022 Theatrical Trailer (1:35)

3) The Last Metro: - 2K restoration.

Presentation by Serge Toubiana (4:10)

Audio commentary by Annette Insdor (2022)

I'm assuming "Audition Footage" (BFI) is the same as "Screen Tests" (Artificial Eye) on The 400 Blows releases.

[CouncilSpectre]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

From DVDcompare (The BFI releases have more extras & the things in red are ONLY on Artificial Eye (the rest of the extras on AE are also on BFI) releases & in blue are ONLY on BFI releases)

Top stuff, cheers mate

[JoePo]

Originally Posted by Johnnie Gray

It's the cost of Living.

I'm glad I read this a dozen times over several days. It took me that long to get it.

[David Alp]

Originally Posted by Johnnie Gray

It's the cost of Living.

Haaaaa haaaa!!!! You are a very clever wordsmith Johnnie Gray !

[jackranderson]

Have BFI shortened their first press run? Hardly any booklets from the recent hmv sale

[secretivebus]

This afternoon I bought a copy of One Of Our Aircraft is Missing from Fopp in Covent Garden when I realised it was the LE (with box, booklet, and a separate booklet with the original story) - and for only £8! Absolute bargain. I assumed all copies would be standard, sans booklet, by now. It was released in 2021? I guess this one wasn't such a good seller?

[dr727]

Originally Posted by jackranderson

Have BFI shortened their first press run? Hardly any booklets from the recent hmv sale

I think demand has increased — specifically in preorders and an increasing undercurrent of FOMO with the booklets. Which titles did you pick up?

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by secretivebus

This afternoon I bought a copy of One Of Our Aircraft is Missing from Fopp in Covent Garden when I realised it was the LE (with box, booklet, and a separate booklet with the original story) - and for only £8! Absolute bargain. I assumed all copies would be standard, sans booklet, by now. It was released in 2021? I guess this one wasn't such a good seller?

I wouldn't be surprised. I got it as a P&P fan, but it was an okay film, not top-tier in their catalog.

[GaryCouzens]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

From DVDcompare (The BFI releases have more extras & the things in red are ONLY on Artificial Eye (the rest of the extras on AE are also on BFI) releases & in blue are ONLY on BFI releases):


1) The Soft Skin:

Presentation with Serge Toubiana (4:20)

"Between Masters at War" 2022 presentation by Dr Pasquale Iannone (17:53)
"Paris Through the Lens" shorts (with Play All) (7:55)
- "Paris Street Scene" (1900) (0:45)
- "A Bird's Eye View of Paris" (1910) (7:10)
"Old Portugal at the Ocean's Edge" 1896 short (0:53)


2) The 400 Blows: - 4K restoration transfer.

Film Introduction by Serge Toubiana (4:15)

"Les mistons" ("The Mischief Makers") 1957 short (18:13)
"Truffaut, Bazin, Renoir: A Love Story" presentation by Catherine Wheatley (2022) (19:41)
"Images of Paris" shorts (with Play All) (7:55)
- Panorama Around the Eiffel Tower (1900) (1:14)
- Lunch on the Eiffel Tower (Topical Budget 149-1) (1914) (1:06)
- Metropolitan Railway of Paris (1913) (5:34)
Image Gallery (1:08)
2022 Theatrical Trailer (1:35)

3) The Last Metro: - 2K restoration.

Presentation by Serge Toubiana (4:10)

Audio commentary by Annette Insdor (2022)

I'm assuming "Audition Footage" (BFI) is the same as "Screen Tests" (Artificial Eye) on The 400 Blows releases.

I reviewed the Artificial Eye disc for The Digital Fix and the BFI disc for Cine Outsider, and can confirm that the audition footage and screen tests are the same.

The Serge Toubiana introductions are carried over from the original French DVDs (which I still own) and they are in French with English subtitles. The same applies to the commentary tracks (with the participants interviewed by Toubiana). As you note, the BFI disc of The Last Metro has an additional new commentary by Annette Insdorf. This disc also has an image gallery (1:44) which isn't on the AE.

The Jules et Jim releases are much the same, with the Toubiana introduction (3:48) exclusive to AE and the following exclusive to the BFI:

John Player Lecture: François Truffaut (53:10, audio only, alternate soundtrack on the main feature, in French with optional subtitles)
Jeanne Moreau in Conversation (82:52, audio only, another alternate soundtrack, conducted in English)
Screen Epiphanies: John Hurt on Jules et Jim (8:29)
2022 reissue trailer (sorry, running time has gone astray from my review - the original trailer is on both editions)
Image gallery (6:46)

[Jonatan C.]

Originally Posted by dr727

I think demand has increased — specifically in preorders and an increasing undercurrent of FOMO with the booklets. Which titles did you pick up?

Fingers crossed for the Kurosawas I pre-ordered from Rarewaves having theirs, then

[trobrianders]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

How do the BFI Truffauts (The Soft Skin, The 400 Blows, The Last Metro) compare to the earlier AE discs? I have the AE Truffaut sets and the only one I "upgraded" to the BFI version was Jules et Jim, are the others worth swapping out? I think the BFI The 400 Blows was from a new 4K restoration?

You need to get BFI's The 400 Blows and The Last Metro. No question. Now's a good time on both. £6.39 each with HMV 20% off. The 400 Blows, newly restored and it really shows. A great upgrade. The Last Metro is even more essential. Earlier BDs, CC and AE, had a honey glazed finish which was still ok (I don't know how it looked when originally screened) but the new finish on the BFI BD is much more watchable and still well suited to the material. From memory The Soft Skin, no significant change from CC and AE. Extras are similar to the CC. I'll check and get back to you on anything else.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by trobrianders

You need to get BFI's The 400 Blows and The Last Metro. No question. Now's a good time on both. £6.39 each with HMV 20% off. The 400 Blows, newly restored and it really shows. A great upgrade. The Last Metro is even more essential. Earlier BDs, CC and AE, had a honey glazed finish which was still ok (I don't know how it looked when originally screened) but the new finish on the BFI BD is much more watchable and still well suited to the material. From memory The Soft Skin, no significant change from CC and AE. Extras are similar to the CC. I'll check and get back to you on anything else.

The Criterion releases are OLD. 2009 (The 400 Blows & Last Metro) & 2015 (Soft Skin).

Here is a list of Criterion ONLY extras (remember the releases are OLD)

Last Metro (bit in red is additional info I mentioned):

Audio commentary by Annette Insdorf (2009) - She did a new one in 2022 for the BFI release
"Les Nouveax Rendez-Vouz" 1980 French TV interview (10:46)
"Passez Donc Me Voir" 1980 French TV interview (6:25)
"Working With Truffaut: Nestor Almendros" 1986 documentary excerpt (28:06)
"Performing The Last Metro" featurette (14:55)
"Visualizing The Last Metro" featurette (9:35)
"Une Histoire D'eau" 1958 short by Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut (12:14)

The 400 Blows:

Audio commentary by cinema professor Brian Stonehill
"Cannes 1959" featurette (5:51)
"Cin�astes de Notre Temps" featurette (22:27)
"Cinepanorama" featurette (6:52)

Soft Skin:

"The Complexity of Influence" featurette (11:43)
"Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock" featurette (29:41) [1080i]
"Truffaut on The Soft Skin" episode of "Cineastes de notre" (10:51)

[GaryCouzens]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

"Working With Truffaut: Nestor Almendros" 1986 documentary excerpt (28:06)

I would guess that this overlaps a lot with the Almendros interview on Radiance's disc of The Story of Adèle H, as that dates from 1986. The version on the Radiance disc runs 30:01 and does have an understandable emphasis on his work with Truffaut rather than his other work, such as his multi-film collaboration with Eric Rohmer for example.