BFI (British Film Institute)

[foggy eyes]

Facts are indeed facts. I have edited my previous post accordingly...

[HerrSchreck]

Boys, this is the biggest dumbfuck argument I've read on this site-- the FBI should be grateful for the continued patronage of dedicated cinephiles which comprise the base that keeps your or any co alive regardless of whether they spell it BfI, bfI, Inst der Cine Engl, or whatever. We've had reps from all the majors come on here (and I've heard from more in PM who've never come on publicly) and none want to scold and chide over such "You held the wrong FORK at SOUP young man.." They-- cc, kino, film preserv, uni, etc..-- want to make sure we know nothing else but that they appreciate our dollars and support and promise to keep up the good work...

[Cinéslob]

Too late, alas, to be raised in the preliminary discussions for this year's honours, but the above is incontrovertible proof that we need a 'typo of the year' accolade.

[HerrSchreck]

WORST OUTFIELDER 2006 (the ball went right over your head)^

That's even better than if you got the "FBI" wordplay and added a witty rejoinder.

Woosh (sound of palm whipping over your haircut like a jet plane.. )

[MichaelB]

Boys, this is the biggest dumbfuck argument I've read on this site

Tell me about it - I wasn't actually expecting this to kick off an argument!

the FBI should be grateful for the continued patronage of dedicated cinephiles which comprise the base that keeps your or any co alive regardless of whether they spell it BfI, bfI, Inst der Cine Engl, or whatever. We've had reps from all the majors come on here (and I've heard from more in PM who've never come on publicly) and none want to scold and chide over such "You held the wrong FORK at SOUP young man.." They-- cc, kino, film preserv, uni, etc..-- want to make sure we know nothing else but that they appreciate our dollars and support and promise to keep up the good work...

There's no scolding or chiding, except of one individual who misinterpreted my original post and rudely accused me of "revisionism", which broadly translates as "deliberately misrepresenting the facts in order to suit one's own agenda". And I'm familiar enough with your writing to know that you wouldn't take something like this lying down either!

OK, just to make things as simple as possible, all I'm doing is communicating the fact that the BFI itself no longer calls itself the bfi or bfi, as has been its practice in body text since the late 1990s.

You are of course quite correct to say that people can call it what they like - it's just that I get the impression that quite a few people are doing it because they think it's in line with the BFI's own practice. Which it isn't - or at least it hasn't been for the last three months.

[Cinéslob]

WORST OUTFIELDER 2006 (the ball went right over your head)^

That's even better than if you got the "FBI" wordplay and added a witty rejoinder.

Woosh (sound of palm whipping over your haircut like a jet plane.. )

Well, that's a zing out of the blue: my merriment at your typo doesn't strike me as particularly injurious to you (in fact, it was written under an altogether amiable frame of mind), so quite why I deserve to be harangued for passing comment on a serendipitous typo is a mystery to me. You don't hold grudges do you, HerrSchreck? I remember voicing my disagreement with your assessment of DVD Beaver's reviewing 'policy' concerning Kino's releases, but I can't recall being waspish on that occasion, nor did you give the impression of having your feathers ruffled. Short of that far-out cause, what have I done to deserve this?

[HerrSchreck]

My god-- a little zink, a little return zoink, and now we're both in hospital. But as you sound genuinely confused--

Did I hypervaudevillize my zoink??-- I uh thought you were nailing me for Dumbest or Richest or Most Ironic Faux Pas on the board.. some sorta award down that street or avenue.

Which-- one really must admit-- your making a joke over my obliviousness to the joke you thought you saw that I didn't... whereas in reality you didn't get the joke in the joke you thought went over my head that you (phew) thought you were cleverly catching. It is pretty funny. Right? (elbow nudge) Right? Nudge nudge wink wink? Earns me a couple Comma Jumpers...? One maybe? just one ? no?? please?
I'm far too burnt and far far away from your life for you to be genuinely wounded. Smack me over the head with a verbal bowling pin & tank forward over the mountains and the valleys... I'm just a half awake dweeb you should be immune to, knowing me by now.

These disasters are what make me pray I don't win Centerfold Of The Year, for real..

[filmghost]

Science is Fiction: The Films of Jean Painlevé (Jean Painlevé, France 1927-1948) - 19 February from BFI

These are wonderful news! May I ask where did you read that?

I cannot find any information about a possible BFI dvd of Painlevé's films. I recently watched some of his beautiful short films and I'm quite excited about this release. The french release (two volumes, with english subtitles) is now out of print or at least amazon.fr doesn't carry them any more. I only have a burnt dvd of volume one and I would love to see some more under the BFI label.

[ellipsis7]

here

[filmghost]

There is no mention of a BFI dvd release in that page though...

[ellipsis7]

That's why I indicated "This?" in my original post... It's the Painleve package that's been touring under the same title, so at least some of the films are likely to appear on the DVD...

Oh and you can find the date of the BFI release on this page of their site

[Lemmy Caution]

Picked up the bfi Free Cinema 3-disc set today. British short films from 1952-63. Looks like an excellent, interesting package. I've only read the last two pages of this thread, so don't know if this has been discussed elsewhere. But thought I'd just tip my hat to those three goofy letters for this nice package.

I also manage to secure the Criterion W.C. Fields short films at the same time. So I think I'll use the Fields to get me into a rhythm and mindset of short films, then plunge into the Free Cinema set.

[tryavna]

An excellent multi-disc set! I think you'll enjoy it a lot. Be sure to save the documentary until after you watch the individual films -- though I do recommend that you read the little synopses/introductions in the booklet before each of the films.

Besides using the Fields shorts, you could also work your way into the Free Cinema set by starting with the longer entries first, especially Every Day But Christmas, which I think is the masterpiece of the lot. But there's also a lot to be said for watching them chronologically....

[foggy eyes]

More information on the forthcoming Jarmans. Looking good.

[MichaelB]

I'm hardly an unbiased source, but I can certainly recommend the Caravaggio disc (the only one of the Jarman releases that I've actually seen). Since the BFI produced the film in the first place, it's entirely reasonable to expect a top-notch anamorphic transfer and a ton of extras - and that's exactly what you get.

The commentary (by cinematographer Gabriel Beristain) is a bit on the technical side, but there's ample compensation in the interviews with assorted participants (Nigel Terry, Tilda Swinton, designer Christopher Hobbs), as well as two substantial chats with Derek Jarman (one video, one audio - the latter comes with an apology for the poor bootleg-quality recording, but it's safe to assume that was the only one available. Gratifyingly, it's been extensively chaptered). There are also loads of stills galleries, with everything from standard production stills to sketches and even pages from Jarman's own personal diary.

[porcupine2]

I've just watched my advance copy of the Wittgenstein disc. Pristine picture and sound throughout, and it would certainly show if it wasn't, with the constant bright colours and bright light against black stage.

The extras are excellent too: short interviews with Tariq Ali and Tilda Swinton in particular both in good humour and reflective, the pieces well made & edited. Also, the footage from the making is all delightful, incl. rehearsal of the orrery scene, instructing Swinton, in the wardrobe choosing a gaudy helmet for the boy Wittgenstein and so on.

Also, what turns out to be fascinating and clinches the overall necessity of this disc is the 7 minute film 'The Clearing' by Greek film-maker Alexis Bistikas, with a prominent role for Jarman in it. A b/w piece filmed in a clearing on Hampstead Heath which is very haunting indeed, I shan't spoil it by describing it.

For more on Bistikas, this page at the Thessaloniki festival site details his 7 shorts and 1 feature. Does anyone know if any of these are on DVD anywhere?

[Scharphedin2]

Has Decasia gone out of print? I ordered it from Sendit.com more than two months ago, and it is still in back order.

[The Digital McGuffin]

Decasia is actually a repackaging of the Plexidisc edition (the exact same disc right down to the disc printing) presumably by some special arrangement. It's always been an awkward disc to source and I think was for ages only available through the bfi website. It doesn't seem to get into the distribution stream too easily even now.

[MichaelB]

Has Decasia gone out of print? I ordered it from Sendit.com more than two months ago, and it is still in back order.

A few months ago, one of my colleagues bought what she was told was "the last copy".

Whether this was the last copy actually physically in stock at the main BFI building or the last copy in the entire inventory I don't know - but it may well be the latter: I can't imagine too many of these were ever in circulation. (Let's face it, it was never going to race up the DVD charts)

[meanwhile]

Note for Scharphedin2 about Decasia. They've been coming into stock (and going out again) fairly regularly over the last couple of months at MovieMail. The talk above made me think I had delayed too long in getting one for myself so I placed an order when it was out of stock. Just received confirmation that it was despatched today.

[Scharphedin2]

Note for Scharphedin2 about Decasia. They've been coming into stock (and going out again) fairly regularly over the last couple of months at MovieMail. The talk above made me think I had delayed too long in getting one for myself so I placed an order when it was out of stock. Just received confirmation that it was despatched today.

Thanks meanwhile. However, I got cold feet and ordered the R1 edition. I have not had a chance to see all of it yet, but sampled a few sequences. It looks like a very powerful work, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the images. I am happy to know that this will continue to be available in the UK as well.

[foggy eyes]

The BFI are clearing out their VHS catalogue. Some of this material may not surface on DVD for a long time, so £4.00 a title seems quite reasonable.

[MichaelB]

Evening Standard article on the BFI Southbank refurbishment, with a detailed description of the new Mediatheque.

[The Digital McGuffin]

I've been trying out the new BFI Southbank this weekend and they truly have created a wonderful facility for London film lovers and as the Evening Standard says, the Mediatheque really is the jewel in the crown. I spent two hours there (maximum length slot you can book alas ) unearthing hidden gem after gem from what they have available in the archive so far. Personal favorites for me are a rather saucy sound test Hitchcock did with his leading lady for Blackmail and Les Bicyclettes de Belsize which is one of the most delightful and charming films I've seen in a long time. It left me with a smile on my face all day and a yearning for the BFI put out a "Best of the Mediatheque" series on DVD. I suspect it's unlikely though what with rights juggling and the likes.

It does seem to be proving pretty popular, so anyone thinking of giving it a go might do well to book a slot in advance. There's the occasional odd problem like jerky playback on some clips, but I'm hoping these are just teething problems.

Bravo the BFI!

[Tommaso]

Precisely, and where is that Painlevé disc? It was also scheduled for February.