BFI (British Film Institute)

[Cash Flagg]

I took advantage of the Christmas promotion to pick up Land of Promise and the Naruse set.

Now that Movie Mail has this sale up and running, any word on Amazon.co.uk taking part? I'd much rather order from them.

[Tommaso]

Specs are up for Preminger's "The Fan" now. Has anyone seen that 1916 silent version and can give some info?

[Telstar]

Now that Movie Mail has this sale up and running, any word on Amazon.co.uk taking part? I'd much rather order from them.

Ditto. For the moment, however, I'm really lusting after both the Svankmajer set and Land of Promise but only have funds for one of them. Are either of these less likely to go on sale again in the future?

[Jonathan S]

Specs are up for Preminger's "The Fan" now. Has anyone seen that 1916 silent version and can give some info?

The BFI released the silent Fred Paul version (65 minutes) on VHS some years ago and I could never understand why - and I say that as a silent film fanatic. Even the notes supplied with the tape were rather dismissive. It may be of interest to theatrical historians but it has zero cinematic interest for me - real proscenium arch stuff with tons of intertitles. The only scene I remember is an unexpected visit to a dog show which seems to be an early example of product placement with many signs advertising "Spratt's Dog Cakes"!

If you are buying the DVD anyway, it's okay as an extra but I certainly wouldn't advise buying it mainly for the silent.

[foggy eyes]

For the moment, however, I'm really lusting after both the Svankmajer set and Land of Promise but only have funds for one of them. Are either of these less likely to go on sale again in the future?

Chances are even, I'd say. Toss a coin!

[Tommaso]

If you are buying the DVD anyway, it's okay as an extra but I certainly wouldn't advise buying it mainly for the silent.

Thanks, Jonathan, that's what I wanted to know. I have nothing against Preminger, but at the moment wouldn't buy the disc for "The Fan" alone. If that silent were great, I'd probably jump on it, of course.

[denti alligator]

What's the story with the four Werner Nekes films on early cinema available at BFI? Has anyone seen these? I can't find the discs for sale at amazon? (why?)

Here's the link to the first one: http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_158.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[denti alligator]

The new Lotte Reiniger Fairy Tales set is very nice, but there are forced subtitles on the German films, which is disappointing.

[zedz]

What's the story with the four Werner Nekes films on early cinema available at BFI? Has anyone seen these? I can't find the discs for sale at amazon? (why?)

Here's the link to the first one: http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_158.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm intrigued. The only Nekes film I've seen is Uliisses, which attempted to later Homer, Joyce and the evolution of cinema. Dizzyingly dense (a summary of sorts; and here's an extract). It sounds like these are straighter documentary expressions of some of the same interests.

These discs don't seem to carry the BFI logo. Maybe they're produced by somebody else and the BFI store is just stocking them?

[antnield]

What's the story with the four Werner Nekes films on early cinema available at BFI? Has anyone seen these? I can't find the discs for sale at amazon? (why?)

Here's the link to the first one: http://filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/info_158.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm intrigued. The only Nekes film I've seen is Uliisses, which attempted to later Homer, Joyce and the evolution of cinema. Dizzyingly dense (a summary of sorts; and here's an extract). It sounds like these are straighter documentary expressions of some of the same interests.

These discs don't seem to carry the BFI logo. Maybe they're produced by somebody else and the BFI store is just stocking them?

I covered the discs for DVD Times when they were first issued - link - it should answer all your queries... (Basically, Nekes released them off his own back alongside discs of Beuys and Uliisses - though the BFI/MovieMail only picked up the Media Magica titles. The reviews should also provide links to Nekes' site.)

[The Glue Man]

Shamelessly copy-and-pasted from http://www.cultmovieforums.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, here's the BFI release schedule for the first bit of 2009

Jan 19 2009:
Anchoress (Chris Newby, 1993)
Manufacturing Consent (Achbar / Wintonick, 1992) (2-Disc)
The Fan (Preminger, 1949 / Extras inc. Lady Windermere's Fan, 1916 version)

Feb 09 2009:
Pasolini's Trilogy of Life (3-DVD set)
Pasolini's Trilogy of Life (3-Disc Blu-ray set)
The Gigolos (Richard Bracewell, 2006)
Joy of Sex Education, The (2-DVD set)

Feb 23 2009:
Jeff Keen (3-DVD box set)
Jeff Keen (Blu-ray edition)
GPO Vol 2 - We Live in Two Worlds (2-Disc Boxset)

Mar 09 2009:
Derek (Isaac Julian, 2008)
Of Time and the City (Terence Davies, 2008) (DVD)
Of Time and the City (Terence Davies, 2008) (Blu-ray)

Mar 23 2009:
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (DVD re-issue)
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Blu-ray)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (DVD re-issue)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Blu-ray)
Bodysong (DVD)
Bodysong (Blu-ray)

[foggy eyes]

Jeff Keen (3-DVD box set)
Jeff Keen (Blu-ray edition)

Fantastic news. Marvo Movie is amazing. This might be the first time I've entertained the idea of saving up for Blu-ray equipment - if we're going to be getting Jeff Keen boxsets, things are looking up.

[What A Disgrace]

Of Time and the City! Yes!

[foggy eyes]

Of Time and the City! Yes!

On a side note, anyone who hasn't checked out the excellent William Raban set really should make the effort: despite the geographical disparity, Thames Film (1986) strikes me as everything Of Time & the City should have been (and more).

[Tommaso]

Derek (Isaac Julian, 2008)

It occurs to me that this is probably the very last chance to put out the one remaining unreleased Jarman film of the 80s, "Imagining October", if only as an extra (not counting some short Super 8 films here, of course).

Otherwise, an interesting list of releases, though I'm somewhat let down that there isn't any silent or early sound film among them (apart from the 1916 "Windermere"). I wonder what extras they will come up with for the Pasolinis. What would make my day would be the inclusion of his 1968 "Appunti per un'orestiade africana" documentary on the "Arabian Nights" disc.

[MichaelB]

though I'm somewhat let down that there isn't any silent or early sound film among them (apart from the 1916 "Windermere").

...and The Joy of Sex Education, the earliest film on which dates from 1917.

And of course there's tons of 1930s cinema in the second GPO collection - which, if I remember the shortlist rightly, contains something like 22 titles, all made between 1936 and 1938.

[tojoed]

Moviemail says that Tati's Parade is being released by the BFI on 27th April.

[Bürgermeister]

I have a question just looking at dvdbeavers review of Battleship Potemkin it says “NOTE: The superior version expected from BFI, is not forthcoming yet.”
Is the BFI still expected to release this? Is so any idea when?

[Scharphedin2]

...though I'm somewhat let down that there isn't any silent or early sound film among them (apart from the 1916 "Windermere").

Tom, a source from BFI commented on a site dedicated to silent comedy, that BFI is getting ready to release a set of 30+ restored Chaplin Keystone comedies (apparently, all the extant ones). This release, along with a new restoration of the Chaplin Essanay films should be coming in spring.

I know, not quite the same thing as another A Throw of Dice or Cottage on Dartmoor, but still... certainly a hole that I have been looking forward to seeing a DVD company fill.

[Tommaso]

Thanks for the info, Sharph. Unfortunately, I'm not much into Chaplin for whatever unfathomable reasons, but I guess many people here will certainly be overjoyed about this news.

As you mention "A throw of dice", does anyone know what is the state of things concerning the other Indian films by Osten? I don't even know whether they are still extant in any presentable form, but I wish very much that the BFI or someone else would give us more Osten. "A throw of dice" was just mindblowingly beautiful, and there is nothing else on disc of that vintage from India that I know of.

[foggy eyes]

Longing appears to have vanished into the ether. Does anybody know what's happened to it?

[Scharphedin2]

Thanks for the info, Sharph. Unfortunately, I'm not much into Chaplin for whatever unfathomable reasons, but I guess many people here will certainly be overjoyed about this news.

As you mention "A throw of dice", does anyone know what is the state of things concerning the other Indian films by Osten? I don't even know whether they are still extant in any presentable form, but I wish very much that the BFI or someone else would give us more Osten. "A throw of dice" was just mindblowingly beautiful, and there is nothing else on disc of that vintage from India that I know of.

Well, my dear Tommaso, it will interest you to know that I recently had the good fortune to see Osten's first Indian film Prem Sanyas in a gorgeous restored print.











As you can see, the film had clearly been aired by Arte, as it has their logo in the corner. However, unless I am mistaken, the print the transfer was made from was an English one, and further I believe the restoration was at least partly undertaken by the British Film Institute. I can check on this. It is a beauty my friend... basically the story of Siddharta. It can be found in that sea of Saragossa, where all beautiful, unreleased films seemingly have gone to live

[Tommaso]

Maaan...... how could I miss THAT??!! Unless it has been aired years ago when I didn't care about it...
But anyway, good to see it exists, which gives me hope that this will leave the Saragossa sea in the foreseeable future Though I wonder why we have at least three different editions of "Throw of Dice" on dvd now (UK, Germany, USA) and none of this one.

[skuhn8]

WOW! Bring it on. If it's half as good as "Throw of the Dice" then this is essential. These caps look stellar. Nice tinting.

[foggy eyes]

Longing appears to have vanished into the ether. Does anybody know what's happened to it?

Just to answer my own question: delayed until late Summer (Aug/Sept) due to the clearance of certain extra features.