BFI (British Film Institute)

[Dr Amicus]

I found an old BFI DVD catalogue from 2006 the other day, and noticed one of the 'coming soon' entries was Griffith's True Heart Susie (ColinR has this back on page 3 or so on this thread).

Now, this has yet to turn up - although I gather from SilentEra.com that the Image DVD is from a BFI print. So, is this coming anytime soon Michael? Or is a little known Griffith just too much of a risk in the current climate?

I'd love to have a copy - it's over 20 years since I saw it - and would rather get a BFI edition if one is available.

[MichaelB]

That's odd - my post above was replying to the one below it! What happened?

Anyway, I'm afraid I don't know anything about True Heart Susie - I certainly haven't seen it on any schedules.

[Peacock]

And a blu of Les demoiselles de Rochefort, is this remotely likely??

[tajmahal]

Watched the wonderful Cottage on Dartmoor recently. Any word of BFI planning a blu-ray edition?

[Stefan Andersson]

Any chance of BFI reissuing HEIMAT 1?

The fine German site http://www.heimat123.de" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; reports Reitz is planning a digital resto of Heimat, part 1 chiefly I suppose. Online info comes from someone who spoke to his fellow Heimat fan while visiting the German city Woppenroth, which is where Reitz lives (?). Reitz has recently restored his early films (Kinowelt 7-dvd box, German HOH subs).

[MichaelB]

Any chance of BFI reissuing HEIMAT 1?

Before this thread fills up with more random speculation, it's probably worth mentioning (or possibly reiterating) that since a general regime/policy change two or three years ago BFI DVD Publishing has been very consciously shifting away from mainstream European/Asian arthouse titles towards rare/previously unreleased British ones.

So you'd be far better off addressing queries like this to someone like Artificial Eye, not least because they handled the first Heimat theatrically and released the third on DVD. More to the point, they've also been snapping up quite a bit of the old Tartan back catalogue of late.

[John Edmond]

BFI DVD Publishing has been very consciously shifting away from mainstream European/Asian arthouse titles towards rare/previously unreleased British ones.

While I support this shift (it is a waste of BFI resources releasing films like Seven Samurai) I'm still slightly saddened to hear this. Admittedly this is partly because I spent this afternoon arguing with a friend that the blu-ray format has strong benefits for low-budget films - I used Celine and Julie go Boating as an example of a film with a merely ok DVD transfer that would be a revelation on blu-ray (since blu-ray is significantly better at handling 16mm grain and at 192 minutes in length Celine and Julie go Boating pushes DVD storage limits). As a result I started anticipating its eventual re-release on blu-ray, something that has just become that much less likely.

[MichaelB]

(it is a waste of BFI resources releasing films like Seven Samurai)

Actually, that release effectively subsidised a lot of the BFI's early DVD catalogue, so there was every justification for doing it! So the big arthouse blockbusters - The Leopard on Blu-ray being the latest example - will certainly continue. But the BFI is much less likely to be handling potentially loss-making European/Asian stuff than many, many other independent British distributors - Artificial Eye, New Wave Films, Optimum, Masters of Cinema, Second Run, etc. etc. etc.

[Tommaso]

I noticed this shift, too, and while I'm not particularly interested in most of the British films the BFI released last year or so, I can understand this decision (though there go the hopes for more Naruse...). Which gives me hope that the BFI will release some more British silents in the foreseeable future, so my blunt question: are there any plans to release more Asquith silents in addition to "Dartmoor"? Or some Elvey? And my greatest wish would be for a BFI disc of Osten's "Prem Sanyas - The Light of Asia", a magnificent film as striking as "A throw of dice", and fully restored with new music already (as seen on arte TV some years ago).

[MichaelB]

There will be more British silents, but I can't give any more details just yet.

[Awesome Welles]

The BFI Southbank plan on holding Kurosawa events in June to mark the centenary with Rashomon having an extended run. I assume this means new DVDs/blu-rays? I'm sure this will be a great cash cow for the BFI which can help to fund their all important work with the forgotten work of British cinema.

Michael, I assume whatever plays in the flipside slot at the Southbank will get a DVD at some point? Wanting to see Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against Eunuchs but don't know if I will be able to make it.

[MichaelB]

Michael, I assume whatever plays in the flipside slot at the Southbank will get a DVD at some point?

'Fraid not - the logistics over one-off screenings and full commercial DVD releases are quite different. Obviously, there's some overlap, but it certainly isn't, won't and can't be 100%.

[perkizitore]

Underground is MAYBE coming out :-"

[Awesome Welles]

Michael, I assume whatever plays in the flipside slot at the Southbank will get a DVD at some point?

'Fraid not - the logistics over one-off screenings and full commercial DVD releases are quite different. Obviously, there's some overlap, but it certainly isn't, won't and can't be 100%.

That's a shame, I assumed that all the current flipside releases had also had slots in the flipside slot at the Southbank. That'll teach me for not paying attention. Better try and make this one then!

[Duncan Hopper]

They've also shown non British stuff at Flipside like Miss Leslie's Dolls. For obvious reasons this would never be released as a flipside title.

[John Edmond]

Actually, that release effectively subsidised a lot of the BFI's early DVD catalogue, so there was every justification for doing it! So the big arthouse blockbusters - The Leopard on Blu-ray being the latest example - will certainly continue.

Choosing the most mainstream Asian title I could think of comes back and bites me. It's a pity though, Celine and Julie is double damned by this approach - obvious and potentially unprofitable.

[MichaelB]

They've also shown non British stuff at Flipside like Miss Leslie's Dolls. For obvious reasons this would never be released as a flipside title.

Then again, one definite future Flipside title is a US-West German co-production directed by a Pole. But I think most people would agree that Deep End counts as culturally 'British'.

It's a pity though, Celine and Julie is double damned by this approach - obvious and potentially unprofitable.

Just to be clear, I'm not ruling anything in or out - I'm just saying that the BFI is less likely to be handling such titles than many other UK labels. Back in the 1990s, the BFI-run Connoisseur Video label filled a large and desperately needed gap in the market - it's quite startling to recall just how few independent and foreign-language titles were out on VHS in the early part of that decade.

But now, there are far more alternative sources out there for work by well-known auteurs, so it makes much more sense for the BFI to devote more attention to stuff that no-one else is covering, or at least not to anything like the same technical and contextual standard. And speaking as someone peripherally involved with much of this, I think it's far more exciting working on genuinely revelatory projects than yet another retread of familiar ground. PWA in Poland provides many similar pleasures - I rarely have any idea of what I'm in for when I stick one of their discs into my player, and that suits me fine.

[foggy eyes]

Underground is MAYBE coming out :-"

It is, probably in Autumn.

[Jonathan S]

Underground is MAYBE coming out :-"

It is, probably in Autumn.

What about Shooting Stars?

[foggy eyes]

What about Shooting Stars?

No idea, I'm afraid. Keep fingers crossed.

[Sloper]

Shooting Stars would indeed be wonderful, or The Lure of Crooning Water (haven't seen either, just tantalising clips). I'm guessing Hindle Wakes is a safer bet, though.

[perkizitore]

I want Underworld to be released too!

[Tommaso]

I'm guessing Hindle Wakes is a safer bet, though.

That would be a letdown in a way, at least if no other silent comes out at the same time, though the film of course would deserve another release. But eight years after the BFI released it on VHS only (!!), and with the excellent Milestone disc still around, they could drop the matter entirely. I strongly assume the limited number of people who'd go for this film will have bought the R1 a long time ago. Other Elveys would be very welcome, of course.

Here's hoping for "Underground", too!

[John Edmond]

But now, there are far more alternative sources out there for work by well-known auteurs, so it makes much more sense for the BFI to devote more attention to stuff that no-one else is covering, or at least not to anything like the same technical and contextual standard.

Oh, overall I agree with this shift. Over on the Une Femme Mariée thread David Hare is doing the yip-yip dance because there will soon be 5 Godards on Blu-ray - I think that says something about how much the infrastructure for releasing films on home-theatre formats has improved over the DVD era. It's why, despite the difficulties in sourcing HD transfers I'm still optimistic regarding how quickly the Blu-ray catalogue will fill out. My grumblings regarding Celine and Julie is almost pure, personal sook about how BFI's shift may slightly hinder me watching one particular film.

[What A Disgrace]

So I'm just gonna come out and ask about that elephant in the room...is BFI going to do a Blu-ray of Seven Samurai?