Remembrance

[MichaelB]

Confirmed as a 15 July release.

BFI Flipside presents... Remembrance, a rarely seen British film that follows a group of young Royal Navy sailors during their last 24 hours ashore before their ship sets sail on a six-month naval exercise.

Set around the pubs and clubs of the then-notorious Union Street in 1980s Plymouth, Colin Gregg's direction and Hugh Stoddart's script skilfully cuts between the interweaving stories of several characters as they prepare for the coming months at sea. The ensemble cast includes early performances from the likes of Timothy Spall, John Altman and Gary Oldman (in his big-screen debut).

One of the first films produced by Channel Four, where it was broadcast after a short theatrical run in the summer of 1982, Remembrance’s initial release was given added poignancy and relevance by the outbreak of the Falklands War a few months earlier. Rarely screened since, this new 2024 restoration by the BFI marks the first time this important British film has been available on Blu-ray.

• Newly remastered from original camera materials and presented in High Definition
• Interview with director Colin Gregg (2024): newly recorded interview with director and producer of Remembrance
• Interview with screenwriter Hugh Stoddart (2024): newly recorded interview with the screenwriter of Remembrance
• Raleigh: The First Few Weeks (1986, 19 mins): following the daily lives of new naval ratings, from their arrival at training establishment HMS Raleigh, beginning the first phase of their training and onwards to the day of their passing out parade
• Royal Navy Amazon (1980, 1 min): this made for TV advert was produced to bolster the recruitment of ordinary naval ratings, because ‘everybody’s somebody in the Royal Navy’
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Booklet featuring a new essay by screenwriter Hugh Stoddart, new writing on the film by Johnny Mains, an essay by the BFI’s Josephine Botting and full film credits
• Other extras TBC

[jlnight]

Last seen on Film4 in early 2018 I think I suggested music clearances as a hurdle to a commercial release (there was no VHS or DVD release) but maybe it wasn't that after all. I'll have to give the off-air copy another spin.

"I never ever, ever want to see again..."

[GaryC]

I saw this in Channel 4's very early days, after it had won the top prize at the Taormina Festival. There were complaints on Right to Reply shortly afterwards due to violence and a lot of strong language.

[MichaelB]

Full specs announced:

BFI Flipside presents release No. 048
REMEMBRANCE
Gary Oldman, Timothy Spall, John Altman
Screenplay by Hugh Stoddart
Directed by Colin Gregg

Released on BFI Blu-ray, iTunes and Amazon Prime on 15 July 2024

In REMEMBRANCE, one of the first films produced by Channel 4, ensemble cast members Gary Oldman, Timothy Spall and John Altman, are seen in some of their very earliest screen roles. The film’s release in 1982 was given added poignancy and relevance by the outbreak of the Falklands War a few months earlier. Rarely screened since, this new 2024 restoration by the BFI marks the first time this important British film has been made available. Released on Blu-ray on the BFI Flipside label on 15 July, the special features include newly recorded interviews with director Colin Gregg, screenwriter Hugh Stoddart and actor John Altman.

The storyline follows a group of young Royal Navy sailors who experience their last 24 hours ashore before leaving on a six-month naval exercise. Set around the pubs and clubs of the notorious Union Street in 1980s Plymouth, Colin Gregg’s direction and Hugh Stoddart’s script skilfully cuts between the interweaving stories of several characters as they prepare for the coming months at sea.

Special features
• Newly remastered from original camera materials by the BFI and presented in High Definition;
• Gary Oldman on Remembrance (2018, 3 mins): an introduction recorded for a screening on Film 4;
• Vivid Memories (2024, 21 mins): newly recorded interview with director Colin Gregg;
• Working Away (2024, 21 mins): newly recorded interview with screenwriter Hugh Stoddart;
• Acting The Part (2024, 13 mins): newly recorded interview with actor John Altman;
• David Rose in Conversation (2010, 11 mins): extracts from a career interview with the former senior commissioning editor for Channel 4 Television, conducted by Sir Jeremy Isaacs;
• Raleigh: The First Few Weeks (1986, 19 mins): following the daily lives of new naval ratings, from their arrival at training establishment HMS Raleigh, beginning the first phase of their training and onwards to the day of their passing out parade;
• Royal Navy Amazon (1980, 1 min): a made for TV advert used to bolster the recruitment of ordinary naval ratings;
• Galleries – a collection of materials including an early handwritten draft of the screenplay;
• ***First pressing only*** Illustrated booklet with a new essay by screenwriter Hugh Stoddart, new writing on the film by Johnny Mains, an essay by the BFI’s Dr Josephine Botting and full film credits.

Product details
RRP: £19.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1512 / 15
UK / 1982 / colour / 111 mins / English language with optional descriptive subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.66:1 // BD50: 1080p, 24fps, LPCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/24-bit)

[MichaelB]

It's worth adding that the BFI's Ben Stoddart is very closely related to screenwriter Hugh Stoddart, and so this project was a serious labour of love for him, as he's been wanting to restore and reissue one of his dad's major big-screen credits from pretty much the day that he first started in this business. Although it's also prime Flipside material, so he can't possibly be accused of nepotistical self-indulgence.

And the main booklet essay is by my regular commentary partner Johnny Mains, a very long-term resident of Plymouth, so this is literally home turf for him.