BFI (British Film Institute)

[Matt]

Run, don’t walk, to pick up that Moulin Rouge disc. A great release that is unlikely to be bested.

[Dr Amicus]

Room at the Top and A Kid for Two Farthings are both coming from StudioCanal in their Vintage Classics collection - as far as I can see, they generally lose the archive films and add some new interviews. The most attractive addition is on Kid where Clayton's The Bespoke Overcoat is added (but was previously on the BFIs The Innocents), but I'd say the BFI editions are an easy option at this price.

[domino harvey]

Run, don’t walk, to pick up that Moulin Rouge disc. A great release that is unlikely to be bested.

And it’s Fox, so unlikely to even be released again

[criterionsnob]

Any reason to think this could indicate a BFI release of The Heartbreak Kid? This screening shows a 35mm print courtesy of the BFI National Archive.

[TechnicolorAcid]

Please happen, please happen, please happen.

[beamish14]

Any reason to think this could indicate a BFI release of The Heartbreak Kid? This screening shows a 35mm print courtesy of the BFI National Archive.

That same BFI print has screened in Los Angeles. It just means that BMS gave their permission to theatrically exhibit it, as Disney cannot or will not loan theirs out anymore. I don’t anticipate any new home video releases in the foreseeable future

[hearthesilence]

It's great that they're screening it, but I only take screenings as a sign of an imminent Blu-ray release when the involve a brand new digital print of some kind. It's kind of a conflicting impulse - on the one hand, people obviously want to go see 35mm prints so usually you're hoping for that. On the other hand, if it's a previously unavailable DCP, especially a new restoration of some kind, it's great news for Blu-ray consumers because it means a transfer's been made, which means they probably made digital masters that can be used for streaming or physical media.

But yeah, this is also a film that's been notoriously hard to license due to the jerks who own it.

[FlickeringWindow]

Run, don’t walk, to pick up that Moulin Rouge disc. A great release that is unlikely to be bested.

And it’s Fox, so unlikely to even be released again

The 1952 film is MGM in the US as part of the United Artists library. Fox was MGM's distributor until 2020, so nearly all home media from the 2010s has their logo for MGM titles.

[MichaelB]

Former BFI curator here, confirming that the archival source of a print is indeed utterly meaningless with regard to who has the rights. The BFI doesn’t have the exploitation rights to the overwhelming majority of the contents of the BFI National Archive, but they’re happy to make materials available provided those rights are cleared for one-off screenings (which are generally much easier to negotiate than full commercial releases).

[Matt]

Run, don’t walk, to pick up that Moulin Rouge disc. A great release that is unlikely to be bested.

And it’s Fox, so unlikely to even be released again

The 1952 film is MGM in the US as part of the United Artists library. Fox was MGM's distributor until 2020, so nearly all home media from the 2010s has their logo for MGM titles.

I don’t know the rights situation in the UK (Park Circus + Romulus Films?) so I didn’t preclude it coming from someone else in the future. In the US, MGM means it’s now owned by Amazon. They DO license out, but seeing as how no US distributor has bothered in the several years the restoration been available, it doesn’t seem like it will ever happen.

The BFI disc has an entertaining commentary by Angela Allen—who worked with Huston as a script supervisor for many years—plus the short films, both unlikely to appear on any future release from anyone.

[Finch]

This reminds me of a post GeoffD made on the other forum where he said going by past releases, anything that's MGM but Park Circus has access to in the UK seems to be clear for licensing to UK labels. Robocop was one of those titles and Arrow also just got Carrie and the 1978 Body Snatchers. There was a list of 4k titles that Park Circus have as of May (?) 2023. Silence of the Lambs was on that list too.

[jlnight]

I don’t know the rights situation in the UK (Park Circus + Romulus Films?) so I didn’t preclude it coming from someone else in the future.

All four of those soon-to-be-deleted titles were licensed from Romulus. However StudioCanal apparently acquired the Romulus library in 2021, so if they are to be reissued in the UK it will be through them, as indicated above.

[beamish14]

This reminds me of a post GeoffD made on the other forum where he said going by past releases, anything that's MGM but Park Circus has access to in the UK seems to be clear for licensing to UK labels. Robocop was one of those titles and Arrow also just got Carrie and the 1978 Body Snatchers. There was a list of 4k titles that Park Circus have as of May (?) 2023. Silence of the Lambs was on that list too.

Park Circus is just a theatrical distributor, though. They’re the distribution arm of MGM and WB nowadays, and they ship prints/DCPs from their HQ to scores of countries. They’re worth keeping an eye on, as they make frequent announcements about 4K restorations they now carry, but it doesn’t necessarily mean anything about home video releases

[Calvin]

Park Circus is just a theatrical distributor, though. They’re the distribution arm of MGM and WB nowadays, and they ship prints/DCPs from their HQ to scores of countries. They’re worth keeping an eye on, as they make frequent announcements about 4K restorations they now carry, but it doesn’t necessarily mean anything about home video releases

They're not just a theatrical distributor, they also provide "worldwide television, home media, digital and ancillary sales for thousands of classic and new films. We work with DVD and Blu-ray publishers worldwide, as well as representing a number of independent collections for all-rights sales."

[Matt]

Maybe I’ll be proven wrong and StudioCanal will give Moulin Rouge the deluxe 4K treatment they gave Don’t Look Now and Peeping Tom.

[TMDaines]

From Ben Stoddart on FB:

**Deletion/Sale Notice** The following titles will be deleted later this year so are currently on sale at the BFI Shop (please note that the shop are waiting on more stock of Room at the Top to arrive but they will have it in the next week)

A Kid for Two Farthings - £7.99 http://tinyurl.com/3632w53x
Moulin Rouge - £7.99 http://tinyurl.com/ycykkfv3
Cosh Boy - £7.99 http://tinyurl.com/44bdbx4c
Room at the Top £9.99 http://tinyurl.com/47k4aj35

Have Cosh Boy. Prefer the BFI Room at the Top package that I already own, but probably prefer the A Kid of Two Farthings Studio Canal offering, so no sweat there. Would like to get Moulin Rouge.

BFI charging 5 whole pounds to post one Blu-ray is utterly ridiculous.

[MichaelB]

BFI charging 5 whole pounds to post one Blu-ray is utterly ridiculous.

Current UK postage rates are eye-watering across the board. Factor in packaging, and they'd be unlikely to have much change from a fiver.

That's why I pretty much always order multiple items in one go.

[Dr Amicus]

I went for the two of those I didn't already have, Kid and Moulin Rouge, and added Gothic as well - my 15% members discount covered the postage.

[TMDaines]

BFI charging 5 whole pounds to post one Blu-ray is utterly ridiculous.

Current UK postage rates are eye-watering across the board. Factor in packaging, and they'd be unlikely to have much change from a fiver.

That's why I pretty much always order multiple items in one go.

Sorry, Michael, but I am very familiar with UK postage prices at the moment. I've sent literally dozens of things in the mail this month after selling on eBay, and that's an overcharge from £2.70 to £3.45 depending on the weight of the title. Bubble envelopes aren't even 10p in bulk. Even a Royal Mail Second Class Small Parcel that could take a couple of kgs only costs £2.99.

Sure, if you are going to order a number of things, the cost can be spread across them, but a flat £5 to start with is completely disproportionate and compares negatively to every other etailer.

[Matt]

In the US, DiabolikDVD and Vinegar Syndrome charge a flat $6, and that’s only slightly less than £5. Criterion charges $7.95. Kino is $8. I’m sure there are different circumstances in the UK, but it doesn’t seem exorbitant or extraordinary for 2024.

[pianocrash]

BFI charging 5 whole pounds to post one Blu-ray is utterly ridiculous.

Current UK postage rates are eye-watering across the board. Factor in packaging, and they'd be unlikely to have much change from a fiver.

That's why I pretty much always order multiple items in one go.

Sorry, Michael, but I am very familiar with UK postage prices at the moment. I've sent literally dozens of things in the mail this month after selling on eBay, and that's an overcharge from £2.70 to £3.45 depending on the weight of the title. Bubble envelopes aren't even 10p in bulk. Even a Royal Mail Second Class Small Parcel that could take a couple of kgs only costs £2.99.

Sure, if you are going to order a number of things, the cost can be spread across them, but a flat £5 to start with is completely disproportionate and compares negatively to every other etailer.

US has a similar rating system (though is on the way out, for legitimate sake), but it's strictly a flat object/book rate, which unfortunately too many have exploited beyond a reasonable doubt. It's not trackable, not guaranteed, and usually fares poorly (most physical media companies no longer use bubble mailers since they usually suffer most cross-country treks, and box accordingly, instead) and always tends to arrive postage due, so I cannot fathom why anyone would begrudge $5 or $8 for something that will arrive safely, in a normal amount of time (respectfully, my apologies to anyone who can sock it accordingly among the Isles, or anywhere smaller than the footprint of Texas). Also, slipcovers/fancy packaging is less likely to arrive dinged, bumped, or whatever results in an email for a Mint condition copy replacement from any company, and then you're in the same boat all over again...

But that's also the harsh reality of years of Free Shipping! offers we have all become accustomed to: you'll pay, one way or the other. And you probably should! Because it's worth it, probably?

[TMDaines]

In the US, DiabolikDVD and Vinegar Syndrome charge a flat $6, and that’s only slightly less than £5. Criterion charges $7.95. Kino is $8. I’m sure there are different circumstances in the UK, but it doesn’t seem exorbitant or extraordinary for 2024.

It’s an outlier in the UK. Postage simply isn’t that expensive to send large letters or small parcels domestically, even if it has increased in recent years. Amazon, HMV, Hit, Hive, Rarewaves, Planet of Entertainment are all free (pricing it into items of course) or they have a free shipping threshold of £20 or under. Eureka are free, Indicator have a reasonable threshold for taking advantage of their sales. Zavvi and Zavvi-owned Arrow are the only ones really to charge unavoidable flat shipping. That is £1.99 at Zavvi and based on weight at Arrow.

I spend thousands a year on Blu-rays, but the BFI store is the one UK store I’ve never ordered from, because it tends to be pricey anyway and the shipping cost dissipates the odd rare bit of good value on individual items. Maybe the BFI store isn’t interested in competing on price or handling small, low value orders where’s there’s little profit to make them worthwhile. That’s entirely understandable.

But it doesn’t change the fact that a flat £5 for their cheapest postage option to send a single Blu-ray isn’t anywhere reflective of what it will cost to send them. It’s more than three times what it would cost to send a single barebones Blu-ray or DVD in a bubble envelope and double the cost for any titles with extra discs or printed materials, or in a sturdier mailer. You can send a boxset (or even boxsets) in a small parcel for £2.99!

[Finch]

Yentl and How I won the War are now officially deleted as per Ben Stoddart's BFI Facebook post. You might still find copies at other retailers but those will be all the remaining stock.

[Finch]

BFI buys Akerman films for the UK

Anyone considering to buy the Criterion set might want to wait a little longer.

[What A Disgrace]

Vindication!