Derek Jarman Volumes 1-2: 1976-1994

Discuss releases by the BFI and the films on them.

Moderator: MichaelB

Message
Author
User avatar
What A Disgrace
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:34 pm
Contact:

Derek Jarman Volumes 1-2: 1976-1994

#1 Post by What A Disgrace » Thu Oct 26, 2017 9:49 am

Five disc Blu-ray boxed set to be released March 26.

Werewolf by Night

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976 -1986

#2 Post by Werewolf by Night » Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:42 am

Wonderful and long overdue. I hope it includes his short films and not just features.

User avatar
Caligula
Carthago delenda est
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:32 am
Location: George, South Africa

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976 -1986

#3 Post by Caligula » Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:55 am

From Amazon:

Product Description
Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986 (Blu-ray)

Derek Jarman sadly passed away from HIV-related complications in February 1994, but his legacy lives on. In the twenty years since his death, his work has lost none of its relevance.

Jarman's multi-faceted work is inspirational in its fearlessness, yet remains touchingly personal. The dynamism of these features evokes comparison with the bold romanticism of directors Ken Russell (an early champion) and Michael Powell, as well as artists Paul Nash and John Piper. But Jarman was also a subversive force in film. Through the provocativeness of Jubilee, The Tempest and The Angelic Conversation, he invoked Elizabethan occultist Dr John Dee and explored alchemical imagery, a subject in which he was well versed, while in Sebastiane and Caravaggio he revived key gay and homo-erotic figures from the past with edgy and unmistakeable style.

Derek Jarman's enduring legacy is celebrated in this lavish box set containing his first five features, newly scanned at 2K from original film elements, alongside an exciting array of new and archival extras.

Special features
Presented in High Definition for the first time
Extensive new and archive extras (Details TBC)
Fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the film, and full film credits
UK | 1976 - 1986 | colour | 461 minutes (+ extras) | 5 x BD50, Region B

User avatar
dda1996a
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#4 Post by dda1996a » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:04 pm

So, Sebastianeo through Caravaggio? I hope this includes his short. Aside from a disappointing view of Jubilee (which I've been meaning to rewatch) I've only seen and liked a few of his shorts so this is a welcome surprise

User avatar
swo17
Bloodthirsty Butcher
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
Location: SLC, UT

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#5 Post by swo17 » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:11 pm

It's outside the advertised timeframe, but Garden of Luxor (included on Kino's edition of The Tempest) would be a nice addition.

User avatar
dda1996a
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#6 Post by dda1996a » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:16 pm

I really do hope they either include his shorts as extras, or release a stand alone set of his extras. BTW where are all these BFI releases announced?

User avatar
colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#7 Post by colinr0380 » Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:55 pm

Sebastiane is my favourite of all Jarman's films, and I'm really looking forward to seeing it getting the upgrade to Blu-ray, as it has always looked stunning even on VHS and DVD. Though of course you have to not be too ruffled by the eye-popping orgy sequence that kicks off the film (which I think is Jarman's all-male take on the riotous naughty nuns from Ken Russell's The Devils!) and be fully on board with the somewhat idyllic vision (at least until jealousy ruins it) of lots of buff and bearded naked men lying around in the sun, playing sports, making dirty jokes and washing each other, with long lingering shots of water (and finally blood) flowing down muscled bodies for the bulk of the running time! I have a sneaking suspicion that it was a big influence on Claire Denis' film Beau Travail also!

I'm assuming Caravaggio and The Angelic Conversation will be at the very least just an upgrade of the existing BFI DVDs, so I'll be especially curious as to what extras will be found for Sebastiane, The Tempest and Jubilee, all of which were released by Second Sight on DVD previously.

User avatar
Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#8 Post by Tommaso » Thu Oct 26, 2017 2:09 pm

The most important extra would be "Imagining October", his 1984 short film made in the USSR. Apparently a very oblique homage to Eisenstein (but unfortunately I've not been able to see it anywhere so far).

User avatar
R0lf
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:25 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#9 Post by R0lf » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:38 am

(SEBASTIANE has been available on blu ray for years.)

User avatar
Aunt Peg
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:30 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#10 Post by Aunt Peg » Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:13 am

R0lf wrote:(SEBASTIANE has been available on blu ray for years.)
True, but it's Region A locked so for those Region B locked folks this is no-brainer. I never bothered with the US release as I read sometime ago that the BFI was working on releasing Jarman's work and here is it. Can't wait for this set, not to mention volume two.

I'll sell off most of my DVDs. I say most because I have two copies of Jubilee. The Criterion and the British release. The Criterion looks better but is cropped and the British release has way more information in the frame so I have always kept the two. I'm hoping the BFI go with the British framing because the cropping in the Criterion is just so obvious - tops of hair do's cut off, etc.

User avatar
Lowry_Sam
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:35 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#11 Post by Lowry_Sam » Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:23 am

The PQ on both Kino BD-25s (The Tempest & Sebastiane) are pretty poor, but I'm not sure how much is due to the quality of the 8 & 16mm stock he used in his early films. Regardless, I don't doubt that BFI can improve on the quality & I'd love to ditch my Kino discs. After revisiting a few of his earlier works after not having seen them in over 2 decades, I'm not sure how much I want his complete output, as much of it felt dated & I had begun to wonder why I was so enamored in the 80s of his output, but I'm glad to see BFI giving it a proper treatment. I'd like to see solo releases of Caravaggio & Edward II on blu, maybe Sebastiane. It would also be nice if they did a stand-alone stacked blu-ray for Blue, the film that probably has the most potential for extras added to it, w/ perhaps the live performance, complete musical contributions that were used, perhaps alternate presentations with options for both a (pure) digital presentation of the color blue or the actual film (with imperfections in the film), as well as interviews with all involved in this project, as I don't see Mute doing anything with it. I also wonder if we'll get a separate shorts collection, as they predate 1976 & perhaps include the "home videos." I passed on the Raro DVDs, so I wouldn't mind seeing those. But that also begs the question if any of his music videos would be included. A separate issue of just the music videos would be nice, but I'm sure rights-clearing would make it difficult, so maybe only a few could be included.

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#12 Post by MichaelB » Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:20 pm

Clearing the rights for music videos can sometimes be eye-watering. I remember the BFI wasn't at all happy with the price being asked for Jan Švankmajer's Another Kind of Love (which was owned by whichever UK record company commissioned it) and the then Head of Content summoned me to his office to ask whether it was absolutely essential that it be included. I said "Well, it's part of the official short-film canon, so how much do you want to be able to put the word 'Complete' on the box?". Thankfully, he agreed.

But that was just one music video; had it been more than one I suspect he'd have baulked - and I honestly wouldn't have blamed him. I forget the exact amount, but per second it was by far the most expensive item on those discs.

User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#13 Post by zedz » Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:54 pm

Lowry_Sam wrote:It would also be nice if they did a stand-alone stacked blu-ray for Blue
Imagine the colour timing arguments!

I think Blue could usefully be paired with his other final film, Glitterbug, which works well as a complementary bookend.

sky
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:09 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#14 Post by sky » Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:00 am

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news ... n-box-sets" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Really looking forward to this, especially "Angelic Conversation" and how much of an upgrade it can be to BFI dvd version.

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#15 Post by MichaelB » Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:54 am

Image

Full specs announced:
Jarman Volume One: 1972-1986

5-disc Limited Edition Blu-ray box set released on 26 March 2018


24 years have gone by since his death at just 52, but the legacy of the iconoclastic filmmaker Derek Jarman (1942-1994) lives on, and his ground-breaking and highly influential work has lost none of its relevance or impact. On 26 March the BFI releases the first of two deluxe Limited Edition box sets that will bring together a selection of his feature films on Blu-ray for the first time. Jarman Volume One: 1972-1986 contains In the Shadow of the Sun, Sebastiane, Jubilee, The Tempest, The Angelic Conversation and Caravaggio and is packed with an incredible 30 extras and accompanied by an 80-page book.

Jarman’s multi-faceted work is inspirational in its fearlessness, yet remains touchingly personal. The dynamism of these features evokes comparison with the bold romanticism of directors like Ken Russell (an early champion) and Michael Powell, as well as artists Paul Nash and John Piper. But Jarman was also a subversive force in film. Beginning with his psychedelic debut feature, In the Shadow of the Sun (1972-1974), then came the provocative Jubilee (1978), the evocative Shakespeare adaptation The Tempest (1979) and The Angelic Conversation (1985), in which he invoked Elizabethan occultist Dr John Dee and explored alchemical imagery, a subject in which he was well versed. In Sebastiane (1976) and Caravaggio (1986) he revived key gay and homo-erotic figures from the past – with edgy and unmistakable style.

Derek Jarman’s first six feature films have all been newly scanned at 2K from original film elements and are presented in this lavish box set alongside an exciting array of new and archival extras drawn from Jarman’s archive of workbooks and papers held in BFI Special Collections. Newly interviewed exclusively for this box set are some of the people who worked on these films; punk legend Jordan, producer and filmmaker Don Boyd, production designer Christopher Hobbs and artist filmmaker John Scarlett-Davis.

Jarman Volume Two: 1987-1993 will be released by the BFI later in 2018.

Special features
• All films presented in High Definition for the first time in the UK;
Sebastiane: A Work in Progress (c.1975): newly remastered from 16mm film elements held by the BFI National Archive, this sadly incomplete early black and white work-print of Sebastiane differs significantly from the finished film. This previously unseen alternate edit – assembled in a different order, featuring a different soundtrack – was never subtitled or released;
The Making of Sebastiane (Derek Jarman & Hugh Smith, 1975): previously unseen Super 8 footage shot on location in Sardinia;
Jazz Calendar (1968): a rarely screened documentary record of the 1968 ballet by Frederick Ashton, performed by The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, for which Jarman designed sets and costumes;
Sloane Square: A Room of One’s Own (1974-76);
• John Scarlett-Davis remembers Sebastiane (2018): the artist filmmaker talks about his experiences on the set of Sebastiane;
Message from the Temple (1981);
TG: Psychic Rally in Heaven (1981);
Pirate Tape (WS Burroughs Film) (1982);
Toyah Willcox: Being Mad (2014); the singer and actress looks back on her role in Jubilee;
Jordan remembers Jubilee (2018): punk icon Jordan looks back on her friendship with Derek Jarman and the making of Jubilee;
Lee Drysdale remembers Jubilee (2018): Derek Jarman’s friend – and later, script collaborator – Lee Drysdale recalls his unconventional involvement in the making of Jubilee;
Stormy Weather: the Magic Behind The Tempest (2016): Toyah Willcox and Stuart Hopps share their memories of working on Derek Jarman's 1979 production of The Tempest;
John Scarlett-Davis remembers The Tempest (2018): the artist filmmaker looks back on his time as Derek Jarman’s assistant on the set of The Tempest;
Don Boyd remembers The Tempest (2018): Producer and filmmaker Don Boyd remembers the production, release and critical reception of The Tempest;
• Audio commentary for Caravaggio by cinematographer Gabriel Beristain;
A Meeting of Minds: Christopher Hobbs on collaborating with Derek Jarman (2018): production designer Christopher Hobbs looks back on his long and fruitfully creative friendship with Derek Jarman;
Fragments of Memory: Christopher Hobbs on working with Derek Jarman (2007): archive interview with the production designer;
To the Cliffs: James Mackay on working with Derek Jarman (2007): archive interview with producer James Mackay on his numerous collaborations with Jarman;
Derek Jarman: The Films that Never Were (2018): Christopher Hobbs, John Scarlett-Davis and Lee Drysdale look back on unrealised Derek Jarman features, including Egyptian period drama Akhenaten and science fiction horror Neutron;
Akhenaten Image Gallery: a selection of beautiful illustrations, images and production designs for the unmade feature by production designer Christopher Hobbs;
Neutron storyboards: revealed here in their entirety for the first time, the complete set of brilliant comic-strip style storyboards for this provocative science fiction project, drawn by Christopher Hobbs;
Caravaggio in Docklands (1985);
Kind Blasphemy: Nigel Terry on Derek Jarman and Caravaggio (2007);
Tilda Swinton on Derek Jarman and Caravaggio (2007): archive interview with the Academy Award-winning actress;
Italy of the Memory: Christopher Hobbs on Caravaggio (2007);
Dexter Fletcher on Caravaggio (2014);
Christopher Hobbs remembers Caravaggio (2018): further reminiscences of the making of Caravaggio from its production designer;
Derek Jarman interviewed by Derek Malcolm (1986, audio only);
In the Studio: Caravaggio soundtrack recording sessions (1986, audio only);
• Derek Jarman’s Caravaggio notebook (Gallery);
• Five galleries featuring storyboards, production designs and Jarman’s notes on Caravaggio;
• Image galleries for Sebastiane, Jubilee, The Tempest, The Angelic Conversation and Caravaggio;
• Original theatrical trailers for The Angelic Conversation and Caravaggio;
• Fully illustrated 80-page book with new writing on the film, contemporary reviews and full film credits.

Product details
RRP: £69.99/ Cat. no. BFIB1301/ Cert 18
UK / 1972-1986 / colour / 515 mins (+ extras) / English language with optional hard-of-hearing subtitles (Sebastiane is presented in Latin with optional English subtitles) / original aspect ratios / 5 x BD50: 1080p, 24fps / In the Shadow of the Sun / Sebastiane / Jubilee / The Tempest / Caravaggio: PCM 2.0 mono audio (48kHz/24-bit) / The Angelic Conversation: PCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/24-bit)

User avatar
tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#16 Post by tenia » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:00 am

This looks very promising. I've always delayed buying the existing BD releases of his work, and it looks like it's now the best time to dive in it.

User avatar
What A Disgrace
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:34 pm
Contact:

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#17 Post by What A Disgrace » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:06 am

Curious that the Caravaggio commentary is not included.

User avatar
dda1996a
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#18 Post by dda1996a » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:58 am

This looks so good but it's easily the most expensive directors boxset out of the few I want (two Suzukis, one Hou Hsien).
Do BFI boxset drop in price?
Also what does bring a selection of his work mean? What will be missing from volume 2? Blue or Glitterbug?

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#19 Post by MichaelB » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:02 am

dda1996a wrote:This looks so good but it's easily the most expensive directors boxset out of the few I want (two Suzukis, one Hou Hsien).
Do BFI boxset drop in price?
It's a limited edition, so it's a gamble. I certainly wouldn't expect to see it adorning any bargain bins any time soon.

Although, that said, it's worth noting that that's the RRP. The actual retail price will most likely be less.
Also what does bring a selection of his work mean? What will be missing from volume 2? Blue or Glitterbug?
I don't know the final specs for volume 2. I doubt the BFI have nailed them down yet either just yet.

User avatar
dda1996a
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#20 Post by dda1996a » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:45 am

Not hoping it would drop to something like 20 pounds, but even the Rossellini war trilogy dropped enough for me to get it. I am constantly annoyed at how much cheaper Arrow box sets end up being compared to how much I payed for them, so I'm holding on buying them.
So I'm hoping this drops to around 35-40 for me to buy it.
Also I've only seen a few shorts by him I liked, and saw Jubilee a few years ago but was completely lost (granted I'm at much better footing now with the avant-garde and films overall) but is there a good starting point with Jarman?

User avatar
Big Ben
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:54 pm
Location: Great Falls, Montana

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#21 Post by Big Ben » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:55 am

I started with Edward II. It's very clearly a Jarman film despite having been written by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries Christopher Marlowe.

User avatar
MichaelB
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Worthing
Contact:

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#22 Post by MichaelB » Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:28 pm

What A Disgrace wrote:Curious that the Caravaggio commentary is not included.
Especially since the BFI commissioned it in the first place.

Fortunately, it turned out to have been omitted from the listing by accident, along with the Lee Drysdale piece on Jubilee - both have been added.

Incidentally, the production team reckons that the extras will take about ten hours to get through.

User avatar
RobertB
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:00 pm
Location: Sweden

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#23 Post by RobertB » Tue Feb 06, 2018 1:49 pm

This and Volume 2 will be boxes of the year for me. Plenty of interesting extras, but I only score it 9.5 of 10, due to so many shorts missing. But all will be forgiven if Glitterbug is included in volume 2. Please, please! Price per disc isn't much higher than what Bill Morrison: Selected Films costs on Amazon, and that is almost three years old.

User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#24 Post by zedz » Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:52 pm

Big Ben wrote:I started with Edward II. It's very clearly a Jarman film despite having been written by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries Christopher Marlowe.
Agreed. I'd say that and Wittgenstein are his most accessible and linear films, while still being - like everything he did - defiantly idiosyncratic and personal.

Orlac
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:29 am

Re: Derek Jarman Volume 1: 1976-1986

#25 Post by Orlac » Fri Feb 09, 2018 7:45 am

Is anything, besides the book, exclusive to this set, or will everything get released as standalone discs?

Post Reply