London - The Modern Babylon

Discuss releases by the BFI and the films on them.

Moderator: MichaelB

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

London - The Modern Babylon

#1 Post by MichaelB » Fri Aug 17, 2012 1:08 pm

Julien Temple's found-footage portrait of his home city confirmed as a 22 October DVD release on the BFI's Facebook page.

Those in the UK have roughly 24 hours to catch a free preview on the BBC iPlayer.

User avatar
antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: London - The Modern Babylon

#2 Post by antnield » Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:57 am

Product description from the Amazon page:
London: A Modern Babylon a film by Julien Temple

London:The Modern Babylon is legendary director Julien Temple's epic time-travelling voyage to the heart of his hometown.

From musicians, writers and artists to dangerous thinkers, political radicals and above all ordinary people, this is the story of London's immigrants and bohemians and how together they changed the city forever. Reaching back to London at the start of the 20th century, the story unfolds through film archive and the voices of Londoners past and present, powered by the popular music from across the century. It ends in 2012, as London prepares to welcome the world as it hosts the Olympics

'Its collage technique, humanism and sympathy for ordinary people has much in common with the vision of Britain created by Danny Boyle's team for the opening of the Olympics...A movie to Cherish' Philip French, The Observer

Special features

- Audio commentary by director Julien Temple
- Interview with Julien Temple
- Original trailer
- Fully illustrated booklet with newly commissioned essays and comprehensive credits
Image

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

Re: London - The Modern Babylon

#3 Post by MichaelB » Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:21 am

Full specs announced:
London: The Modern Babylon
A Julien Temple Film

Seen recently in cinemas and on BBC TV, legendary director Julien Temple’s enthusiastically received London: The Modern Babylon is released on DVD by the BFI on 22 October. Narrated through a century of music and film archive treasures, this incredibly moving and compelling film that demands repeat viewing tells the story of London’s epic journey through 100 years of cultural upheaval and reinvention, from the birth of the 20th century to the year in which it has been on show to the world as host of the 2012 Olympic Games.

London: The Modern Babylon is a kaleidoscope of TV and film clips, photos, graffiti and paintings, poetry extracts, advertising images and album covers, even some home movies contributed by the public, assembled in layers just as London has been endlessly layered over by new arrivals and new influences. From 1890s hand cranked black and white 35mm, through early 16mm home movies in the late ‘20s, Super 8mm in the ‘50s and ‘60s, VHS in the ‘80s, Mini DV in the 90s to today's Hi Def, each format evokes the period in which it was shot, dramatically foregrounding how the old, monochrome London has exploded into vivid multicultural colour.

With archive producer Miriam Walsh, Julien Temple and his team – including producers Amanda Temple, Stephen Malit, Rosa Bosch and George Hencken, cinematographer Stephen Organ and editor Caroline Richards – tackled a mammoth number of hours of archive material from over a thousand sources. Along with freshly shot footage, they began the assembly of a rich collage, glued together by interviews with contemporary London characters. Among the line-up of familiar faces are David Bowie, Ray Davies, Bishi, Mick Jagger, Michael Caine, Tony Benn, Malcolm McLaren, the Royal Family, various Prime Ministers of the last century as well as the ordinary people of London from all walks of life.

Building on Julien’s strong roots in music videos, the film is energised by an extraordinary soundtrack spanning 100 years of London music including iconic tracks from the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Small Faces, Lily Allen, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, The Kinks, Madness and Bob Marley through to Tommy Trinder, Max Bygraves, Vera Lynn, Lonnie Donnegan, Murray Johnson, Rolf Harris and Robert Burns, plus many more.

Rocking back and forth in time and texture, the film’s themes resonate throughout the last century: oppression and despair, division and rioting, accommodation and union. London has seen these patterns repeat with small mutations again and again, and each time the city emerges a little healthier into a new era of social change.

Special features
• Interview with Julien Temple
• Original trailer
• Illustrated booklet with contributions from Jonathan Romney and John Wyver and comprehensive credits

Product details
RRP: £19.99 / cat. no. BFIVD968 / Cert 15
UK / 2012 / colour and black & white / 128 mins / Ratio 16:9
(Unless it's an accidental omission, they seem to have had second thoughts about the commentary, but I can't say I'm surprised - the film is more than eloquent enough in its own right!)

Robin Davies
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:00 am

Re: London - The Modern Babylon

#4 Post by Robin Davies » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:08 pm

MichaelB wrote:(Unless it's an accidental omission, they seem to have had second thoughts about the commentary, but I can't say I'm surprised - the film is more than eloquent enough in its own right!)
Maybe they heard his desperately dull commentary on The Filth And The Fury. I seem to remember he quit long before the end of the film without even saying goodbye!

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

Re: London - The Modern Babylon

#5 Post by MichaelB » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:38 am

Release delayed until 29 October.

(All the BFI's October releases are coming out then.)

User avatar
antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: London - The Modern Babylon

#6 Post by antnield » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:21 pm


User avatar
antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: London - The Modern Babylon

#7 Post by antnield » Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:36 am


Post Reply