BFI (British Film Institute)

[tenia]

Beautifully shot and haunting film. The HD master used for the BD is a tad disappointing though. Plenty of shots are beautiful. Plenty of other shots are very dirty and wobbly and not as defined as they should.

The release is a bit more packed than what I learnt to expect from the BFI, good thing on this area.

[beamish14]

They really should've asked Atom Egoyan to do an interview/commentary for Mademoiselle. He has said that it was
the catalyst for his whole career.

[Stefan Andersson]

Mademoiselle was shot in English and French versions according to these pages:

https://www.thedigitalfix.com/film/dvd- ... emoiselle/ (review of English version on Optimum DVD)
https://www.nytimes.com/1966/08/02/arch ... plaza.html
https://variety.com/1966/film/reviews/m ... 200421323/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060648/tr ... t_ql_trv_1

The BFI page only lists French language w/ English subs. Would have been nice if the BFI had included the English track.

[L.A.]

Mademoiselle was shot in English and French versions according to these pages:

https://www.thedigitalfix.com/film/dvd- ... emoiselle/ (review of English version on Optimum DVD)
https://www.nytimes.com/1966/08/02/arch ... plaza.html
https://variety.com/1966/film/reviews/m ... 200421323/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060648/tr ... t_ql_trv_1

The BFI page only lists French language w/ English subs. Would have been nice if the BFI had included the English track.

According to DVD Compare it has both the French and English soundtracks.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

I haven't seen the film so I don't know if this is accurate, but DVD Compare uses the "Language 1/Language 2" formatting to indicate a multilingual audio track, in this case a soundtrack with both English and French dialogue. If there were a separate French track it would be listed on a separate line as "French LPCM 2.0 mono" or something like that.

[Stefan Andersson]

I haven't seen the film so I don't know if this is accurate, but DVD Compare uses the "Language 1/Language 2" formatting to indicate a multilingual audio track, in this case a soundtrack with both English and French dialogue. If there were a separate French track it would be listed on a separate line as "French LPCM 2.0 mono" or something like that.

DVDCompare also says the disc has English subs "for French portions". This also seems to indicate a multilingual audio track.

[L.A.]

Multilingual, of course. Interestingly, IMDb lists language as ”French, Italian, Latin”.

[GaryC]

I have a checkdisc of the BFI release - and, full disclosure, I wrote the Digital Fix DVD review linked to above, eleven years ago. There's only the one soundtrack (apart from Adrian Martin's commentary), mostly English with the Italian characters speaking among themselves in Italian. The subtitle options default to a translation of the Italian dialogue and some French on-screen text, for example the signage of the local tobacco shop. There are also English hard-of-hearing subtitles available and an option via your remote, not the menu, to switch all subtitles off. The subtitles are on the feature only, not on Keith Skinner's interview or the second feature Doll's Eye, which is English-language.

[L.A.]

How 3 pioneering Australian sisters made a silent gem, The Cheaters

[L.A.]

Mademoiselle (Dual Format Edition) coming September 21st.

Beaver.

[tenia]

I'm very surprised by how dirty this and After The Fox is in terms on dirt and speckles on the screen. The first 10 minutes of Mademoiselle are littered with them, and fortunately it quiets down after this, but I was surprised an additionnal pass of clean up wasn't performed.

The HD master is quite schizophreniac too. Like Pocketful of Miracles, it at times almost looks like a brand new scan, maybe even 4k from the OCN, but it most certainly just is an old HD master and it shows most of the time. Not a bad one, but one in dire need for proper cleaning and frame stabilisation.

Fortunately, the striking photo of Mademoiselle doesn't suffer from the ol' ways of grading, and the same goes for Pocketful of Miracles, but After The Fox clearly looks like an older MGM HD master in this regard.

As usual, I quite liked the very tengantial extra movies included by the BFI. Some might prefer more directly related extras (Mademoiselle and After the Fox have, Pocketful, not so much), but I love the idea of taking every opportunity to offer a look in the archives.

[Stefan Andersson]

Any chance of the BFI reprinting and/or updating The BFI Companion to Science Fiction, edited by Philip Strick?

[Stefan Andersson]

Short Sharp Shocks contains the following films...

• Lock Your Door (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
  The Reformation of St Jules (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
  The Tell-Tale Heart (J B Williams, 1953)
  Death Was a Passenger (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
  Portrait of a Matador (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
  Twenty Nine (Brian Cummins, 1969)
  The Sex Victims (Derek Robbins, 1973)
  The Lake (Lindsey C Vickers, 1978)
  The Errand (Nigel Finch, 1980)

And these extras, so far.

• Interview with Peter Shillingford (2020): newly recorded interview with the producer of Twenty Nine
  Interview with David McGillivray (2020): newly recorded interview the writer of The Errand
  Interview with Kate Lees (2020): the chair of Adelphi Films discusses the 2017 discovery of the long thought lost 1953 short The Tell-Tale Heart starring Stanley Baker
  Interview with Renee Glynn (2020): newly recorded interview with the script-supervisor on Twenty Nine
  Image galleries for The Tell-Tale Heart, The Lake and The Errand
  Script galleries for The Lake and The Errand
  The original short story of The Errand, presented as a viewable gallery
  Other extras TBC
  ***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the films by Vic Pratt, Dr Josephine Botting, William Fowler, Jonathan Rigby, Peter Shillingford, Lindsey C Vickers and David McGillivray

This sounds very interesting.

Glancing through Jonathan Rigby´s English Gothic, I find quite a few possibilities for a volume 2:
Markheim, Tony Richardson, 1952
Mirror and Markheim w/ Christopher Lee, 1953
Alias John Preston, w/ Christopher Lee
The Man and the Snake, Sture Rydman
The Return, Sture Rydman
Red, Astrid Frank
Panic, James Dearden
Black Angel, Roger Christian
The Bloody Chamber, based on Angela Carter

I´m sure there are other worthy candidates to be found in the pages of Rigby´s wonderful book. I understand that Short Sharp Shocks is intended for shorts originally shown in cinemas, so that rules out TV productions; but if TV films can be included in the future, I would be intrigued to see these:
A Photograph, John Bowen, LWT
BBC´s Late Night Horror
BBC´s Dead of Night series
BBC´s Wessex Tales - The Severed Arm and Barbara of the House of Grebe, written by David Mercer
BC´s Supernatural series
Shades of Darkness, Granada series
The Gourmet, 1984, written by Kazuo Ishiguro

There are probably more good TV films to choose from. I picked the above titles because of intriguing plot premises, actors, writers, the underlying short stories (often by respected authors), or just Rigby´s good opinion of a certain title.

Lindsey C Vickers´ full-length The Appointment, starring Edward Woodward, is padded according to Rigby, but gets a good write-up here:
https://horrornews.net/78169/film-revie ... ment-1981/
Perhaps a candidate for a Flipside release?

[Mr. Deltoid]

Short Sharp Shocks contains the following films...

• Lock Your Door (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
  The Reformation of St Jules (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
  The Tell-Tale Heart (J B Williams, 1953)
  Death Was a Passenger (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
  Portrait of a Matador (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
  Twenty Nine (Brian Cummins, 1969)
  The Sex Victims (Derek Robbins, 1973)
  The Lake (Lindsey C Vickers, 1978)
  The Errand (Nigel Finch, 1980)

And these extras, so far.

• Interview with Peter Shillingford (2020): newly recorded interview with the producer of Twenty Nine
  Interview with David McGillivray (2020): newly recorded interview the writer of The Errand
  Interview with Kate Lees (2020): the chair of Adelphi Films discusses the 2017 discovery of the long thought lost 1953 short The Tell-Tale Heart starring Stanley Baker
  Interview with Renee Glynn (2020): newly recorded interview with the script-supervisor on Twenty Nine
  Image galleries for The Tell-Tale Heart, The Lake and The Errand
  Script galleries for The Lake and The Errand
  The original short story of The Errand, presented as a viewable gallery
  Other extras TBC
  ***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the films by Vic Pratt, Dr Josephine Botting, William Fowler, Jonathan Rigby, Peter Shillingford, Lindsey C Vickers and David McGillivray

This sounds very interesting.

Glancing through Jonathan Rigby´s English Gothic, I find quite a few possibilities for a volume 2:
Markheim, Tony Richardson, 1952
Mirror and Markheim w/ Christopher Lee, 1953
Alias John Preston, w/ Christopher Lee
The Man and the Snake, Sture Rydman
The Return, Sture Rydman
Red, Astrid Frank
Panic, James Dearden
Black Angel, Roger Christian
The Bloody Chamber, based on Angela Carter

I´m sure there are other worthy candidates to be found in the pages of Rigby´s wonderful book. I understand that Short Sharp Shocks is intended for shorts originally shown in cinemas, so that rules out TV productions; but if TV films can be included in the future, I would be intrigued to see these:
A Photograph, John Bowen, LWT
BBC´s Late Night Horror
BBC´s Dead of Night series
BBC´s Wessex Tales - The Severed Arm and Barbara of the House of Grebe, written by David Mercer
BC´s Supernatural series
Shades of Darkness, Granada series
The Gourmet, 1984, written by Kazuo Ishiguro

There are probably more good TV films to choose from. I picked the above titles because of intriguing plot premises, actors, writers, the underlying short stories (often by respected authors), or just Rigby´s good opinion of a certain title.

Lindsey C Vickers´ full-length The Appointment, starring Edward Woodward, is padded according to Rigby, but gets a good write-up here:
https://horrornews.net/78169/film-revie ... ment-1981/
Perhaps a candidate for a Flipside release?

I've been waiting for a collection of supporting shorts from the BFI for ages and this looks superb. Hopefully it sells well!
As to Stefan's list above, A Photograph is coming this month as part of the BFI's Play For Today Box-Set, while the Dead of Night series (or, what remains of it!) Was released back in 2014!
Personally I'd love to see James Dearden's Panic accompany a release of his 1980 supporting feature, Diversion, which was the original basis for Fatal Attraction and which it's claimed Paramount tried to suppress in the wake of the latter film's success!

[jlnight]

Panic played alongside The Lake and Twenty-Nine at a Flipside event in 2012. I am guessing that the reason it was not included in this set is because it is a Paramount title. I do not think that any Paramount title has appeared on Flipside, although I am sure I will be corrected.

[reaky]

Supernatural (1977) has also had a 2-disc DVD release from the BFI.

[Stefan Andersson]

Short Sharp Shocks contains the following films...

• Lock Your Door (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
  The Reformation of St Jules (Anthony Gilkison, 1949)
  The Tell-Tale Heart (J B Williams, 1953)
  Death Was a Passenger (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
  Portrait of a Matador (Theodore Zichy, 1958)
  Twenty Nine (Brian Cummins, 1969)
  The Sex Victims (Derek Robbins, 1973)
  The Lake (Lindsey C Vickers, 1978)
  The Errand (Nigel Finch, 1980)

And these extras, so far.

• Interview with Peter Shillingford (2020): newly recorded interview with the producer of Twenty Nine
  Interview with David McGillivray (2020): newly recorded interview the writer of The Errand
  Interview with Kate Lees (2020): the chair of Adelphi Films discusses the 2017 discovery of the long thought lost 1953 short The Tell-Tale Heart starring Stanley Baker
  Interview with Renee Glynn (2020): newly recorded interview with the script-supervisor on Twenty Nine
  Image galleries for The Tell-Tale Heart, The Lake and The Errand
  Script galleries for The Lake and The Errand
  The original short story of The Errand, presented as a viewable gallery
  Other extras TBC
  ***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the films by Vic Pratt, Dr Josephine Botting, William Fowler, Jonathan Rigby, Peter Shillingford, Lindsey C Vickers and David McGillivray

This sounds very interesting.

Glancing through Jonathan Rigby´s English Gothic, I find quite a few possibilities for a volume 2:
Markheim, Tony Richardson, 1952
Mirror and Markheim w/ Christopher Lee, 1953
Alias John Preston, w/ Christopher Lee
The Man and the Snake, Sture Rydman
The Return, Sture Rydman
Red, Astrid Frank
Panic, James Dearden
Black Angel, Roger Christian
The Bloody Chamber, based on Angela Carter

I´m sure there are other worthy candidates to be found in the pages of Rigby´s wonderful book. I understand that Short Sharp Shocks is intended for shorts originally shown in cinemas, so that rules out TV productions; but if TV films can be included in the future, I would be intrigued to see these:
A Photograph, John Bowen, LWT
BBC´s Late Night Horror
BBC´s Dead of Night series
BBC´s Wessex Tales - The Severed Arm and Barbara of the House of Grebe, written by David Mercer
BC´s Supernatural series
Shades of Darkness, Granada series
The Gourmet, 1984, written by Kazuo Ishiguro

There are probably more good TV films to choose from. I picked the above titles because of intriguing plot premises, actors, writers, the underlying short stories (often by respected authors), or just Rigby´s good opinion of a certain title.

Lindsey C Vickers´ full-length The Appointment, starring Edward Woodward, is padded according to Rigby, but gets a good write-up here:
https://horrornews.net/78169/film-revie ... ment-1981/
Perhaps a candidate for a Flipside release?

I've been waiting for a collection of supporting shorts from the BFI for ages and this looks superb. Hopefully it sells well!
As to Stefan's list above, A Photograph is coming this month as part of the BFI's Play For Today Box-Set, while the Dead of Night series (or, what remains of it!) Was released back in 2014!
Personally I'd love to see James Dearden's Panic accompany a release of his 1980 supporting feature, Diversion, which was the original basis for Fatal Attraction and which it's claimed Paramount tried to suppress in the wake of the latter film's success!

Thanks for the release info about A Photograph and Dead of Night!

[Stefan Andersson]

Supernatural (1977) has also had a 2-disc DVD release from the BFI.

Thank you for this information!

[beamish14]

Black Angel, Roger Christian

I'd love to see this, but Christian is preparing his own release and trying to expand it into a feature right now. If you
haven't checked it out on YouTube, please do so!

I'd LOVE to see The Gourmet finally.

[beamish14]

Black Angel, Roger Christian

I'd love to see this, but Christian is preparing his own release and trying to expand it into a feature right now.

The Gourmet in HD would be fantastic.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Glancing through Jonathan Rigby´s English Gothic, I find quite a few possibilities for a volume 2:
Markheim, Tony Richardson, 1952

This was actually a television production for the BBC's Sunday-Night Theatre; here's the Radio Times listing. A bigger obstacle to its inclusion is that, per Lez Cooke's British Television Drama, no recording is known to exist. Also, Alias John Preston is a feature, albeit a short one (66 minutes).

[GaryC]

I´m sure there are other worthy candidates to be found in the pages of Rigby´s wonderful book. I understand that Short Sharp Shocks is intended for shorts originally shown in cinemas, so that rules out TV productions; but if TV films can be included in the future, I would be intrigued to see these:

BBC´s Late Night Horror

Only one episode of this exists - "The Corpse Can't Play". I saw it at Missing Believed WIped a couple of years ago. It's a black and white 16mm telerecording of a colour original, but I don't know if colour recovery will be possible with it. I thought it was pretty effective, and quite gruesome at the end - even more so for the tiny minority who saw it in colour on both of its broadcasts.

[Stefan Andersson]

Black Angel, Roger Christian

I'd love to see this, but Christian is preparing his own release and trying to expand it into a feature right now. If you
haven't checked it out on YouTube, please do so!

I'd LOVE to see The Gourmet finally.

Thanks! Great information!

[Stefan Andersson]

Glancing through Jonathan Rigby´s English Gothic, I find quite a few possibilities for a volume 2:
Markheim, Tony Richardson, 1952

This was actually a television production for the BBC's Sunday-Night Theatre; here's the Radio Times listing. A bigger obstacle to its inclusion is that, per Lez Cooke's British Television Drama, no recording is known to exist. Also, Alias John Preston is a feature, albeit a short one (66 minutes).

Thanks for updating me on the Markheim situation and the running time of Alias John Preston; erroneously remembered the latter as around 30 mins. long.

[Stefan Andersson]

I´m sure there are other worthy candidates to be found in the pages of Rigby´s wonderful book. I understand that Short Sharp Shocks is intended for shorts originally shown in cinemas, so that rules out TV productions; but if TV films can be included in the future, I would be intrigued to see these:

BBC´s Late Night Horror

Only one episode of this exists - "The Corpse Can't Play". I saw it at Missing Believed WIped a couple of years ago. It's a black and white 16mm telerecording of a colour original, but I don't know if colour recovery will be possible with it. I thought it was pretty effective, and quite gruesome at the end - even more so for the tiny majority who saw it in colour on both of its broadcasts.

Thanks for this update! Very sad to hear that all other episodes are lost.