BFI (British Film Institute)

[MichaelB]

The BFI's single most important cultural responsibility, and greatest expense (as it's impossible to run something like that at a profit, not least because the BFI doesn't own the rights to the overwhelming majority of what it preserves), is the continued operation of the BFI National Archive. One would hope that not even Jacob Rees-Mogg would be that much of a vandal, not least because there's footage preserved there that's almost as old as the persona he's chosen to adopt.

(I'm actually older than him, but I don't think I'm flattering myself even the tiniest bit when I say that this isn't at all obvious.)

[Orlac]

I actually have a recurring dream where I'm trapped in Salo (coincidentally a BFI release!) and on the last dream, Rees-Mogg was in the bloody thing! Thankfully clothed...

[MichaelB]

Of course. He'd have been one of the perpetrators.

Talking of which, I once had a boss who was the absolute living spit of Aldo Valletti in that film, which was a great shame as he was a genuinely lovely bloke (and presumably still is, but I haven't spoken to him in two decades).

[L.A.]

Before Dracula: the early Christopher Lee films that shaped an acting legend

One hundred years after his birth, we go looking for the seeds of Christopher Lee’s great career in the 30 films he made before Hammer made him a megastar.

[MichaelB]

In Penny and the Pownall Case, the would-be shocking plot twist where that nice young man turns out to have been a wrong 'un all along probably worked better in 1948 - now, you just clock Christopher Lee in the part and predict precisely (and accurately) how it's going to turn out.

Something similar happens in Dragonwyck with Vincent Price.

[Orlac]

I always wonder...if Hammer has cast Bernard Bresslaw as the Frankenstein monster instead, and that film was still a hit...who would have played Dracula?

[GaryC]

I always wonder...if Hammer has cast Bernard Bresslaw as the Frankenstein monster instead, and that film was still a hit...who would have played Dracula?

And who would have acted in all those Carry On films?

[MichaelB]

Well, Christopher Lee, obviously. I mean, duh.

[Orlac]

And then we'd get him saying he hadn't made a comedy for 30 years, having just appeared in I Bought A Vampire Motorcycle.

[Finch]

EO, Jerzy Skolimowski's Cannes entry, has been bought for the UK by the BFI (and by Sideshow and Janus Films for the US)

[FrauBlucher]

Wim Wenders discusses new 4k restoration of Wings of Desire, plus trailer

[L.A.]

10 great dystopian video games

[ryannichols7]

it appears Watership Down will be the BFI's fourth UHD release, out 24 October

[L.A.]

10 great reggae films

[colinr0380]

10 great dystopian video games

I know it is a bit of a listical piece preparing for the release of Stray but I don't know how they could do a series on dystopian video games without acknowledging the Bioshock series at all! And where's the Blade Runner game, Observer, Manhunter, Soma, Inside or Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator?

[L.A.]

Manhunter

I remember this, was fortunate to play and even finish both this and the sequel Manhunter 2: San Francisco. Man these were gross ! A third game was supposed to be coming but was cancelled if I recall. All in all, Sierra’s games are pure gold.

IMO, another game that belongs to the list is B.A.T. (Bureau of Astral Troubleshooters) from Ubisoft.

[beamish14]

Manhunter

I remember this, was fortunate to play and even finish both this and the sequel Manhunter 2: San Francisco. Man these were gross ! A third game was supposed to be coming but was cancelled if I recall. All in all, Sierra’s games are pure gold.

IMO, another game that belongs to the list is B.A.T. (Bureau of Astral Troubleshooters) from Ubisoft.

I’m a huge fan of Sierra’s output, in addition to their subsidiary Dynamix’s. Hell, my username comes from one of their best games

[colinr0380]

I was absolutely terrible at Sierra games as a kid, though it was enjoyable enough to just play around in the world and inevitably die a lot. While I liked the Sierra games my heart was of course much more into the Lucasarts titles, and I did love a lot of the adventure games that Delphine produced (Cruise For A Corpse, Future Wars and Operation Stealth particularly), although I remember needing a walkthrough to get around the sometimes obtuse puzzles in those!

But I remember my very favourite adventure game of the time (which is arguably a fit for the dystopian list, though not sci-fi) was KGB, with its great (albeit incessant) score! I wonder if that has received the GOG or Steam reissue treatment as yet?

[cdnchris]

I’m a huge fan of Sierra’s output, in addition to their subsidiary Dynamix’s. Hell, my username comes from one of their best games

Your username always makes me think of that one and wondered if it was a reference to that game. I still have the CD-ROM somewhere. i remember clearly being stuck at one part for a couple of days only to accidentally click the right mouse button and switching the icon to what I needed (or something to that effect).

I still have the Kings Quest and Police Quest games packed in a box. And Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist.

[beamish14]

I’m a huge fan of Sierra’s output, in addition to their subsidiary Dynamix’s. Hell, my username comes from one of their best games

Your username always makes me think of that one and wondered if it was a reference to that game. I still have the CD-ROM somewhere. i remember clearly being stuck at one part for a couple of days only to accidentally click the right mouse button and switching the icon to what I needed (or something to that effect).

I still have the Kings Quest and Police Quest games packed in a box. And Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist.

You’re lucky to have gotten it on CD-ROM. Mine had 6 floppy discs in a baggy, which my father had to create backups of (with the assistance of random people off a Prodigy message board). Still, the game came with a very elaborate facsimile of Willy’s notebook AND a wristwatch. Interesting to note that the Sega-CD port (which crashed after less than 20 minutes, like most of their titles), had a killer theme tune

Very questionable endorsement of former LAPD chief Daryl F. Gates aside, the Police Quest/S.W.A.T. games were definitely well-crafted, and I also liked Leisure Suit Larry and Phantasmagoria

[eerik]

it appears Watership Down will be the BFI's fourth UHD release, out 24 October

That's another Warner license, right? Pleasantly surprised with BFI's UHD selection so far, after a Swedish and an Australian film they've gone with 2 British productions controlled by American studios. I wonder if they would have any interest in getting The Italian Job from Paramoun? Apparently it has a new 4K master, but Kino Lorber did not think it was popular enough for a UHD disc in the US.

[L.A.]

Mods, one more time if I may…

I was absolutely terrible at Sierra games as a kid

The only Sierra game I couldn’t complete was Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero, simply too hard and partially because of my limited English language skills then (late 80’s - early 90’s), thanks to these games I learned my English eventually. Fortunately someone who was an expert Quest for Glory gamer played it from start to finish so was able to see it at least somehow, the other QfQ titles I never witnessed unfortunately.

Gold Rush! was an experience I’ll never forget, love it.

Cruise For A Corpse

[Tuppence]

That's another Warner license, right?

No, it's an independent production that's bounced around a few different UK labels over the decades. Universal had it most recently, and Warner before them.

[Calvin]

Watership Down was in the Euro-London Films catalogue, which also includes Scum, Walkabout, Tommy, Whip and the Body, and Repulsion but Richard Adams' estate successfully won back the rights from Martin Rosen in a lawsuit back in 2020. Presumably the BFI have licenced it directly from the estate.

[ryannichols7]

it appears Watership Down will be the BFI's fourth UHD release, out 24 October

That's another Warner license, right? Pleasantly surprised with BFI's UHD selection so far, after a Swedish and an Australian film they've gone with 2 British productions controlled by American studios. I wonder if they would have any interest in getting The Italian Job from Paramoun? Apparently it has a new 4K master, but Kino Lorber did not think it was popular enough for a UHD disc in the US.

I do really appreciate that they're doing a lot of these British classics that wouldn't get the same treatment. like you said, The Italian Job would be a perfect choice for them after Kino rejected it....they've had a good streak with Paramount licenses lately and this would be the best available