BFI (British Film Institute)

[criterionsnob]

Easy pre-order for the Wiseman set. Five 4K restored films on Blu-ray for basically the cost of what one of the DVDs on his website costs.

[MichaelB]

You'd think there might be at least a smidge of a reason to think a release of Alpha Beta might do alright, what with Finney and all.

Which may well suggest that there's a rights complication. It's unlikely that home video rights would have been cleared back then (what with home video not yet being a commercial going concern), which means that such a release will almost certainly have to go back to basics and clear everything.

And in such a situation, just one person (or their estate if deceased) can torpedo the entire project - for instance, Vladimir Nabokov's estate is the reason why Tony Richardson's Laughter in the Dark is very unlikely to be seen much before 2050 (barring a change in copyright legislation) and certain episodes of Doctor Who can't be watched via the BBC iPlayer thanks to the writers' estates refusing to grant the necessary permissions.

Not that I'm saying that Alpha Beta is caught up in a similar tangle, but it's from an era where such things were sadly all too common.

[JSC]

Many years ago now, I e-mailed the BFI about Alpha Beta but never got a response. Having read about it (and
being a fan of Albert Finney and Rachel Roberts), I would really like to see it. I've never seen it listed anywhere
(I think it had a limited theatrical release in America and a tv screening in the UK in 1974 and that's it).

[beamish14]

Many years ago now, I e-mailed the BFI about Alpha Beta but never got a response. Having read about it (and
being a fan of Albert Finney and Rachel Roberts), I would really like to see it. I've never seen it listed anywhere
(I think it had a limited theatrical release in America and a tv screening in the UK in 1974 and that's it).

I’ve always been interested in this title, too. I’m surprised that it didn’t get a rediscovery after Finney’s passing

The Paley Center doesn’t have it, but the Library of Congress does

[GaryC]

I wonder if BFI would be willing, or able ($$$, rights situation, etc.) to release Anthony Page's seemingly MIA television film-filmed play Alpha Beta with Albert Finney and Rachel Roberts? It's supposed to have performances from those two that are possibly the best of either's career.

I do remember that being shown, though didn't see it on either TV broadcast (1 January 1974 and 22 December 1974). It was made for the cinema and got as far as BBFC certification (AA) but failed to find distribution - it's 66 minutes long, which can't have helped - and so premiered on BBC2. (If memory serves, it did have a showing at the London Film Festival but I'd have to confirm that.) I'd certainly like to see it.

[domino harvey]

Wow, the Wiseman set is only $39.99 on Orbit!

[charal]

I taped it off tv in the 80s and watched it a few times. Unfortunately someone borrowed it and I lost track of the tape. I still remember the intensity of Robert’s performance. Without a doubt, to my mind, it was her best work. My second favourite performance of hers is from ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning’ where she was also a paired with Finney.

[JamesF]

Memorial still exists as a company (with Finney's widow serving as the director), so they may well be the first port of call for anyone searching for the rights.

Previous discussion of Alpha Beta in the "Lost Films" thread back in 2018

[JSC]

Previous discussion of Alpha Beta in the "Lost Films" thread back in 2018

2018... gosh, I looked so young then!

[charal]

For those of you who haven’t seen NEGATIVES I recommend it as an interesting psychological drama. Glenda Jackson delivers a wonderful performance and Diane Cilento maintains a credible German accent throughout.

The only way this film was available up to now was via a VHS upload on YouTube. I noticed that it was released recently in the US combined with SPARROWS CAN’T SING.

Another rare VHS-only Jackson film is STEVIE (1978) where she portrays the great UK poet Stevie Smith. Is this due for a blu ray outing one day?

[swo17]

Actually Severin released Negatives on Blu-ray earlier this year, along with Sparrows Can't Sing, The Odd Job, and The Ghost of Peter Sellers

[beamish14]

Another rare VHS-only Jackson film is STEVIE (1978) where she portrays the great UK poet Stevie Smith. Is this due for a blu ray outing one day?

Stevie is fantastic. I saw it theatrically shortly after Jackson died. I think it might still be Sony, so hopefully it can be licensed to a label

[Finch]

Ben Stoddart shared on Facebook 3 days ago that the BFI's Kitano collection is going OOP.

[Calvin]

Ben Stoddart shared on Facebook 3 days ago that the BFI's Kitano collection is going OOP.

Interestingly, he has also said that he "can say with almost total certainty that these films aren't going to suddenly be re-released by another label in the UK on Blu-ray or UHD."

[Finch]

Next slate is up on Amazon. Figure Michael will do the individual threads tomorrow.

Rocco and his Brothers 4K
The Cars that Ate Paris 4K (LE includes The Plumber)
Invaders from Mars 4K
Red Beard
Pink Narcissists
The Chronology of Water
Toomorrow

[hearthesilence]

Glad I put off picking up the old Rocco Blu-rays. (I'm not really a fan of the movie, but the high praises sung by certain individuals convinced me to give it another chance.)

[rapta]

Really excited for the Weir double-bill, never thought we'd see another early Weir released in the UK but especially this one! Still hoping someone might have the sense to do The Last Wave here at some point (Radiance? Indicator?).

Also excited for Red Beard, since some of us had been nagging BFI to do more Kurosawa titles. Still need to pick up The Hidden Fortress from the last batch but will likely pre-order this as it's a first on English-language Blu-ray.

Also happy to see Invaders from Mars, which was originally supposed to come from Arrow but obviously didn't work out in the end. Glad it's here either way!

As for the rest of the announcements, might get Rocco and His Brothers at some point but quite happy with the MoC release. The Chronology of Water seems interesting but might try and see it before I consider buying it. Toomorrow sounds interesting since it's Val Guest who's fairly reliable. Nice slate overall!

[Marwood]

Pink Narcissists

I belive this should be "Pink Narcissus". I saw the new restoration in Cinema ritrovato in Bologna last year. Looking forward to upgrade my DVD!

[MichaelB]

London, 14 May 2026 – The BFI reveals today its upcoming Blu-ray and DVD releases for July, August and September 2026. Highlights include acclaimed Cornish director Mark Jenkin’s latest film – a current hit in cinemas, the pioneering 1976 feature from Horace Ové and an infamous sci-fi oddity from Ed Wood.

27 July: ON THE BEACH on Blu-ray

Stanley Kramer’s ON THE BEACH (1959) is a haunting post-apocalyptic drama that imagines the final days of humanity after nuclear fallout reaches Australia. Released on Blu-ray, the film boasts a stellar Hollywood cast led by Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins, and is one of classic Hollywood's most deeply affecting films.

10 August: THE MAHABHARATA on Blu-ray

Born from Peter Brook’s groundbreaking international stage production, THE MAHABHARATA transforms an ancient epic about two warring families into a cinematic masterpiece. Originally produced in 1989, this 2-disc Blu-ray set features the newly restored five-hour television mini-series version.

24 August: ROSE OF NEVADA on Blu-ray & DVD (Dual Format Edition) and MARK JENKIN – THE CORNISH TRILOGY: BAIT, ENYS MEN, ROSE OF NEVADA in a Blu-ray box set

Mark Jenkin's ROSE OF NEVADA (2025) stars George MacKay and Callum Turner as two young men who find work on a mysterious Cornish fishing boat. A blend of time travel, ghost story and social realism, all shot in Jenkin's trademark artisanal style, ROSE OF NEVADA is one of the standout British films of 2026.

Released alongside the feature is MARK JENKIN – THE CORNISH TRILOGY, a three-disc Blu-ray box set containing his 2019 BAFTA winner, BAIT, and 2022's folk horror ENYS MEN, alongside current hit ROSE OF NEVADA. The three films, all shot and set in Cornwall, demonstrate why the director has been acclaimed as one of the most distinctive cinematic talents around.

7 September: PRESSURE on Blu-ray and DANIEL FARSON’S GUIDE TO BRITAIN: VOLUME 2 on Blu-ray & DVD (Dual Format Edition)

Horace Ové’s pioneering debut PRESSURE (1976) explores the tensions facing a young Black British man caught between family, identity and political radicalisation. Showcasing the BFI National Archive’s recent 4K restoration, this is the first time Pressure has been available on Blu-ray in the UK. The disc also features Ové’s 1969 film Baldwin's N*****.

DANIEL FARSON’S GUIDE TO BRITAIN VOLUME 2 provides a second collection of innovative, important, eccentric, odd and outstanding work that the intrepid TV reporter created for Associated Rediffusion in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Farson's eclectic talent is reflected in an abundant array of hugely enjoyable, fascinating films on all manner of matters topical to a post-war Britain undergoing complex, seismic social change.

21 September: PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE on Blu-ray

Ed Wood’s infamous sci-fi oddity PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) blends aliens, zombies and flying saucers with boundless sincerity. Long celebrated as a cult classic, it remains an endearing monument to outsider filmmaking. Recently remastered by the BFI from a 35mm print held in the National Film Archive, this re-issue comes packaged with Wood's rare feature Bride of the Monster (1955).

These titles will contain a selection of extra features and an illustrated booklet (first pressing only) to provide contextual information.

[senseabove]

A question about the institution, rather than the label: is there a historical catalog of screenings at the NFT/BFI Southbank that covers the pre-internet era (preferably that's accessible online)?

[MichaelB]

At the BFI Library, definitely, but I’m not aware of anyone putting in the legwork of typing it all in for online publication purposes.

[GaryC]

At the BFI Library, definitely, but I’m not aware of anyone putting in the legwork of typing it all in for online publication purposes.

Seconded - the old NFT and London Film Festival programmes are in bound volumes in the Reuben Library at the BFI Southbank. As you go in, they're in the far corner to the left. I know this, as I've been going through them during visits there. I've logged showings of Australian films from the start up to so far 1995. Maybe there'll be an article in it sometime.

[senseabove]

Alas, that's what I assumed... How extensive are those older monthly programmes? Is it just a calendar, just capsule summaries, or do they have essays in them as well?

[GaryC]

Alas, that's what I assumed... How extensive are those older monthly programmes? Is it just a calendar, just capsule summaries, or do they have essays in them as well?

Not really essays, other than the short introductions to seasons and retrospectives. There are a few lines on individual films. There's usually a schedule calendar bound into the booklet, complete with the booking form you could send in with a cheque and a stamped and self-addressed envelope. Those were the days...