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Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 1:59 pm
by Calvin
May 28th
A new 8-disc set celebrating the 60th anniversary of Woodfall Films. Includes eight iconic films (many newly restored and available on Blu-ray for the first time) that revolutionised British cinema and launched the careers of the likes of Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay and Rita Tushingham.

Look Back in Anger (Tony Richardson, 1959)
The Entertainer (Tony Richardson, 1960)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Karel Reisz, 1960)
A Taste of Honey (Tony Richardson, 1961)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Tony Richardson, 1962)
Tom Jones (Tony Richardson, 1963) (New 4K digital restorations of the original theatrical version of the film and the 1989 director's cut)
Girl with Green Eyes (Desmond Davis, 1964)
The Knack...and how to get it (Richard Lester, 1965)

Special features:

Presented in High Definition
All films newly remastered for this release, excluding Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Extras TBC

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:03 am
by What A Disgrace
This is the best thing I never asked for.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:08 am
by Werewolf by Night
There was a beautiful new transfer of GIRL WITH GREEN EYES on TCM (in the US) recently and I wondered if Criterion would ever release a Woodfall Films set. They won’t, but it’s nice to see that the BFI will.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 4:31 am
by GaryC
Very interested in this. I suspect TOM JONES will still be cut though - all home releases have had cuts for animal cruelty (a cockfight) up to now. Is there another Best Picture Oscar winner that's still cut in the UK?

On a personal note, I owe my existence to A TASTE OF HONEY as it was my parents' first date...

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:19 pm
by Drucker
Torn. A Taste of Honey was one of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. I've been holding off on Loneliness of Long Distance Runner, assuming a new restoration was bound to happen based on what I perceived to be its stature.

I'll probably pick this up, then double dip on Loneliness if that happens...

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:56 pm
by alacal2
It's the extras that I'm most looking forward to. Just the kind of thing the BFI excels in (particularly given its mission statement).With its archives and unique set of personal contacts (most of whom will be longstanding BFI members) this should be one of the highlights of the year and a great companion to its Free Cinema set.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:26 pm
by What A Disgrace
I really hope they do something about the box art.

Image
Hire the guy who did the Jarman box, please?

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 1:11 pm
by alacal2
Whilst the Jarman box is stunning I really like this. Colours are bang on period. I don't think its a fair comparison.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:06 pm
by Gregory
Don't people ever get tired of the fake effects to try and make something look "real" and gritty and handmade, like the scissor cut marks and the registration mistake / stamp effect on the subtitle?

And will I buy this in a heartbeat? Yes.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:16 am
by GaryC
GaryC wrote:Very interested in this. I suspect TOM JONES will still be cut though - all home releases have had cuts for animal cruelty (a cockfight) up to now. Is there another Best Picture Oscar winner that's still cut in the UK?
And the director's cut of TOM JONES has just been passed uncut (12 certificate) and the BBFC site says "previous cuts waived", which is curious as the cuts were for animal cruelty. I wonder if the BFI will be resubmitting the theatrical cut and if that will be passed uncut too?

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:45 pm
by GaryC
GaryC wrote:And the director's cut of TOM JONES has just been passed uncut (12 certificate) and the BBFC site says "previous cuts waived", which is curious as the cuts were for animal cruelty. I wonder if the BFI will be resubmitting the theatrical cut and if that will be passed uncut too?
And that has indeed happened.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 11:10 am
by domino harvey
Any word on final specs/extras?

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 11:15 am
by MichaelB
I post full BFI specs as soon as they hit my inbox.

But these ones haven’t yet.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:58 am
by tenia
Having already the individual BFI releases of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning & The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, I'm especially interested in knowing if these will be new restorations or if they will build on the existing releases.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:03 am
by domino harvey
See first post, they're the same as previously released

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:30 am
by tenia
Ah right, I've overlooked the precision, it seems. Thanks for the reminder !

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 2:52 pm
by colinr0380
In the meantime there is an excerpt from a recent BFI panel discussion that has just arrived on YouTube, so presumably the full discussion might be an extra feature.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:06 pm
by MichaelB
The BFI granted me a sneak preview of the final Woodfall extras - and it's one hell of a package.
DISC ONE: LOOK BACK IN ANGER

Working Class Heroes: The Stories that Changed British Cinema (2018, 47 mins)
A panel discussion hosted by Danny Leigh, in which actors Rita Tushingham, Tom Courtenay and Joely Richardson, journalist Paris Lees and filmmaker Jez Butterworth explore the gritty stories brought to life by Woodfall Films.

George Devine Memorial Play: Look Back in Anger (Peter Whitehead, 1966, 17 mins)
Footage of charity performance at the Old Vic in order to create an endowment for the George Devine Award. Made by Peter Whitehead, starring Kenneth Haigh as Jimmy Porter and Gary Raymond as Cliff Lewis.

Oswald Morris Remembers Woodfall (Alan Van Wijgerden, 1993, 24 mins)
Cinematographer Oswald Morris reminisces about his work with Tony Richardson and Woodfall in this interview from 1993.

Ten Bob in Winter (Lloyd Reckord, 1963, 12 mins)
A BFI Experimental Film Fund short film set in Notting Hill, directed by the Jamaican-born Lloyd Reckord with a score by the Joe Harriott Quintet

Trailer (3 mins)

Stills Gallery (2 mins)

EXTRAS TOTAL = 105 mins
________________________________

DISC TWO: THE ENTERTAINER

George Devine Memorial Play: The Entertainer, Sequence One and Two (Peter Whitehead, 1966, 6 + 5 mins)
Footage of charity performance at the Old Vic in order to create an endowment for the George Devine Award. Made by Peter Whitehead, starring Laurence Olivier as Archie Rice.

O Dreamland (Lindsay Anderson, 1953, 12 mins)
Lindsay Anderson’s ground-breaking short film about a Margate amusement park, which helped to launch the Free Cinema documentary movement.

Panoramic View of the Morecambe Sea Front (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1901, 2 mins)
Parade on West End Pier, Morecambe (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1901, 2 mins)
Parade on West End Pier, Morecambe (2) (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1901, 2 mins)
Parade on Morecambe Central Pier (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1902, 3 mins)
Morecambe Promenade & Winter Gardens (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1901, 2 mins)
Morecambe Pier (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1900, 1 mins)
Scenes by the Stone Jetty, Morecambe (Mitchell and Kenyon, 1901, 2 mins)
Morecambe Carnival - Topical Budget 944-2 (1929, 1 min)
A selection of Mitchell and Kenyon and Topical Budget films preserved at the BFI National Archive.

Lancashire Coast (John Taylor, 1957, 15 mins)
A British Transport Film travelogue of Lancashire shot by David Watkin, DoP on THE KNACK…and how to get it.

Stills Gallery (4 mins)

EXTRAS TOTAL = 57 mins
________________________________

DISC THREE: SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING
(NB: this is the 2009 release repackaged)

Commentary by film historian Robert Murphy, writer Alan Silllitoe and cinematographer Freddie Francis.
Feature-length audio commentary recorded in 2002

Albert Finney Interview (2009, 4 mins)
Excerpt from a 1982 Guardian Interview at the National Film Theatre where Albert Finney was in conversation with Michael Billington – played over stills.

Shirley Anne Field on Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Caroline Millar, 2009, 10 mins)
The actress reflects on Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and working with Karel Reisz and Tony Richardson.

We are the Lambeth Boys (Karel Reisz, 1959, 51 mins)
A Free Cinema documentary following a group of Lambeth teenagers. Shot by Free Cinema and Woodfall regular, Walter Lassally and with music by Johnny Dankworth who also features in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.

EXTRAS TOTAL = 153 mins
________________________________

DISC FOUR: A TASTE OF HONEY

Commentary by Rita Tushingham, Dora Bryan and Murray Melvin
Feature-length audio commentary recorded in 2002.

Walter Lassally Video Essay (2002, 21 mins)
Walter Lassally explains some of the decisions and techniques used on A Taste of Honey.

50th Anniversary Q&A with Rita Tushingham, Murray Melvin and Walter Lassally (2011, 15 mins)
To mark the 50th anniversary of the cinema release of A Taste of Honey, stars Rita Tushingham and Murray Melvin, and cinematographer Walter Lassally take part in an onstage discussion with BFI curator Josephine Botting. Recorded at BFI Southbank on 7th November 2011.

A Taste of Honey from Stage to Screen – A Journey with Murray Melvin (2018, 25 mins)
Murray Melvin recounts the first stage production of Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey (1958) by Joan Littlewood and the Theatre Workshop. Reminiscing on his role in both the play and Tony Richardson’s film.

Rita Tushingham on A Taste of Honey (2018, 15 mins)
Rita Tushingham reminisces about working with Tony Richardson on A Taste of Honey.

Holiday (John Taylor, 1957, 18 mins)
Another British Transport Film, this one extolling the attractions at Blackpool. Shot by David Watkin, with music by The Chris Barber Band, who also features in Look Back in Anger and the Free Cinema film Momma Don’t Allow (Karel Reisz and Tony Richardson, 1956).

Stills Gallery (5 mins)

EXTRAS TOTAL = 199 mins
________________________________

DISC FIVE: THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER
(NB: this is the 2009 release repackaged)

Commentary by Tom Courtenay and Alan Sillitoe moderated by Robert Murphy
Feature-length audio commentary recorded in 2002.

Walter Lassally Video Essay (2002, 19 mins)
Walter Lassally explains some of the decisions and techniques used on The Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner.

Momma Don’t Allow (Karel Reisz and Tony Richardson, 1956, 22 mins)
A Free Cinema short filmed over nine Saturdays at Art and Viv Sanders’ Wood Green Jazz Club. Shot by Walter Lassally and featuring the Chris Barber Jazz Band.

EXTRAS TOTAL = 145 mins
________________________________

DISC SIX: TOM JONES (DIRECTOR’S CUT)
(NB: first time available in the UK without cuts)

The Guardian Interview: Albert Finney (1982, 35 mins – audio only)
An extended excerpt from Albert Finney’s 1982 Guardian Interview with Michael Billington.

Vanessa Redgrave on Tony Richardson (2017, 10 mins)
Vanessa Redgrave discusses Tony Richardson’s career in this short interview shot by Criterion Collection.

USSR Today: Meeting to Mark the 200th Anniversary of Henry Fielding (1954, 1 min)
Produced by the Moscow-based Central Documentary Film Studio this newsreel-style light-propaganda magazine item documents a Moscow conference, sponsored by the Soviet Peace Committee, to commemorate the life and works of Tom Jones author Henry Fielding.

Trailer (3 mins)

Stills Gallery (Part one) (4 mins)
________________________________

DISC SEVEN: TOM JONES (THEATRICAL CUT)
(NB: first time available in the UK without cuts)

George Devine Memorial Play: Luther (Peter Whitehead, 1966, 7 mins)
Footage of charity performance at the Old Vic in order to create an endowment for the George Devine Award. Made by Peter Whitehead, starring Albert Finney as Luther.

Walter Lassally on Tom Jones (2017, 25 mins)
The cinematographer looks back over his work on Tom Jones in this interview made by Criterion Collection.

Stills Gallery (Part two) (4 mins)

EXTRAS TOTAL = 217 mins
________________________________

DISC EIGHT: GIRL WITH GREEN EYES

Commentary by film historian Adrian Martin
A new feature-length commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin

Rita Tushingham on Girl with Green Eyes (2018, 7 mins)
A new interview in which Rita Tushingham discusses working on Girl with Green Eyes.

Film Poetry: Desmond Davis (2018, 24 mins)
A new interview in which Desmond Davis discusses his career in film and his work with Woodfall.

Food for a Blluuusssshhhhh (Elizabeth Russell, 1959, 31 mins)
A freewheeling experimental short by Elizabeth Russell partially funded by the BFI Experimental Film Fund. Lindsay Anderson and Karel Reisz admired it enough to include extracts in the sixth and final Free Cinema programme in 1959.

The Peaches (Michael Gill, 1964, 16 mins)
This surreal coming of-age-film about a young women was made with financial assistance from the BFI Experimental Film Fund. Shot by Walter Lassally with music by Woodfall regular John Addison and narrated by Peter Ustinov.

Trailer (3 mins)

Stills Gallery (4 mins)

EXTRAS TOTAL = 177 mins
________________________________

DISC NINE: THE KNACK AND HOW TO GET IT

Commentary by film historian Neil Sinyard
A new feature-length commentary by film scholar Neil Sinyard

George Devine Memorial Play: Exit the King (Peter Whitehead, 1966, 4 mins)
Footage of charity performance at the Old Vic in order to create an endowment for the George Devine Award. Written by Eugène Ionesco and starring Alec Guinness as Berenger.

Captain Busby The Even Tenour of Her Ways (Ann Wolff, 1967, 16 mins)
A BFI Experimental Film Fund short, Ann Wolff’s film is based on a surreal poem by Philip O’Connor and features Quentin Crisp.

Now and Then: Dick Lester (1967, 17 mins)
Dick Lester interviewed by Bernard shortly after the British and American premieres of How I Won the War (1967).

Rita Tushingham remembers THE KNACK… and how to get it (2018, 11 mins)
In this new interview Rita Tushingham recalls how she got involved in the project and what it was like working with Richard Lester.

Staging the KNACK… and how to get it (Marcus Campbell Sinclair, 2018, 2 mins)
Theatre director Keith Johnstone recalls staging the first production of THE KNACK… and how to get it.

British Cinema in the 1960s: Richard Lester in Conversation (Marcus Campbell Sinclair, 2018, 59 mins)
Richard Lester discusses his career in film with Neil Sinyard. Recorded at BFI Southbank in 2017.

Stills Gallery (2 mins)

EXTRAS TOTAL = 183 mins

BOXSET EXTRAS TOTAL = 1236 mins (20+ hours)

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:27 pm
by swo17
Wait, M&K on Blu-ray? :shock:

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 2:54 pm
by Drucker
The thirteen year gap between me discovering New Wave British Cinema at 30 and listening to the first Television Personalities record has been eye-opening!

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 3:23 pm
by What A Disgrace
This is exactly how to convince me to buy films that I don't even really like that much.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 5:37 pm
by domino harvey
Daaaaamn, what an incredible set

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:48 pm
by Donald Brown
What A Disgrace wrote:This is exactly how to convince me to buy films that I don't even really like that much.
Or to re-buy several films one already owns. The extras have knocked off the fence onto the 'OK, I'll buy' side.

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:02 pm
by What A Disgrace
Delayed until June 11th

Re: Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema

Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 2:35 pm
by filmyfan
What A Disgrace wrote:Delayed until June 11th
Maybe more extras coming :shock: