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WEIMAR CINEMA: BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS – May/June 2019

Marking 100 years since the founding of the Weimar Republic, BFI Southbank will host a two month season looking at WEIMAR CINEMA from 1919-1933, including films such as THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI (Robert Wiene, 1920) and EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES (Gerhard Lamprecht, 1931). This major season will include must-see classics, rare discoveries, special events with live musical accompaniment and the UK Blu-ray premiere of PEOPLE ON SUNDAY (Robert Siodmak, Edgar G Ulmer, 1929).

People on Sunday
(Menschen am Sonntag)
Directed by Robert Siodmak & Edgar G Ulmer

Blu-ray release on 17 June 2019

In this vivid snapshot of Weimar life, a group of young Berliners enjoy a typical lazy Sunday, including a trip to the city’s suburban lakes. Flirtations, rivalries and petty jealousies ensue as they all try to wring the last from their weekend even while Monday and the weekly routine loom. On 17 June 2019 the BFI will bring People on Sunday to Blu-ray for the first time in the UK. It is presented with two vibrant scores, a documentary, three short films and a new audio commentary.

As the original negative of this film is lost and no complete copy exists, this restored version was reconstructed by The Eye Institute in the Netherlands and the 2K scan was digitally restored by Deutsche Kinemathek.

People on Sunday launched the careers of a group of influential young filmmakers who would achieve international success: future Academy Award®-winners Billy Wilder (The Apartment), Eugen Schüfftan (The Hustler) and Fred Zinnemann (A Man for All Seasons), the future noir masters Robert Siodmak (The Killers) and Edgar G Ulmer (Detour), and prolific fantasy screenwriter and novelist Curt Siodmak (The Wolf Man).

This release coincides with BFI Southbank’s major two-month season to mark the centenary of the Weimar Republic. BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS: WEIMAR CINEMA 1919-1933 which opened on 3 May and runs until 30 June, is celebrating one of the most innovative and ground-breaking chapters in the history of cinema.

Special features
• Presented in High Definition;
• Two vibrant scores by leading Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin and the experimental Icelandic group múm;
• Weekend am Wannsee (Weekend at the Wannsee, 2000, 31 mins): Gerald Koll’s documentary about People on Sunday, featuring interviews with star Brigitte Borchert and writer Curt Siodmak;
• Eine Fahrt durch Berlin (A Trip Through Berlin, 1910, 6 mins): a ride through the streets of Berlin, from the bustling Friedrichstraße and Leipziger Straße to the city seen from the Spree;
• Beside the Seaside (1935, 23 mins): Marion Grierson’s beguiling picture of the British seaside, with a commentary written by WH Auden;
• This Year – London (1951, 28 mins): documentary by John Krish following the adventures of Leicester factory workers on their staff outing to London;
• Newly commissioned commentary by Adrian Martin (2019, 75 mins);
• Illustrated booklet featuring new writing from Amanda DeMarco, Sarah Wood and Örvar Smárason (first pressing only)

Product details
RRP: £19.99/ Cat. no. BFIB1348 / E
Germany / 1929 / black and white / 75 mins / silent with German intertitles and English subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.33:1 / BD50, 1080p, 24fps, PCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/24-bit) and Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio (192 kbps)

swo17 wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 9:26 am

That Krish film previously appeared on Vol. 1 of the British Transport Films Collection released by Kino in the US and BFI in the UK

artfilmfan wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 5:52 pm

NoN,

If you do buy 10, will you randomly select one, read the booklet that is included and let us know who gets the credit for the restoration that is used for this release?

this restored version was reconstructed by The Eye Institute in the Netherlands and the 2K scan was digitally restored by Deutsche Kinemathek.

artfilmfan wrote:Based on MichaelB’s post above, I was under the impression that the restoration that was used for the German BRD release would be used for this BFI release. But Chris’ review indicates that it is the same restoration that Criterion used.

[...]The film was restored by the EYE Film Institute in the Netherlands in 1997 and 1998. With the original negative lost, the restoration was based on a Dutch release print which was 400 meters shorter than the German version. With additonal footage found in various archives, the film was lengthened to 1,839 meters, though still missing about 200 meters worth of original material. The original German intertitles were recreated from surviving information and inserted for the restoration. This would be considered the restored version. In 2010 the restored version was digitized and in 2014 it was remastered in 2K at ARRI in Berlin under the supervision of Deutsche Cinematek.[...]