Powell & Pressburger

[Small Man Big Horse]

Ah man, a few days ago I'd have absolutely been up for that, but then I was asked to review something at the Pleasance and got given free tickets so I can't make it now.

Arena - A Very British Affair - 50 minute documentary which rushes through Powell and Pressburger's career, missing out a whole bunch of films, but which at least includes footage of the duo together which is extremely charming, and while there's not enough of that it's also quite fascinating seeing Powell hang out with Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Haven't thrown myself into the screenings as much as I meant to, but have bagged a ticket for an 'atmospheric' screening of Black Narccisius, which seemingly means the cinema will be adding wind and smells to the experience. Usually that's my job, etc.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Ah man, a few days ago I'd have absolutely been up for that, but then I was asked to review something at the Pleasance and got given free tickets so I can't make it now.

Arena - A Very British Affair - 50 minute documentary which rushes through Powell and Pressburger's career, missing out a whole bunch of films, but which at least includes footage of the duo together which is extremely charming, and while there's not enough of that it's also quite fascinating seeing Powell hang out with Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

Speaking of, Powell turns up in this fascinating fly-on-the-wall docu about Scorsese at about the 11-minute mark. Was probably hanging out with Marty a lot since he was married to Thelma Schoonmaker and apparently gave quite a lot of good advice on Marty's films (for instance telling him how she should end After Hours)

[gabrielconroy]

Well, it seems that thanks to a combination of unforeseen family commitments and general apathy, I have four (count 'em, FOUR) tickets to go and see A Matter Of Life & Death tomorrow (Sun 19th, 6.30pm) at BFI Southbank.

First DM gets them (and the PDF tickets can be split up so if you want less than four); I'd rather they got used, so renumeration isn't essential, but if you fancy contributing to the Criterion DVD I now have to buy instead, then I'd be grateful...

DM sent but I don't think you're online right now...a fingernail-biting suspense sets in.

[Pink Gregory]

was at a loose end the other day and looked over what was available on BFI player from these two (annoyingly, used to be a lot more); so inexplicably I tried out the 1932 Powell-directed crime reel Rynox

definitely felt prehistoric in terms of staging, very nuts and bolts and theatre like, but with an impressive Fritz Lang-alike towering office as the main set.  I watched the whole thing so that must mean something.

[studpuppet]

Well, it seems that thanks to a combination of unforeseen family commitments and general apathy, I have four (count 'em, FOUR) tickets to go and see A Matter Of Life & Death tomorrow (Sun 19th, 6.30pm) at BFI Southbank.

First DM gets them (and the PDF tickets can be split up so if you want less than four); I'd rather they got used, so renumeration isn't essential, but if you fancy contributing to the Criterion DVD I now have to buy instead, then I'd be grateful...

Three tickets left if anyone wants them - just DM me your email address.

[Ignatius_S]

Speaking of, Powell turns up in this fascinating fly-on-the-wall docu about Scorsese at about the 11-minute mark. Was probably hanging out with Marty a lot since he was married to Thelma Schoonmaker and apparently gave quite a lot of good advice on Marty's films (for instance telling him how she should end After Hours)

Scorsese hero-worshipped P&P and tracked Powell down in the 1970s, which started a long friendship. He was one of the factors why the pair were 'rediscovered'.

There was an interesting letter in the Guardian that touched upon this and other reasons for their renaissance, recently - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/24/the-1978-retrospective-that-kickstarted-the-powell-and-pressburger-revival

[holyzombiejesus]

Anyone know if any of the films are going to be reissued on blu-ray? I've got some old dvd box set but it's not the best quality.

[daf]

There's the "Biggies" already out on BD. Off the top of my head you can get :

• Colonel Blimp
• A Matter of Life and Death
• The Red Shoes
• Tales of Hoffman
• Black Narcissus

Not sure if they've done any of black and white films yet, but I expect a few will turn up eventually - if only because I'd imagine Scorsese will want to see them on his big 4K telly or projector!

Powell's solo 'Age of Consent' (with Helen Mirren) is also available on BD and features as a bonus extra, the final P&P collaboration - 'The Boy Who Turned Yellow' from 1972 - also in HD (thanks to the vivid scene on the underground, it's the first film I can remember seeing in the cinema : it was shown during a saturday matinee at the local fleapit during classmate's 6th or 7th birthday treat)

If solo Powell is of interest, I did notice that a new edition of 'Peeping Tom' is coming out as a 4K (with a BD bundled) with some new extras in January.

StudioCanal is preparing 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases of Michael Powell's Peeping Tom (1960), starring Karlheinz Böhm, Moira Shearer, Anna Massey, Maxine Audley, and Pamela Green. The two releases are scheduled to arrive on the market on January 29.

Special Features:

• Intro by Martin Scorsese (2007)
• Take Me To Your Cinema: The Legacy of Peeping Tom
• Restoring Peeping Tom
• The Eye of the Beholder
• Intro by Martin Scorsese (2007)
• Interview with Thelma Schoonmaker (2007)
• Audio Commentary by Professor Ian Christie
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• 32-page booklet with new essays

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=33361

[lauraxsynthesis]

Anyone know if any of the films are going to be reissued on blu-ray? I've got some old dvd box set but it's not the best quality.

The P&P Appreciation Society website keeps track of this stuff though it's not the best for navigation. There's a list on the home page and info about commentary and other extras here.

[El Unicornio, mang]

The restoration they did on them is amazing, and decent extras too, definitely worth the upgrade.

[Ignatius_S]

Anyone know if any of the films are going to be reissued on blu-ray? I've got some old dvd box set but it's not the best quality.

Both The Small Back Room and Peeping Tom (as mentioned above)are coming out, following restoration.

Bluebeard's Castle, a recording of Bartock's opera that Powell directed for German television and which hasn't been seen for years (except for the odd showing, I think) due to complicated legal reasons is being released next week. IIRC, the German version and the one shown in the UK in the late 1970s are included.

[lauraxsynthesis]

Went to The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp at BFI tonight in NFT1. There was a video intro from Stephen Fry in which he said Anton Walbrook is his favourite actor. I've seen Blimp loads of times but Walbrook's shiny eyes on that huge screen are something else. That fella was a one off my god.

Felt very tearful at various points. In preparation for this viewing I read AL Kennedy's BFI book about the film. This grabbed me at the beginning: "We're supposed to express our deepest concerns and sustaining truths to each other. We're meant to get each other through."
https://shop.bfi.org.uk/the-life-and-death-of-colonel-blimp-bfi-film-classics.html

Deborah Kerr does so many little subtle things that distinguish

Spoiler alert

her 3 characters from each other

[close]

. On this viewing I really liked Barbara and found her more insightful than I had previously.

A bit of cinema fun came towards the end when John Laurie's character

Spoiler alert

says he's going to join the Home Guard.

[close]

I expect we felt self conscious doing it, but lots of us laughed at that.

Afterwards I had a look at the newly opened The Red Shoes: Beyond the Mirror exhibition. Among the many surprises were a letter from Michael Powell to Kate Bush who had asked him to work with her on something in 1989.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Saw an 'atmospheric' (lights, fans smells) screening of Black Narccisius today. The fans and smells didn't add much imo, the ambient lighting was alright, but really enjoyed it on a big cinema screen.

As for 'will it be out on bluray', our screening was in a big cinema but was playing a bluray rather than dcp.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Just saw Peeping Tom it's pretty good although a bit wooden with some great directorial tricks. I can see why it was hated at the time.

There's a great wanking joke where the newsagent/porn shop guy sells a guy a mucky book and some papers then utters 'he' ll not be doing the crossword tonight! '. And it feels like its, shot like a de-palma film without the full-on sleaze.

[Small Man Big Horse]

That's interesting, I've not seen it since my early twenties and might have to revisit it, I remember thinking it was pretty decent at the time but it wasn't something I was passionate about.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Passionate might be pushing how I felt about it. I think it's an interesting case study in proto slashers, sleaze and direction. More about what it inspired rather than a riveting film (whereas Black Narccisius is both).

[Small Man Big Horse]

Passionate might be pushing how I felt about it. I think it's an interesting case study in proto slashers, sleaze and direction. More about what it inspired rather than a riveting film (whereas Black Narccisius is both).

Yeah, that reflects how I felt more accurately than I clumsily posted above, and there some interesting ideas played with, but it's weird that it came from a director like Powell.

[lauraxsynthesis]

Peeping Tom creeps me out too much. Maybe I should give it a chance on the cinema screen, but I feel I've given it enough of my life with 2 viewings already.

Was at BFI last night watching Wanted for Murder - a serial killer noir thing written by Pressburger and starring Eric Portman. I enjoyed seeing London just after the war and there was some comic relief from the old bill - particularly Stanley Holloway. As with Peeping Tom, I just don't like spending time with serial killers though so didn't like it overall. Did get to have a bit of a chat with Pressburger's producer grandson Andrew Macdonald though so that was fun. 

[lauraxsynthesis]

At the end of the P&P season at the BFI I saw Black Narcissus in the IMAX which was as awesome as one would expect. Great to see the room full as well apart from those bottom corner seats. It seems to have been a very successful season with lots of punters for all the events I went to and the new book about the filmmakers selling out at least once. BFI did a great job. Felt very moved to see the beautiful trailer for the season one final time on that huge screen.