Listmania!
A few of my favourite BFI DVDs in no particular order.
The Army In The Shadows (aka L'Armee Des Ombres) [1969] [DVD]The Army In The Shadows (aka L'Armee Des Ombres) [1969] [DVD]
Jean-Pierre Melville's stunning thriller about the heroic activities of the French Resistance based on Joseph Kessel's novel.
The Edge Of The World [1938] [DVD]The Edge Of The World [1938] [DVD]
Buy new: £13.88
Beautiful restoration work done on this print of Michael Powell's film. Looks way ahead of its time for a film made in 1937. Superb extras too.
On And Off The Rails - The British Transport Films Collection - Vol. 1 [1951] [DVD]On And Off The Rails - The British Transport Films Collection - Vol. 1 [1951] [DVD]
Buy new: £13.88 / Used from: £11.35
This and the other three volumes of British Transport Films are to be treasured. I hope they release more in the future. The first volume is worth the asking price just for "Blue Pullman" alone!
Celine And Julie Go Boating [1974] [DVD]Celine And Julie Go Boating [1974] [DVD]
Buy new: £8.38 / Used from: £9.97
Maybe not for everyone but I loved every minute of "Celine and Julie" - Rivettes riff on movie making and movie watching, imagination and memory. Like being five years old again!
The Innocents [1961] [DVD]The Innocents [1961] [DVD]
Buy new: £9.98 / Used from: £9.33
Masterfully directed by Jack Clayton and beautifully shot by Freddie Francis, "The Innocents" may be - like Pauline Kael said - the best ghost movie I've ever seen.
Man With A Movie Camera [1929] [DVD]Man With A Movie Camera [1929] [DVD]
Buy new: £13.88 / Used from: £9.89
Its impossible not to fall in love with this amazing film. The experimental inventiveness that Vertov displays in his film from 1929 clearly put him way ahead of his contempories
Charlie Chaplin - The Mutual Films - Vol. 1 [1916] [DVD]Charlie Chaplin - The Mutual Films - Vol. 1 [1916] [DVD]
Buy new: £13.88 / Used from: £164.00
This plus Volume Two, collect Chaplins most famous and greatest shorts together in stunning quality.
Whistle And I'll Come To You (BBC Ghost Story For Christmas) [1968] [DVD]Whistle And I'll Come To You (BBC Ghost Story For Christmas) [1968] [DVD]
Buy used from: £49.99
Jonathan Miller versus M.R. James..... and Michael Hordern wins! See "Warning to the Curious" & "The Signalman" for more superb Ghost Stories.
Bande A Part [1964] [DVD]Bande A Part [1964] [DVD]
Buy new: £10.88 / Used from: £7.00
One of Quentin Tarantino's favourite films.... but dont let that put you off. JLG at his very best. Excellent extras too.
Alice In Wonderland [1966] [DVD]Alice In Wonderland [1966] [DVD]
Buy used from: £19.00
This (along with Jan Svankmajer's "Alice") rates as the best adaptation of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Excellent score by Ravi Shankar. Anne-Marie Mallik, where are you now?
London / Robinson In Space [1994] [DVD]London / Robinson In Space [1994] [DVD]
Buy new: £14.08
Impossible to nutshell these films except to say you have never seen anything like them before. Quite unique and incredibly satisfying. Where "Finisterre" was born I guess.
The Charge Of The Light Brigade [DVD] [1968]The Charge Of The Light Brigade [DVD] [1968]
Buy used from: £7.99
Tony Richardson's film still slightly baffles me as to why it was a box office failure. Only one gripe - this version has been cut by 6 or 7 mins! Otherwise its excellent.
Visions Of Light [1992] [DVD]Visions Of Light [1992] [DVD]
Buy new: £8.88 / Used from: £8.87
Superb documentary about the cinematographers art. A must for any film buff offering insights into the soul and anatomy of some incredible films.
The Quay Brothers - The Short Films 1979-2003 (Two Discs) [DVD]The Quay Brothers - The Short Films 1979-2003 (Two Discs) [DVD]
Buy new: £17.98
I had never seen any of the Quay brothers films when I got this 2 disc set. I bought it on recommendation alone. Quite simply some of the most startling images I've ever seen.
Electric Edwardians - The Films Of Mitchell And Kenyon [1900] [DVD]Electric Edwardians - The Films Of Mitchell And Kenyon [1900] [DVD]
Buy new: £9.98 / Used from: £3.00
Mitchell and Kenyon sans Cruikshank! This is probably the nearest we will ever get to time travel.
Playtime [1967] [DVD]Playtime [1967] [DVD]
Buy new: £9.08 / Used from: £8.25
Tati's masterpiece. Really needs to be seen on the big screen in 70mm to be truly appreciated. Only bettered by the unbeatable Criterion Collection re-issue for image clarity.
Orphee [1950] [DVD]Orphee [1950] [DVD]
Buy used from: £14.99
Cocteau's astonishing version of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. Some truly iconic images. Also see BFI's "La Belle et la Bete" and Melville's "Les Enfants Terribles".
Rashomon [1950] [DVD]Rashomon [1950] [DVD]
Buy used from: £12.00
Anything by Kurosawa is always worth mentioning, but Rashomon is - as the review states - a cinematic archetype. Along with his "Seven Samurai" this is vital Kurosawa, that everyone should see.
La Terra Trema [1948] [DVD]La Terra Trema [1948] [DVD]
Buy new: £8.08
Visconti and the beginning of Neo-realism. A truly memorable experience. We really should thank BFI for releasing this hard to come by film.
Geoffrey Jones: The Rhythm Of Film [1956] [DVD]Geoffrey Jones: The Rhythm Of Film [1956] [DVD]
Buy new: £7.98 / Used from: £5.00
A selection of Geoffrey Jones finest including the remarkable "Snow" for BTF. Now if the BFI would do the same for Len Lye.....
A Taste Of Honey [DVD] [1961]A Taste Of Honey [DVD] [1961]
Buy used from: £12.93
This film along with "Saturday Night & Sunday Morning" and "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner", represent some of the best British "new-wave" films of the early 60s. Aw shut up, I enjoy it!
Decasia - The State Of Decay [DVD] [2002]Decasia - The State Of Decay [DVD] [2002]
The more I watch this, the more I realise what a unique piece of thought provoking cinema it is. The film was constructed to accompany the music by Michael Gordon.
Nosferatu [1922] [DVD]Nosferatu [1922] [DVD]
Buy new: £13.88 / Used from: £11.00
There might be better DVD versions of Nosferatu out there (clearer image on the French 'Collection Cine Club' DVD), but the superb James Bernard score makes this the best in my opinion.
Free Cinema [1956] [DVD]Free Cinema [1956] [DVD]
Buy new: £13.98
Three glorious discs containing eleven films from the three British programmes that proved so popular and influential in the late 50s early 60s
R. W. Paul - The Collected Films 1895-1908 [DVD]R. W. Paul - The Collected Films 1895-1908 [DVD] by R. W. Paul
Buy new: £8.58 / Used from: £11.99
Robert Paul was the leading pioneer of British film, and made the successful transfer from inventor to entrepreneur to remain a major figure in the industry for its first ten years.