Question:
I realise it's dependent on where you live etc., but it's not that easy for me to see foreign language movies these days.
I live in NI and the arthouse cinema here, which is in Belfast, does show some but usually about 2 months after their general release (by which time my enthusiasm may have temporarily dimmed, and in any case this is more than 30 miles from me).
As for the local video store -- forget it.
Finally, why don't BBC Two & Channel 4 show them much anymore? I have some fond memories, for example courtesy of C4 in the mid-nineties I saw many modern foreign classics, including all the Zhang Yimou/Gong-Li collaborations.
I do try to see as many as I can, on visits to London, or Dublin, or elsewhere but it's a struggle. Many are available on DVD of course, but I'm not happy about spending too much money on movies I haven't seen. I was poised to order the original Insomnia today as I fancied seeing it, but decided not to as I'd probably only watch it once (and in any case might not like it).
Show Me Love is another one I wouldn't mind seeing some time, but there's no real answer other than buying it, & as I said above this starts to get costly.
What's the answer? -- digital telly I suppose.
I'm in the same boat as you and I guess a lot of people are. The only way for me is to spend money and buy them on DVD ... there just isn't anyway around it at least you can get C4 and BBC2.
If you live in a small village there's not a lot can be done, but I'm surprised at how many foreign films my local UGC multiplex have been showing. Some quality stuff - and with Amadeus DC now into its second week (!) at the Edinburgh UGC (after three in Glasgow), I think you've got to give them some credit. Black Knight? No. Amadeus DC for another week? Yes.
Can't complain.
You could rent online. www.movietrak.com have quite a few (mainly european) movies that i've been meaning to catch up on.
The only part of digital tv that would help you is FilmFour, since even the BBC's digital channels seem to have less foreign movies than they did just a few months ago.
BBC4 shows foreign-language films on a very regular basis, often with accompanying documentaries (for instance, last Saturday's premiere of <I>Blackboards</I> followed Mohsen Makhmalbaf's <I>Afghan Alphabet</I> and a documentary about the Makhmalbaf family and Iranian cinema in general) and it's free if you can receive digital television at all.
And I'd certainly endorse adamvbarker's suggestion to rent online - I've tried that myself, and it works very well (in fact, in a couple of cases I ended up buying the DVDs!)
Cheers for the replies, I never thought of online renting: sounds like a great idea!
I've noticed BBC Four's schedule -- I reckon the new "Freeview" service may well mark my succumbing to digital tv.
It is a shame all the same that C4 don't show so many new foreign movies anymore: I remember when they gave a peak-time slot -- well, maybe 10pm, I can't remember exactly -- to the premieres of the Three Colours movies in 1996, a fantastic piece of scheduling.
Originally posted by Dene
I realise it's dependent on where you live etc., but it's not that easy for me to see foreign language movies these days.
I live in NI and the arthouse cinema here, which is in Belfast, does show some but usually about 2 months after their general release (by which time my enthusiasm may have temporarily dimmed, and in any case this is more than 30 miles from me).
As for the local video store -- forget it.
Finally, why don't BBC Two & Channel 4 show them much anymore? I have some fond memories, for example courtesy of C4 in the mid-nineties I saw many modern foreign classics, including all the Zhang Yimou/Gong-Li collaborations.
I do try to see as many as I can, on visits to London, or Dublin, or elsewhere but it's a struggle. Many are available on DVD of course, but I'm not happy about spending too much money on movies I haven't seen. I was poised to order the original Insomnia today as I fancied seeing it, but decided not to as I'd probably only watch it once (and in any case might not like it).
Show Me Love is another one I wouldn't mind seeing some time, but there's no real answer other than buying it, & as I said above this starts to get costly.
What's the answer? -- digital telly I suppose.
Same as me mate, I am also in NI and getting to see foreign films can be a bitch as hardly anyone shows them around here!
I have just taken to buying them on dvd now anyway. I prefer watching movies in the comfort of my own home and I am at least happy enough that I do get to see them.
DVD is a marvellous medium :D
I honestly don't think I could live without dvd now!
Channel 4 were excellent in the late 80s - early 90s for showing some really quality foreign cinema including some excellent films from Africa, the Middle East and also South America.
BBC 2 have also shown some excellent foreign films in the past.
I love foreign cinema and always make an effort to go to my local arthouse cinema which shows them.:)
I definitely think the quality and quantity of foreign films on BBC 2 Channel 4 has dropped quite considerably in recent years.:oh-hum:
Originally posted by zenza
I definitely think the quality and quantity of foreign films on BBC 2 Channel 4 has dropped quite considerably in recent years.:oh-hum:
That's because both channels have become noticeably more populist - and the creation of BBC4 and Film Four puts them under much less pressure (not that they were under much in the first place) to show subtitled films - which traditionally have always scored pretty low ratings.
Back in 1989, Channel Four showed a near-complete Tarkovsky retrospective on six consecutive Saturdays at 9pm, which is so utterly unimaginable now that I can hardly believe it ever happened! But, to be fair, despite appearances there are in fact more subtitled films screened on British television on a weekly basis now than there were a decade ago - it's just that they tend to be on niche cable, satellite and digital channels.
I live in NI and the arthouse cinema here, which is in Belfast, does show some but usually about 2 months after their general release (by which time my enthusiasm may have temporarily dimmed, and in any case this is more than 30 miles from me).
As for the local video store -- forget it.
Finally, why don't BBC Two & Channel 4 show them much anymore? I have some fond memories, for example courtesy of C4 in the mid-nineties I saw many modern foreign classics, including all the Zhang Yimou/Gong-Li collaborations.
I do try to see as many as I can, on visits to London, or Dublin, or elsewhere but it's a struggle. Many are available on DVD of course, but I'm not happy about spending too much money on movies I haven't seen. I was poised to order the original Insomnia today as I fancied seeing it, but decided not to as I'd probably only watch it once (and in any case might not like it).
Show Me Love is another one I wouldn't mind seeing some time, but there's no real answer other than buying it, & as I said above this starts to get costly.
What's the answer? -- digital telly I suppose.
Answers:
I'm in the same boat as you and I guess a lot of people are. The only way for me is to spend money and buy them on DVD ... there just isn't anyway around it at least you can get C4 and BBC2.
Answers:
If you live in a small village there's not a lot can be done, but I'm surprised at how many foreign films my local UGC multiplex have been showing. Some quality stuff - and with Amadeus DC now into its second week (!) at the Edinburgh UGC (after three in Glasgow), I think you've got to give them some credit. Black Knight? No. Amadeus DC for another week? Yes.
Can't complain.
Answers:
You could rent online. www.movietrak.com have quite a few (mainly european) movies that i've been meaning to catch up on.
The only part of digital tv that would help you is FilmFour, since even the BBC's digital channels seem to have less foreign movies than they did just a few months ago.
Answers:
BBC4 shows foreign-language films on a very regular basis, often with accompanying documentaries (for instance, last Saturday's premiere of <I>Blackboards</I> followed Mohsen Makhmalbaf's <I>Afghan Alphabet</I> and a documentary about the Makhmalbaf family and Iranian cinema in general) and it's free if you can receive digital television at all.
And I'd certainly endorse adamvbarker's suggestion to rent online - I've tried that myself, and it works very well (in fact, in a couple of cases I ended up buying the DVDs!)
Answers:
Cheers for the replies, I never thought of online renting: sounds like a great idea!
I've noticed BBC Four's schedule -- I reckon the new "Freeview" service may well mark my succumbing to digital tv.
It is a shame all the same that C4 don't show so many new foreign movies anymore: I remember when they gave a peak-time slot -- well, maybe 10pm, I can't remember exactly -- to the premieres of the Three Colours movies in 1996, a fantastic piece of scheduling.
Answers:
Originally posted by Dene
I realise it's dependent on where you live etc., but it's not that easy for me to see foreign language movies these days.
I live in NI and the arthouse cinema here, which is in Belfast, does show some but usually about 2 months after their general release (by which time my enthusiasm may have temporarily dimmed, and in any case this is more than 30 miles from me).
As for the local video store -- forget it.
Finally, why don't BBC Two & Channel 4 show them much anymore? I have some fond memories, for example courtesy of C4 in the mid-nineties I saw many modern foreign classics, including all the Zhang Yimou/Gong-Li collaborations.
I do try to see as many as I can, on visits to London, or Dublin, or elsewhere but it's a struggle. Many are available on DVD of course, but I'm not happy about spending too much money on movies I haven't seen. I was poised to order the original Insomnia today as I fancied seeing it, but decided not to as I'd probably only watch it once (and in any case might not like it).
Show Me Love is another one I wouldn't mind seeing some time, but there's no real answer other than buying it, & as I said above this starts to get costly.
What's the answer? -- digital telly I suppose.
Same as me mate, I am also in NI and getting to see foreign films can be a bitch as hardly anyone shows them around here!
I have just taken to buying them on dvd now anyway. I prefer watching movies in the comfort of my own home and I am at least happy enough that I do get to see them.
DVD is a marvellous medium :D
I honestly don't think I could live without dvd now!
Answers:
Channel 4 were excellent in the late 80s - early 90s for showing some really quality foreign cinema including some excellent films from Africa, the Middle East and also South America.
BBC 2 have also shown some excellent foreign films in the past.
I love foreign cinema and always make an effort to go to my local arthouse cinema which shows them.:)
I definitely think the quality and quantity of foreign films on BBC 2 Channel 4 has dropped quite considerably in recent years.:oh-hum:
Answers:
Originally posted by zenza
I definitely think the quality and quantity of foreign films on BBC 2 Channel 4 has dropped quite considerably in recent years.:oh-hum:
That's because both channels have become noticeably more populist - and the creation of BBC4 and Film Four puts them under much less pressure (not that they were under much in the first place) to show subtitled films - which traditionally have always scored pretty low ratings.
Back in 1989, Channel Four showed a near-complete Tarkovsky retrospective on six consecutive Saturdays at 9pm, which is so utterly unimaginable now that I can hardly believe it ever happened! But, to be fair, despite appearances there are in fact more subtitled films screened on British television on a weekly basis now than there were a decade ago - it's just that they tend to be on niche cable, satellite and digital channels.
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