Flipside 024: The Black Panther

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ellipsis7
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Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#1 Post by ellipsis7 » Thu Feb 16, 2012 5:01 am

Flipside THE BLACK PANTHER on 14th May
Directed by Ian Merrick, this intelligent crime drama charts the infamous killing spree which Donald Neilson, aka The Black Panther, perpetrated across England during the mid-70s, culminating in the kidnapping and murder of a 17-year old girl. Told with uncommon accuracy and refraining from any measure of sensationalism, this fascinating and disturbing film fell foul of a media-driven campaign upon its original cinema release which resulted in an effective ban.
Now newly mastered from original film elements preserved at the BFI National Archive, this impressive and powerful film is at long last made available for new audiences. The Dual Format Edition also includes Bob Bentley's intelligent 1981 short film, Recluse, which is based on reports of another real life crime, as an extra, as well as an extensive booklet with contextualising essays, full credits and original promotional materials.

Specs;

- Region 0
- Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
- Director approved transfer
- Alternative French language soundtrack, with optional English subtitles
- Recluse (1981, 30 mins): Bob Bentley's arresting short film based on real events, starring Maurice Denham and edited by David Gladwell (editor of If.... and O Lucky Man!)
- Comprehensive booklet with newly commissioned essays and contributions from James Oliver, Ian Merrick and Michael Armstrong
- original promotional artwork
- full credits

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jamie_atp
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Re: The Black Panther

#2 Post by jamie_atp » Thu Feb 16, 2012 5:16 am

This sounds very interesting, will pick up for sure.

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GaryC
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Re: The Black Panther

#3 Post by GaryC » Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:49 am

I remember the case and the film coming out (to some controversy), but I've not seen it. It does sound interesting.

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MichaelB
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Re: The Black Panther

#4 Post by MichaelB » Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:53 pm

Lots of background here (with some hefty plot spoilers, though as it was based on a famous real-life case these may or may not matter).

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antnield
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Re: The Black Panther

#5 Post by antnield » Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:50 pm

You can also watch a short clip from Recluse on Bob Bentley's website.

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MichaelB
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Re: The Black Panther

#6 Post by MichaelB » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:16 am

Confirmed as region-free.

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MichaelB
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Re: The Black Panther

#7 Post by MichaelB » Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:40 pm

The producer of this release tells me that the new HD transfer looks "immaculate".

I'm assuming this is another case where the 35mm materials were in more or less perfect condition, on account of having barely been touched in 35 years.

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antnield
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Re: The Black Panther

#8 Post by antnield » Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:06 am

An additional extra has been announced to accompany the short film, Recluse.
Recluse: recce footage (1978, 10 minutes): newly-discovered 16mm location scouting footage
And here's the cover:

Image

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neilist
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Re: The Black Panther

#9 Post by neilist » Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:28 am

That looks like one of the most unsettling cover shots I've ever seen.

Well done, I think.

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside: The Black Panther

#10 Post by MichaelB » Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:09 am

Full specs announced:
BFI Flipside presents
The Black Panther
A film by Ian Merrick
Starring Donald Sumpter, Marjorie Yates and Debbie Farrington


The Black Panther (1977) is an intelligent true-crime drama that charts the infamous killing spree which Donald Neilson, aka the Black Panther, carried out across England in the mid-70s, culminating in the kidnapping and murder of a 17-year old girl. Newly mastered from original film elements preserved in the BFI National Archive, this impressive and powerful film is at long last being made available for new audiences in a Dual Format Edition, released on 28 May by BFI Flipside.

Told with uncommon accuracy and refraining from any measure of sensationalism, director Ian Merrick and screenwriter Michael Armstrong’s fascinating and disturbing film fell foul of a media-driven campaign upon its original cinema release in 1977, which resulted in an effective ban.

Established lead actor Donald Sumpter, who fearlessly played Donald Neilson, was recently seen in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). Marjorie Yates who played Neilson’s wife is perhaps best-known for her role as Carol Fisher in the Channel 4 TV drama Shameless. Debbie Farrington (who plays the kidnap victim) went on to appear in a variety of TV dramas.

Caught by chance after a random encounter with the police, Neilson was convicted in 1976. With five life sentences he was destined to spend the rest of his life in prison and died there in December 2011.

This Dual Format Edition (DVD and Blu-ray discs together) also includes Bob Bentley's BAFTA Award-winning 1981 short film, Recluse, which is based on reports of another real life crime, the death by shotgun of three siblings at a remote farm in Dorset.

Both Ian Merrick and Michael Armstrong have written new contributions for the comprehensive booklet that accompanies the discs. Director Bob Bentley has also contributed a new essay about the making of Recluse.

Special features

• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Director approved transfer;
• Alternative French language soundtrack, with English subtitles;
Recluse (Bob Bentley, 1981, 30 mins): arresting short film based on real events, starring Maurice Denham and edited by David Gladwell (editor of If…. and O Lucky Man!);
Recluse: recce footage (1978, 10 mins): recently discovered 16mm location scouting footage shot by director Bob Bentley
• Illustrated booklet with newly commissioned essays and contributions from Ian Merrick, Michael Armstrong, Bob Bentley and James Oliver; original promotional artwork and full credits

RRP: £19.99 / cat. no. BFIB1135 / BFI Flipside no. 024 / Cert 18
UK / 1977 / colour / 98 mins / original aspect ratio 1.85:1
Disc 1: BD50 / 1080p / 24fps / PCM mono audio (48k/16-bit)
Disc 2: DVD9 / PAL / Dolby Digital mono audio (320kbps)

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#11 Post by MichaelB » Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:59 pm

Additional specs revealed:
Further to the information you have already received, BFI Flipside's forthcoming Dual Format Edition release of The Black Panther (Ian Merrick, 1977) will also contain the original 1980s video trailer as a special feature.

In the 1980s, The Black Panther was released for rental on VHS. This video trailer reflects how the film was targeted at a rental audience at that time, although it is not the original theatrical trailer.
The BFI has also published the trailer on YouTube.

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#12 Post by MichaelB » Mon May 14, 2012 12:02 pm

Mondo Digital:
Score another direct hit for the Flipside line, who have pulled off another unexpected and very welcome revival of a film (and an excellent short) almost gone from movie history forever.

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#13 Post by MichaelB » Tue May 22, 2012 5:27 am

Strange Things Are Happening:
Time has been kind to this film. Distanced from the facts, it feels less an exploitation movie and more a serious historical document, one that has been badly misunderstood and needlessly condemned over the years. In a way, it feels similar to The Brute, another grim little slice of British life from the same period, and another film widely and wrongly dismissed as tasteless exploitation.

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Graham
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#14 Post by Graham » Tue May 22, 2012 6:39 am

Bingo! After that comparison to The Brute, my expectations are now sky high.

I've been praying that the BFI releases O'Hara's film as part of its Flipside collection for a couple of years now.

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antnield
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#15 Post by antnield » Tue May 29, 2012 7:03 am


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antnield
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#16 Post by antnield » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:22 am


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knives
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#17 Post by knives » Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:50 pm

Saw this today and I'm not certain what my expectations were (all I knew was the the film is violent and that it had nothing to do with the black panthers), but I never thought it would be this dramatically effective. It a little reminds me of the two Fleischer docudramas in its dryness and ability to evoke emotion, but otherwise it was a fairly unique experience at least within the genre and though the film actually isn't all that violent (let alone 18 level violence) it gives off the emotional feeling of such extremity. It's also rather unlike any of the similar films in how it deals with the villain. He remains just about the worst person in the world throughout the entire thing which given the nature of his actions isn't terribly hard, but the film makers do so much that should garner some sympathy such as the absolute POV that the emotional distance from him like a shadow is a surprise and shows off the talent of everyone involved. Often times these flipside films are just very interesting, but this one is also great on its own.

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#18 Post by MichaelB » Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:54 am

The Guardian explains "why The Black Panther can hold its head up high":
Set loose from this unfavourable context and viewed now in sober hindsight, The Black Panther emerges as a meticulous, tactful, well-made and highly responsible true-crime movie, featuring a knockout lead performance by a young Donald Sumpter [...] British cinema of the 1970s – that near dead-zone – is suddenly richer by one very fine, too-long forgotten movie.

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NABOB OF NOWHERE
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#19 Post by NABOB OF NOWHERE » Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:34 pm

I accidentally clicked onto the french dub and for a few moments thought I had torn the veil and landed in a parallel universe where Bruno Dumont did 'Crimewatch' reconstructions.

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#20 Post by MichaelB » Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:48 am

David Thomson in The New Republic, who makes the intriguing claim that it's "A Serial Killer Movie You Can’t Watch in America".

So it's probably worth restating that this is a region-free release, and still very much in print.

The Love Camel
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#21 Post by The Love Camel » Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:34 pm

What is happening with The Flipside? No new releases or announcements for a few months now. I have heard that some people within the BFI didn't like thas series? Is it dead and gone then?

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zedz
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#22 Post by zedz » Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:12 pm

I don't know anything about internal politics or policies, but we know of a couple of things this year that have disrupted 'business as usual' at the BFI: the many special releases tied in with the Jubilee / London Olympics; and the shifting rights situation with the Tatis, which necessitated fast-tracking for the remaining titles.

Flipside titles generally don't have that kind of time pressure attached, so I imagine they're the nearest thing the BFI has to a movable feast.

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antnield
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#23 Post by antnield » Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:29 pm

The Love Camel wrote:What is happening with The Flipside? No new releases or announcements for a few months now. I have heard that some people within the BFI didn't like thas series? Is it dead and gone then?
The question was asked on the official Flipside Facebook page yesterday. Here's the response...
Flipside has not been cancelled. There has been a break in the DVD releases, with the next batch now scheduled for Spring 2013. Meanwhile the monthly screenings still take place at the BFI Southbank in London. And everyone please keep sending suggestions for future releases in, all are greatly appreciated.

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htshell
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#24 Post by htshell » Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:25 pm

Reassuring news, Flipside is my favorite series out there and extremely solid in terms of its curation. I would imagine that leads to plenty of blind-buys.

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MichaelB
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Re: Flipside 024: The Black Panther

#25 Post by MichaelB » Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:50 am

zedz wrote:I don't know anything about internal politics or policies, but we know of a couple of things this year that have disrupted 'business as usual' at the BFI: the many special releases tied in with the Jubilee / London Olympics; and the shifting rights situation with the Tatis, which necessitated fast-tracking for the remaining titles.
Yes, that's absolutely the case. The Tatis in particular caused a fair bit of disruption - basically, as soon as they found themselves unable to renew the rights, instructions were to drop everything else and get cracking on getting Blu-rays of Mon Oncle and Jour de fête out before Christmas. It's hard to exaggerate how well these titles perform for the BFI - I remember a top-15 chart from two or three years ago that was so decisively topped by the Tati DVD box that the number two entry was miles away.
Flipside titles generally don't have that kind of time pressure attached, so I imagine they're the nearest thing the BFI has to a movable feast.
Flipside titles, by their very nature, often take a long time to develop - in most cases they're working directly from 35mm/16mm elements, and tracking down the best available prints can often involve a fair amount of detective work.

But the Flipside strand definitely isn't dead - I'm aware of one very exciting project (very much towards the Herostratus/Duffer/Voice Over end of the obscurity scale) that's being worked on right now.

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