The Seventh Seal announced as our first UHD Blu-ray release 

We’re delighted to announce that Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 masterpiece The Seventh Seal will be the BFI’s very first Ultra High Definition (UHD) Blu-ray. Available in this format for the first time anywhere in the world, this 4K Ultra HD Edition offers audiences the chance to experience this timeless classic like never before. The release marks an exciting new venture for the label, with further UHD editions set to be announced over the coming months. 

As previously announced, the second of a four-volume collection celebrating the work of Ingmar Bergman will be released alongside The Seventh Seal. Featuring eight of the director’s most celebrated films across six discs – including Summer with Monika, The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries – Ingmar Bergman: Volume 2 will be accompanied by newly recorded special features, a 100-page perfect-bound book, with new essays on the featured films, and new artwork by designer Andrew Bannister. 

October sees the sci-fi horror milestone Invasion of the Body Snatchers receive its UK Blu-ray debut. Released in time for Halloween, this enduring and suspenseful classic, directed by Don Siegel (Dirty Harry), will be accompanied by a selection of new and archive material that sheds light on the film’s production and legacy.

BFI Flipside also returns for Halloween with Short Sharp Shocks: Volume 2, a second dose of strange, striking, thrilling, horrific, eerie and eccentric short films from the archives. Following the popularity of Volume 1, this carefully curated 2-disc collection includes a plethora of sought-after titles, many newly remastered in HD for the very first time.

In November the punk-fuelled cult classic Out of the Blue is released on Blu-ray. Directed by Dennis Hopper and featuring an astonishing performance by Linda Manz, this limited edition 2-disc set includes a 4K restoration of the film and a host of fascinating extras.

November also sees Mike Leigh’s directorial debut arrive on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world. A true landmark in the history of British cinema, Bleak Moments has been newly remastered by the BFI and features sleeve artwork based on the film’s original poster.

Leigh’s 1993 classic Naked also arrives on BFI Blu-ray in November. Featuring an explosive, Cannes prize-winning central performance by David Thewlis, this masterful and controversial drama has been newly remastered by the BFI National Archive and is available on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville and based on Jean Cocteau’s celebrated novel, Les Enfants Terribles concludes the November slate. Combining the talents of two of French cinema’s most distinguished filmmakers, this hauntingly atmospheric adaptation is presented in a new 4K restoration. 

And finally, in December, Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne and Randolph Scott dazzle in two glittering Universal dramas from the golden age of Hollywood – Pittsburgh and The Spoilers – available as standalone Blu-ray releases.