Olive Films

[Props55]

I watched THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY on netflix around two or so years ago and seem to recall it had an unfamiliar logo header before the film proper. It was kind of generic like those old NTA (National Television Associates) headers back in the days of local affiliate syndication prints threaded through slide/film chains but was definately a new entity from the digital age. The encode was pretty dire and the print didn't look much better than the one I originally saw on WTBS way back in the '70's. Anyone here recall how this Universal title ended up out of the fold. And is CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (which I've never seen) similarly affected?

[CR2]

I've been waiting what feels like at least a year for A New Leaf after Olive was announced having the rights, PRAYING it'd be a bluray. Hallelujah. It's too bad it can't be May's original cut (She disowned the theatrical after heavy studio cuts), but I doubt that version exists in salvageable material. Pity.

[perkizitore]

I really hope Caught and Macbeth are in the next batch of titles, can't wait to watch both in HD!

[rwaits]

Olive is definitely kicking into overdrive - the slate they have is incredible. I vaguely remember something about their subscription service when they launched but their initial announcements didn't interest me much. Is that still available? If not, what's the best place to buy Olive in BULK?

[Jonathan S]

I watched THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY on netflix around two or so years ago and seem to recall it had an unfamiliar logo header before the film proper. It was kind of generic like those old NTA (National Television Associates) headers back in the days of local affiliate syndication prints threaded through slide/film chains but was definately a new entity from the digital age. The encode was pretty dire and the print didn't look much better than the one I originally saw on WTBS way back in the '70's. Anyone here recall how this Universal title ended up out of the fold. And is CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (which I've never seen) similarly affected?

I believe Christmas Holiday is still owned by Universal. In the UK it's available separately but is part of the Durbin series licensed from Universal. What a misleading cover image! According to the top Amazon customer review, Gene Kelly's estate "has attempted to suppress" the film.

The UK rights issues for Uncle Harry and the Republic (or ex-Republic) library differ, but the fine copy shown on UK TV in recent years begins with the original 1940s Universal logo and fanfare. The main title states "Charles K Feldman presents... a Universal Release" so maybe the rights reverted to Feldman? (Is there a similar problem with the Feldman-produced The Glass Menagerie, or is that one a literary rights issue?)

[nolanoe]

Is it true we'll get Fassbinder's Bollwieser from these fellas soon?

The DVD is horrible, and apparently it's one of his better films.

[SpiderBaby]

^It's true.

[Props55]

Jonathan: Thanks for reminding me of the Charles K. Feldman credit on UNCLE HARRY. And yes, that may well be why it and GLASS MENANGERIE are in some kind of rights limbo. With the exception of RED RIVER, which I believe was his maiden production effort and may well have been superceded by Hawks' Winchester Productions, I can't immediatly recall any Feldman Productions that are available until his long running association with Columbia beginning around 1960 and WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. I'm riffing on pure memory now so I could be way off base.

Anyway I'm curious about any "non-criminal" or "period" Siodmak noirs as they're so rarely seen. Not surprised about Kelly (and heirs) attitude regarding CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY but I guess I should pick up a bio and find out how he was coerced into it. I'd love to see THE SUSPECT again.

To get back on topic there seem to be a lot of "mini-libraries" that have accrued to Republic over the years (mainly the shortlived Enterprise titles and Warner son-in-law Milton Sperling's United States Pictures) and I'm glad they're all getting attention from Olive.

[SpiderBaby]

Numero Deux Beaver Review

Another of Beaver's infamous screenshot taking.

[med]

Gonna wait until my boss is standing behind me to open it.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

I really wish they'd ditch the non-removable subs.

[Oedipax]

I really wish they'd ditch the non-removable subs.

Yeah, that's a letdown. Are they burned in or just forced? Because the copy of the film in the Intermedio 'Ensayos' box didn't have burned-in subs.

[knives]

It seems to be a company thing as their english language titles never have subs. The only exception to this is 1900 which has multiple language options.

[Mathew2468]

Ici et Ailleurs on DVD Beaver

[SpiderBaby]

Ici et Ailleurs on DVD Beaver

Looks better than I expected. Both of these are coming today in the mail, can't wait.

[J Adams]

Yellow subtitles? Who still does that?

[mfunk9786]

Netflix does (or at least, when I was watching Sherlock during a heat wave with the AC blasting and needed assistance in keeping up with the quick dialogue that was being muffled, the subtitles were yellow - not sure if it's the case with everything on there)

[Mathew2468]

Am I the only one that likes yellow subtitles? On the Mondo Vision Zulawskis I wondered why the heck they included yellow, but I ended up using them because I find them clearer. The ones in these Godard DVDs look good to me.

[Jack Phillips]

Yellow titles are definitely easier to see. I find the idea that white titles are preferable to yellow because they're less intrusive (or something) laughable. You either want to be able to see the titles or you don't. If you are concerned about the absolute integrity of the image you are watching, then Turn The Titles Off.

[Gregory]

The only time I've ever not been able to read white subtitles was when there were no dark outlines around the letters. And this has been discussed a few times before, for example here and here.

[Mathew2468]

People usually say "ugly yellow subtitles", and I've seen ugly ones but these look good. The Mondo Visions' titles are sort of transparent and I didn't notice this as much when they were yellow.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

If you are concerned about the absolute integrity of the image you are watching, then Turn The Titles Off.

You can't, Olive uses fixed subs. AFAIK this is true of all their foreign-language releases.

[TMDaines]

Apart from 1900 as that has multiple language tracks from which to choose.

[Max von Mayerling]

Right now both of these Olive Godards are 51% off at importcds.com (and they have a sale that takes another 10% off).

[Oedipax]

Right now both of these Olive Godards are 51% off at importcds.com (and they have a sale that takes another 10% off).

Thanks! It comes out to $26.40 shipped for both of them - I had them pre-ordered at Amazon for 19.99 and 22.46!