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Paramount owns the Republic library. If Warner licensed one of their RKO owned titles, would it be more proper to say it was Warner licensed or RKO licensed? (But LOL at Warner licensing).

I just knew my old DVD of that title was release by Republic without mention of Paramount, so I didn't realize (or forgot if I ever did realize)

Yeah, Paramount got the library when they bought controlling interest in Spelling Entertainment around 2000 or so. Since then they've licensed out the library as a whole to 3rd parties (with the exception of It's a Wonderful Life, which Paramount enjoys exploiting in isolation). Lionsgate licensed the library from Paramount for 6-7 years and did their typical minimal interest thing, then Olive licensed it after having success with a handful of Paramount titles.

More helpfully though near the start of Olive's run they announced a deal for the Republic Library. Most of their Wayne releases are Republic too.

October 28th
Fedora (Billy Wilder, 1978) - Fedora has been restored in 2K by Bavaria Media in cooperation with CinePostproduction, Germany

November 4th
Moontrap (Robert Dyke, 1989)

That's incredible about Fedora. It was among the first titles leaked as forthcoming when Olive started cranking things out over four years ago. Because four years had passed, I'd thought it had probably fallen through.

I guessed they first announced it to release it through an older source, but then heard about the new 2K resto and waited for it.

Intrigued to see what they do with Moontrap (which, as Bruce Campbell says, is probably the best low-budget science-fiction-action film to be shot in a warehouse in Troy, Michigan). It was released on Blu-Ray in Germany earlier this year, and it's without exaggeration by far the worst HD transfer I've ever seen. If you think you've seen bad DNR before, just you wait... Hopefully Olive have been able to grab the original scans before the filtering took place.

JamesF wrote:Intrigued to see what they do with Moontrap (which, as Bruce Campbell says, is probably the best low-budget science-fiction-action film to be shot in a warehouse in Troy, Michigan). It was released on Blu-Ray in Germany earlier this year, and it's without exaggeration by far the worst HD transfer I've ever seen. If you think you've seen bad DNR before, just you wait... Hopefully Olive have been able to grab the original scans before the filtering took place.

This one is a surprise. I had an office next door to Bob Dyke's during the time he was making this film and a client of mine was one of the financiers (also played the military commander who was dispatched by the robot early on). I agree that the look of the film was quite good given its low budget even if the script was a bit weak.

EddieLarkin wrote:

domino harvey wrote:Why would the version recut fourteen years after the initial release be the default title offered?

I fear it'll be because the proper version will only be available in SD, or in otherwise really poor form.

Thankfully the Blu-ray contains both versions of the film in 1080p! \:D/

For those who was wondering why Uwe Boll is still not part of The Criterion Collection would be glad to know that Olive is releasing a number of his early films only on DVD on October 21 - Sanctimony (2000), Blackwoods (2001), Heart of America (2002) and a documentary Raging Boll (2010).

Heart of America is actually a pretty decent Elephant knock-off.

knives wrote:Heart of America is actually a pretty decent Elephant knock-off.

Elephant was 2003. Maybe Van Sant was ripping off Boll...?

Anything's possible, though it was actually Alan Clarke's Elephant that proved to be a key influence on Van Sant's film. Stylistically at least, if not entirely in subject matter.

DVD Beaver on South Of St. Louis which looks fantastic!

Olive's also finally putting out the second season of Better Off Ted!

swo17 wrote:Olive's also finally putting out the second season of Better Off Ted!

And the aforementioned King of the Hill Season 7 and 8 plus who cares shows like Dads, Napoleon Dynamite (the series), and Touch

Olive's turning into Shout Factory circa 2007.

November 18th.
Extras will include an exclusive videotaped interview with playwright and screenwriter Ed Graczyk.

Well, finally it's coming from someone, and on Blu. So, that's good!

Details for Moontrap (1989)

Presented for the first time in widescreen format with its original monaural soundtrack. It was remastered in HD by Olive Films in 2014 specifically for this release.

Special Features:

• New video Interview with Bruce Campbell and Walter Koenig
  New video interview with director Robert Dyke and writer Tex Ragsdale
  Audio commentary by Robert Dyke and Tex Ragsdale

Nice to see Olive creating extras for a release, but it's shame that it's for a film that is really, really terrible. Koenig is a tree in this one.

Hmm, I see that a MOONTRAP sequel is in the works for release next year from the same writer and director. I wonder if the Olive release was motivated, in part, by the new film?

I wonder if that lacklustre found footage Apollo 18 film (and Iron Sky!) also helped increase an interest in moon-set horror films again*, as I remember throughout Apollo 18 desperately wishing that instead of jump scares and shakeycam I was instead watching Moontrap's aliens using human beings for spare parts. Mind you it has been at least 20 years since I last saw it, so I can't comment on how well it has aged!

* If that is the case I'd like to finally get a chance to see The Dark Side of the Moon, as I often had my eye caught by the VHS cover of that as a kid!