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Olive Films

While looking for something at imdb, I noticed that a number of titles including some classic film noirs from a Paramount catalogue are listed under Olive Films studio with DVDs to be released in 2010. Titles include:

Ansikte mot ansikte (Face to Face) (1976)
Once Is Not Enough (1975)
Fear Is the Key (1972)
Such Good Friends (1971)
Hannie Caulder (1971)
WUSA (1970)
Tropic of Cancer (1970)
Riot (1969)
Skidoo (1968)
Hurry Sundown (1967)
Promise Her Anything (1965)
Sands of the Kalahari (1965)
Harlow (1965)
Crack in the World (1965)
Where Love Has Gone (1964)
Escape from Zahrain (1962)
Summer and Smoke (1961)
On the Double (1961)
The Savage Innocents (1960)
The Mountain (1956)
Knock on Wood (1954)
Off Limits (1953)
My Favorite Spy (1951)
Appointment with Danger (1951)
Dark City (1950)
Union Station (1950)
Rope of Sand (1949)

I wonder if this deal is similar to the one Legend Films had a couple of years ago.

What has Olive Films released? I'm not familiar with them.
And whatever happened to the Legend Films stuff? Are there no more to be released?

Ashirg wrote:Skidoo (1968)

Have the rights been resolved with this then? Wasn't there a problem with Preminger's wife holding it back?

I'm not sure, but it was shown on TCM a few times recently.

I wonder if this deal is similar to the one Legend Films had a couple of years ago.

Minus the colorization of b&w titles, I hope.

Olive Films distributes a small number of their own titles on video, and they also sell independent, foreign and documentary films off their website. I wonder if this information is accurate?

One good feature of their website, by the way, is that they break down their catalog by studio.

Ashirg wrote: Such Good Friends (1971)
Skidoo (1968)
Hurry Sundown (1967).

BRB, having heart attack over anticipation of a late-period Preminger triple-shot =D>

Ashirg wrote: Once Is Not Enough (1975)
Harlow (1965)
Where Love Has Gone (1964)

I've been eagerly awaiting for these pieces of trash to arrive on DVD for years. =D>

I'm looking forward to CRACK IN THE WORLD and SUMMER AND SMOKE (so I've got eclectic tastes...).

HarryLong wrote:

I wonder if this deal is similar to the one Legend Films had a couple of years ago.

Minus the colorization of b&w titles, I hope.

They didn't colorize their Paramount releases. Poor source materials on some titles and lack of progressive transfers is another issue.

They didn't colorize their Paramount releases.

That's true. So many Legend titles showed up for review in such a short time that distinction hadn't quite registered.

manicsounds wrote:And whatever happened to the Legend Films stuff? Are there no more to be released?

I've seen many, many of the Legends titles dumped for $3 apiece at Big Lots. So no, probably nothing more to be had there.

SUCH GOOD FRIENDS!!! Can't wait to see Burgess Meredith (at 60+) wearing nothing but a book over his package!

What's the likelihood of Ansikte mot ansikte being uncut?

Is there any news on when these films will be released, and if so, will they be pressed discs? I have to ask because I know there are some who don't exactly approve of the DVD-R format.

This is good.

Ansikte mot ansikte (Face to Face) (1976)
Skidoo (1968)
The Savage Innocents (1960)

I think the key would be contacting Olive Films directly to verify that the information on IMDb is even correct. (What, do you mean IMDb has mistakes in it??? Say it ain't so, Joe!) They'd also be the ones supply the release dates if they even know them yet.

I contacted Olive and their response was:

"The films will be released on dvd in and around September 2010. Please feel free to check back on our website or sign up for our eNewsletter to get updates on the exact release dates."

Strangely, is TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME JUNIE MOON not a Paramount title? I can't figure out why this film was not snatched up with the other three Premingers.

I'd never even heard of WUSA but one more notch on the ol' Newman-Woodward bedpost is a-ok with me

justeleblanc wrote:I contacted Olive and their response was:

"The films will be released on dvd in and around September 2010. Please feel free to check back on our website or sign up for our eNewsletter to get updates on the exact release dates."

Strangely, is TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME JUNIE MOON not a Paramount title? I can't figure out why this film was not snatched up with the other three Premingers.

Maybe it's one of the Paramount titles that Criterion is sitting on?

I was hoping Criterion would do The Savage Innocents. Oh well.

WUSA is just all wrong. Politically confused, underdeveloped characters, nothing going for it but Newman's blues, and those don't take us very far. It is like a misfire of an Altman misfire (I love Altman). It hardly seems possible that Rosenberg followed Cool Hand Luke with this. A collection of actors and New Orleans locations and not much more.

justeleblanc wrote:I contacted Olive and their response was:

"The films will be released on dvd in and around September 2010. Please feel free to check back on our website or sign up for our eNewsletter to get updates on the exact release dates."

Thanks for confirming that with them! There are some genuinely exciting titles on the list. I'm praying that Skidoo will be a proper 'scope transfer, for once.

As scotty2 asserts WUSA plays like a strange pre-Altman run on national politics and social change. In fact it contains many elements of plot, character and southern locale that were masterfully developed in NASHVILLE. Unfortunately nothing in WUSA is developed with much conviction and the ideas remain stillborn. However the chance to view the two back to back would make for an interesting and illuminating comparison.

Face to Face is currently available from Germany - but does regretfully not offer English subtitles, as was the case of the Polish disc, too.

But Pope Joan, an obscure big-budget production, also starring Liv Ullman, is available from Germany with English subs. The movie appears quite bizarre - and Olivia de Havilland's character as Mother Superior is seen crucified. Furthermore the reviews indicate that Ullman is especially convincing as a young boy for whatever it might be worth.