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Posted: |
Jan 15, 2013 - 6:46 AM
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By: |
johnjohnson
(Member)
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In March, Olives Films will release on Blu-ray five more John Wayne films: Robert N. Bradbury's Westward Ho (1935), Joseph Kane's The Lawless Nineties (1936), George Sherman's Wyoming Outlaw (1939), John H. Auer's A Man Betrayed (1941), and Andrew V. McLaglen's McLintock! (1963).
Exact technical specs and supplemental features to be included with these upcoming releases are yet to be revealed.
Westward Ho
While searching for the brother he has been separated from since childhood, John Wayne forms a vigilante group to catch a vicious band of outlaws. On the trail of the bandits, Wayne comes face-to-face with his biggest fear: the brother he has been trying to find is the leader of the gang. Also starring Sheila Bromley, Frank McGlynn Jr., and Jim Farley.
The Lawless Nineties
Federal agent John Tipton heads for Wyoming to supervise the vote on whether to join the Union. One group of locals is using dynamite to terrorize the populace and a local newspaper editor is killed. Also starring Ann Rutherford, Harry Woods, and Harry Woods.
Wyoming Outlaw
With himself and his father out of work due to Balsinger who controls the jobs, Will Parker is stealing cattle to feed his family. The Mesquiteers try to help him out but he is caught and jailed. Escaping jail and eluding the ensuing manhunt, he heads for Balsinger and a showdown. Also starring Ray Corrigan, Raymond Hatton, and Raymond Hatton.
A Man Betrayed
Attorney Lynn Hollister investigates the murder of his friend in the big city. Along the way, he manages to fall in love with the daughter of his chief suspect. Also starring Frances Dee, Edward Ellis, Wallace Ford, and Ward Bond.
McLintock!
The Duke stars as George Washington McLintock, a proud, defiant cattle baron whose daughter Becky (Stefanie Powers) is due home from college. But G.W.'s happy reunion with his daughter is tempered by the arrival of his headstrong wife (Maureen O'Hara), who left him two years earlier. Verbal fireworks explode, slapstick pratfalls bloom...and the Wayne-O'Hara "reconciliation" culminates with the biggest mudhole brawl this side of the Mississippi! Patrick Wayne, Yvonne De Carlo, Chill Wills, Jack Kruschen, Jerry Van Dyke, Bruce Cabot and Edgar Buchanan are among the dazzling supporting cast in this wild, raucous and hilarious Western comedy.
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=10266
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Posted: |
Feb 15, 2013 - 4:26 PM
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By: |
johnjohnson
(Member)
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Olive Films have added three more titles to their April slate: Lewis Milestone's The Red Pony (1949), starring Myrna Loy, Robert Mitchum, and Louis Calhern, Wake of the Red Witch (1948), starring John Wayne, Gail Russell, and Gig Young, and Santa Fe Stampede (1938), starring John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, and Max Terhune.
The Red Pony
Three of John Steinbeck's classic short stories are combined to create a powerful family portrait in The Red Pony. Young Tom Tiflin (Peter Miles) is unable to find the love and guidance he needs from his parents (Myrna Loy and Shepperd Strudwick). For friendship and support, he turns to easy-going hired-hand, Billy Buck (Robert Mitchum). In an attempt to become closer to his son, Tom's father gives him a red pony to raise. As the horse becomes the focus of Tom's life, it ultimately drives the family further apart as Tom turns to Billy for help in rearing his beloved pet. Family ties and Tom and Billy's friendship are put to the test when the red pony becomes sick and disappears. Directed by Oscar-winning director Lewis Milestone (Of Mice and Men, All Quiet on the Western Front) with an evocative, rich musical score by Aaron Copland, The Red Pony is one of Republic Pictures' most distinguished and celebrated productions.
Wake of the Red Witch
John Wayne battles enemies above and below the waves-including a giant killer octopus-in Wake Of the Red Witch. This sprawling epic adventure pits the tough-minded Captain Ralls (John Wayne) against the treacherous Captain Sidneye (Luther Adler) in a bitter rivalry on a South Seas isle. At stake is a fortune in pearls hidden in an underwater cave. At risk is the hand of the beautiful Angelique (Gail Russell), daughter of Desiax, the tyrant ruler of the island who plans to marry her off to Sidneye. In an attempt to rescue Angelique, Ralls must seize the pearls and exchange them for her freedom. The danger continues as fate holds on final test of strength for the bold Captain and the woman he loves.
Santa Fe Stampede
An old friend of the Mesquiteers strikes gold and plans to give the trio half the claim. But the town's crooked mayor and his ruthless henchmen have their own ideas. Murder follows in their path, and Stony (John Wayne), accused of the crime, faces a lynch mob that wants revenge!
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=10490
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Last month in March, Olive Films released Edgar G. Ulmer's cult favorite, RUTHLESS (1948), on DVD and Blu-Ray. The transfer may not be perfect, but it's the best one I've ever seen, and I'm glad to have this little gem in my collection. Some great performances in it: Zachary Scott and Sydney Greenstreet are particularly effective.
As a Barbara Stanwyck fan, I'm looking forward to May. Olive will be releasing two of her films: BLOWING WILD (1953), a substandard Western potboiler co-starring Gary Cooper, Anthony Quinn and Ruth Roman; and THE FILE ON THELMA JORDON, an underrated film noir directed by Robert Siodmak that teams her up for the second time with the marvelous Wendell Corey, who also appeared in SORRY, WRONG NUMBER and THE FURIES.
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Posted: |
Apr 20, 2013 - 5:43 PM
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By: |
Richard-W
(Member)
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.....Over at the HTF there's talk of Olive releasing a good looking, The Quiet Man on Blu before the end of the year.....
I hope everyone will be satisfied with the transfer.
My comments here will represent another viewpoint.
I saw the film for the first time when it came out in 1952. It is a delightful tale which captured the emotional qualities of the Irish people---at least at that time, and at least in a movie-like world.
There is common agreement that this film is beautiful to look at. The film was awarded
an Oscar for its photography.
But even at the tender age of 12, I thought that this was the worst-looking Technicolor film
I'd ever seen up to that point, and I was tremendously disappointed by "the look". I've seen the film many times since and not radically changed my opinion despite the continuing adulation by so many.
The Irish countryside depicted in the film is gorgeous, no doubt about it, but this film,
to me, is the perfect example of a film winning photographic Awards for its scenery rather than its photography---even more than THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN or TO CATCH A THIEF did.
In viewing the film over and over through the years, I believe my distraction with the
film is its desperate inconsistency with the lighting and exposure from shot-to-shot in
the exteriors. Even with the grand Republic budget old Herbert Yates granted them,
the filmmakers were obviously in terrible difficulties with the weather on location.
Budgetary time constraints probably forced them into a very tight, unyielding shooting schedule where they couldn't wait for better weather (as many other location films' budgets
allow) and, thus, they had to shoot when they could. It's one thing to take advantage
of momentary weather "oddities", as Ford and his photographic collaborators often did,
but it's another thing to have sequences with oddities continuing throughout them---with
the cameraman physically unable to match the images from shot-to-shot.
The horse race near the end of the film is a perfect example of this. The weather, in a continuous-time linking of shots goes from terrible overcast to hazy sun to bright sun,
over and over again. Additional well-photographed studio shots are inserted into this
as needed, and as a result, the whole thing has a choppy overall look. There are shots where the light is changing even as the shot is running.
There are other shots where the natural light is obviously so low that you have to open up the lens to get a reasonable exposure. When you do that, the depth of field decreases tremendously, and if you are even slightly off (with Technicolor in those days) the shot might well be slightly out of focus. There are several of those in the film, as I recall.
On a location film such as this, when you have a tight schedule and a difficult constant weather pattern, it is almost mandatory to build certain "cover sets" to allow you to shoot interiors when the weather outside is erratic and photographically unacceptable. You can start an exterior in the light you choose for it, and when it goes bad, move to the interior set and shoot pieces of that sequence---the cabin, the bar, etc.---and then later come back to the exterior when the weather stabilizes. If you've selected your shooting hours or days well, this brings a real consistency to the final cut of an extended exterior scene.
The other way to solve the consistency problem is to change the script, as I've done on several projects I've shot over the years. Working with the writer and director before the film begins, you map out several exterior "cover" sequences which you can go to if the weather turns bad. I've had rain sequences, overcast sequences, dawn sequences, and night sequences built into the script beforehand to use for these purposes. I even had a snow sequence planned into a film that wasn't previously in the script before and was very glad we had that when it started to snow unexpectedly. That saved the producers about 5 days of lost shooting time---time which is Big Money on a location shoot! I've always been a great admirer of Hal Wallis' westerns for Paramount in the '50s and '60s. He always seemed to pick the best months of the year to shoot his higher elevation sequences, often with bright blue sunny skies and gorgeous Aspen trees changing to their gold colors. This kind of production process takes very careful planning and scouting for the best absolute moment to shoot.
Another very technical, behind-the-scenes, problem with a film like QUIET MAN is the beautiful emerald green of the countryside. In the original engineering of the Technicolor 3-color process, one of the 3 filmstrips had to be in the inferior taking position behind the other strip---a position which would put that film record slightly out-of-focus. It was decided that since the color of green is rarely present in faces or humanly recognizable subjects, the film strip recording green would be placed in this secondary position, with the understanding that if green trees, or green grasses, or green leaves were slightly out-of-focus, it wouldn't matter or be noticed much by the viewing audience. There is a lot of green in Ireland---and in THE QUIET MAN.
But now, 60 years later, THE QUIET MAN is what it is, and will remain so. I just hope that those who are praying for a gorgeous transfer will not be disappointed once again.
Now that you've seen the blu-ray, have your views changed?
Richard
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So how's the quality of the Blu-rays? So many of these seem to be out of copywrite, so where are they getting their sources? I'd like to know how these compare to big studio releases from the same periods. Thanks.
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Olive Films will add two classic war films to its Blu-ray catalog in May: Mark Robson's Home of the Brave (1949), starring Jeff Corey, James Edwards, and Lloyd Bridges, and David Miller's Flying Tigers (1942), starring John Wayne, John Carroll, and Anna Lee.
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=13373
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Independent distributors Olive Films have announced that they will release a number of exciting classic films on Blu-ray in July. Amongst them are Max Ophuls' Caught (1949), Irving Pichel's Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948), Lewis Milestone's Armored Attack! a.k.a. The North Star (1943), and André De Toth's The Other Love (1947).
Operation Petticoat
Screen legends Cary Grant (Father Goose) and Tony Curtis (Some Like It Hot) ship out for laughs and adventure in one of the most hilarious comedies to ever hit the high seas. The U.S.S. Sea Tiger is on its last legs until the handsome skipper (Grant) and his ingenious, if slightly unethical, junior officer (Curtis) scavenge the parts and supplies needed to put the sub back into action. Forced out to sea prematurely by an enemy air attack, the sub leaks and limps along until five stranded Army nurses come aboard and initiate their own renovations. From one mishap to another, the sub ends up a blushing pink, making it a target for both Japanese and American forces. The two dashing stars lead an all-star supporting cast that includes Joan O'Brien, Dina Merrill, Gene Evans, Dick Sargent, Arthur O'Connell, Gavin MacLeod, Madlyn Rhue and Marion Ross. Wonderfully directed by the legendary Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther) and beautifully shot in color by the great Russell Harlan (Rio Bravo, Red River). The classic comedy received a 1959 Academy Award nomination for Best Writing (Story and Screenplay written directly for the screen). STREET DATE: JULY 1.
So This Is New York
Legendary Richard Fleischer (Tora! Tora! Tora!, Fantastic Voyage) directed this 1948 comedy based on Ring Lardner's (Champion) novel "The Big Town" and adapted for the screen by Carl Foreman (The Bridge on the River Kwai) and Herbert Baker (Don't Give Up the Ship). The film follows a rube, Henry Morgan, on a journey as he uses his recently obtained inheritance to take a trip to 1910's New York with his wife (Virginia Grey) and sister-in-law (Dona Drake). Along the way, he encounters numerous eccentric characters including a drunken jockey, a sleaze ball millionaire and a devious stage actor – all scheming to court his sister-in-law in order to gain a slice of the inheritance. The cast includes comic legends Rudy Vallee, Bill Goodwin, Hugh Herbert, Jerome Cowan and Leo Gorcey. So This is New York was the maiden voyage for producer/director Stanley Kramer (Inherit the Wind) and radio humorist Henry Morgan's first film. STREET DATE: JULY 1.
Good Sam
In the tradition of It's a Wonderful Life… everyone in town agrees that there ought to be more good Samaritans like Sam Clayton (Gary Cooper, High Noon). Sam is a department store manager and a devoted family man. Unfortunately for Sam, no good deed goes unpunished. When Sam loans the family car to the neighbors … he gets sued when they have an accident. When he invites his brother-in-law for a visit – much to the dismay of Sam's wife (Ann Sheridan, Kings Row) – the man stays around for six months. Sam is even willing to loan his own family savings to a young couple so they can start their own business and have a baby. Eventually, Sam learns why nice guys finish last when he himself needs someone to turn to! Legendary director, Leo McCarey (The Bells of St. Mary's, An Affair to Remember) directed this dark comedy with gorgeous black-and-white cinematography by the great George Barnes (The File on Thelma Jordon, Rebecca). STREET DATE: JULY 1.
Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid
Things seem to be going swimmingly for Mr. Peabody (William Powell, The Thin Man) – then one day his life takes a whimsical turn. While fishing, he snags a beautiful mermaid (Ann Blyth, Mildred Pierce). In a flight of youthful fancy, the stodgy Bostonian falls for the mermaid and takes her to a pond at his villa. The seemingly harmless crush creates all sorts of comical mix-ups! When Mr. Peabody's jealous wife's car (Irene Hervey, The Lucky Stiff) is found abandoned, the discovery leads the police to believe he bumped off his own wife! Irving Pichel (The Miracle of the Bells) directed this whimsical comedy with an uproarious screenplay by legendary Nunnally Johnson (The Dark Mirror, The Dirty Dozen). STREET DATE: JULY 8TH.
Caught
Caught is a tale of Leonora (Barbara Bel Geddes, Vertigo), an aspiring carhop who meets and marries a mysterious millionaire, Smith Ohlrig (Robert Ryan, God's Little Acre). Soon after the wedding, Laura realizes she's trapped in a loveless marriage with a ruthless workaholic husband who torments her with twisted mind games. Unable to obtain a divorce from Smith, she moves out of the mansion and goes to work for a dedicated doctor, Larry Quinada (James Mason, Odd Man Out). The two quickly fall in love but the romance comes to an abrupt halt when Leonora learns that she is pregnant with Ohlrig's child. Legendary director Max Opuls (Max Ophüls) (Letter From An Unknown Woman, The Reckless Moment) and the top-notch cast masterfully navigate the ensuing complications through atmospheric cinematography by Lee Garmes (Duel In The Sun) and stylish art direction from Frank Paul Sylos (Suddenly). Caught was adapted for the screen by Arthur Laurents (West Side Story, Rope) from Libbie Block's novel "Wild Calendar." STREET DATE: JULY 8TH.
The Lost Moment
The Lost Moment is a 1947 thriller in the tradition of Rebecca and the only film directed by actor Martin Gabel. Robert Cummings (Sleep, My Love) stars as Lewis Venable, an energetic American publisher in search of the lost love letters of an early 19th century poet. Under a false name, Lewis rents a room in a mansion from Juliana Borderau (Agnes Moorehead, TV's Bewitched), a former lover of the dead writer. Overseeing the eerie mansion is Juliana's near-psychotic niece, Tina (Susan Hayward, Where Love Has Gone), who mistrusts the publisher from the very onset. It soon becomes clear to Lewis that the mansion harbors horrible secrets, however, he intends to collect the lost letters at any cost. Art director Alexander Golitzen (Touch of Evil) and set decorators Russell A. Gausman (Shadow of a Doubt) and Ken Swartz (The Affair of Susan) make great use of the haunting Venetian mansion. The incredible makeup used to make Agnes Moorehead appear 105-years-old created quite a stir in 1947, as it became the subject of many magazine articles. The Lost Moment was shot in glorious black-and-white by Hal Mohr (The Wild One) from an adapted screenplay by Leonardo Bercovici (Portrait of Jennie, The Bishop's Wife), and based on the Henry James' best-selling novel "The Aspern Papers." STREET DATE: JULY 8TH.
Arch of Triumph
In 1938, Paris has become a haven for refugees trying to escape growing Nazi power. Charles Boyer (Gaslight, The Buccaneer) plays Dr. Ravic, a German surgeon practicing medicine illegally in France. Always one step away from being discovered and sent back to Germany, he seeks revenge on his enemy, a Nazi officer (Charles Laughton), who tortured him. One night, he saves Joan Madou, played by Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca, Notorious), a woman cast adrift after the death of her lover. He finds her a job singing at a nightclub, and eventually they begin an affair, only to be separated when Ravic is found out and deported. Lewis Milestone's (All Quiet on the Western Front) adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's novel is an atmospheric tale of romance and revenge set among the rising tensions of a continent at the brink of war. STREET DATE: JULY 15TH.
Armored Attack! a.k.a. The North Star
When the school year ends, five friends from a small Ukrainian village decide to travel to Kiev. Their trip is cut short when German aircraft attack and their town falls under occupation. While many escape to the hills to form an anti-Nazi resistance group, a German doctor, Dr. Otto Von Harden (Erich von Stroheim), begins to use the children for medical experiments and as sources of blood transfusions for wounded German soldiers. Directed by Lewis Milestone (All Quiet on the Western Front), this story of valiant resistance stars Dana Andrews (Laura), Anne Baxter (All About Eve), and Walter Huston (The Treasure of Sierra Madre) as the Russian doctor who discovers the nefarious German plot. In 1943, The North Star was nominated for six Academy Awards. The North Star (1943) was re-released in the midst of the Cold War as Armored Attack! (1957). The original references to the allied Russian military were excised and an overtly anti-Communist narration track was added. This disc includes the original theatrical cut, The North Star, which runs 30 minutes longer and preserves Milestone's initial version of the film before these politically-motivated changes were made.
Special Features:
•THE NORTH STAR (1943): The complete original extended theatrical cut. Running time: 106 mins
•Radio Adaptation: On January 3, 1944, Screen Guild Theater (CBS) broadcast this half-hour radio adaptation of THE NORTH STAR, with Walter Huston, Anne Baxter, Farley Granger, and Jane Withers all reprising their roles from the film.
STREET DATE: JULY 15TH.
Forever Female
After aspiring playwright Stanley Krown's (William Holden) new play is optioned, his producer (Paul Douglas) insists he rewrites the script to allow his middle-aged ex-wife (Ginger Rogers) to play the lead role, that of a 19-year-old ingénue. But the role wasn't meant for her, and despite constant changes, Krown's play can't seem to win over critics. Irving Rapper directs this charming update to J.M. Barrie's play Rosalind. A sly showbiz satire, Forever Female also features Pat Crowley in her Golden Globe winning performance as Sally Carver, the young actress who wants nothing more than the lead part for herself. Also features Marion Ross ("Happy Days"), George Reeves (TV's "Adventures of Superman") and an early on screen appearance by Academy Award winner George Chakiris (West Side Story). STREET DATE: JULY 23RD.
The Other Love
Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity) is Karen Duncan, a famous concert pianist living her dream until she's stricken with tuberculosis. She's sent to Swiss sanatorium to rest, unaware her illness is terminal. There she falls for her caretaker, Dr. Anthony Stanton (David Niven), who has trouble getting her to face the seriousness of the condition. With the help of her neighbor (Joan Lorring), Karen rebels against Dr. Stanton's strict rules and eventually meets a dashing racecar driver, (Richard Conte). Soon, Karen is sneaking out into town to meet him. But when a fellow patient dies, Karen begins to understand the gravity of her illness and must decide whether it's worth risking her life for love. This bittersweet tearjerker was directed by Academy Award Nominee André De Toth (The Gunfighter) and is based on a story by Erich Maria Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front). STREET DATE: JULY 23RD.
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=13903
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Hadn't realized THE LOST MOMENT was based on Henry James' "The Aspern Papers." Would have loved to see the stage version of this tale, which was performed in London a couple of decades ago, and starred Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave, and Dame Wendy Hiller. That would have been amazing!
Also, FYI: The Stanwyck film, THE OTHER LOVE, has a music score by one of our favorites: Maestro Miklos Rozsa!
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