Showing posts with label Olive Films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olive Films. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

2019 Classic Film Holiday Gift Guide



It's that time of year again! Whether you're shopping for the classic film buff in your life or for yourself, I have some great options for you.

Here is my 2019 Classic Film Holiday Gift Guide. The guide is split into two sections. The first is Recommendations, products that I've enjoyed this year. The second section is a Wishlist of items that have piqued my interest but haven't gotten my hands on yet.

When you use my buy links to do your online holiday shopping you help support this site. Thank you! I also encourage you to shop at your local brick and mortar stores whenever possible.

Stay tuned as I'll be chatting with Carl Sweeney of The Movie Palace Podcast about some of these items. I'll include the audio link here once it's live.

What's on your holiday wishlist this year? Which of the items in my holiday gift guide most appeal to you? Leave your responses in the comment section below!









Letters from Hollywood
Inside the Private World of Classic American Movie Making 
by Rocky Lang and Barbara Hall
Harry N. Abrams




TCM and Running Press Books

Forbidden Hollywood
The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934), When Sin Rules the Movies
by Mark A. Vieira
(my reviews: blog post and video)


Dynamic Dames
50 Leading Ladies Who Made History
by Sloan De Forest
(my reviews: blog post and video)


Hollywood Black
The Stars, The Films, The Filmmakers
by Donald Bogle
(my reviews: blog post and video)




Warner Archive Collection Blu-Rays

The Set-Up (1949)



The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)



A Patch of Blue (1965)





The Tiger of Eschnapur (1959) and The Indian Tomb (1959) Blu-Ray

Film Movement
(review coming soon!)




Punny Classic Film Christmas Cards by Kate Gabrielle




Ida Lupino: Filmmaker Collection

Contains: Not Wanted (1949), Never Fear (1950), The Hitch-Hiker (1953) and The Bigamist (1953)
Kino Lorber



The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) Olive Film Signature Edition

(review coming soon!)








The Definitive Jacques Tati 
edited by Alison Castle
5 Book Boxed Set




The Hollywood Book Club
by Steven Rea
Chronicle Books




Now Voyager (1942) Criterion Collection Edition





They Shall Not Grow Old Blu-Ray




TCM Movie Lovers Welcome Mat






Monday, December 3, 2018

2018 Classic Film Holiday Gift Guide



Another holiday season is upon us and if you're looking for a gift for the classic film lover in your life you've come to the right place. Today I present to you my 2018 Classic Film Holiday Gift Guide. Here you'll find a variety of gift ideas that would make for great stocking stuffers or wrapped presents under the tree. Or if you're looking for great products to buy for yourself with gift cards or holiday cash, I have some nice selections for you. Yay for physical media!

The guide is split into two sections. These are some of the products that I've enjoyed over the past year. The second section is my personal wish list of items I have my eye on.

When you use my buy links to do your holiday shopping you help support this site. Thank you!

As always, I'd love to hear from you. In the comment section below tell me which of these items appeals to you or would make a great gift for a loved one. And I want to know what's on your holiday wish list this year!






Kino Lorber's Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers Blu-ray Set

An ambitious project resulted in one of the most impressive film boxed sets ever released. A must have for film historians and feminists alike, this set includes a variety of female directed silent films and a bunch of amazing extras. Review to come!


And if you're passionate about supporting women in film, check out Alicia Malone's latest book. 

The Female Gaze Essential Movies Made by Women by Alicia Malone (Review)




Warner Archive Blu-rays

2018 was an especially good year for Blu-ray releases from the Warner Archive Collection. They keep cranking out some great discs and I'm forever grateful. Here are four of my favorites from this year. No surprise that two of them are Fritz Lang films!

Harper (1966) Blu-ray (Review)

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956) Blu-ray (Review)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Blu-ray (Review)

While the City Sleeps (1956) Blu-ray (Review)



Warner Archive DVDs

The good folks at the Warner Archive Collection keep digging into their vaults to find more treasures for us classic film lovers to enjoy. Whether it's a film new to DVD or one that's gone out of print, access is key and WAC is making that happen. Here are three previously unreleased films now available on DVD-MOD.

Hide-Out (1934)

Comet Over Broadway (1938) (Review)
Amazon  — TCM Shop — WB Shop

Tender Comrade (1943) (Review)



Kino Lorber Blu-rays

Kino Lorber has been growing their classic film Blu-ray and DVD releases for their main catalog and also for their Studio Classics line. A lot of these are independent releases, not attached to a particular studio, and it's great that KL has stepped in to give these films the release they deserve. Here are some of my favorites from this year.

Lisbon (1956) Blu-ray

The Woman in the Window (1944) Blu-ray (Review)

Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) Blu-ray (Review)

Trapeze (1956) Blu-ray (Review)



Olive Films Blu-rays

Olive Films continues to release unique offerings that keep us cinephiles happy. Whether it's their super deluxe Signature Editions that sell like hotcakes or their regular Blu-ray and DVD releases jam packed with extras, there is much to enjoy from their catalog. Here are some of my favorite Olive Films Blu-ray releases from 2018.

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) Blu-ray (Review)

The Miracle Worker (1962) Blu-ray (Review)

Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) Blu-ray (Review)

Mr. Capra Goes to War: Frank Capra's World War II Documentaries Blu-ray (Review)




TCM and Running Press Genre Books

Running Press' joint imprint with Turner Classic Movies keeps cranking out some really great classic film books. I feel like they're hitting their stride with these two genre books. 

Must See Sci-Fi: 50 Movies That Are Out of This World by Sloan de Forest (Review)

Christmas in the Movies: 50 Classics to Celebrate the Season by Jeremy Arnold (Review coming soon!)



TIME Life Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In

Earlier this year I celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In with a look back at the history behind this zany and hilarious show. TIME Life has released individual seasons in DVD boxed sets and the second season happens to be my personal favorite.

Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In: The Complete Second Season DVD Set (Review)
Complete collection available at TIME Life







Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes' Hollywood
by Karina Longworth

I'm endlessly fascinated with Howard Hughes and his impact, both negative and positive, on Hollywood. And being familiar with Longworth's podcast You Must Remember This, I know her new book will be well-researched and juicy!




Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood
by William J. Mann 

Hearing Vanessa Buttino discuss this book on the Movie Palace Podcast made me move it up further on my wish list of must have books! Watch her Book Talk on YouTube for more details.

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powell's 



Notorious (1946) Criterion Collection Blu-ray

My husband and I realized we don't have a copy of this Hitchcock classic so we're holding out for the upcoming Criterion release which looks amazing. Just look at

Coming January 2019


Fandango Gift Cards

I love watching movies on the big screen but it can get pricey. I was treated to a few gift cards this year and I felt absolutely pampered.

Fandango Shop


Monday, November 12, 2018

Mr. Capra Goes to War: Frank Capra's World War II Documentaries



You may be familiar with Frank Capra's Hollywood films but how much do you know about the propaganda documentaries he made during WWII? The Sicilian born Frank Capra emigrated to the US in 1903. Here he developed a fervent patriotism that helped chart the course of his life and career. After failed attempts at becoming a chemical engineer and later a screenwriter, he found his talents for directing film suited him best. In Hollywood he made hits such as It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), and Meet John Doe (1941). Before re-enlisting in the Army in 1941, he made Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) hoping that its release would secure finances for his family while he was away. When the war ended and Capra came back to Hollywood, much had changed not only in the industry but with Capra himself. He made the independent film It's a Wonderful Life (1946) which wouldn't become the beloved classic that we know today until much later. Capra would make 5 more films over the next decade and a half but couldn't recapture the magic of his pre-war career.

While Capra was in the Army, his contribution to the war effort was primarily propaganda filmmaking. He served as executive producer and co-director on several different documentaries. Seven of these films made up his Why We Fight series.

New from Olive Films is Mr. Capra Goes to War: Frank Capra's World War II Documentaries and Blu-Ray (and DVD) that features five of these films, 2 of which are from the Why We Fight series. In addition, Joseph McBride, Frank Capra biographer (Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success) is featured in an original documentary about Capra's life and career with a particular focus on his work during WWII. He also makes a 4 minute introduction to each of the 5 films.

This new one disc set contains the following:

Frank Capra: Why We Fight
31 minutes

Capra biographer Joseph McBride covers the scope of Frank Capra's life and his filmmaking career. Capra served in the Army for both WWI and WWII. We learn about his patriotism, conservative politics and personal conflicts. Confused with the changing ideologies of America during the war, Capra tried his best to make sense of this to make documentaries that would serve to help with the war effort. Capra received the Distinguished Service Medal for his contributions but was very ambivalent about the films he made during this time with the exception of The Battle of Russia. McBride speaks throughout this doc and unfortunately has a very monotone and dry delivery. The subject matter is interesting enough to make it worth your while. I was particularly fascinated by Capra's post-war career and his struggle to transition back into the industry.


Prelude to War (1942)
dir. by Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak
52 min

This is the first of Capra's Why We Fight films and it starts off with the following:

"This film, the first of a series, has been prepared by the War Department to acquaint members of the Army with factual information as to the causes, the events lead up to our entry into the war and the principles for which we are fighting."

The film drives home its message of freedom and equality by comparing and contrasting the United States with the fascist regimes of Germany and Japan. These are presented as two separate earths and begs the question: which one would you want to live on? I was particularly fascinated by the propaganda messaging against the suppression of religious freedom and exploring the dangers of not taking the war seriously.


The Battle of Russia Part 1 (1943)
36 min
The Battle of Russia Part 2 (1943)
47 min
dir. by Frank Capra and Anatole Litvak

Russian born director Anatole Litvak joined forces with Frank Capra to direct this two part documentary, another entry into Capra's Why We Fight series. This propaganda film was pro-Russia and served to support our ally in the fight against the Nazis. Along with the pro-Soviet sentiment is quite a bit of anti-Nazi messaging. The first part focuses on Russia's military battles leading up to the WWII and the second part follows their battles against German invasion. It also clearly depicts Russia's successes in either defending or recapturing their borders. A hit upon its release in the US, the film didn't age well in the post-war McCarthy era.


The Negro Soldier (1944)
dir. by Stuart Heisler
produced by
40 min

After reading Mark Harris' book Five Came Back, I was most interested in seeing Heisler and Capra's film The Negro Soldier. This propaganda film had two purposes: 1) as a means to convince white people that it was crucial to have black people fight in the war and 2) as a means to recruit said black people. Carlton Moss wrote the script and also appears in the film as the black priest delivering a message to his parish about the importance of service. The film depicts the history of African-Americans in battle but also explores their contributions to American culture and their potential to contribute to the war effort.


Tunisian Victory (1944)
dir. by Frank Capra, John Huston and Hugh Stewart
76 min

During the war, American and British forces banded together to free Tunisia from the Nazis.  Although united in the battle, the Americans and Brits didn't see eye to eye and their union was fraught with tension. This spilled over to the documentary. The Brits had real footage which they used in their film Desert Victory. The American filmmaking team had their own footage as well but due to an unfortunate accident it was forever lost at sea. The British weren't about to give up their footage so Capra, Stewart and Huston joined forces to recreate the scenes with actors. Because of the reenactments, this one has the most cinematic feel of all the films in the set. It also feels the most contrived.


Your Job in Germany (1945)
dir. by Frank Capra
13 min

"The problem now is future peace — that is your job in Germany."

Made specifically for the American occupation troops in Germany to teach them how to treat the German people and what to be wary of, Your Job in Germany was written by Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. This documentary short stands out in the set because it served to educate G.I.s rather than inform the public. Warner Bros. repackaged the film the following year and released it as Hitler Lives. McBride points out in his introduction that all of these war films were in the public domain because they were made with taxpayer money and not for profit.



Mr. Capra Goes to War: Frank Capra's World War II Documentaries is available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Olive Films. The disc includes English subtitles and the option to play McBride's introduction before each film. This is a fantastic one disc set and is a must for WWII buffs and film history enthusiasts alike. 


Thank you to Olive Films for sending me a copy of the Blu-Ray for review. 
When you use my buy links you hep support this site.

Monday, October 22, 2018

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)



"At first glance, everything looked the same. It wasn't. Something evil had taken possession of the town."

Set in the fictional Santa Mira, California, the epitome of small town America, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) follows Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) as he uncovers the truth behind the bizarre behavior in his community. It all starts with a frightened young boy who claims his mom is not really his mom. Dr. Miles' high school sweetheart Becky (Dana Wynter) has a cousin who's convinced that her uncle is not quite right. While he looks and acts like her uncle, something is off. Then suddenly a lifeless form appears at the home Jack (King Donovan) and Teddy (Carolyn Jones). And then they all make a shocking discovery: giant plant pods are replicating the townspeople and replacing them with lifelike creatures that seem like the real thing but are devoid of everything that makes someone truly human. It's up to Dr. Miles and Becky to escape Santa Mira and let the outside world know what's happening before the plant pods take over the world. Can these two get the word out before the plant pods replace them?

Inspired by Sloan de Forest's book Must See Sci-Fi, I'm tackling a genre that I've always avoided. When I read Sloan's description of this movie I thought to myself "why haven't I seen this one yet? It sounds terrific!" On the surface, a story about over-sized plant pods from outer space invading a small town did not appeal to me. However, Sloan described this not as a movie about alien invasion but as a Cold War paranoia film that tapped into the fears of the time. And with that I was sold.

The film is based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney, serialized in Collier's Magazine from November to December 1954. Producer Walter Wanger and Allied Artists Productions got the rights to the film and writer Daniel Mainwaring (author of Build My Gallows High/Out of the Past) adapted it to screen. Sam Peckinpah, who has a small role in the film as a gas meter reader, worked with Wanger and also served as dialogue director. Peckinpah's contributions to the script have been inflated over the years and Mainwaring at one point filed a complaint with the WGA and Peckinpah recanted his claims.

The title was changed from The Body Snatchers to Invasion of the Body Snatchers to separate it from Val Lewton's 1945 film The Body Snatcher. Titles such as Sleep No More, They Come From Another World, Evil in the Night, Better off Dead, A World in Danger, It Could Happen, and Out of the Darkness were considered but ultimately shelved.

Directed by Don Siegel, Invasion of the Body Snatchers was shot over 23 days (other sources claims it was 19) on location in the famous Bronson Cave in Griffith Park, other parts of the Hollywood Hills and Los Angeles. Sierra Madre served as the small town Santa Mira. Filmed in SuperScope and with a budget of $300k, the filmmakers could not predict that their low-budget B-movie would go on to become one of the most beloved and influential science fiction movies of all time.



"How long can we keep going without hope?" - Kevin McCarthy

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is gripping and suspenseful. The build up was perfectly paced. At no point did it seem hokey or cheesy. It's a sophisticated 1950s B-movie that did a lot with a little. Kevin McCarthy was a perfect fit for the role of Dr. Miles. Not only did he have the acting chops to deliver a great performance but he also had the stamina for a very physically demanding role. McCarthy had that everyman look that made him well-suited for the part. Dana Wynter is perfectly matched as Dr. Miles' partner. While her part could have been solely as damsel in distress but she has much more autonomy than that. I was fascinated that both Dr. Miles and Becky are divorcees. It sets them up as characters who refuse to remain in a bad situation because of societal pressure.

Whether the social and political commentary was intentional or not, Invasion of the Body Snatchers has been seen as both anti-Communism and anti-McCarthyism. And while it spoke to the fears of Cold War America, the film is ultimately timeless. The story is about inherent fears that we all have: conformity, complacency, submission and the loss of identity, control and free will. It also explores mass hysteria and to some extent mob mentality. I was particularly drawn by the fear of sleep, a state in which we're at our most vulnerable, and the fear of not being believed, especially when we have something really important to say.




Olive Films has recently released a limited edition Blu-Ray and DVD of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) as part of their Olive Signature series. This edition has a limited run of 5,000 copies and is packed with lots of extras.

The limited edition Blu-Ray includes:
  • Blu-Ray with new high-definition digital restoration
  • booklet with essay by Kier-La Janisse
  • Two audio commentaries: 1) film historian Richard Harland Smith 2) Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter and filmmaker Joe Dante
  • Visual essay - The Stranger in Your Lover's Eyes by Kristoffer Tabori, son of Don Siegel
  • The Fear is Real - 12 min short doc, interviews with filmmakers Larry Cohen and Joe Dante
  • I No Longer Belong: The Rise and Fall of Walter Wanger – 21 min doc with film scholar Matthew Bernstein
  • Sleep No More: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Revisited – 26 min retrospective including Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, John Landis, Mick Garris, and Stuart Gordon
  • The Fear and the Fiction: The Body Snatchers Phenomenon –  8 min short doc including Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, John Landis, Mick Garris and Stuart Gordon
  • 7 min 1985 archival interview with Kevin McCarthy hosted by Tom Hatten
  • Return to Santa Mira – a series of 1 minute vignettes on the filming locations (only downside is that you can't play all of these together, have to be played one by one)
  • What’s In a Name? – 2 minute short doc on the history behind the title
  • Photo gallery of archival documents
  • Original theatrical trailer
The quality of the Blu-Ray is fantastic, the new cover art is stunning and I enjoyed exploring all the extras it had to offer. It's a very nice package and would make a great purchase for Halloween or Holiday gift. I would snap this one up quickly because I wouldn't be surprised if it sells out soon.


Check out my latest YouTube video! I show the new Blu-Ray set around the 7:50 min mark:



Thank you to Olive Films for sending me a copy of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) Olive Signature Blu-Ray for review!

Monday, July 30, 2018

Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)




Dave Burke (Ed Begley) has a plan. The disgraced former New York City cop, disillusioned with the system, has been dreaming of the perfect bank heist. He's been keeping an eye on a small town bank and Burke knows exactly when to strike. He enlists two friends to help him pull off the heist. First there's Earle Slater (Robert Ryan), an ex-con who is trying to make things right with his live-in girlfriend Lorry (Shelley Winters). Unable to support her financially, he takes Burke up on his offer to make a quick $50k with the robbery. Then there's Johnny Ingram (Harry Belafonte), a jazz singer who is deep in debt with his local bookies. He's separated from his wife Ruth (Kim Hamilton) and their daughter Eadie and knows he won't be able to come back to old life unless he gets himself out of this mess. But Burke has two problems. Slater is a terrible racist and unwilling to work with Johnny. And Burke has to seek out the head bookie and his team of thugs to put the pressure on Ingram. Burke's plan is solid but can Slater and Ingram stop butting heads long enough to execute the robbery?



Directed by Robert Wise, Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) is a film noir with a social agenda. The story of racial tension in 1950s America is effectively told through the lens of a bank heist drama.


***SPOILER STARTS***

The final scene of Odds Against Tomorrow delivers a poignant message: in the end we're all the same. After botching the bank heist because Slater (Robert Ryan) wouldn't trust Ingram (Harry Belafonte) with a key, they chase each other to fuel storage center. They meet their demise when a shoot out causes a massive explosion. The police discover their charred remains and any identifier of race or status is completely gone.

***SPOILER ENDS***


Shot on location in Manhattan and upstate New York, the film is gritty and real. Harry Belafonte, who was at the height of his music career, has the lead role and top billing. The movie was produced by his company HarBel Productions, Inc. and released through United Artists. It was remarkable for its time for having an African-American lead actor in a film noir. HarBel Productions was in negotiations with Richard Widmark for the role of Slater but eventually the part went to Robert Ryan. Widmark and Ryan were both perfect for the role so it was no loss either way. Ryan, who was a champion for civil rights, was at first hesitant to play Slater. According to Ryan biographer J.R. Jones, he said "a great many people realize that the characters they see on the screen are fictional or created but there is a substantial group that does not make that distinction." Recognizing the quality of the script and the significance of the movie, Ryan eventually agreed.

Ryan who played an anti-semitic character in Crossfire (1947) is reunited with his co-star in that film Gloria Grahame. Grahame has a small role in Odds Against Tomorrow as the next-door neighbor turned temptress Helen. Her part doesn't quite make sense for the movie except to inject the film with a bit of sex. Grahame and Ryan have a steamy scene when Helen's attempts to flirt with Slater get her more than she bargained for. In one racy shot, Ryan rips open Grahame's robe. According to the AFI,

"Gloria Grahame threatened a $100,000 lawsuit against United Artists, demanding they refrain from using certain photos of her in publicity for the film on the grounds that they were candid and taken without her knowledge. The photographs were taken by co-star Robert Ryan. The outcome of Grahame's demand has not been determined." 

I'd be remiss not to point out some of the fine performances in this film. Beyond Belafonte and Ryan, Ed Begley is adept at playing a character that is equal parts dark and sympathetic. I wanted more from Shelley Winters who is always a delight to watch on screen. I felt like her part was lacking. I was particularly fascinated with Richard Bright's Coco, one of Bacco's bookie thugs who antagonizes Johnny Ingram. There is a sadistic homoerotic tension between the two characters. His character reminded me a bit of Neville Brand's part in D.O.A. (1950). Robert Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson have bit parts as employees of the underground jazz club.

Odds Against Tomorrow was based on William P. McGivern's novel by the same name. It was adapted to screen by screenwriter Abraham Polonsky and Nelson Gidding. Polonsky, an unabashed Marxist and former member of the Communist Party, was blacklisted in 1951. He was named by actor Sterling Hayden and when brought to the HUAC  Polonsky refused to testify. For Odds Against Tomorrow, he used the name of left-wing African-American author John O. Killens as a front. It wasn't until 1996 that the WGA finally gave Polonsky credit for his work on this film. Before being blacklisted, Polonsky had written and directed Force of Evil (1948).

Fans of French cinema need to watch Odds Against Tomorrow particularly for the impact it had on director Jean-Pierre Melville. He was heavily influenced by Wise's film, watched it over 80 times and kept his own 35mm copy. Throughout his career, Melville would make references to Odds Against Tomorrow in his own movies.





Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) is available on Blu-Ray from Olive Films. Many thanks to Olive Films for sending me a copy to review.

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