Studio Canal (Optimum Home Entertainment) - DVD (and film) distributor

Thought I'd start a thread for the UK DVD (and film) distributor Optimum Releasing.

One of their best titles (in my opinion) is Electra Glide in Blue (1973). Picture looks good and there are a few DVD extras (normally Optimum don't put many or any extras at all on their discs. And you don't always get a theatrical trailer as an extra either).

I wish they had put the English and French versions of Rider on the Rain (1970) on separate discs though (both versions are on the same disc).

They've also released another Charles Bronson film called Cold Sweat (1970) on DVD.

Have I got this right, that Optimum Releasing released British films on the Ealing Studios Collection?

A news article was posted on Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix today about a film called The Silent House:

The Silent House - Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix news article

A new news article was posted on Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix today about Optimum's Double Play (DVD and Blu-ray) release of Quatermass and the Pit (1967):

Quartermass and the Pit (Double Play release) - Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix news article

Originally Posted by WaveCrest 


Was going to get Optimum's Region 2 release of Twisted Nerve (1968), until I saw that the aspect ratio was fullscreen. Now the IMDb technical specs page may be incorrect, but it states there the aspect ratio of the film is 1.66:1. It has been asked about on Warner Archive's Facebook page. Looks like there are rights issues at the moment. Do want to see this film released properly on DVD, along with another Hayley Mills film Deadly Strangers (1976).

NOTE: Quoted post above is post #2730 on page 91 of the main Warner Archive discussion thread.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Edward Heuck 


TWISTED NERVE was released in the U.S. by National General, which should put it in WB's holdings, but because it was financed and produced by the Boulting brothers and British Lion, it's actually controlled by StudioCanal, which owns Optimum. So it would be up to them to push Lionsgate to release it in the States.

 

 

 

NOTE: Quoted post above is post #2732 on page 92 of the main Warner Archive discussion thread.

 

Mark, who currently owns the rights to another Hayley Mills film called Deadly Strangers (1976)? It's production company was The Rank Organisation, and was distributed theatrically in the US and UK by Scotia American and Fox-Rank respectively.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck Pennington 


I have the UK release (and corrected the speed and pitch on it so it no longer suffers from 4% PAL speed-up), and the transfer is terrific! It appears to have been shot soft-matte as there is a ton of extra space at the top and bottom of the frame throughout, and when blown up and cropped to 16x9 on my HDTV the framing looks just fine.

NOTE: Quoted post above is post #2733 on page 92 of the main Warner Archive discussion thread.

Reading your comments on Optimum's Region 2 release of Twisted Nerve, you're happy with the presentation. When you describe the picture 'blown up and cropped', have you changed the TV aspect ratio or or used the zoom-in option?

It was on, it was off, now it's on again. Rolling Thunder (1977) will be released on Monday 30th January, 2012 by Studio Canal (formerly Optimum Releasing). Below is a Home Cinema @ The Digital news article about this DVD/Blu-ray release:

Rolling Thunder (UK) in January - Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix news article

Neat front cover artwork.

NOTE: Replying to the previous post.

Haven't watched Twisted Nerve yet, but I assume the screencaps in your post above are from the beginning to the end of the film? Tested the film out at the 14:9 screen format (skipping through the chapters) and the film looked fairly good, and similar to the example screencaps in your post the colour and sharpness was very good.

Some of Studio Canal's titles coming soon, from January to March next year (source: Amazon UK):

January 2012:

Behind the Mask (1958) - Monday 30th January (DVD)

Go to Blazes (1962) - Monday 9th January (DVD)

Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon (1967) - Monday 9th January (DVD)

Rolling Thunder (1977) - Monday 30th January (DVD and Blu-ray)

The Scarlet Blade (1964) - Monday 16th January (DVD)

February 2012:

Chasing Sleep (2000) - Monday 20th February (DVD)

March 2012:

The Awakening (2011) - Monday 26th March (DVD and Blu-ray)

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) - Monday 5th March (DVD and Blu-ray)

Twice Round the Daffodils (1962) - Monday 12th March (DVD)

Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957) - Monday 19th March (DVD).

Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix news article about new MovieMail exclusive, Outcast of the Islands (1951):

Outcast of the Islands (UK) in January - Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix news article

and a couple of reviews of the title:

Outcast of the Islands - DVD Beaver review

Outcast of the Islands - Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix review

Front cover artwork for next month's UK DVD release of Chasing Sleep:

The BBFC this past Wednesday, added a new listing to their website for a Studio Canal release of You Only Live Once (1937), previously released in the UK in 2004 by Cinema Club.

Was the theatrical aspect ratio for The Hand of Night (1968) fullscreen? The BBFC's listing page states Studio Canal's release will be presented in a fullscreen aspect ratio, and the film's main IMDb page says the aspect ratio is 1.66:1 (though the IMDb aren't always correct with aspect ratio information. The Hand of Night sounds like a good horror film.

The BBFC also added a new listing to their website earlier this month for a Studio Canal release of Connecting Rooms (1970). It will be presented in a fullscreen aspect ratio.

Some Studio Canal titles coming soon, between April and July (source: Amazon UK):

April 2012:

Arizona Dream (1993) - Monday 9th April (DVD)

Dead Man (1995) - Monday 9th April (DVD)

La Grande Illusion (1937) - Monday 23rd April (DVD and Blu-ray)

The Legend of Drunken Master (1994) - Monday 16th April (Blu-ray)

Murder by Decree (1979) - Monday 2nd April (DVD)

Outcast of the Islands (1951) - Monday 23rd April (DVD)

Twice Round the Daffodils (1962) - Monday 30th April (DVD)

June 2012:

The Plague of the Zombies (1966) - Monday 18th June (DVD and Blu-ray)

The Reptile (1966) - Monday 18th June (DVD and Blu-ray)

Two-Way Stretch (1960) - Monday 18th June (DVD)

You Only Live Once: 75th Anniversary Edition (1937) - Monday 4th June (DVD)

July 2012:

At the Earth's Core (1976) - Monday 30th July (DVD)

The Land That Time Forgot (1975) - Monday 30th July (DVD)

Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957) - TBC.