International Studio Canal (Optimum Home Entertainment) - DVD (and film) distributor (1 Viewer)

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

Deadly Strangers said:

../293104/warner-archive-discussion-thread-the-announcements-the-films/2730#post_3865783
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.

Click to expand...

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.

TWISTED NERVE screen captures

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).

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.

The BBFC are listing DVD releases of
The Hand of Night (1968)
They came from beyond space (1967)

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
Crooks in Cloisters (1964) - Monday 9th July
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) - Monday 16th July
Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972) - Monday 23rd July
The Land That Time Forgot (1975) - Monday 30th July
Requiem for a Killer (2011) - Monday 2nd July
They Came from Beyond Space (1967) - Monday 30th July
Warlords of Atlantis (1978) - Monday 30th July.

Some Studio Canal titles being released between August and November (source: Amazon UK):


August:


Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957) - Monday 13th August


September:


An Ideal Husband (1947) - Monday 3rd September
CloClo (2012) - Monday 3rd September
That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) - Monday 10th September
The Trial: 50th Anniversary Edition (1962) - Monday 10th September


October:




Charlie Casanova (2010) - Monday 15th October
The Devil Rides Out (1968) - Monday 22nd October (DVD and Blu-ray, Dual Format Edition?)
Hell Is a City (1960) - Monday 8th October
The Landlord (1970) - Monday 1st October
The Mummy's Shroud (1967) - Monday 22nd October (DVD and Blu-ray, Double Play)

Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966) - Monday 22nd October (DVD and Blu-ray, Double Play)


November:


Cesar & Rosalie (1972) - Monday 5th November
It Always Rains on Sunday (1947) - Monday 12th November
The Man in the White Suit (1951) - Monday 19th November
My Neighbour Totoro (1988) - Monday 12th November (DVD and Blu-ray, Dual Format Edition?)

The BBFC added a listing to their website yesterday for the film The Landlord (1970), starring Beau Bridges, Lee Grant, Diana Sands, Louis Gossett Jr. and Gloria Hendry, among others.

Updated post #15 with new Studio Canal DVD titles (source: Amazon UK).

Some Studio Canal DVD titles being released in the next few months and at the start of next year (source: Amazon UK):


The Colditz Story (1955) - Monday 10th December
Searching for Sugar Man (2012) - Monday 19th November


and


January 2013:


Dance Hall - Monday 21st January
The Last Days of Dolwyn (1949) - Monday 21st January
Nowhere to Go (1958) - Monday 14th January
Valley of Song (1953) - Monday 21st January.