Independent U.S. distributors Olive Films have announced that they will four titles to their Blu-ray catalog in September: Charles F. Haas'
The Big Operator a.k.a.
Anatomy of the Syndicate (1959), Raoul Walsh's
Distant Drums (1951), Ray Enright's
South of St. Louis (1949), and
Betty Boop: The Essential Collection - Volume Four.
The Big Operator
In a bold departure from his musical comedy roles, Mickey Rooney plays Little Joe Braun, a brash labor union boss who uses strong-arm tactics to evade a federal corruption probe. Two honest factory-workers—Steve Cochran (Private Hell 36) and velvet-voiced Mel Tormé—find themselves caught in the gang lord's struggle for power, but come to realize they have the power to end Little Joe's reign of terror...if they can survive Little Joe's attempts to silence them. A production from Albert Zugsmith (Touch of Evil, High School Confidential), the king of the tawdry B-picture, The Big Operator is a sublime specimen of Cold War-era noir, highlighted by the special appearances of pop culture icons Mamie Van Doren, Vampira, Jim Backus, and Jackie Coogan. STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 16TH.
Distant Drums
Filmed on location in and around the Everglades National Park, Raoul Walsh's Distant Drums is a rare example of the exotic "Florida Western." Gary Cooper stars as Cavalry Captain Quincy Wyatt, who leads a charge upon an old Spanish fort taken over by Seminole gun-runners and kidnappers. After liberating the prisoners (among them Mari Aldon), Wyatt, pursued by the vengeful Seminoles, flees into the gator-infested swamps and settles his fate in a spectacular underwater fight with the vicious Chief Ocala (Larry Carper). STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 23RD.
South of St. Louis
In this stunning Technicolor Western, Joel McCrea, Zachary Scott, and Douglas Kennedy star as three ranch-owners struggling to defend their livelihoods after the Civil War covers the nation in a dark cloud of lawlessness. When their Three Bell ranch is torched by Union raiders (led by Victor Jory), the partners split up. Price (Kennedy) enlists with the Confederate army, while Davis and Burns (McCrea and Scott) become gun-runners to rebuild their fortunes. During the ensuing dangers and romantic entanglements (in the form of Dorothy Malone and Alexis Smith), the three partners occasionally lose sight of their ranching ambitions, but never for a moment forget the face of the man who wronged them. STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 23RD.
Betty Boop: The Essential Collection - Volume Four
Regarded as one of the first and most famous sex symbols on the animated screen; she was a symbol of the Depression era and a reminder of the more carefree days of the Roaring Twenties. Her popularity was drawn larger from adult audiences and the cartoons, while seemingly surreal, contained many sexual and psychological elements. The queen of the animated screen returns to allure and entice audiences all over again in this fantastic volume-four compilation featuring many of her greatest adventures.
Betty Boop: The Essential Collection, Volume 4 includes 13 animated short films available for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray™: Stopping the Show (1932), Snow White (1933, featuring Cab Calloway), Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (1934), She Wronged Him Right (1934), Red Hot Mamma (1934), Poor Cinderella (1934, in color), There's Something About a Soldier (1934), When My Ship Comes In (1934), Zula Hula (1937), Riding the Rails (1938), The Swing School (1938), Pudgy the Watchman (1938), Sally Swing (1938).
All 13 shorts were produced by Max Fleischer and directed by his brother Dave Fleischer. Featuring the voices of Mae Questel, Bonnie Poe and Margie Hines as Betty Boop. Also featuring guest voices of Cab Calloway, Jack Mercer and Rose Marie with music by Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra. STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 30TH.
TT: Closer to the Edge
Narrated by Academy Award Winner Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club), this critically acclaimed, thrilling documentary recounts the TT's legendary rivalries and the Isle of Man's unique road racing history. This 3D feature (3D on Blu-ray only) documentary will discover why modern TT riders still risk their lives to win the world's most dangerous race. The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is the greatest motorcycle road race in the world, the ultimate challenge for rider and machine. Follow one man's journey to the top. Blu-ray will include 3D and 2D versions. STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 30TH.
Olive Films will also release on DVD the following titles:
Shame the Devil
A London detective finds himself working a serial murder case. The killer's unique method sees his victims believing they have the chance to live, all they have to do is tell the truth. It soon becomes apparent that James is the key to everything. Someone is trying to send him a message, but who? With his wife is pregnant with their first child, he has everything to lose. Starring Hellraiser's Doug Bradley! STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 9TH.
Honour
When Mona (Aiysha Hart) decides to run away with the father of her unborn child, Tanvir (Nikesh Patel), her family are so ashamed by her actions that they hire a National Front thug turned bounty hunter with no name (Paddy Considine, The Bourne Ultimatum), who specializes in finding runaway girls and returning them to the summary justice of their families. Haunted by a previous "honour killing" of a heavily pregnant girl he turned over to her family, the nameless, disillusioned bounty hunter is having a crisis of conscience and longs to quit, to leave the city and make a new life in the country. But the pregnant Mona represents one last, very profitable payday and it's only a matter of time before either the bounty hunter or Mona's murderous policeman brother, Kasim (Faraz Ayub), find her. STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 16TH.
Daisy: A Hen Into the Wild
DAISY made box office history overseas by drawing over 2.2 million viewers, the largest audience for a home-grown animated film in South Korea!
The film is based on a well-respected and extremely popular children's book authored by Hwang Sun-mi. The novel was first released in South Korea in 2000, and sold more than 1 million copies domestically. It has been sold to nine countries including France, Poland, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Italy.
The Polish-translated version of the novel was named the "Best Book of the Year 2012" and "Best Book of Spring 2012" by Granice.pl (a renowned literary organization in Poland).
DAISY was translated into English and published in the United States, under the title The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly, by leading American publishing company Penguin Classics, which also has plans for distribution in markets throughout the wider English-speaking world. Penguin Books released the 144-page novel in English IN November 2013.
Synopsis: Daisy is a hen who manages to escape the horrible conditions of an egg production line. After surviving a harrowing encounter with a one eyed weasel and being rejected by the barnyard animals where she grew up, a chance encounter see's her becoming the guardian of a duckling. Despite the child being a duck, Daisy is willing to learn and make the sacrifices she needs in order to ensure the happiness of her adopted son. STREET DATE: SEPTEMBER 23RD.