Independent distributors Olive Films have announced that they will add a number of new titles to their Blu-ray catalog. Amongst them are Robert M. Young's
Rich Kids, Albert Lewin's
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami, Raoul Walsh's
The King of Four Queens, Willard Huyck's
French Postcards, and Robert J. Rosenthal's
Zapped.
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami features a cast of Academy Award winning & nominated actors led by George Sanders (Best Supporting Actor winner, All About Eve), Angela Lansbury (three Best Supporting Actress nominations for her work in Gaslight, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Manchurian Candidate) and Albert Basserman (Best Supporting Actor nominee for Foreign Correspondent).
George Sanders (All About Eve) is at his wicked best in The Private Affairs of Bel Ami, based on the novel Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant and directed by Albert Lewin (The Picture of Dorian Gray).
The opportunistic, womanizing Parisian journalist, Georges Duroy (Sanders), known to the women who love him as "Bel Ami," uses his charms to climb the ladder of Paris society while discarding those whose usefulness has run its course. Using those around him to further his aspirations, Georges will find in his friend and former fellow soldier, Charles Forestier (John Carradine, The Grapes of Wrath) a benefactor whose kindness he'll reward with betrayal.
The women who travel in and out of Georges's life include Charles's wife, Madeleine (Ann Dvorak, Flame of Barbary Coast), the beautiful and blinded-by-love Clotilde de Marelle (Angela Lansbury, The Picture of Dorian Gray) and the lovely young heiress Suzanne Walter (Susan Douglas, The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick).
Director Lewin (Pandora and the Flying Dutchman) weaves a compelling tale of love and deception in The Private Affairs of Bel Ami, co-starring Warren William (Strange Illusion), Frances Dee (Mister Scoutmaster), Hugo Haas (King Solomon's Mines), Albert Bassermann (Foreign Correspondent) in a film photographed in silky black & white tones by Academy Award winner Russell Metty (Spartacus).
In English, with optional English subtitles.
STREET DATE: MAY 24.
The King and Four Queens
The King and Four Queens is packed with Academy Award winners and nominees including Clark Gable (Best Actor winner for It Happened One Night); Jo Van Fleet (Best Supporting Actress winner for East of Eden); Best Actress nominee Eleanor Parker for Caged, Detective Story, Interrupted Melody); Lucien Ballard (Best Cinematography nominee for The Caretakers) and composer Alex North (with a total of fifteen nominations).
Clark Gable (Gone with the Wind) stars as Dan Kehoe, a smooth-talking con man in hot pursuit of a gold fortune in the Raoul Walsh (White Heat) directed The King and Four Queens. Seeking the spoils of a heist gone bad by the McDade brothers, Dan sets about romancing each of their wives (Eleanor Parker, The Sound of Music; Jean Willes, Invasion of the Body Snatchers; Barbara Nichols, Pal Joey; and Sara Shane, Magnificent Obsession) in hopes that one of them knows where the gold is hidden. Jealousy among the women soon turns them against one another as they pursue the less-than-scrupulous Dan, all under the watchful eye of their quick-on-the-trigger mother-in-law Ma McDade (Jo Van Fleet, East of Eden).
Written for the screen by Richard Alan Simmons and Margaret Fitts (based on a story by Fitts), The King and Four Queens, filmed in CinemaScope by the renowned Lucien Ballard (The Wild Bunch) features a rousing score by Alex North (A Streetcar Named Desire).
In English, with optional English subtitles.
STREET DATE: MAY 24.
Iphigenia
Michael Cacoyannis, Academy Award nominee for Best Director and Best Screenplay (Zorba the Greek), wrote and directed Iphigenia, which is based on the classic Greek tragedy by Euripides.
Iphigenia, the film adaptation of the Euripides tale, tells the story of a father torn between duty to his country and duty to his family. Believed to be cursed by a powerful and angry goddess for his slaying of a deer, Agamemnon (Costa Kazakos, Electra) must sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia (Tatiana Papamoskou, Sweet Country) to remove the curse which has prevented the winds from blowing and his ships from moving forward on their mission to Troy. This 1978 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film features fine performances from a stellar cast including Irene Pappas (Zorba the Greek) as Clytemnestra under the direction of Academy Award nominee Michael Cacoyannis (Zorba the Greek, The Trojan Women).
In Greek, with optional English subtitles.
STREET DATE: MAY 24.
French Postcards
The husband-and-wife writing team of Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, Academy Award nominees for Best Screenplay, American Graffiti, co-wrote French Postcards with Huyck directing a cast that includes Debra Winger, the three time Best Actress nominee for her work in An Officer and a Gentlemen, Terms of Endearment and Shadowlands.
French Postcards, directed by Willard Huyck (Best Defense) from a screenplay co-written by Huyck and Gloria Katz (American Graffiti) tells the story of a group of American students attending the Institute of French Studies for a one-year stay. The students include Joel (Miles Chapin, Man on the Moon), conflicted, by-the-book and searching for true romance; Alex (David Marshall Grant, The Devil Wears Prada), a carefree romantic who'll find love in the wrong place; and Laura (Blanche Baker, Sixteen Candles), the unofficial narrator of the group via her postcard writing to a never-seen boyfriend back in the States. Fellow students, friends and love interests include Debra Winger (Betrayed) as fellow student Melanie; Mandy Patinkin (Daniel) as Sayyid, Laura's dubious suitor; Valérie Quennessen (Summer Lovers) as Toni, Joel's French love interest; and Marie-France Pisier (The Other Side of Midnight) and Jean Rochefort (Ridicule) as the Tessiers, teachers at the Institute – and in the case of Madame Tessier… much more.
In English and French.
STREET DATE: MAY 24.
The Sum of Us
Macho widower Harry (Jack Thompson, Breaker Morant) and his gay son Jeff (Russell Crowe, Gladiator) share a home, a close bond and a desire to find long-term relationships. Their dry spells seem to be over when Harry meets attractive divorcee Joyce (Deborah Kennedy, Tim) and Jeff meets local lad Greg (John Polson, Mission: Impossible II). Unfortunately, the closeted Greg is uncomfortable with Harry's acceptance of Jeff. And Joyce, uncomfortable with Jeff's sexuality, puts a strain on the bond between father and son in the powerfully entertaining The Sum of Us.
Adapted for the screen by David Stevens (based on his play), The Sum of Us is directed by Geoff Burton (Sydney: A Story of a City) and Kevin Dowling (Mojave Moon).
In English, with optional English subtitles.
STREET DATE: MARCH 24.
Agent Cody Banks
James Bond. Matt Helm. Cody Banks. Super spies all … with one exception: Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz, TV's Malcolm in the Middle) is a 15-year-old CIA operative who has to make sure his chores are done before saving the world.
Under the watchful eye of CIA handler Agent Ronica Miles (Angie Harmon, TV's Rizzoli & Isles) Cody is called into service to investigate Dr. Connors (Martin Donovan, Trust), a scientist employed by the nefarious organization known as ERIS headed by the dastardly Dr. Brinkman (Ian McShane, TV's Deadwood) who's bent on destroying the world's defense systems in order to rule the planet.
When Natalie Connors (Hilary Duff, Cheaper by the Dozen), Cody's high school crush and the daughter of the eminent scientist, is used as leverage to force her reluctant father to aid Dr. Brinkman in his plans, Cody springs into action. The spy game will never be quite the same in the action comedy Agent Cody Banks.
Directed by Harald Zwart (The Karate Kid) from a screenplay by Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Zack Stentz and Ashley Edward Miller, Agent Cody Banks co-stars Keith David (Larger Than Life), Cynthia Stevenson (The Player) and Darrell Hammond (TV's Saturday Night Live).
Special Features:
- Director's Diary
- Developing Agent Cody Banks
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Cast Read-through
- Production Design Featurette
- The Music of Agent Cody Banks
STREET DATE: MAY 24.
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London
Frankie Muniz (TV's Malcolm in the Middle) returns as adolescent agent Cody Banks in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London.
It's action across the pond this time around when Agent Cody Banks is called on to help locate stolen plans for a mind-control device. With the aid of his new handler, Derek (Anthony Anderson, TV's Black-ish), and MI6 undercover operative Emily Sommers (Hannah Spearritt, Seed of Chucky), Cody's in hot pursuit of the dastardly Lord Duncan Kenworth (James Faulkner, TV's Da Vinci's Demons), the mastermind behind the plot.
Directed by Kevin Allen (Twin Town) from the screenplay by Don Rhymer (story by Rhymer, Harald Zwart & Dylan Sellers based on the characters created by Jeffrey Jurgensen), Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London co-stars Keith David (Road House) as the CIA Director and Cynthia Stevenson (The Player) as Cody's mother, reprising their Agent Cody Banks roles.
Special Features:
- Outtakes
- Deleted Scenes
- Extended Scenes
- Agent Cody Banks: Back in Action
STREET DATE: MARY 24.
Zapped!
When a lab accident leaves high school student Barney Springboro (Scott Baio, TV's Happy Days and Charles in Charge) with telekinetic powers, it's a comic free-for-all in Zapped! Encouraged by his friend, the hormonally minded Peyton Nichols (Willie Aames, TV's Eight is Enough and Charles in Charge) to put his powers to good use, Barney exacts revenge on school bullies, cheats a little at sports and improves his luck with the girls, culminating in a prom scene reminiscent of Carrie … with laughs. Zapped! co-stars Heather Thomas (TV's The Fall Guy) as Jane, the cold-as-ice high school beauty; Felice Schachter (TV's The Facts of Life) as Bernadette, feminist class president, nerd and the girl of Barney's dreams; and Robert Mandan (TV's Soap) as high school principal Walter J. Coolidge.
STREET DATE: MARY 24.
The Whoopee Boys
New York street peddling isn't all it's cracked up to be, which explains why Jake Bateman (Michael O'Keefe, Caddyshack) and Barney Benar (Paul Rodriguez, Born in East L.A.) head for the warmer climes of Palm Beach in search of quick cash, girls, and fun. Cupid's arrow strikes when Jake meets the girl of his dreams, the beautiful Olivia (Lucinda Jenney, Rain Man). Olivia is a socialite with problems of her own. If within 30 days she's unable to find a suitable husband - someone cultured and well bred - she will lose her inheritance along with the orphanage she operates to a real estate developer, the snide Strobe (Stephen Davies, The Razor's Edge) who just happens to be her ex-boyfriend. With pressure from both the still infatuated Strobe as well as her uncle, Olivia's options are running out. Could a crash course in manners and etiquette turn Jake into suitable husband material? Joining a rag-tag bunch of potential sophisticates at a charm school run by one Henrietta Phelps (Carole Shelley, The Odd Couple) might just be, well, the charm. And so begins the madcap merriment in the farcical The Whoopee Boys.
STREET DATE: MAY 24.
Rich Kids
Rich Kids features Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Best Supporting Actress, Moonstruck) and Academy Award nominees John Lithgow (Best Supporting Actor, The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment) and cinematographer Ralf Bode (Best Cinematography, Coal Miner's Daughter).
Rich Kids, a romantic and heartwarming tale of young love set in New York, stars Trini Alvarado (Times Square) and Jeremy Levy (TV's Holocaust). Despite their upwardly mobile backgrounds, Franny (Alvarado) and Jamie (Levy) find themselves navigating universal issues including family discord, divorce and romance in the Big Apple. Directed by Robert M. Young (Extremities) from a screenplay by Judith Ross, with Robert Altman serving as executive producer, Rich Kids is a showcase of 80's Manhattan that co-stars John Lithgow (Terms of Endearment), Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck), David Selby (The Social Network), Paul Dooley (Breaking Away), Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie's) and Irene Worth (Eyewitness).
In English, with optional English subtitles.
STREET DATE: MAY 24.