Farhad Arshad started Olive Films in 2003 in St. Charles, outside Chicago, and the label stopped operating in July 2023. It licensed deep catalogue from Paramount, Republic and MGM, putting out obscure classics, B-westerns and noirs on DVD and Blu-ray, many for the first time on home video, usually as bare-bones discs in the original aspect ratio. The pricier Olive Signature line added restorations and extras.
Olive Films
21 films on Best BluraysBest video release: 2 in 4K19 in HD2 more for audio only
Best 4K release by tier:
Based in United StatesFounded 2003
Films where Olive Films' release is the pick. How picks are made
Films where Olive Films' release is the pick. How picks are made
2 in 4K
Best video release on UHD Blu-ray or 4K streaming
Best English-Friendly:
2017 Olive Films Signature Blu-ray
Best Video:
The Jokers 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
(Jokers 4K Blu-ray has forced France subs)
The Jokers 4K Blu-ray has raised black levels/gamma issue, good when fixed
Best Audio:
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
All three are not ideal.
All three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
Best Audio:
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono
Additional Info:
Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.
19 in HD
Best video release on Blu-ray or HD streaming · by Letterboxd rating
Director: Dave Fleischer
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Olive Films Betty Boop: The Essential Collection: Volume 4 Blu-ray
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Director: André de Toth
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Olive Films Blu-ray
Sources: cinema.ucla.edu (opens in a new tab)
Upcoming Release:
New UCLA restoration from Original Camera Negative
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Olive Films Blu-ray
1 with a weaker 4K
Best 4K release rated Disappointing or Worse Than BD · by Letterboxd rating
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Video Notes:
All three are not ideal.
All three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
Best Audio:
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono
Additional Info:
Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.
2 for audio only
The best audio is Olive Films'; the video and English-friendly picks are other releases · by Letterboxd rating
Director: Elaine May
Best Audio:
Olive Films Blu-ray / Masters of Cinema Blu-ray
Audio Notes:
Cinématographe has unnecessary noise gating not present on the previous releases.
Best English-Friendly & Video:
Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
> MoC > Olive Films. From nicolas:
The master is good but it’s not that big an upgrade from the Olive Films disc and Vinegar Syndrome’ encode has some blocky highlights. A shame that they didn’t hire David Mackenzie here.
Best Audio:
Olive Films Blu-ray
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Audio Notes:
Olive Films Blu-ray is again rough, with distortion, crackle and other issues, but sounds much more natural. With some EQ the restored track can be significantly improved
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