PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Last updated

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Formerly
  • Filmworks (1975–1976)
  • Casablanca Record & Filmworks (1976–1980)
  • PolyGram Pictures (1980–1983)
  • PolyGram Movies (1987–1990)
Company type Subsidiary
Predecessor Casablanca Filmworks
Founded1975;49 years ago (1975)
Founders Peter Guber
Defunct1999;25 years ago (1999)
FateAcquired by Seagram and folded into Universal Pictures; most of the pre-spring 1996 library sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Some of its North American distribution assets sold to USA Networks
SuccessorsStudio:
Universal Pictures
USA Films
Focus Features
PolyGram Entertainment
Library:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [a]
(pre-April 1996 films with exceptions)
Universal Pictures
(post-March 1996 films with exceptions and some pre-March 1996 films)
Parent
  • PolyGram (1980–1998)
  • Universal Pictures (1998–1999)
Divisions PolyGram Television
PolyGram Video
PolyGram Visual Programming

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (formerly known as Filmworks, Casablanca Records & Filmworks, PolyGram Films and PolyGram Pictures or simply PFE) was a film production company founded in 1975 as an American film studio, which became a European competitor to Hollywood within two decades, but was eventually sold to Seagram in 1998 and was folded into Universal Pictures a year later. Among its most successful and well known films were The Deep (1977), Midnight Express (1978), An American Werewolf in London (1981), Flashdance (1983), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Trainspotting (1996), Dead Man Walking (1995), The Big Lebowski (1998), Fargo (1996), The Usual Suspects (1995), The Game (1997), Candyman (1992) and Notting Hill (1999).

Contents

Overview

In 1975, Peter Guber formed its own production company FilmWorks, then in 1976, it became Casablanca Records & FilmWorks after a merger with Casablanca Records, which PolyGram got a 50% by 1977, and by 1980, PolyGram took the other 50% stake in the company and renamed the film unit as PolyGram Pictures.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, PolyGram continued to invest in a diversified film unit with the purchases of individual production companies. In 1995, PolyGram purchased ITC Entertainment for $156 million.

In May 1998, PolyGram was sold to Seagram, which owned Universal Pictures and Universal Music Group (UMG), for $10 billion. Seagram sold off some of PolyGram's assets while mainly acquiring its music division: the ITC Entertainment library was sold to Carlton Communications for £91 million, the pre-March 1996 PFE library was sold to MGM, and PolyGram's US distribution operation was sold to USA Network.

After many of its assets were sold, the remains of PolyGram's film division were folded into Universal Pictures. When the newly formed entertainment division of Seagram faced financial difficulties, it was sold to Vivendi, and MCA became known as Universal Studios, as Seagram ceased to exist.

Vivendi remained the majority owner of the UMG until 2021, when it sold most of its stake. MGM owns the rights to most of the pre-April 1996 library, and the remaining post-March 1996 film and television library is owned by NBCUniversal.

On February 11, 2017, Universal Music Group established a film and television division and named it PolyGram Entertainment, thus fully resurrecting the "PolyGram" name in the process. [1]

History

FilmWorks, Casablanca Records & FilmWorks and PolyGram Pictures

In 1975, Peter Guber quit Columbia Pictures to start out FilmWorks with a producing deal. A year later, during the production of The Deep , it was merged with Casablanca Records to form Casablanca Records & FilmWorks. [2] The company would enjoy success with The Deep and Midnight Express . The music company PolyGram (owned by Dutch-based Philips and Germany's Siemens) bought out its share of Casablanca Records & FilmWorks in 1977. Two years later, in 1979, Casablanca Record & Filmworks left Columbia Pictures to join Universal Pictures, and gave Casablanca Records & Filmworks creative control over the pictures. [3] A year later, PolyGram took on its stake of the company and it was renamed to PolyGram Pictures in 1980. [4] PolyGram reserved the finances and Guber would run as CEO. Guber would form a partnership with Barbra Streisand's hairdresser Jon Peters, who co-produced his client's A Star Is Born remake. Peters would produce PolyGram's films, and eventually become a stockholder with Guber. [5] He had intended to work with Boardwalk Records, but he was forced to join PolyGram Pictures instead. [6] [3]

PolyGram Pictures logo, used in 1981. PolyGram Pictures 1981.jpg
PolyGram Pictures logo, used in 1981.
Polygram Pictures logo, used from 1981 to 1982. PolyGram Pictures 1981-1982.jpg
Polygram Pictures logo, used from 1981 to 1982.

The first film under the Universal/PolyGram alliance was King of the Mountain (1981), which was a box-office flop. More money-losers followed. Ancillary markets such as home video and pay television were not yet established, and broadcast television networks were paying less for licenses to films. PolyGram's European investors were not happy; they had lost about $80 million on its film division. Not long after, Siemens parted with Philips. Guber and Peters left PolyGram Pictures in 1982, taking their plans for a new Batman movie with them, along with a few other projects. The duo eventually found a home at Warner Bros. A part of their exit proceedings, PolyGram would still own 7.5% of profits from some of its projects, including the 1989 Batman film. [5] Also in 1980, PolyGram launched a syndicated television division, PolyGram Television, to be headed by former Columbia Pictures Television syndication executive Norman Horowitz, [7] both the film and TV units eventually closed down by 1983 after a string of first-run syndication strip flops. [8]

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Logo used from 1992 to 1999. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment 1992.jpg
Logo used from 1992 to 1999.
PolyGram Film Distribution logo, used in 1992. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment 1992.png
PolyGram Film Distribution logo, used in 1992.
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment logo, used from 1992 to 1998. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment 1992-1999.png
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment logo, used from 1992 to 1998.

In the early 1980s, PolyGram Video was launched. PolyGram Video, headed by Michael Kuhn and David Hockman, was created to distribute concert films and feature films acquired from third-parties, as well as long-form music videos and stand-up videos from the likes of Roy Chubby Brown , Jethro and Bernard Manning ; in 1986, a joint venture with Heron Communications, Channel 5 Video began operation. [9] Channel 5 Video later began to obtain the rights to titles from Heron's US children's arm, Hi-Tops Video. [10] Kuhn and Hockman were able to parlay PolyGram Video's success into financing feature films. The first film produced by PolyGram's new film division was P.I. Private Investigations in 1987. [11] During the late 1980s and early 1990s, PolyGram continued to invest in a diversified film unit with the purchases of individual production companies. [12] In 1989, PolyGram launched Manifesto Film Sales to handle the licensing of films outside North America. [13] In 1991, PolyGram's Michael Kuhn became the head of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, [12] with US$200 million pumped in with the intention of developing a European film studio that could produce and distribute films internationally on a scale to match the major Hollywood studios.

Following the style of its music business, the company produced films through a number of creatively semi-autonomous 'labels', such as Working Title Films in the United Kingdom and Propaganda Films and Interscope Communications in the United States; it also built up its own network of distribution companies. [14] [15]

Film production within PolyGram differed from traditional Hollywood studios, in that power to make ('green light') a film was not centralised in the hands of a small number of executives, but instead was decided by negotiations between producers, management and marketing. Kuhn claimed that "movies sort of green lit themselves."

In 1993, PolyGram purchased Vision Video Ltd (which was previously the video arm of Virgin Group) from General Electric Capital for $5.6 million. [16]

PolyGram also built up a sizable film and television library that could be profitable. In 1995, the company purchased ITC Entertainment for $156 million. [17] Through this purchase, PolyGram acquired 350 feature films, several thousand hours of television programming, and gained further access into the television market. [12] That same year, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment acquired a 75% majority stake in British home video distributor Abbey Home Entertainment. In 1997, PFE agreed to purchase the Epic film library, which included a thousand feature films from a variety of companies, from Crédit Lyonnais for $225 million. [18] PolyGram also attempted purchasing MGM [19] and The Samuel Goldwyn Company's library, [20] but to no avail. In July 1998, PolyGram was in talks to sell their stake in Abbey Home Entertainment back to Ian and Anne Miles, letting AHE trade independently again. On December 7, 1997, PolyGram and Warner Bros. reached a deal to co-finance films produced by Castle Rock Entertainment. [21]

PolyGram Film Distribution logo, used in 1998. PolyGram Film Distribution 1998.png
PolyGram Film Distribution logo, used in 1998.

PFE's film distribution arm was based in the United Kingdom, and invested heavily in British film making — some credit it with reviving the British film industry in the 1990s. Despite a successful production history, new Philips CEO Cor Boonstra began to draw back Philips' media operations, excepting their stake in PolyGram, in 1997. [22] At the time, Philips was seen as a bloated conglomerate riddled with problems; Boonstra initially denied that PolyGram would be sold. [23] However, by early 1998, Boonstra's attitude had shifted and various bidders began to make themselves known, as Philips began to pursue a manufacturing-only business model. [24] At the same time, PolyGram had been suffering from their own internal issues, chiefly a series of loss-making films and a lack of major pop music hits. [25] In hindsight, analysts have also pointed to another reason for Boonstra's sale of the assets, namely Philips manufacturing blank CDs, as music piracy subsequently impacted the music industry hugely in the years afterwards. [26]

Philips ultimately decided to sell PolyGram to the beverage conglomerate Seagram in 1998 (Seagram had chosen PolyGram over EMI because of PolyGram's better management); [27] [28] only interested in PolyGram's music operations, Seagram, which at the time controlled Universal Pictures, looked forward to divesting in PFE. After being dissatisfied with offers to buy the studio (including a joint venture between Canal+ and Artisan Entertainment), Seagram opted to sell off individual assets and folded whatever remained into Universal. [29]
In October 1998, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer paid $235–250 million to acquire 1,300 films released before March 31, 1996, from PolyGram, however, the deal did not include the ITC library, which in 1999, was sold to Carlton Communications (later known as ITV Studios) for $150 million. [30] [31] [32] Some of PFE's North American distribution assets, including PolyGram Video's US & Canada operations were sold to USA Networks. [33]
Universal would inherit the remaining titles, which included a third of the pre-April 1996 films, one-third of the post-April 1996 films, as well as PolyGram Television's library, and PolyGram Video's international operations.
Universal would then set up their own international arm from the ashes of PFE's international division on February 9, 1999 that included theatrical and video distribution; pulling out of CIC Video and nearly pulling out of United International Pictures. [34] After the box office failure of Mickey Blue Eyes , a title inherited from PolyGram that ended up becoming one of the few titles that were self-distributed by Universal internationally until 2007, all the theatrical assets of Universal Pictures International were folded into United International Pictures, which continued to exist until 2007. [35]

PolyGram Video took over the distribution of Manga Entertainment's titles in Australia and New Zealand in late 1996 after Siren Entertainment's license to the Manga Video catalog expired, but PolyGram lost the license to the Manga Video catalog in 1998 after Madman Entertainment took over the licenses. This was due to Manga Entertainment being moved from Island Records to Palm Pictures.

Relaunch as PolyGram Entertainment

Production companies

US distribution

In 1992, PolyGram partnered with Universal Pictures to create a joint venture called Gramercy Pictures. Gramercy primarily distributed PolyGram films in the United States, and it doubled as a specialty label for Universal. In 1993, the company also had another distribution deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to fund and distribute its films. [37] In January 1996, PolyGram bought out Universal's 50% stake [38] and in 1997, PolyGram Films was founded to release PFE's mainstream titles in the United States, while Gramercy became a low-budget/art-house sublabel. [39] [40] PolyGram Films' first release was The Game . [40] [38] When PolyGram was acquired by Universal in 1999, the company merged Gramercy with October Films, which included its subsidiary Rogue Pictures [41] to create USA Films, which eventually became Focus Features. Gramercy was revived in 2015 as a label of Focus Features, [42] but shut down and went dormant the next year.

Selected films

Among the films directly produced by PFE were:

1970s

Release DateTitleNotes
17 June 1977 The Deep co-production with Columbia Pictures and EMI Films
19 May 1978 Thank God It's Friday co-production with Columbia Pictures and Motown Productions
6 October 1978 Midnight Express co-production with Columbia Pictures
9 February 1979 Agatha co-production with First Artists and Warner Bros.

1980s

Release DateTitleNotes
29 February 1980 Foxes co-production with United Artists
30 May 1980 The Hollywood Knights co-production with Columbia Pictures
1 May 1981 King of the Mountain co-production with Universal Pictures
17 July 1981 Endless Love co-production with Universal Pictures
14 August 1981 Deadly Blessing distributed by United Artists
21 August 1981 An American Werewolf in London co-production with Universal Pictures
13 November 1981 The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper co-production with Universal Pictures
12 March 1982 Missing co-production with Universal Pictures
3 October 1982 Split Image distributed by Orion Pictures
24 December 1982 Six Weeks co-production with Universal Pictures
15 April 1983 Flashdance co-production with Paramount Pictures
13 December 1985 A Chorus Line co-production with Columbia Pictures and Embassy Pictures
Clue co-production with Paramount Pictures
5 June 1987 P.I. Private Investigations co-production with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
22 April 1988 The Blue Iguana co-production with Paramount Pictures
24 March 1989 Troop Beverly Hills co-production with Weintraub Entertainment Group
23 June 1989 Batman co-production with Warner Bros. and The Guber-Peters Company
27 October 1989 Kill Me Again co-production with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
8 December 1989 Fear, Anxiety & Depression co-production with The Samuel Goldwyn Company

1990s

Release DateTitleNotesDistributor
27 July 1990 Chicago Joe and the Showgirl co-production with Working Title Films New Line Cinema
17 August 1990 Wild at Heart The Samuel Goldwyn Company
14 September 1990 Fools of Fortune New Line Cinema
24 May 1991 Drop Dead Fred
21 August 1991 Barton Fink international distribution only; produced by Circle Films 20th Century Fox
15 November 1991 Driving Me Crazy Motion Picture Corporation of America
17 January 1992 A Gnome Named Gnorm co-production with Trilogy Entertainment Group and Interscope Communications Vestron Pictures
27 March 1992 Ruby co-production with Propaganda Films Triumph Films
15 May 1992 Rubin & Ed [b] co-production with Working Title Films IRS Media
19 June 1992 Batman Returns studio credit only; produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Comics, Tim Burton Productions and De Novi Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures
7 August 1992 London Kills Me co-production with Working Title Films Fine Line Features (through New Line Cinema)
4 September 1992 Bob Roberts international distribution only; co-production with Working Title Films Paramount Pictures
Miramax Films (theatrical)
LIVE Entertainment (home video)
16 October 1992 Candyman [c] co-production with Propaganda Films TriStar Pictures
23 April 1993 Map of the Human Heart international distribution only; co-production with Working Title Films Miramax Films
14 May 1993 Posse [d] co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
20 August 1993 The Ballad of Little Jo Fine Line Features (through New Line Cinema)
3 September 1993 Kalifornia [d] co-production with Propaganda Films Gramercy Pictures
1 October 1993 Malice [d] U.K. distribution only; produced by Castle Rock Entertainment, New Line Cinema and Nelvana Columbia Pictures
8 October 1993 The Young Americans co-production with Working Title Films LIVE Entertainment
5 November 1993 A Home of Our Own [d] Gramercy Pictures
7 January 1994 The Air Up There co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
4 February 1994 Romeo Is Bleeding [d] co-production with Working Title Films
Most 1994–95 PolyGram films currently owned by MGM unless mentioned otherwise		 Gramercy Pictures
9 March 1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral [d] co-production with Working Title Films and Channel Four Films
11 March 1994 The Hudsucker Proxy international distribution only; co-production with Warner Bros. Pictures, Working Title Films and Silver Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures
8 April 1994 Holy Matrimony international distribution only; co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Red Rock West [c] co-production with Propaganda Films Roxie Releasing (theatrical)
Columbia TriStar Home Video (home video)
15 April 1994 Backbeat [c] Gramercy Pictures
6 May 1994 Dream Lover [d] co-production with Propaganda Films
18 May 1994 Final Combination [d] co-production with Propaganda Films Rank Film Distributors
15 July 1994A Pig's Tale [c] co-production with Propaganda Films PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
10 August 1994 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert [d] Gramercy Pictures
23 September 1994 Terminal Velocity co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
28 September 1994 Jason's Lyric [d] co-production with Propaganda Films Gramercy Pictures
16 December 1994 Nell [e] international distribution outside Latin America only 20th Century Fox
20 January 1995 S.F.W. [d] co-production with Propaganda Films Gramercy Pictures
10 February 1995 Shallow Grave [f] distribution only; produced by Channel Four Films
24 February 1995 Before the Rain [c]
3 March 1995 Roommates co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
17 March 1995 Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh [d] co-production with Propaganda Films Gramercy Pictures
21 April 1995 The Basketball Diaries [g] co-production with Island Pictures New Line Cinema
3 May 1995 Panther [d] co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
5 May 1995 French Kiss [e] international distribution only; co-production with Working Title Films 20th Century Fox
16 June 1995 Batman Forever studio credit only; produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Comics and Tim Burton Productions Warner Bros. Pictures
30 June 1995 Innocent Lies [d] Gramercy Pictures
28 July 1995 Operation Dumbo Drop co-production with Walt Disney Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
16 August 1995 The Usual Suspects [d] North American, U.K., French and Benelux distribution only; co-production with Spelling Films International, Blue Parrot Productions and Bad Hat Harry Films Gramercy Pictures (North America)
Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Germany)
8 September 1995 The Tie That Binds [e] international distribution only; co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
15 September 1995 Coldblooded [c] co-production with Motion Picture Corporation of America and Propaganda Films IRS Media
22 September 1995 Canadian Bacon [d] co-production with Propaganda Films Gramercy Pictures
29 September 1995 Moonlight and Valentino [d] co-production with Working Title Films
3 November 1995 Home for the Holidays international theatrical and worldwide home media distribution only; co-production with Egg Pictures Paramount Pictures
10 November 1995 Carrington [d] Gramercy Pictures
1 December 1995 Two Much [e] international distribution only; co-production with Touchstone Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
28 December 1995 12 Monkeys U.K. distribution only; produced by Atlas Entertainment and Classico Universal Pictures
29 December 1995 Dead Man Walking [d] co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
29 December 1995 Mr. Holland's Opus [e] international distribution only; co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
9 February 1996 Loch Ness [d] co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
23 February 1996 La Haine [h] North American co-distribution with Gramercy Pictures and Egg Pictures only; produced by Le Studio Canal+ and Arte France Cinéma
Most films released since this point are owned by Universal Pictures [43]
8 March 1996 Fargo [d] co-production with Working Title Films
Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2006
22 March 1996 Jack and Sarah [d] co-production with Granada Productions and Le Studio Canal+
Land and Freedom co-production with Working Title Films
3 May 1996 Barb Wire co-production with Propaganda Films
10 May 1996 Boys [e] international distribution only; co-production with Touchstone Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
31 May 1996 Eddie [e] international distribution only; co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Island Pictures [44]
Last film in the pre-April 1996 library owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The Arrival studio credit only; produced by LIVE Entertainment, Steelework Films and Interscope Communications Orion Pictures
17 July 1996 Walking and Talking international distribution only; co-production with Channel Four Films, Zenith Productions, Pandora Film, Mikado Films (France), Electric, TEAM Communications Group and Good Machine Miramax Films
Kazaam international distribution only; co-production with Touchstone Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
19 July 1996 Trainspotting [i] international distribution only; produced by Channel Four Films Miramax Films
18 October 1996 Sleepers international distribution only; co-production with Warner Bros. Pictures and Propaganda Films Warner Bros. Pictures
Jude Gramercy Pictures
25 October 1996 The Associate international distribution only; co-production with Hollywood Pictures and Interscope Communications Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
24 December 1996 The Portrait of a Lady co-production with Propaganda Films Gramercy Pictures
10 January 1997 The Relic international distribution outside France, Germany and Japan only; produced by Cloud Nine Entertainment and Pacific Western Productions Paramount Pictures
29 January 1997 Gridlock'd co-production with Interscope Communications Gramercy Pictures
14 February 1997 When We Were Kings [j] distribution only
7 March 1997 The Eighth Day co-production with Working Title Films
11 April 1997 Keys to Tulsa [k] co-production with ITC Entertainment
9 May 1997 Twin Town
20 June 1997 Batman & Robin studio credit only; produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Comics Warner Bros. Pictures
6 August 1997 Def Jam's How to Be a Player Gramercy Pictures
24 August 1997 Snow White: A Tale of Terror co-production with Interscope Communications
12 September 1997 The Game co-production with Propaganda Films PolyGram Films
19 September 1997 Going All the Way Gramercy Pictures
26 September 1997 A Thousand Acres international distribution only; co-production with Touchstone Pictures, Beacon Pictures and Propaganda Films Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
3 October 1997 The Matchmaker co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
24 October 1997 A Life Less Ordinary select international distribution only 20th Century Fox
7 November 1997 Bean co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
5 December 1997 The Borrowers co-production with Working Title Films PolyGram Films
16 January 1998 Hard Rain international distribution outside France, German-speaking Europe, Japan and Scandinavia only; produced by Mutual Film Company Paramount Pictures
23 January 1998 Spice World international distribution only; co-production Icon Entertainment International and Fragile Films Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing)
The Gingerbread Man co-production with Island Pictures and Enchanter EntertainmentPolyGram Films
18 February 1998 I Want You Gramercy Pictures
26 February 1998 Dead Letter Office Southern Star Entertainment
6 March 1998 The Big Lebowski co-production with Working Title Films
Inducted into the National Film Registry in 2014		 Gramercy Pictures
3 April 1998 No Looking Back
The Proposition co-production with Interscope Communications PolyGram Films
Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie co-production with Lyrick Studios
1 May 1998 Wilde [l] U.K. distribution only; produced by BBC Films, Capitol Films and Pony Canyon
Go Now Gramercy Pictures
29 May 1998 The Last Days of Disco North American and Australian theatrical and VHS distribution only; co-production with Castle Rock Entertainment; international distribution handled by Warner Bros. Pictures [45]
12 June 1998 The Land Girls
14 August 1998 Return to Paradise co-production with Propaganda Films and TetragramPolyGram Films
21 August 1998 Your Friends & Neighbors Gramercy Pictures
25 September 1998 Clay Pigeons
2 October 1998 What Dreams May Come co-production with Interscope Communications PolyGram Films
13 November 1998 Thursday co-production with Propaganda Films Legacy Releasing
22 November 1998 Elizabeth co-production with Working Title Films and Channel Four Films Gramercy Pictures
25 November 1998 Very Bad Things North American and U.K. distribution only; co-production with Interscope Communications and Initial Entertainment Group PolyGram Films
22 January 1999 The Hi-Lo Country co-production with Working Title Films Gramercy Pictures
February 1999Chokeco-production with Propaganda Films PolyGram Visual Programming
5 March 1999 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels [m] distribution in North America, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France, German-speaking Europe, the Benelux and Spain only; [46] produced by Summit Entertainment, The Steve Tisch Company, SKA Films and HandMade Films Gramercy Pictures
1 April 1999Millionaire Dogsco-production with Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg, EIV Entertainment Invest GmbH & Company KG, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen and Benchmark EntertainmentPop Twist Entertainment
28 May 1999 Notting Hill international distribution only; co-production with Working Title Films Universal Pictures
9 July 1999 Arlington Road select international distribution only; produced by Lakeshore Entertainment Screen Gems (through Sony Pictures Releasing)
1 October 1999 Plunkett & Macleane international distribution only; co-production with Working Title Films USA Films
10 December 1999 The Green Mile as Universal Pictures International; produced by Castle Rock Entertainment and Darkwoods Productions Warner Bros. Pictures (North America, Latin America and Asia (excluding Japan))
Universal Pictures (International)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Copyright is owned by Orion Pictures
  2. ↑ Owned by Sony Pictures
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Retained by Universal Pictures
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Owned by MGM
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 International rights owned by MGM
  6. ↑ Owned by Film4 Productions
  7. ↑ Owned by Palm Pictures in the U.S. and MGM internationally
  8. ↑ Owned by Le Pacte and StudioCanal, with U.S. distribution rights licensed to The Criterion Collection and Janus Films
  9. ↑ Owned by Film4 Productions, with certain distribution rights currently licensed to Miramax
  10. ↑ Owned by Shout! Studios (via Westchester Films)
  11. ↑ Owned by ITV Studios
  12. ↑ Owned by Altitude
  13. ↑ Select international rights to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels have since reverted back to Lionsgate

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seagram</span> Former Canadian multinational conglomerate

The Seagram Company Ltd. was a Canadian multinational conglomerate formerly headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Originally a distiller of Canadian whisky based in Waterloo, Ontario, it was in the 1990s the largest owner of alcoholic beverage brands in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major film studios</span> United States film production and distribution companies with high output

Major film studios are production and distribution companies that release a substantial number of films annually and consistently command a significant share of box office revenue in a given market. In the American and international markets, the major film studios, often known simply as the majors or the Big Five studios, are commonly regarded as the five diversified media conglomerates whose various film production and distribution subsidiaries collectively command approximately 80 to 85% of U.S. box office revenue. The term may also be applied more specifically to the primary motion picture business subsidiary of each respective conglomerate.

PolyGram N.V. was a multinational major music record label and entertainment company formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a holding for their record companies, and was renamed "PolyGram" in 1972. The name was chosen to reflect the Siemens interest Polydor Records and the Philips interest Phonogram Records. The company traced its origins through Deutsche Grammophon back to the inventor of the flat disc gramophone, Emil Berliner.

Working Title Films Limited is a British film studio that produces motion pictures and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a division of Comcast. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. Bevan and Eric Fellner are now the co-chairmen of the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Rock Entertainment</span> American film and television production company

Castle Rock Entertainment is an American independent film and television production company founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, Glenn Padnick and Alan Horn. It is a label of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Casablanca Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. Under its founder Neil Bogart, Casablanca was most successful during the disco era of the mid to late 1970s. The label currently focuses on dance and electronic music under the direction of Brett Alperowitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Television</span> Television production company

Universal Television LLC is an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Universal Studio Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which, in turn, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. It serves as the network television production arm of NBC; a predecessor of the company, NBC Studios, previously assumed such functions, and a substantial portion of the company's shows air on the network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interscope Communications</span> Motion picture production company

Interscope Communications, Inc. was a motion picture production company founded in 1979 by Ted Field. It soon became a division of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Music Publishing Group</span> American music publishing company

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is a global music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group. Universal Music Publishing has been ranked the #1 music publisher in market share by Billboard for multiple consecutive quarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITC Entertainment</span> UK-based TV and movie production and distribution company

The Incorporated Television Company (ITC), or ITC Entertainment as it was referred to in the United States, was a British company involved in production and distribution of television programmes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Field</span> American media mogul (born 1953)

Frederick Woodruff "Ted" Field is an American media mogul, record executive, entrepreneur and film producer.

NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, formerly known as NBCUniversal Television Distribution, Universal Domestic Television, Studios USA Television Distribution and MCA TV is the television syndication division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, in the United States. Its predecessors include NBC Enterprises, Universal Television Distribution, Multimedia Entertainment, PolyGram Television, and Sky Vision. At some point in its history, it was also known as "NBCUniversal Television & New Media Distribution" and "NBC Universal Television and New Media Distribution.” This unit is possibly the parent for the similarly named "NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution" unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic Entertainment Group</span> Defunct movie studio company

Atlantic Entertainment Group was an independent film production and distribution company founded by Tom Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogue Pictures</span> American film production company

Rogue is an American independent production company founded in 1998 by Matt Wall and Patrick Gunn, originally started off as a genre film label of the Universal-affiliated independent film studio October Films and was based in Universal City, California. It was known to produce action, non-action, thriller, and horror films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Propaganda Films</span> Film production company

Propaganda Films was an American production company specializing in television commercials and music videos, founded in 1986 by producers Steve Golin and Sigurjón Sighvatsson and directors David Fincher, Nigel Dick, Dominic Sena and Greg Gold. By 1990, the company was producing almost a third of all music videos made in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gramercy Pictures</span> American production company label owned by Comcast through Focus Features

Gramercy Pictures was an American film production label. It was founded on May 20, 1992 as a joint venture between PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Universal Pictures. Gramercy was the distributor of PolyGram films in the United States and Canada and also served as Universal's art-house division. After Seagram's buyout of PolyGram, Gramercy along with October Films and Interscope Communications were merged by Barry Diller to form USA Films in 1999. On May 20, 2015, Focus Features revived the name as a label for action, horror and sci-fi genre films; the label was shut down after the release of Ratchet & Clank on April 29, 2016.

<i>100 Films and a Funeral</i> 2007 Canadian documentary film

100 Films and a Funeral is both a memoir by Michael Kuhn and a 2007 documentary film adaptation by filmmaker Michael McNamara about the rise and fall of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (PFE), the company that produced Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Usual Suspects, and Trainspotting. Kuhn headed PFE from 1991 till 1999, when Philips sold it to the Seagram conglomerate. The selling of PFE also ended the prominent role of the company in the British film industry revival of the 1990s.

Virgin Films was a film production company of the early 1980s best known for making Nineteen Eighty Four (1984). It was part of the Virgin Group and was headed by Al Clark. Nik Powell worked for the company before going over to Palace Pictures.

Alain Levy is an entertainment industry executive. He was born in Metz, France, on 19 December 1946.

Cemp Investments was the primary holding company and investment vehicle for, and named after, the four children of Samuel Bronfman: Charles Bronfman, Edgar Bronfman, Aileen "Minda" Bronfman de Gunzburg, and Phyllis Lambert, also known as the Montreal branch of the Bronfman family. Cemp became one of the largest privately owned companies in Canada. At its peak, it controlled tens of billions in dollars of assets in major distilling, commercial real estate development, oil and gas, and entertainment companies across North America.

References

  1. ↑ "Universal Music Relaunching Polygram, Announces 'Story of Motown' as First Production". Billboard. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  2. ↑ "Casablanca And Filmworks Merge Into New Combine" (PDF). Billboard . 6 November 1976. p. 3.
  3. 1 2 Masters, Kim; Griffin, Nancy (12 January 2016). Hit & Run. Simon & Schuster.
  4. ↑ "PolyGram Insures Home Video Base" (PDF). Billboard . 29 March 1980. p. 9.
  5. 1 2 Griffin, Nancy and Masters, Kim (1996). "Hit and Run" (pp. 100-116). New York: Touchstone, a Simon & Schuster company.
  6. ↑ Medavoy, Mike (25 June 2013). You're Only as Good as Your Next One: 100 Great Films, 100 Good Films, and 100 for Which I Should Be Shot. Atria Books.
  7. ↑ "Horowitz to head new PolyGram television unit" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . 3 November 1980. p. 46.
  8. ↑ "PolyGram to fold" (PDF). Broadcasting . 9 May 1983. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Heron, PolyGram Set Joint Venture With Low Pricing". Variety . 1 January 1986. p. 25.
  10. ↑ "Channel Five Moves Into Music & Kid Vid" (PDF). World Radio History. 11 July 1987. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  11. ↑ Kuhn, pp. 17-23
  12. 1 2 3 Apodaca, Patrice (21 February 1995). "Screen Play : PolyGram Hopes to Bolster Its Hollywood Presence With Purchase of Once-Venerable ITC Entertainment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  13. ↑ Kuhn, pp. 40-41
  14. ↑ Groves, Don (14 January 1991). "Polygram Plots Its Return To Film Biz". Variety. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  15. 1 2 Citron, Alan (11 August 1992). "Polygram Takes Over Interscope : Entertainment: The British record giant buys 51% of the successful Hollywood film production company". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  16. ↑ "PolyGram's Visionary Deal". Variety. 31 January 1993. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  17. ↑ "ITC Entertainment Sold to Polygram for $156 Million". Los Angeles Times. 17 January 1995. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  18. ↑ Weiner, Rex (3 December 1997). "New Epic librarian".
  19. ↑ Fabrikant, Geraldine (17 July 1996). "Kerkorian Group Plans to Buy MGM Studio for $1.3 Billion". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "Company News;Polygram Said To Drop Goldwyn Offer". The New York Times. 31 January 1996. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  21. ↑ Cox, Dan (8 December 1997). "WB, Polygram to co-fund Castle Rock". Variety. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  22. ↑ Variety Staff (22 July 1997). "Philips quitting media biz, except for Polygram stake". Variety. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  23. ↑ "CAN HE FIX PHILIPS? HECK, CAN ANYONE? NEW CEO COR BOONSTRA IS AN OUTSIDER WHO TALKS A GOOD TURNAROUND GAME FOR THE ELECTRONICS GIANT--BUT MAY HAVE TO MOVE FASTER. - March 31, 1997". money.cnn.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  24. ↑ Week, Marketing (11 June 1998). "Why Phillips must sharpen up its act". Marketing Week. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  25. ↑ Eller, Claudia; Philips, Chuck (7 May 1998). "Philips Puts PolyGram Empire Up for Sale". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  26. ↑ McCullen, Aidan (27 October 2023). "Killing Your Business While It's Still Working: That (Kodak) Moment". The Innovation Show. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  27. ↑ "Suitors Buzz Around Polygram". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  28. ↑ Eller, Claudia; Philips, Chuck (15 May 1998). "Seagram, Philips Confirm Talks for All of PolyGram". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  29. ↑ Eller, Claudia (9 October 1998). "Seagram May Settle for Sale of Film Library". Los Angeles Times.
  30. ↑ "MGM Signs $250 Million Agreement to Acquire PolyGram Film Library". Sound & Vision. 25 October 1998.
  31. ↑ Eller, Claudia (23 October 1998). "MGM Agrees to Acquire PolyGram Movie Library". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  32. ↑ Thal, Peter (20 January 1999). "Carlton pays $150m for film library". The Independent. London. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  33. ↑ "USA Will Buy Some Seagram Film Assets". Los Angeles Times. 8 April 1999.
  34. ↑ Carver, Benedict; Dawtrey, Adam (10 February 1999). "U to start int'l distrib". Variety. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  35. ↑ Petrikin, Chris (15 October 1999). "U, Par extend UIP pact". Variety. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  36. ↑ Madigan, Nick (9 December 1997). "Polygram shutters Island Pictures".
  37. ↑ Moerk, Christian (2 November 1993). "Lion's feast: Polygram pix". Variety. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  38. 1 2 "PolyGram joins the big Game". Screen International . 19 September 1997. p. 33.
  39. ↑ Eller, Claudia (3 May 1997). "PolyGram Unit to Distribute Films in U.S." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  40. 1 2 "Partyers play 'Game'". Variety . 11 September 1997. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  41. ↑ Roman, Monica (3 April 1998). "Rogue of October". Variety . Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  42. ↑ Petski, Denise (20 May 2015). "Focus Revives Gramercy Pictures Label For Genre Films". Deadline. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  43. ↑ US Copyright Office Document No. V3495D070 / 2003-03-06
  44. ↑ US Copyright Office Document No. V15006D985 / 2022-04-22
  45. ↑ "Warner Bros. Teams Up with PolyGram to Co-Finance & Co-Distribute Castle Rock Pictures". WarnerMedia. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  46. ↑ Variety Staff (30 June 1998). "World Briefs". Variety. Retrieved 20 October 2024.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.