First Look Studios
Private | |
Industry |
Film Home video |
Successor |
Millennium Entertainment (2010-2014) Alchemy (2014-2016) |
Founded | 1980 (as Overseas Filmgroup) |
Defunct | 2010 |
Headquarters | Century City, California |
Products | DVD, Blu-ray disc |
First Look Studios was an independent American film distributor that specialized in home video releases of films and TV series.
History
In 1980, Robert and Ellen Little founded Overseas Filmgroup as a film sales company for foreign markets. Overseas Filmgroup expanded towards film financing to give the company greater control over its output. Films ranged from genre titles such as Blue Tiger (starring Virginia Madsen) and No Way Back (starring Russell Crowe) to art-house films including Antonia's Line, Mrs. Dalloway, The Secret of Roan Inish, Waking Ned Devine, and Titus.[1] In 1993, the company expanded towards North American distribution through its First Look Pictures subsidiary.[2]
In 1998, Overseas Filmgroup went public. Two years later, EUE/Screen Gems acquired a minority interest in the company. In January 2001, as part of a restructuring, Overseas Filmgroup and First Look Pictures became subsidiaries of First Look Media.[3] Overseas Filmgroup was eventually renamed First Look International.[4] Robert and Ellen Little left First Look in 2003.[1]
On July 29, 2005, after a merger with Canadian businessman Henry Winterstern's Capital Entertainment, the combined company became First Look Studios. Winterstern became CEO of First Look and shared the role as Chairman with EUE/Screen Gems' Chris Cooney.[5] That year, First Look acquired DEJ Productions from Blockbuster. In 2006, First Look acquired Ventura Distribution, a home video distribution company,[6] and acquired the domestic TV syndication rights to 56 films from Pinnacle Entertainment.[7] By 2006, First Look had a 700-film library to its name, and continued to add more with the financing of in-house productions.[8]
Henry Winterstern resigned from First Look in 2007. That March, Nu Image acquired controlling interest in First Look.[9] In 2010, Millennium Entertainment acquired First Look's assets.[10]
Films
- All About You
- American Adobo
- An American Crime
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters (the only animated film by the company)
- Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
- Brain And Scamper Show 5 Movie Film For Theaters[11]
- The Breed
- Day of the Dead
- Day Zero
- Dedication
- Ernest Goes to Africa (re-released by Mill Creek Entertainment and Image Entertainment)
- Ernest in the Army (re-released by Mill Creek Entertainment and Image Entertainment)
- Firecracker
- Flu Birds
- Four Sheets to the Wind
- Frank
- A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
- Hydra
- Immortal (United States distributor)
- In a Dark Place
- Infinity
- Leaves of Grass
- A Little Trip to Heaven
- Mayor of the Sunset Strip
- Meet Bill
- Mrs Dalloway
- My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?
- Paris, je t'aime
- Party Girl
- The Pumpkin Karver
- Smiley Face
- Stiletto
- Sukiyaki Western Django
- Transsiberian
- The Volcano Disaster (also called Volcano: Nature Unleashed)
- War, Inc.
TV series
Distributed lines
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Video Asia
References
- 1 2 "First Look Studios at 25".
- ↑ "First Look Pictures/Overseas Filmgroup - Independent Magazine". Independent Magazine. 1998-01-01. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
- ↑ First Look Media. "Overseas Filmgroup Changes Name to First Look Media To Reflect the Widened Scope of Its Business and Adds Two Divisions". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
- ↑ Indiewire. "Relaunched First Look Media Bolsters Company In Advance of AFM | IndieWire". www.indiewire.com. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
- ↑ First Look Studios. "Capital Entertainment Merges With First Look Media to Become First Look Studios". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ "Ventura Home Entertainment Formed by First Look Studios; New Entity Acquires Assets of Ventura Distribution; Ventura's Founder and CEO Larry Hayes Named Company's President | Business Wire". www.businesswire.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ Dempsey, John (2006-06-14). "First Look pix it up". Variety. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ Waxman, Sharon (2007-03-08). "First Look Studios - Henry Winterstern - Movies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
- ↑ "First Look gets a Nu Image". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
- ↑ First Look Studios Acquired by Millennium Entertainment., retrieved 2016-10-14
- ↑ Brain And Scamper Show 5 Movie Film For Theaters