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[[File:AIP logo.png|right]]
[[File:AIP logo.png|right]]
'''American International Pictures''' ('''AIP''') was an [[United States|American]] film distributor that distributed several [[Toho]] films to American theaters. The company was founded in [[1954]] as '''American Releasing Corporation''' ('''ARC''') by James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff. The company primarily released low-budget films as double features from the 1950's through the 1970's, including several of producer [[wikipedia:Roger Corman|Roger Corman's]] features in the 50's. AIP formed its own television production company, '''American International Productions Television''' ('''AIP-TV'''), in [[1964]], which released most of the entries in the [[Showa era|Showa]] ''[[Gamera (franchise)|Gamera]]'' series as well as ''[[The X from Outer Space]]'' to American television. The company went defunct in 1981 and was acquired by Filmways, which was itself later purchased by Orion Pictures. Most of AIP's library is now owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which purchased Orion in 1997.
'''American International Pictures''' ('''AIP''') is a film production label of [[wikipedia:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]. In its first incarnation as an [[United States|American]] film distributor, it was founded in [[1954]] as '''American Releasing Corporation''' ('''ARC''') by [[James H. Nicholson]] and [[Samuel Z. Arkoff]].{{sfn|Craig|2019|p=5}} AIP released low-budget American films and imported films from the 1950s to the 1970s, including many [[tokusatsu]] films made by [[Toho]] and [[Daiei]]. AIP formed its own television production and distribution company, '''American International Television''' ('''AITV'''), in [[1964]],{{sfn|Craig|2019|p=13}} which released five of the eight films in the [[Showa era|Showa]] ''[[Gamera (franchise)|Gamera]]'' series and several other kaiju and tokusatsu films to American television. The company went defunct in 1979 and was acquired by '''Filmways''', which syndicated ''[[Gamera Super Monster]]'' in the U.S. in [[1982]], two years after being purchased by Orion Pictures.{{sfn|Craig|2019|p=425}} Most of AIP's library is now owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which purchased Orion in 1997.{{sfn|Craig|2019|p=6}} In 2020, AIP was relaunched by MGM as a label for limited and digital releases of new independent films.
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Selected filmography==
==Selected releases==
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla|Godzilla vs. the Thing]]'' (1964)
===American International Pictures===
*''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon|Frankenstein Conquers the World]]'' (1966)
*''[[wikipedia:Reptilicus|Reptilicus]]'' (1963)
*''[[Gamera vs. Barugon|War of the Monsters]]'' (TV 1967)
*''[[Atragon#U.S. release|Atragon]]'' (1964)
*''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos|Return of the Giant Monsters]]'' (TV 1967)
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla#U.S. release|Godzilla vs. The Thing]]'' (1964)
*''[[The X from Outer Space]]'' (TV 1968)
*''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon#U.S. release|Frankenstein Conquers the World]]'' (1966)
*''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1969)
*''[[Destroy All Monsters#U.S. release|Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1969)
*''[[Gamera vs. Viras|Destroy All Planets]]'' (TV 1969)
*''[[Space Amoeba#U.S. release|Yog, Monster from Space]]'' (1971)
*''[[Gamera vs. Guiron|Attack of the Monsters]]'' (TV 1969)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Hedorah#U.S. release|Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster]]'' (1972)
*''[[Gamera vs. Jiger|Gamera vs. Monster X]]'' (TV 1970)
 
*''[[Godzilla vs. Hedorah|Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster]]'' (1972)
===American International Television===
*''[[Matango (film)#U.S. release|Attack of the Mushroom People]]'' (TV 1965)<ref name="Syndication">{{harvnb|Craig|2019|p=429}}</ref>
*''[[Dogora (film)#U.S. release|Dagora, the Space Monster]]'' (TV 1965){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Daimajin (film)#U.S. release|Majin, the Monster of Terror]]'' (TV 1967){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Gappa (film)#U.S. release|Monster from a Prehistoric Planet]]'' (TV 1967){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Gamera vs. Barugon#U.S. release|War of the Monsters]]'' (TV 1967){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos#U.S. release|Return of the Giant Monsters]]'' (TV 1968){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Warning from Space]]'' (TV 1968){{#tag:ref|''Warning from Space'' was initially Americanized and released to television syndication in the [[United States]] by Four Star International in [[1964]]. It was subsequently re-released by American International Television beginning in 1968.{{sfn|Heffernan|2004|pp=240-241}}{{sfn|Craig|2019|p=403}}|group="note"}}
*''[[The X from Outer Space#U.S. release|The X from Outer Space]]'' (TV 1968){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[wikipedia:Giant Robo (TV series)|Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot]]'' (TV 1969){{sfn|Craig|2019|p=23}}
*''[[Gamera vs. Guiron#U.S. release|Attack of the Monsters]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Gamera vs. Viras#U.S. release|Destroy All Planets]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Gamera vs. Jiger#U.S. release|Gamera vs. Monster X]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Magic Serpent#U.S. release|Magic Serpent]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Return of Daimajin#U.S. release|Return of Giant Majin]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[wikipedia:Giant Robo (TV series)#Alternate versions|Voyage Into Space]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
*''[[Yongary, Monster from the Deep#U.S. release|Yongary, Monster from the Deep]]'' (TV 1970){{R|Syndication}}
 
===Filmways Pictures===
*''[[Gamera Super Monster]]'' (TV 1982)
 
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*AIP's versions of ''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' and ''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' were released to DVD by [[Classic Media]] and Media Blasters, respectively. The company's versions of ''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' and ''[[Godzilla vs. Hedorah]]'' have long been replaced on home video by Toho-commissioned international English dubs and the original Japanese versions.
*AIP's version of ''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' was released on DVD by [[Simitar Entertainment]] and [[Classic Media]], and a poor quality reconstruction of its version of ''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' was released to DVD by [[wikipedia:Media Blasters#Tokyo Shock|Media Blasters]]. Media Blasters released ''Destroy All Monsters'' with AIP's Titan Productions dub as an alternate audio track on both DVD and Blu-ray in 2011, only for the release to be pulled from circulation shortly afterward due to a dispute with [[Toho]] over special features that were included. AIP's version of ''[[Godzilla vs. Hedorah]]'' was only ever released on LaserDisc and VHS by [[Orion Pictures]].
*The AIP-TV versions of the [[Showa era|Showa]] ''[[Gamera (franchise)|Gamera]]'' films were largely replaced on home video by the versions released through Sandy Frank Enterprises, though companies like Alpha Video released the AIP-TV versions on DVD, mistakenly assuming them to be in the public domain. [[Arrow Video]]'s ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' Blu-ray set includes the AIP-TV versions in addition to the Sandy Frank and original Japanese versions.
*For many years, the five [[Showa era|Showa]] ''[[Gamera (franchise)|Gamera]]'' films released by AITV were believed to be in the public domain by numerous companies. Some, such as Sinister Cinema and [[wikipedia:Something Weird Video|Something Weird Video]], were the first to bring these versions to VHS, followed by DVD releases from [[wikipedia:Alpha Video|Alpha Video]], [[wikipedia:Fred Olen Ray#2000s to present|Retromedia]], and others in the early 2000s. Neptune Media was the first company to officially release the soundtrack from AITV's ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron#U.S. release|Attack of the Monsters]]'' on home video. [[Shout! Factory]]'s ''Gamera'' DVDs, released from 2010 to 2011, included the AITV soundtracks for ''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos#U.S. release|Return of the Giant Monsters]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Viras#U.S. release|Destroy All Planets]]'', ''Attack of the Monsters'', and ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger#U.S. release|Gamera vs. Monster X]]'', but omitted ''[[Gamera vs. Barugon#U.S. release|War of the Monsters]]''. [[Arrow Video]]'s ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' subsequently included remastered audio and video of all five of AITV's Gamera releases.
 
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
===Bibliography===
*{{cite book|title=American International Pictures: A Comprehensive Filmography|last=Craig|first=Rob|date=2019|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|isbn=9781476666310}}
*{{cite book|title=Ghouls, Gimmicks, and Gold: Horror Films and the American Movie Business, 1953–1968|last=Heffernan|first=Kevin|date=2004|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn= 9780822332152}}
{{Companies}}
{{Comments}}
{{Comments}}
{{Era|REL}}
{{Era|REL}}

Latest revision as of 18:26, 9 December 2023

AIP logo.png

American International Pictures (AIP) is a film production label of MGM. In its first incarnation as an American film distributor, it was founded in 1954 as American Releasing Corporation (ARC) by James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff.[1] AIP released low-budget American films and imported films from the 1950s to the 1970s, including many tokusatsu films made by Toho and Daiei. AIP formed its own television production and distribution company, American International Television (AITV), in 1964,[2] which released five of the eight films in the Showa Gamera series and several other kaiju and tokusatsu films to American television. The company went defunct in 1979 and was acquired by Filmways, which syndicated Gamera Super Monster in the U.S. in 1982, two years after being purchased by Orion Pictures.[3] Most of AIP's library is now owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which purchased Orion in 1997.[4] In 2020, AIP was relaunched by MGM as a label for limited and digital releases of new independent films.

Selected releases

American International Pictures

American International Television

Filmways Pictures

Trivia

Notes

  1. Warning from Space was initially Americanized and released to television syndication in the United States by Four Star International in 1964. It was subsequently re-released by American International Television beginning in 1968.[6][7]

References

This is a list of references for American International Pictures. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. Craig 2019, p. 5.
  2. Craig 2019, p. 13.
  3. Craig 2019, p. 425.
  4. Craig 2019, p. 6.
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 Craig 2019, p. 429
  6. Heffernan 2004, pp. 240-241.
  7. Craig 2019, p. 403.
  8. Craig 2019, p. 23.

Bibliography

  • Craig, Rob (2019). American International Pictures: A Comprehensive Filmography. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 9781476666310.
  • Heffernan, Kevin (2004). Ghouls, Gimmicks, and Gold: Horror Films and the American Movie Business, 1953–1968. Duke University Press. ISBN 9780822332152.

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