American International (film Production Company)
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American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent
film production Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, casti ...
and
distribution Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations * Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a vari ...
company known for producing and releasing films from 1955 until 1980, a year after its acquisition by Filmways in 1979. It was formed on April 2, 1954 as American Releasing Corporation (ARC) by former
Realart Pictures Inc. Realart Pictures was a motion picture distribution company founded in 1948 by Jack Broder and Joseph Harris. The company specialized in reissues of older pictures, particularly from the library of Universal Pictures, but also handled an occasion ...
sales manager
James H. Nicholson James Harvey Nicholson (September 14, 1916 – December 10, 1972) was an American movie producer, film producer. He is best known as the co-founder, with Samuel Z. Arkoff, of American International Pictures. Early life Nicholson was born on ...
and entertainment lawyer
Samuel Z. Arkoff Samuel Zachary Arkoff (June 12, 1918 – September 16, 2001) was an American producer of B movies. Life and career Arkoff was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Russian Jewish parents. He was the son of Helen (Lurie) and Louis Arkoff, who ran his ...
and their first release was the 1953 UK documentary film ''
Operation Malaya Operation Malaya ( es, Operación Malaya) is a Spanish anti-corruption campaign in the southern resort city of Marbella. It began in 2006 and it is being carried out by the '' Policía Nacional'' under the direction of Judge Miguel Ángel Torres. ...
''. It was dedicated to releasing low-budget films packaged as
double feature The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...
s, primarily of interest to the teenagers of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The company eventually became a part of
Orion Pictures Orion Pictures (legal name Orion Releasing, LLC) is an American film production and distribution company owned by Amazon through its Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) subsidiary. In its original operating period, the company produced and released films ...
, which in turn, became a division of MGM. On October 7, 2020, four decades after the original closure, MGM revived AIP as a label for acquired films for digital and theatrical releases, with MGM overseeing across streaming platforms and United Artists Releasing handling theatrical distribution in North America.


AIP personnel

Nicholson and Arkoff served as
executive producers Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
while Roger Corman and Alex Gordon were the principal
film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...
s and, sometimes, directors. Writer
Charles B. Griffith Charles Byron Griffith (September 23, 1930 – September 28, 2007) was an American screenwriter, actor and film director, son of Donna Dameral, radio star of ''Myrt and Marge'', along with Charles' grandmother, Myrtle Vail, and was best known ...
wrote many of the early films, along with Arkoff's brother-in-law, Lou Rusoff, who later produced many of the films he had written. Other writers included Ray Russell, Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont. Floyd Crosby,
A.S.C. The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), founded in Hollywood in 1919, is a cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild. The society was organized to advance the science and art of cinema ...
famous for his camera work on a number of exotic documentaries and the Oscar winner, ''
High Noon ''High Noon'' is a 1952 American Western film produced by Stanley Kramer from a screenplay by Carl Foreman, directed by Fred Zinnemann, and starring Gary Cooper. The plot, which occurs in real time, centers on a town marshal whose sense of ...
'', was chief cinematographer. His innovative use of surreal color and odd lenses and angles gave AIP films a signature look. The early rubber monster suits and miniatures of Paul Blaisdell were used in AIP's
science fiction film Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...
s. The company also hired Les Baxter and
Ronald Stein Ronald is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse ''Rögnvaldr'', Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 234; Hanks; Hodges (2003) § Ronald. or possibly from Old English '' Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an Anglicised form of ...
to compose many of its film scores. In the 1950s, the company had a number of actors under contract, including John Ashley, Fay Spain and Steve Terrell.


Emphasis on teenagers

When many of ARC/AIP's first releases failed to earn a profit, Arkoff quizzed film exhibitors who told him of the value of the teenage market as adults were watching television. AIP stopped making Westerns with Arkoff explaining: "To compete with television westerns you have to have color, big stars and $2,000,000".. AIP was the first company to use focus groups, polling American teenagers about what they would like to see and using their responses to determine titles, stars, and story content. AIP would question their exhibitors (who often provided 20% of AIP's financing) what they thought of the success of a title, then would have a writer create a script for it. A sequence of tasks in a typical production involved creating a great title, getting an artist such as Albert Kallis who supervised all AIP artwork from 1955–73 to create a dynamic, eye-catching poster, then raising the cash, and finally writing and casting the film.


The ARKOFF formula

Samuel Z. Arkoff related his tried-and-true "ARKOFF formula" for producing a successful low-budget movie years later, during a 1980s talk show appearance. His ideas for a movie included: * Action (exciting, entertaining drama) * Revolution (novel or controversial themes and ideas) * Killing (a modicum of violence) * Oratory (notable dialogue and speeches) * Fantasy (acted-out fantasies common to the audience) * Fornication ( sex appeal for young adults) Later, the AIP publicity department devised a strategy called "the Peter Pan Syndrome": a) a younger child will watch anything an older child will watch;
b) an older child will not watch anything a younger child will watch;
c) a girl will watch anything a boy will watch;
d) a boy will not watch anything a girl will watch;
therefore:
to catch your greatest audience you zero in on the 19-year-old male.


History


American Releasing Corporation

AIP began as the American Releasing Corporation, a new distribution company formed in 1954 by James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff.


Roger Corman

They were interested in distributing a car chase movie produced by Roger Corman for his Palo Alto Productions, '' The Fast and the Furious'' (1955). Corman had received offers from other companies for the film, but ARC offered to advance money to enable Corman to make two other films. Corman agreed, ''The Fast and the Furious'' performed well at the box office and the company was launched. Corman's next two films for the company were a Western, '' Five Guns West'' (1955), which Corman directed, and a science fiction film, ''
The Beast with a Million Eyes ''The Beast with a Million Eyes'' (a.k.a. ''The Unseen'') is a 1955 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced and directed by David Kramarsky, that stars Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer, and Dona Cole. Some film sources ...
'' (1955). The title from the latter had come from Nicholson. ARC also distributed the Western ''
Outlaw Treasure ''Outlaw Treasure'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Oliver Drake and starring Johnny Carpenter, Adele Jergens, and Glenn Langan. It was one of the first movies released by American Releasing Corporation, which later became American ...
'' (1955) starring
Johnny Carpenter Johnny Carpenter (Jasper Carpenter; June 25, 1914 – February 27, 2003) was an American film actor, screenwriter and producer. He was known mostly for his work in Westerns and for his association with filmmaker Ed Wood. He used the stage nam ...
.


Alex Gordon

ARC got Corman to direct another Western and science fiction double bill ''
Apache Woman Apache Woman may refer to: * Apache Woman (1955 film), an American Western directed by Roger Corman * Apache Woman (1976 film) ''Apache Woman'' ( it, Una donna chiamata Apache) is a 1976 Italian Spaghetti Western film, written and directed by ...
'' (1955) and '' Day the World Ended'' (1955). Both scripts were written by Arkoff's brother-in-law
Lou Rusoff Lou Rusoff (August 3, 1911 – June 29, 1963) was a Canadian-born screenwriter and producer best known for his work with American International Pictures. He was brother-in-law to Sam Arkoff and was the screenwriter for many of Roger Corman's f ...
, who would become the company's leading writer in its early days. ''Apache Woman'' was produced by Alex Gordon, an associate of Arkoff's, ''Day'' was produced by Corman. Both were made by Golden State Productions, ARC's production arm. Normally, B movies were made for the second part of a bill and received a flat rate. As television was encroaching on the B movie market, Nicholson and Arkoff felt it would be more profitable to make two low budget films and distribute them together on a
double feature The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. Opera use Opera ho ...
. Nicholson came up with a title for a film to support ''Day the World Ended'', ''
The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues ''The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues'' is a 1955 independently made, American, black-and-white, science-fiction monster film, produced by Jack Milner and Dan Milner (who also directed), that stars Kent Taylor and Cathy Downs. The film's December ...
'' (1955), but lacked the money to make both films. They split the costs with Dan and Jack Milner, film editors who wanted to get into production. The resulting double bill was very successful at the box office. Gordon also produced ''
The Oklahoma Woman ''The Oklahoma Woman'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Roger Corman. Plot The film involves the return of Steve Ward, a former gunslinger recently released from federal prison, to his hometown to claim a ranch he has inherited. Upo ...
'' (1955), a Western by Corman, made through Sunset Productions. It was put on a double feature with '' Female Jungle'' (1955), a
film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...
. Other films released under the ARC banner include a British documentary ''
Operation Malaya Operation Malaya ( es, Operación Malaya) is a Spanish anti-corruption campaign in the southern resort city of Marbella. It began in 2006 and it is being carried out by the '' Policía Nacional'' under the direction of Judge Miguel Ángel Torres. ...
'' (1955) and Corman's '' Gunslinger'' (1956).


American International in the 1950s

Arkoff and Nicholson had always wanted to name their company "American International Pictures", but the name was unavailable. When the name became available, they changed over. There were three main production arms at AIP in the late 1950s: Roger Corman, Alex Gordon and Lou Rusoff, and Herman Cohen. Arkoff and Nicholson would buy films from other filmmakers as well, and import films from outside America.


Roger Corman

Corman continued to be an important member of AIP (though he also worked for Allied Artists and his own Filmgroup company during this period). He had a big hit for the company with the science fiction film '' It Conquered the World'' (1956) from a script by Rusoff that was rewritten by
Charles B. Griffith Charles Byron Griffith (September 23, 1930 – September 28, 2007) was an American screenwriter, actor and film director, son of Donna Dameral, radio star of ''Myrt and Marge'', along with Charles' grandmother, Myrtle Vail, and was best known ...
. His films included ''
Rock All Night ''Rock All Night'' is a 1957 crime drama film produced and directed by Roger Corman. Distributed by American International Pictures, it is based on a 25-minute television episode of '' The Jane Wyman Show'' from 1955 called "The Little Guy." It s ...
'' (1956); ''
Naked Paradise ''Naked Paradise'' (sometimes credited as ''Thunder Over Hawaii'') is a 1957 drama film directed by Roger Corman. It stars Richard Denning and Beverly Garland. Corman later asked Charles Griffith, who worked on the script, to reuse his screenplay ...
'' (1957), in which Arkoff had a small role; '' The Undead''; ''
Sorority Girl ''Sorority Girl'' (also known as ''Sorority House'' or ''The Bad One'') is a 1957 film noir exploitation film directed by Roger Corman. It stars Susan Cabot as Sabra, a sociopath who plays a very disruptive role in a sorority, with Barboura Mor ...
''; ''
The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent ''The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent'' (also known as ''The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent'') is a 1958 American action-adventure horror film directed by Roger Corman. It stars Abby Dalton, Sus ...
'' (1957); '' Machine Gun Kelly'' with
Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and war ...
; and '' Teenage Caveman'' (1958), with Robert Vaughn. AIP also distributed films Corman helped finance films, such as ''
Night of the Blood Beast ''Night of the Blood Beast'' is a 1958 American science fiction film, science-fiction horror film about a team of scientists who are stalked by an alien creature, which implants its embryos in an astronaut's body during a space flight. Produced b ...
'', ''
She Gods of Shark Reef ''She Gods of Shark Reef'' is a 1958 B-adventure film directed by Roger Corman that was partially filmed on location in Kaua'i back to back with '' Thunder over Hawaii'' in 1956. The film was distributed in 1958 by American International Pictures ...
'' and '' The Brain Eaters'' (all released in 1958).


Alex Gordon and Lou Rusoff

The other key producer for AIP was Alex Gordon who mostly made films though his Golden State Productions outfit, usually written by
Lou Rusoff Lou Rusoff (August 3, 1911 – June 29, 1963) was a Canadian-born screenwriter and producer best known for his work with American International Pictures. He was brother-in-law to Sam Arkoff and was the screenwriter for many of Roger Corman's f ...
. He made '' Girls in Prison'' (1956), with director
Edward L. Cahn Edward L. Cahn (February 12, 1899 – August 25, 1963) was an American film director. Early life and education Cahn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He went to work at Universal Pictures in 1917 while still a student at UCLA. Career ...
who would become one of AIP's most prolific directors. AIP released it on a double bill with ''
Hot Rod Girl ''Hot Rod Girl'' is an independent, black-and-white 1956 teen-oriented action film produced by Norman T. Herman, directed by Leslie H. Martinson and released by American International Pictures as a double feature with '' Girls in Prison''. ''Hot R ...
'' (1956). Cahn also directed the following for Gordon: ''
The She-Creature ''The She-Creature'', or ''The She Creature'', is a 1956 American black-and-white science fiction horror film, released by American International Pictures from a script by Lou Rusoff (brother-in-law of AIP executive Samuel Z. Arkoff). It was pr ...
'' (released as a double feature with ''It Conquered the World''); ''
Flesh and the Spur ''Flesh and the Spur'' is a 1956 Western film directed by Edward L. Cahn. The film stars John Agar as Lucius Random, Marla English as Wild Willow and Mike Connors (billed here as Touch Connors) as Stacy Tanner. The film was released by American ...
'', the last Western made by AIP; '' Shake, Rattle & Rock!'', a rock musical with Mike Connors; '' Runaway Daughters'' (1956); ''
Voodoo Woman ''Voodoo Woman'' is a 1957 horror film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Marla English in her final film role, Tom Conway, and Mike Connors. It was released in March 1957 by American International Pictures as a double feature with ''The ...
''; '' Dragstrip Girl'' (1957), with John Ashley; '' Motorcycle Gang'' (1957), again with Ashley; ''
Jet Attack ''Jet Attack'' (also known as ''Jet Alert'' and released in the UK as ''Through Hell to Glory'') is a 1958 American aviation war film set in the Korean War, featuring United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft. Plot During the Korean War, scientist ...
'' and ''
Submarine Seahawk ''Submarine Seahawk'' is a 1958 World War II film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring John Bentley and Brett Halsey. The film was originally released as a double feature with ''Paratroop Command''. The plot tells the story of a by-the ...
'' (1958). Most of these were written by Rusoff and directed by
Edward L. Cahn Edward L. Cahn (February 12, 1899 – August 25, 1963) was an American film director. Early life and education Cahn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He went to work at Universal Pictures in 1917 while still a student at UCLA. Career ...
. Gordon left AIP and Rusoff alone produced ''
Hot Rod Gang ''Hot Rod Gang'' is a 1958 drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring John Ashley. The working title was ''Hot Rod Rock'' with the film also released under the title ''Fury Unleashed''. American International Pictures released the film as a ...
'' (1958) and ''
Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow ''Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow'' is a 1959 AIP horror/comedy film. It was a sequel to their film ''Hot Rod Gang''. American International Pictures released the film in July 1959 as a double feature with ''Diary of a High School Bride''. The film spoo ...
'' (1959).


Herman Cohen

Another key producer for AIP was Herman Cohen, who had a huge hit with '' I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' (1957) starring
Michael Landon Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz; October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in ''Bonanza'' (1959–1973), Charles Ingalls in ''Little House on the Pr ...
). He followed it with ''
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' (U.K. title: ''Teenage Frankenstein'') is a film starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates and Gary Conway, released by American International Pictures (AIP) in November 1957 as a double feature with '' Blood of Dra ...
'', ''
Blood of Dracula ''Blood of Dracula'' (U.K. title: ''Blood Is My Heritage'') is a 1957 American black-and-white horror film directed by Herbert L. Strock and starring Sandra Harrison, Louise Lewis and Gail Ganley. It was co-written by Aben Kandel and Herman Cohen ...
'' (both also in 1957 as a double feature), ''
How to Make a Monster How may refer to: * How (greeting), a word used in some misrepresentations of Native American/First Nations speech * How, an interrogative word in English grammar Art and entertainment Literature * ''How'' (book), a 2007 book by Dov Seidma ...
'' (1958), ''
The Headless Ghost ''The Headless Ghost'' is a 1959 British comedy horror film, produced by Herman Cohen and directed by Peter Graham Scott. It stars Richard Lyon, Liliane Sottane, David Rose, and Clive Revill. The films tells of three young people who spend the ...
'' and ''
Horrors of the Black Museum ''Horrors of the Black Museum'' (1959) is a British-American horror film starring Michael Gough and directed by Arthur Crabtree. It was the first film in what film critic David Pirie dubbed Anglo-Amalgamated's "Sadian trilogy" (the other two b ...
'' (both in 1959).


Other producers

Other key collaborators who worked for AIP in the late 1950s included: * Norman T. Herman: ''
Hot Rod Girl ''Hot Rod Girl'' is an independent, black-and-white 1956 teen-oriented action film produced by Norman T. Herman, directed by Leslie H. Martinson and released by American International Pictures as a double feature with '' Girls in Prison''. ''Hot R ...
'' (1956) * Robert Gurney: ''
Invasion of the Saucer Men ''Invasion of the Saucer Men'' (U.K. title: ''Invasion of the Hell Creatures''; working title: ''Spacemen Saturday Night''), is a 1957 black-and-white comic science fiction/horror film produced by James H. Nicholson for release by American Int ...
'' (1957; released as a double feature with ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf''), ''
Reform School Girl ''Reform School Girl'' is a 1957 film starring Gloria Castillo as a teenage girl who is sent to a reformatory. The film was directed by Edward Bernds and was produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff. ''Reform School Girl'' was one of many sexploitation f ...
'' (1957) and ''
Terror from the Year 5000 ''Terror from the Year 5000'' (a.k.a. ''Cage of Doom'' in the UK) is a 1958 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced by Robert J. Gurney Jr., Samuel Z. Arkoff, James H. Nicholson, and Gene Searchinger, dire ...
'' (1958) * Bert I. Gordon: ''
The Amazing Colossal Man ''The Amazing Colossal Man'' (also known as ''The Colossal Man'') is a 1957 American black-and-white science fiction film from American International Pictures. Produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon, it stars Glenn Langan, Cathy Downs, William ...
'' (1957), ''
Attack of the Puppet People ''Attack of the Puppet People'' (retitled ''Six Inches Tall'' for its U.K. release) is a 1958 American black-and-white science fiction horror film produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon. It stars John Agar, John Hoyt and June Kenney. Gordon also ...
'' (1958), '' War of the Colossal Beast'' (1958; the sequel to ''The Amazing Colossal Man'') and '' Earth vs. the Spider'' (1958) * Burt Topper: '' Hell Squad'' (1958), ''
Tank Commandos ''Tank Commando'' is a 1959 American war film produced, directed and written by Burt Topper. American International Pictures released the film as a double feature with ''Operation Dames''. Premise During the Italian campaign, the United States ...
'' (1959) and ''
Diary of a High School Bride ''Diary of a High School Bride'' is a 1959 film directed by Burt Topper about a 17-year-old high school student who gets married. American International Pictures released the film as a double feature with ''Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow''. Plot A 17- ...
'' (1959) * Edward Bernds: '' High School Hellcats'' (1958). * Stanley Shpetne: ''
The Bonnie Parker Story ''The Bonnie Parker Story'' is a 1958 crime film directed by William Witney. The movie is loosely based on the life of Bonnie Parker, a well-known outlaw of the 1930. The film stars Dorothy Provine as Parker; Parker's actual historical partner, Cl ...
'' (1958) and ''
Paratroop Command ''Paratroop Command'' is a 1959 American war film directed by William Witney, starring Richard Bakalyan, Ken Lynch and Jack Hogan. American International Pictures originally released the film as a double feature with '' Submarine Seahawk''. Pl ...
'' (1959). * Stanley Kallis: ''
Operation Dames ''Operation Dames'' is a 1959 Korean War film directed by Louis Clyde Stoumen and starring Eve Meyer.Gary A. Smith, ''American International Pictures: The Golden Years'', Bear Manor Media 2013 p 104 American International Pictures released the film ...
'' (1959) and ''
Roadracers Road racing is a form of motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held either on a closed circuit or on a street circuit utilizing temporarily closed public roads. Originally, road races were held almost entirely on p ...
'' (1959).


Pickups

AIP would flesh out their distribution schedule by buying films made by outside producers. These included ''
The Astounding She-Monster ''The Astounding She-Monster'' is a 1958Warren, Bill (1986). "Keep Watching The Skies Volume 2". McFarland & Co., Inc. . Page 731 science fiction horror film starring Robert Clarke and directed, co-written and produced by Ronnie Ashcroft for Hol ...
'', the documentary ''
Naked Africa ''Naked Africa'' is a 1957 American documentary film about Africa released under the pretense of being an educational ethnographic film. It was released on a double bill with '' White Huntress''.Gary A. Smith, ''American International Pictures: The ...
'', '' The Screaming Skull'' (1957), ''
The Cool and the Crazy ''The Cool and the Crazy'' is a 1958 motion picture that was distributed by American International Pictures, American-International Pictures as a double feature with ''Dragstrip Riot''. It stars Scott Marlowe and Gigi Perreau. Plot ''The Co ...
'', ''
Daddy-O ''Daddy-O'' is a 1958 B-movie starring Dick Contino, Sandra Giles and Bruno VeSota. It was directed by Lou Place and written by David Moessinger. The film is notable for its soundtrack as being the debut film score for John Williams. The fil ...
'', '' Dragstrip Riot'' and ''
Tank Battalion is a multi-directional shooter arcade video game that was released by Namco in 1980. The only direct home conversion is for the MSX, and in 1985 a similar game release is ''Battle City'' for the Family Computer. ''Tank Battalion'' received a se ...
'' (1958).


Anglo-Amalgamated

AIP developed a mutual relationship with Britain's Anglo-Amalgamated who would distribute AIP's product in the U.K. In return, AIP would distribute their films in the U.S., such as ''
The Tommy Steele Story ''The Tommy Steele Story'' is a 1957 British film directed by Gerard Bryant and starring Tommy Steele, dramatising Steele's rise to fame as a teen idol. Along with ''Rock You Sinners'', it was one of the first British films to feature rock and ro ...
'' (1957) and ''
Cat Girl ''Cat Girl'' is a 1957 British-American horror film, produced by Herbert Smith and Lou Rusoff, directed by Alfred Shaughnessy, that stars Barbara Shelley, Robert Ayres, and Kay Callard. It was an unofficial remake of Val Lewton's '' Cat People'' ...
'' (1957). AIP also imported ''
The White Huntress ''Golden Ivory'' is a 1954 British adventure film shot in Kenya. It was directed by George P. Breakston and starred Robert Urquhart, John Bentley and Susan Stephen. The film was shot in Eastmancolor with prints by Technicolor. Released in ...
'' (1954, England), ''Pulgarcito'' (1958, Mexico) and ''
The Sky Calls ''Battle Beyond the Sun'' is the English-dubbed and re-edited U.S. version of ''Nebo Zovyot'', a 1959 Soviet science fiction film. Roger Corman acquired the Soviet film for US distribution and hired a young film-school student named Francis Ford ...
'' (1959, Russia).


Late 1950s crisis

AIP became a victim of its own success when other companies started copying its double feature strategy. Costs were rising and were not compensated by increased box office grosses. AIP shut down most of their production arms and focused on distributing films from Italy, while they decided what to do next.


AIP's 1960s output

The company moved into rented office space at the former Chaplin Studios.


Imports

In the late 1950s, AIP kept their company afloat by importing films from Italy. These included ''
Sheba and the Gladiator ''Sheba and the Gladiator'' ( it, Nel Segno di Roma) is a 1959 historical drama film loosely pertaining to the Palmyrene Empire and its re-annexation back into the Roman Empire. Cast * Anita Ekberg as Zenobia * Georges Marchal as Consul Marcus Va ...
'' (1959), ''
Goliath and the Barbarians ''Goliath and the Barbarians'' ( it, Il terrore dei barbari, lit=Terror of the Barbarians) is a 1959 Italian peplum film loosely based on events of the Lombard invasion of Italy in AD 568. As with many Italian peplums of the time, the English ...
'' (1959) and '' Black Sunday'' (1960); the latter film proved to be one of the company's early successes. There was also ''Atomic Agent'' (1959, France), ''
The Angry Red Planet ''The Angry Red Planet'' (also called ''Invasion of Mars'' and ''Journey to Planet Four'') is a 1959 American science fiction film directed by Ib Melchior and starring Gerald Mohr. Melchior reportedly had an initial production budget of only $2 ...
'' (1959, Denmark), ''
Tiger of Bengal ''The Tiger of Eschnapur'', or in original German, ''Der Tiger von Eschnapur'', is a 1959 West German-French-Italian adventure film directed by Fritz Lang. It is the first of two films comprising what has come to be known as ''Fritz Lang's India ...
'' (1959) and '' The Indian Tomb'' (1960) from Fritz Lang in Germany, ''
Portrait of a Sinner ''The Rough and the Smooth'' (alternative title: ''Portrait of a Sinner'') is a 1959 British drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Nadja Tiller, Tony Britton, William Bendix and Natasha Parry. The screenplay concerns an archaeologis ...
'' (1959, West Germany), ''
The Professionals A professional is someone who is skilled in a profession. Professional or professionals may also refer to: * Professional sports Music *The Professionals (band), a British punk rock band formed in 1979 * ''The Professionals'' (The Professionals ...
'' (1960, Great Britain), and ''
Escape to Paradise ''Escape to Paradise'' is a 1939 American film directed by Erle C. Kenton. Plot Jaded playboy Richard Fleming travels to the South American nation of Rosarita. Through his motorcycle riding guide Roberto he discovers true love and a career as ...
'' (1960, the Philippines). They also bought ''
Why Must I Die? ''Why Must I Die?'' is a 1960 American crime drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Terry Moore and Debra Paget. It was released by American International Pictures as a double feature with '' The Jailbreakers''. This was director Ro ...
'' and ''
The Jailbreakers ''The Jailbreakers'' is a 1960 American filmNew York Times film review
...
'' (1960).


The Corman-Poe cycle

In the early 1960s, AIP gained some kudos by combining Roger Corman, Vincent Price and the stories of Edgar Allan Poe into a series of horror films, with scripts by Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont, Ray Russell,
R. Wright Campbell Robert Wright Campbell (June 9, 1927–September 21, 2000), often credited as R. Wright Campbell or Robert Campbell, was an American screenwriter, author and occasional actor. He was the brother of actor William Campbell and brother in law o ...
and Robert Towne. The original idea, usually credited to Corman and Lou Rusoff, was to take Poe's story " The Fall of the House of Usher", which had both a high name-recognition value and the merit of being in the public domain, and thus
royalty Royalty may refer to: * Any individual monarch, such as a king, queen, emperor, empress, etc. * Royal family, the immediate family of a king or queen regnant, and sometimes his or her extended family * Royalty payment for use of such things as int ...
-free, and expand it into a feature film. Corman convinced the studio to give him a larger budget than the typical AIP film so he could film the movie in widescreen and color, and use it to create lavish sets as well. The success of '' House of Usher'' led AIP to finance further films based on Poe's stories. The sets and special effects were often reused in subsequent movies (for example, the burning roof of the Usher mansion reappears in most of the other films as
stock footage Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures, and file footage is film or video footage that can be used again in other films. Stock footage is beneficial to filmmakers as it saves shooting new material. A single piece of stock ...
), making the series quite cost-effective. All the films in the series were directed by Roger Corman, and they all starred Price except ''
The Premature Burial "The Premature Burial" is a horror short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1844 in ''The Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper''. Its main character expresses concern about being buried alive. This fear was common in this period and ...
'', which featured
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
in the lead. It was originally produced for another studio, but AIP acquired the rights to it. As the series progressed, Corman made attempts to change the formula. Later films added more humor to the stories, especially '' The Raven'', which takes Poe's poem as an inspiration and develops it into an all-out farce starring Price, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre; Karloff had starred in a 1935 film with the same title. Corman also adapted H. P. Lovecraft's short novel '' The Case of Charles Dexter Ward'' in an attempt to get away from Poe, but AIP changed the title to that of an obscure Poe poem, '' The Haunted Palace'', and marketed it as yet another movie in the series. The last two films in the series, ''
The Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague ...
'' and '' The Tomb of Ligeia'', were filmed in England with an unusually long schedule for Corman and AIP. Although Corman and Rusoff are generally credited with coming up with the idea for the Poe series, in an interview on the Anchor Bay DVD of Mario Bava's '' Black Sabbath'',
Mark Damon Mark Damon (born April 22, 1933) is an American film actor and Film producer, producer. He became noted for roles in films like Roger Corman's House of Usher (film), ''House of Usher'', before moving to Italy and becoming a notable Western (gen ...
claims that he first suggested the idea to Corman. Damon also says that Corman let him direct '' The Pit and the Pendulum'' uncredited. Corman's commentary for ''Pit'' mentions nothing of this and all existing production stills of the film show Corman directing.


List of Corman-Poe films

During the early 1960s, AIP produced a series of horror films inspired by the Poe cycle. Of eight films, seven feature stories that are actually based on the works of Poe. # '' House of Usher'' (1960) – based on the short story " The Fall of the House of Usher" # '' The Pit and the Pendulum'' (1961) – based on the title of the short story of the same name # ''
The Premature Burial "The Premature Burial" is a horror short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1844 in ''The Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper''. Its main character expresses concern about being buried alive. This fear was common in this period and ...
'' (1962) – based on the short story of the same name # ''
Tales of Terror ''Tales of Terror'' is a 1962 American International Pictures horror film in colour and Panavision, produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, James H. Nicholson, and Roger Corman, who also directed. The screenplay was written by Richard Matheson, and th ...
'' (1962) – based on the short stories " Morella", " The Black Cat", " The Cask of Amontillado" and " The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" # '' The Raven'' (1963) – based on the poem of the same name # '' The Haunted Palace'' (1963) – plot based on H. P. Lovecraft's novella '' The Case of Charles Dexter Ward'', using the title from Poe's 1839 poem # ''
The Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague ...
'' (1964) – based on the short story of the same name with another Poe short story, "
Hop-Frog "Hop-Frog" (originally "Hop-Frog; Or, the Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1849. The title character, a person with dwarfism taken from his homeland, becomes the jester of a kin ...
", used as a subplot # '' The Tomb of Ligeia'' (1964) – based on the short story "
Ligeia "Ligeia" () is an early short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1838. The story follows an unnamed narrator and his wife Ligeia, a beautiful and intelligent raven-haired woman. She falls ill, composes "The Conqueror Wor ...
" Seven of the films, with the exception of ''The Premature Burial'', featured Vincent Price as the star. Occasionally, Corman's 1963 film '' The Terror'' (produced immediately after '' The Raven'') is recognized as being part of the Corman-Poe cycle, although the film's story and title are not based on any literary work of Poe. In 1962, Arkoff said AIP was in a position similar to Columbia Pictures just before they made ''Submarine'' and ''Dirigible'':
Before that they were on poverty row. Our better position will enable us to obtain more important writers, perhaps more important producers as well. We're a privately owned company at the moment but perhaps within two or three years we will become a public company.


Beach Party era

Beginning with 1963's '' Beach Party'', AIP created a new genre of beach party films featuring
Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. She was one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the orig ...
and Frankie Avalon. The original idea and the first script were Rusoff's. The highly successful and often imitated series ended in 1966 with the seventh film, ''
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini ''Ghost in the Invisible Bikini'' is the seventh and last of American International Pictures' beach party films. Released in 1966, the film features the cast cavorting in and around a haunted house and the adjacent swimming pool. No beach appea ...
''. Many actors from the beach films also appeared in AIP's spy-spoofs, such as '' Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' (1965) and car racing films like '' Fireball 500'' (1966) and ''
Thunder Alley Thunder Alley may refer to: * ''Thunder Alley'' (TV series), an American sitcom * ''Thunder Alley'' (1967 film), a film about auto racing * ''Thunder Alley'' (1985 film), an American drama film * Thunder Alley (Kings Island), an amusement pa ...
''. During this time, AIP also produced or distributed most of Corman's horror films, such as '' X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes''. In 1966, the studio released '' The Wild Angels'' starring
Peter Fonda Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fond ...
, based loosely on the real-life exploits of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. This film ushered in AIP's most successful year and kicked off a subgenre of motorcycle gang films that lasted almost 10 years and included ''
Devil's Angels ''Devil's Angels'' (also known as ''The Checkered Flag'') is a 1967 American outlaw biker film written by Charles B. Griffith and directed by Daniel Haller. It stars John Cassavetes. Plot Cody (John Cassavetes), and his motorcycle gang calle ...
'', ''The Glory Stompers'' with
Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...
, and '' The Born Losers''—the film that introduced the Billy Jack character. In 1968, AIP launched a $22 million film programme. The
psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
and
hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
scenes of the late '60s were also exploited with films like '' The Trip'', also with Fonda, ''
Riot on Sunset Strip ''Riot on Sunset Strip'' is a 1967 counterculture-era exploitation movie, released by American International Pictures. It was filmed and released within four months of the late-1966 Sunset Strip curfew riots. The film stars Frank Alesia, Aldo Ra ...
'', ''
Wild in the Streets ''Wild in the Streets'' is a 1968 American comedy-drama film directed by Barry Shear and starring Christopher Jones, Hal Holbrook, and Shelley Winters. Based on the short story "The Day It All Happened, Baby!" by Robert Thom, it was distribu ...
'', '' Maryjane'', ''
Gas-s-s-s ''Gas-s-s-s'' (on-screen title: ''Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.'') is a 1970 post-apocalyptic black comedy film produced and released by American International Pictures. It was producer Roger Corman's ...
'' and ''
Psych-Out ''Psych-Out'' is a 1968 American psychedelic film about hippies, psychedelic music and recreational drugs starring Susan Strasberg, Jack Nicholson (the film's leading man despite being billed under supporting player Dean Stockwell) and Bruce De ...
'' with Jack Nicholson. These "social protest" films were also highly successful. Horror movies also enjoyed a revival of popularity in the late 60s.


International American International

In the U.K., AIP struck up a film making partnership with Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy's Anglo-Amalgamated. On a trip to Italy, Arkoff met Fulvio Lucisano, an Italian screenwriter and producer who eventually headed Italian International Film, which co-produced 25 films in Italy for AIP. Due to importing completed productions from other foreign countries being cheaper and simpler than producing their own in-house studio films in America, AIP had released many giallo, peplum, Eurospy and
Macaroni Combat Euro War, also known as Macaroni Combat, Macaroni War, Spaghetti Combat, or Spaghetti War, is a broad subgenre of war film that emerged in the mid-1960s. The films were named ''Euro War'' because most were produced and directed by European co-pr ...
war films featuring many American stars and Italian stars such as the
comedy team A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases fo ...
of Franco and Ciccio. However, AIP released only two
Spaghetti Western The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
s ('' Massacre Time'' and '' God Forgives... I Don't!''), perhaps recalling their failure with Westerns in the 1950s. Many of these films were edited, rewritten with different (dubbed English) dialogue, usually by Arkoff's nephew Ted Rusoff, and sometimes re-scored by Les Baxter. AIP, through
Henry G. Saperstein Henry Gahagen Saperstein (June 2, 1918 – June 24, 1998) was an American film producer and distributor. Biography The son of Aaron Saperstein and Beatrice Pearl Saperstein, Henry's father owned five independent cinemas in Chicago. Henry was ed ...
, is known for being the major U.S. distributor for Toho's '' Godzilla'' and Daiei's '' Gamera'' (
kaiju is a Japanese media genre that focuses on stories involving giant monsters. The word ''kaiju'' can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monster ...
) films of the '60s and '70s. AIP also distributed other Japanese science fiction films like '' Frankenstein Conquers the World'', ''
Monster from a Prehistoric Planet is a 1967 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Haruyasu Noguchi. The film is about a group of Japanese reporters who discover an infant monster called a Gappa on Obelisk Island. The reporters cage the creature and take it to Japan where it becom ...
'', ''
The X from Outer Space is a 1967 Japanese science fiction '' kaiju'' film that was directed by Kazui Nihonmatsu and stars Eiji Okada and Toshiya Wazaki. Guilala returned in a 2008 Shochiku sequel of sorts called '' Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit''. Plot ...
'' and the South Korean production '' Yongary, Monster from the Deep'', as well as two Japanese animated features from Toei Animation, ''
Alakazam the Great ''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, based on the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. It was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named ...
'' and ''
Jack and the Witch is a Japanese animated fantasy adventure feature film, the 10th cinema feature produced by Tōei Animation (then Tōei Dōga), released in Japan in 1967. It was developed by Jirō Sekimasa, Seiichi Moro and Takeshi Ariga, written by Shin'ich ...
''. AIP also released a pair of Japanese spy thrillers re-dubbed as a comedy co-written by Woody Allen called '' What's Up Tiger Lily?''. The studio also released edited and English-dubbed versions of several
Eastern Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...
science fiction films that had the dialogue rewritten for the American market and in some cases had additional scenes filmed with American and British actors. These include the Soviet film ''
Planeta Bur ''Planeta Bur'' (russian: Планета бурь) is a 1962 Sovcolor Soviet science fiction film scripted by Alexander Kazantsev from his novel, and co-scripted and directed by Pavel Klushantsev. In English, the film is often informally refe ...
'' (''Planet of Storms'') which was released by AIP in two different English-dubbed versions, as ''
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet ''Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet'' is a 1965 American science fiction film, one of two versions adapted for Roger Corman from the Soviet science fiction film ''Planeta Bur'' (''Planet of Storms''), scripted by Aleksandr Kazantsev (from his no ...
'' and '' Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women'' and the highly regarded 1963 Czech science fiction film ''
Ikarie XB-1 ''Ikarie XB-1'' is a 1963 Czechoslovak science fiction film directed by Jindřich Polák. It is based loosely on the novel ''The Magellanic Cloud'', by Stanisław Lem. The film was released in the United States, edited and dubbed into English, u ...
'', which was re-titled ''Voyage to the End of the Universe''. A few years later, AIP backed a British Poe film directed by Gordon Hessler: '' The Oblong Box'' (1969) based on the short story of the same name.


AIP-TV

In 1964, AIP became one of the last film studios to start its own television production company, American International Productions Television (a.k.a. American-International Television or AIP-TV). AIP-TV at first released many of their 1950s films to American television stations, then filmed unsuccessful television pilots for '' Beach Party'' and ''
Sergeant Deadhead ''Sergeant Deadhead'' is a 1965 musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Frankie Avalon. It features many cast members who appeared in the ''Beach Party'' movies. Plot Sergeant Deadhead is a bumbling soldier who is sent to the g ...
''. The company then made several color sci-fi/horror television films by Larry Buchanan that were remakes of black-and-white AIP films, and sold packages of many English-dubbed European, Japanese and Mexican films (the last type were produced by K. Gordon Murray) and foreign-made live-action and animated TV series (including ''
Prince Planet ''Prince Planet'' is the English-language title given to one of the earliest anime television series, , when it was transmitted on American television in the United States in the mid-1960s. It did run on "The Works" television network before ...
''). The best known animated series AIP-TV distributed was '' Sinbad Jr. and his Magic Belt''. In order to allay the fears of cinema owners who feared current releases would soon end up being shown on television, AIP issued a statement retroactive to 1963 that the company would not release any of their films to television until five years after cinema release, unless the film had not made back its original negative costs. AIP-TV also filmed specials for promotion of AIP films, such as ''
The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot ''The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot'' was a 30-minute TV special which was a sequel to ''Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' (1965). It aired on ABC as an episode of ''Shindig!'' in November 1965. Plot Dr. Goldfoot and his assistant Hugo s ...
'' (1965, ABC) and ''
An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe ''An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe'' is a 1970 film which features Vincent Price reciting four of Edgar Allan Poe's stories, directed by Kenneth Johnson, with music by Les Baxter. The stories included are: "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Sphinx", "The ...
'' (1972, syndication), both with Vincent Price. In 1978, AIP-TV distributed the pop music series ''
Twiggy's Jukebox ''Twiggy's Jukebox'' was a weekly rock music TV series seen throughout the United States during the 1978-1979 television season. It took musical performances were from the 1975-1976 British series ''Supersonic'' and recut them with content featuring ...
''. For several years around this time, AIP-TV also distributed several British TV series, including ''
The Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
'', to U.S. stations.


AIP Records

AIP started their own record label, American International Records, in 1959 to release music used in their films. There were a number of soundtrack albums as well. AIP Records was once distributed by
MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...
, the record label owned by AIP's successor-in-interest MGM.


Later years

In 1969, AIP went public to raise extra capital, issuing 300,000 shares. In 1970, they entered into an agreement with Commonwealth United Entertainment to issue their films. In 1971 they released 31 films, their greatest number to date, and were seen as one of the most stable companies in Hollywood. Despite their exploitation roots, they did not concentrate on R- or X-rated filmmaking during this period.


Resignation of Nicholson

In 1972, James H. Nicholson resigned from AIP to set up his own production company working out of
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
, called Academy Pictures Corporation; its only two releases were ''
The Legend of Hell House ''The Legend of Hell House'' is a 1973 supernatural horror film directed by John Hough, and starring Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Clive Revill, and Gayle Hunnicutt. It follows a group of researchers who spend a week in the former home of a ...
'' and ''
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry ''Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry'' is a 1974 American road crime drama film based on the 1963 Richard Unekis novel titled ''The Chase'' (later retitled ''Pursuit''). Directed by John Hough, the film stars Peter Fonda, Susan George, Adam Roarke, and V ...
''. AIP bought out over 100,000 of Nicholson's shares. He died shortly thereafter of a cancerous brain tumor.


Arkoff alone

Arkoff continued on at AIP as president until the end of the decade. Heads of production during the 1970s included Larry Gordon and Jere Henshaw. By the early 1970s, AIP felt the horror movie cycle was in decline and so switched to other genres, such as kung fu and gangsters. Notably, they produced some of that decade's
blaxploitation Blaxploitation is an ethnic subgenre of the exploitation film that emerged in the United States during the early 1970s. The term, a portmanteau of the words "black" and "exploitation", was coined in August 1972 by Junius Griffin, the president o ...
films, like '' Blacula'' and '' Foxy Brown''. In a throwback to the old "studio days", the company is credited with making Pam Grier a household name, as the majority of her early '70s films were made under contract to American International. In the mid- to late 1970s, AIP began to produce more mainstream films, such as '' Bunny O'Hare'', ''
Cooley High ''Cooley High'' is a 1975 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film that follows the narrative of high school seniors and best friends, Leroy "Preach" Jackson (Glynn Turman) and Richard "Cochise" Morris (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs). Written by Eric M ...
'', ''
The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday ''The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday'' is a 1976 comedy western film directed by Don Taylor starring Lee Marvin, Oliver Reed, Robert Culp, Elizabeth Ashley, Strother Martin, Sylvia Miles, and Kay Lenz. Plot Set in Serenity, Colorado, before the ...
'', ''
The Amityville Horror ''The Amityville Horror'' is a book by American author Jay Anson, published in September 1977. It is also the basis of a series of films released from 1979 onward. The book is based on the claims of paranormal experiences by the Lutz family, b ...
'', '' Love at First Bite'', '' Meteor'', ''
Force 10 from Navarone ''Force 10 from Navarone'' is a World War II novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. It serves as a sequel to MacLean's 1957 '' The Guns of Navarone'', but follows the events of the 1961 film adaptation of the same name. It features vari ...
'', '' Shout at the Devil'', ''
The Island of Dr. Moreau ''The Island of Doctor Moreau'' is an 1896 science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells (1866–1946). The text of the novel is the narration of Edward Prendick who is a shipwrecked man rescued by a passing boat. He is left on the island ...
'' and ''
C.H.O.M.P.S ''C.H.O.M.P.S.'' is a 1979 American comic science fiction family film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and directed by Don Chaffey. Plot Brian Foster (Wesley Eure), a young inventor, creates a robotic dog for use as part of a home protecti ...
''. The increased spending on these projects, though they did make some money, contributed to the company's downfall. In the meantime, the studio imported and released its final foreign film, an Australian film, '' Mad Max'', dubbed into
American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lan ...
. James Nicholson's first wife Sylvia was still a major shareholder of the company. She sued AIP for mismanagement, but this was resolved in 1978 when AIP bought out her shares.


Merger with Filmways

By the late 1970s, filmmaking costs continued to rise, AIP's tactic of moving into bigger budgeted quality pictures was not paying off at the box office, and Arkoff began to think of merging the company. "We've been the
Woolworths Woolworth, Woolworth's, or Woolworths may refer to: Businesses * F. W. Woolworth Company, the original US-based chain of "five and dime" (5¢ and 10¢) stores * Woolworths Group (United Kingdom), former operator of the Woolworths chain of shops ...
of the movie business but Woolworths is being out priced", said Arkoff. Talks began with Filmways, Incorporated. Negotiations stalled for a while, but resumed a number of months later. In 1979, AIP was sold to Filmways for $30 million and became a subsidiary production unit thereof, renamed Filmways Pictures in 1980. Arkoff was unhappy with the direction of the company and resigned to set up his own production company, receiving a pay out worth $1.4 million. AIP-TV was absorbed as the wholly owned program syndication arm of Filmways Television. Filmways was later bought by Orion Pictures Company in 1982 and Filmways was later renamed
Orion Pictures Corporation Orion () may refer to: Common meanings * Orion (constellation), named after the mythical hunter * Orion (mythology), a hunter in Greek mythology * Orion (spacecraft), NASA crew vehicle first launched in 2022 Arts and media Fictional en ...
, but retained the distribution arm. This allowed Orion to establish its own distribution, after utilizing Warner Bros. for distribution. Warner Bros. still has distribution rights to Orion films which were originally distributed by this company. Today, a majority of the AIP library is owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's subsidiary Orion Pictures Corporation. The American International name is still a registered trademark owned by MGM's Orion Pictures unit.


Relaunch

On October 7, 2020, it was announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer relaunched AIP as a label for films that the studio will acquire for digital and limited theatrical releases. A founder of Open Road Films, Eric Hohl, was accepted as an executive of the studio, after he was reinstated by MGM in 2017. MGM will oversee AIP's new films across all streaming platforms and the theatrical releases of them will be handled by its joint distribution venture United Artists Releasing. The first film from the relaunched AIP was '' Breaking News in Yuba County'', directed by Tate Taylor and starring Allison Janney, which was released on February 12, 2021. On May 17, 2021, technology company Amazon entered negotiations to acquire MGM and even made a bid for about $9 billion. The negotiations are made with Anchorage Capital Kevin Ulrich. On May 26, 2021, it was officially announced that MGM will be acquired by Amazon for $8.45 billion, subject to regulatory approvals and other routine closing conditions; with the studio continuing to operate as a label under the new parent company, which includes AIP and its titles. The merger was finalized on March 17, 2022.


Legacy

In 2005, less than four years after the death of Arkoff, filmmaker and Troublemaker Studios co-founder Robert Rodriguez founded a horror genre film and television company called Rodriguez International Pictures, which is a homage to the company.


Film library


1950s


1960s


1970s


1980s


2020s


Unproduced films

The following films were announced for production by AIP, but never made: * an adaptation of
H. Rider Haggard Sir Henry Rider Haggard (; 22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre. He was also involved in land reform ...
's ''
She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...
'' (1958, dir. Roger Corman) * ''Even and the Dragon'' (1958, dir. Stanley Shpetner) * ''Take Me to Your Leader'' (1958) – a part-animated feature * ''Aladdin and the Giant'' (1959) – produced by Herman Cohen * '' In the Year 2889'' (1959) – from the novel by
Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
Smith p. 118 * ''The Talking Dog'' (1959) – a comedy * '' When the Sleeper Wakes'' from the novel by H. G. Wells (1960–62) – Vincent Price was announced as a star in 1965Smith p. 249 * a color
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
of Fritz Lang's '' Metropolis'' (1961) * ''Genghis Khan'' (1960s, dir. Jacques Tourneur) – a Roadshow production with a $4.5 million budget * ''The Great Deluge'' – story of Noah's Ark * ''War of the Planets'' (1962) – a $2 million sci-fi epic starring Vincent Price and Boris Karloff based on a script by
Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
* ''Off on a Comet'' (1962) – a filming of
Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
's novel advertised in comic books * ''Stratofin'' (1962) based on Jules Verne's ''Master of the World'' * ''It's Alive'' (1963) with Peter Lorre, Harvey Lembeck and Elsa Lanchester * ''Something in the Walls'' (1963)Smith p. 208 * ''The Magnificent Leonardi'' (1963) – with
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
* ''Sins of Babylon'' (1963) * ''Rumble'' (1963) with Avalon and Funicello from a book by
Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
about New York gangs * ''The Graveside Story'' (1964) – with Price, Karloff, Lorre and Elsa Lanchester * ''The Gold Bug'' (1964) with Price, Lorre and Lanchester * ''The Chase'' (circa 1965) – a silent comedy starring
Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...
* ''Malibu Madness'' (1965) * ''The Haunted Palace'' (1965) * ''Seven Footprints to Satan'' (1965) * ''The Jet Set'' or ''Jet Set Party'' (1964, dir. William Asher) – with Avalon and Funicello * ''Malibu Madness'' (1965) * ''Robin Hood Jones'' (1966, dir. William Asher) – a musical about Robin Hood starring Price, Avalon, Funicello and Susan HartSmith p. 289 * ''Cruise Party'' (1966) – with Avalon and Dwayne Hickman * ''The Girl in the Glass Bikini'' (1966, dir. William Asher) – a sci-fi/comedy with Avalon, Funicello and Aron Kincaid * ''The Girl in the Glass Castle'' (1966) – a musical comedy with a $1 million budget * ''The Hatfields and the McCoys'' (1966) – a musical with Avalon and Funicello * ''It'' (1967) – based on Richard Matheson's story "Being" * ''The Golem'' (1967)


Financial earnings

* 1970 – $22.7 million * 1971 – $21.4 million * 1972 – $24 million * 1973 – $24.5 million – profit $744,000 * 1974 – $32.5 million – profit of $931,400 * 1975 – $48.2 million * 1978 – $51.2 million – profit $1.8 million


Notes


References

* Mark Thomas McGee, ''Faster and Furiouser: The Story of American International Pictures'' (McFarland & Company, 1995) . * Gary A. Smith, ''American International Pictures: The Golden Years'', Bear Manor Media 2013


External links


American International Pictures archive
curated by AIP historian Kliph Nesteroff {{Film Studio 1954 establishments in California 1980 disestablishments in California Companies based in Los Angeles Defunct American film studios Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles Entertainment companies based in California Film distributors of the United States Film production companies of the United States Filmways Mass media companies established in 1954 Mass media companies disestablished in 1980 1979 mergers and acquisitions Re-established companies American companies established in 2020 Entertainment companies established in 2020 Mass media companies established in 2020 2020 establishments in California Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer subsidiaries Exploitation films