Wizard Video was a home video distribution company formed by

B movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

producer

Charles Band Charles Robert Band (born December 27, 1951) is an American film producer and director, known for his work on horror comedy movies. Career Band entered film production in the 1970s with Charles Band Productions. Dissatisfied with distributo ...

in the early 1980s. It was well-known for its detailed (and often lurid) box art, especially during the time that it sold

videocassettes Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually Sound recording and reproduction, sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog signal, analog or Digital signal (signal processing), digital signal. Vi ...

in larger individual boxes. Its VHS releases included ''

Zombie 2 ''Zombi 2'' is a 1979 Italian zombie film directed by Lucio Fulci. It was adapted from an original screenplay by Dardano Sacchetti to serve as a sequel to George A. Romero's '' Dawn of the Dead'' (1978), which was released in Italy with the ...

'', ''

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' is a 1974 American horror film produced and directed by Tobe Hooper from a story and screenplay by Hooper and Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar Hansen, ...

'', and ''

I Spit on Your Grave ''I Spit on Your Grave'' (originally titled ''Day of the Woman'') is a 1978 American rape and revenge horror film edited, written, and directed by Meir Zarchi. The film tells the story of Jennifer Hills (Camille Keaton), a fiction writer based ...

''.

History

Wizard Video was a subsidiary of

Empire International Pictures Empire International Pictures (aka Empire Entertainment) was an American small-scale theatrical distribution company. Charles Band formed Empire in 1983, prompted by his dissatisfaction with distributors' handling of films made by his previous b ...

, a small film studio founded by Band after he left

Media Home Entertainment Media Home Entertainment Inc. was a home video company headquartered in Culver City, California, originally established in 1978 by filmmaker Charles Band. Media Home Entertainment also distributed video product under three additional labels — ...

. Wizard's videocassettes were originally duplicated by the company Sound/Video Unlimited. From 1982 to 1983, Wizard's releases were distributed by

Family Home Entertainment Family Home Entertainment (FHE) was an American home video company founded in 1980 by Noel C. Bloom. It was a division of International Video Entertainment, which had its headquarters in Newbury Park, California. History The company was founde ...

. Empire also distributed films under the Force Video and Cult Video labels during this time. Subsequently, Spectrum Video became Wizard's distribution partner. In 1985, Empire revived the Force Video label, and Lightning Video, a subsidiary of

Vestron Video Vestron Video was the main subsidiary of Vestron, Inc., a home video company based in Stamford, Connecticut, that was active from 1981 to 1993, and is considered to have been a pioneer in the home video market. The name is now used for a collect ...

, agreed to distribute Force Video's releases. The distribution agreement with Lightning would be extended to the Wizard label in 1986. In 1987, Empire formed a new division, Urban Classics, which distributed films both theatrically, and subsequently on video. Wizard also released two

Atari 2600 The Atari 2600, initially branded as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS) from its release until November 1982, is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977, it popularized microprocessor- ...

video games, ''

'' and ''

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...

'', under the label Wizard Video Games. These games were intended for adults, and had violent content. Many retailers refused to sell them. Those that did often kept them behind the counter and only made them available upon request. As a result, sales were poor, and Wizard released no further games. Empire and its video labels shuttered in 1988. Band went on to found

Full Moon Productions Full Moon Productions was a record company started in 1991''Full Moon Productions''
accessed on 23 January 2013.

, which would later resurrect the Wizard Video and Cult Video labels. On February 7, 2013, Wizard claimed that a large quantity of printed but unused "big box" packages, representing 36 titles, had been found in a warehouse. The company began selling these boxes, with newly manufactured videocassettes and inner packaging, as limited-edition collectors' items. Wizard would reduce the number of titles that it would offer from 36 to 32, asserting that the boxes for the remaining titles had been damaged by water, and "were in unsalvageable condition". There were allegations, however, that these boxes, sold as originals, were actually reproductions. Supposedly found along with the videocassette packages were unused boxes for Wizard's two video game titles. The company planned to release these as well, at some later date. In 2014, the Wizard Video brand was re-launched as Wizard Studios "to spotlight rising independent filmmakers and their cutting-edge genre pictures".Dread Central - Wizard Studios announces first 3 films - Vampie, Virginia Obscura and Villanelle
/ref> The first set of films, ''Virginia Obscura'', ''Vampie'', and ''Villanelle'', premiered on Full Moon's subscription-based streaming service.

List of movies released by Wizard Video

* ''L'abîme des morts vivants'' (a.k.a. ''Oasis of the Zombies'') (1981) * ''

Auditions An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performer. It typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece g ...

'' (1978) * ''Bad Georgia Road'' (1977) * ''The Best of Sex and Violence'' (1981) * ''Beyond Atlantis'' (1973) * ''

The Boogeyman The Bogeyman (; also spelled boogeyman, bogyman, bogieman, boogie monster, boogieman, or boogie woogie) is a type of mythic creature used by adults to frighten children into good behavior. Bogeymen have no specific appearance and conceptions var ...

'' (1980) * ''

Breeders A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist, ...

'' (1986) * '' Il camorrista'' (a.k.a. ''The Professor'') (1986) * ''Carnival of Blood'' (1970) * ''Christina, princesse de l'érotisme'' (a.k.a. ''

A Virgin Among the Living Dead ''A Virgin Among the Living Dead'' is a 1973 European erotic horror film directed by Jesús Franco. Franco shot the film in 1971, but it was only released in 1973 after some additional erotic footage was added to the film without Franco's involvem ...

'') (1973) * ''Come rubare un quintale di diamanti in Russia'' (a.k.a. ''Mission Phantom'') (1967) * ''

Crystal Voyager ''Crystal Voyager'' is a 1973 Australian surf film directed by David Elfick. It was filmed by Albert Falzon, written and narrated by surfer, photographer and filmmaker George Greenough who had previously made the 1970 surfing film '' The Innermo ...

'' (1975) * '' Day of the Woman'' (a.k.a. ''

'') (1978) * ''Dixie Dynamite'' (1976) * ''Don Juan (or, If Don Juan Were a Woman)'' (a.k.a. ''Ms. Don Juan'') (1975) * ''Dreamaniac'' (1986) * ''

The Driller Killer ''The Driller Killer'' is a 1979 black comedy slasher film directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Ferrara (credited as Jimmy Laine), Carolyn Marz, Baybi Day, and Harry Schultz. The plot concerns Reno Miller, a struggling artist in New York City, ...

'' (1979) * ''Elsa Fräulein SS'' (a.k.a. ''Fraulein Devil'') (1977) * ''Emanuelle bianca e nera'' (a.k.a. ''Emanuelle Black and White'') (1976) * ''

Emanuelle - Perché violenza alle donne? ''Emanuelle Around the World'' (Italian: ''Emanuelle – Perché violenza alle donne?'', also known as ''Confessions of Emanuelle'') is a 1977 sexploitation directed by Joe D'Amato. The film stars Laura Gemser and George Eastman, Karin Schubert an ...

'' (a.k.a. ''

Emanuelle Around the World ''Emanuelle Around the World'' (Italian: ''Emanuelle – Perché violenza alle donne?'', also known as ''Confessions of Emanuelle'') is a 1977 sexploitation directed by Joe D'Amato. The film stars Laura Gemser and George Eastman, Karin Schubert an ...

'') (1977) * ''

Equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...

'' (1970) * ''

Female Trouble ''Female Trouble'' is a 1974 American dark comedy film co-composed, photographed, co-edited, written, produced, and directed by John Waters and starring Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, Michael Potter, Cookie ...

'' (1974) * ''Femmine infernali'' (a.k.a. ''Escape'') (1980) * ''The Great McGonagall'' (1974) * ''Gyakushu! Satsujin ken'' (a.k.a. ''

The Street Fighter's Last Revenge is a 1974 martial arts film and the third in a series starting with ''The Street Fighter'' starring Sonny Chiba. Plot Japanese version The film starts as Takuma Tsurugi retrieves Go Owada during a riot. After Tsurugi receives what is believed t ...

'') (1974) * ''

The Harrad Experiment ''The Harrad Experiment'' is a 1973 coming-of-age film about a fictional school called Harrad College where the students learn about sexuality and experiment with each other. Based on the 1966 novel of the same name by Robert Rimmer, this film d ...

'' (1973) * '' The Headless Eyes'' (1971) * '' Le Lac des Morts Vivants'' (a.k.a. ''Zombie Hunt'') (1981) * '' Lager SSadis Kastrat Kommandantur'' (a.k.s. ''S.S. Experiment'') (1976) * ''The Mafu Cage'' (1981) * ''Mandinga'' (1976) * ''Miss Nude America'' (1976) * '' I misteri della giungla nera'' (a.k.a. ''The Snake Hunter Strangler'') (1965) * '' La montagna del dio cannibale'' (a.k.a. ''

Slave of the Cannibal God ''The Mountain of the Cannibal God'' (Italian title: ''La montagna del dio cannibale'') is a 1978 Italian horror film starring Ursula Andress and Stacy Keach, with English dialogue, that was filmed in Sri Lanka. The film was also widely released ...

'') (1978) * ''Mutant Hunt'' (1987) * ''Onna hissatsu ken'' (a.k.a. ''

Sister Street Fighter is a spin-off of ''The Street Fighter'' (1974). The plot revolves around Lǐ Hóng-Lóng (李紅竜 ''Li Kōryū''), the female martial artist of the title. When her brother Lǐ Wàn-Qīng is kidnapped by drug lords, she seeks revenge. The drug l ...

'') (1974) * ''La orgia de los muertos'' (a.k.a. ''Return of the Zombies'') (1973) * ''Parasite'' (1982) * ''Penitentiary'' (1980) * ''Phenomenal and the Treasure of Tutankhamen'' (1968) * ''

Pink Flamingos ''Pink Flamingos'' is a 1972 American film directed, written, produced, narrated, filmed, and edited by John Waters. It is part of what Waters has labelled the "Trash Trilogy", which also includes ''Female Trouble'' (1974) and ''Desperate Livin ...

'' (1972) * ''Il plenilunio delle vergini'' (a.k.a. ''The Devil's Wedding Night'') (1973) * ''Psychos in Love'' (1987) * ''Revenge in the House of Usher'' (1982) * ''

Robot Holocaust ''Robot Holocaust'' is a 1987 post-apocalyptic science fiction film written and directed by Tim Kincaid, and produced by Charles Band. Plot After society was almost destroyed in a robot rebellion in 2033, the remnants are either slaves to the Dar ...

'' (1986) * '' Rosso Sangue'' (a.k.a. ''Monster Hunter'') (1982) * ''The Tattooed Hitman'' (1977) * ''

Terminal Island Terminal Island, historically known as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, is a largely artificial island located in Los Angeles County, California, between the neighborhoods of Wilmington and San Pedro in the city of Los Angeles, and the city of Long Be ...

'' (1977) * ''

'' (1974) * ''Train spécial pour SS'' (a.k.a. '' Helltrain'') (1977) * ''La vie amoureuse de l'homme invisible'' (a.k.a. ''The Invisible Dead'') (1971) * ''Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Celebration'' (1979) * ''

'' (1979) * ''Zombiethon'' (1986)

List of movies released by Force Video (1982-1983; 1985-1986)

Note: Films with an "FV" code are from the original 1982-1983 era; the "FA" code is from the 1985-1986 revival era. * FV-1 ''

Two Thousand Maniacs! ''Two Thousand Maniacs!'' is a 1964 American horror film written and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis and starring 1963 ''Playboy'' Playmate Connie Mason. It follows a group of Northern tourists who are savagely tortured and murdered during a ...

'' (1964) * FV-2 ''Zombies'' (a.k.a. ''I Eat Your Skin'') (1964) * FV-3 ''Fiend'' (1980) * FV-4 ''Contes immoraux'' (a.k.a. '' Immoral Tales'') (1973) * FV-5 ''Filmgore'' (1983) * FV-6 ''

The Single Girls ''The Single Girls'' (also released under the titles ''Bloody Friday'' and ''Private School'') is a 1974 exploitation film about a group of swingers at a Caribbean resort who are stalked by a mysterious killer. The film was directed by Beverly Se ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Private School'') (1974) * FV-7 ''

Hi-Riders ''Hi-Riders'' is a 1978 action film written and directed by Greydon Clark. Plot Mark and Lynn (Darby Hinton and Diana Peterson) are drawn into acts of hatred and revenge after trying to collect on a bet with a "Hi-Rider," a drag-racing car c ...

'' (1978) * FA-7500 ''I pirati della Malesia'' (a.k.a. ''Pirates of the Seven Seas'') (1964) * FA-7501 ''Orazi e Curiazi'' (a.k.a. ''Duel of Champions'') (1961) * FA-7502 ''Eroi all'inferno'' (a.k.a. '' Heroes in Hell'') (1973) * FA-7503 ''Karzan, il favoloso uomo della jungla'' (a.k.a. ''Jungle Master'') (1972) * FA-7504 ''Il boia di Venezia'' (a.k.a. ''The Executioner of Venice'') (1963) * FA-7505 ''Brenno il nemico di Roma'' (a.k.a. ''Battle of the Valiant'') (1963) * FA-7506 ''Savage Island'' (1985) * FA-7507 ''L'arbitro'' (a.k.a. ''Playing the Field'') (1974) * FA-7508 ''Nefertite, regina del Nilo'' (a.k.a. ''Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile'') (1961) * FA-7509 ''Les avaleuses'' (a.k.a. ''Erotic Kill'') (1973) * FA-7510 ''La tigre dei sette mari'' (a.k.a. ''Tiger of the Seven Seas'') (1962) * FA-7511 '' Isabella, Duchess of the Devils'' (a.k.a. ''Ms. Stiletto'') (1969) * FA-7512 ''Schiave bianche: violenza in Amazzonia'' (a.k.a. ''White Slave'') (1985) * FA-7513 '' Schlock'' (a.k.a. ''Banana Monster'') (1973) * FA-7514 ''Mister Zehn Prozent - Miezen und Moneten'' (a.k.a. ''The Psychopath'') (1968) * FA-7515 ''Le Orme'' (a.k.a. ''Primal Impulse'') (1975) * FA-7516 ''12 + 1'' (a.k.a. ''

The Thirteen Chairs ''The Thirteen Chairs'' (french: 12 + 1; it, Una su 13) is a 1969 comedy film directed by Nicolas Gessner and Luciano Lucignani and starring Sharon Tate, Vittorio Gassman and Orson Welles, and featuring Vittorio De Sica, Terry-Thomas, Mylène ...

'') (1969) * FA-7517 ''Il gladiatore Invincibile'' (a.k.a. ''The Invisible Gladiator'') (1961) * FA-7518 ''Comando al infierno'' (a.k.a. ''Hell Commandos'') (1969) * FA-7519 ''L'avventuriero della Tortuga'' (a.k.a. ''Cold Steel of Tortuga'') (1965) * FA-7524 ''Sandokan contro il leopardo di Sarawak'' (a.k.a. ''Throne of Vengeance'') (1964) * FA-7525 ''Cartagine in Fiamme'' (a.k.a. ''Carthage in Flames'') (1960)

List of movies released by Cult Video (1982-1983)

* C01 '' Smooth Velvet, Raw Silk'' (1976) * C02 ''

The Twilight People ''The Twilight People'' is a 1972 Filipino-American horror film directed by Eddie Romero. It was produced by Romero and John Ashley, and written by Romero and Jerome Small. It stars Ashley and features, in an early film appearance, Pam Grier i ...

'' (1972) * C03 '' Night Creature'' (1978) * C04 ''

The Cars That Ate Paris ''The Cars That Ate Paris'' is a 1974 Australian horror comedy film, produced by twin brothers Hal and Jim McElroy and directed by Peter Weir. It was his first feature film, and was also based on an original story he had written. Shot mostly i ...

'' (1974) * C05 ''

Snuff Snuff may refer to: Tobacco * Snuff (tobacco), fine-ground tobacco, sniffed into the nose ** Moist snuff or dipping tobacco ** Creamy snuff, an Indian tobacco paste Media and entertainment * Snuff film, a type of film that shows a murder Literat ...

'' (1976) * C06 ''

Blood Feast ''Blood Feast'' is a 1963 American splatter film. It was composed, shot, and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis, written by Allison Louise Downe from an idea by Lewis and David F. Freidman, and stars Mal Arnold, William Kerwin, Connie Mason, ...

'' (1963) * C07 ''

Drive-In Massacre ''Drive-In Massacre'' is a 1976 American B movie, B-movie slasher film written and directed by Stu Segall, and co-written by John F. Goff and George Buck Flower. Plot A couple go to a drive-in theater in a rural California town, and are butche ...

'' (1977) * C08 ''Famous T&A'' (1982) * C09 '' Sweet Sugar'' (a.k.a. ''She Devils in Chains'') (1972) * C10 ''Thirst'' (1979) * C11 ''Curse of the Headless Horseman'' (1972) * C12 ''

Beast of the Yellow Night ''Beast of the Yellow Night'' is a 1971 Filipino/American horror film, directed by Eddie Romero and starring John Ashley, who co-produced the film with Romero. It was the first release for Roger Corman's distribution company New World Pictures. ...

'' (1971) * C13 ''

Nuits Rouges ''Nuits Rouges'' is a 1974 French-Italian crime and thriller film directed by Georges Franju. The film was released in the U.S. in an English-dubbed version by New Line Cinema under the title ''Shadowman'' in 1975. Cast * Gayle Hunnicutt as La ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Shadowman'') (1974) * C14 ''

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

'' (a.k.a. ''The Legend of Spider Forest'') (1971)

References

External links

VHSCollector.com - Wizard Video History and Library

Defunct video game companies of the United States Film distributors of the United States Video game development companies