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21st Century Film Corporation

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21st Century Film Corporation Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm production and distribution
FoundedJanuary 1, 1970; 56 years ago (1970-01-01)
FounderTom Ward, Art Schweitzer
Defunct1996 (1996)
FateBankruptcy; assets acquired by Crédit Lyonnais, then PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, then MGM
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
United States
Key people
Menahem Golan (CEO from 1989 until insolvency)
ProductsTheatrical films, home video distribution

21st Century Film Corporation Inc. operated as a company specializing in theatrical film distribution, founded during the 1970s with a focus on both film production and distribution. From 1989 until the company's insolvency, Israeli director and businessman Menahem Golan held the position of CEO.

History

The enterprise was established circa 1976 by Tom Ward and Art Schweitzer. Following the 1981 bankruptcy of Dimension Pictures, 21st Century acquired a significant portion of its film catalog. The company broadened its operations beyond theatrical distribution by entering the home video market, initially through its Planet Video label between 1982 and 1983, and subsequently by securing a lucrative agreement with Continental Video starting in 1985.

During the late 1980s, while facing bankruptcy proceedings, ownership transferred to Italian financier Giancarlo Parretti. Parretti also controlled The Cannon Group, which he renamed Pathé Communications, and he assigned 21st Century Film Corporation along with valuable film rights such as those for Spider-Man and Captain America to Golan as part of his departure from Cannon. Golan’s objective was to produce quality films aimed at international audiences; however, his efforts mainly resulted in modestly budgeted productions including Bullseye!, as well as remakes of The Phantom of the Opera and Night of the Living Dead that met with limited commercial success.

In April 1989, 21st Century terminated its production agreement with Pathé Communications, obtaining ownership of completed films like Mack the Knife and projects such as Phantom of the Opera, thereby releasing Pathé from financial liabilities. That same year, the company entered into a contract with Hoyts Corporation for the production and distribution of twenty films.

Efforts to secure financing for the Spider-Man film encountered difficulties; consequently, television rights were sold to Viacom, home-video rights to Columbia Pictures, and theatrical rights went to Carolco Pictures. Legal conflicts involving Golan over Spider-Man contributed to 21st Century's bankruptcy in 1993. By 1995, court decisions resulted in Marvel regaining control over the film rights.

Following bankruptcy, Crédit Lyonnais took possession of 21st Century’s film library, merging it into the Epic film collection. In 1997, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment acquired Epic’s assets, which were then purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1998. MGM incorporated these assets into Orion Pictures—an ironic development given MGM's previous merger with Pathé/Cannon.

In 1993, among its releases were Deadly Heroes and Death Wish V: The Face of Death, notable as Charles Bronson’s final movie released theatrically. Presently, MGM (through Orion) controls most of 21st Century’s film catalog except for Night of the Living Dead, which Columbia distributes. Television and streaming rights are owned by Paramount Pictures (a Viacom entity), with U.S. distribution handled by Trifecta Entertainment & Media.

21st Century Distribution Corporation

Films produced or distributed by 21st Century under founders Tom Ward and Art Schweitzer.
Year Title Details Ref
1976 The Three Fantastic Supermen English-language dubbed version of the 1967 film I Fantastici 3 $upermen.
The Demon Lover A production credited to 21st Century.
1977 The Tormented Reissued under the title The Eerie Midnight Horror Show in 1980, 1982, and 1985.
The Obsessed One (Operation Makonaima) English-dubbed edition of a 1974 release.
1980 The Student Body Released under Planet Video; licensed to Continental Video alongside Jailbait Babysitter.
The Image of Bruce Lee (猛男大賊脂虎) English-dubbed version of a 1978 film.
Fist of Fury Part Two (精武門續集) English-dubbed release from 1977.
Black Belt Fury (森山虎) English-dubbed edition from 1974 also known as Tiger Jungle.
Covert Action English-dubbed release from 1978.
Return of the Tiger (大圈套) English-dubbed version of a 1978 film.
Snake Fist vs. The Dragon (猴形扣手) English-dubbed release from 1979.
Suicide Cult Reissued version of the 1975 film originally titled The Astrologer.
I Go Pogo Feature-length stop-motion animation based on the comic strip Pogo.
Cathy's Curse
The Dragon vs. Needles of Death (龍虎鳳) English-dubbed release from 1976; paired in a double feature with Snake Fist Ninja.
1981 Fighting Mad Planet Video release originally from 1978.
Lunatic Reissued version of a 1971 film.
Deliver Us From Evil Re-release from a 1975 production; previously distributed by Dimension Pictures.
Challenge the Dragon (猛虎闖關) Planet Video release from 1974; licensed to Continental Video under the title Dragon Lady Ninja.
Terminal Island Reissued version from 1973; formerly released by Dimension Pictures.
Snake Fist Fighter (刁手怪招) English-dubbed edition combining a 1973 film with added footage from 1978.
Bruce Lee's Deadly Kung Fu (詠春截拳) English-dubbed release from 1976.
The Muthers Re-release from a 1976 production; often shown as a double feature with Snake Fist Fighter and later paired with Group Marriage.
Four-Play Reissued version from 1977 also known as Take Time To Smell The Flowers.
The Iron Dragon Strikes Back (匯峰號黃金大風暴) English-dubbed release from 1979.
Nightmare
Group Marriage Re-release dating back to a 1973 film; commonly featured alongside '’The Muthers'’.
Dr. Minx Reissued version from 1975; paired with Cheering Section. Originally distributed by Dimension Pictures.
Cheering Section Re-release from a 1977 production; double bill companion to Dr. Minx. Previously released by Dimension Pictures.


21st Century Film Corporation

Motion pictures produced and/or distributed by 21st Century following its rebranding under the leadership and ownership of Menahem Golan.
Year Title Additional Information Ref
1989 Caged Fury [1]
Edgar Allen Poe's The Black Cat (Il gatto nero) [2]
Getting Even (La vendetta) [3]
Edgar Allan Poe's The House of Usher [4]
Mack the Knife [5]
The Phantom of the Opera [6]
Edgar Allan Poe's Masque of the Red Death [7]
1990 Warriors from Hell [8][9]
Prey for the Hunter [10]
The Forbidden Dance distributed by Columbia Pictures [11]
Bad Jim [12]
Deceit [13]
The Appointed (Hameyu'ad) [14]
Edgar Allan Poe's Buried Alive [15]
The Fifth Monkey distributed by Columbia Pictures [16]
Night of the Living Dead distributed by Columbia Pictures [17]
Bullseye! [18]
Street Hunter [19]
Captain America [20]
1991 Virgin High [21]
Killing Streets [22]
Bloodmatch distributed by HBO Home Entertainment#HBO Video [23]


References

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  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  23. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).}
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