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Alpha Video

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Alpha Video, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 25 July 2025
Alpha Video
Company typePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
Founded1985
FounderJerry Greene (owner)
Headquarters
Near Philadelphia
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsPublic domain movies and TV series on DVD, independent films (via Alpha New Cinema)
OwnerJerry Greene (privately held)

Alpha Video—also identified as Alpha Home Entertainment—is a privately held entertainment firm established in 1985 under the original name New Age Video, with its headquarters situated near Philadelphia. The company focuses on producing and distributing public domain movies and TV series on DVD. Since 2001, Alpha Video has issued more than 5,100 titles and currently manages a catalog of over 4,600 active releases.

In 2009, the trade publication DVD Release Report placed Alpha Video third among providers of TV series on DVD, boasting upwards of 600 active titles, ranking only behind Warner Home Video and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Additionally, it secured the second position for theatrical catalog releases with a portfolio exceeding 1,461 titles, trailing just Warner Home Video.

November 2022 marked a pivotal moment when Alpha Video entered into an exclusive manufacturing and distribution partnership with Allied Vaughn, transitioning to a manufacture on demand (MOD) operational model.

Owned privately by Jerry Greene—the founder of Collectables Records—Alpha Video operates alongside other Greene family enterprises such as Collectables Records and Gotham Distributing Corporation. Up until March 2023, this group included the e-commerce platform Oldies.com, which has since become part of Old School Ventures, Inc., a joint enterprise between MVD Entertainment Group and Gotham Distributing Corporation.

Alpha New Cinema

Alpha New Cinema is a home video label initiated by Alpha Video in 2004 to distribute distinctive independent films, with an emphasis on horror, science fiction, and cult genres. This represented a strategic departure from Alpha Video’s customary focus on public domain reissues toward producing and distributing fresh content aimed at specialized markets.

Among its early significant releases were Fabulous! An Intimate Portrait of a Rock Pioneer, a documentary spotlighting rockabilly musician Charlie Gracie; Mark Redfield’s independent film The Death of Poe; and Terror in the Tropics, which combined archival horror footage with newly created scenes. The imprint also released later projects by cult icon Conrad Brooks, known for his association with filmmaker Edward D. Wood Jr..

Alpha New Cinema expanded into a showcase for regional and underground filmmakers including Brett Piper, Henrique Couto, Joshua Kennedy, Mark Polonia, Dustin Ferguson, and Ted V. Mikels. Its offerings feature creature features such as Triclops and Cowgirls vs. Pterodactyls, along with distinctive double features like Sexpots From Space. Collector’s editions like the autographed Ted V. Mikels Signature Collection further enhanced its appeal to enthusiasts.

A defining element of the imprint is the series Mr. Lobo's Cinema Insomnia, a horror host program that presents classic and obscure films accompanied by comedic commentary. Beginning in 2019, Alpha New Cinema released restored DVD versions of the series, including themed specials noted for their nostalgic packaging and supplementary materials such as interviews and exclusive signed postcards.

As of 2025, Alpha New Cinema continues to operate as a specialized label concentrating on modern cult cinema, low-budget horror, and experimental independent productions, providing support to filmmakers outside mainstream avenues and maintaining its distinctive position within this niche market.

Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson Present Ultimate Voice Coach

In 2005, Alpha Video introduced Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson Present Ultimate Voice Coach, a three-disc instructional collection featuring vocal training sessions guided by well-known coaches Gary Catona and Ron Anderson. Released during the height of American Idol’s popularity, this set combined DVD and audio CD formats aimed at budding vocalists. This title is currently no longer available.

The Merv Griffin Show: 40 of The Most Interesting People of Our Time

Alpha Video collaborated with Merv Griffin in 2006 to issue a three-DVD collection of interviews from The Merv Griffin Show. The compilation showcased legendary guests grouped into three categories: “Hollywood Legends” including Orson Welles, Sophia Loren, and John Wayne; comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Pryor, and George Carlin; and “Extraordinary Guests” featuring Walter Cronkite, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.. This release was acclaimed for its cultural importance and Griffin’s skillful interviewing, though it is now out of print.

Ted V. Mikels' Film Catalog Released on DVD

In 2007, Alpha Video broadened its cult film offerings by distributing the works of filmmaker Ted V. Mikels through its Alpha New Cinema label, including titles like 10 Violent Women, The Doll Squad, and Blood Orgy of the She Devils. That same year, the company launched the limited-edition Ted V. Mikels Signature Collection, a six-DVD boxed set personally signed by Mikels, catering to collectors of cult cinema. Additionally, The Doll Squad was issued as a standalone release, underscoring Alpha’s increasing presence in cult film reissues. In 2008, Alpha further expanded its niche catalog with Mark of the Astro-Zombies, the official sequel to Mikels' 1968 cult favorite The Astro-Zombies.

Critical Reception and Feedback

Alpha Video is widely recognized for its vast assortment of public domain and hard-to-find titles, having released thousands of films and television episodes that might otherwise have remained inaccessible. The company has been instrumental in preserving specialized, vintage, and regional works while offering them at affordable prices. Film scholars and preservation advocates commend Alpha for enhancing access to obscure content for broader audiences.

Despite this, Alpha Video has faced criticism concerning the technical standards of its releases. Critics and collectors often point out that many transfers derive from low-quality or unrestored sources, resulting in DVDs with faded visuals, compression issues, or subpar audio quality. Online communities such as NitrateVille have described certain image transfers as “VERY bad,” yet users continue to appreciate Alpha’s role in making these titles available. Social media conversations echo this view: “I know the quality isn’t great with these releases, but I like 'em.”

Unlike boutique labels that provide meticulously restored or high-definition transfers, Alpha’s strategy focuses on affordability and wide distribution, supporting sustained interest in physical media and classic film culture.

Artwork and packaging

Although Alpha Video often faces criticism for its technical presentation, its DVD and VHS cover designs are regularly commended for their vivid and attention-grabbing visuals. Collectors frequently cite the striking artwork as a key attraction, standing out even when the transfer quality varies.

Previously, almost every Alpha DVD cover was also produced as a poster, with some designs featured on T-shirts. This approach utilized public-domain images to engage fans of vintage videos and reflected an early commitment to nostalgic, collectible packaging—an initiative that has since diminished.

Feature films

  • Angel and the Badman
  • Back Door to Heaven
  • Below the Deadline (1936 film)
  • The Blood of Jesus (bundled with Lying Lips)
  • Borderline (1950 film)
  • Bowery Blitzkrieg
  • Boy! What a Girl!
  • Boys of the City
  • The Chase (1946 film)
  • Cinderella (1914 film)
  • Clancy Street Boys
  • Cold Harbor
  • Condemned to Live
  • La Cucaracha (1934 film)
  • Curley (film) (bundled with Who Killed Doc Robbin)
  • The Dark Hour (1936 film)
  • Devil's Partner
  • Dixiana (film)
  • East Side Kids (film)
  • Flesh and the Spur
  • The Flying Deuces
  • Flying Wild
  • Ghost Patrol
  • Ghosts on the Loose
  • The Girl From Chicago
  • The Great Flamarion
  • Half Shot at Sunrise
  • The Headless Horseman (1922 film) (bundled with The Mechanical Man)
  • Hercules Unchained
  • High Voltage (1929 film)
  • Hook, Line, and Sinker (1930 film)
  • The Kennel Murder Case (film)
  • Kid Dynamite (film)
  • Last Woman on Earth
  • Let's Get Tough!
  • Lisa and the Devil
  • Lying Lips (bundled with The Blood of Jesus)
  • Manos: The Hands of Fate
  • The Mechanical Man (bundled with The Headless Horseman)
  • Mickey the Great
  • Million Dollar Kid
  • Mr. Wise Guy
  • Neath Brooklyn Bridge
  • One Body Too Many
  • Pride of the Bowery
  • Raiders of Old California
  • The Red-Haired Alibi
  • The Ring (1952 film)
  • Ring of Terror
  • Salt of the Earth (1954 film)
  • Scarlet Street
  • Second Chance (1953 film)
  • The Singing Cowgirl
  • Smart Alecks
  • Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman
  • Something to Sing About (1937 film)
  • Speak Easily
  • Spooks Run Wild

The Student of Prague (1913 & 1926 films)

  • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1936)

The Terror of Tiny Town That Gang of Mine Time Table (film) Tulsa (film) Utopia Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women A Walk in the Sun (1945 film) Who Killed Doc Robbin (bundled with Curley) Woman on the Run Yellowneck

Exploitation films

Movie serials

Short subjects

Included in the Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy: Early Silent Classics’’ collection are shorts such as Along Came Auntie, Bromo and Juliet, Crazy Like a Fox, Enough to Do, The Hobo, Hop to It, Bellhop!,’’ Kid Speed,’’ The Lucky Dog,’’ Mud and Sand,’’ Oranges and Lemons,’’ The Sawmill,’’ Short Kilts,’’ Should Sailors Marry?,’’ The Show,’’ Smithy,’’ The Soilers,’’ The Paper Hanger's Helper,’’ The Stolen Jools,’’ Thundering Fleas,’’ The Tree in a Test Tube,’’ West of Hot Dog,’’ and White Wings.

Short films featured in The Kids of Old Hollywood’’ collection include titles such as Glad Rags to Riches, Kid in Hollywood, Kid N' Africa, Merrily Yours, Pardon My Pups, Polly Trix in Washington, School's Out, Waldo's Last Stand, War Babies, and What's to Do?.’

Additional shorts from Lost Comedy Classics and The Three Stooges collections include titles like The Gay Nighties,'’ ‘’Kickin' the Crown Around,'’ and ‘’Malice in the Palace.’’ The Mickey McGuire collection features several shorts including ‘’Mickey's 11,'’ ‘’Mickey's Medicine Man,'’ ‘’Mickey's Rescue,'’ and ‘’Mickey's Touchdown.’’

Silent films

Television shows

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