This is what I would like to do if I became involved with film distribution

[Chris K.]

I have two choices for a career: film directing and film distribution. I look forward to both, but if film directing does not go to well then film distribution will be the next big move.

What I would like to do is get a hold of all the Empire Pictures films and start the company back up again. I would also like to re-issue the Empire films like THE ALCHEMIST, RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, CRAWLSPACE, etc. in theatres for a new proper release.

What do you think? Good idea or not?

[Steven Millan]

             It's a good idea to resurrect the mini-major distributor that was popularized by the likes of New World Pictures(the Roger Corman years),Dimension Pictures(the 70s company),Crown International Pictures,and Cannon Films,for we could sorely need a nationwide indie genre cinema distributor that can shake up the monpolized theater screens,and bring back the moviegoing masses to the theater seats,since the current studio-owned theater situation has made moviegoing so dull and overly predictable,and we desperately need good B genre movies back on theatrical screens(would have loved to see "Ginger Snaps" and "Sleepless" on a theatrical screen).
              As for re-starting Empire Pictures,just make sure that you make A quality genre movies,and not slip down to the pathetic level that buried the company fourteen years ago(I remember "Ghost Town" being their final theatrical release,and that their other films went straight to video,and "Robotjox" was theatrically released by Columbia/Sony Pictures' Triumph division).
               And,I'd also love to see "Re-Animator" and "From Beyond" both get a nationwide theatrical anniversary re-release.If they can do it with "The Exorcist"(Linda Blair's last line of collecting personal revenue:name any movie she's made,and got released,since her news reporter cameo in "Scream"....I
thought not),then they can do the same for Stuart Gordon's first cinematic splatter classic.

[Chadzilla]

Good luck, but it's a up hill battle.  More than likely you will find that theater releasing is costly and that most low budget movies just don't generate the buzz to turn a signigicant profit (and distributors fight very dirty to get their movies out, and there are a LOT of them, so don't think that it's just a matter of just picking up a few movies buried and forgotten in the cobwebbed corners of a warehouse somewhere).  Chances are you will find, like other mini-majors, that limited theater releases (i.e. New York and L.A.) to generate reviews and then a semi-major video release (with sales to cable) is the best way to make money in the long term, and if your company ain't making money you ain't in business.  Your employees will have to pay rent, utilities, alimony, child support, buy food, pay taxes, mortages, etc etc etc. and to them its just a job, not a passion.  Frankly, with digital technology the way it is, video and cable are the equivalent to the old regional/drive-in release  (believe me, couching it with the wife and kid is no different than being in a car - especially with DVD and sound systems being the way they are).  Cult movie maker Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Q - The WInged Serpent) once compared theater releases to hardback books and video to paperback originals.  Most books loose money in hardback yet make oodles in paper, movies are the same.

As far as the old Empire Pictures, most played in the dying grindhouse theaters (which is where I saw them, amongst the snoring drunks and working prostitutes -ick) and quite frankly I find it hard to believe that someone would pay 8.75 to see TerrorVision on the big screen.  Stuart Gordon's Dolls, maybe, if it's given a regional art house tour, maybe.  And that is a BIG maybe.  I just think that the days of quaint b-movies flooding the theaters are gone because the primary audience shifted to video and cable in the eighties and its going to stay there, sorry but it's a fact of life.  Blood Feast 2 is going straight to video, no surprise because, as I said, video is the drive-in of this and future generations.

Also it seems that MGM/UA home video has some of Empire's library (I hope to see Troll and others on DVD someday).  I know it has ALL of Cannon's (the idea of Death Wish 3 and 4 on a double sided DVD just givens me the most delightful shivers).

Good luck to you Chris K., I keep my eyes peeled for your name in the credits.

[systemcr4sh]

I want to either be a director, or some kind of producer. But Film Distribution would be a dream for me. Anything in film I'd love to do. I don't have any real talents like math or sciences. And I love movies so much it'd seem natural to do something in movies.

-Dan

[Lee]

Hey Chris, will you distribute my movies? I could see myself doing B-movies and I think we need to see B-movies in theatres again, just like the good old days!!!

[Chris K.]

The idea of re-releasing good ole' B movies is a thought. But then, I first need to go over what I have to do in film distribution before starting into it (in other words: don't put the cart in front of the horse). First, I have to go to college (and since I live close to Chicago, my primary choice would be Columbia College) to study film distribution and business. Then, I would have to become involved with it once when I am finished with college. With more experiences and getting to "know the ropes" as well as the reality of the business and how to handle it, then that is when I would like to re-start Empire Pictures and re-issue some cult B movies. But I would take my time on that and stick with film directing in the meantime.

If it doesn't go all to plan, I would at least like to give RE-ANIMATOR a theartical reissue. I can imagine it now: Using the same old picture of Herbert West with Dr. Hill's head in a dispan for the poster with the tagline "Herbert West has a good head on his shoulders, and another one in a dish on his desk-AGAIN" and with the headline "The Cult Classic is Back!" Ah, wouldn't that be grand.

Say Lee, what kind of movies do you have in your film vault that you would like me to distribute (that is, if I become involved in that field)?

[Lee]

Well I don't have a vault of movies I've made yet. But I have plenty of ideas so once I get my act together I could have several to offer you. Right now I'm kicking around a plot invovling an all out brawl at a stereotypical High School party. I have another one that is a Kung-Fu movie about a door-to-door salesman. I also want to do dark comedies, horror movies, and sci-fi movies. One I've been thinking about writing is combo dark comedy/horror/slasher/cannabul movie with some cool twists for good measure. For now I'm just a bum trying to recover some since of sanity after another year in college. :)

[systemcr4sh]

My Idea for a movie:

A garbage can made from scrap metal from a scrap yard that contained some metal from a gunned-down nazi warplane. Goes on a rampage. You get the picture.

-Dan