It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures (TV 2001)

A 60-minute salute to American International Pictures. Entertainment lawyer Samuel Z. Arkoff founded AIP (then called American Releasing Corporation) on a $3000 loan in 1954 with his ... See full summary »

Directors:

Eamon Harrington, John Watkin

Writers:

John Watkin, Eamon Harrington

Stars:

Samuel Z. Arkoff, Peter Bogdanovich, Bob Burns

Cast

Credited cast:
Samuel Z. Arkoff	...	Himself
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Himself / Narrator
Bob Burns	...	Himself
Herman Cohen	...	Himself
Roger Corman	...	Himself
Dick Dale	...	Himself
Joe Dante	...	Himself
David Del Valle	...	Himself
Bruce Dern	...	Himself
Walt Disney	...	Himself (archive footage)
Roger Ebert	...	Himself
Beverly Garland	...	Herself
Pam Grier	...	Herself
Susan Hart	...	Herself
James L. Honore	...	Himself

Storyline

A 60-minute salute to American International Pictures. Entertainment lawyer Samuel Z. Arkoff founded AIP (then called American Releasing Corporation) on a $3000 loan in 1954 with his partner, James H. Nicholson, a former West Coast exhibitor and distributor. The company made its mark by targeting teenagers with quickly produced films that exploited subjects mainstream films were reluctant to tackle. From monsters to beach parties to cycle gangs to the psychedelic youth, many film clips are shown, highlighting the company's successful twenty-five year run in Hollywood. Interviewees include Arkoff, Nicholson (archive footage), Peter Bogdanovich, Bob Burns, Herman Cohen, Roger Corman, Dick Dale, Joe Dante, David Del Valle, Bruce Dern, Roger Ebert, Beverly Garland, Pam Grier, Susan Hart, James L. Honore, Al Kallis, Aron Kincaid, Mark Thomas McGee, Dick Miller, and Burt Topper.

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Plot Keywords:

hollywood | film making

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 2001 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Movie Classics (AMC), Planet Grande Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features The Fast and the Furious (1955)

User Reviews

A Valentine to Arkoff, Nicholson & AIP

This documentary evokes the finest memories of the Second Golden Age of Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film of the Fifties & Sixties. Along with Hammer Films of the UK and various efforts (mainly in Italy) AIP were churning out little miracles which kept many Baby Boomers scared half out of our wits with delicious little nightmares. There is one problem with the documentary: it is too short and the omission of Vincent Price and the Roger Corman cycle of Poe films is criminal negligence. All of the personalities interviewed are splendid: David Del Valle ushers in the psychedelic direction of AIP in the late Sixties and other film scholars and the surviving actors and actresses are right there giving their added insights. A must anyway! Kudos to all who did this, but an extra 30 minutes devoted to the Poe cycle and perhaps a bit more about Mario Bava or a few comments by Italo horror queen Barbara Steele would have been stellar. Exceptional, entertaining, insightful documentary thanks to the people at Planet Grande!