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Savoy Pictures

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Savoy Pictures Entertainment, Inc.
IndustryIndependent film studio,televisionstation holdings company
Founded1992;32 years ago(1992)
FounderVictor Kaufman
Defunct1997;27 years ago(1997)
FateAcquired byIAC/Interactive Corporation;IAC's entertainment assets acquired byVivendi Universalin 2002
SuccessorLibrary:
Universal Pictures
(throughFocus Features)
(with some exceptions)
Headquarters
United States
Key people
Victor A. Kaufman
Lewis J. Korman
ProductsMotion Pictures
OwnerIAC(1995–1997)
Number of employees
16 (1997)
SubsidiariesHBO Savoy Video
Savoy Pictures Television
SF Broadcasting

Savoy Pictures Entertainment, Inc.was an American independent motion picture company that operated from 1992 to 1997. Among Savoy Pictures' noteworthy feature films wereNo Escape,andLast of the Dogmen.

History[edit]

FormerColumbia Pictures Entertainmentchairman andTriStar Picturesfounder Victor A. Kaufman became chairman and chief executive officer of Savoy Pictures in 1992 along with vice chairman executive, Lewis J. Korman. Kaufman has claimed that the name came from the Savoy Special batRobert Redford's character used inThe Natural.[1]Savoy intended to finance and distribute films in the $12–25 million range, investing in up to $15 million per film.[2]In June of that year, Savoy entered into a deal withHBOfor the home video, pay-TV, and pay-per-view rights to its films.[3]

Budgets for their films grew. However, with rather poor marketing, Savoy faced a major financial slump, only three years after being formed. For three years, Savoy then released box office failures includingExit to EdenandGetting Away with Murder.It also didn't help that two of its competitors in the independent film field,MiramaxandNew Line Cinema,were bought out by majors (The Walt Disney CompanyandTurner Broadcasting,respectively), giving them stability. As a result, Savoy focused on low-budget films and the occasional blockbuster, costing up to $80 million.[2]Executives hoped to lureSylvester Stallonewith a then-hefty $20 million paycheck to star in a studio project that was ultimately never made.[2]

In the meantime, Savoy expanded into broadcasting to help the investment of films. In March 1994, Savoy createdSF Broadcastingas a venture withFox Television Stations,with Kaufman and Korman owningcontrolling interest.[4]As a result of purchasing these stations, all of them would become affiliates of theFox network.Stations owned by SF Broadcasting wereWALA-TVinMobile,Alabama,WLUK-TVinGreen Bay,Wisconsin,WVUEinNew Orleans,andKHON-TVinHonolulu,Hawaii.Savoy also launched a television production division.[5]

In January 1995, Kaufman announced that he was hiringRobert N. Friedto run the motion picture studio. Fried brought in executivesAlan Sokol,Bob Levin,Cathy Schulman,Stan Brooks,Stan Wlodkowskiand filmmakersSam Raimi,andGeorge Tillman,Rob WeissandPeter Chelsom.In September 1995, Kaufman announced that he was cutting back on his interest in the motion picture business and was re-positioning the company as a television stationholding company.[6]

Shortly thereafter, Savoy announced the sale of 14 films in its roster, in varying stages of production, to potential buyers.[7]New Line Cinemapicked upMartin Lawrence's directorial debutA Thin Line Between Love and Hate,American History X,The Adventures of Pinocchio,Heaven's Prisoners,Faithful,andThe Stupids.[8][9][10]Paramount Picturespicked up the rights to produceA Simple Plan.[11]

Savoy Pictures announced in November 1995 thatBarry Diller'sSilver King Communicationswas going to acquire Savoy for $210 million.[12]The deal was finalized in 1997. Victor Kaufman was made vice chairman and sits on the board of directors of IAC. The SF stations were sold to Diller'sSilver King Broadcastingin 1997.

Cineplex Odeon Filmswas the Canadian distributor for Savoy films, thenAlliance Filmsbecame the Canadian distributor afterNew Line Cinemapicked up the later films from 1996.

Much of Savoy's library now lies withUniversal PicturesandFocus Features,with the exceptions of a few select titles, most likely as a result of Diller selling offUSA Networks' entertainment assets toVivendi Universalfor $10.3 billion.[13]Warner Bros. Discoveryowns the titles produced by New Line Cinema, whileParamount Globalowns the titles produced by Rysher Entertainment,Pathéowns the rights toNo EscapeviaAllied Filmmakers,rights toThe Bronx Talehave since reverted toRobert De Niro'sTribeca Productions,andJoel B. Michaelsowns the rights toLast of the Dogmen.

Films[edit]

Release Date Title Notes
September 29, 1993 A Bronx Tale First Savoy film, US distributor; co-production withTriBeCa Productions
December 25, 1993 Shadowlands US distributor; co-production with Price Entertainment and Spelling Films International,Paramount Picturesdistributed in UK
March 11, 1994 Lightning Jack US distributor only; co-production withVillage RoadshowandBuena Vista Pictures
April 13, 1994 Serial Mom Co-production with Polar Entertainment Corporation
April 29, 1994 No Escape USA/Canada and UK distributor; co-production withAllied Filmmakers,Pacific Western;Columbia Pictureshandled international distribution rights underEscape from Absolom
October 14, 1994 Exit to Eden
February 24, 1995 The Walking Dead
March 15, 1995 Circle of Friends US distribution;Rank Organisationdistribution in UK andCineplex Odeon Filmsdistributed in Canada
April 28, 1995 Destiny Turns on the Radio Distribution; co-production withRysher Entertainment
May 24, 1995 Tales from the Hood Distribution only; co-production with40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
August 25, 1995 Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde US distributor; co-production with Rastar andRank Organisation
August 25, 1995 The Show Co-production withRysher Entertainment
September 8, 1995 Last of the Dogmen US distributor; co-production withCarolco Pictures.Pathédistributed internationally
September 22, 1995 Bleeding Hearts Distribution; co-production with Peacock Films
September 29, 1995 Steal Big Steal Little
October 27, 1995 Three Wishes Co-production withRysher Entertainment
November 17, 1995 Let It Be Me
December 1, 1995 White Man's Burden Co-production withRysher EntertainmentandUGC
April 3, 1996 Faithful Co-producer;New Line Cinema,Miramax FilmsandTriBeCa Productions
April 5, 1996 A Thin Line Between Love and Hate Co-production with New Line Cinema
April 12, 1996 Getting Away with Murder
May 17, 1996 Heaven's Prisoners producer; distribution by New Line Cinema
July 26, 1996 The Adventures of Pinocchio International distributor; co-production with New Line Cinema andThe Kushner-Locker Company
August 30, 1996 The Stupids Co-production with New Line Cinema andRank Film distributors
December 11, 1998 A Simple Plan Last Savoy Film. International distribution; co-production withMutual Film Company,Paramount Pictures,Tele-MünchenandBBC

References[edit]

  1. ^"Victor Kaufman – Savoy Pictures and Home Shopping Network".Vimeo.Retrieved2016-09-08.
  2. ^abcFabrikant, Geraldine.Savoy Pictures' High and Low Roads.The New York Times(January 18, 1995)
  3. ^Lippman, John (June 16, 1992)."Savoy Pictures and HBO Cut a Film Deal".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedOctober 15,2018.
  4. ^THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Savoy and Fox TV Venture.The New York Times(March 18, 1994)
  5. ^COMPANY TOWN: Savoy Pictures Names Stanley Brooks to Head Its Television Production Division.The Los Angeles Times(May 9, 1995)
  6. ^Savoy Pictures To Focus on TV.The Los Angeles Times(September 18, 1995)
  7. ^"Savoy leaves the spotlight".Entertainment Weekly.Retrieved2016-09-08.
  8. ^Abramovitch, Ingrid (1997-03-09)."Lost Without a Screen: the Fate of 'Orphan' Films".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2016-09-08.
  9. ^Goldstein, Patrick (1998-09-13)."Courting Trouble".Los Angeles Times.ISSN0458-3035.Retrieved2016-09-08.[dead link]
  10. ^BATES, JAMES (1995-11-21)."COMPANY TOWN: New Line Gains Domestic Rights to 4 Savoy Films".Los Angeles Times.ISSN0458-3035.Retrieved2016-09-08.
  11. ^"ILL-FATED 'SIMPLE PLAN' OFF AGAIN. - Free Online Library".thefreelibrary.Retrieved2016-09-08.
  12. ^Peers, Martin (November 28, 1995). "Diller deal bails out Savoy stock".Daily Variety.p. 1.
  13. ^"Vivendi Completes USA Deal".Los Angeles Times.8 May 2002.Retrieved19 May2024.
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