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Sherpix, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm
FoundedApril 15, 1965;59 years ago(1965-04-15)
FoundersLouis K. Sher
DefunctMarch 1, 1974;50 years ago(1974-03-01)
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
ServicesFilm distribution(specializing inarthouse cinemaandAmerican-produced pornography)
OwnerLouis K. Sher
Number of employees
7 (1972)Edit this on Wikidata
ParentArt Theatre Guild, Inc.

Sherpix, Inc.was an Americanindependentfilm distributioncompany that operated in the US and Canada between 1965 and 1974. Louis K. Sher founded the distributor as a subsidiary of hisarthouse cinemachain Art Theatre Guild (ATG), which owned dozens of theaters throughout the United States. Sherpix specialized in art films,foreign films,erotica,and laterpornographic films.The company's porn releases challenged the prevailingobscenity laws in the United States.Sherpix oriented its marketing to open-minded middle-class audiences, including young couples, rather than the "dirty old men" typically associated withadult movie theaters.

History

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Sherpix formally opened for business on April 15, 1965.[1]In 1968 Sherpix distributedFleshandLonesome Cowboys,both directed byAndy Warhol.The company achieved a box-office success with its release of the 1969softcorefeatureThe Stewardesses.In 1970, the company made two major breakthroughs forpornography in the United States.First, it brought the American documentaryPornography in Denmark: A New Approachto cities beyond its premiere inSan Francisco.Pornography in Denmarkbecame the first feature-lengthhardcore pornfilm legally screened in the United States. The same year, Sherpix distributedMona,a porn film structured around a fictionalplot,which broke ground as the first non-documentary hardcore feature screened at American theaters.

Though Sherpix's early successes generated significant profits, providing the company with a major financial windfall, it was ultimately unable to capitalize on the ensuing peak years of theGolden Age of Porn.The company funded production of the surreal gay erotic filmPink Narcissus,which Sherpix released in 1971.James Bidgood,the director ofPink Narcissus,chose to remain anonymous in the film's credits due to his dissatisfaction with Sherpix's final cut, which he felt had compromised hisartistic control.As a prime target for anti-obscenity prosecutors, the company faced numerous legal challenges, significantly constraining its financial resources. In 1973 Sher was convicted in Washington, D.C. of obscenity charges. Unable to sustain the company under the legal scrutiny and financial strain, in January 1974 Sher announced the company's imminent dissolution.[2]The company disincorporated on March 1, 1974, and the following year the charges against Sher were dismissed on appeal.[3]

List of films distributed by Sherpix

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For films initially released outside the United States, the listed release dates indicates the American premiere.

Release date Title Notes Ref.
June 30, 1965 Crazy Paradise Originally released in Denmark asDet tossede paradis.[4]Sherpix's first release.[1]Re-released in the US in 1966 byAllied Artistsunder the titleOnce Upon an Island.[5] [4]
July 2, 1965 00-2 Most Secret Agents Originally released in Italy as00-2 agenti segretissimi.Re-released in the US in 1966 by Allied Artists under the titleOh! Those Most Secret Agents! [6]
July 5, 1967 Eros Originally released in Brazil asNoite Vazia;also known in English asMen and Women. [7]
September 26, 1968 Flesh [8]
December 20, 1968 Lonesome Cowboys [9]
July 25, 1969 The Stewardesses [10]
November 16, 1969 Popcorn: An Audio/Visual Rock Thing [11]
November 26, 1969 Naked Zodiac [12]
December 24, 1969 Without a Stitch [13]
February 24, 1970 Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach [14]
March 4, 1970 Satanis: The Devil's Mass [15]
April 1970 Meat Rack [16]
August 1970 Sesso Originally released in Italy asNel labirinto. [17]
August 6, 1970 Mona the Virgin Nymph [18]
August 19, 1970 The Love Doll [19]
September 21, 1970 Not So Quiet Days Originally released in Denmark asStille dage i Clichy.The original English title isQuiet Days in Clichy.Grove Pressdistributed its original theatrical release in the United States; it was later re-released by Sherpix under the alternate titleNot So Quiet Days. [20]
October 6, 1970 A History of the Blue Movie [21]
October 15, 1970 The Story of F [22]
October 30, 1970 Sexual Encounter Group [23]
November 1970 Hollywood Blue [24]
December 17, 1970 The Coming Thing [25]
May 24, 1971 Pink Narcissus [26]
October 11, 1971 Punishment Park [27]
April 3, 1972 Weed [28]

References

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  1. ^ab"Louis Sher into Distribution, Too" 1965,p. 78.
  2. ^Verrill 1974,p. 5.
  3. ^Slide 2013,p. 186.
  4. ^abKrafsur 1976,p. 211.
  5. ^"Allied Artists" 1966,p. 5433.
  6. ^"00-2 Most Secret Agents(1965) "n.d.;Krafsur 1976,p. 1266.
  7. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 306.
  8. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 354.
  9. ^"Lonesome Cowboys(1968) "n.d.;Krafsur 1976,p. 625.
  10. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 1029.
  11. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 857.
  12. ^"Naked Zodiac(1969) "n.d.
  13. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 1235.
  14. ^"Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach(1970) "n.d.;Krafsur 1976,p. 858.
  15. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 937.
  16. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 697.
  17. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 963.
  18. ^"Mona(1970) "n.d.;Krafsur 1976,p. 719.
  19. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 637.
  20. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 881.
  21. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 480.
  22. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 1033.
  23. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 972.
  24. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 481.
  25. ^Krafsur 1976,p. 194.
  26. ^Canby 1971,p. 44 (providing premiere date);Jones 2019.
  27. ^"Punishment Park(1971) "n.d.
  28. ^"Weed(1972) "n.d.

Sources

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  • "Allied Artists".Section Two: Reviews.Motion Picture Exhibitor.76(2). Philadelphia: Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc.: 5433 August 17, 1966.RetrievedMarch 3,2024– via theInternet Archive.
  • Canby, Vincent(May 25, 1971)."Screen: 'Pink Narcissus': Movie at 2 Theaters Is Story of Homosexual".The New York Times.Vol. CXX, no. 41, 394. p. 44.ProQuest119334385.Archivedfrom the original on February 1, 2023.RetrievedNovember 18,2023.(subscription required)
  • "Louis Sher into Distribution, Too".Variety.Vol. 238, no. 6. New York: Variety, Inc. March 31, 1965. pp. 11, 78.ProQuest962960651.
  • Jones, William E.(Summer 2019)."Against Nature".Artforum.Vol. 57, no. 10. New York: Artforum Media, LLC.Archivedfrom the original on September 26, 2023.RetrievedFebruary 24,2024.
  • "New Sherpix to Distribute Art Films to U.S., Canada".Boxoffice.86(24): 6. April 5, 1965.ProQuest1673756337.
  • Sandberg, Patrik (May 23, 2022)."Elegy for a Packrat: Remembering James Bidgood".Frieze.No. 227. London: Frieze Publishing Ltd.Archivedfrom the original on April 30, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 24,2024.
  • "Sherpix — The Unusual Company with an Unusual Future".The Independent Film Journal.69(11). New York: ITOA Independent Inc.: 20–21 April 27, 1972.ISSN0019-3712.ProQuest1014674898.
  • Slide, Anthony(2013)."Sherpix".The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry.New York:Routledge.p. 186.ISBN978-1-579-58056-8.RetrievedFebruary 24,2024– viaGoogle Books.
  • Verrill, Addison (December 30, 1970). "Bill Osco, Boy King of L.A. Porno, Grossing over $2,000,000 Presently; 10-City Nucleus; 'Actors' A-Plenty".Variety.Vol. 261, no. 7. New York: Variety, Inc. p. 5.ProQuest963024393.
  • ——— (January 27, 1971). "TV Cassettes Bid for Sex Pix".Variety.Vol. 261, no. 11. New York: Variety, Inc. pp. 1, 54.ProQuest963014677.
  • ——— (January 16, 1974). "Sher, Found Guilty, Scrams Porno".Variety.Vol. 273, no. 10. New York: Variety, Inc. pp. 5, 41.ProQuest1032478801.

From theAFI Catalog of Feature Films

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From theTCM Movie Database

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Further reading

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  • MacDonough, Scott (July 1971). "The Story of Sherpix: Soft-Core, Hard-Core, Encore".Show: The Magazine of Films and the Arts.2(5). New York: H&R Publications, Inc.: 18–21.ISSN0037-4296.
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