It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures
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.
- Runtime
- 1h
- Released
- 2001
- Country
- United States
Details
Release year: 2001
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.
Top credits
Samuel Z. Arkoff — Self
Peter Bogdanovich — Self - Narrator
Bob Burns — Self
Herman Cohen — Self
Did you know
• Samuel Z. Arkoff insists in "It Conquered Hollywood" that Walt Disney Studios never used Annette Funicello again after she did "Beach Party" (1963) for his company American International Picutres, but the following year she appeared in Disney's "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" and was also cast in the sequel, "The Monkey's Uncle" (1965).
User reviews
A Valentine to Arkoff, Nicholson & AIP
A little bit of corporate politics, a lot of rubber monster suits, and tons of fun!
excellent documentary
Technical specs
- Sound mix
- Mono
- Color
- Black and White, Color
Photos 1