Simitar Entertainment
Simitar Entertainment, Inc. was an American media company that sold music, videos, DVDs, and computer software. The company specialized in compilation albums, special interest video, and urban media. Simitar also distributed its own label.
Company type | Media company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1985[1] |
| Founder | Mickey Elfenbein, Philip Kives |
| Defunct | May 12, 2000 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Successor | Encore Software (Sereno Ventures, LLC) |
| Headquarters | 5555 Pioneer Creek Drive, Maple Plain, Minnesota |
Key people | Mickey Elfenbein (Chairman), Ed Goetz (President), Mark Elfenbein (Vice President), Greg Glass (Director of Sales) |
| Revenue | $40,000,000 (1999) |
| Total assets | $19,570,059 1 |
| Subsidiaries | Pickwick Records |
| Footnotes / references 1 At time of bankruptcy in 2000 | |
Simitar Entertainment, Inc. was an American media company that sold music, videos, DVDs, and computer software. The company specialized in compilation albums, special interest video, and urban media. Simitar also distributed its own label.
History
[edit]In 1985, Mickey Elfenbein, former president and CEO of K-Tel International, and Philip Kives (K-tel founder), after K-Tel just went to bankruptcy in October 1984, started Simitar Entertainment. The first film released by Simitar was the children's film Shinbone Alley, which was retailed at $39.95, and a soundtrack album would be marketed through television commercials.[2] Simitar bought Pickwick Records. Simitar was a long-time leader in budget VHS throughout the 80s and early 90s.
In 1986, Simitar Entertainment had reached a deal with the United States Hot Rod Association to bring and promote its home video title Monster Madness.[3] By 1987, Minnesota-based Wedding Information Services had inked an agreement with Simitar Entertainment, whereas Simitar would release several titles on videocassette to mass merchandise and their video stores.[4] Reach Entertainment produced sports home video programs for Simitar.
In 1991, Simitar scored a hit with the title Desert Shield, a documentary on the Gulf War.[5][6] On February 25, 1997, Simitar Entertainment had distributed the six-part documentary series Hollywood Starlets, produced by Promotions Plus in cooperation with Orphen Enterprises, which primarily focused on B-movie actresses.[7] By April, 1997 Simitar was the first independent in the U.S. with DVD releases. On May 18, 1998, Simitar licensed the rights to 14 Jackie Chan movies, and several Godzilla movies to bring it onto DVD release, under license from United Productions of America, then-U.S. holder of the franchise.[6] In 1999, Simitar's revenues rose from $5 million to $40 million in just three years.
On March 9, 1999, Titan Sports, Inc.—the parent company of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)– and its music licensee, The Cherry River Music Co., sued Simitar Entertainment for copyright infringement relating to WWF The Music, Vol. 3 and won. Subsequently, in 2000, Simitar folded due to problems in the music division; the company's total assets were $19,570,059, with debts of $25,556,878. Simitar auctioned off its assets later that year, including its film library, which sold to Brentwood Communications, Inc. (BCI) for $215,000. Ed Goetz and Greg Glass went to BCI to start a DVD division.[8] In October/November 2003, BCI was purchased by Navarre Corporation. Naverre's assets have since been sold to Speed Commerce in 2012,[9] then to WYNIT Distribution in 2014.[10] Following the bankruptcy of WYNIT in 2017,[11] Sereno Holdings acquired most of the company assets and relaunched Navarre Distribution as "Encore Software",[12][13] and it is currently this "new" Encore which owns Simitar and the other former BCI labels.
Simitar releases
[edit]- 5th Day of Peace, American Bullfighters 1 & 2
- Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe
- Anima Mundi
- Awesome Fire Engines
- Awesome Police Cars
- Awesome Rides
- Awesome Mining
- Awesome Airplanes
- Awesome Bridges
- Awesome Trains
- Awesome Big Rigs
- Awesome Road Construction
- Awesome Building Construction
- Awesome Diggers & Dozers
- Awesome Ships
- Awesome Space
- Awesome Junior Dragsters
- Awesome Race Cars
- Awesome Monster Trucks
- Awesome Motorcycles
- Awesome A.T.V.'s
- Awesome Farm Machinery
- Bleeders
- BMX Freestyle
- Body Armor
- The Boys Club
- Canyon Dreams: Tangerine Dream
- Canyon Dreams/Desert Vision/True North
- Car Funnies
- Cartel
- Cause of Death
- Christopher Crocodile and his Wonderful World
- The Christmas Light
- The Christmas Brigade
- Chronos
- Dead & Buried
- The Dude Gang
- Fearless Hyena
- Frankenhooker
- God Told Me To
- Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
- Godzilla's Revenge
- (Godzilla vs.) Monster Zero
- Godzilla vs. Mothra (DVD / VHS)
- Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (VHS only)
- Grambling's White Tiger
- Greatest Hits (SWV album)
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- I Wanna be a Policeman [14]
- Jets
- Jack Frost
- Jungle Boy
- Kamikaze in Colour
- Korean War in Colour
- Laurel & Hardy Classics[15]
- Mind Meld
- Mob War
- Mr. Superinvisible Cat.#7984 [16]
- Mysteries of the Sphinx
- Mysterious Origins of Man
- Porsche
- The Real Untouchables
- Red Scorpion
- Rush Week
- Search and Destroy
- Serial Killers
- Sing a Long with Bugs Bunny
- Sing a Long with Daffy Duck
- Sing a Long with Popeye
- Sing a Long with Little Lulu
- Spplat Attack
- Strike Fighters
- Surgeon
- Story of a War (Story of Iran-Iraq (1980–1988) war part1–5, P: Ramel Inc./Simitar Entertainment Inc. 1989) Story of Iran-Iraq (1980-1988) war part1
- The Railroad Modeler
- Terror of Mechagodzilla
- To Kill With Intrigue
- Top Gun: The Story Behind The Story
- Two Evil Eyes
- Vampires (VHS only)
- Venom
- Vitsie Video Sitter
- Voodoo
- Wings Of Thunder
- Witchcraft (film series)
- Werewolf
- Wheels of Thunder
- Women Unchained
Bob Hope
[edit]- The Road to Rio
- The Great Lover
- The Road to Bali
- The Seven Little Foys
- How to Commit Marriage
- The Lemon Drop Kid
- Son of Paleface
- Paris Holiday
- The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
References
[edit]- ^ "Company Page". July 15, 1997. Archived from the original on 15 July 1997.
- ^ Weinger, Harry (1985-04-27). "K-Tel Veterans Head B-Movie Company" (PDF). Billboard. p. 28. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
- ^ McCormick, Moira (1986-05-03). "Hot Rodders Aid In Simitar Drive" (PDF). Billboard. p. 55. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
- ^ "Bridal Tape Is Marketed Through More Channels" (PDF). Billboard. 1987-04-04. p. 49. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
- ^ Paige, Earl (1991-02-09). "Simitar Clears Path Into Budget Video Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. p. 65. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
- ^ a b Lovell, Glenn (1998-05-18). "Godzilla on DVD bus". Variety. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
- ^ "SHORT TAKES". Variety. 1997-02-26. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
- ^ "Welcome to Navarre Corporation". Archived from the original on 2006-12-05.
- ^ "Navarre agrees to pay $50 million for SpeedFC". October 2012.
- ^ "WYNIT Distribution Acquires Navarre, Speed Commerce's Retail Distribution Unit". July 15, 2014.
- ^ "WYNIT files Ch. 11 bankruptcy, owes at least $106 million".
- ^ "SERENO VENTURES LLC Trademarks :: Justia Trademarks".
- ^ "SERENO VENTURES LLC Trademarks (31) from Trademarkia - page 1". www.trademarkia.com.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: I wanna be a policeman (1996). YouTube.
- ^ Laurel and Hardy Classics Anthology Utopia Amazon.com
- ^ [1]Amazon.com
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