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Reel Corporation is an independent Australian film distributor and subsidiary of
Village Roadshow Village Roadshow is an Australian company which operates cinemas and theme parks, and produces and distributes films. Before being acquired by private equity company BGH Capital, the company was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange a ...
. The company was established with the aim of distributing a broad range of films, including smaller-scale productions and genre films that typically receive limited releases in cinemas. Over time, the company has specialized in handling films that may not receive extensive studio support but still hold significant potential in niche markets. Reel Corporation's joint venture with
Roadshow Entertainment Roadshow Entertainment (formerly known as Roadshow Home Video from 1982–1993) is an Australian home video, production and distribution company that is a division of Village Roadshow (formerly Roadshow Home Video and Roadshow Entertainment) th ...
resulted in the creation of *Reel DVD*, which focuses on re-packaging and re-distributing films for a budget-conscious market.


History

Reel Corporation was founded in 1993 as a subsidiary of
Village Roadshow Village Roadshow is an Australian company which operates cinemas and theme parks, and produces and distributes films. Before being acquired by private equity company BGH Capital, the company was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange a ...
to manage the distribution of a diverse set of films across various genres. The company initially focused on distributing films that did not fall under the typical blockbuster category, allowing it to release smaller productions and independent films. Throughout the years, Reel Corporation expanded its portfolio to include films in niche genres, targeting specific audiences and international markets. The company was particularly successful in distributing horror films and genre titles that lacked the support of major studios. Some notable titles in Reel's portfolio include *
Teaching Mrs. Tingle ''Teaching Mrs. Tingle'' is a 1999 American teen black comedy thriller film written and directed by Kevin Williamson in his directorial debut, and starring Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, Barry Watson, and Jeffrey Tambor. It fo ...
*, *
Bride of Chucky ''Bride of Chucky'' is a 1998 American black comedy slasher film written by Don Mancini and directed by Ronny Yu. The fourth installment in the ''Child's Play'' franchise, it stars Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, John Ritter, Katherine Heigl, and ...
'and little voice*, all of which were distributed internationally. While Village Roadshow continued to focus on major releases from major studios like
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
and
New Line Cinema New Line Productions, Inc., Trade name, doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film production, film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, a division of the Major film studios, ...
, Reel Corporation handled films that were expected to have more modest box office returns but were still valuable in niche markets. This positioning allowed the company to cater to underserved audiences and expand the diversity of films available in Australia.


Revival

Starting in February 2007, Village Roadshow allocated many of its smaller or underperforming titles to *Reel DVD*, a subdivision of Reel Corporation. The focus was on repackaging and re-distributing films at discounted prices to the home entertainment market. These included films that had not achieved significant sales during their original theatrical runs or earlier DVD releases. Films such as *
Jason X ''Jason X'' is a 2001 American science fiction slasher film directed by Jim Isaac and written by Todd Farmer. It is the tenth installment in the ''Friday the 13th'' franchise. It stars Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, Chuck Campbell, and Kane Hodder ...
*, *
The Art of War ''The Art of War'' is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the late Spring and Autumn period (roughly 5th century BC). The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu ("Master Sun"), is compos ...
*, and * flight of the navigator* were among the titles repackaged for the *Reel DVD* imprint. These films, despite not being huge box office successes, found a second life through discounted DVD sales. The titles were resubmitted to the
Office of Film and Literature Classification The Office of Film and Literature Classification (), branded as the Classification Office (), is an independent Crown entity established under Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 responsible for censorship and classificatio ...
for review, which allowed them to receive new Classification logos and simpler Classification Advice, helping ensure they met local regulatory standards. Today, Reel Corporation continues to distribute films for home video, focusing on direct-to-DVD releases and smaller-scale productions. Its catalog includes a mix of re-released classics, new films in niche genres, and even some cult favorites that have developed a strong following despite limited theatrical exposure.


Reel Corporation's Impact on the Australian Film Industry

Reel Corporation has played a crucial role in expanding the diversity of films available to Australian audiences, especially in the home video and direct-to-DVD markets. The company has provided a platform for films that would otherwise not have received significant attention in the Australian market, allowing audiences to access international titles and independent films that didn't have the support of major distribution companies. In particular, the company's focus on genre films and niche markets allowed Australian viewers to experience a broader range of films than they might otherwise have encountered. Through its work with *Reel DVD*, the company has contributed to the preservation of cult classics and the dissemination of genre titles that have become cult favorites over time.


See also

*
List of film production companies This is a list of film production and distribution companies. A production company may specialize in producing their in-house films or own subsidiary development companies. Major production companies often distribute films from independent product ...
*
List of television production companies This is a list of television Production company, production companies, sorted by country. Australia Egypt * Studio Misr * Assia Dagher, Lotus Film Production * Ramses Naguib * Salah Zulfikar, Salah Zulfikar Films * Mary Queeny, Mary Queeny F ...
*
Village Roadshow Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures is an American film production company founded in 1989. It is a division of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group (VREG), which in turn is majority-owned by Vine Alternative Investments and Falcon Investment Advisors, wi ...
*
Australian film industry The cinema of Australia began with the 1906 production of ''The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received international recogni ...


References


External links


Official site
Film production companies of Australia 1993 establishments in Australia {{film-company-stub