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Active Home Video

From Home Video

History

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This label was founded in June 1984 by Declan Kavanagh and Ron Levanson. Both were initially president and chairman, respectively. Its purpose was to distribute alternative independent films and programs from various companies.

It had a few divisions that produced direct-to-video programs, including Active Home Productions and Above Board Productions, the latter formed in July 1985. Above Board Productions eventually became Halo Productions in late 1987.

In July 1985, Kavanagh resigned from the company and Levanson took over his position.

In 1986, the label sub-licensed the documentary Remembering Life for the budget sell-through market to Simitar Entertainment, which would release it as two volumes.

By 1987, the label began sub-licensing some of its catalog titles for the budget sell-through market to such companies as Star Classics and Video Treasures. In the meantime, it lost the rights to Rainbow Bridge, due to a lawsuit filed against it and Transvue Pictures Corp. by the Estate of Jimi Hendrix, which then licensed the rights to the film to Rhino Home Video, a division of Rhino Records.

In late 1990, the label assigned laserdisc rights to some of its library to Pioneer LDCA.

Sometime in the early 1990s, the label appears to have ceased operations.

Distributed libraries

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  • Metromedia Producers Corporation
  • Norfolk Communications
  • SFM Entertainment
  • Transvue Pictures Corp.
  • Vista Media
  • Wrightwood Entertainment

Releases

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1984

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)
A224 The Flight of the Eagle
From Wrightwood Entertainment
A Bold production for the Swedish Film Institute		 Norway/Sweden/Denmark/Germany 1982 140 min 1983 English-dubbed version NR Matted 1.66 1 N/A Color 1984
A406 Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table
From Five Arrows Films and Wrightwood Entertainment
An Air Programs International production		 Australia 1966 80 min TBD NR Academy 1 N/A Color 1984
  • On some copies, the warning screen and 1984 Active Home Video logo are inexplicably absent at the beginning.
A407 Around the World in 80 Days
From Five Arrows Films and Wrightwood Entertainment
An Air Programs International production		 Australia 1972 70 min TBD NR Academy 1 N/A Color 1984
A900 The Bruce Jenner Winning Workout
From Active Home Productions		 USA 1984 81 min TBD NR NTSC-M 1 N/A Color December 1984
  • Features the segments Beginner's Workout and Intermediate Workout; the former being a half-hour.
  • Uses a gold face label.

1985

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)
A012 Deal - The Making of Let's Make a Deal
From SFM Entertainment
A Schott/Vaughn production in cooperation with Hatos-Hall Productions		 USA 1977 95 min TBD NR 16mm 1 N/A Color November 1985
A060 Remembering Life
From Varied Directions, Inc.		 USA 1984 60 min Standard version NR Academy 1 N/A Color November 1985
A305 Brighty of the Grand Canyon
From Stephen F. Booth Productions		 USA 1966 90 min TBD G TBD 1 N/A Color April 1985
A425 The Greenstone
From Zacharia Productions		 USA 1980 38 min TBD NR TBD 1 N/A Color June 1985
  • In honor of the featurette's 5th anniversary.
A501 Planet of the Dinosaurs
From Gold Key Entertainment		 USA 1977 85 min TBD PG Matted 1.85 1 N/A Color November 1985

1986

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)
A280 Rainbow Bridge
From Transvue Pictures Corp.		 USA 1971 74 min TBD edited version R Matted 1.85 1 N/A Color June 1986
  • Previously available from Independent United Distributors.
A515 Jack London's Tales of the Klondike Vol. 1: The Unexpected
From Norfolk Communications		 Canada 1981 60 min TBD NR 16mm 1 N/A Color August 1986
  • In honor of the miniseries' 5th anniversary.
A516 Jack London's Tales of the Klondike Vol. 2: The Scorn of Women
From Norfolk Communications		 Canada 1981 60 min TBD NR 16mm 1 N/A Color August 1986
  • In honor of the miniseries' 5th anniversary.
A517 Jack London's Tales of the Klondike Vol. 3: In a Far Country
From Norfolk Communications		 Canada 1981 60 min TBD NR 16mm 1 N/A Color August 1986
  • In honor of the miniseries' 5th anniversary.
A518 Jack London's Tales of the Klondike Vol. 4: The Race for Number One
From Norfolk Communications		 Canada 1981 60 min TBD NR 16mm 1 N/A Color August 1986
  • In honor of the miniseries' 5th anniversary.
A750 Dracula: The Great Undead
From Atlantis Films		 Canada/UK 1982 52 min TBD NR TBD 1 N/A Color October 1986
A900 The Bruce Jenner Winning Workout
From Active Home Productions		 USA 1984 81 min TBD NR NTSC-M 1 N/A Color Mid-1986
  • Reuses the December 1984 face label and print master.

1987

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)
A107 Soundies Volume 1
From Above Board Productions
Special thanks to the UCLA Film Archives		 USA 1987 57 min TBD NR Academy 1 N/A Color January 1987
A425 The Greenstone
From Zacharia Productions		 USA 1980 38 min TBD NR TBD 1 N/A Color 1987
  • Reuses the June 1985 face label and print master.

1988

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)
A907 Life's a Beach Surfgear Video
From Vista Media in association with Life's a Beach, Inc.		 USA 1988 60 min TBD NR NTSC-M 1 N/A Color H2 1988
A915 Team Haro: Freestyle BMX
From Vista Media in association with Haro Designs		 USA 1988 35 min TBD NR NTSC-M 1 N/A Color H1 1988
  • On some copies, the face label is silkscreen-inked.

1989

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)

1990

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Catalog number Title Country of origin Original year Length Version MPAA rating Film format Tape count Tape break placement (if applicable) Color Released Note(s)
H090 On the Road with Jack Kerouac
From Halo Productions		 USA 1990 73 min TBD NR Academy 1 N/A Color June 15, 1990
A501 Planet of the Dinosaurs
From Four Star International		 USA 1977 85 min TBD PG Matted 1.85 1 N/A Color 1990
H676 Sea of Dreams
From Halo Productions		 USA 1990 TBD min TBD TBD Academy 1 N/A Color August 1990

Trivia

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  • The on-screen logo that has appeared on this label's releases since 1986 is most infamous for its jingle being a knockoff/soundalike rendition of the "Deep Note", the trademark jingle of THX.
  • On the earlier logo that appeared on releases prior to the above mentioned year, the jingle sounds almost similar to that of the on-screen logo for "Paramount Video", as featured on some of Paramount Home Video's 1982-1988 releases.

Locations

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  • Beverly Hills, California (1984-1986)
  • Los Angeles, California (1986-1990)

Duplicators

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See also

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