Anchor Bay Entertainment
History
[edit]On May 12, 1995, the Handleman Company combined two labels, Video Treasures and Starmaker Entertainment, to form an umbrella distribution company, Anchor Bay Entertainment. This merger also included affiliated budget home video and music labels (all of which were previously part of Video Treasures), such as MNTEX Entertainment, Teal Entertainment and Burbank Video, alongside Video Treasures's pre-existing distribution deals with Drive Entertainment and GTS Records.
On the Video Treasures side, Anchor Bay retained its deal with Britt Allcroft as well as the sell-through distribution rights to a majority of the now defunct Media Home Entertainment's library. On the Starmaker Entertainment side, it retained its relationship with R&G Video, particularly for distributing Trans Atlantic Entertainment's library.
On June 16, 1995, Anchor Bay Entertainment secured a new duplication pact with Allied Digital Technologies, subsequently leading to the termination of a previous half-decade pact with Technicolor Video Services by the end of July 1995. Eventually, by October, it was reported that trouble ensued during the first few months of the new pact. By 1996, the Burbank Video name was phased out completely in favor of the Video Treasures name.
By the middle of 1998, the Video Treasures, MNTEX and Starmaker brands were phased out, with newer releases coming under the Anchor Bay Entertainment name. The company soon expanded to DVDs. In 2000, the company expanded to the UK.
In December 2003, the company was sold to IDT Entertainment. In 2004, it secured licensing deals with Stephen J. Cannell Productions and The Carsey-Werner Company, and attempted a deal with Ember Entertainment. In the middle of September, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment became the exclusive distribution agent for Anchor Bay, while Anchor Bay would retain its own marketing and sales.
In 2006, Liberty Media purchased IDT Entertainment and subsequently, IDT Entertainment was renamed to Starz Media. A year later, Anchor Bay itself became Starz Home Entertainment and prepared to begin producing high-definition Blu-rays. Another year later, the company soon reverted back to the Anchor Bay Entertainment name.
In 2011, 25% of Starz Media was sold to The Weinstein Company, and as a result, Starz Media secured distribution rights to The Weinstein Company's films. Starz bought back TWC's stake in 2015.
In 2015, the UK branch of Anchor Bay was sold to managing director Colin Lomax and subsequently, that branch was renamed to Platform Entertainment. In 2016, Starz became a subsidiary of Lionsgate. Later on, Anchor Bay Entertainment completely merged into Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
On February 15, 2024, the rights to the Anchor Bay Entertainment name were acquired by Umbrelic Entertainment co-founders Thomas Zambeck and Brian Katz, who subsequently relaunched the company with plans to have it offer "genre films, undiscovered treasures, cult classics, and remastered catalog releases". Lionsgate would retain the rights to much of the library of the earlier Anchor Bay company, which is otherwise unconnected.
Pre-1998
[edit]Since 1998
[edit]1998
[edit]| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1220 | Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: Thomas and His Friends Get Along | USA | 1998 | 30 min | TBD | NR | NTSC-M | 1 | N/A | Color | 1998 | |
| AB1231 | Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: Thomas Comes to Breakfast | USA | 1998 | 30 min | TBD | NR | NTSC-M | 1 | N/A | Color | 1998 | |
| AB1232 | Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: A Big Day For Thomas | USA | 1998 | 30 min | TBA | NR | NTSC-M | 1 | N/A | Color | 1998 |
1999
[edit]| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1221 | Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: Cranky Bugs and Other Thomas Stories | USA | 1999 | 30 min | TBD | NR | NTSC-M | 1 | TBD | Color | 1999 | |
| AB1222 | Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 1999 | 30 min | TBD | NR | NTSC-M | 1 | TBD | Color | 1999 | |
| AB1235 | 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends | USA | 1999 | 30 min | TBA | NR | NTSC-M | 1 | TBD | Color | 1999 | |
| SV10856 | The Car | USA | 1977 | 96 min | TBD | PG | TBD | 1 | TBD | Color | July 20, 1999 |
2000
[edit]| Catalog number | Title | Country of origin | Original year | Length | Version | MPAA rating | Tape count | Tape break placement (if applicable) | Color | Released | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1220 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas And His Friends Get Along | USA | 1998 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2000 | |
| AB1223 | Thomas and Friends: Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills | USA | 2000 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2000 | |
| AB1224 | Thomas and Friends: Make Someone Happy and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 2000 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2000 | |
| AB1231 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas Comes To Breakfast and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 1998 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2000 | |
| SV11509 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas' Christmas Wonderland | USA | 2000 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2000 |
2001
[edit]| Catalog number | Title | Country of origin | Original year | Length | Version | Format | MPAA rating | Tape count | Tape break placement (if applicable) | Color | Released | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1202 | Thomas and Friends: James Learns A Lesson and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 1990 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1216 | Thomas and Friends: The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 1996 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1221 | Thomas and Friends: Cranky Bugs and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 1999 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1222 | Thomas and Friends: Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 1999 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1235 | 10 Years of Thomas & Friends | USA | 1999 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1240 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas' Trackside Tunes | USA | 2001 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1252 | Thomas and Friends: Best of Percy | USA | 2001 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| AB1260 | Thomas and Friends: Best of Thomas | USA | 2001 | 30 Minutes | TBA | VHS | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 | |
| DV12919 | Thomas and Friends: Best of Thomas | USA | 2001 | 30 Minutes | TBA | DVD | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2001 |
2002
[edit]| Catalog number | Title | Country of origin | Original year | Length | Version | MPAA rating | Tape count | Tape break placement (if applicable) | Color | Released | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1214 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas And The Special Letter | USA | 1995 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2002 | |
| AB1215 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas and His Friends Help Out | USA | 1996 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2002 | |
| AB1217 | Thomas and Friends: Sing-Along and Stories | USA | 1997 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2002 | |
| AB1262 | Thomas and Friends: Best of James | USA | 2002 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2002 | |
| AB1281 | Thomas and Friends: Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 2002 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2002 |
2003
[edit]| Catalog number | Title | Country of origin | Original year | Length | Version | MPAA rating | Tape count | Tape break placement (if applicable) | Color | Released | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1206 | Thomas and Friends: Trust Thomas And Other Stories | USA | 1992 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 | |
| AB1207 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas Gets Bumped And Other Stories | USA | 1992 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 | |
| AB1208 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas, Percy and the Dragon And Other Stories | USA | 1993 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 | |
| AB1290 | Thomas and Friends: Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 2003 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 | |
| AB1303 | Thomas and Friends: Best of Gordon | USA | 2003 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 | |
| AB1314 | Thomas and Friends: James And The Red Balloon and Other Thomas Adventures | USA | 2003 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 | |
| AB1322 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas' Snowy Surprise | USA | 2003 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2003 |
2004
[edit]| Catalog number | Title | Country of origin | Original year | Length | Version | MPAA rating | Tape count | Tape break placement (if applicable) | Color | Released | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1322 | Thomas and Friends: Thomas' Snowy Surprise | USA | 2003 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2004 | |
| AB1324 | Thomas and Friends: New Friends For Thomas | USA | 2004 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2004 |
2005
[edit]| Catalog number | Title | Country of origin | Original year | Length | Version | MPAA rating | Tape count | Tape break placement (if applicable) | Color | Released | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB1202 | Thomas and Friends: James Learns A Lesson | USA | 1990 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2005 | |
| AB1332 | Thomas and Friends: Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures | USA | 2005 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2005 | |
| AB1335 | Thomas and Friends: Percy Saves the Day and Other Adventures | USA | 2005 | 30 Minutes | TBA | N/A | TBA | TBA | Color | 2005 |
Duplicators
[edit]- Allied Digital Technologies, Clinton, TN (1995-2000)
- Cinram International Inc., Huntsville, AL (2004-20??)
- GTK Duplicating Co., Toronto, ON (1995-2000) (Canadian releases through HGV Video Productions)
- Premiere Video, Livonia, MI (2000-2004)
- Technicolor Video Services, Livonia, MI (1995)