Prism Leisure Corporation

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Prism Leisure Corporation Plc
TypePublic limited company
GenrePublisher and distributor of DVDs and Videos, CDs and Cassettes, Video Games and Toys
Founded1980; 41 years ago (1980)
FounderGeoff Young
Defunct2010; 11 years ago (2010)
FateSold to and folded into FremantleMedia
Headquarters
Enfield, Middlesex
,
UK
Key people
Geoff Young
SubsidiariesOdyssey Video (2002-2010)

Prism Leisure Corporation was a distribution and publishing company which primarily focused on reissues and compilations, often at low prices. The company was located in Enfield, Middlesex, United Kingdom,[1] and was founded in 1980 as Geoff's Records by chairman Geoff Young.[2]

The company expanded in 2002[3] by acquiring competitors[4] and became the UK’s leading wholesaler and worldwide distributor of CDs, cassettes, computer games, videos and DVDs.[3] They also handled board games and toys.[1]

Products[]

DVD/video[]

Prism Leisure became a major publisher and distributor of budget home video on DVD and VHS. Titles include films such as Doomwatch, The Jigsaw Man, March or Die, The Brave Little Toaster, The Shawshank Redemption, Help! I'm a Fish, Treasure Island and The Whistle Blower. They also released television series including Birds of a Feather.

List of studios distributed by Prism Leisure[]

This is a selection of companies that had their DVDs released by Prism Leisure.

  • Abbey Home Media
  • Addictive Films
  • Carlton Video
  • DIC Entertainment
  • Digital Entertainment Limited
  • Film 2000
  • FremantleMedia
  • Full Moon Entertainment
  • Granada Ventures (done after the Carlton-Granada merger)
  • Lionsgate Home Entertainment (a few of their old films)
  • Medusa Pictures
  • Metrodome Distribution
  • M.I.A (also known as "Missing In Action", not to be confused with the 1984 film)
  • Momentum Pictures
  • Odyssey Video
  • Redbus Film Distribution (at this time, Redbus Home Entertainment)
  • Sanctuary Visual Entertainment
  • Second Sight Films
  • Tartan Films
  • Third Millennium
  • Troma

CD/cassette[]

The majority of Prism's musical catalogue were compilations and reissued material, including Jefferson Airplane's Feed Your Head: Live '67–'69. Several compilations by country music singer Kenny Rogers were also released and/or distributed by Prism throughout their existence, of both his solo and group material.

Video games[]

Prism Leisure entered the video game industry in 1986 by creating the label Endurance Games to publish the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad re-releases of System 3's International Karate[2] and purchasing Addictive Games, home of the best-selling Football Manager, the following year.[5] Addictive was used as a full price label (with releases including HotShot, The Kristal and further Football Manager games) while the Paxman Promotions name was used for compilations. Prism also became the UK publisher for the US company First Star Software and saw them release new versions of some of their games, including Superman: The Game and Boulder Dash II. Many old games were licensed for compilations with some getting individual releases.[6]

Other merchandise[]

Prism Leisure also distributed board games and toys.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Prism Leisure Corporation Profile". Archived from the original on February 10, 2007. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Eddy, Richard (July 1988). "Fractured Light". The Games Machine (8). Newsfield. p. 7. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Reznor News". Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  4. ^ Minns, Adam (2002-11-13). "UK's Prism Leisure acquires Odyssey | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 2014-03-24.
  5. ^ "News Input: Cheapies". Crash (40). Newsfield. May 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Silverbird History". The Bird Sanctuary. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
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