United International Pictures: Difference between revisions

'''United International Pictures''' ('''UIP''') is a joint venture of [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Universal Pictures]] that was founded to distribute some of the two studio's films theatrically outside United States (including territories), Canada and the Caribbean Basin. It also had rights to distribute films theatrically by [[DreamWorks Pictures]] (formerly had international releases through Universal from 1997-2005, and later owned by Viacom from 2005-08) and independent films. The company was formed in 1981 after [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|MGM]] purchased [[United Artists|UA]] and merged its international distribution and sales arm with what was then called "[[Cinema International Corporation]]", who once had a video division, [[Cinema International Corporation Video|CIC Video]]; with releases after November 1 that year falling under the UIP banner. However, UIP did not begin using a logo until the year after it formed in 1982. [[The Walt Disney Company|Walt Disney]]/[[Buena Vista International]] continued their distribution deals with UIP (Paramount) in Italy until 1991 (when they sent distribution through [[Sony Pictures Releasing International|Columbia Tri-Star]]), Australia through [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]] until 1986 (when they switched to [[Roadshow Films|Roadshow]]) as well as other regions such as Turkey and Brazil. BVI also distributed UIP releases in Finland until 2006 when [[Finnkino]] took over distribution from BVI in that region. UIP also co-financed and distributed Denzel Washington's 1989 film, ''For Queen and Country'', with [[The Rank Organisation|Rank]], and in the late 80s they also formed the organization which would later become [[UCI Cinemas]] together with [[United Artists Theaters]] and [[AMC Theatres]]. When DreamWorks Pictures was founded in 1994, due to their distribution arrangements with Universal and Paramount; they were added to UIP's release slate and when [[Orion Pictures]] was purchased by MGM in 1997, they were also added to UIP's distribution slate (most Orion titles were distributed by other companies such as Rank and [[SF Studios|Svensk Filmindustri]] at that time, because of this the only title UIP released from Orion was ''Storefront Hitchcock'', released in 1998).

In November 2000, MGM, one of the original founders, left UIP and its theatrical distribution rights were assumed by 20th Century Fox, with MGM's final release under the UIP banner being ''Return to Me'' a few months prior in June 2000. At the start of 2007, the company was split up between Paramount and Universal in certain territories. In France, Mexico, Brazil, and the UK, United International Pictures was renamed to "Paramount Pictures". In Germany, Italy, and other countries, United International Pictures was renamed to "Universal Pictures". Currently, this company still operates in smaller countries such as Argentina, Denmark, Turkey, South Africa, Hungary and Malaysia (thanks to a 2010 reorganization). UIP has also distributed a number of local productions in several countries.

===1st Logo (1982-1997)===