Touchstone Pictures
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| Touchstone Pictures | |
|---|---|
| Image:TouchstoneLogo.jpg | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Founded | Burbank, California, USA (1984) |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California, USA |
| Key people | John E. Pepper, Jr., Chairman Robert Iger, President/CEO |
| Industry | Motion pictures |
| Revenue | Image:Green Arrow Up Darker.svg |
| Operating income | Image:Red Arrow Down.svg |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company |
| Parent | Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Inc. |
| Website | www.touchstonepictures.com |
Touchstone Pictures (also known as Touchstone Films in its early years) is one of several alternate film labels of The Walt Disney Company, established in 1984. Its releases typically feature more mature themes than those that gets released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner. Touchstone Pictures is merely a brand and does not exist as a separate company: the two de facto companies behind it are Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Inc. and Walt Disney Pictures and Television[1].
Contents |
[edit] Background
Walt Disney Productions' film The Black Hole (1979), a science fiction film that sparked controversy due to the fact that it was the first Disney production to receive a PG rating (the company, however, had already distributed its first PG-rated film, Take Down— without the Disney name visible —almost a year before the release of The Black Hole.) Over the next few years, Disney experimented with more PG-rated fare, such as the 1981 film Condorman, 1982's Tron and 1983's Never Cry Wolf and Trenchcoat. The latter film attracted major criticism for including adult themes that were considered inappropriate for a Disney film.[2] The controversy over Trenchcoat is generally considered the catalyst that later sparked the creation of Touchstone Pictures. One title considered for the new company was "Hyperion Pictures," named after the location of the studio in the 1930s before the move to Burbank. Eventually, Hyperion would become the name of Disney's publishing arm.
Started by then Disney CEO Ron W. Miller in 1984, Touchstone's first release was Splash, a huge hit for Walt Disney Productions, grossing $68 million at the domestic boxoffice[3]. Splash included brief nudity on the part of star Daryl Hannah and occasional inappropriate language, earning a PG-rating. Yet another Disney film label was started in 1990, Hollywood Pictures, with the release of Arachnophobia.
The Touchstone films became a top source of income for Disney during the 1980s and 1990s. Disney's first R-rated film, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, came in January of 1986 and was another smash. Ruthless People followed in April of 1986 and was also huge. Both of these pictures starred Bette Midler who had signed a six picture deal with Disney and became a major film star again with these hits as well as Beaches and Outrageous Fortune.
One of the key suppliers of Touchstone films within the last decade has been producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who has had a production deal with Disney since the early 90’s[4], and his Touchstone titles include; The Ref, Con Air, Armageddon, Enemy of the State, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Coyote Ugly, Pearl Harbor, Bad Company, Veronica Guerin, King Arthur and Déjà Vu. In addition, Bruckheimer has also produced several other movies released under the Walt Disney Pictures and Hollywood Pictures labels.
Some other well-known Touchstone Pictures releases includes Dead Poets Society, Pretty Woman, Sister Act and The Insider.
Following the success of the Disney-branded PG-13 rated Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003 and other films which would in the 1980s and 90's have been assigned the Touchstone (or Hollywood Pictures) names. Disney has decided to weight distribution of films more toward Disney-branded films and away from Touchstone films, though not entirely disbanding them[5].
Many films from the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group have during the course of their prior release dates been shifting between the Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures imprints before finally settling for one. Examples include; Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Dick Tracy, The Rocketeer, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Santa Clause, Remember the Titans, Sweet Home Alabama, Bringing Down the House, National Treasure, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dark Water, Hidalgo and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
[edit] Touchstone Television
Disney's former non-Disney branded television division, Touchstone Television Productions, LLC (formerly known as Touchstone Pictures and Television (itself an alternate version of Walt Disney Pictures and Television) and later Touchstone Television), is known for being the production company of the series The Golden Girls, Blossom, Boy Meets World (all three began before Disney's ABC acquisition), My Wife and Kids, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and Scrubs.
On February 8 2007 at the Disney Investor Conference, Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney, announced that they would rebrand Touchstone Television to ABC Television Studio in order tie its successful productions more closely with the ABC brand. The announcement was made as part of a company-wide strategy to focus on three core brands, Disney, ABC and ESPN[6]. In May 2007, the television production company yet again changed its name, this time to ABC Studios.
[edit] Touchstone Games
By the end of 2007, Disney's video game subsidiary Disney Interactive Studios began to produce material under its own Touchstone imprint. As is the case with its motion picture and television counterparts, Touchstone merely acts as a label/imprint of Disney Interactive and not its own entity. The first such release is the upcoming Turok video game in 2008.
[edit] List of Touchstone Pictures features
| It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled List of films released by Touchstone Pictures. (Discuss) |
[edit] 1980s
- Where the Heart Is (1990)
- Pretty Woman (1990)
- Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
- Spaced Invaders (1990)
- Fire Birds (1990)
- Dick Tracy (1990)
- Betsy's Wedding (1990)
- Mr. Destiny (1990)
- 3 Men and a Little Lady (1990)
- Green Card (1990)
- Oscar (1991)
- What About Bob? (1991)
- The Doctor (1991)
- Scenes from a Mall (1991)
- True Identity (1991)
- Deceived (1991)
- Paradise (1991)
- Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)
- The Rocketeer (1991)
- Billy Bathgate (1991)
- Father of the Bride (1991)
- Noises Off... (1992, co-production with Amblin Entertainment)
- Sister Act (1992)
- A Stranger Among Us (1992)
- The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (1992)
- 3 Ninjas (1992)
- Crossing the Bridge (1992)
- Captain Ron (1992)
- Alive (1993, co-production with Paramount Pictures)
- The Cemetery Club (1993)
- Indian Summer (1993)
- Life with Mikey (1993)
- What's Love Got to Do with It? (1993)
- Another Stakeout (1993)
- My Boyfriend's Back (1993)
- The Program (1993)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)
- Cabin Boy (1994)
- My Father the Hero (1994)
- The Ref (1994, in association with Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer)
- The Inkwell (1994)
- When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)
- Renaissance Man (1994, co-production with Cinergi Pictures)
- I Love Trouble (1994)
- It's Pat (1994)
- A Simple Twist of Fate (1994)
- Ed Wood (1994)
- Bad Company (1995)
- Jerky Boys: The Movie (1995)
- Jefferson in Paris (1995, in association with Merchant Ivory Productions)
- Mad Love (1995)
- Feast of July (1995, in association with Merchant Ivory Productions)
- Father of the Bride Part II (1995)
- Mr.Wong (1996)
- An Indian in the City (1996 US release of a 1994 French film from Canal Plus/TF1)
- Up Close & Personal (1996, co-production with Cinergi Pictures)
- Two Much (1996, co-production with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment)
- Boys (1996, co-production with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment)
- Last Dance (1996)
- Phenomenon (1996)
- Kazaam (1996, co-production with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment)
- The War at Home (1996)
- Ransom (1996, in association with Imagine Entertainment)
- The Preacher's Wife (1996, in association with The Samuel Goldwyn Company)
- Metro (1997)
- The Sixth Man (1997)
- Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
- Con Air (1997, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Face/Off (1997, co-production with Paramount Pictures)
- Nothing to Lose (1997)
- A Thousand Acres (1997, presentation of a Beacon Communications/PolyGram Filmed Entertainment production)
- Playing God (1997, co-production with Beacon Communications)
- Starship Troopers (1997, co-production with Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures)
- Kundun (1997)
- Krippendorf's Tribe (1998)
- He Got Game (1998, co-production with 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)
- The Horse Whisperer (1998)
- Six Days Seven Nights (1998)
- Armageddon (1998, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998)
- Snake Eyes (1998, co-production with Paramount Pictures)
- Holy Man (1998)
- Beloved (1998, in association with Harpo Productions)
- The Waterboy (1998)
- Enemy of the State (1998, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- A Civil Action (1998, co-production with Paramount Pictures and Scott Rudin Productions)
- Rushmore (1999)
- The Other Sister (1999)
- Cradle Will Rock (1999)
- 10 Things I Hate about You (1999)
- Instinct (1999, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Summer of Sam (1999, co-production with 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)
- The 13th Warrior (1999)
- Mumford (1999)
- Bringing Out the Dead (1999, co-production with Paramount Pictures)
- The Insider (1999, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999, in association with Happy Madison)
- Runaway Bride (1999, in association with Paramount Pictures)
- Play It to the Bone (1999)
- Bicentennial Man (1999, co-production with Columbia Pictures and 1492 Pictures)
[edit] 2000s
- Mission to Mars (2000, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- High Fidelity (2000, in association with Working Title Films)
- Keeping the Faith (2000, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Shanghai Noon (2000, co production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Coyote Ugly (2000, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- The Crew (2000)
- Unbreakable (2000, in association with Barry Mendel Productions)
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000, co-production with Universal Pictures, Working Title Films and Studio Canal)
- Double Take (2001)
- Pearl Harbor (2001, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Crazy/Beautiful (2001)
- High Heels and Low Lifes (2001)
- Bubble Boy (2001)
- New Port South (2001)
- Corky Romano (2001)
- Out Cold (2001, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment and Donner's Company)
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
- Sorority Boys (2002, in association with MBST Entertainment)
- Big Trouble (2002)
- The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
- Bad Company (2002, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Ultimate X: The Movie (2002, in association with ESPN)
- Reign of Fire (2002, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Signs (2002, in association with The Kennedy/Marshall Company)
- Moonlight Mile (2002)
- Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
- The Hot Chick (2002, co-production with Happy Madison)
- 25th Hour (2003, co-production with 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)
- The Recruit (2003, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Shanghai Knights (2003, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Bringing Down the House (2003)
- Hope Springs (2003)
- Calendar Girls (2003)
- Cold Creek Manor (2003)
- Open Range (2003, co-production with Beacon Communications)
- Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
- Veronica Guerin (2003, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Hidalgo (2004)
- The Ladykillers (2004)
- The Alamo (2004, in association with Imagine Entertainment)
- Raising Helen (2004, co-production with Beacon Communications)
- King Arthur (2004, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- The Village (2004, in association with Scott Rudin Productions)
- Mr. 3000 (2004, co-production with Dimension Films, Spyglass Entertainment and The Kennedy/Marshall Company)
- Ladder 49 (2004, co-production with Beacon Communications)
- The Last Shot (2004, in association with MBST Entertainment)
- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004, in association with Scott Rudin Productions)
- A Lot Like Love (2005, co-production with Beacon Communications)
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005, co-production with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Flightplan (2005, in association with Imagine Entertainment)
- Dark Water (2005)
- Goal! The Dream Begins (2005, in association with Lawrence Bender Productions)
- Cinderella Man (2005, co-production with Miramax Films, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment)
- Shopgirl (2005)
- Casanova (2005)
- Kinky Boots (2005, co-production with Miramax Films)
- Night Moves (2005,co-production with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Annapolis (2006)
- Stick It (2006, in association with Spyglass Entertainment)
- Step Up (2006, in association with Summit Entertainment)
- The Guardian (2006, co-production with Beacon Communications)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (2006) (re-released version in 2006) (co-production with Walt Disney Pictures)
- The Prestige (2006, co-production with Warner Bros. and Newmarket Films)
- Deja Vu (2006, in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films)
- Apocalypto (2006, presentation of an Icon Entertainment production)
- Wild Hogs (2007)
- Dan in Real Life (2007)
- No Hills For Dead Women (2007) (with Paramount Pictures)
- Further Adventures In Babysitting (co-distributed with Walt Disney Pictures)
- Cold Fear (2008)
- Words (2009)(co-production with Columbia, MGM, Spyglass, American International and Amblin)
[edit] Notes
Touchstone Distributed Films that were deals with: Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox,Columbia Pictures,Tri-Star Pictures,DreamWorks and Warner Bros.
Two Films With Universal Pictures: O,Bother Where Art Thou and the upcoming The Flood
10 Films with 20th Century Fox: Dogs In The Office,Cutting Trees,15 Citys,About Dreams,The Men in flags,Entering Spratland and the upcoming death were made by Touchstone / Fox and released 2005-Present. For Dogs In The Office,Cutting Trees,About Dreams and The Men in Flags . Fox released the films in the US and Touchstone released them internationally. For Shopgirl,15 Citys,Entering Spratland and Death. Touchstone released the film in US and Fox released them internationally. Shopgirl, Fighting Dead Man is also an announced Fox/Touchstone movie. There will be lots more Fox/Touchstone releases.
8 films with Paramount Pictures: Alive,Face/Off,Snake Eyes,A Civil Action,Bringing Out the Dead,Runaway Bride and the upcoming "No Hills For Dead Women".
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ The Walt Disney Company SEC filing Form 10-K For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2006, page 15
- ^ Trivia for Trenchcoat (1983). IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-11-23.
- ^ 1984 Yearly Chart for Domestic Grosses at boxofficemojo.com, Retrieved on May 25 2007.
- ^ Lev, Michael (January 18, 1991, Friday), 2 Top Movie Producers Sign Disney Accord, The New York Times Financial Desk. Late Edition - Final, Section D, Page 3, Column 1, 286 words
- ^ The Walt Disney Company SEC filing Form 10-K For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2006, page 15
- ^ The Walt Disney Company News Release, "Disney-ABC Television Group Renames Television Studio". Retrieved on May 25 2007
[edit] See also
- A Trip Through the Walt Disney Studios, a documentary from 1937
- Buena Vista Home Entertainment
- Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
- List of notable Disney feature films for both live-action and animated films released under the Disney label
- Walt Disney Studios
[edit] External links
- Touchstone Pictures - Official website.
- Touchstone Pictures at the Internet Movie Database
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