HandMade Films
HandMade Films is a film production company founded in 1979 by George Harrison and Denis O'Brien .
history
The company was formed when during production of the film The Life of Brian , the EMI withdrew its financial commitment and the Monty Python so that two million pounds were missing for the completion of the film. George Harrison , ex- Beatle and fan of the Pythons, stepped in with four million US dollars on the grounds that he wanted to see the finished film - the most expensive cinema ticket in the world, as was later blasphemed. However, Harrison's involvement also had tax reasons.
HandMade Films , created in collaboration with Harrison's business friend Denis O'Brien, subsequently produced some of the most important films on the British cinema scene. Eric Idle even claimed that if you took away the HandMade films , nothing would be left of the British film scene of the 1980s . Furthermore opened Handmade films actors like Bob Hoskins , Pierce Brosnan , Robbie Coltrane and Richard E. Grant the opportunity for a film career.
In 1994 George Harrison sold the company to the Canadian Paragon Entertainment Corporation and successfully sued O'Brien for damages for losses for which he was responsible as managing director.
Films (excerpt)
- The Life of Brian ( Monty Python's Life of Brian , 1979)
- Life imprisonment - A nightmare behind bars ( A Sense of Freedom , 1979)
- Rififi on Good Friday ( The Long Good Friday 1980)
- Time Bandits ( Time Bandits , 1981)
- Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl ( Monty Python live at the Hollywood Bowl , 1982)
- The missionary ( The Missionary , 1982)
- Blackout in Hell's Paradise ( Scrubbers , 1982)
- Hey soldier, your bag is on fire ( Privates on Parade , 1983)
- A Reckless Sky Dog ( Bullshot , 1983)
- Lean Times ( A Private Function , 1984)
- Water - The Movie ( Water , 1985)
- Shanghai Surprise ( Shanghai Surprise , 1986)
- Mona Lisa ( Mona Lisa , 1986)
- Penguins in the Bronx ( Five Corners , 1987)
- Withnail & I ( Withnail & I , 1988)
- Bellman & True ( Bellman and True , 1988)
- Track 29 - A Dangerous Game ( Track 29 , 1988)
- The great desire of Judith Hearne ( The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne , 1988)
- The Raggedy Rawney ( The Raggedy Rawney , 1989)
- A successful man ( How to get ahead in Advertising , 1989)
- Two Cheyennes on the Highway ( Pow Wow Highway , 1990)
- Nuns on the Run ( Nuns on the Run , 1990)
- Cold Dog ( Cold Dog Soup , 1990)
The following HandMade films were produced after the company was sold to Paragon Entertainment:
- Bube, Dame, König, GraAs ( lock, stock & two smoking barrels , 1998)
- Planet 51 (2009)