Lumiere Pictures and Television

Lumiere Pictures and Television was a British-French film and television company associated with the long and frequently changing corporate history of EMI's British screen businesses. The name represented a later phase in the ownership and exploitation of a catalogue that originated with the film operations assembled by EMI after its takeover of Associated British Picture Corporation in 1969. Those assets included production, distribution and studio interests connected with Elstree, as well as rights to films made or released through several related corporate units. The company's ancestry therefore extends beyond a single production label. EMI's move into film followed its acquisition of ABPC, which brought the ABC cinema circuit, an interest in Thames Television, Elstree Studios and interests associated with Anglo-Amalgamated. EMI created EMI-Elstree and appointed writer-director Bryan Forbes to lead production in 1969. At the same time, Nat Cohen operated a more commercially oriented filmmaking and distribution division derived from Anglo-Amalgamated. These parallel operations produced and handled a mixture of British films, co-productions and internationally minded commercial projects. The early EMI period included an attempted partnership with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. From 1970, the companies used the MGM-EMI name for selected production and distribution activities, and the Elstree complex was temporarily identified as EMI-MGM Elstree Studios. MGM later withdrew from the arrangement in 1973, after which the distribution operation became EMI Film Distributors and the studio reverted to the EMI-Elstree name. During the 1970s, Nat Cohen became the principal production figure after Forbes's resignation, while Michael Deeley and Barry Spikings later joined the EMI film operation through the acquisition of British Lion Films. EMI's film business pursued both prestige and popular entertainment. Its output and associated distribution activities included literary adaptations, British comedies, thrillers, television spin-offs, horror films, historical and war pictures, and international co-productions. Murder on the Orient Express was among the period's most important commercial successes. The business also participated in films such as The Go-Between, Get Carter, The Boyfriend, The Railway Children, Tales of Beatrix Potter, On the Buses and Up Pompeii, although the performance of individual productions varied substantially. Over subsequent decades, the assets were reorganized and transferred through different owners and corporate names, including Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment and later Lumiere Pictures and Television. The business was acquired by UGC in 1996 through Cannon Films. UGC subsequently became part of the Canal+ corporate structure, while the associated film library ultimately passed to StudioCanal. The Lumiere name is consequently best understood as a historical studio, rights and distribution identity rather than a currently operating independent entertainment company. Its significance lies in the catalogue and production infrastructure inherited from the EMI film businesses and preserved through later media-industry consolidation.

The corporate history behind Lumiere Pictures and Television began with EMI's expansion into British film after the conglomerate acquired Associated British Picture Corporation in 1969. ABPC brought with it ABC Cinemas, a stake in Thames Television, Elstree Studios and interests connected with Anglo-Amalgamated. EMI reorganized these assets and created EMI-Elstree as a production centre. Bryan Forbes was appointed head of production and announced an ambitious programme of British films designed to give opportunities to newer filmmakers while maintaining relatively disciplined budgets. Forbes's slate included The Railway Children, The Go-Between, The Man Who Haunted Himself, Hoffman, And Soon the Darkness, The Raging Moon and Mr. Forbush and the Penguins. The early programme encountered weak commercial results, disagreements over artistic direction and financing, and tensions between Forbes's production group and Nat Cohen's Anglo-EMI operation. Cohen favoured projects with stronger international and commercial potential, while Forbes advocated a more distinctly British range of films. Forbes resigned in March 1971. The Railway Children and Tales of Beatrix Potter were among the clearest successes associated with his period, although later assessments disputed the extent of the programme's ultimate financial failure. EMI also sought a Hollywood connection. In 1970 it entered a production and distribution arrangement with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The joint activities were branded MGM-EMI, and the Elstree facility was temporarily renamed EMI-MGM Elstree Studios. Projects associated with the partnership included The Go-Between, Get Carter and The Boyfriend. MGM withdrew in 1973 and the operation reverted to EMI Film Distributors and EMI-Elstree Studios. After Forbes's departure, Nat Cohen assumed greater control over film production. His strategy emphasized accessible films, established genres and projects capable of travelling beyond the United Kingdom. The division supported or distributed commercially successful titles such as On the Buses and Up Pompeii, and its most prominent success was Murder on the Orient Express in 1974. EMI also worked with Hammer Film Productions and announced further slates involving literary adaptations, horror, war films, television spin-offs and popular comedy. In 1976 EMI bought British Lion Films, bringing Michael Deeley and Barry Spikings into the management of EMI Distributors. Cohen resigned as chairman at the end of 1977. The screen assets continued to be reorganized as EMI's corporate structure changed. The succession of names included EMI Films, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment and Lumiere Pictures and Television. The business operated across film, television, animation and distribution, while its catalogue became increasingly important relative to the original production infrastructure. In 1996 UGC acquired the United Kingdom-based Lumiere Pictures and Television through Cannon Films. Later ownership changes placed the library within the Canal+ group structure, and the catalogue is now associated with StudioCanal. The Elstree studio assets followed their own ownership path and were separated from the continuing rights history. Lumiere Pictures and Television is therefore a defunct historical identity whose principal legacy is its inherited library and its place in the development of British commercial film production and distribution.

• 1996

  UGC acquires Lumiere Pictures and Television

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  UGC acquires the British-based company through Cannon Films, beginning the later ownership transition of the library into the Canal+ and StudioCanal orbit.

• 1976

  British Lion Films is acquired

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  EMI purchases British Lion Films and appoints Michael Deeley and Barry Spikings as joint managing directors of EMI Distributors.

• 1974

  Murder on the Orient Express becomes a major success

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  The film becomes the most prominent commercial success of Nat Cohen's EMI period and achieved major international box-office impact.

• 1973

  MGM exits the arrangement

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  The MGM-EMI amalgamation ends and the distribution and studio businesses return to EMI branding.

• 1971

  Forbes leaves the production leadership

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Bryan Forbes resigns after a troubled initial production period, with Nat Cohen taking over broader production responsibilities.

• 1970

  MGM-EMI partnership begins

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  EMI and MGM create joint production and distribution activities and temporarily rename the Elstree facility EMI-MGM Elstree Studios.

• 1969

  EMI enters large-scale British film production

  [1]Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org

  Following its acquisition of ABPC, EMI establishes EMI-Elstree and appoints Bryan Forbes to lead production at Elstree.

A British-French screen-entertainment and distribution identity associated with commercially oriented British production, international co-productions and the management of a substantial inherited film library.

• Film production and distribution

  Feature films

  The company and its predecessor EMI businesses produced, co-produced or distributed British and international feature films across literary drama, comedy, thriller, horror, war and historical genres. The catalogue includes titles associated with EMI-Elstree, Anglo-EMI and later corporate iterations.

• Television production and distribution

  Television programmes

  Television was part of the broader screen-entertainment scope associated with the company and its corporate predecessors. The business also handled or participated in the distribution of screen properties connected with the United Kingdom television market.

• Animation production and distribution

  Animation

  Animation formed part of the stated business activities of the British-French studio and distributor, although the available reference material does not identify a complete standalone animation product line.

• Audiovisual rights library

  Film library

  The inherited catalogue became the company's most durable asset. After the 1996 UGC acquisition and subsequent Canal+ ownership changes, the library passed into StudioCanal ownership and exploitation.

• 1996

  Sell the business to UGCM&A

  Background

  The Lumiere operation and its library were being managed within a changing European film-industry ownership landscape.

  Action taken

  UGC acquired the United Kingdom-based Lumiere Pictures and Television through Cannon Films.

  Aftermath

  The assets later moved through the Canal+ ownership structure and the library became part of StudioCanal's catalogue.

  Source

• 1976

  Acquire British Lion FilmsM&A

  Background

  EMI expanded its film capabilities and management base through the purchase of British Lion Films.

  Action taken

  Michael Deeley and Barry Spikings joined EMI Distributors as joint managing directors.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition strengthened the executive leadership of EMI's film activities during a period of continuing corporate and market change.

  Source

• 1970

  Partner with Metro-Goldwyn-MayerM&A

  Background

  EMI wanted additional financing, production capacity and international reach for its British film activities.

  Action taken

  EMI and MGM formed MGM-EMI production and distribution operations and combined their Elstree-related activities for a period.

  Aftermath

  MGM withdrew in 1973, after which the businesses returned to EMI-only branding.

  Source

• 1969

  Create a major EMI-Elstree production programmeStrategy

  Background

  EMI sought to use ABPC's assets and Elstree Studios to establish a substantial British film production operation.

  Action taken

  The company appointed Bryan Forbes and announced a large slate spanning commercially accessible and prestige-oriented projects.

  Aftermath

  The programme produced several notable films but faced weak early returns, internal disputes and financing constraints; Forbes resigned in 1971.

  Source

1. 1Lumiere Pictures and Televisionen.wikipedia.org