15 Facts About EMI Films

EMI Films moved into film production with the foundation of a new company, EMI Films-Elstree.

EMI Films's aim was to keep budgets down and create a varied slate which would increase the chances of appealing to audiences and making a sufficient return to continue productions.

Forbes felt as though he did not have the support of the EMI board, arguing that he never had the funds to market his films, in contrast with those available to Anglo-EMI, which was headed by Nat Cohen.

EMI Films had made eleven films in total for an estimated cost of £4 million.

EMI Films turned down Ned Kelly because its projected budget was too high.

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Forbes was given the title of managing director of MGM-EMI Films to add to his existing title of head of production.

In July 1970 MGM-EMI Films announced they would make four co-productions: The Go-Between, Get Carter, The Boyfriend and The Last Run directed by John Boorman.

EMI Films announced by not made include The Last Gun and Chinese Bandit.

In July 1976, EMI Films bought Roger Gimbel's production company, Tomorrow Enterprises, and formed EMI Films Television, headed by Gimbel.

EMI Films backed out of funding Monty Python's Life of Brian at the last moment, after Bernard Delfont read the script and objected to its treatment of religion.

In March 1980, EMI Films were only making one film in Britain The Mirror Crack'd, which was released at the end of the year, but was a box-office failure.

EMI Films argued that "production and distribution are not linked" and pointed to the five Oscars that EMI films had earned.

Also in 1981, Thorn EMI entered the fast-growing home video market as Thorn EMI Video, featuring an initial line-up of 14 titles.

On 1 March 1983, EMI Films filed a lawsuit against United Artists, whereas EMI would finance WarGames, and UA would receive North American rights, while EMI received international rights to the film and pay $4.

EMI Films owned Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England; in turn, Cannon ended up purchasing the studio as well, but later sold it to Brent Walker in 1988, who in turn ended up selling half of the EMI Elstree Studios site to Tesco for a supermarket, before Hertsmere Council eventually acquired what was left of the Elstree Studios, and, as of 2018, continues to operate it as a film and television studios centre.