Film Ventures International
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Film Ventures International (FVI) was one of the most notorious production companies in the motion picture industry. The company, founded by Edward L. Montoro in 1968, had a goal of producing independent films, and acquiring international film productions, mostly from Italy.
Montoro served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FVI, and directed and wrote the company's first feature. It was an adult film entitled "Getting into Heaven", which eventually made 20 times its $13,000 budget. FVI also had some success with the acquisition of the sequel to the "Trinity" films, entitled "Boot Hill", in 1969.
Montoro and FVI expanded in the early 1970s and the company began making such impressions in theaters and in the drive-in market with the films distributed, becoming known for releasing exploitable film product. FVI acquired "Beyond the Door" in 1974, an Italian-made clone of "The Exorcist". The film prompted a law-suit by Warner Bros. claiming copyright infrigment from their film "The Exorcist". However the law-suit was eventually dropped, during court rulings when it was discovered that Warner Bros. had no rights to some of the key scenes depicted in "The Exorcist". Nevertheless, "Beyond the Door" went on to become a successful release for FVI and earned over $9 million in box office recepits in 1974.
"Grizzly", which was directed by the late William Girdler, is perhaps the most notable film that was produced and released by FVI and Edward Montoro. The film, about a killer grizzly bear attacking a National Forest, starring Christopher George and Richard Jaeckel, and shot in Georgia on a $750,000 budget, became the most finanically successful independent films of 1976, earning over $38 million dollars worldwide and breaking box office records. However Montoro's decision to keep profits for himself, eventually lead director Girdler and the film's co-producers to file suit against Montoro and FVI to have the profits returned. William Girdler eventually reteamed with Montoro and FVI the following year to direct another killer animal feature entitled "Day of the Animals", shot in California with an all-star cast. Other efforts released in the late 1970's produced and/or acquired by FVI included "Beyond the Door II", "Survival Run", "The Shape of Things to Come" and "The Dark".
In 1980, FVI acquired an Italian-made "Jaws" clone entitled "Great White", starring James Franciscus and Vic Morrow. Edward Montoro and FVI spent nearly $4 million dollars in advertising and the film was released to great success; however Universal Pictures, the distributor of "Jaws", filed a multi-million dollar law-suit against Montoro and FVI claiming the film was too derivative of "Jaws". Universal Pictures won the law-suit and "Great White" was eventually pulled from theaters. Despite Universal's successful suit, this was not the reason why FVI would face bankruptcy in the years following.
FVI and Edward Montoro formed a subsidiary arm company, Artists Releasing Corporation (ARC) in 1982, and the two companies had successful releases in the early 1980s with films such as "Kill or Be Killed", "They Call Me Bruce", "The Incubus", "Vigilante" and "Mutant". However by the beginning of 1984, the costs, marketing and advertising of their films began to see major financial problems. FVI also poured thousands of dollars into some of their finished films such as "Alley Cat" and "The Power", that performed poorly at the box office. Edward Montoro's own personal problems began to catch up with him as well. The year prior, Montoro had finished a divorce settlement with his wife, Joanne, and she was entitled to half of everything Montoro owned which also included FVI. Instead, Montoro allegedly took a million dollars in cash from the company and vanished, never seen again. Film Ventures International eventually went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and collapsed in 1985 and was later bought by the INI Corporation.
Some of FVI's films are still re-released today by small-scale companies, which include Anchor Bay and Platinum Disc Corp.. The cult TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 also screened several films which had been given the Film Ventures treatment.
Films Produced/Released from Film Ventures International:
Getting Into Heaven (1968) Boot Hill (1969) When Women Had Tails (1971) The Cauldron of Death (1972) The Legend of Blood Castle (1973) Mr. Sycamore (1973) Beyond the Door (1974) Night Child (1974) Sundance Cassidy and The Butch Kid (1975) Secrets of the Gods (1976) Grizzly (1976) Day of the Animals (1977) The Force Beyond (1978) Beyond the Door II (1978) Survival Run (1979) The Shape of Things to Come (1979) The Dark (1979) Hometown USA (1979) Great White (1980) The Incubus (1981) Kill or Be Killed (1981) Kill and Kill Again (1982) Pieces (1982) The Act (1982) Alley Cat (1982) They Call Me Bruce (1982) The Power (1982) Vigilante (1983) Mortuary (1983) The House on Sorority Row (1983) Splitz (1984) Torchlight (1984) Mutant (1984)
