Bryanston Distributing Company is an American film distribution company that was very active during the early 1970s and was left dormant for almost thirty years. It is not to be confused with the British Bryanston Films (UK) or Bryanston Pictures the production arm which was liquidated when former director "Anthony Peraino" was prosecuted by the federal government on an obscenity charge stemming from the production and distribution of the film Deep Throat, which is recognized as possibly the most financially successful independent film of all time.
Bryanston was and still is, in the business of acquisition, finance and distribution of independently produced films and music of every type, nature and gauge through established agents but the company will not look at unsolicited submissions.
The company's first title was Return of the Dragon starring Bruce Lee. It also released of Andy Warhol's Frankenstein, an X-rated, 3D film that was later re-released under its European title, Flesh for Frankenstein.
Among the company's more notable releases was the 1974 horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Bryanston also released John Carpenter's first film, Dark Star, from the same year. Both of these became major cult film classics. The company courted controversy in 1975 with Ralph Bakshi's racially-tinged Coonskin. which was released at "BRYAN WEST" Theater 1607 Broadway, NY on August 20, 1975 after the rights were quitclaimed by Paramount. Unfortunately the film was too controversial for its time. Later in 1976, after the re-release of "That's The Way of the World" starring Harvey Keitel and Earth Wind and Fire, the company went dormant having released about twenty movies. During 2005 the company was resurrected and acquired rights to several large movie libraries. Bryanston is a privately held company.