Arrow Films

For the silent American company, see Arrow Film Corporation.
Arrow Films
IndustryFilm distribution
Founded1991; 33 years ago (1991) in Hertfordshire, England
ProductsDVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray
ServicesArrow Player (subscription service)
OwnerTHG plc
Websitearrowfilms.com

Arrow Films is a British independent film distributor and restorer specialising in world cinema, arthouse, horror and classic films. As Arrow Video, it sells Ultra HD Blu-rays, Blu-rays and DVDs online; it also operates its own subscription video on-demand service, Arrow Player.[1] Since 2017, Arrow have had a dedicated podcast[2] hosted by film-makers Sam Ashurst and Dan Martin. Arrow Video is considered a boutique Blu-ray label.[3][4]

History

Arrow Films was established in 1991 as a family firm in Shenley, Hertfordshire.[5] Whilst Arrow Films was the company's primary brand for theatrical releases, the Arrow Video label was created in 2009 specialising in cult and horror home video.[6] In September 2011, the ArrowDrome brand was created for budget DVDs.[7] The Arrow Academy and Arrow TV labels specialised in the world cinema and Nordic noir genres respectively, but since 2021, each has been merged into Arrow Video.[6][8] In the same year, the company launched Arrow Player, a subscription video on-demand service in the UK, US and Canada.[1]

Arrow began releasing films in the North American market in 2015.[9] As of 2022, it operated in the UK, Ireland, US and Canada.[10]

In 2021, Arrow Films was sold to THG plc for £18.5 million.[11]

Reception

Arrow has been listed by The Guardian twice as their home video distributor of the year.[12][13] In 2011, they listed Arrow as the Label of the Year noting their release of Bicycle Thieves, Rififi and Les Diaboliques and specifically praising their releases of horror films, where they "truly excel".[12] The second time was in 2013 when they awarded Arrow Films "Label of the Year", noting their releases of Lifeforce and releases of television shows such as Borgen and The Killing as highlights.[13]

Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection was voted the best home video release of 2014 by several publications, including Sight and Sound[14] and Little White Lies,[15] and won the Focal International Award for Best Archival Restoration Project[16] and the Cinema Ritrovato Award for Best DVD Series/Best Box.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b Travis, Ben (2 April 2021). "Arrow Video Launches Cult Movie Streaming Service". Empire. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  2. ^ 001 - The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, retrieved 21 April 2023
  3. ^ Kozak, Oktay Ege (5 December 2017). "The Best Boutique Blu-ray Distributors (Who Aren't Criterion)". Paste. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ^ Jarvis, Henry (12 August 2022). "10 Best Boutique Blu-Ray Brands". CBR.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  5. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (19 June 2018). "UK Distributor Arrow Films Streamlines Operations With The Departure Of Two Key Executives". Deadline. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Brands - Arrow Films". Arrow Films. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Arrow Video Beckons You To The Arrowdrome". Twitch. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  8. ^ "James White of Arrow Films on the restoration and rescue of classic and cult cinema". Exit 6 Film Festival. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  9. ^ Clark, Ashley (11 March 2016). "Can the celebrated Criterion Collection make a splash in the UK?". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  10. ^ "About Us - Arrow Films". Arrow Films. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  11. ^ "THG Annual Report 2021" (PDF). THG plc. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  12. ^ a b O'Neill, Phelim (17 December 2011). "The Best DVD & Blu-ray releases of 2011". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  13. ^ a b O'Neill, Phelim (21 December 2013). "2013 DVD & Blu-ray round-up". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  14. ^ "The best DVDs and Blu-rays of 2014". Sight and Sound. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  15. ^ Jenkins, David (17 December 2014). "The 25 Best DVD & Blu-ray Releases Of 2014". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Focal International Awards 2015". Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  17. ^ "DVD Awards 2015 - XII Edition: The Winners". Il Cinema Ritrovato. Retrieved 15 October 2015.