The 3rd EMI Contracts

A look at some of the numerous meetings that we undertook in order to issue 8mm films to our customers.

Contracts & Rights Chapter 17

With the popularity of the Hammer horrors proving an indisputable success it was obvious that we would have at least two more on the next EMI contract, as it was there were three! It was put together even before the release of all the titles from the previous two deals. This time around we went for all colour, ‘The Mummy’s Shroud’, 1967; ‘Lust for a Vampire’, 1971; ‘That’ll Be the Day’, 1973; ‘Tickle Me’, 1965; ‘Stardust’, 1974 and ‘The Devil Rides Out’, 1968, considered by many to be their finest thriller. ‘That’ll be the Day’, was a fantasic success as 4×400′ feature and Derek was peeved when he came to edit the sequel ‘Stardust’ which he was very disappointed with and decided only to issue a 400′. The Elvis Presley film ‘Tickle Me’ was a quickie from Allied Artists, who had saved a considerable sum by utilizing nine songs from various Presley albums, and was a tremendous seller in both it’s 4×400′, a 400′ highlights and a 400′ edition entitled ‘Songs from Tickle Me’. ‘The Devil Rides Out’ and ‘Lust for a Vampire’ were the first titles from EMI where we used 35mm prints for our master material. All of the titles had colour box lables designed for them and ‘The Mummy’s Shroud’, ‘Tickle Me’ (400′), ‘Songs from Tickle Me’ and  ‘Stardust’ received releases in our new plastic clamshell cases, and later a new label was designed for the clam shell release of ‘The Devil Rides Out’.  Marianne Frost was a very busy lady and came up trumps the the second ‘Devil Rides Out’ label. Like the third contracts with Rank this could have been the final curtain, but both of these British companies would continue to supply titles, as you will see.    

…. to be continued.