RIP Miramax Studios

[_____V_____]

It sprang to life in 1979 as the brainchild of bullish movie producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and was named after their parents, but after a slow death from thousands of cuts, Miramax was officially closed today by Disney.

During its early years, the Weinsteins scrappily kept the ship afloat, shoved boundaries and helped bring the world the likes of Sex, Lies And Videotape, Clerks, The Piano, Reservoir Dogs, The Crying Game and The English Patient.

Rumours of the Weinsteins' bullying tactics and tough demeanor were rife, but they certainly seemed to have a keen eye for talent and an understanding of how to channel that into success.

Though it was bought for $70 million by Disney in 1993, the brothers continued to run Miramax with an enviable level of creative control, and pushed their already legendary Oscar-hunting style to new heights with the expanded funding offered by the Mouse House. Among the successes as winners or nominees were Shakespeare In Love, Chicago and The Talented Mr Ripley.

But money was also a constant problem, and the Weinsteins began to clash with Michael Eisner. In 2005, Bob and Harvey left the company, forced to let go of the Miramax named and formed The Weinstein Company, which currently struggles with financing issues.

"Miramax wasn't just a bad-boy clubhouse, it was a 20th century Olympus: throw a can of Diet Coke and you hit a modern-day deity," recalls Kevin Smith at The Wrap. "And for one brief, shining moment, it was an age of magic and wonders. I'm crushed to see it pass into history, because I owe everything I have to Miramax. Without them, I'd still be a New Jersey convenience store register jockey. In practice, not just in my head."

"I'm feeling very nostalgic right now," Harvey told the site. "I know the movies made on my and my brother Bob's watch will live on as well as the fantastic films made under the direction of Daniel Battsek. Miramax has some brilliant people working within the organization and I know they will go on to do great things in the industry."

All that remains now is to think of the children: along with 80 people losing their jobs in New York and LA, the six movies still under the banner, including The Tempest and The Debt, face an uncertain future.

Miramax, then… Gone, but not forgotten.

Production Company - filmography (selected)

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010) ... Production Company
Everybody's Fine (2009) ... Production Company (presents)
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) ... Production Company
There Will Be Blood (2007) ... Production Company
Gone Baby Gone (2007) ... Production Company
No Country for Old Men (2007) ... Production Company
The Lookout (2007) ... Production Company (presents)
The Hoax (2006) ... Production Company (presents)
Breaking and Entering (2006) ... Production Company
Venus (2006/I) ... Production Company (presents)
Hollywoodland (2006) ... Production Company
Keeping Up with the Steins (2006) ... Production Company (presents)
Derailed (2005/I) ... Production Company
Proof (2005) ... Production Company (presents)
An Unfinished Life (2005) ... Production Company (presents)
The Great Raid (2005) ... Production Company
Cinderella Man (2005) ... Production Company
Hostage (2005/I) ... Production Company
The Aviator (2004) ... Production Company (presented by)
Finding Neverland (2004) ... Production Company (presents) (copyright owners)
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) ... Production Company (uncredited)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) ... Production Company
Ella Enchanted (2004) ... Production Company
Jersey Girl (2004) ... Production Company
Cold Mountain (2003) ... Production Company (presents)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) ... Production Company
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) ... Production Company
Duplex (2003) ... Production Company
The Human Stain (2003) ... Production Company
The Hours (2002) ... Production Company
Chicago (2002) ... Production Company (presents)
Gangs of New York (2002) ... Production Company (presented by)
Waking Up in Reno (2002) ... Production Company
Cypher (2002) ... Production Company (in association with)
The Four Feathers (2002) ... Production Company (presents)
Frida (2002) ... Production Company
Heartlands (2002) ... Production Company
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) ... Production Company (presents)
The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) ... Production Company (present)
40 Days and 40 Nights (2002) ... Production Company
Stolen Summer (2002) ... Production Company (presents)
Kate & Leopold (2001) ... Production Company
Iris (2001/I) ... Production Company
Serendipity (2001) ... Production Company (presents)
Prozac Nation (2001) ... Production Company (presents)
Birthday Girl (2001) ... Production Company (present)
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) ... Production Company
The Others (2001) ... Production Company (uncredited)
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) ... Production Company (presents)
Get Over It (2001) ... Production Company
All the Pretty Horses (2000) ... Production Company
Chocolat (2000) ... Production Company (presents)
Malèna (2000) ... Production Company
The Yards (2000) ... Production Company (presents)
The Cider House Rules (1999) ... Production Company
Holy Smoke (1999) ... Production Company
Mansfield Park (1999) ... Production Company
In Too Deep (1999) ... Production Company
She's All That (1999) ... Production Company (presents)
Shakespeare in Love (1998) ... Production Company (presents)
Rounders (1998) ... Production Company
54 (1998) ... Production Company
The Mighty (1998) ... Production Company (as Miramax Films Corp.)
Senseless (1998) ... Production Company
Phantoms (1998) ... Production Company
Jackie Brown (1997) ... Production Company (presents)
Scream 2 (1997) ... Production Company
Good Will Hunting (1997) ... Production Company
The Wings of the Dove (1997) ... Production Company
Mimic (1997) ... Production Company
Cop Land (1997) ... Production Company
Robinson Crusoe (1997) ... Production Company (in assocation with)
Addicted to Love (1997) ... Production Company (in association with)
Everyone Says I Love You (1996) ... Production Company
The English Patient (1996) ... Production Company (presents)
Sling Blade (1996) ... Production Company (presents)
Emma (1996) ... Production Company (presents) (copyright owners)
The Pallbearer (1996) ... Production Company (presents)
Flirting with Disaster (1996) ... Production Company
Jane Eyre (1996) ... Production Company
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) ... Production Company
Two Bits (1995) ... Production Company
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) ... Production Company
Four Rooms (1995) ... Production Company (presents)
Mighty Aphrodite (1995) ... Production Company
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995) ... Production Company
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995) ... Production Company
Highlander III: The Sorcerer (1994) ... Production Company
Of Love and Shadows (1994) ... Production Company
Loaded (1994) ... Production Company
Bullets Over Broadway (1994) ... Production Company (presents)
Pulp Fiction (1994) ... Production Company
The Glass Shield (1994) ... Production Company
The Crow (1994) ... Production Company
The Road Killers (1994) ... Production Company
Mother's Boys (1994) ... Production Company
Clerks. (1994) ... Production Company
Into the West (1992) ... Production Company
Love Crimes (1992) ... Production Company
Paris Is Burning (1990) ... Production Company
The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover (1989) ... Production Company


http://www.imdb.com/company/co0022594/

[FreddyMyers]

Some of the all time greats came from that company, sad to see it go. How long before the Weinsteins bankrupt the next company.

[FreddyMyers]

Did not know that thanx. Way to go Disney.

[ferretchucker]

A very big shame to see it go, if it is going.

[Elvis_Christ]

They brought out some great flicks that's for sure. Great start with The Burning.

[ferretchucker]

Pulp Fiction...never realized until I watched it last night and I was like "damn..."

[alkytrio666]

And Swingers, one of the great underrated comedies of the 90s.

[Elvis_Christ]

Pulp Fiction...never realized until I watched it last night and I was like "damn..."

Haha what? That was like one of their biggest films that made them a well known studio.