The Dimension Pictures Story

THE DIMENSION PICTURES STORY

From the Temple Of Schlock blog:

Veteran producer, distributor and drive-in owner Lawrence Woolner co-founded New World Pictures with Roger Corman in 1970. When Corman bought out Woolner's half of the company in late 1971, Woolner left to form Dimension Picutres. New World in-house director Stephanie Rothman (THE STUDENT NURSES, THE VELVET VAMPIRE) and her husband Charles S. Swartz, New World's head of production, also left to help Woolner set up his new company right across the street - literally - from their former employer (New World was at 8831 Sunset Boulevard, Dimension was a stone’s throw away in the 9000 building). Dimension’s first two releases, THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE and THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE, were New World acquisitions Woolner was allowed to distribute through the buyout settlement with Corman. Rothman and Swartz produced GROUP MARRIAGE, SWEET SUGAR, BEYOND ATLANTIS, TERMINAL ISLAND and THE WORKING GIRLS before departing the company in 1975. During the ten years of its existence Dimension Pictures had some success copying New World’s formula, but ultimately collapsed like many other independent companies of the period. Woolner produced only one post-Dimension movie, the incredible RAW FORCE (1982), before passing away on July 21st, 1985 at age 73.

Dimension Pictures filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on January 30th, 1981. New York-based distributors Tom Ward and Art Schweitzer of 21st Century Distribution put in an offer for part of the Dimension catalog at the AAFMM in April of that year and acquired 28 of the films (roughly 80% of the library). The rights to seven of the films were limited to U.S. and Canada only, the other 21 were worldwide. Estimated value of the library: $2 million. Titles included TERMINAL ISLAND, THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE, GROUP MARRIAGE, CHEERING SECTION, DR. MINX, THE MUTHERS, THE GREATEST BATTLE, NIGHT CREATURE, SATAN’S CHEERLEADERS, THE HUMAN TORNADO, THE REDEEMER, BEYOND ATLANTIS, LEGEND OF THE WOLF WOMAN, TOMCATS, SWEET SUGAR, THE WORKING GIRLS, SMOOTH VELVET – RAW SILK, and EBONY, IVORY AND JADE. 21st Century reissued most of their Dimension acquisitions to theaters in the New York tri-state area in late 1981 and '82, and all titles were eventually released on VHS through VCI, United Home Entertainment and Continental Video.

THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE (1972) – made for New World Pictures

THE SIN OF ADAM & EVE (1972) – originally acquired by New World Pictures

SWEET SUGAR (1972) (a.k.a. SHE DEVIL IN CHAINS and CHAINGANG GIRLS)

GROUP MARRIAGE (1972) (announced as THE NEW SWINGERS)

THE DOBERMAN GANG (1972)

THE DEVIL’S WEDDING NIGHT (1973)

THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF GRETA (3-D) (1973) (also released by General Film Corp.)

INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS (1973) (regional only – a Centaur release)

TERMINAL ISLAND (1973)

THE DARING DOBERMANS (1973)

BEYOND ATLANTIS (1973)

GATOR BAIT (some early playdates – a Sebastian International release)

THE SINGLE GIRLS (1973)

A PLACE WITHOUT PARENTS (1974) (originally PIGEON) (see also TRUCKIN’)

TOUGH (1974) (a.k.a. JOHNNY TOUGH)

THE WORKING GIRLS (1974)

LOVE IN 3-D (3-D) (1974) (re-released by Monarch in 1977)

SCUM OF THE EARTH (1974) (see also POOR WHITE TRASH, PART II)

BOSS NIGGER (1975)

TRUCKIN’ (1975) (re-release of A PLACE WITHOUT PARENTS)

BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME? (1975)

NOT NOW DARLING (1975) (also released by K-Tel)

DELIVER US FROM EVIL (1975) (see also JOEY)

DR. MINX (1975)

DOLEMITE (1975)

LADY COCOA (1975) (regional only – a Moonstone release)

DR. BLACK AND MR. HYDE (1976) (see also THE WATTS MONSTER)

DIXIE DYNAMITE (1976)

EBONY, IVORY & JADE (1976) (a.k.a. FOXFORCE and AMERICAN BEAUTY HOSTAGES)

THE HUMAN TORNADO (1976)

BLACK SHAMPOO (1976)

POOR WHITE TRASH, PART II (1976) (re-release of SCUM OF THE EARTH)

THE BAD BUNCH (1976) (originally released as TOM and NIGGER LOVER)

THE MUTHERS (1976) (announced as BLACK COFFEE)

EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER (1976)

LOVE DOLL (1976) (also known as LIFE SIZE)

SUPER DUDE (1976) (originally released by Warner Brothers in 1974 as HANGUP)

JOEY (1977) (re-release of DELIVER US FROM EVIL)

LEGEND OF THE WOLF WOMAN (1977)

RUBY (1977)

KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (1977)

CHEERING SECTION (1977)

TOMCATS (1977) (a.k.a. AVENGED and GETTING EVEN)

BAD GEORGIA ROAD (1977)

THE GREAT SMOKEY ROADBLOCK (1977) (a.k.a. ELEGANT JOHN AND THE LADIES and THE LAST OF THE COWBOYS)

OUT OF THE DARKNESS (1978) (also released as NIGHT CREATURE and CAT)

THE REDEEMER (1978) (a.k.a. CLASS REUNION MASSACRE)

HI-RIDERS (1978)

SMOOTH VELVET, RAW SILK (1978) (see also NAKED PARADISE)

SWAP MEET (1979)

CHEERLEADERS’ WILD WEEKEND (1979)

SATAN’S CHEERLEADERS (1979) (regional release only)

THE GREATEST BATTLE (1979)

SCREAMS OF A WINTER NIGHT (1979)

NAKED PARADISE (1979) re-release of SMOOTH VELVET, RAW SILK

THE WATTS MONSTER (1979) re-release of DR. BLACK & MR. HYDE

STONE COLD DEAD (1980)

DINNER FOR ADELE (1980) (announced as NICK CARTER IN PRAGUE)