Founded 1981 | ||
Arkoff International Pictures was a film production company set up by Samuel Z. Arkoff, co founder of American International Pictures (AIP).
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Arkoff sold AIP to Filmways in 1979, which he later described as "a giant mistake... [they] wanted to change everything AIP stood for." Arkoff stayed on for a time as consultant but eventually sold the rest of his stock and retired. AIP did not last long afterwards.
Arkoff decided to come out of retirement establishing a new company which was run along similar principles to AIP. Its first film was Q - The Winged Serpent entirely financed by Arkoff himself.
"People always ask me if it's difficult for me at my age to keep up with trends," said Arkoff in 1982. "What they don't understand is that I'm not older today. I was already older before."
In 1987 it was announced Arkoff had secured funds from a Canadian investor "reported to run into nine figures". Arkoff announced a series of films to be made in Canada, the US and Mexico with his son Lou Arkoff as executive vice president.