Arrow Films#Arrow Video
{{short description|British film distributor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2022}}
{{For|the silent American company|Arrow Film Corporation}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Arrow Films
| logo = Arrow Video 3.svg
| logo_caption =
| logo_alt = Arrow Films logo
| type =
| industry = Film distribution
| predecessor =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1991}} in Hertfordshire, England
| founder =
| defunct =
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| successor =
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| products = DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray
| services = Arrow Player (subscription service)
| owner = THG plc
| num_employees =
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| website = {{URL|arrowfilms.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.{{Cite web |last=Travis |first=Ben |title=Arrow Video Launches Cult Movie Streaming Service |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/arrow-video-launches-cult-movie-streaming-service/ |date=2 April 2021|access-date=27 November 2022 |website=Empire}} Since 2017, Arrow have had a dedicated podcast{{Citation |title=001 - The Bird With The Crystal Plumage |url=https://soundcloud.com/arrowvideopodcast/001-the-bird-with-the-crystal-plumage |access-date=2023-04-21 |language=en}} hosted by film-makers Sam Ashurst and Dan Martin. Arrow Video is considered a boutique Blu-ray label.{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/blu-ray/the-best-boutique-blu-ray-distributors-who-arent-c|title=The Best Boutique Blu-ray Distributors (Who Aren't Criterion)|last=Kozak|first=Oktay Ege|date=5 December 2017|website=Paste|access-date=26 June 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/best-boutique-blu-ray-brands/|title=10 Best Boutique Blu-Ray Brands|last=Jarvis|first=Henry|date=12 August 2022|website=CBR.com|access-date=26 June 2023}}
History
Arrow Films was established in 1991 as a family firm in Shenley, Hertfordshire.{{Cite web |last=Wiseman |first=Andreas |date=2018-06-19 |title=UK Distributor Arrow Films Streamlines Operations With The Departure Of Two Key Executives |url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/arrow-films-tom-stewart-1202413193/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Brands - Arrow Films |url=https://www.arrowfilms.com/brands.list |access-date=28 November 2022 |website=Arrow Films}} In September 2011, the ArrowDrome brand was created for budget DVDs.{{cite web| url=http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/06/arrow-films-beckons-you-to-the-arrowdrome.php| title=Arrow Video Beckons You To The Arrowdrome| publisher=Twitch | access-date=16 September 2011}} 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.{{Cite web |title=James White of Arrow Films on the restoration and rescue of classic and cult cinema |url=https://www.exit6filmfestival.com/post/2018/05/11/james-white-of-arrow-films-on-the-restoration-and-rescuing-of-classic-cult-and-art-house |date=17 May 2018 |access-date=28 November 2022 |website=Exit 6 Film Festival}} In the same year, the company launched Arrow Player, a subscription video on-demand service in the UK, US and Canada.
Arrow began releasing films in the North American market in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/mar/11/can-the-celebrated-criterion-collection-make-a-splash-in-the-uk|work=The Guardian|title=Can the celebrated Criterion Collection make a splash in the UK?|first=Ashley|last=Clark|access-date=November 15, 2016|date=11 March 2016}} As of 2022, it operated in the UK, Ireland, US and Canada.{{Cite web |title=About Us - Arrow Films |url=https://www.arrowfilms.com/about-us.list |access-date=28 November 2022 |website=Arrow Films}}
In 2021, Arrow Films was sold to THG plc for £18.5 million.{{Cite web|url=https://dl8hes3yo0qpy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/09101431/Annual-Report21-FINAL-linked-compressed.pdf|title=THG Annual Report 2021|publisher=THG plc|date=9 May 2022|access-date=25 September 2022}}
Reception
Arrow has been listed by The Guardian twice as their home video distributor of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/dec/17/dvd-blu-ray-releases-of-2011|work=The Guardian|title=The Best DVD & Blu-ray releases of 2011|first=Phelim|last=O'Neill|date=17 December 2011 |access-date=15 November 2016}} 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". 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/dec/21/2013-dvd-round-up|work=The Guardian|title=2013 DVD & Blu-ray round-up|access-date=2 October 2014|last=O'Neill|first=Phelim|date=21 December 2013}}
Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection was voted the best home video release of 2014 by several publications, including Sight and Sound{{cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk//sight-sound-magazine/best-dvds-blu-rays-2014|work=Sight and Sound|title=The best DVDs and Blu-rays of 2014|access-date=15 October 2015|date=25 February 2015}} and Little White Lies,{{cite web|url=http://www.littlewhitelies.co.uk/features/articles/the-25-best-dvd-blu-ray-releases-of-2014-28805 |work=Little White Lies |title=The 25 Best DVD & Blu-ray Releases Of 2014 |access-date=15 October 2015 |last=Jenkins |first=David |date=17 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022190459/http://www.littlewhitelies.co.uk/features/articles/the-25-best-dvd-blu-ray-releases-of-2014-28805 |archive-date=22 October 2015 }} and won the Focal International Award for Best Archival Restoration Project{{cite web|url=http://www.focalint.org/focal-international-awards/2015/the-focal-international-awards-2015/winning-entries|title=Focal International Awards 2015|access-date=15 October 2015|archive-date=15 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915094947/http://www.focalint.org/focal-international-awards/2015/the-focal-international-awards-2015/winning-entries|url-status=dead}} and the Cinema Ritrovato Award for Best DVD Series/Best Box.{{cite web|url=http://festival.ilcinemaritrovato.it/en/dvd-awards-2015-xii-edizione-i-vincitori/|work=Il Cinema Ritrovato|title=DVD Awards 2015 - XII Edition: The Winners|access-date=15 October 2015}}
References
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Category:Film distributors of the United Kingdom
Category:Home video distributors
Category:Home video companies of the United Kingdom
Category:1991 establishments in England
Category:Home video companies established in 1991
Category:Subscription video on demand services