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Sherpix

{{Short description|American film distributor, 1965–1974}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Sherpix, Inc.

| logo = Sherpix Inc. (1972 logo).png

| logo_alt = Sherpix Inc.

| logo_caption = Logo used in 1972

| image =

| image_alt =

| image_caption =

| type = Private

| founders = Louis K. Sher

| hq_location =

| key_people =

| industry = Film

| products =

| services = Film distribution (specializing in arthouse cinema and American-produced pornography)

| num_employees =

| num_employees_year =

| owner = Louis K. Sher

| divisions =

| parent = Art Theatre Guild, Inc.

| homepage =

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1965|4|15}}

| defunct = {{End date and age|1974|3|1}}

| fate =

| hq_location_city = New York City

| hq_location_country = United States

}}

Sherpix, Inc. was an American independent film distribution company that operated in the US and Canada between 1965 and 1974. Louis K. Sher founded the distributor as a subsidiary of his arthouse cinema chain Art Theatre Guild (ATG), which owned dozens of theaters throughout the United States. Sherpix specialized in art films, foreign films, erotica, and later pornographic films. The company's porn releases challenged the prevailing obscenity laws in the United States. Sherpix oriented its marketing to open-minded middle-class audiences, including young couples, rather than the "dirty old men" typically associated with adult movie theaters.

History

Sherpix formally opened for business on April 15, 1965.{{sfn|"Louis Sher into Distribution, Too"|1965|p=78}} In 1968 Sherpix distributed Flesh and Lonesome Cowboys, both directed by Andy Warhol. The company achieved a box-office success with its release of the 1969 softcore feature The Stewardesses. In 1970, the company made two major breakthroughs for pornography in the United States. First, it brought the American documentary Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach to cities beyond its premiere in San Francisco. Pornography in Denmark became the first feature-length hardcore porn film legally screened in the United States. The same year, Sherpix distributed Mona, a porn film structured around a fictional plot, which broke ground as the first non-documentary hardcore feature screened at American theaters.

Though Sherpix's early successes generated significant profits, providing the company with a major financial windfall, it was ultimately unable to capitalize on the ensuing peak years of the Golden Age of Porn. The company funded production of the surreal gay erotic film Pink Narcissus, which Sherpix released in 1971. James Bidgood, the director of Pink Narcissus, chose to remain anonymous in the film's credits due to his dissatisfaction with Sherpix's final cut, which he felt had compromised his artistic control. As a prime target for anti-obscenity prosecutors, the company faced numerous legal challenges, significantly constraining its financial resources. In 1973 Sher was convicted in Washington, D.C. of obscenity charges. Unable to sustain the company under the legal scrutiny and financial strain, in January 1974 Sher announced the company's imminent dissolution.{{sfn|Verrill|1974|p=5}} The company disincorporated on March 1, 1974, and the following year the charges against Sher were dismissed on appeal.{{sfn|Slide|2013|p=186}}

List of films distributed by Sherpix

For films initially released outside the United States, the listed release dates indicates the American premiere.

class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col"| Release date

! scope="col"| Title

! scope="col"| Notes

! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

{{dts|June 30, 1965}}

| Crazy Paradise

| Originally released in Denmark as Det tossede paradis.{{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=211}} Sherpix's first release.{{sfn|"Louis Sher into Distribution, Too"|1965|p=78}} Re-released in the US in 1966 by Allied Artists under the title Once Upon an Island.{{sfn|"Allied Artists"|1966|p=5433}}

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=211}}

{{dts|July 2, 1965}}

| 00-2 Most Secret Agents

| Originally released in Italy as 00-2 agenti segretissimi. Re-released in the US in 1966 by Allied Artists under the title Oh! Those Most Secret Agents!

| {{sfnm|1a1="00-2 Most Secret Agents (1965)"|1y=n.d.|2a1=Krafsur|2y=1976|2p=1266}}

{{dts|July 5, 1967}}

| Eros

| Originally released in Brazil as Noite Vazia; also known in English as Men and Women.

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=306}}

{{dts|September 26, 1968}}

| Flesh

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=354}}

{{dts|December 20, 1968}}

| Lonesome Cowboys

|

| {{sfnm|1a1="Lonesome Cowboys (1968)"|1y=n.d.|2a1=Krafsur|2y=1976|2p=625}}

{{dts|July 25, 1969}}

| {{sortname|The|Stewardesses}}

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=1029}}

{{dts|November 16, 1969}}

| Popcorn: An Audio/Visual Rock Thing

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=857}}

{{dts|November 26, 1969}}

| Naked Zodiac

|

| {{sfn|"Naked Zodiac (1969)"|n.d.}}

{{dts|December 24, 1969}}

| Without a Stitch

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=1235}}

{{dts|February 24, 1970}}

| Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach

|

| {{sfnm|1a1="Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach (1970)"|1y=n.d.|2a1=Krafsur|2y=1976|2p=858}}

{{dts|March 4, 1970}}

| Satanis: The Devil's Mass

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=937}}

{{dts|April 1970}}

| Meat Rack

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=697}}

{{dts|August 1970}}

| Sesso

| Originally released in Italy as Nel labirinto.

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=963}}

{{dts|August 6, 1970}}

| Mona the Virgin Nymph

|

| {{sfnm|1a1="Mona (1970)"|1y=n.d.|2a1=Krafsur|2y=1976|2p=719}}

{{dts|August 19, 1970}}

| {{sortname|The|Love Doll|nolink=1}}

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=637}}

{{dts|September 21, 1970}}

| Not So Quiet Days

| Originally released in Denmark as Stille dage i Clichy. The original English title is Quiet Days in Clichy. Grove Press distributed its original theatrical release in the United States; it was later re-released by Sherpix under the alternate title Not So Quiet Days.

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=881}}

{{dts|October 6, 1970}}

| {{sortname|A|History of the Blue Movie}}

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=480}}

{{dts|October 15, 1970}}

| {{sortname|The|Story of F|nolink=1}}

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=1033}}

{{dts|October 30, 1970}}

| Sexual Encounter Group

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=972}}

{{dts|November 1970}}

| Hollywood Blue

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=481}}

{{dts|December 17, 1970}}

| {{sortname|The|Coming Thing|nolink=1}}

|

| {{sfn|Krafsur|1976|p=194}}

{{dts|May 24, 1971}}

| Pink Narcissus

|

| {{harvnb|Canby|1971|p=44}} (providing premiere date); {{harvnb|Jones|2019}}.

{{dts|October 11, 1971}}

| Punishment Park

|

| {{sfn|"Punishment Park (1971)"|n.d.}}

{{dts|April 3, 1972}}

| Weed

|

| {{sfn|"Weed (1972)"|n.d.}}

References

{{reflist|20em}}

Sources

{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}

  • {{cite journal |date=August 17, 1966 |title=Allied Artists |journal=Motion Picture Exhibitor |volume=76 |number=2 |department=Section Two: Reviews |page=5433 |publisher=Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc. |location=Philadelphia |url=https://archive.org/details/motionpictureexh76jaye/page/n96/mode/1up |access-date=March 3, 2024 |via=the Internet Archive |ref={{harvid|"Allied Artists"|1966}}}}
  • {{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Canby |date=May 25, 1971 |title=Screen: 'Pink Narcissus': Movie at 2 Theaters Is Story of Homosexual |newspaper=The New York Times |volume=CXX |number=41,394 |page=44 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/25/archives/screen-pink-narcissus-movie-at-2-theaters-is-story-of-homosexual.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 18, 2023 |id={{ProQuest|119334385}} |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201173531/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/25/archives/screen-pink-narcissus-movie-at-2-theaters-is-story-of-homosexual.html |archive-date=February 1, 2023}} {{subscription required}}
  • {{cite news |date=March 31, 1965 |title=Louis Sher into Distribution, Too |newspaper=Variety |volume=238 |number=6 |publisher=Variety, Inc. |location=New York |pages=11, 78 |id={{ProQuest|962960651}} |ref={{harvid|"Louis Sher into Distribution, Too"|1965}}}}
  • {{cite magazine |last=Jones |first=William E. |author-link=William E. Jones (filmmaker) |date=Summer 2019 |title=Against Nature |magazine=Artforum |volume=57 |number=10 |publisher=Artforum Media, LLC |location=New York |url=https://www.artforum.com/features/william-e-jones-on-the-art-of-james-bidgood-243561/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926204722/https://www.artforum.com/features/william-e-jones-on-the-art-of-james-bidgood-243561/ |archive-date=September 26, 2023}}
  • {{cite journal |date=April 5, 1965 |title=New Sherpix to Distribute Art Films to U.S., Canada |journal=Boxoffice |volume=86 |number=24 |page=6 |id={{ProQuest|1673756337}} |ref={{harvid|"New Sherpix to Distribute Art Films to U.S., Canada"|1965}}}}
  • {{cite magazine |last=Sandberg |first=Patrik |date=May 23, 2022 |title=Elegy for a Packrat: Remembering James Bidgood |magazine=Frieze |number=227 |publisher=Frieze Publishing Ltd. |location=London |url=https://www.frieze.com/article/1500-words-patrik-sandberg-james-bidgood-2022 |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430221926/https://www.frieze.com/article/1500-words-patrik-sandberg-james-bidgood-2022 |archive-date=April 30, 2022}}
  • {{cite journal |date=April 27, 1972 |title=Sherpix — The Unusual Company with an Unusual Future |journal=The Independent Film Journal |volume=69 |number=11 |pages=20–21 |location=New York |publisher=ITOA Independent Inc. |issn=0019-3712 |id={{ProQuest|1014674898}} |ref={{harvid|"Sherpix — The Unusual Company with an Unusual Future"|1972}}}}
  • {{cite book |last=Slide |first=Anthony |author-link=Anthony Slide |date=2013 |section=Sherpix |section-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KnzsAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA186 |title=The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |page=186 |isbn=978-1-579-58056-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KnzsAgAAQBAJ |access-date=February 24, 2024 |via=Google Books}}
  • {{cite news |last=Verrill |first=Addison |date=December 30, 1970 |title=Bill Osco, Boy King of L.A. Porno, Grossing over $2,000,000 Presently; 10-City Nucleus; 'Actors' A-Plenty |newspaper=Variety |volume=261 |number=7 |publisher=Variety, Inc. |location=New York |page=5 |id={{ProQuest|963024393}}}}
  • {{cite news |last=Verrill |first=Addison |author-mask=3 |date=January 27, 1971 |title=TV Cassettes Bid for Sex Pix |newspaper=Variety |volume=261 |number=11 |publisher=Variety, Inc. |location=New York |pages=1, 54 |id={{ProQuest|963014677}}}}
  • {{cite news |last=Verrill |first=Addison |author-mask=3 |date=January 16, 1974 |title=Sher, Found Guilty, Scrams Porno |newspaper=Variety |volume=273 |number=10 |publisher=Variety, Inc. |location=New York |pages=5, 41 |id={{ProQuest|1032478801}}}}

{{refend}}

=From the ''AFI Catalog of Feature Films''=

{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}

  • {{cite book |editor-last=Krafsur |editor-first=Richard P. |date=1976 |title=The American Film Institute Catalog |volume=F6: Feature Films 1961–1970 |publisher=R. R. Bowker Company |location=New York |isbn=0-8352-0453-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/americanfilminst00kraf |url-access=registration |via=the Internet Archive}} {{registration required}}
  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Punishment Park (1971) |website=AFI Catalog of Feature Films |publisher=American Film Institute |location=Los Angeles |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/54117-PUNISHMENT-PARK |url-status=live |access-date=February 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240225051502/https://catalog.afi.com/Film/54117-PUNISHMENT-PARK |archive-date=February 25, 2024 |ref={{harvid|"Punishment Park (1971)"|n.d.}}}}

{{refend}}

=From the ''TCM Movie Database''=

{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}

  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=00-2 Most Secret Agents (1965) |website=TCM Movie Database |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |location=Atlanta |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/96660/00-2-most-secret-agents |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416131927/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/96660/00-2-most-secret-agents |archive-date=April 16, 2021 |ref={{harvid|"00-2 Most Secret Agents (1965)"|n.d.}}}}
  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Lonesome Cowboys (1968) |website=TCM Movie Database |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |location=Atlanta |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81738/lonesome-cowboys |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206152008/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81738/lonesome-cowboys |archive-date=December 6, 2021 |ref={{harvid|"Lonesome Cowboys (1968)"|n.d.}}}}
  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Mona (1970) |website=TCM Movie Database |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |location=Atlanta |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/488489/mona |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321230025/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/488489/Mona |archive-date=March 21, 2017 |ref={{harvid|"Mona (1970)"|n.d.}}}}
  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Naked Zodiac (1969) |website=TCM Movie Database |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |location=Atlanta |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/503729/naked-zodiac |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224211458/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/503729/naked-zodiac |archive-date=February 24, 2024 |ref={{harvid|"Naked Zodiac (1969)"|n.d.}}}}
  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach (1970) |website=TCM Movie Database |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |location=Atlanta |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/493233/pornography-in-denmark-a-new-approach |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114050509/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/493233/pornography-in-denmark-a-new-approach |archive-date=November 14, 2023 |ref={{harvid|"Pornography in Denmark: A New Approach (1970)"|n.d.}}}}
  • {{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Weed (1972) |website=TCM Movie Database |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |location=Atlanta |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/487166/weed |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618012439/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/487166/Weed |archive-date=June 18, 2015 |ref={{harvid|"Weed (1972)"|n.d.}}}}

{{refend}}

Further reading

  • {{cite journal |last=MacDonough |first=Scott |date=July 1971 |title=The Story of Sherpix: Soft-Core, Hard-Core, Encore |journal=Show: The Magazine of Films and the Arts |volume=2 |number=5 |pages=18–21 |publisher=H&R Publications, Inc. |location=New York |issn=0037-4296 |ref=no}}

{{Sexual revolution}}

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{{Portal bar|1960s|1970s|Companies|Erotica and pornography|Film|United States}}

Category:1965 establishments in New York City

Category:1974 disestablishments in New York (state)

Category:American companies established in 1965

Category:American companies disestablished in 1974

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Category:Defunct mass media companies of the United States

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Category:Mass media companies established in 1965

Category:Mass media companies based in New York City

Category:Obscenity controversies in film

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Category:Sexual revolution