Precision Videography - Story and ITC Series

Precision was the video arm of Pye/PRT and was launched c. 1979 as a vehicle for films released by their co-owned film studio, ITC Entertainment. The packaging the videos often came in was unusual and is unique: unusual in that each tape came in MusiCassette cases (sized for all three major tape-based video formats) right down to the double-sided inlay card (above), unique in that no other company has managed to pick this idea up. The back of the inlay usually had advertisements for other Precision tapes; this was initially a list, but soon morphed into a clutter of titles in their fonts.

Besides ITC product, it also issued music specials and some ITV programme packages. In 1986, the label was shut down and the video rights for this phenomenal inventory were sold to PolyGram, who reissued them on their Channel 5 label and then later under their own name. PolyGram would buy the ITC lineup outright in 1995; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer reissues some of them theatrically, and sometimes the films are released in collaboration with Turner Classic Movies. PolyGram did not inherit some other ITC films though; when Jim Henson left ITC the rights to his projects for that studio (including VITC2001 and VITC2099) reverted to him; Sony has all rights to VITC2150, The Evil That Men Do. 20 years after PolyGram bought out ITC's library of films, MGM finally reclaimed all rights for VITC2002; The Return of the Pink Panther, which MGM already had domestic theatrical, television and online streaming distribution rights to, was inherited from ITV Studios Global Entertainment to properly complete their Pink Panther franchise. ITV Studios Global Entertainment owns the rest of the ITC inventory in the present day.

At the beginning of each tape, we see on a green background, a director's clapperboard with the clappers separated. When they come together, warning text appears on the black slate. The text remains on the slate for many seconds before the camera zooms quickly on the zigzag pattern of the clappers. The black-white line pattern tilts upright and then zooms back to show the interlocked "PV" in that black-white pattern. The words "Precision Video Presents" are then presented one word at a time, in white.

During the middle of Precision Video's life, there would be a promo containing all this, but the narrator would read the warning on the clapper, and then state triumphantly, "And now, Precision Video presents . . . ":

At the end of each tape, we start from the last part of the animation, but now, A shows up, and then the words "Precision Video Presentation" fly up again. The resulting line of text reads "A Precision Video Presentation".

Before April 1979 (and after April 1981), ITC had no American distribution arm, instead relying on major American studios to release their product. Such studios are indicated below. Films made between April 1979 and April 1981 were released in the States by Associated Film Distribution, which was the union between ITC chief Lew Grade and his brother Bernard Delfont, who worked for EMI's film unit. As it thus gave ITC an American arm, such indicator was not required.

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ITC films on videocassette

These had the following prefixes: VITC for VHS, BITC for the Sony Betamax, and CRITC for the rather unsuccessful Philips V2000. The first number would be 2 or 3 depending on the length and/or subject matter of the film. On other tapes, the first number would be 1.

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Title, in the form of a link - number - year of film's release - US distributor, unless it was released through AFD - notes
Muppet Movie, The - VITC2001 - 1979
Return of the Pink Panther, The - VITC2002 - 1974 - United Artists, but however, ITC acquired ALL rights to the film in 1977.
Saturn 3 - VITC2003 - 1979
Autumn Sonata - VITC2004 - 1978 - New World Pictures - Swedish film, from filmmaking legend Ingmar Bergman.
[next four tapes are of Jesus of Nazareth, which was a well-known British-Italian miniseries; it was co-produced with RAI]
Part One - VITC2005 - 1977
Part Two - VITC2006 - 1977
Part Three - VITC2007 - 1977
Part Four - VITC2008 - 1977
Eagle Has Landed, The - VITC3009 - 1976 - Columbia; their logo appears on the US release, which is by Magnetic.
Boys from Brazil, The - VITC3010 - 1978 - 20th Century-Fox
Capricorn One - VITC3011 - 1977 - Warner Bros.
Escape to Athena - VITC3012 - 1979
Movie Movie - VITC2013 - 1978 - Warner Bros.
Porridge - VITC2014 - 1979 - Released as Doing Time in the States. US distributor is unknown.
To Russia ... with Elton - VITC2015 - 1979 - Videotaped performance, recorded in Moscow.
Giselle - VITC2016 - 1979 staging by ATV.
Merchant of Venice, The - VITC3017 - 1973 (aired in the UK on 10 February 1974) - Was an ABC Movie of the Week in the United States.
Great Expectations - VITC3018 - 1974 - Not theatrically released in the US, it instead aired on NBC's Saturday Night At The Movies on 22 November 1974.
Destination Moonbase Alpha - VITC2019 - 1978 - Never released in the US.
All Quiet on the Western Front - VITC3020 - 1979 - Originally aired on CBS on 14 November 1979 - 129 minute version
HMS Pinafore - VITC2021 - 1973 - Aired on CBS 23 November 1983 - Never released theatrically, it was videotaped at the ATV Elstree Studio on 9 October 1973 and aired on ITV 26 December of that year.
Yeoman of the Guard, The - VITC2022 - 1978 - Aired 23 December 1978; little is known about it other than it has Tommy Steele as Jack Point.
Moses the Lawgiver - VITC3023 - 1976 - Avco Embassy - Theatrical version, which runs 141 minutes, several half-hours short of the mini-series' 360 min. - Originally aired in June, 1975 on CBS and ITV.
Alien Attack - VITC3024 - 1977
Antony and Cleopatra - VITC3025 - 1974 - Aired on ITV 28 July 1974 - Aired on 4 January 1975 as the ABC Movie of the Week.
Big Sleep, The - VITC2026 - 1978 - United Artists - This remake of the 1946 Warner Bros. film changes the setting from Los Angeles to London. It is considered an inferior colour version of the monochrome Humphrey Bogart vehicle.
Raise the Titanic! - VITC3027 - 1980 - Now we have the film that caused Sir Lew Grade to state that "it would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic". It cost twice as much as [Star Wars Episode V:] The Empire Strikes Back, but only made back 20% of a phenomenal $40M cost.
Cassandra Crossing, The - VITC3028 - 1976 - Avco Embassy
Domino Killings, The - VITC2029 - 1977 - Avco Embassy - AKA The Domino Principle. Under either name, this was Stanley Kramer's failed attempt to make a thriller.
Love and Bullets - VITC2030 - 1979 - Originally to have been directed by John Huston, advertisements were taken out in Variety to promote this fact. Huston apparently did film certain scenes but he walked off the set after disagreeing with the producers. Veteran director Stuart Rosenberg stepped in on the troubled production, which proceeded to gain almost-unanimously poor reviews.
Farewell, My Lovely - VITC2031 - 1975 - Avco Embassy
Brief Encounter - VITC2032 - 1974 - Not released theatrically, aired on NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame 12 November 1974. - Critically savaged TV remake of David Lean's landmark 1945 film; it has Sophia Loren and Richard Burton in the Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard roles.
Voyage of the Damned - VITC3033 - 1976 - Avco Embassy - Inspired by true events concerning the fate of the MS St. Louis ocean liner carrying Jewish refugees from Germany to Cuba in 1939.
Madame Sin - VITC2034 - 1971 - Not released theatrically in the US, it aired on ABC 15 January 1972 as the pilot for a (never materialised) television programme.
Rising Damp - VITC2035 - 1980 - Based on the British situation comedy, which aired on ITV from 1974 to 1978.
Firepower - VITC2036 - 1979 - Victor Mature's final film, he is part of an all-star cast including Sophia Loren, James Coburn, O.J. Simpson and Eli Wallach.
Tamarind Seed, The - VITC3037 - United States - Avco Embassy; Lorimar's first co-produced film
Count of Monte-Cristo, The - VITC2038 - 1975 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on NBC 10 January 1975.
George and Mildred - VITC2039 - 1980
Les Miserables - VITC3040 - 1978 - Not theatrically released in the US, this adaptation of Victor Hugo's legendary novel aired on CBS 27 December 1978.
Dancing Years, The - VITC3041 - 1979
Mighty Micro, The - VITC3042 - 1979 - Companion piece to the book by computer scientist Christopher Evans.
Joan Sutherland in Concert - VITC1043 - This singer importantly contributed to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s.
March or Die - VITC2044 - 1977 - Avco Embassy
Dogpound Shuffle - VITC2045 - 1974 - Paramount - This film was financed by Lew Grade because he felt it had a possibility for a TV series. He never got around to it but because so little money was involved he said he did not lose money on it.
Blood Feud - VITC2046 - 1978
Twelfth Night - VITC2047 - 1980
Long Day's Journey Into Night - VITC3048 - 1973 - Videotaped performance of Eugene O'Neill's play, with Sir Laurence Olivier.
Possession of Joel Delaney, The - VITC2049 - 1971 - Paramount - Exorcist-esque film stars Shirley MacLaine.
Bloody Kids - VITC2050 - 1979 - Never released in the U.S. - Produced by Black Lion Films for ATV, and first shown on ITV on 22 March 1980.
Eyewitness - VITC2051 - 1970 - Weirdly, this film was made by MGM-EMI!
Hawk the Slayer - VITC2052 - 1980 - Sword and sorcery film with Jack Palance.
Thunderbirds to the Rescue - VITC2053 - 1966 - United Artists - AKA Thunderbirds Are Go
Children of Divorce - VITC2054 - 1980
Journey Through the Black Sun - VITC2055 - 1975
Saint and the Brave Goose, The - VITC2057 - 1978
VITC-058
VITC-059
Green Ice - VITC3060 - 1981 - "quite a nice little film, but in the end, too much like a TV movie." - Sir Lew Grade
Monster Club, The - VITC2061 - 1981
Firechasers, The - VITC2062 - 1970
Baffled! - VITC2063 - 1972 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on NBC 30 January 1973. - Notable for featuring Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy.
92 in the Shade - VITC2064 - 1975 - United Artists
Mission: Monte Carlo - VITC2065 - 1976
Sporting Chance - VITC2066 - 1976
Switch, The - VITC2067 - 1976
Fiction Makers, The - VITC2068 - 1967 - Essentially, this is a two-part episode of the television series The Saint morphed into a feature film.
Vendetta for the Saint - VITC2069 - 1968 - See The Fiction Makers; this film was shot in LaVallett1's country of Malta as the ITC brass had had bad dreams about filming a Mafia-centric tale in Naples or Sicily.
Desperate Characters - VITC2070 - 1971 - Paramount - Sir Lew Grade had signed Shirley MacLaine to make a TV sitcom for ITV entitled Shirley's World. MacLaine wanted him to fund this movie. She did it for minimal payment and a share of the profits; he recouped his movie becaused it cost $250K. - This movie is NOT based on the then-new novel by Paula Fox.
Incredible Voyage of Stingray, The - VITC2071 - 1980 - A compilation film of episodes from the 1964-65 ATV programme which contains the episodes "Stingray", "Plant of Doom", "Count Down", and "The Master Plan".
Invasion: UFO - VITC2072 - 1970
Father Brown, Detective - VITC2073 - 1979 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on NBC's THE BIG EVENT 23 April 1979.
Borderline - VITC2074 - 1980 - During filming, Lord Grade got technical support from agents working at the United States Border Patrol and the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service and is thus an accurate representation of the former.
Skeezer - VITC2075 - 1982 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on NBC 27 December 1982.
Munch Bunch and Mumfie, The - VITC1076 - 1975 - Both series were produced by John Read (1920-2006) a noted British children's television producer. Mumfie episodes are "Missing Clock", "The Naughty Gingerbread Man", "Trouble With Noise", "Tom Tom The Tinker", "An Hour To Spend" and "Things That Go Bang". Munch Bunch episodes are "Meet the Munch Bunch", "School Is Great", "Emma's Portrait", "A Clean Story", "Madam Suzie" and "The Corn Exchange".
Jennifer - A Woman's Story - VITC2077 - 1979 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on NBC 5 March 1979.
Rodeo Girl - VITC2078 - 1980 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on CBS 17 September 1980.
Wild and the Free, The - VITC2079 - 1980 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on CBS 26 November 1980.
Pleasure Palace - VITC2080 - 1980 - Fairly obscure film with little known about it.
Tale of Two Cities, A - VITC3081 - 1980 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on CBS 2 December 1980.
Hard Country - VITC2082 - 1981 - We have come to the end of a very short era. It is quite possibly THE last film released in the US by Associated Film Distribution, which was hit hard by the failure of Raise the Titanic! a year before. It has appearances from Tanya Tucker and Michael Martin Murphey, the latter of whom co-wrote the film's script.
Man Friday - VITC3083 - 1976 - Avco Embassy
Russian Roulette - VITC2084 - 1975 - Avco Embassy - Strangely, we again have a non-ITC film in this series as this film came from Rank.
Killerfish - VITC3085 - 1978
Man in the Iron Mask, The - VITC2086 - 1977 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on NBC 17 January 1977.
Medusa Touch, The - VITC2087 - 1978 - Warner Bros.
Comedy of Errors, The - VITC3088 - 1978 - Videotaped (?) version of the musical based on Shakespeare's play, it was produced for ITV, who aired it 18 April 1978.
Donkeys' Years - VITC2089 - 1979 - Not released in the US. - Adapted from the play about a group of men at their twentieth college reunion regressing to behaviors they had as undergraduates; the play was by Michael Frayn and was first performed at the West End in 1976.
Dancing Princesses, The - VITC1090 - 1978 - Variant on the Brothers Grimm's folk tale that makes some significant changes to the story. There were six out of the original twelve princess and the soldier ultimately declines to marry any of them due to their deceitful nature.
Affair, The - VITC2091 - 1973 - Not theatrically released in the US, it aired on ABC 20 November 1973.
From the Life of the Marionettes - VITC2092 - 1980 - Another Ingmar Bergman film, it was made with a German script in West Germany back when he was in "tax exile" from his native Sweden.
London Conspiracy - VITC2093 - 1976 - Not released in the US.
Mister Jerico - VITC2094 - 1970 - In the US, it was one of the first films to debut on the ABC Movie of the Week.
Friendly Fire - VITC3095 - 1979 - First aired on ABC 22 April 1979; film has a rare dramatic role from Carol Burnett.
Amazing Adventures of Joe 90, The - VITC2096 - 1968
Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars - VITC2097 - 1981
Legend of the Lone Ranger, The - VITC2098 - 1981 - Universal - Yes, from now on, all US releases of ITC's films are from Universal unless otherwise indicated.
Great Muppet Caper, The - VITC2099 - 1981 - Universal
VITC-100
Dirty Money - VITC2101 - Great Britain - 1979
From a Far Country, Pope John Paul II - VITC3102 - 1981
Virginity - VITC2103 - 1976
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game - VITC2104 - 1981
[A two-tape set follows, comprising parts of The Strauss Family, a miniseries about the family of composers of that name, including Johann Strauss I and his sons Johann Strauss II, Eduard Strauss and Josef Strauss. It aired from 5 May-16 June 1973 on ABC in the US.]
Part One - VITC3105 - 1971
Part Two - VITC3106 - 1971
On Golden Pond - VITC3107 - 1981 - Universal

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The Arrival - VITC2108 - 1967 - Episode of The Prisoner
Many Happy Returns - VITC2109 - 1967 - Episode of The Prisoner
Shillingbury Blowers, The - VITC2110 - 1980
Hard Way, The - VITC2111 - 1979
Ordeal of Dr. Mudd, The - VITC2112 - 1980
Very Like a Whale - VITC2113 - 1980
Dangerous Davies - VITC2114 - 1981
Elephant Man, The - VITC2115 - 1981 - Not related to David Lean's film which was adapted from the same play.
[Next few tapes are from the Hammer House of Horror series]
The Silent Scream/Witching Time - VITC2116 - 1980
Rude Awakening - VITC2117 - 1980
The Two Faces of Evil - VITC2117 Great Britain 1980
Charlie Boy - VITC2118 - 1980
The Thirteenth Reunion - VITC2118 - 1980
Guardian of the Abyss - VITC2119 - 1980
The Carpathian Eagle - VITC2119 - 1980
Children of the Full Moon - VITC2120 - 1980
Visitor from the Grave - VITC2120 - 1980
Growing Pains/ The House That Bled to Death - VITC2121 - 1980
Romeo and Juliet - VITC2122 - 1972
Countdown to Disaster - VITC2123 - 1966
VITC-124
Secret of Seagull Island, The - VITC2125 - 1981 - reedited version of the mini-series
VITC-126
Invaders from the Deep - VITC2127 - 1981
Thunderbirds in Outer Space - VITC2128 - 1966
VITC-129
Salamander, The - VITC3130 - 1981 - Not released in the US until . . . 1983!!! It was released by ITC itself in the US which means ITC probably meant to start an American arm again (it ultimately wouldn't do so.)

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Cosmic Princess - VITC2130 - 1976
Barbarosa - VITC2131 - 1981 - Universal - Was seen on an episode of the television show Siskel & Ebert dedicated to uncovering worthy sleepers.
Jane Doe - VITC2132 - 1983
Scarlet and the Black, The - VITC3133 - 1981 - Not theatrically released in the US, it first aired on CBS 2 February 1983.
VITC-134
Sophie's Choice - VITC3135 - 1982 - Universal - Meryl Streep's breakout performance; she won an Oscar for Best actor.
Checkmate - VITC2136 - 1967 - Episode of The Prisoner
The General - VITC2137 - 1967 - Episode of The Prisoner
Baby Sister - VITC2138 - 1983 - Moonlight Productions - Not aired on the US, it aired on ABC 6 March 1983
Night Partners - VITC2139 - 1983
Henderson Monster, The - VITC2140 - 1980
Haunting Passion, The - VITC2141 - 1983
Sunset Limousine - VITC2142 - 1983 - Aired on CBS 12 October 1983.
Policewoman Centrefold - VITC2143 - 1983
VITC-144
Bride to Be - VITC2145 - 1975 - Spanish movie directed by Rafael Moreno Alba and inherited from Emarus Films.
Last Unicorn, The - VITC3146 - 1982 - Jensen Farley/Taft International Pictures
Wilde's Domain - VITC2147 - 1982 - This has faded into such obscurity that its Wikipedia article states that "Wilde's Domain is a 1982 Australian TV movie about a circus family."
Obsessive Love - VITC2148 - 1984
Where the Boys Are '84 - VITC3149 - 1984 - Tri-Star; the first film that studio ever released - Remake of the 1960 Connie Francis film debut.
Evil That Men Do, The - VITC3150 - 1983 - Tri-Star
Secrets of a Married Man - VITC2151 - 1984
Invitation to Hell - VITC2152 - 1984 - Moonlight Productions - Aired on ABC 24 May 1984.
Summer Fantasy - VITC2153 - 1984
Family Secrets - VITC2154 - 1984 - Filmed as Mother's Day, it aired on NBC 13 May 1984.
I Married a Centerfold - VITC2155 - 1984 - Moonlight Productions - Jumping ship, it aired 11 November 1984 on NBC.
Sexpionage - VITC2156 - 1984
Not My Kid - VITC2157 - 1984 - Finnegan Productions - Aired on CBS 15 January 1985.
Vegas Strip War, The - VITC2158 - 1984 - George Englund - Aired on NBC 25 November 1984.

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ITC films on laserdisc

These had an LVITC prefix. In the UK, the Precision laserdiscs are as hard to come by as the Precision VHS tapes.

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Great Muppet Caper, The - LVITC0001 - 1981 - Universal
Raise the Titanic! - LVITC0002 - 1980 - See VITC3027.
Hawk the Slayer - LVITC0003 - 1980 - See VITC2052.
Green Ice - LVITC0004 - 1981
Captain Scarlet vs. the Mysterons - LVITC0005 - 1980 - Compilation incorporating re-edited footage from the episodes "The Mysterons", "Winged Assassin", "Seek and Destroy" and "Attack on Cloudbase".
Invaders from the Deep - LVITC0006 - 1981 - See VITC2127.
To Russia ... with Elton - LVITC0007 - 1979 - See VITC2015.
Capricorn One - LVITC0008 - 1977 - Warner Bros.
Eagle Has Landed, The - LVITC0009 - 1976 - See VITC3011.
Saturn 3 - LVITC0010 - 1979 - See VITC2003.
Muppet Movie, The - LVITC0011 - 1979
Moses - LVITC0012 - 1976
Thunderbirds in Outer Space - LVITC0013 - 1966
On Golden Pond - LVITC0014 - 1981 - Universal - See VITC3107, where there is an ad.
Return of the Pink Panther, The - LVITC0015 - 1974 - United Artists
Salamander, The - LVITC0016 - 1981
Sophie's Choice - LVITC0017 - 1982 - Universal - See VITC3135
Evil That Men Do, The - LVITC0018 - 1983
LVITC0019
LVITC0020
LVITC0021
LVITC0022
LVITC0023
LVITC0024
Barbarosa - LVITC0025 - 1981