In compiling data for this project (and just generally being a geek for the last three decades), I've taken an interest in a small VHS manufacturer located in South Carolina, United American Video Corporation (or UAV for short).
UAV releases seem to pop up pretty regularly, and it appears that they had pretty good distribution deals with second tier retail outlets, such as Dollar General, Family Dollar, and such. In my youth, I remember buying several UAV VHSs at these two venues. Not only did UAV manufacture and distribute titles of the public domain variety, but seem to have had licensed some legit titles, as well (my first VHS copy of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead was a UAV release, purchased at the Family Dollar in Manchester, Ohio in late 1992).
What makes UAV stand out is the number of Fleischer Bros./ Famous Studios SUPERMAN releases they produced, even for a public domain outfit. Over the years, I know I've owned at least 5 different releases, and if packaging and box art is to be believed (which, in the realm of public domain VHS manufacturers...believe half you see and none of what you hear), they produced at least 3 more over the years. Only VHS cult movie kings Goodtimes Home Video may have had the releases to match.
(Side note: Speaking of UAV's releases, the first I ever came in contact with were two releases that were packaged like the image below. I purchased Vol.1 of this 1987 release at The Sundry Store in West Union, Ohio around the fall of 1988, and the copy of Vol. 2...the one pictured from a friend of mine a few weeks later. My friend and I have always found it funny how cheap UAV was with it's packaging...take notice Superman's "S" shield. That's because Vol.1 had the exact same artwork, only with blue themed packaging...only Vol. 1's art is reproduced on the VHS cover going the reverse direction. Over the years I've lost my copy of Vol.1...I'm constantly on the hunt for another.)
I can find little info online about UAV, other than they were a cheap VHS manufacturer. And, they may still be in business, but have relocated to North Carolina. Anyone with historical info on United American Video Corporation, feel free to contact the Metropolis Video Store via e-mail...
metropolisvideo@live.com
Great Web site. I just found it this morning and have enjoyed looking through all the scans.The cheap public domain vhs releases were my first exposure to the character of Superman. I still feel the cartoons are the most iconic representation of the character. Seeing these tapes brings back a lot of great memories of watching the tape I had over and over again at my grandmothers. We got that and other public domain cartoon tapes at dollar general. I actually was never allowed to get a second superman tape (because of the grown up logic that "You already have a superman tape".), so it would be years before I finally saw all the cartoons.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not certain, but I think that UAV volume 2 is the tape I had. The cartoons included are correct and I remember the distinct UAV red white and blue design on the label. That said, the box art just isn't ringing a bell with me. Hard to say whether my memory is faulty or not. With how many releases UAV produced, It's hard to say.
Anyway, thanks for the excellent work.