Its distribution wing is best known for the second Chuck Norris martial arts film, Good Guys Wear Black, which led American Cinema to produce a number of his subsequent action movies, including The Octagon.
[2] American Cinema is also credited for resurrecting and modifying the four-wall distribution method for theatrical releases where a distributor rents the movie theatre for a window of time and reaps the full box-office receipts.
[3] Many American Cinema projects were directly financed as tax-shelter films overseen by producer Roger Riddell and president Alan Belkin.
Good Guys Wear Black grossed $18 million at the box office using a city-by-city rollout model which saw Norris spend nearly a year on the road on a publicity tour.
The strategy was to couple promotional appearances by cast members with a radio and TV ad spot blitz, particularly on late-night programming where airtime was cheap.
Some employees say the strategic shifts made in the board room towards larger productions and marketing budgets are ultimately what led to company to falter.
[2] I, the Jury, The Entity, and a third American Cinema production, Tough Enough, would ultimately be acquired and distributed by Twentieth-Century Fox in the United States.