Wizard Video was a subsidiary of
Empire International Pictures, a small film studio founded by Band after he left
Media Home Entertainment. Wizard's videocassettes were originally duplicated by the company Sound/Video Unlimited. From 1982 to 1983, Wizard's releases were distributed by
Family Home Entertainment. Empire also distributed films under the Force Video and Cult Video labels during this time. Subsequently, Spectrum Video became Wizard's distribution partner. In 1985, Empire revived the Force Video label, and Lightning Video, a subsidiary of
Vestron Video, agreed to distribute Force Video's releases. The distribution agreement with Lightning would be extended to the Wizard label in 1986. In 1987, Empire formed a new division, Urban Classics, which distributed films both theatrically, and subsequently on video. Wizard also released two
Atari 2600 video games,
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and
Halloween, under the label
Wizard Video Games. These games were intended for adults, and had violent content. Many retailers refused to sell them. Those that did often kept them behind the counter and only made them available upon request. As a result, sales were poor, and Wizard released no further games apart from a single computer game,
Movie Trivia Quiz. Empire and its video labels shuttered in 1988. Band went on to found
Full Moon Productions, which would later resurrect the Wizard Video and Cult Video labels. On February 7, 2013, Wizard claimed that a large quantity of printed but unused "big box" packages, representing 36 titles, had been found in a warehouse. The company began selling these boxes, with newly manufactured videocassettes and inner packaging, as limited-edition collector's items. Wizard would reduce the number of titles that it would offer from 36 to 32, asserting that the boxes for the remaining titles had been damaged by water, and "were in unsalvageable condition". There were allegations, however, that these boxes, sold as originals, were actually reproductions. "to spotlight rising independent filmmakers and their cutting-edge genre pictures". The first set of films,
Virginia Obscura,
Vampie, and
Villanelle, premiered on Full Moon's subscription-based streaming service. ==List of movies released by Wizard Video==