Formed in 1976 by brothers Waleed and Malik Ali, MPI Media Group is now divided into a number of different sections that specialize in the production, distribution or licensing of specific types of films, TV shows and documentaries. In its early days, the MPI Media Group specialized in distributing documentaries and TV shows to schools and universities in 16mm film form, but really took off in the 1980s with the explosion of home video options. The company is headquartered in Orland Park, Illinois from where the subsidiaries Dark Sky Films, MPI Pictures and MPI Home Video are located.
MPI made its name through its many releases from its MPI Home Video company, which was responsible for distributing a number of classic TV shows and educational films. The release of the Dark Shadows box set of videos and DVDs was a huge success and was followed by the licensing of shows from specific estates of TV and movie icons in box set form. Amongst the estates represented by the MPI Media Group are those of John Wayne, Jackie Gleason and the movies of The Beatles. MPI has also produced a large number of horror themed movies, including Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Antibodies.
