If you don't know who SONY is, then come out from under thy rock, and face reality! You, or someone you know, owns a SONY something. Whether it's a television, radio, or other appliance, SONY is marked on an appliance not far from you. SONY was started by two lads named Masaru Ibuka, and Akio Morita. They met near the end of World War II. Ibuka was an engineer with a childlike love for gadgetry and technology; Morita, a pragmatic physicist who arranged to be away from his military unit on the day Japan surrendered, fearful that all officers would be ordered to commit ritual suicide. Yada yada yada - one thing led to another and conglomerate was formed. SONY has produced some of the most innotive products ever to grace the face of the earth. Japan's first television, radio, yada, yada. It wasn't until the early 90's the film bug hit the company, and they have been soaring every since.
In 1989, Sony bought out Columbia Pictures/Tri-Star for a cool 3.4 billion dollars. Then, When Warner Bros acquired all the assets of Lorimar, Sony Pictures (the holding company of Columbia/Tri-Star) purchased the grand old MGM Studios from Warner Bros in 1990. It went through three-year comprehensive plan as it transitioned to the state-of-the art 45acre Sony Pictures Studios.
By the time Sony acquired the property, the studio went without so much without a coat of paint, but they invested $100 million dollars to refurbish and restore the studio some of its original brilliance. All buildings were repainted some have been named after film luminaries like Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Burt Lancaster and so on. New walls were put up, they even restored the original ironwork gates fronting Washington Blvd. Nostalgic art-deco and false fronts on main street plus hand painted murals of old and new Columbia movies posters were added making this decrepit Culver City Studio one of the most attractive in Hollywood.
The "new" studio has one of the best post-production facilities available and it is open to the public for tours. Although not as busy as the old days, the studio continues to tape a few TV sitcoms such as "The King of Queens", "Living with Fran" as well as game shows like "The Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!".
In September 2004, Sony entered an agreement to buy ailing MGM (due to shitty management and I'm sure Louie Mayer would have kicked the heads of the studio in the balls!) for $5 billion the deal finalized on April 2005. There is, however, a touch of what could be considered irony in this since Sony already owned MGM�s original studio in Culver City for years.
Nevertheless - Sony stands great - never floundering on what matters most - history and RESPECT! To this day, they broadcast Columbia and MGM logo's on every film that is produced, in whatever contract it is. For that, Sony stands tall and deserves every amount of respect in honoring the studios name, who have for so long been a part of the world's lives! I urge you to please write to the heads of Sony and congradulate them and tell them to keep up the good work! Louis Mayer, Irving Thalburg, and the Cohn brothers would be proud of where their studios end up, and in who's hands! THANK YOU SONY!!! |
