At its 80s peak, production company Cannon Films was putting out more than a dozen movies per year.

So what went wrong?

Ryan takes a look…

In 1986, Cannon Films were riding on a wave of success.

The swaggering self-promotion of Cannon at its mid-80s height was also captured in apromo videofrom the era.

The home of high-powered, high-voltage motion picture entertainment [an unidentifiable vehicle explodes].

With the screens biggest spectacles [a jeep leaps off a sandy ridge and hits a palm tree].

Brightest stars [a shot of a naked Michael Caine lying on top of Sally Field].

And biggest line-up of explosive entertainment [Dolph Lundgren swings a sword about while dressed as He-Man].

Were taking motion picture excitement over the edge [Chuck Norris fires a rocket launcher at a car].

And your box office over the top [Sylvester grimaces during an arm wrestle].

Were Cannon Films, and were dynamite [a car explodes].

So what on Earth went wrong?

Originally founded in 1967, Cannon Films gradually became known for its mixture of relatively low-budget yet ambitious movies.

In 1982, they produced a handful of movies, but the following year, theyd released six.

The year after that, eight, then 11 in 1985.

There was far more to the Cannon name than just schlock, however.

We grew in the international market, we grew at the Cannes festival.

We know the international market as well if not better than any American producer.

American producers in the past never really thought about anything more than their own back yard.

So we came with a different kind of producing for the world.

Six years later, you know what Cannon is.

I think everybody knows.

He doesnt understand the world we are living in.

This depressingly low budget was evident fromSuperman IVs opening frame, and critics rounded on it.

They smirked at the use of the UKs Milton Keynes as an unconvincing stand-in for Metropolis.

Golan and Globus didnt really know whatSpider-Manwas, director Zito told The LA Times.

They thought it was like the Wolfman.

They are among the greatest marketing geniuses anywhere, the mayor enthused.

Their films make money before theyre even released.

They make something like 45 films a year, right?

The studio was purchased by Pathe Communications, and Menahem Golan left shortly afterwards.

From beginning to end, Cannon was responsible for lots of shameless opportunism.

Were all looking for a life beyond what were limited to on Earth.

And thats what cinema provides.