The Phantom 2040: The Ghost Who Walks – The Animated Movie VHS was released by LIVE Entertainment Inc., in conjunction with Family Home Entertainment (FHE) in the US in 1997. This VHS was exclusively produced and sold in the US, a presentation of the original television animated series which aired on US televisions in 1994, fully licensed by Hearst Entertainment, Inc. and King Features Syndicate, Inc.
LIVE Entertainment Inc. was a major player in the independent film and home video boom of the late 1980s and 1990s. Founded in 1988 by executive Jose Menendez through the merger of International Video Entertainment (IVE) and Lieberman Enterprises, the company quickly became a massive distribution powerhouse. They struck absolute gold by shipping millions of VHS copies for monster hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Total Recall, and eventually branched directly into film financing, famously backing Quentin Tarantino’s legendary directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs (1992). Through popular specialized labels like Family Home Entertainment (FHE) and a close distribution partnership with Carolco Pictures, the iconic LIVE logo became a familiar staple of the home rental era for anyone browsing local video store shelves.
Despite these commercial hits, severe corporate turmoil and structural financial strain ultimately reshaped the company’s fate. Following the infamous 1989 murders of CEO Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty by their sons, Lyle and Erik, alongside crippling debt tied to Carolco’s box-office struggles, LIVE was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1993. The company managed to bounce back through strategic restructuring and lucrative catalog acquisitions, such as absorbing the assets of Vestron Video and distributing hits like Stargate. In 1997, it was purchased by Bain Capital and officially rebranded as Artisan Entertainment in 1998 to shed its tragic past corporate associations, before ultimately being absorbed by Lionsgate in 2003.
The Phantom 2040: The Ghost Who Walks – The Animated Movie VHS was sold in retail outlets in a white clam-shell design plastic case, containing the standard configuration choices for family home media of its era. The feature has an approximate running time of 97 minutes. The front cover contains an illustration of the Phantom in his Phantom 2040 animation costume smashing though a brick wall.
Visually, the back layout breaks up the text blocks with distinct promotional artwork and screenshots. In the upper-left corner, a circular badge showcases a stylized graphic of the Phantom standing with his arms folded across his chest over the show’s red and orange logo. Below this, two rectangular production stills are stacked vertically. The top screenshot captures a glowing, translucent blue cybernetic figure or Biot operating inside a dark, futuristic structure. The bottom screenshot depicts a close-up of the Phantom on his Skull Throne.
Additionally, the back cover contains the retail store used barcode in the upper-right corner reading 1223276473. The copyright text reveals a multi-year timeline: the animation content is copyrighted from 1994 by Hearst Entertainment, Inc. and King Features Syndicate, Inc., whereas this specific regional package layout and design was produced in 1997 by LIVE Entertainment Inc., a USA distributor.
Enclosed within the case is a solitary VHS video tape void of artwork. The title of the feature is printed on a sticker found on the top of the VHS reading, “Phantom 2040: The Ghost Who Walks”, with copyright information delineated below this title. Additionally, the Family Home Entertainment is printed in the upper-left hand corner.
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