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Artisan Entertainment
Logo descriptions by Matt Williams
Logo captures and editions by Eric S. and Logophile
Background: First known as U.S.A. Home Video, this was a home entertainment sub-arm of Family Home Entertainment established in 1982 to produce and distribute all non-kids/family releases on video. After, this unit was renamed as International Video Entertainment in 1986; then, as Live Entertainment in 1990, with Family Home Entertainment as an imprint of the company; and finally, as Artisan Entertainment in 1998, being folded into Lions Gate Home Entertainment in 2003.
U.S.A. Home Video
Note: Not to be confused with USA Home Entertainment.
(1983-1987)
Nicknames: "U.S.A.", "THE Cheesy Laserwriter"
Logo: On a black background, a laser light draws "U.S.A." on a white grid. "U.S.A." is in blue, and after the laser light finishes its work, the grid disappears and "HOME VIDEO" appears, sandwiched between two lines. Below all that is the byline "EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY F.H.E." in italics.
Variant: There is a variation where the FBI warning divides into 4 boxes which exit to all 4 corners of the screen. When this happens, a blaring synthesizer sounds, then the logo animates as normal.
FX/SFX: Very primitive computer animation; the animation of the laser light, and appearance of "HOME VIDEO" and the FHE byline.
Cheesy Factor: Like its cousin, the 1982 FHE logo, the animation is reminiscient of an Apple II computer.
Music/Sounds: Three synth tones for the drawing of "U.S.A.", followed by a five-note synth stinger and two low-sounding and descending synth notes.
Availability: Rare, though much more common than its cousin; just find an oversized box (for 1983-1986 releases) or anything with the U.S.A. Home Video print logo on the front. Note that from 1986-1987, this logo was used in tandem with IVE's 1st logo, with this logo appearing at the beginning of such tapes. Notable releases include the uncut release of Ms. 45, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Supergirl, 1984, and Eye of the Tiger.
Scare Factor: Low to medium, probably because of the scary FBI warning cutting straight to this logo combined with the synth music. Medium for the splitting screen variant.
_______________________________________________________________
International Video Entertainment
1st Logo
(1986-1988)
Nicknames: "IVE Grid 1", "Clapping"
Logo: On a white background, black lines begin to draw a rectangle, and then crisscross to form a grid. Below the grid, the words "INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT" (in black) are "typed" in, letter-by-letter. After the words make their appearance, the letters "IVE", in a tall, thin, italic font,
zoom out from one of the lower-left squares of the grid, nearly covering it. The "I" is red, the "V" is green, and the "E" is blue.
FX/SFX: Computer animation, animation of the lines and seemingly "typing in" of the letters.
Cheesy Factor: Off the charts. Like its cousin, the 1983 FHE logo, it uses very primitive computer graphics, probably on an Apple II. The logo looks crude, and the grid animation is low-quality.
Music/Sounds: A synth theme combined with clapping and FHE 2-like whining noises. The Sybil Danning's Adventure Video series from U.S.A. Home Video, though, uses the end music, while at the end of When the Wind Blows, this logo was silent.
Availability: Many IVE releases were B-movies (that is putting it "very" nicely), and a few higher-quality releases (mostly Carolco flicks) have been released under Live/Artisan or other labels. From 1986 to 1987, this logo was used in tandem with U.S.A.'s logo, appearing at the end of such releases like on the Sybil Danning Adventure Video tapes that have the USA logo at the beginning with the theme song for the tapes at the end with the IVE logo. Notable releases with this logo include Angel Heart, Extreme Prejudice, Maid to Order, Free Ride, Nightflyers, and The Puppetoon Movie.
Scare Factor: Low; the primitive animation might scare some people, but this is a fave, mostly due to the musical score.
2nd Logo
(1988-1990)
Nicknames: "IVE Grid 2", "IVE Box", "Star Tiles"
Logo: We fade in on a gray marble grid background with stars in the squares that scroll to the left. A purple rectangle comes from the upper-left and positions itself in the center of the screen, whilst a sky blue "IVE", in the same font as before, comes from the bottom-right. The whole thing shines. Sometimes only the "shining" part plays.
FX/SFX: The animation, the grid BG.
Music/Sounds: An uninspired synthesized theme. At least on Rambo III, and at the end of both Red Heat and The Brain, an even rarer synthesized ditty was used. Sometimes there is no music in the logo at all.
Availability: A bit wider in distribution than the previous one. This might turn up on pay TV networks from time to time. Notable releases with this logo include Red Heat, Rambo III, Breaker Morant, DeepStar Six, Rooftops, Millennium, The Brain, Dudes, Rented Lips, Hostile Takeover, Iron Eagle II, Ground Zero, and Weekend at Bernie's. On the DVD of Johnny Handsome, the silent variant makes a surprise appearance at the end.
Scare Factor: None.
3rd Logo
(1990)
Logo: On a brownish background, the words "Exclusively Distributed By" are shown on the top. Below that is the IVE logo with the words next to it "INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT, INC." Below that is "A LIVE Entertainment Company" with "LIVE" in its corporate font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: This proceeds the Carolco Home Video logo on Music Box and Mountains of the Moon.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
Live Entertainment
1st Logo
(1990-1994)
Nickname: "L Pyramid"
Logo: On a black background, a gray segmented triangle (almost like the "Cheesy V" Vestron logo) appears, with another triangle cut out of it so that it looks like a stylized "L". Below it, the word "LIVE" appears in blue, with "HOME VIDEO" under it.
Variant: On FHE, Vestron, and Carolco Home Video releases, this logo appears with "Exclusively Distributed By" above it. "A Division of LIVE Entertainment" or "A LIVE Entertainment Company" (with "LIVE" in its usual font) can be seen below.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: The "Exclusively Distributed By" variation can be seen on FHE, 1990-1992 Vestron tapes and Carolco releases, the normal version's on regular Live Home Video releases.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(1994-1998)
Nickname: "Rotating (CGI) L Pyramid"
Logo: On a black BG, several sets of triangles, laid at a 90-degree angle, come onto the screen from opposite directions. They then spin around a few times, as the camera pulls back, revealing more sets of triangles spinning, and the words "LIVE ENTERTAINMENT" at a 90-degree angle! Thetext then does a 90-degree turn to face us, while the triangles form the Live logo (segmented triangle with a smaller one cut out on the upper-right). All are bluish-gray, until two searchlights crisscross the logo, making the triangle logo brighter,turning "LIVE" blue, and "ENTERTAINMENT" white. "LIVE" shines, and a white sparkle appears on the side of the "E".
Variants:
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Excellent CGI. I've noticed that IVE/Live/Artisan alternates between good logos and bad ones. This one is a great effort. The next one (for Artisan)... well...
Music/Sounds: A semi-ominous synth theme that turns more triumphant at the end. This was replaced in 1997 by a more uplifting orchestral fanfare. The early variant of this logo had no music.
Availability: It was on all Live releases from 1994 to 1998, when the company became Artisan. However, Artisan pulled a Columbia TriStar, rereleasing Live/F.H.E. videos in their original packaging, but with all evidence of Live and F.H.E. logos edited out and Artisan logos edited in in their place! Also seen on movies from 1990-1998.
Scare Factor: Low; this is a nice logo.
_______________________________________________________________
Artisan Entertainment
(1998-2003)
Nicknames: "The Box," "The Box With Web Address", "The Fugly Box", "The Zooming Box"
Logo: On a black bg, the word "ARTISAN", in a box with the leg of the "R" extended, fades in while it is zooming towards the screen. It stops at a distance and the word "ENTERTAINMENT" (or "HOME ENTERTAINMENT") appears underneath.
Variants:
FX/SFX: The zooming up of the box, the fading in of "ENTERTAINMENT".
Cheesy Factor: Oddly, this looks sort of dated-as well as a bit derivative of the famous Warner Bros. \\' logo. The "silvery" version looks even worse.
Music/Sounds: None, although some have the sounds of a movie playing over this logo.
Availability: Seen on all Artisan releases, but Artisan usually left their library alone when it came to logos.
Scare Factor: None.
Logo captures and editions by Eric S. and Logophile
Background: First known as U.S.A. Home Video, this was a home entertainment sub-arm of Family Home Entertainment established in 1982 to produce and distribute all non-kids/family releases on video. After, this unit was renamed as International Video Entertainment in 1986; then, as Live Entertainment in 1990, with Family Home Entertainment as an imprint of the company; and finally, as Artisan Entertainment in 1998, being folded into Lions Gate Home Entertainment in 2003.
U.S.A. Home Video
Note: Not to be confused with USA Home Entertainment.
(1983-1987)
Nicknames: "U.S.A.", "THE Cheesy Laserwriter"
Logo: On a black background, a laser light draws "U.S.A." on a white grid. "U.S.A." is in blue, and after the laser light finishes its work, the grid disappears and "HOME VIDEO" appears, sandwiched between two lines. Below all that is the byline "EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY F.H.E." in italics.
Variant: There is a variation where the FBI warning divides into 4 boxes which exit to all 4 corners of the screen. When this happens, a blaring synthesizer sounds, then the logo animates as normal.
FX/SFX: Very primitive computer animation; the animation of the laser light, and appearance of "HOME VIDEO" and the FHE byline.
Cheesy Factor: Like its cousin, the 1982 FHE logo, the animation is reminiscient of an Apple II computer.
Music/Sounds: Three synth tones for the drawing of "U.S.A.", followed by a five-note synth stinger and two low-sounding and descending synth notes.
Availability: Rare, though much more common than its cousin; just find an oversized box (for 1983-1986 releases) or anything with the U.S.A. Home Video print logo on the front. Note that from 1986-1987, this logo was used in tandem with IVE's 1st logo, with this logo appearing at the beginning of such tapes. Notable releases include the uncut release of Ms. 45, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Supergirl, 1984, and Eye of the Tiger.
Scare Factor: Low to medium, probably because of the scary FBI warning cutting straight to this logo combined with the synth music. Medium for the splitting screen variant.
_______________________________________________________________
International Video Entertainment
1st Logo
(1986-1988)
Nicknames: "IVE Grid 1", "Clapping"
Logo: On a white background, black lines begin to draw a rectangle, and then crisscross to form a grid. Below the grid, the words "INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT" (in black) are "typed" in, letter-by-letter. After the words make their appearance, the letters "IVE", in a tall, thin, italic font,
zoom out from one of the lower-left squares of the grid, nearly covering it. The "I" is red, the "V" is green, and the "E" is blue.FX/SFX: Computer animation, animation of the lines and seemingly "typing in" of the letters.
Cheesy Factor: Off the charts. Like its cousin, the 1983 FHE logo, it uses very primitive computer graphics, probably on an Apple II. The logo looks crude, and the grid animation is low-quality.
Music/Sounds: A synth theme combined with clapping and FHE 2-like whining noises. The Sybil Danning's Adventure Video series from U.S.A. Home Video, though, uses the end music, while at the end of When the Wind Blows, this logo was silent.
Availability: Many IVE releases were B-movies (that is putting it "very" nicely), and a few higher-quality releases (mostly Carolco flicks) have been released under Live/Artisan or other labels. From 1986 to 1987, this logo was used in tandem with U.S.A.'s logo, appearing at the end of such releases like on the Sybil Danning Adventure Video tapes that have the USA logo at the beginning with the theme song for the tapes at the end with the IVE logo. Notable releases with this logo include Angel Heart, Extreme Prejudice, Maid to Order, Free Ride, Nightflyers, and The Puppetoon Movie.
Scare Factor: Low; the primitive animation might scare some people, but this is a fave, mostly due to the musical score.
2nd Logo
(1988-1990)
Nicknames: "IVE Grid 2", "IVE Box", "Star Tiles"
Logo: We fade in on a gray marble grid background with stars in the squares that scroll to the left. A purple rectangle comes from the upper-left and positions itself in the center of the screen, whilst a sky blue "IVE", in the same font as before, comes from the bottom-right. The whole thing shines. Sometimes only the "shining" part plays.
FX/SFX: The animation, the grid BG.
Music/Sounds: An uninspired synthesized theme. At least on Rambo III, and at the end of both Red Heat and The Brain, an even rarer synthesized ditty was used. Sometimes there is no music in the logo at all.
Availability: A bit wider in distribution than the previous one. This might turn up on pay TV networks from time to time. Notable releases with this logo include Red Heat, Rambo III, Breaker Morant, DeepStar Six, Rooftops, Millennium, The Brain, Dudes, Rented Lips, Hostile Takeover, Iron Eagle II, Ground Zero, and Weekend at Bernie's. On the DVD of Johnny Handsome, the silent variant makes a surprise appearance at the end.
Scare Factor: None.
3rd Logo
(1990)
Logo: On a brownish background, the words "Exclusively Distributed By" are shown on the top. Below that is the IVE logo with the words next to it "INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT, INC." Below that is "A LIVE Entertainment Company" with "LIVE" in its corporate font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: This proceeds the Carolco Home Video logo on Music Box and Mountains of the Moon.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
Live Entertainment
1st Logo
(1990-1994)
Nickname: "L Pyramid"
Logo: On a black background, a gray segmented triangle (almost like the "Cheesy V" Vestron logo) appears, with another triangle cut out of it so that it looks like a stylized "L". Below it, the word "LIVE" appears in blue, with "HOME VIDEO" under it.
Variant: On FHE, Vestron, and Carolco Home Video releases, this logo appears with "Exclusively Distributed By" above it. "A Division of LIVE Entertainment" or "A LIVE Entertainment Company" (with "LIVE" in its usual font) can be seen below.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: The "Exclusively Distributed By" variation can be seen on FHE, 1990-1992 Vestron tapes and Carolco releases, the normal version's on regular Live Home Video releases.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(1994-1998)
Nickname: "Rotating (CGI) L Pyramid"
Logo: On a black BG, several sets of triangles, laid at a 90-degree angle, come onto the screen from opposite directions. They then spin around a few times, as the camera pulls back, revealing more sets of triangles spinning, and the words "LIVE ENTERTAINMENT" at a 90-degree angle! Thetext then does a 90-degree turn to face us, while the triangles form the Live logo (segmented triangle with a smaller one cut out on the upper-right). All are bluish-gray, until two searchlights crisscross the logo, making the triangle logo brighter,turning "LIVE" blue, and "ENTERTAINMENT" white. "LIVE" shines, and a white sparkle appears on the side of the "E".
Variants:
- Up until summer 1995, the text ''HOME VIDEO'' was used.
- Earlier variants used brighter colors.
- In 1996, a (r) bug was added.
- Sometimes, "I N T E R N A T I O N A L" (in white) would appear below the "L" (which is also white). This is silent and uses the tail end of the normal logo (the "searchlights" part)
- On earlier Live DVD releases, the Live Entertainment logo would play, then a purple spark flashes, "ENTERTAINMENT" disappears, the logo would zoom in as the spark moves through it, then the spark is in the middle, flashing, then turns into the logo with the L spinning, and the sides would have "LIVE" on one side, and "DVD" on the other.
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Excellent CGI. I've noticed that IVE/Live/Artisan alternates between good logos and bad ones. This one is a great effort. The next one (for Artisan)... well...
Music/Sounds: A semi-ominous synth theme that turns more triumphant at the end. This was replaced in 1997 by a more uplifting orchestral fanfare. The early variant of this logo had no music.
Availability: It was on all Live releases from 1994 to 1998, when the company became Artisan. However, Artisan pulled a Columbia TriStar, rereleasing Live/F.H.E. videos in their original packaging, but with all evidence of Live and F.H.E. logos edited out and Artisan logos edited in in their place! Also seen on movies from 1990-1998.
Scare Factor: Low; this is a nice logo.
_______________________________________________________________
Artisan Entertainment
(1998-2003)
Nicknames: "The Box," "The Box With Web Address", "The Fugly Box", "The Zooming Box"
Logo: On a black bg, the word "ARTISAN", in a box with the leg of the "R" extended, fades in while it is zooming towards the screen. It stops at a distance and the word "ENTERTAINMENT" (or "HOME ENTERTAINMENT") appears underneath.
Variants:
- In Artisan's very early days, a simpler version of this logo was used, with just the word "ARTISAN" in a box, with a very small "ENTERTAINMENT" underneath. No fancy spacing, no fade in of "ENTERTAINMENT", no fancy R. Just a very speedy and bad zoom-up. Probably made in five minutes.
- A version with the logo done in a "chrome" effect exists. This was probably only used on 1999-era trailers, and to date has not been spotted on Artisan films. Trailers later used the standard Artisan logo.
- For home entertainment releases, the logo was shown before Artisan's trailers with a "www.artisanent.com" web address underneath. This too has been discontinued; Artisan Home Entertainment used after a custom logo/website promo.
- On the later version, the web address appeared underneath the logo occasionally.
FX/SFX: The zooming up of the box, the fading in of "ENTERTAINMENT".
Cheesy Factor: Oddly, this looks sort of dated-as well as a bit derivative of the famous Warner Bros. \\' logo. The "silvery" version looks even worse.
Music/Sounds: None, although some have the sounds of a movie playing over this logo.
Availability: Seen on all Artisan releases, but Artisan usually left their library alone when it came to logos.
Scare Factor: None.
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