Compiled by Matt Williams and Matthew Anscher
Logo captures by Wisp2007, Logoboy95 and V of Doom
Additions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, TheMisterFree and Jeffrey Gray
Video captures courtesy by ThatLogoDude, Eric S., Swedishintros and Catbeast2007


Background: Originally known as MGM Home Video, this home entertainment division of MGM was founded in 1973 to release all the movies and TV shows by MGM. In 1979, MGM joined forces with CBS Video Enterprises, the home video division of the CBS television network, and established MGM/CBS Home Video, being renamed MGM/UA Home Video in 1982 after dissolve the partnership with CBS and have purchased UA one year ago. In 1987, after MGM's pre-1986 library (also including the pre-1948 Warner Bros. library and most US rights to the RKO Pictures library), was acquired by Turner Entertainment, MGM/UA Home Video signed a deal with Turner to continue distributing the pre-1986 MGM and the pre-1948 Warner Bros. libraries for video release. In 1997, MGM/UA began releasing its titles on DVD, just like every other major studio, managed to release over 30 titles from the Turner catalog on DVD, being transferred to Warner in 1999 and folded Orion Pictures with all its library into this company. After, this division was renamed MGM/UA Home Entertainment in 1999, and finally to MGM Home Entertainment in 2000. Following MGM's acquisition by the Sony-led consortium in 2005, the company was under the Sony Pictures Home Entertainment label but not using the MGM Home Entertainment name on any releases, which has distributed the MGM library, though under the MGM label, ending their distribution agreement in 2006. MGM announced that they would be signing a new distribution deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for worldwide release, except for DVD releases of MGM/UA/Columbia TriStar co-releases, which will continue to be distributed by SPHE, since Sony still owns 20% of MGM.


MGM/CBS Home Video Opening Logos

Note: These logos were used to open all MGM/CBS releases.

1st Logo
(1979-1981)
Nickname: "Green Lines"

Logo: On a black background, the words MGM and CBS (in white) fly in from the top and bottom of the screen. Then a group of green lines brings back another copy of the words and then "AN" and "HOME VIDEO PRESENTATION" (in orange) zoom out to their respective places. A slash appears between "MGM" and "CBS" on the last note of the music. This was accompanied by a "Coming From MGM/CBS" trailer after the CBS Video logo, even with the next logo.

FX/Cheesy Factor: The slash appearing, the zooming effects.

Music/Sounds: An uninspired news synth tune. The "Coming From" trailer used an 7-note tune.

Availability: Rare; as most releases have been rereleased under MGM/UA. BUT it has been found on the VERY FIRST VHS release of Jailhouse Rock.

Scare Factor: Medium.



2nd Logo
(1981-1982)

Nickname: "The Metallic CBS/MGM"

Logo: We see a metallic slash mark on a dark background dropping down. Afterward, MGM and CBS zoom out toward the slash at the same time CBS from the right and MGM from the left. After that, we see "HOME VIDEO" (in green, and in a different font) zooming out.

FX/Cheesy Factor: The fanfare's not that cheesy, but the "Home Video" text looks pretty tacky all around, and the metallic letters under a black background for a logo looks early 80's as well (hences the 1982 Carolco logo).

Music/Sounds: A short orchestrated fanfare.

Availability: If you can find very old VHS tapes that were part of MGM/CBS and they have this logo, then good for you, because it's short-lived and rare at the same-time.

Scare Factor: Medium, because it depend on how you feel about the fanfare.
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MGM/CBS Home Video Closing Logos (CBS Video)

Note: These logos were seen at the end of all MGM/CBS releases.

1st Logo
(1979-1981)

Nicknames: "Abstract Multicolored CV", "</", "CV"

Logo: On a black background, the CBS Video Logo (shaped kind of like this: </) zooms in from the upper right in a CRAPPY rainbow effect. CBS VIDEO, in blue, zooms up from the bottom, and the "</" turns white on the last note of the music.

FX/Cheesy Factor: The zoom-in effect, the words sliding in.

Music/Sounds: Same as MGM/CBS Logo 1.

Availability: Rare. BUT it has been found on the VERY FIRST VHS release of Jailhouse Rock.

Scare Factor: Same as MGM/CBS Logo 1.



2nd Logo
(1981-1982)

Nicknames: "Abstract Silver CV", "</", "CV"

Logo: On the top-right corner of a black screen, five lines are drawn in rays of light, to form a shape resembling the letters CV, shaped like this: </. When that is fully formed, a bar of light forms "CBS" to the left of the logo, then "VIDEO" is formed below the "CBS" and the </ in a similar fashion.

FX/Cheesy Factor: The "drawing" of the lines, the "bars of light".

Music/Sounds: A longer, slower variation of the MGM/CBS fanfare (which later will be used on the 1983 MGM/UA Home Video logo).

Availability: At the end of most MGM/CBS releases; look for this at old mom-and-pop video stores. This was also on early CBS-FOX releases, with the CBS-Fox music.

Scare Factor: Minimal to medium; the music may unnerve some, but is much tamer than MGM/CBS.
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MGM/UA Home Video

1st Logo
(1982-1993)

Nickname: "The Static Leo Moving", "MGM/UA", "MGM Lion"

Logo: We see a bluish metallic MGM/UA moving (MGM going from right to left, /UA going from left to right). We see a static picture of Leo zooming out. After that, it completes the ribbon logo with flashes. After that, the Home Video (in between 2 blue lines) in a blue font flashes and appears.

Variants:

• Some tapes have a slightly different lion/ribbon design.
• In Sweden, MGM tapes were often distributed through Esselte Video. The byline "From ESSELTE VIDEO", in white, appears below. In between "From" and "ESSELTE" is a circle with an "X" inside and eight little "points" around it.

FX/Cheesy Factor: Decent logo for the time (1982-1993).

Music/Sounds: Basically ripped from the CBS Video logo fanfare.

Availability: Found on many VHS videos from MGM and UA, and the logo lasted for a pretty good amount of time, 11 years to be exact. Also seen on the early Hemdale releases.

Scare Factor: Low to medium; depends on your taste of the fanfare.



"But what about...?"
Supposed "1st Logo" (aka "1982 Logo")
Logo myth debunked by Jeffrey Gray

Logo: On a black background, we see Leo roaring twice, inside the filmstrip circle reading "METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER UNITED ARTISTS", with 4 filmstrips flowing out on the sides, and a drama mask on the bottom. Underneath, "MGM/UA HOME VIDEO", with one line above and one below of "HOME VIDEO", is seen.

The Myth: This was the first MGM/UA Home Video logo, used in 1982. It supposedly appears on early MGM/UA releases, including the 1982 film Cannery Row.

The Truth: This logo is not from 1982. In fact, it is not even clear if it was actually used at the beginning of any MGM/UA Home Video releases. This logo appeared at the beginning of a promotional trailer for MGM/UA's video release Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983), seen on VideoDetective.com. This video release of Motown 25 has a copyright date of 1985. Also note that the logo itself uses the "Diamond Jubilee" design from 1984.

As for Cannery Row, a correspondence with someone who owns the original release of that has confirmed that it begins with the standard MGM/UA logo, not any supposed "1982" logo.

The Verdict: There is no "1982 logo." Whatever this other logo is, it is not from 1982. The standard 1980s MGM/UA Home Video logo is the only logo that MGM/UA used in 1982.



2nd Logo
(1993-1998)

Nickname: "The Rollercoaster Filmstrip"

Logo:

• Opening: The logo starts out with 3-D CGI with the filmstrip, and the filmstrip looks like something you would see from a rollercoaster or IMAX. We see a black-and-white image of Jackie the Lion during the filmstrip animation and Leo when the filmstrip animation stops. After Leo roars, we see the blue text of MGM/UA HOME VIDEO shining and sparkling in a spotlight while Leo turns gold and static.
• Closing: Just Leo because the filmstrip animation cuts off Jackie the Lion. While Leo roars, we still see the blue text of MGM/UA Home Video and Leo does not turn gold and static.

FX/Cheesy Factor: None; both a big improvement over the previous logo!

Music/Sounds:

• Opening: A much different fanfare for this logo that starts off dramatic, then ends more triumphant. During the fanfare, we hear Jackie II's roar, and then Leo's roar.

• Closing: Same as the opening logo, except the fanfare cuts off Jackie II's roar as we hear Leo's roar.

Music/Sound Trivia: This fanfare is based off the opening theme of The Wizard of Oz.

Availability: Pretty common as it can be found on it on VHS release from MGM and UA between 1993-1998 from such movies such as Pebble and the Penguin and How The Grinch Stole Christmas!. On earlier DVD releases also have this logo intact.

Scare Factor:

• Opening: Minimal to medium; depends on what you think of the lion's roar.
• Closing: Same as the opening logo.

Copyright Screen Logo
(1989-2004)

Nickname: "CGI Rainbow"

Logo: Just the MGM/UA Home Video logo with a copyright notice on the bottom, against a space background. In the background, there is a pattern of "MGM/UA HOME VIDEO"s, slanted at an angle, which scroll from right to left while changing in many different colors. The following changing colors are: gray, red, bluish green, pinkish purple, blue, and green.

FX: The changing colors.

Cheesy Factor: The scrolling rainbow "MGM/UA HOME VIDEO"s look a bit choppy.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Common, can be seen on MGM/UA movies of the VHS era at both beginnings and ends of their videos. In fact, it was used at the end of VHS tapes all the way into the MGM Home Entertainment era!

Scare Factor: Minimal, when at the end of tapes; however, seeing this in place of the standard black screen at the beginning of tapes may at least surprise those who aren't expecting it.
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MGM Home Entertainment

(1998-2005)

Nickname: "Leo the Lion"

Logo: Just your average Golden Ribbon Leo the Lion with Home Entertainment on the bottom.

FX: Almost a still logo.

Music/Sounds: No music, just Leo roaring as usual.

Availability: Found only on VHS releases that MGM and United Artists release.

Scare Factor: Medium; depends on what you think Leo Roaring.
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MGM DVD

Background: This is a brand name of DVD from MGM Home Entertainment.

1st Logo
(1997-2003)

Nickname: "Lion In A Ribbon In An Oval"

Logo: On a red oval, a miniature MGM logo comes up, roaring loudly, and the letters "MGM DVD" come up one by one from the front of the screen. Then the lion zooms out and disappears with a bright flash, and MGM DVD centers on the screen as the red oval fades out.

FX: The lion roars once. As the logo fades out, the lion's growling can be heard.

Music/Sounds: Six notes as the letters come in, then an orchestral hit at the end.

Availability: Available on pre-2003 MGM Home Entertainment DVDs.

Scare Factor: Medium to high, as this logo is extremely loud and comes out all of a sudden.



2nd Logo
(2003- )

Nickmane: "CGI MGM DVD"

Logo: On a black background, a flash of light emerges from the screen and circles showing clips from MGM-owned movies fly toward us. When the last circle flies at us, it collapes and we see the MGM DVD logo surrounded by a red aura and Leo roars once in it. After that, the logo quickly zooms into us, turning the screen black.

FX: Nice CGI.

Music/Sounds: A loud, majestic fanfare ending with Leo's roar.

Availability: Seen very common on MGM movies on DVD. The 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment does not appear after that (unless you select "PLAY" from the DVD's menu on the DVD you are about to watch).

Scare Factor: Same as previous logo.