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MGM Home Entertainment
Logo descriptions by Matt Williams and Matthew Anscher
Logo captures by Wisp2007, Eric S., Logoboy95, V of Doom, Shadeed A. Kelly, and thehugetvfan
Edtions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, TheMisterFree, Logophile, Jeffrey Gray, Mr. Logo Lord, and kidinbed
Video captures courtesy of Eric S., Swedishintros, Catbeast2007, and AussieRoadshow
Background: First 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 acquired 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 1995 this division was renamed MGM/UA Home Entertainment. 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. In 1998, the UA name was dropped. Following MGM's acquisition by the Sony-led consortium in 2005, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment began distributing the MGM library on home video until May 31, 2006, when MGM announced that they would be signing a new distribution deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for worldwide release.
MGM/CBS Home Video
Opening Variants
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/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The slash appearing, the zooming effects, which are just simple computer animation.
Music/Sounds: An uninspired news-like synth tune. The "Coming From" trailer used an 7-note tune.
Availability: Rare, as most releases have been re-released under the MGM/UA label. BUT it has been found on the VERY FIRST VHS releases of Jailhouse Rock and Coma.
Scare Factor: Low to medium.
2nd Logo
(1981-1982)
Nicknames: "The Metallic CBS/MGM", "Silver MGM/CBS"
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/SFX/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 very early '80s as well.
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: Low to medium; it depends on how you feel about the fanfare.
Closing Variants
1st Logo
(1979-1981)
Nicknames: "Abstract Multicolored CV", "</ 1", "CV 1"
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/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The zoom-in effect, the words sliding in. Again, just simple computer animation.
Music/Sounds: Same as MGM/CBS logo 1.
Availability: Rare, but it has been found on the VERY FIRST VHS releases of Jailhouse Rock and Coma. This can be seen at the end of said tape.
Scare Factor: Same as MGM/CBS logo 1.
2nd Logo
(1981-1982)
Nicknames: "Abstract Silver CV", "</ 2", "CV 2"
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/SFX/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, so 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.
_______________________________________________________________
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:
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Pretty much the entire formation of the logo, the shine. Decent logo at 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.
2nd Logo
(1984-1986)
Nicknames: "MGM Lion", "Roaring Lion"
Logo: Same as before, except the text does not move, "HOME VIDEO" is metallic like the MGM/UA text, and there is actual animation.
FX/SFX: Leo roaring.
Music/Sounds: Leo's roar.
Availability: Extremely rare; this logo appeared at the beginning of a promotional trailer for MGM/UA's video release Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, and a 1986 promo for classic MGM musicals on home video.
Scare Factor: Low to medium.
3rd Logo
(1989-2004)
Nickname: "(CGI) MGM Rainbow"
Logo: Just the MGM/UA Home Video logo with a copyright info 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, teal blue, fuschia, blue, and green.
Variant: Early releases had the copyright date in a slightly different font arranged to the left.
FX/SFX: 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 such as All Dogs Go To Heaven. 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.
4th Logo
(1993-1998)
Nickname: "The Rollercoaster Filmstrip"
Logo:
Variants: There is a bumper that preceeds trailers with a still of the end logo but instead of "HOME VIDEO", it would have one of these below:
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The zooming ribbon and pan outs. A big improvement over the previous logo.
Music/Sounds:
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 VHS releases from MGM and UA between 1993-1998 from such movies such as The Pebble and the Penguin, Get Shorty, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas! Earlier DVD releases also have this logo intact, such as Red Dawn.
Scare Factor: Minimal to medium for both opening and closing variants, as they depend on what you think of the lion's roar.
_______________________________________________________________
MGM Home Entertainment
(1998-2005)
Nickname: "Leo the Lion"
Logo: Just your average golden ribbon and Leo the Lion with ''HOME ENTERTAINMENT'' on the bottom. Below and under ''HOME ENTERTAINMENT'' is 2 lines.
Closing Variant: At the end of the animated feature Tom Sawyer, the MGM logo scrolls up and the text "HOME ENTERTAINMENT" is shown below the logo in a white Roman text.
FX/SFX: Leo the Lion roaring.
Music/Sounds: The 1995 lion roar.
Availability: Found only on VHS releases that MGM and United Artists released.
Scare Factor: Low to medium; depends on what you think of Leo roaring.
_______________________________________________________________
MGM DVD
Background: This is the DVD arm from MGM Home Entertainment.
1st Logo
(1998-2003)
Nickname: "Loud Lion"
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/SFX: The lion roars once. As the logo fades out, the lion's growling can be heard.
Music/Sounds: A lion roar, six notes as the letters come in, the lion's growl, and an orchestral hit at the end.
Availability: Available on pre-2003 MGM Home Entertainment DVDs, such as the DVD release of SpaceCamp, although this movie was not made by MGM, but by ABC Motion Pictures.
Scare Factor: Medium to high for first-time viewers, as this logo is extremely loud and comes out all of a sudden.
2nd Logo
(2003- )
Nickname: "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/SFX: Nice CGI.
Music/Sounds: A loud, majestic fanfare ending with Leo's roar.
Availability: Seen very commonly on MGM movies on DVD.
Scare Factor: Low to medium; this logo is less sudden than before.
Logo captures by Wisp2007, Eric S., Logoboy95, V of Doom, Shadeed A. Kelly, and thehugetvfan
Edtions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, TheMisterFree, Logophile, Jeffrey Gray, Mr. Logo Lord, and kidinbed
Video captures courtesy of Eric S., Swedishintros, Catbeast2007, and AussieRoadshow
Background: First 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 acquired 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 1995 this division was renamed MGM/UA Home Entertainment. 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. In 1998, the UA name was dropped. Following MGM's acquisition by the Sony-led consortium in 2005, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment began distributing the MGM library on home video until May 31, 2006, when MGM announced that they would be signing a new distribution deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for worldwide release.
MGM/CBS Home Video
Opening Variants
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/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The slash appearing, the zooming effects, which are just simple computer animation.
Music/Sounds: An uninspired news-like synth tune. The "Coming From" trailer used an 7-note tune.
Availability: Rare, as most releases have been re-released under the MGM/UA label. BUT it has been found on the VERY FIRST VHS releases of Jailhouse Rock and Coma.
Scare Factor: Low to medium.
2nd Logo
(1981-1982)
Nicknames: "The Metallic CBS/MGM", "Silver MGM/CBS"
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/SFX/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 very early '80s as well.
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: Low to medium; it depends on how you feel about the fanfare.
Closing Variants
1st Logo
(1979-1981)
Nicknames: "Abstract Multicolored CV", "</ 1", "CV 1"
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/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The zoom-in effect, the words sliding in. Again, just simple computer animation.
Music/Sounds: Same as MGM/CBS logo 1.
Availability: Rare, but it has been found on the VERY FIRST VHS releases of Jailhouse Rock and Coma. This can be seen at the end of said tape.
Scare Factor: Same as MGM/CBS logo 1.
2nd Logo
(1981-1982)
Nicknames: "Abstract Silver CV", "</ 2", "CV 2"
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/SFX/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, so 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.
_______________________________________________________________
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.
- On some videos from Australia and New Zealand, the logo animates as normal up until Home Video flashes. Then, Leo's static picture becomes Leo roaring, and then the beginning of a promotional reel tunnels in.
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Pretty much the entire formation of the logo, the shine. Decent logo at 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.
2nd Logo
(1984-1986)
Nicknames: "MGM Lion", "Roaring Lion"
Logo: Same as before, except the text does not move, "HOME VIDEO" is metallic like the MGM/UA text, and there is actual animation.
FX/SFX: Leo roaring.
Music/Sounds: Leo's roar.
Availability: Extremely rare; this logo appeared at the beginning of a promotional trailer for MGM/UA's video release Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, and a 1986 promo for classic MGM musicals on home video.
Scare Factor: Low to medium.
3rd Logo
(1989-2004)
Nickname: "(CGI) MGM Rainbow"
Logo: Just the MGM/UA Home Video logo with a copyright info 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, teal blue, fuschia, blue, and green.
Variant: Early releases had the copyright date in a slightly different font arranged to the left.
FX/SFX: 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 such as All Dogs Go To Heaven. 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.
4th Logo
(1993-1998)
Nickname: "The Rollercoaster Filmstrip"
Logo:
- Opening: The logo starts out with 3D 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.
Variants: There is a bumper that preceeds trailers with a still of the end logo but instead of "HOME VIDEO", it would have one of these below:
- Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You
- Now Available on Videocassette
- Coming Soon to Videocassette
- Theatrical Trailer
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The zooming ribbon and pan outs. 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 Tanner'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 VHS releases from MGM and UA between 1993-1998 from such movies such as The Pebble and the Penguin, Get Shorty, and How The Grinch Stole Christmas! Earlier DVD releases also have this logo intact, such as Red Dawn.
Scare Factor: Minimal to medium for both opening and closing variants, as they depend on what you think of the lion's roar.
_______________________________________________________________
MGM Home Entertainment
(1998-2005)
Nickname: "Leo the Lion"
Logo: Just your average golden ribbon and Leo the Lion with ''HOME ENTERTAINMENT'' on the bottom. Below and under ''HOME ENTERTAINMENT'' is 2 lines.
Closing Variant: At the end of the animated feature Tom Sawyer, the MGM logo scrolls up and the text "HOME ENTERTAINMENT" is shown below the logo in a white Roman text.
FX/SFX: Leo the Lion roaring.
Music/Sounds: The 1995 lion roar.
Availability: Found only on VHS releases that MGM and United Artists released.
Scare Factor: Low to medium; depends on what you think of Leo roaring.
_______________________________________________________________
MGM DVD
Background: This is the DVD arm from MGM Home Entertainment.
1st Logo
(1998-2003)
Nickname: "Loud Lion"
FX/SFX: The lion roars once. As the logo fades out, the lion's growling can be heard.
Music/Sounds: A lion roar, six notes as the letters come in, the lion's growl, and an orchestral hit at the end.
Availability: Available on pre-2003 MGM Home Entertainment DVDs, such as the DVD release of SpaceCamp, although this movie was not made by MGM, but by ABC Motion Pictures.
Scare Factor: Medium to high for first-time viewers, as this logo is extremely loud and comes out all of a sudden.
2nd Logo
(2003- )
Nickname: "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/SFX: Nice CGI.
Music/Sounds: A loud, majestic fanfare ending with Leo's roar.
Availability: Seen very commonly on MGM movies on DVD.
Scare Factor: Low to medium; this logo is less sudden than before.
|
NateSpidgewood |
Latest page update: made by NateSpidgewood
, Nov 11 2009, 12:05 AM EST
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by NateSpidgewood
7 words added view changes - complete history) |
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Keyword tags:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
MGM Holdings Inc.
MGM Home Entertainment
MGM/CBS Home Video
MGM/UA Home Video
More Info: links to this page
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| Kylejaker1988 | Widescreen | 0 | May 12 2009, 4:58 PM EDT by Kylejaker1988 | ||
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Thread started: May 12 2009, 4:58 PM EDT
Watch
Starting around 2007, the logo appeared in widescreen form.
1
out of
1 found this valuable.
Do you?
Keyword tags:
MGM DVD Logo Widescreen
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| MikeLogos | Both of the MGM DVD videos don't work | 0 | Feb 24 2009, 6:50 PM EST by MikeLogos | ||
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Thread started: Feb 24 2009, 6:50 PM EST
Watch
See for yourself.
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| Logophile | The movie clips on MGM DVD logo 2 | 1 | Dec 1 2008, 4:32 PM EST by Lazlow | ||
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Thread started: Nov 19 2008, 12:13 PM EST
Watch
Can someone help me figure out the clips of movies on the MGM DVD 2003 logo. I know some of them such as Fargo, Legally Blond, Rocky, Platoon, Thelma and Louise, Silence of the Lambs, some Pierce Bronson James Bond film and Some Like It Hot(?). But which film has the guy on the motor cycle? Help me! Thanks!
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