Orion ClassicsThis is a featured page

Logo descriptions by V of Doom and Shadeed A. Kelly
Logo capture by Eric S.


Background: Orion Classics was the indie/art-house movie division of Orion Pictures Corp., established in 1983, that acquired independent and foreign films for North American distribution, in addition to producing some arthouse films of its own. Originally, it was headed by Michael Barker, Tom Bernard, and Marcie Bloom
(the same people who started United Artists Classics two years ago). As Orion headed into bankruptcy, these three left to head Sony Pictures Classics, the indie/art-house movie arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In the mid-1990s, Metromedia acquired Orion, and merged the classics division into The Samuel Goldwyn Company (later rebranded as G2 Films by MGM). Both Orion and SGC were sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1997, with the latter's function of producing and/or distributing independent films being assumed by MGM's United Artists division.


1st Logo
(1983-1996)

Nicknames: "The Constellation", "Starry Sky"

Logo: Same as the movie logo of the era, but "Classics" (in blue in a similar font as above) fades in below.
Orion Classics
FX/SFX: Same as the movie logo of the era.

Music/Sounds: Same as the movie logo. On a side note, this logo used a generic theme, plastering other logos, such as the Gaumont logo in My Mother's House. So the Gaumont fanfare (1980-1992) would be used instead. The DVD of My Mother's House does not have this logo with the Gaumont music; instead, it had the 1985 Gaumont logo.

Availability: Rare; this appeared on art-house films released by Orion Classics, such as Boxing Helena, Rhapsody in August, and Slacker, among others, and this logo is occasionally seen on the Showtime Networks. It might have also appeared on reissues of AIP films.

Scare Factor:
Low for the original music and low to medium for the Gaumont fanfare variant.



2nd Logo
(1996-1998)

Nicknames: "The CGI Constellation", "CGI Starry Sky"

Logo: Same as the 1996 logo, but "CLASSICS" replaces "PICTURES".

FX/SFX: Same as the 1996 movie logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 1996 movie logo.

Availability: Extremely rare. Occasionally seen on the Showtime Networks.

Scare Factor:
Same as the 1996 movie logo.


VofDoom
VofDoom
Latest page update: made by VofDoom , Sep 18 2009, 1:26 AM EDT (about this update About This Update VofDoom Edited by VofDoom


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Started By Thread Subject Replies Last Post
Kylejaker1988 Other examples? 0 May 12 2009, 5:08 PM EDT by Kylejaker1988
Thread started: May 12 2009, 5:08 PM EDT  Watch
Didn't this logo appear on some AIP films?
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supernaxo some films that have the orion classics logo 0 Mar 22 2009, 9:06 AM EDT by supernaxo
Thread started: Mar 22 2009, 9:06 AM EDT  Watch
This World, Then the Fireworks (1997)
Kavkazskiy plennik (1996)
Trees Lounge (1996)
Ed's Next Move (1996)
Jeffrey (1995)
Der Bewegte Mann (1994)
Bar Girls (1994)
Nostradamus (1994)Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1994) ... Distributor (1995) (USA)
Boxing Helena (1993) ... Distributor
Rain Without Thunder (1992) ... Distributor (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
The Adjuster (1991) ... Distributor (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991) ... Distributor (1992) (USA) (subtitled)
The Search for Signs of Inteligent Life in the Universe (1991) ... Distributor
A Woman's Tale (1991) ... Distributor (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
Slacker (1991) ... Distributor
Hachi-gatsu no kyôshikyoku (1991) ... Distributor (USA) (subtitled)
Europa Europa (1990) ... Distributor (1991) (USA) (subtitled)
Château de ma mère, Le (1990) ... Distributor (1991) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
Un monde sans pitié (1989) ... Distributor (1991) (USA) (subtitled)
Vie et rien d'autre, La (1989) ... Distributor (1990) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
Mystery Train (1989) ... Distributor (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
Monsieur Hire (1989) ... Distributor (1990) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
Jésus de Montréal (1989) ... Distributor (1990) (USA) (subtitled)
Trop belle pour toi (1989) ... Distributor (1990) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989) ... Distributor (1990) (USA) (subtitled)
Maître de musique, Le (1989) ... Distributor (1989) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
Camille Claudel (1988) ... Distributor (1989) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled) (cut version)
Lectrice, La (1988) ... Distributor (1989) (USA) (subtitled)
Chocolat (1988) ... Distributor (1989) (USA) (subtitled)
Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1988) ... Distributor (1988) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
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