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PolyGram Films
Logo descriptions by Codyfinke2, Eric S., V of Doom, and Shadeed A. Kelly
Logo captures by V of Doom and Eric S.
Background: PolyGram Pictures, the movie division of PolyGram Records, was formed in 1979 by Jon Peters and Peter Guber (who would later head Mandalay Entertainment) as a European competitor to Hollywood; however, it was closed down in 1983, being reactivated after in 1986 as PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and operated until 1999 when it was shut down after the merger of PolyGram and Universal Studios. Today, a lot of the pre-1996 PolyGram film library is owned by MGM under the umbrella of Sony and its partners, while Universal owns the rights to some pre-1996 films (Backbeat, Missing, The Jacksons: An American Dream, and An American Werewolf in London only) and the rest of PolyGram's films until its disestablishment.
1st Logo
(1980-1981)
Nicknames: "Rainbow PolyGram", "PolyRainbow"
Logo: On a background of red, orange, and yellow stripes, we see the words "POLYGRAM" in a "Prisma" like font near the middle of the screen.
FX/SFX: None.
Cheesy Factor: The colors used are very '70s.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Rare; appeared on a VHS copy of The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper.
Scary Factor: Minimal.
2nd Logo
(1981-1983)
Nicknames: "The Red Stars", "Rollercoaster", "PolyCoaster" "A Fountain of Red Stars"
Logo: On a black background, we see stars going up, which then go down (a la the Telepictures "Rollercoaster" logo), revealing the text:
The stars then are in a line under the name.
FX/SFX: The stars forming the name. Pure Scanimate effects.
Music/Sounds: Silent.
Availability: Appears on An American Werewolf in London and The King of the Mountain.
Scare Factor: Low.
3rd Logo
(1992)
Nickname: "PolyLine"
Logo: On a white background, we see "PolyGram" in black lettering and "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT" below. In between the letters has a light blue line drawing in the middle and later see a light blue spark.
FX/SFX: The light blue line drawing.
Music/Sounds: The end title theme from any feature or silent.
Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on The Jacksons: An American Dream on TVOne and VH1. On some other airings of the film and the DVD, this is plastered with the Universal logo.
Scare Factor: None.
4th Logo
(1993-1997)
Nicknames: "The Drawing Red Line", "PolyLine II"
Logo: On a black background, "PolyGram" appears. Then "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT" appears under the name. A red line is drawn between "PolyGram" and "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT", which causes a red flash after it stops drawing, then it shines once.
FX/SFX: The "drawing red line" effect.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Found on most 1993-1996 PolyGram films, which are owned by MGM. Some PolyGram films not produced by their production companies (i.e. Working Title, Interscope Communications, etc.), like The Usual Suspects, don't have this and instead go straight to the movie. On post-1996 films, this is plastered with the current Universal logo.
Scare Factor: Minimal.
5th Logo
(1997-1999)
Nicknames: "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"
Logo: On a ominous-looking darkened, cloudy skyscape, we see a winged man take flight from a steep cliff surface. As he begins his flight, he freezes still. As the Icarus stops, light streaks pass over him. The phrase POLYGRAM FILMS (or FILMED ENTERTAINMENT), in a stylized font and centered under the winged man, zooms into place (also with the same streaking FX). Both the Icarus and company name appear to be living crystal.
Variant: An earlier version of the logo exists, where it was just the Icarus and the word "POLYGRAM" in a stylistic font. Then the word "FILMS" in a smaller font fades in.
FX/SFX: The winged man moving, the letters appearing.
Music/Sounds: Silent. However, an earlier version has a horn fanfare.
Availability: Extremely Rare; immediately following the merger of PolyGram and Universal Studios under the name of Seagram & Sons Inc. in 1999, all of the 1997-1999 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment film backlog were deleted and replaced with the current 1997 Universal logo on recent VHS & DVDs from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. However, this can be found on the first VHS and DVDs released by PolyGram Video. Additionally, the Universal DVD's of Barney's Great Adventure, Elizabeth and The Big Lebowski, among others(the ones what resemble PolyGram packaging) retain this.
Scare Factor: Minimal to low; the dark skyline and winged man might very well unsettle some viewers (especially if unfamiliar with the Greek fable about Icarus, the man who constructed a set of wings and tried to fly to the sun, falling into the Aegean Sea as the wax on his wings melted) as well as the freeze-frame and CGI effects animation used thoughout, but should be of minimal effect for those who are used to seeing this ID before. This remains among the best CGI logos of recent years, regardless of its dark look.
Logo captures by V of Doom and Eric S.
Background: PolyGram Pictures, the movie division of PolyGram Records, was formed in 1979 by Jon Peters and Peter Guber (who would later head Mandalay Entertainment) as a European competitor to Hollywood; however, it was closed down in 1983, being reactivated after in 1986 as PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and operated until 1999 when it was shut down after the merger of PolyGram and Universal Studios. Today, a lot of the pre-1996 PolyGram film library is owned by MGM under the umbrella of Sony and its partners, while Universal owns the rights to some pre-1996 films (Backbeat, Missing, The Jacksons: An American Dream, and An American Werewolf in London only) and the rest of PolyGram's films until its disestablishment.
1st Logo
(1980-1981)
Nicknames: "Rainbow PolyGram", "PolyRainbow"
Logo: On a background of red, orange, and yellow stripes, we see the words "POLYGRAM" in a "Prisma" like font near the middle of the screen.
FX/SFX: None.
Cheesy Factor: The colors used are very '70s.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Rare; appeared on a VHS copy of The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper.
Scary Factor: Minimal.
2nd Logo
(1981-1983)
Nicknames: "The Red Stars", "Rollercoaster", "PolyCoaster" "A Fountain of Red Stars"
Logo: On a black background, we see stars going up, which then go down (a la the Telepictures "Rollercoaster" logo), revealing the text:
PolyGram Pictures
The stars then are in a line under the name.
FX/SFX: The stars forming the name. Pure Scanimate effects.
Music/Sounds: Silent.
Availability: Appears on An American Werewolf in London and The King of the Mountain.
Scare Factor: Low.
3rd Logo
(1992)
Nickname: "PolyLine"
Logo: On a white background, we see "PolyGram" in black lettering and "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT" below. In between the letters has a light blue line drawing in the middle and later see a light blue spark.
FX/SFX: The light blue line drawing.
Music/Sounds: The end title theme from any feature or silent.
Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on The Jacksons: An American Dream on TVOne and VH1. On some other airings of the film and the DVD, this is plastered with the Universal logo.
Scare Factor: None.
4th Logo
(1993-1997)
Nicknames: "The Drawing Red Line", "PolyLine II"
Logo: On a black background, "PolyGram" appears. Then "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT" appears under the name. A red line is drawn between "PolyGram" and "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT", which causes a red flash after it stops drawing, then it shines once.
FX/SFX: The "drawing red line" effect.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Found on most 1993-1996 PolyGram films, which are owned by MGM. Some PolyGram films not produced by their production companies (i.e. Working Title, Interscope Communications, etc.), like The Usual Suspects, don't have this and instead go straight to the movie. On post-1996 films, this is plastered with the current Universal logo.
Scare Factor: Minimal.
5th Logo
(1997-1999)
Nicknames: "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"
Logo: On a ominous-looking darkened, cloudy skyscape, we see a winged man take flight from a steep cliff surface. As he begins his flight, he freezes still. As the Icarus stops, light streaks pass over him. The phrase POLYGRAM FILMS (or FILMED ENTERTAINMENT), in a stylized font and centered under the winged man, zooms into place (also with the same streaking FX). Both the Icarus and company name appear to be living crystal.
Variant: An earlier version of the logo exists, where it was just the Icarus and the word "POLYGRAM" in a stylistic font. Then the word "FILMS" in a smaller font fades in.
FX/SFX: The winged man moving, the letters appearing.
Music/Sounds: Silent. However, an earlier version has a horn fanfare.
Availability: Extremely Rare; immediately following the merger of PolyGram and Universal Studios under the name of Seagram & Sons Inc. in 1999, all of the 1997-1999 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment film backlog were deleted and replaced with the current 1997 Universal logo on recent VHS & DVDs from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. However, this can be found on the first VHS and DVDs released by PolyGram Video. Additionally, the Universal DVD's of Barney's Great Adventure, Elizabeth and The Big Lebowski, among others(the ones what resemble PolyGram packaging) retain this.
Scare Factor: Minimal to low; the dark skyline and winged man might very well unsettle some viewers (especially if unfamiliar with the Greek fable about Icarus, the man who constructed a set of wings and tried to fly to the sun, falling into the Aegean Sea as the wax on his wings melted) as well as the freeze-frame and CGI effects animation used thoughout, but should be of minimal effect for those who are used to seeing this ID before. This remains among the best CGI logos of recent years, regardless of its dark look.
EnormousRat |
Latest page update: made by EnormousRat
, Sep 22 2009, 11:56 AM EDT
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General Electric
NBC Universal Inc.
PolyGram Films
PolyGram Records
Universal Pictures
Vivendi SA
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