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Schick Sunn Classic Pictures |
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Logo descriptions by Matt Williams, Eric S., and others
Logo pictures and editions by Eric S. and others
Schick Sunn Classic Pictures
Background: One of the most popular and profitable independent film studios of the 1970’s was Sunn Classics. They were also known as Schick Sunn Classics, part of the razor company. Known for their speculative documentaries, they would use market research to create a film, go into a town and rent out theatres, saturate the market with advertising, and clean up at the box office. This process, known as “Four Walling”, was very successful for them. Orson Welles was especially interesting in their way of doing business, visiting their studio to learn about it. As the studio grew in popularity, it unfortunately led to its downfall. Known for its family films, it expanded into PG rated narrative films (like Hangar 18) and even R rated horror films (The Boogens). It was bought out by other companies and eventually disappeared. Currently the movie library is owned by Viacom thru Paramount Pictures and the TV library is owned by CBS Corporation thru CBS Television Distribution, both in tandem with Republic Entertainment, Inc.
1st Logo
(1970-1987)
Nicknames: "The Sun", "The Cheesy Sun"
Logo: On a space background, we zoom out and we see an eclipsed sun, which turns into a drawing of a sun. "SUN" on a bold font appears inside it. Below it, these words appear:
FX/SFX: The animation of the flames on the eclipsed sun.
Music/Sounds:
Availability: Very rare; appeared on Vestron Video releases of Greatest Heroes of the Bible: The Story of Esther, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, and Battle Beyond the Street, and Starmaker Video release of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, among others. Was plastered with the Taft logo during the '80s when they owned the company. If any of these films is ever shown, expect a Paramount logo to plaster this one.
Scare Factor: Medium; the darkness may not sit well with everybody. Not to mention the Viacom "V of Doom" appearing at the end of most movies!
2nd Logo
(1983-1987)
Logo: Just a generic in-credit text saying "SUNN CLASSIC PICTURES, INC.", under it, the byline "A Division of the Taft Entertainment Company" is seen. Sometimes, "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" is seen above.
FX/SFX: The scrolling of the credits, or none.
Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the movie, or none.
Availability: Seen on Schick Sunn movies from the Taft period, such as Cujo and P.K. and the Kid among others.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
Sunn Pictures International
Background: Sunn tried to come back in the early 90’s. As Sunn International Pictures, they made several more Biblical speculation films for CBS, known as Ancient secrets of the Bible. Aaron Eckhart got his start playing Samson in one of these films. They ran into a bit of trouble with this as it turns out one of the people they interviewed, about the finding of Noah’s Ark, was a renowned hoaxer. He did the interview as a joke and, after it aired, came out to say he was making it all up. CBS was embarrassed and didn’t continue with more films with Sunn. There were a few more documentaries (including a series about UFOs), mainly for cable, but that was it for the second incarnation of Sunn. Sellier continues to make films, mainly religious documentaries, under the title Grizzly Adams Productions.
(1994?)
TBA!
_______________________________________________________________
Sunn Classic Pictures, Inc.
Background: In recent years, Sunn has attempted to come back for a third time, with many of those originally involved with the studio (minus Sellier). They launched a website, and have ambitious plans for a new movie studio, with some films in development (including Tim Conway's DORF character). Although since the site's launch a couple years ago, there has been little updating.
1st Logo
(????- )
Nickname: "The Pyramid and the Sun"
Logo pictures and editions by Eric S. and others
Schick Sunn Classic Pictures
Background: One of the most popular and profitable independent film studios of the 1970’s was Sunn Classics. They were also known as Schick Sunn Classics, part of the razor company. Known for their speculative documentaries, they would use market research to create a film, go into a town and rent out theatres, saturate the market with advertising, and clean up at the box office. This process, known as “Four Walling”, was very successful for them. Orson Welles was especially interesting in their way of doing business, visiting their studio to learn about it. As the studio grew in popularity, it unfortunately led to its downfall. Known for its family films, it expanded into PG rated narrative films (like Hangar 18) and even R rated horror films (The Boogens). It was bought out by other companies and eventually disappeared. Currently the movie library is owned by Viacom thru Paramount Pictures and the TV library is owned by CBS Corporation thru CBS Television Distribution, both in tandem with Republic Entertainment, Inc.
1st Logo
(1970-1987)
Nicknames: "The Sun", "The Cheesy Sun"
Logo: On a space background, we zoom out and we see an eclipsed sun, which turns into a drawing of a sun. "SUN" on a bold font appears inside it. Below it, these words appear:
- 1970-1979: SCHICK SUN CLASSIC PICTURES PRESENTS (with "Schick" above "SUN")
- 1975-1978: SUNN CLASSIC PICTURES PRESENTS (with "Schick" above "SUNN")
- 1978-1987: SUN CLASSIC PICTURES
- Also referred as "SCHICK SUNN CLASSIC PRODUCTIONS" for TV movies.
- Later, on some 1983 and 1986 TV movies, the byline "A Division of the Taft Broadcasting Company" would appear under the logo.
- The closing variant seen on TV movies with the sun still and the stars moving.
- On the TV Series The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, the logo was superimposed over the ending credits without animation.
FX/SFX: The animation of the flames on the eclipsed sun.
Music/Sounds:
- For the opening variant featured a triumphant orchestral piece
- In other cases, a more orchestrated version with bells and percussion sounds was heard.
- On In Search of the Historic Jesus, a long version of the Taft International Pictures logo jingle was heard.
- The closing logo featured a majestic sounding orchestral piece made of strings. Another variant of the same jingle was also used, but using piano and brass as main melody.
Availability: Very rare; appeared on Vestron Video releases of Greatest Heroes of the Bible: The Story of Esther, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, and Battle Beyond the Street, and Starmaker Video release of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, among others. Was plastered with the Taft logo during the '80s when they owned the company. If any of these films is ever shown, expect a Paramount logo to plaster this one.
Scare Factor: Medium; the darkness may not sit well with everybody. Not to mention the Viacom "V of Doom" appearing at the end of most movies!
2nd Logo
(1983-1987)
Logo: Just a generic in-credit text saying "SUNN CLASSIC PICTURES, INC.", under it, the byline "A Division of the Taft Entertainment Company" is seen. Sometimes, "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" is seen above.
FX/SFX: The scrolling of the credits, or none.
Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the movie, or none.
Availability: Seen on Schick Sunn movies from the Taft period, such as Cujo and P.K. and the Kid among others.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
Sunn Pictures International
Background: Sunn tried to come back in the early 90’s. As Sunn International Pictures, they made several more Biblical speculation films for CBS, known as Ancient secrets of the Bible. Aaron Eckhart got his start playing Samson in one of these films. They ran into a bit of trouble with this as it turns out one of the people they interviewed, about the finding of Noah’s Ark, was a renowned hoaxer. He did the interview as a joke and, after it aired, came out to say he was making it all up. CBS was embarrassed and didn’t continue with more films with Sunn. There were a few more documentaries (including a series about UFOs), mainly for cable, but that was it for the second incarnation of Sunn. Sellier continues to make films, mainly religious documentaries, under the title Grizzly Adams Productions.
(1994?)
TBA!
_______________________________________________________________
Sunn Classic Pictures, Inc.
Background: In recent years, Sunn has attempted to come back for a third time, with many of those originally involved with the studio (minus Sellier). They launched a website, and have ambitious plans for a new movie studio, with some films in development (including Tim Conway's DORF character). Although since the site's launch a couple years ago, there has been little updating.
1st Logo
(????- )
Nickname: "The Pyramid and the Sun"
