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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 21 2008, 5:22 PM EDT | Nathanwhitty | 4 words added |
| Aug 21 2008, 11:51 AM EDT | mr3urious | 82 words added, 47 words deleted |
Changes
Key: Additions Deletions
Editions by sega3dmm and mr3urious
Logo capture by sega3dmm
Background: THX is a motion picture quality certification system (despite being branded as a "Sound System" until 1997) founded by Tomlinson Holman and George Lucas in 1982, named after the first film Lucas directed, THX 1138. The first THX film was the 1983 sci-fi film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
1st Trailer
(May 1983-1997)
Nickname: "Wings"
Logo: We see a pitch-black screen. Then we see white text on the screen that reads "For the past 35 years, motion picture loudspeaker systems have not changed...". When it has been on the screen for a while, it fades out and new white text appears reading "Lucasfilm, Ltd. and this theatre are pleased to introduce a new motion picture sound system.". That text fades out and we wait for a while and the letters "THX", which have a line under them and have the "T" slightly taller whose stem extends over the other two letters, appear in a glassy sky blue color. The color fades in majestically with "LUCASFILM LTD." above it and "SOUND SYSTEM" below it, both in small text. It stays on screen for about 10 seconds, then slowly fades out with the text above and below the logo.
FX: The text and THX logo fading in and out.
Music/Sounds: A synthesized sound effect known as "Deep Note". It was made by James Andy Morrer and became one of the world's most recognized sound trademarks.
Availibility: Was never on THX-certified home video releases. Debuted in the theatrical premiere of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Can be seen on select Demo DVDs and the Internet, including THX's official website.
Scare Factor: Medium to high, especially if you haven't heard it before! Low for those who are used to seeing it.
2nd Trailer
(Fall 1983-2005)
Nickname: "Broadway"
Logo: On a black BG, we see a blue outline of a rectangle. The gray text "The Audience is Listening" fades in the bottom of the outline, then fades out. A few seconds later, the THX logo in silver appears, The blue rectangle outline fades out, and
appears and the THX logo shines across like how people move their finger across their neck to flip people off! (D:)
Nickname: "Cavalcade"
Logo: In a darkly-lit environment, we zoom in toward a glassy blue sphere, which has clouds rolling and lightning flickering. As the environment illuminates, we see that the sphere is barely hovering over a textured blue floor. Suddenly, the sphere shatters, and the sky is revealed to contain several rolling gray clouds. The glass then liquifies and gathers in the center. Some lightning strikes it and forms a silver THX logo. Then, the environment fades to black as a shimmering blue rectangle is drawn clockwise around it. The logo fades out, and the URL www.thx.com fades in.
FX: Just top-notch CGI.
Music/Sounds: Thunderclaps/electric shocking sounds, followed by glass shattering, then the Deep Note. A laser-like sound is heard as the rectangle is formed.
Availability: Currently seen on every THX DVD and all THX theatres.
Scare Factor: Medium to high, due to the sphere shattering all of a sudden, in addition to the presence of the Deep Note!
6th Trailer
(2007- )
Nickname: "Amazing Life"
Logo: TBA
FX: TBA
Music/Sounds: A variety of instruments playing out, which ends with the Deep Note.
Availability: Currently seen in THX theatres.
Scare Factor: TBA
Logo capture by sega3dmm
Background: THX is a motion picture quality certification system (despite being branded as a "Sound System" until 1997) founded by Tomlinson Holman and George Lucas in 1982, named after the first film Lucas directed, THX 1138. The first THX film was the 1983 sci-fi film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
1st Trailer
(May 1983-1997)
Nickname: "Wings"
Logo: We see a pitch-black screen. Then we see white text on the screen that reads "For the past 35 years, motion picture loudspeaker systems have not changed...". When it has been on the screen for a while, it fades out and new white text appears reading "Lucasfilm, Ltd. and this theatre are pleased to introduce a new motion picture sound system.". That text fades out and we wait for a while and the letters "THX", which have a line under them and have the "T" slightly taller whose stem extends over the other two letters, appear in a glassy sky blue color. The color fades in majestically with "LUCASFILM LTD." above it and "SOUND SYSTEM" below it, both in small text. It stays on screen for about 10 seconds, then slowly fades out with the text above and below the logo.
FX: The text and THX logo fading in and out.
Music/Sounds: A synthesized sound effect known as "Deep Note". It was made by James Andy Morrer and became one of the world's most recognized sound trademarks.
Availibility: Was never on THX-certified home video releases. Debuted in the theatrical premiere of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Can be seen on select Demo DVDs and the Internet, including THX's official website.
Scare Factor: Medium to high, especially if you haven't heard it before! Low for those who are used to seeing it.
2nd Trailer
(Fall 1983-2005)
Logo: On a black BG, we see a blue outline of a rectangle. The gray text "The Audience is Listening" fades in the bottom of the outline, then fades out. A few seconds later, the THX logo in silver appears, The blue rectangle outline fades out, and
"LUCASFILM LTD.
SOUND SYSTEM"
appears and the THX logo shines across like how people move their finger across their neck to flip people off! (D:)
Variants: Throughout the years, this trailer had many different variants:
fades in, the rectangle fades out, and the text fades out, as well.
FX: See 1st logo.
Music/Sounds: Same as 1st logo.
Availability: Common; appears on many THX-certified DVDs and VHS's.
Scare Factor: See 1st logo.
3rd Trailer
(1988-1993)
Nickname: "Cinamorron"
Logo: A small gray box appears in the center of the screen, then a conductor's hand appears in that box and it flicks it's baton, blasting out a blue hyperspace. It turns red, and when it fully turns red, we see a 3D THX logo zoom towards us against a black screen with red dots. Then, we see some text saying "The Audience is Listening" in the same font and color used in "Broadway". A few seconds, a subtitle reading "Lucasfilm, Ltd. Sound System" fades in too.
Variant: This trailer was remixed in Dolby Digital in 1995. This variant had slight changes. At the start, text fades in reading "Dolby Digital sound in a THX Theatre" and at the end, the Dolby logo was added at the left-bottom of the screen.
FX: CGI that was done at ILM.
Music/Sounds: A nice orchestral piece done by James Horner. We hear an orchestra warming up at the start, then some music, and then a beautiful composition of acesending notes when the THX logo appears.
Availability: This proabably no longer plays in THX theaters, but it can be found on some THX demo DVDs.
Scare factor: Low; maybe the least-scary THX trailer, and also the only THX trailer so far that doesn't use the Deep Note.
4th Trailer
(1993-1997)
Nickname: "Grand"
Logo: On a black BG, we see some white text that reads "This auditorium is equipped with a THX sound system...", but some seconds after, the BG turns into a red-black cloudy BG. And we see some white text that reads "The audience is listening.". After that, the red-black BG turns slowly turns blue, somewhat similar to the previous BG. Seconds after, a light with lens flares moves upward and a 90° turned THX logo rotates to its front in a blue-black gradient BG, with "LUCASFILM LTD" over and "SOUND SYSTEM" below.
FX: The background changing, the texts fading, and "THX" is completely in silver 3D.
Music/Sounds: Some chimes, then a ascending group of notes, ending with an excellent rendition of the Deep Note.
Availability: Seen on all THX theaters during the '90s, maybe until 1997.
Scare Factor: Low.
5th Trailer
(2001- )
- 1995 A: The audio was remixed digitally with then-new technology.
- 1995 B: Probably the most recognizable THX trailer variant. It was exclusively to home video releases and revised a bit more. The gray text reading "The Audience is Listening" is replaced with "Digitally Mastered for Optimal Audio and Video Performance" in Arial font in white and arranged in the center of the outline. That text appears longer than the regular version, and "DIGITALLY" appears above the THX logo and "MASTERED" appears below that logo. Those texts fade in with the THX logo instead of appearing after the blue outline disappears.
- 1997: Same as the 1995 B variant, but the pitch seems to be higher. This was only on DVD releases.
fades in, the rectangle fades out, and the text fades out, as well.
FX: See 1st logo.
Music/Sounds: Same as 1st logo.
Availability: Common; appears on many THX-certified DVDs and VHS's.
Scare Factor: See 1st logo.
3rd Trailer
(1988-1993)
Nickname: "Cinamorron"
Logo: A small gray box appears in the center of the screen, then a conductor's hand appears in that box and it flicks it's baton, blasting out a blue hyperspace. It turns red, and when it fully turns red, we see a 3D THX logo zoom towards us against a black screen with red dots. Then, we see some text saying "The Audience is Listening" in the same font and color used in "Broadway". A few seconds, a subtitle reading "Lucasfilm, Ltd. Sound System" fades in too.
Variant: This trailer was remixed in Dolby Digital in 1995. This variant had slight changes. At the start, text fades in reading "Dolby Digital sound in a THX Theatre" and at the end, the Dolby logo was added at the left-bottom of the screen.
FX: CGI that was done at ILM.
Music/Sounds: A nice orchestral piece done by James Horner. We hear an orchestra warming up at the start, then some music, and then a beautiful composition of acesending notes when the THX logo appears.
Availability: This proabably no longer plays in THX theaters, but it can be found on some THX demo DVDs.
Scare factor: Low; maybe the least-scary THX trailer, and also the only THX trailer so far that doesn't use the Deep Note.
4th Trailer
(1993-1997)
Nickname: "Grand"
Logo: On a black BG, we see some white text that reads "This auditorium is equipped with a THX sound system...", but some seconds after, the BG turns into a red-black cloudy BG. And we see some white text that reads "The audience is listening.". After that, the red-black BG turns slowly turns blue, somewhat similar to the previous BG. Seconds after, a light with lens flares moves upward and a 90° turned THX logo rotates to its front in a blue-black gradient BG, with "LUCASFILM LTD" over and "SOUND SYSTEM" below.
FX: The background changing, the texts fading, and "THX" is completely in silver 3D.
Music/Sounds: Some chimes, then a ascending group of notes, ending with an excellent rendition of the Deep Note.
Availability: Seen on all THX theaters during the '90s, maybe until 1997.
Scare Factor: Low.
5th Trailer
(2001- )
Logo: In a darkly-lit environment, we zoom in toward a glassy blue sphere, which has clouds rolling and lightning flickering. As the environment illuminates, we see that the sphere is barely hovering over a textured blue floor. Suddenly, the sphere shatters, and the sky is revealed to contain several rolling gray clouds. The glass then liquifies and gathers in the center. Some lightning strikes it and forms a silver THX logo. Then, the environment fades to black as a shimmering blue rectangle is drawn clockwise around it. The logo fades out, and the URL www.thx.com fades in.
FX: Just top-notch CGI.
Music/Sounds: Thunderclaps/electric shocking sounds, followed by glass shattering, then the Deep Note. A laser-like sound is heard as the rectangle is formed.
Availability: Currently seen on every THX DVD and all THX theatres.
Scare Factor: Medium to high, due to the sphere shattering all of a sudden, in addition to the presence of the Deep Note!
6th Trailer
(2007- )
Nickname: "Amazing Life"
Logo: TBA
FX: TBA
Music/Sounds: A variety of instruments playing out, which ends with the Deep Note.
Availability: Currently seen in THX theatres.
Scare Factor: TBA
