Columbia Pictures: Difference between revisions

* Starting with ''The Juror'', released on February 2, 1996, the byline "{{color|#FFA500|'''a SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT company'''}}" fades in on the bottom, being slightly off-center. In its original appearance, the byline is cheaply chyroned in and is a lot bigger and wider than the proportion of the "COLUMBIA" name and the pedestal. Starting with ''The Craft'', released on May 3, 1996, the byline is darker in color, fades in, and is positioned under the Torch Lady instead of in front of her. However, some post-1996 films, such as ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'', ''Wild Things'', ''Dance with Me'', and ''Vampires'', may have this logo without the byline, while trailers and TV spots continued to use the bylineless version of the logo until 1999. The last film to use this byline was ''Captain Phillips'', released on October 11, 2013, but it later appeared at the end of ''Pixels'', released on July 24, 2015, and also makes a "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" cameo on ''Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse''.

* In late 2013, the byline was shortened to "{{color|#FFA500|'''a Sony Company'''}}", with the {{color|orange}}-{{color|gold}} color of the previous byline changed to a {{color|saddlebrown|bronze}}, and is properly centered. This byline debuted on US prints of ''American Hustle'' (it only appears at the end; the film itself uses the 1976 logo), ''The Monuments Men'', and trailers for ''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'' and ''22 Jump Street''.

* There is a scope version each for the 1993 and 2006-present iterations intended where parts of the cloud background are stretched out more and the Torch Lady and the "COLUMBIA" text, along with the byline, are smaller to accommodate the wider ratios. Some films released in 1.85:1 crop out the sides from the scope version rather than matting the top and bottom of the flat version.

'''Audio:''' A majestic tune which ends with a brass sounder, composed by Jonathan Elias. There are four versions of the fanfare (two mains and two alternates), created in 1993 and 1998, all with the same ending, with only the 1998 main version still being used regularly today:

* The 1993 main version has the piano tune emphasized more, and sounds more "stripped down" compared to later iterations. This variant debuted on ''In the Line of Fire'' (the second film to use the 1993 logo). It was used mostly on films from 1993-1998, though it was also used on some 2000-01 films (a example being ''Loser''). It is the one usually associated with the "original Columbia 1993 logo fanfare".

* The 1993 alternate version is reorchestrated, and has additional sections/instruments (such as brass, chimes, synthesizers, and flute sections), and sounds way more powerful than the other fanfares listed here. These sections would become the basis for later renditions of the fanfare. If you hear closely, the percussion (piano and drums) is not as pronounced as the other versions. It only appeared on five films from 1993-1997, however: ''Last Action Hero'' (the first film to use this logo), ''Geronimo: An American Legend'' (although some prints may have the 1993 main version), ''Little Women'' (1994), ''Josh and S.A.M.'', and ''Buddy''. Why this fanfare was seldom used remains unknown to this day; it could possibly have been made to take advantage of the then-new SDDS sound system.

* The 1998 main version is basically a rearranged, less powerful version of the 1993 alternate fanfare. It was first used on John Carpenter's ''Vampires'', released on October 30, 1998, and has been the standard fanfare used by Columbia ever since, being used the longest out of the four versions.

* The 1998 alternate version is another even different mixing of the 1998 main fanfare. It also sounds noticeably powerful. This version first debuted on ''Stepmom'', released on December 25, 1998. It was used in tandem with the 1998 main version. The final film to use this rendition on a regular basis was ''Hotel Transylvania'' (2012), although it made an appearance in the 2014 Brazilian film ''Confissões de Adolescente'', and then again nine years later with ''Napoleon'' in 2023. It was the most regular rendition heard in Sony's Brazilian co-productions during the 2000s as well.

* Starting with ''Sex Tape'', released on July 18, 2014, an extra build-up is added at the beginning of the 1998 main fanfare, to match up with the parting clouds.

* The 1998 alternate fanfare is PAL pitched on some films.

* On <u>''Palmetto''</u>, yet another arrangement of the theme is heard without cymbal hits, ending smoothly with synthesized flutes. This variant was only seen on original Columbia TriStar releases, as current releases remove this logo (prior to Time Warner owning the [[Castle Rock Entertainment|Castle Rock]] library, as ''Palmetto'' is a Castle Rock film, however a recent TCM France airing retained the Columbia logo, which was also in widescreen).

* Some newer prints of 1993-1998 films may have their original 1993-98 fanfares (whether main or alternate) reverse plastered with a later 1998 one (whether main or alternate, as well). Examples of this are Blu-ray prints of ''Last Action Hero'' (as well as the 2021 UHD release; digital prints keep the original fanfare), Netflix's print of ''In the Line of Fire'' (as well as the 2021 UHD release), and later releases of ''Desperado''.

* On the UHD release of ''The Remains of the Day'' (1993), it starts off with the original 1993 main version of the fanfare, but oddly blends into the current 1998 main version due to a attempted reverse plaster, with the previous fanfare heard over the current one.

* On <u>''Life'' (2017)</u>, the 1998 main version of the fanfare plays in sync over the 2014 fanfare. As a result, the Sony logo and the build-up on the 2014 fanfare are quieter than usual, and the logo louder than usual.

'''Audio:''' The 2014 version of the 1993 fanfare.