Columbia Pictures: Difference between revisions
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'''Nicknames:''' "Myriad Lady", "Female Roman Soldier" | |||
'''Logo:''' On a dark gray background with arch clouds below, we see a female Roman soldier dressed in a soldier's outfit, covered in a toga, holding a shield in her left hand and holding a grain of wheat (or possibly festuca, associated with Libertas) in her right hand. We see the text "COLUMBIA PICTURES CORPORATION Presents" with "COLUMBIA PICTURES" appearing in an arched text and the text "CORPORATION" underneath the arched words in a straight line and the text "Presents" below. | |||
'''Trivia:''' The Roman soldier depicted in the logo is actually a depiction of the goddess Liberty (or the Roman goddess Libertas) as seen on the obverse of the 1916 US quarter, also known as the "Standing Liberty quarter". | |||
'''FX/SFX:''' TBA | |||
'''Music/Sounds:''' The intro of any movie. | |||
'''Availability:''' Ultra rare. Seen on very early films by Columbia Pictures. Last seen on ''The Lady with the Torch'' documentary on Encore Drama (whenever the network decides to rebroadcast it). | |||
'''Editor's Note:''' TBA. | |||
=== 2nd Logo (January 1928-May 25, 1936)=== | === 2nd Logo (January 1928-May 25, 1936)=== | ||
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'''Nicknames:''' "Early Torch Lady", "Sparkler Torch Lady", "'20s Torch Lady", "Torch Lady" | |||
'''Logo:''' We see a medium shot of a lady (Columbia, a representation of the USA), holding a light torch in her right hand. The lady is featured with a dark bob and a kind of Cleopatra-like headdress across her forehead. She is draped in an American flag complete with the stars on her left shoulder and the stripes coming across her middle, supported by her left arm, and hanging down her right side. Her torch is displayed with a rather primitive, flickering style of animation emitting lines of light as rays. The Torch Lady's head is under an arch of chiseled, square-shaped letters reading the words "A COLUMBIA PRODUCTION". At the end of the movie or short subject, the words are "THIS IS A COLUMBIA PICTURE" with "The End" below it in a script font. | |||
'''Trivia:''' The Torch Lady shown here is actress Claudia Dell; she appeared as Spanky's mother in the ''Our Gang'' shorts "Mama's Little Pirate" and "Anniversary Trouble." | |||
'''Variants:''' | |||
*Earlier movies until 1932 would feature the name in a different typeface, and will sometimes read as "COLUMBIA PICTURES CORPORATION" at the start of the film (sometimes also with the word "Presents" below, in a script font), and "A COLUMBIA PRODUCTION" at the end of the film, like on ''The Miracle Woman''. | *Earlier movies until 1932 would feature the name in a different typeface, and will sometimes read as "COLUMBIA PICTURES CORPORATION" at the start of the film (sometimes also with the word "Presents" below, in a script font), and "A COLUMBIA PRODUCTION" at the end of the film, like on ''The Miracle Woman''. | ||
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*In 2004, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment released several colorized Three Stooges shorts; these had the Torch Lady in color as well, and the words are in {{Font color|gold|yellow}}. | *In 2004, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment released several colorized Three Stooges shorts; these had the Torch Lady in color as well, and the words are in {{Font color|gold|yellow}}. | ||
'''FX/SFX:''' The torch rays shining. This was done using moiré effects and clever editing. | |||
'''Music/Sounds:''' A majestic horn sounder, much like the Fox logo, or the opening/closing theme of the short or feature. | |||
'''Availability:''' Uncommon. It was seen on ''It Happened One Night''. Also can be seen on The Three Stooges releases on DVD. Can still be seen on reruns of 1934-1936 Three Stooges shorts on IFC, AMC, and Antenna TV. It can also be found on TCM and Sony Movie Channel. Don't expect this to appear on original prints of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony cartoons from 1930-1932, as Columbia only distributed those shorts. | |||
===3rd Logo (May 28, 1936-December 21, 1976)=== | ===3rd Logo (May 28, 1936-December 21, 1976)=== | ||
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'''Nicknames:''' "Classic Torch Lady", "'30s Torch Lady", ''Torch Lady II"'' | |||
'''Logo:''' We see the lady, this time standing on top of a pedestal with a backdrop of clouds over her, while she is holding her light torch. Much more refined, ethereal and goddess-like, her facial features became less pronounced and she looked away (up and to the right) instead of straight ahead. Her headdress was removed and her hair swept back instead of hanging by the sides of her face. The drape over her shoulder became less-obviously an American flag, the stars on the left shoulder having been toned down in a shadow, and the stripes visible only on the portion of the drape hanging down her right side. "A COLUMBIA PRODUCTION" was replaced with the tall chiseled letters of "COLUMBIA" (which fades in a second afterward) running straight across the top section of the screen, with the lady's torch glowing in front of the "U". A new form of animation was used on the logo as well, with a torch that radiates light instead of flickers. Until the mid-1960s, this logo would also appear at the end of films, sometimes with the words "The End" in a script font. | |||
'''Trivia:''' The Torch Lady happens to be Pittsburgh native Jane Chester Bartholomew, discovered by Harry Cohn. | |||
'''Byline:''' Starting in 1974, the company byline "A DIVISION OF COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC." appears at the bottom of the screen. | |||
'''Evolution Variants:''' | |||
*1942: The lady looks much like she did in 1936, only the stripes were removed and the flag became simply a drape without markings (the Sony website implies that the change was to coincide with a new law that forbade the usage of the American flag as clothing), dark on the left shoulder but only the shadows of the folds differentiating the rest of it from the lady's white gown on her right side. The "COLUMBIA" lettering was also modified, still chiseled but less bold, and with darker shadowing. | *1942: The lady looks much like she did in 1936, only the stripes were removed and the flag became simply a drape without markings (the Sony website implies that the change was to coincide with a new law that forbade the usage of the American flag as clothing), dark on the left shoulder but only the shadows of the folds differentiating the rest of it from the lady's white gown on her right side. The "COLUMBIA" lettering was also modified, still chiseled but less bold, and with darker shadowing. | ||
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*April 1968-December 12, 1973, April 5, 1974, August 1, 1976: The drapery was temporarily pink during this era. Several films that feature this variant include ''Where Angels Go'', ''Trouble Follows!'', ''The Swimmer'', ''The Big Gundown'', ''Hammerhead'', ''Funny Girl'', ''The Wrecking Crew'', ''Otley'', ''Model Shop'', ''MacKenna's Gold'', ''Easy Rider'', ''Castle Keep'', ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'', ''The Desperados'', ''Cactus Flower'', ''Five Easy Pieces'', ''The Owl and the Pussycat'', ''The Reckoning'', ''10 Rillington Place'', ''The Anderson Tapes'', ''Dollars'' (''$''), ''The Horsemen'', ''Brian's Song'', ''Nicholas and Alexandra'', ''A Day in the Death of Joe Egg'', ''Butterflies Are Free'', ''Fat City'', ''The New Centurions'', ''Monty Python's And Now for Something Completely Different'', ''The Valachi Papers'', ''1776'', ''The National Health'', ''Lost Horizon'' (1973), ''The Way We Were'', ''Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams'', ''The Last Detail'', ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'', ''Tommy'', and Brian De Palma's ''Obsession''. | *April 1968-December 12, 1973, April 5, 1974, August 1, 1976: The drapery was temporarily pink during this era. Several films that feature this variant include ''Where Angels Go'', ''Trouble Follows!'', ''The Swimmer'', ''The Big Gundown'', ''Hammerhead'', ''Funny Girl'', ''The Wrecking Crew'', ''Otley'', ''Model Shop'', ''MacKenna's Gold'', ''Easy Rider'', ''Castle Keep'', ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'', ''The Desperados'', ''Cactus Flower'', ''Five Easy Pieces'', ''The Owl and the Pussycat'', ''The Reckoning'', ''10 Rillington Place'', ''The Anderson Tapes'', ''Dollars'' (''$''), ''The Horsemen'', ''Brian's Song'', ''Nicholas and Alexandra'', ''A Day in the Death of Joe Egg'', ''Butterflies Are Free'', ''Fat City'', ''The New Centurions'', ''Monty Python's And Now for Something Completely Different'', ''The Valachi Papers'', ''1776'', ''The National Health'', ''Lost Horizon'' (1973), ''The Way We Were'', ''Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams'', ''The Last Detail'', ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'', ''Tommy'', and Brian De Palma's ''Obsession''. | ||
'''Variants:''' | |||
*On ''The King Steps Out'', the Three Stooges short "Disorder in the Court" and the 1936 western ''Stampede'', "PRESENTS" appears below. | *On ''The King Steps Out'', the Three Stooges short "Disorder in the Court" and the 1936 western ''Stampede'', "PRESENTS" appears below. | ||
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*Two ending variants existed for short subjects during the early '40s: (1) Near the top of the screen, "THE" is in a 3-D-like Futura font, with a white face and dark/light shadows, to the left of the Torch Lady, and "END," in the same font and effects, is to the right; the shadows from "THE END" go behind the Torch Lady to an unknown vanishing point behind the rays of her torch (much like the early-to-mid-60's [[Four Star Television]] logo's effect). Near the top of the Torch Lady's pedestal "COLUMBIA" is in a small but wider version of the company name's "chiseled" font, and "SHORT" "SUBJECT" "PRESENTATION" is chiseled onto each step of the pedestal, going from top to bottom, respectively (when seen on colorized prints of ''The Three Stooges'', "THE" "END" and "COLUMBIA" are in a yellowish-gold color and the clouds and shadows are shades of dark and light blue, respectively); and (2) the standard "The End" additional text below would read "A Columbia Short Subject Presentation". These variants are usually seen on The Three Stooges shorts and often accompanies the aforementioned title card variant. | *Two ending variants existed for short subjects during the early '40s: (1) Near the top of the screen, "THE" is in a 3-D-like Futura font, with a white face and dark/light shadows, to the left of the Torch Lady, and "END," in the same font and effects, is to the right; the shadows from "THE END" go behind the Torch Lady to an unknown vanishing point behind the rays of her torch (much like the early-to-mid-60's [[Four Star Television]] logo's effect). Near the top of the Torch Lady's pedestal "COLUMBIA" is in a small but wider version of the company name's "chiseled" font, and "SHORT" "SUBJECT" "PRESENTATION" is chiseled onto each step of the pedestal, going from top to bottom, respectively (when seen on colorized prints of ''The Three Stooges'', "THE" "END" and "COLUMBIA" are in a yellowish-gold color and the clouds and shadows are shades of dark and light blue, respectively); and (2) the standard "The End" additional text below would read "A Columbia Short Subject Presentation". These variants are usually seen on The Three Stooges shorts and often accompanies the aforementioned title card variant. | ||
'''FX/SFX:''' The torch rays shine more realistically in this version. | |||
'''Music/Sounds:''' Usually, the beginning/end of a movie's score plays over the logo. On some films, the logo appears completely silent. However, on several mid to late '30s Three Stooges shorts, it has a majestic theme before playing the Stooges' theme. On several other films, it would have a different theme. | |||
'''Availability:''' Fairly common. Can still be seen on Columbia Pictures films of this period on home video formats and on TV airings. | |||
*The last films to feature this logo were ''Taxi Driver'', ''Drive-In'', ''Harry and Walter Go to New York'', ''Obsession'' (at least on U.S. prints), and Peter Bogdanovich's ''Nickelodeon''. | *The last films to feature this logo were ''Taxi Driver'', ''Drive-In'', ''Harry and Walter Go to New York'', ''Obsession'' (at least on U.S. prints), and Peter Bogdanovich's ''Nickelodeon''. | ||
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*The Three Stooges shorts that include the "Short Subject" variants will likely be retained, being followed by the [[Sony Pictures Television]] logo. | *The Three Stooges shorts that include the "Short Subject" variants will likely be retained, being followed by the [[Sony Pictures Television]] logo. | ||
'''Editor's Note:''' It's held up remarkably over the 40 years it's been used. It served as the basis for the 1955 [[Screen Gems Television]] logo. | |||
===4th Logo (June 23, 1976-February 11,1982)=== | ===4th Logo (June 23, 1976-February 11,1982)=== | ||
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'''Nicknames:''' "'70s Torch Lady", "The Abstract Torch", "The Sunburst", ''Torch Lady III"'' | |||
'''Logo:''' It begins with the familiar Columbia Torch Lady (a less-detailed yellow-toned 1942 Torch Lady), standing on the pedestal holding her light torch against the backdrop of clouds. Then, the picture moves upward and towards the torch as the rays pull in, which shines even more as the picture blurs around it. It then emits a flash that fills the screen. When the flash dissolves, the light torch itself appears, as if in sunburst, against a black screen and as it shrinks, it changes into a more "abstract" torch: a blue half circle, or a semicircle, with thirteen white light rays in the center and the words "Columbia Pictures" in Souvenir medium font under it. The entire logo then slowly backs away as it fades out. | |||
'''Trivia:''' | |||
*The Sunburst logo originally came out in 1975, but first appeared only on posters. | *The Sunburst logo originally came out in 1975, but first appeared only on posters. | ||
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*The main instruments appearing on the soundtrack were a small horn section, Suzanne Ciani's Buchla modular (for the "popping" effects) and an ARP string synth (the same model Gary Wright used for his song "Dream Weaver" around the same time). | *The main instruments appearing on the soundtrack were a small horn section, Suzanne Ciani's Buchla modular (for the "popping" effects) and an ARP string synth (the same model Gary Wright used for his song "Dream Weaver" around the same time). | ||
'''Variant:''' When viewed in 4:3 full-frame, there are varying versions where we see her pedestal. There are close and medium views. There is a far view version in 1.85:1 on the U.S. Blu-ray release of ''Tommy''. | |||
'''FX/SFX:''' The Torch Lady's torch zooming in, then turning into the Sunburst. As noted above, very well-done, motion-controlled cel animation that still looks good over 40 years later. | |||
'''Music/Sounds:''' It begins with a dramatic theme that builds up as the camera zooms in on the torch, and with the flash/sunburst, it takes an inspirational, majestic tone. This theme was composed by Suzanne Ciani. Of course, like many other movie logos, this could also be silent or have the opening music from any soundtrack play over it, but usually not. | |||
'''Availability:''' Common. Sony is much better at keeping older theatrical logos on current releases of their films than their TV output (which is another story). In the early days of Columbia Pictures' video division, however, this logo would be plastered by their home video logo. Otherwise, all later video releases, DVDs/Blu-rays, and TV broadcasts retain this logo. | |||
*The first film to use this logo was ''Murder by Death'', while the last to use it was ''Happy Birthday to Me''. However, in international territories, it was used until at least 1982 as this appeared on ''Death Wish II'' (released domestically by [[Filmways Pictures]]). | *The first film to use this logo was ''Murder by Death'', while the last to use it was ''Happy Birthday to Me''. However, in international territories, it was used until at least 1982 as this appeared on ''Death Wish II'' (released domestically by [[Filmways Pictures]]). | ||
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*Don't expect to see this or the 1963 [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] logo on the Steven Spielberg movie, ''1941'' (which Columbia co-released with Universal). | *Don't expect to see this or the 1963 [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] logo on the Steven Spielberg movie, ''1941'' (which Columbia co-released with Universal). | ||
'''Editor's Note:''' This is a favorite of many. | |||
===5th Logo (June 5, 1981-May 14, 1993)=== | ===5th Logo (June 5, 1981-May 14, 1993)=== | ||
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Nicknames: "'80s Torch Lady", ''Torch Lady IV'', "Coke Bottle Torch Lady" | Nicknames: "'80s Torch Lady", ''Torch Lady IV'', "Coke Bottle Torch Lady" | ||
'''Logo:''' We see the standard Columbia Torch Lady (a somewhat less detailed version of the '70s Torch Lady) standing on a pedestal with her torch against the backdrop of clouds. The torch then shines into a bright abstract shape, as if in sunburst, then dims back in place. The words "Columbia Pictures" (appearing in the same font from the last logo) fade to the left and right of the Torch Lady. Her torch "shines". | |||
'''Variants:''' | |||
*When viewed in full screen, there are varying versions where we see her pedestal. There are close, medium and far views. | *When viewed in full screen, there are varying versions where we see her pedestal. There are close, medium and far views. | ||
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*Oddly, on the original 1993 video releases of ''A League of Their Own'' and ''A Few Good Men'', they have a shortened version of the sunburst logo. The first film fades in as the sunburst retracts, while the second film fades in when the sunburst flares in. Current prints of said films, however, have the standard 1989 logo. | *Oddly, on the original 1993 video releases of ''A League of Their Own'' and ''A Few Good Men'', they have a shortened version of the sunburst logo. The first film fades in as the sunburst retracts, while the second film fades in when the sunburst flares in. Current prints of said films, however, have the standard 1989 logo. | ||
'''Closing Variants:''' | |||
*From 1989-April 30, 1993, Columbia's print logo was featured scrolling at the end of the movies' closing credits. This features the Torch Lady with the "sunburst" from the 1981-1989 variation of the opening logo. The phrase, appearing in the same font as the opening logo, reads "A Columbia Pictures Release" underneath. An earlier version of this didn't include the print logo, but rather the text instead. A few movies such as ''Ghostbusters II'', ''Welcome Home'' and ''Year of the Comet'' have the words in a different font (the latter two films did not even feature the print logo, as did ''The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'', ''When Harry Met Sally...'' and ''Misery''). This would stop regular use on August 28, 1992, with the release of ''Honeymoon in Vegas'', but this made a surprise appearance on ''The Pickle''. | *From 1989-April 30, 1993, Columbia's print logo was featured scrolling at the end of the movies' closing credits. This features the Torch Lady with the "sunburst" from the 1981-1989 variation of the opening logo. The phrase, appearing in the same font as the opening logo, reads "A Columbia Pictures Release" underneath. An earlier version of this didn't include the print logo, but rather the text instead. A few movies such as ''Ghostbusters II'', ''Welcome Home'' and ''Year of the Comet'' have the words in a different font (the latter two films did not even feature the print logo, as did ''The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'', ''When Harry Met Sally...'' and ''Misery''). This would stop regular use on August 28, 1992, with the release of ''Honeymoon in Vegas'', but this made a surprise appearance on ''The Pickle''. | ||
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*There are two versions of the Torch Lady print logo. One had a short lady and the big sunburst, which was the one seen inside the dome, but would occasionally appear without the dome. A later version was introduced in 1989, with a smaller sunburst and the Torch Lady appears taller and slimmer and more cleaned up in design. No dome was used for this version. | *There are two versions of the Torch Lady print logo. One had a short lady and the big sunburst, which was the one seen inside the dome, but would occasionally appear without the dome. A later version was introduced in 1989, with a smaller sunburst and the Torch Lady appears taller and slimmer and more cleaned up in design. No dome was used for this version. | ||
'''FX/SFX:''' The Torch Lady "shining". | |||
'''Music/Sounds:''' Usually, it is silent or has the opening theme of the movie or music from any given soundtrack playing over it. | |||
'''Music/Sounds Variants:''' | |||
*On the DVD release of ''Big Trouble'' (1986), the 1984 Australian VHS of ''Christine'', the 1985 Australian VHS of ''Educating Rita'', a mid '80s Australian VHS of ''Tough Guys'' (1974; plastering the 3rd logo), a 1988 Goodtimes Home Video VHS of ''The Amsterdam Kill'' (plastering the previous logo), and the 1999 Australian VHS of ''The Karate Kid'', it has the Sunburst music from the previous logo. | *On the DVD release of ''Big Trouble'' (1986), the 1984 Australian VHS of ''Christine'', the 1985 Australian VHS of ''Educating Rita'', a mid '80s Australian VHS of ''Tough Guys'' (1974; plastering the 3rd logo), a 1988 Goodtimes Home Video VHS of ''The Amsterdam Kill'' (plastering the previous logo), and the 1999 Australian VHS of ''The Karate Kid'', it has the Sunburst music from the previous logo. | ||
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*On a Portuguese print of ''Stone Cold'', this has the 1995 MGM lion roar, due to a reverse plastering error. | *On a Portuguese print of ''Stone Cold'', this has the 1995 MGM lion roar, due to a reverse plastering error. | ||
'''Availability:''' Common. Seen on films of the era. The 1st variation is much easier to come by, due to being used a longer time period and being on more popular titles such as ''Stripes'', ''Ghostbusters'', ''Stand by Me'', and many others. Notable films that have the short version are ''Ghostbusters II'', ''The Adventures of Milo and Otis'', ''Casualties of War'', ''Awakenings'', ''Mortal Thoughts'', ''Mo' Money'', ''A League of Their Own'', and ''Groundhog Day''. | |||
*The first film to use this logo was Cheech & Chong's ''Nice Dreams'', while it was last seen on ''Lost in Yonkers''. However, the logo made a cameo appearance in ''Last Action Hero'' (although the teaser trailer and TV spot had the logo, itself using the next logo) where Danny watches the preview of ''Jack Slater IV'' in the local theater. | *The first film to use this logo was Cheech & Chong's ''Nice Dreams'', while it was last seen on ''Lost in Yonkers''. However, the logo made a cameo appearance in ''Last Action Hero'' (although the teaser trailer and TV spot had the logo, itself using the next logo) where Danny watches the preview of ''Jack Slater IV'' in the local theater. | ||
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*The Australian Time-Life VHS and 2005 Australian DVD of ''The Adventures of Milo and Otis'' have this logo removed for unknown reasons (it's unknown if the original Video Selection Australia VHS used this logo). | *The Australian Time-Life VHS and 2005 Australian DVD of ''The Adventures of Milo and Otis'' have this logo removed for unknown reasons (it's unknown if the original Video Selection Australia VHS used this logo). | ||
'''Editor's Note:''' A notable variant of the 1930s logo. It makes good use of the Souvenir font, making this logo work. | |||
===6th Logo (June 13, 1993- )=== | ===6th Logo (June 13, 1993- )=== | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
'''Nicknames:''' "'90s Torch Lady", ''Torch Lady V'', "Majestic Torch Lady", "The Jenny Joseph Logo" | |||
'''Logo:''' | |||
*1993-2006: This logo has a face lifted Torch Lady from 1936-1976 on her pedestal on a sky background filled with cumulonimbus clouds, giving more detail to the drawing. First, we see a bright light, as if in sunburst, with the cloud background fading in a brief second later. The light is coming from a torch, which zooms out to reveal the lady who's holding it. After the lady, along with the cloud background, are fully zoomed out, on the top "COLUMBIA", seen in a bold, silver chiseled font, fades in afterwards as a ring of light shimmers around the lady, while the cloud background very slowly moves to the right. | *1993-2006: This logo has a face lifted Torch Lady from 1936-1976 on her pedestal on a sky background filled with cumulonimbus clouds, giving more detail to the drawing. First, we see a bright light, as if in sunburst, with the cloud background fading in a brief second later. The light is coming from a torch, which zooms out to reveal the lady who's holding it. After the lady, along with the cloud background, are fully zoomed out, on the top "COLUMBIA", seen in a bold, silver chiseled font, fades in afterwards as a ring of light shimmers around the lady, while the cloud background very slowly moves to the right. | ||
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*2014-: Starting with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, released on May 2, 2014, the logo is preceded by the Sony Corporation logo. This involves the addition of blurry parting clouds with a very bright light between them. The light gets brighter until the clouds are apart and then it fades to the traditional zoom out from the torch. | *2014-: Starting with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, released on May 2, 2014, the logo is preceded by the Sony Corporation logo. This involves the addition of blurry parting clouds with a very bright light between them. The light gets brighter until the clouds are apart and then it fades to the traditional zoom out from the torch. | ||
'''Trivia:''' | |||
*The logo's most recent overhaul was undertaken during this era when Sony Corporation of Japan (which bought Columbia on November 8, 1989) commissioned illustrator Michael J. Deas to redesign the lady and return her to her "classic" look. The result, based on Deas' sessions with Mandeville, Louisiana homemaker Jenny Joseph, who posed for him with a makeshift robe and torch, was a taller, slimmer Columbia Torch Lady with lighter, curlier hair and a dimmer torch. Rather than use Joseph's face however, Deas constructed a composite face made up of a couple of computer-generated features. Deas' artwork, created in 1992, was featured in the Columbia Pictures Television and Columbia TriStar Home Video identities prior to this logo's appearance. The logo was animated at Synthespian Studios by Jeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak. The duo used 2D elements from Deas' painting and converted them to 3D. The clouds were divided up to 66 image maps and Walczak mapped every cloud onto a 3D object and twist-distorted and translated on Wavefront animation software. | *The logo's most recent overhaul was undertaken during this era when Sony Corporation of Japan (which bought Columbia on November 8, 1989) commissioned illustrator Michael J. Deas to redesign the lady and return her to her "classic" look. The result, based on Deas' sessions with Mandeville, Louisiana homemaker Jenny Joseph, who posed for him with a makeshift robe and torch, was a taller, slimmer Columbia Torch Lady with lighter, curlier hair and a dimmer torch. Rather than use Joseph's face however, Deas constructed a composite face made up of a couple of computer-generated features. Deas' artwork, created in 1992, was featured in the Columbia Pictures Television and Columbia TriStar Home Video identities prior to this logo's appearance. The logo was animated at Synthespian Studios by Jeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak. The duo used 2D elements from Deas' painting and converted them to 3D. The clouds were divided up to 66 image maps and Walczak mapped every cloud onto a 3D object and twist-distorted and translated on Wavefront animation software. | ||
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*It is unknown what animation company did the 2006 and 2014 versions of the logo. | *It is unknown what animation company did the 2006 and 2014 versions of the logo. | ||
'''Bylines:''' | |||
*Starting with the release of ''The Craft'' on May 3, 1996, "a SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT company" appears on the bottom. It is slightly off center. However, some post-1996 films such as ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'', ''Dance with Me'', and John Carpenter's ''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. | *Starting with the release of ''The Craft'' on May 3, 1996, "a SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT company" appears on the bottom. It is slightly off center. However, some post-1996 films such as ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'', ''Dance with Me'', and John Carpenter's ''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. | ||
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*In late 2013, the byline was shortened to "a Sony Company", with the orange-yellow color of the previous byline changed to a bronze. This version was first spotted on ''American Hustle'' (the variant of the logo to use the 1976 logo in 2013), ''The Monuments Men'', and the official trailers for ''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'' and ''22 Jump Street''. | *In late 2013, the byline was shortened to "a Sony Company", with the orange-yellow color of the previous byline changed to a bronze. This version was first spotted on ''American Hustle'' (the variant of the logo to use the 1976 logo in 2013), ''The Monuments Men'', and the official trailers for ''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'' and ''22 Jump Street''. | ||
'''Variants:''' | |||
*In 1999, the company celebrated its 75th anniversary. The beginning of the logo started off with the 1936 logo of Columbia Pictures in black & white, leaving the 1993 cloud background intact. The Torch Lady then slowly morphs into the current Torch Lady as the effects from black & white later turn to color. As the camera zooms back, we see a red arched banner dropping from above saying "SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY LIGHTING UP SCREENS AROUND THE WORLD" and the Torch Lady standing on the pedestal, where we see a red box with the gold, giant chiseled name "COLUMBIA" inside on top, and the small word "PICTURES" below in spaced-out letters. We also see the gold giant number "75" unfolding in between the Torch Lady. | *In 1999, the company celebrated its 75th anniversary. The beginning of the logo started off with the 1936 logo of Columbia Pictures in black & white, leaving the 1993 cloud background intact. The Torch Lady then slowly morphs into the current Torch Lady as the effects from black & white later turn to color. As the camera zooms back, we see a red arched banner dropping from above saying "SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY LIGHTING UP SCREENS AROUND THE WORLD" and the Torch Lady standing on the pedestal, where we see a red box with the gold, giant chiseled name "COLUMBIA" inside on top, and the small word "PICTURES" below in spaced-out letters. We also see the gold giant number "75" unfolding in between the Torch Lady. | ||
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*After the end credits of ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', the logo is still and the print logo is replaced. | *After the end credits of ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', the logo is still and the print logo is replaced. | ||
'''Closing Variants:''' | |||
*The superimposed closing variant features the Torch Lady (and the cloud background) placed inside a rectangular box. The torch, and the cloud BG, overlap the top of the box. Next to the logo are the words "COLUMBIA PICTURES", with "COLUMBIA" over "PICTURES". The phrase below the text reads "A COLUMBIA PICTURES RELEASE" or "RELEASED BY" above the logo with the SPE byline underneath the logo. On some movies such as ''Stuart Little'', the animated short ''Early Bloomer'', ''Hollywood Homicide'', and ''13 Going on 30'', the SPE byline is smaller, more spaced out, and in a different font. Starting with ''American Hustle'', the byline was shortened to "a Sony Company", though the older SPE byline made a surprise appearance on ''Pixels'', released on July 24, 2015. | *The superimposed closing variant features the Torch Lady (and the cloud background) placed inside a rectangular box. The torch, and the cloud BG, overlap the top of the box. Next to the logo are the words "COLUMBIA PICTURES", with "COLUMBIA" over "PICTURES". The phrase below the text reads "A COLUMBIA PICTURES RELEASE" or "RELEASED BY" above the logo with the SPE byline underneath the logo. On some movies such as ''Stuart Little'', the animated short ''Early Bloomer'', ''Hollywood Homicide'', and ''13 Going on 30'', the SPE byline is smaller, more spaced out, and in a different font. Starting with ''American Hustle'', the byline was shortened to "a Sony Company", though the older SPE byline made a surprise appearance on ''Pixels'', released on July 24, 2015. | ||
*One early closing variant of such featured the boxed Torch Lady logo at center, with "COLUMBIA PICTURES" and the SPE byline below one another. Sometimes, the text and byline are smaller and the logo is bigger to fit the width of the text. Beginning with ''Life'' in 2017, a revised version of the above-mentioned variant is used. Here, the text and byline are larger. | *One early closing variant of such featured the boxed Torch Lady logo at center, with "COLUMBIA PICTURES" and the SPE byline below one another. Sometimes, the text and byline are smaller and the logo is bigger to fit the width of the text. Beginning with ''Life'' in 2017, a revised version of the above-mentioned variant is used. Here, the text and byline are larger. | ||
'''FX/SFX:''' The torch shining and the zoom out are good animation for 1993, and the transition from the Sony logo from 2014 onward is well-crafted. | |||
'''Music/Sounds:''' A majestic tune is heard, which ends with a brass sounder. Composed by Jonathan Elias. There are three versions of the fanfare: one that sounds orchestrated that's played by a piano with orchestration, one that sounds more synthesized, and the third, which was first heard on John Carpenter's ''Vampires'', released on October 30, 1998, has both themes mixed in together. All three have the same ending. Starting with ''Sex Tape'', released on July 18, 2014, extra build-up is added at the beginning, to match up with the parting clouds. Sometimes it is silent, has the opening theme to any given film, or music from any given soundtrack. | |||
'''Music/Sounds Variants:''' | |||
*On the ''Open Season'' short "Boog & Elliot's Midnight Bun Run" and ''The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas'', the first half of the Sony Pictures Animation logo music can be heard during the logo, before the Columbia logo cuts into the mentioned logo as the music finishes. | *On the ''Open Season'' short "Boog & Elliot's Midnight Bun Run" and ''The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas'', the first half of the Sony Pictures Animation logo music can be heard during the logo, before the Columbia logo cuts into the mentioned logo as the music finishes. | ||
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*It is believed that on the Sony region 2 DVDs of ''Evolution'' (2002), the 5.1 English track contains the DreamWorks jingle. Oddly enough, a similar thing happened on the DreamWorks logo on the R1 DVD when the 2.0 English track is selected and the 1993 CP jingle is heard. | *It is believed that on the Sony region 2 DVDs of ''Evolution'' (2002), the 5.1 English track contains the DreamWorks jingle. Oddly enough, a similar thing happened on the DreamWorks logo on the R1 DVD when the 2.0 English track is selected and the 1993 CP jingle is heard. | ||
'''Availability:''' Very common. It has been placed in front of Columbia films for over 25 years. | |||
*The first film to use this logo was ''Last Action Hero'' (although the teaser trailer and the TV spot had the previous logo). | *The first film to use this logo was ''Last Action Hero'' (although the teaser trailer and the TV spot had the previous logo). | ||
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*A portion of this logo appears about halfway through ''The King''. | *A portion of this logo appears about halfway through ''The King''. | ||
'''Editor's Note:''' A beautiful homage to the 1936 logo that has been in use for over 25 years. | |||
[[Category:Sony Corporation (Japan)]] | [[Category:Sony Corporation (Japan)]] | ||
[[Category: Columbia Pictures]] | [[Category: Columbia Pictures]] | ||
[[Category: Movie Logos]] | [[Category: Movie Logos]] | ||