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Vision Video Ltd.: Difference between revisions
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The company mostly released VHS tapes of concerts and eventually went onto to release cult films. Virgin Films produced films that would on their own behalf become cult classics as well. [[20th Century Fox]]'s UK division initially distributed their films theatrically before the company started self-distributing them. By 1983, the company went under the '''Virgin Vision Limited''' name, still using Virgin Video and Virgin Films as brands. | The company mostly released VHS tapes of concerts and eventually went onto to release cult films. Virgin Films produced films that would on their own behalf become cult classics as well. [[20th Century Fox]]'s UK division initially distributed their films theatrically before the company started self-distributing them. By 1983, the company went under the '''Virgin Vision Limited''' name, still using Virgin Video and Virgin Films as brands. | ||
By the mid-1980s, the company was known as '''Virgin [[Palace Video | By the mid-1980s, the company was known as '''Virgin [[Palace Video|Palace]] Video''' and later '''Palace Virgin Gold Distribution Limited''' after entering into a partnership with Stephen Woolley's Palace Video. In 1987, in order to increase its global presence, the company launched its U.S. subsidiary, first distributing tapes through [[Continental Video]], then with its own American subsidiary '''Virgin Vision, Inc.'''. | ||
In July 1989, Virgin was acquired by Jonathan D. Krane's [[Management Company Entertainment Group]] from the Virgin Group, and was renamed '''MCEG Virgin Vision Limited'''. It also combined M.C.E.G.'s existing American video operations, namely '''MCEG Home Video''' and [[Forum Home Video]] with its existing Virgin American unit into one company under the name of '''MCEG Virgin Home Entertainment'''. However, this buyout would soon prove to be a failure, and MCEG soon filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1990. By this point, 85% of the company was sold to GE Capital with the remaining 15% stake was re-acquired by the Virgin Group. but then it later sold the remaining 15% to GE Capital. The company scaled down it's operations to video distribution only in the UK, while shutting down operations in other countries, namely the U.S. and Australia. | In July 1989, Virgin was acquired by Jonathan D. Krane's [[Management Company Entertainment Group]] from the Virgin Group, and was renamed '''MCEG Virgin Vision Limited'''. It also combined M.C.E.G.'s existing American video operations, namely '''MCEG Home Video''' and [[Forum Home Video]] with its existing Virgin American unit into one company under the name of '''MCEG Virgin Home Entertainment'''. However, this buyout would soon prove to be a failure, and MCEG soon filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1990. By this point, 85% of the company was sold to GE Capital with the remaining 15% stake was re-acquired by the Virgin Group. but then it later sold the remaining 15% to GE Capital. The company scaled down it's operations to video distribution only in the UK, while shutting down operations in other countries, namely the U.S. and Australia. | ||
In March 1991, GE Capital put Virgin Vision up for sale. Virgin soon sold their stake of the company to GE in July 1991, who rebranded the business as '''Vision Video Ltd.''' within the same time, with the MCEG Virgin Vision company itself rebranding under the name by July 1992. In January 1993, [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment | In March 1991, GE Capital put Virgin Vision up for sale. Virgin soon sold their stake of the company to GE in July 1991, who rebranded the business as '''Vision Video Ltd.''' within the same time, with the MCEG Virgin Vision company itself rebranding under the name by July 1992. In January 1993, [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment|PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]] acquired the company with it's operations merged with it's home entertainment arm [[PolyGram Video|PolyGram Video]]. Vision Video Ltd. was retained as a label of PolyGram Video that dealt with budget VHS releases, similar to their existing [[4 Front Video|4 Front Video]]. | ||
On December 10, 1998, Polygram Filmed Entertainment was sold to Seagram & Sons (the former owner of [[Universal Pictures]] which is now part of NBCUniversal). In 1999, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] acquired the pre-March 31, 1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment library, including the Virgin Vision/MCEG/Palace library and placed it under its [[Orion Pictures]] subsidiary. As for Vision Video Ltd. itself, the label continued to be used for budget releases after the rebranding of PolyGram Video UK as Universal Pictures UK, and soon expanded to budget DVDs as well until it was fully retired. | On December 10, 1998, Polygram Filmed Entertainment was sold to Seagram & Sons (the former owner of [[Universal Pictures]] which is now part of NBCUniversal). In 1999, [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] acquired the pre-March 31, 1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment library, including the Virgin Vision/MCEG/Palace library and placed it under its [[Orion Pictures]] subsidiary. As for Vision Video Ltd. itself, the label continued to be used for budget releases after the rebranding of PolyGram Video UK as Universal Pictures UK, and soon expanded to budget DVDs as well until it was fully retired. | ||
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'''Nickname:''' "The Gongman" | '''Nickname:''' "The Gongman" | ||
'''Logo:''' We see a muscular, shirtless man hitting a vinyl record labeled with the Virgin logo on it, as if it were a gong (like [[The Rank Organisation | '''Logo:''' We see a muscular, shirtless man hitting a vinyl record labeled with the Virgin logo on it, as if it were a gong (like [[The Rank Organisation|Rank]] logo). It explodes and as the pieces fly away, sparks appear and white the familiar "Virgin" logo which is stylized for a moment before flashing to it's normal corporate font. The text "'''''FILMS'' and ''VIDEO'''''", stacked appear on the bottom right of "Virgin", and "'''''presents'''''" fades in underneath. All the text is in white. | ||
'''Variant:''' In an extended version we see the man from before about to hit the record again now in gold, but it shakes and he runs away as an airplane comes crashing though it. We pan across the puzzled man as the airplane makes smoke trials that form the normal "Virgin" text which flashes as the stacked text "''FILMS PRESENTS''" appears below it. | '''Variant:''' In an extended version we see the man from before about to hit the record again now in gold, but it shakes and he runs away as an airplane comes crashing though it. We pan across the puzzled man as the airplane makes smoke trials that form the normal "Virgin" text which flashes as the stacked text "''FILMS PRESENTS''" appears below it. | ||
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'''Availability:''' Depending on the variant. | '''Availability:''' Depending on the variant. | ||
* VIDEO variant: Extremely rare. It appeared on many pre-cert releases from the company such as old concert music videos such as ''Genesis: The Mama Tour'', the Depeche Mode videos (''Live in Hamberg'' and ''Some Great Videos''), ''UB40: Labour of Love'', ''Public Image Limited: Videos'', ''U2: Under a Blood Red Sky'', the Japan videos (''Instant Pictures'' and ''Oil on Canvas'') and cult films such as ''Electric Dreams''. | * VIDEO variant: Extremely rare. It appeared on many pre-cert releases from the company such as old concert music videos such as ''Genesis: The Mama Tour'', the Depeche Mode videos (''Live in Hamberg'' and ''Some Great Videos''), ''UB40: Labour of Love'', ''Public Image Limited: Videos'', ''U2: Under a Blood Red Sky'', the Japan videos (''Instant Pictures'' and ''Oil on Canvas'') and cult films such as ''Electric Dreams''. | ||
* FILMS variant: Ultra rare. Because [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|MGM]] owns the rights to their catalog through the pre-March 31, 1996 [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment | * FILMS variant: Ultra rare. Because [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|MGM]] owns the rights to their catalog through the pre-March 31, 1996 [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment|PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]] library, it has fallen to plastering by either the MGM logo, other logos, or being deleted altogether on newer prints. It can only be found on older releases such as ''1984'' and ''The Executioner's Song''. | ||
'''Legacy:''' The music will likely get to people along with its cheap animation and dark coloring. It's a good effort otherwise, however. | '''Legacy:''' The music will likely get to people along with its cheap animation and dark coloring. It's a good effort otherwise, however. | ||
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{{YouTube|id=xQMtJlTraXA}} | {{YouTube|id=xQMtJlTraXA}} | ||
'''Logo:''' On a black background, a CGI triangle flies and zooms in from the top-right corner and lands in the center, then flips to the front. the [[Management Company Entertainment Group|M.C.E.G.]] letters from the movie logo, flies in, zooms out and rotates around from the top-left, and places in the top, both are in {{Color|gold|golden}}. Then the word "[[Virgin Video | '''Logo:''' On a black background, a CGI triangle flies and zooms in from the top-right corner and lands in the center, then flips to the front. the [[Management Company Entertainment Group|M.C.E.G.]] letters from the movie logo, flies in, zooms out and rotates around from the top-left, and places in the top, both are in {{Color|gold|golden}}. Then the word "[[Virgin Video|Virgin]]", in its corporate script font, writes in below the M.C.E.G. letters and "{{Font|Times New Roman|'''HOME ENTERTAINMENT'''}}" and the small TM bug on the top-right of the logo in white fade in below the triangle. | ||
'''FX/SFX:''' The CGI triangle and M.C.E.G. letters flying, the writing of "Virgin", the fading of "HOME ENTERTAINMENT". | '''FX/SFX:''' The CGI triangle and M.C.E.G. letters flying, the writing of "Virgin", the fading of "HOME ENTERTAINMENT". | ||