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→1st Logo (December 5, 1963-May 18, 1990)
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1963-1972= | 1963-1972= | ||
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> | <gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> | ||
universal(15).png|1963 "Picture" variant (flat) | |||
universal(15).png | universal(18).png|1963 "Picture" variant (open matte) | ||
universal(20).png|1963 "Presents" variant (flat) | |||
Universal Pictures (1963-1990) ("Presents" variant, 1963-1972 version) (Taken from Monster of Ceremonies).png|1963 "Presents" variant (open matte) | |||
universal(18).png | universal(16).png|1965 "Picture" variant (flat) | ||
Universal Pictures (1967).jpeg|1965 "Picture" variant (scope) | |||
universal(20).png | universal(21).jpg|1965 "Release" variant (flat) | ||
universal(17).png|1965 "Release" variant (scope) | |||
Universal Pictures (1963-1990) ("Presents" variant, 1963-1972 version) (Taken from Monster of Ceremonies).png | universal(19).png|1965 "Presents" variant (flat) | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
|-| | |-| | ||
1971-1990= | 1971-1990= | ||
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> | <gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> | ||
universal(22).png | universal(22).png|1971 variant (flat) | ||
universal(21).png | universal(21).png|1971 variant (scope) | ||
Universal Pictures (1963, 1971, 1985) (35mm).png|1971 variant (open matte) | |||
universal( | universal(23).png|"Presents" variant | ||
universal(25).png | universal(25).png|"Release" variant" | ||
universal( | universal(24).png|B&W variant | ||
universal(26).png|1989 variant | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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</tabber> | </tabber> | ||
'''Visuals:''' The camera zooms through space, and a pair of Van Allen radiation belts start to form. A rotating globe appears in the distance, and as the camera gets closer to it, the {{color|gold}} word "'''UNIVERSAL'''" (in Futura Bold) fades in and zooms out to a comfortable distance as the camera stops in front of the globe and the | '''Visuals:''' The camera zooms through space, and a pair of Van Allen radiation belts start to form. A rotating globe appears in the distance, and as the camera gets closer to it, the {{color|gold}} word "'''UNIVERSAL'''" (in Futura Bold) fades in and zooms out to a comfortable distance as the camera stops in front of the globe and the Van Allen belts surround it. | ||
'''Variants:''' Several different versions of this logo exist. This is going to get complicated, so let's explain this simply: | '''Variants:''' Several different versions of this logo exist. This is going to get complicated, so let's explain this simply: | ||
* 1963-1973: "A UNIVERSAL PICTURE/RELEASE", with the "UNIVERSAL" text sandwiched between "A" and "PICTURE"/"RELEASE". This can also be seen on certain movies that use this logo for a retro effect. | * 1963-1973: "A UNIVERSAL PICTURE/RELEASE", with the "UNIVERSAL" text sandwiched between "A" and "PICTURE"/"RELEASE". This can also be seen on certain movies that use this logo for a retro effect. | ||
* "PRESENTS" | ** Like the last logo, a credit for then-Universal head Edward Muhl can be seen on the lower-left of the first movies to feature this logo. | ||
* 1971-1990: The {{color|orange}} byline "'''{{color|gold|AN MCA COMPANY}}'''" (in Eurostile Bold) fades in below the "UNIVERSAL" text. The | ** Another variant exists that has "PRESENTS" underneath the "UNIVERSAL" text. Sometimes, the text starts off blurred, but becomes clearer as the globe zooms in. This variant is seen on films such as ''Secret Ceremony'', ''The Killers'' (1964), ''Two-Lane Blacktop'', and ''Anne of the Thousand Days'', as well as on [[Walter Lantz Productions|Walter Lantz]] cartoons from ''Saddle-Sore Woody'' (1964) until ''Bye, Bye, Blackboard'' (1972). | ||
* 1971-1990: The {{color|orange}} byline "'''{{color|gold|AN MCA COMPANY}}'''" (in Eurostile Bold) fades in below the "UNIVERSAL" text. The scope variant has it in a different font. | |||
** The 1971 version is bylineless on some films. | |||
** On ''American Graffiti'', "PRESENTS" appears underneath the byline in a smaller font. | |||
** Another version exists that has "RELEASE" appear underneath the MCA byline. This was used to plaster the Paramount logo at the end of 1980s reissue prints of Alfred Hitchcock films owned by Hitchcock himself (including ''Rear Window'' and ''The Man Who Knew Too Much'', including one BBC Two airing of the latter from August 11, 2001), and also appeared on US theatrical prints of ''The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella''. | |||
** At the end of Discovery Channel Southeast Asian prints of ''Jaws'' and ''Jaws 2'', the logo is faster and the credits music also plays over the logo. | |||
** On most movies from 1989 and 1990, the MCA byline has more of a {{color|orangered|red-orange}} color, and the Van Allen belts are more {{color|darkviolet|purple}}. This can be found on ''Parenthood'', ''Uncle Buck'', ''Field of Dreams'', the VHS release of ''Born on the Fourth of July'', ''Opportunity Knocks'', ''Coupe De Ville'', ''Bird on a Wire'', and the theatrical trailers for ''Back to the Future Part III'' and ''Problem Child'' (both of which ultimately used the 75th Anniversary variant of the 9th logo). However, some movies from 1989, such as ''Back to the Future Part II'', ''The Dream Team'' and ''K-9'', would still use the original variant of the MCA byline. A clip of this variant was used for the Universal 75th Anniversary logo, which also uses clips from the 5th and 6th logos. | |||
* "Flat": Presented in 1.14:1 open matte for 35mm uncropped film scan prints, 1.37:1 academy or 1.85:1 "matted" widescreen, the logo appears to move somewhat faster than the widescreen version. The "UNIVERSAL" text is not blurred and simply fades in. Seen on films such as ''Coogan's Bluff'', ''Duel'', ''Charley Varrick'', ''The Sentinel'', ''National Lampoon's Animal House'', ''The Jerk'', ''Little Miss Marker'' (1980), ''Coal Miner's Daughter'', ''Somewhere in Time'', ''An American Werewolf in London'', ''E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'', ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'', ''Cat People'' (1982), ''Videodrome'', ''Monty Python's The Meaning of Life'', ''Sixteen Candles'', ''The Breakfast Club'', the first two ''Back to the Future'' films, ''Weird Science'', ''Brazil'', ''Out of Africa'', ''An American Tail'', and ''The Land Before Time''. In an earlier variant, used in tandem with the normal version, "A UNIVERSAL PICTURE" starts blurred, but becomes clearer, along with the Edward Muhl byline. The globe zooms in faster in this variant, used on movies like ''Shenandoah'', ''Send Me No Flowers'', ''Charade'' and ''Father Goose''. A B&W version of this variant can also be seen on ''Kitten with a Whip'', which was featured on an episode of ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (with the logo intact). It was also the default pan-and-scan version of the logo and plastered the above variant on older VHS copies of most if not all Universal films shot in scope (a notable exception being the original VHS of ''The Dark Crystal'', which was released by Thorn EMI Video). | |||
** In the early years of the "Flat" version of the logo, a small registered trademark symbol ("®") appears below the "L" in "UNIVERSAL", which faded in alongside the zooming text. By 1975, a larger "®" was added in the same position, but it fades in after the text zooms out. However, the smaller "®" behind the bigger "®" can still be seen. | |||
*"Scope": Shown in a wide ratio of 2.20:1 or 2.35:1 widescreen, the globe appears to zoom in rather slowly, and the "UNIVERSAL" text is blurred when it fades in, becoming clearer as it zooms out. The logo is much wider than usual, to accommodate the extra space. This is seen on films shot in this format such as ''High Plains Drifter'', ''The Sugarland Express'', ''Jaws'', ''The Car'', ''Halloween II'' and ''III'', John Carpenter's ''The Thing'', ''Scarface'' (1983), ''Firestarter'' (1984), ''The Dark Crystal'', ''The Last Starfighter'', ''Dune'' (1984), ''Legend'', ''Prince of Darkness'', ''They Live'' and ''Born on the Fourth of July''. It also had a bylineless variant of its own, which can be found on ''Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here'' and ''The Day of the Jackal''. A sepia-tone variant can be found on ''The Deer Hunter''. | *"Scope": Shown in a wide ratio of 2.20:1 or 2.35:1 widescreen, the globe appears to zoom in rather slowly, and the "UNIVERSAL" text is blurred when it fades in, becoming clearer as it zooms out. The logo is much wider than usual, to accommodate the extra space. This is seen on films shot in this format such as ''High Plains Drifter'', ''The Sugarland Express'', ''Jaws'', ''The Car'', ''Halloween II'' and ''III'', John Carpenter's ''The Thing'', ''Scarface'' (1983), ''Firestarter'' (1984), ''The Dark Crystal'', ''The Last Starfighter'', ''Dune'' (1984), ''Legend'', ''Prince of Darkness'', ''They Live'' and ''Born on the Fourth of July''. It also had a bylineless variant of its own, which can be found on ''Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here'' and ''The Day of the Jackal''. A sepia-tone variant can be found on ''The Deer Hunter''. | ||
* | ** There is another scope variant where the 1.85 version is cropped to 2.35. This can be found on ''Coupe De Ville'', ''Bird on a Wire'', and ''Jaws: The Revenge''. However, the GoodTimes DVD of the latter uses the regular scope variant. | ||
* | * An off-center version is only known to exist on old video prints of ''Charade'', the logo is slightly off-center, due to a sloppy job reformatting the aspect ratio of 1.85:1 into 4:3. Another off-center version can be found on the MCA Discovision, MCA Videocassette Inc. and MCA Home Video releases of ''Jaws''. | ||
* A black-and-white version was seen at the beginning of the 1980 MCA Videocassette, Inc. VHS release of ''Scarface'' (1932) (Also on the 1984 MCA Home Video reprint), the 1980 VHS release of ''Psycho'', and the 1965 unsold TV pilot ''Dark Intruder'' (which received a theatrical release). | * A black-and-white version was seen at the beginning of the 1980 MCA Videocassette, Inc. VHS release of ''Scarface'' (1932) (Also on the 1984 MCA Home Video reprint), the 1980 VHS release of ''Psycho'', and the 1965 unsold TV pilot ''Dark Intruder'' (which received a theatrical release). | ||
*While a dedicated 3D variant exists (having been created for ''Jaws 3D'' and ''Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn''), the scope version of the standard logo was converted to 3D for the stereoscopic reissue of ''Jaws'' in 2022. | |||
*While a dedicated 3D variant exists (having been created for ''Jaws 3D'' and ''Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn''), the | |||
'''Technique:''' Live-action model work for the globe, combined with cel animation for the Van Allen belts. This logo was animated and designed by Universal Title and Optical (commonly known as "Universal Title"), who was also responsible for the animation for the [[Universal Television (1963-1998)|Universal Television]] logos and handled the titles and optical effects for most Universal films and television series until 1990. The globe was hand-painted on a rubber ball by Eyvind Earle, who did the space background and the Van Allen belts as well. | '''Technique:''' Live-action model work for the globe, combined with cel animation for the Van Allen belts. This logo was animated and designed by Universal Title and Optical (commonly known as "Universal Title"), who was also responsible for the animation for the [[Universal Television (1963-1998)|Universal Television]] logos and handled the titles and optical effects for most Universal films and television series until 1990. The globe was hand-painted on a rubber ball by Eyvind Earle, who did the space background and the Van Allen belts as well. | ||
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'''Audio Variants:''' | '''Audio Variants:''' | ||
* On the | * On the US DVD release of the ''Battlestar Galactica'' movie (which is really the pilot episode "Saga of a Star World" released as a theatrical film in Europe), the 1963 logo is heard with the CIC fanfare. | ||
* On the 1984 MCA Home Video VHS release of ''The Man Who Knew Too Much'' and a 1984 German ARD airing of ''The Trouble with Harry'', this logo has the [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]/[[VistaVision]] music. | * On the 1984 MCA Home Video VHS release of ''The Man Who Knew Too Much'' and a 1984 German ARD airing of ''The Trouble with Harry'', this logo has the [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]/[[VistaVision]] music. | ||
* Sometimes, it | * Sometimes, it uses an updated version of the 1936-1947 fanfare (composed by Miklos Rosza for the 1982 film ''Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid''); this tune was mostly heard over the logo of [[Universal Pay Television]]. | ||
* On a print of ''The Projected Man'' featured on ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'', the logo uses the Les Baxter-composed fanfare from the 1960-1963 American International Pictures logo (which was actually used for the logo of a British company called Compton Films, also the UK distributor). However, the Shout! Factory Blu-ray release just uses the opening theme. | * On a print of ''The Projected Man'' featured on ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'', the logo uses the Les Baxter-composed fanfare from the 1960-1963 [[American International Pictures]] logo (which was actually used for the logo of a British company called [[Compton Films]], also the UK distributor). However, the Shout! Factory Blu-ray release just uses the opening theme. | ||
* ''Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life'' has its own unique fanfare (only on the main feature, not the preceding short feature ''The Crimson Permanent Assurance''), which was reused on the second disc of the 2003 special edition DVD releases. | * ''Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life'' has its own unique fanfare (only on the main feature, not the preceding short feature ''The Crimson Permanent Assurance''), which was reused on the second disc of the 2003 special edition DVD releases. | ||
'''Availability:''' Used for 27 years and was never plastered over (the 20th Anniversary version of ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' does plaster this with a special variant of the 1997 Universal logo; however, the 1982 variation is still seen on the 1988 and 1996 VHS releases, the theatrical DVD and Blu-ray release, and airings on HBO and Cinemax, as well as the 2015 Nickelodeon airing). | '''Availability:''' Used for 27 years and was never plastered over (the 20th Anniversary version of ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' does plaster this with a special variant of the 1997 Universal logo; however, the 1982 variation is still seen on the 1988 and 1996 VHS releases, the theatrical DVD and Blu-ray release, and airings on HBO and Cinemax, as well as the 2015 Nickelodeon airing). | ||
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* On ''Airport'', this logo is seen after the end credits with the opening P.A. track for the film playing over it (pan-and-scan releases apparently had the logo and track at the start of the film, if the 1981 MCA Videocassette, Inc. release is anything to go by). | * On ''Airport'', this logo is seen after the end credits with the opening P.A. track for the film playing over it (pan-and-scan releases apparently had the logo and track at the start of the film, if the 1981 MCA Videocassette, Inc. release is anything to go by). | ||
** A similar occurrence also occurs on John Carpenter's ''The Thing'' (without any audio; this time around, the Universal logo remains at the end, even on pan-and-scan prints). | ** A similar occurrence also occurs on John Carpenter's ''The Thing'' (without any audio; this time around, the Universal logo remains at the end, even on pan-and-scan prints). | ||
* This logo was originally not seen on the following films ( | * This logo was originally not seen on the following films (recent releases of some of these films have this logo added on at the start, however): ''The Electric Horseman'', ''1941'', ''The Blues Brothers'', ''Torn Curtain'', ''Family Plot'', and ''Frenzy''. The ''Emergency!'' version can be found only on the pilot episode, available as part of the season 1 DVD set (the episode is not rerun as part of the series' syndication package). | ||
* It is unknown if this logo is seen on any prints of ''Watchers''. | * It is unknown if this logo is seen on any prints of ''Watchers''. | ||
* It is also unknown if this logo is seen on any Italian prints of films | * It is also unknown if this logo is seen on any Italian prints of films produced by [[Walt Disney Productions]] between 1969 and 1970, such as ''The Love Bug''. | ||
* This logo was also seen on theatrical prints of [[Associated Film Distribution]] titles they purchased the rights to; however, most home video, TV, and/or streaming prints edit the logo out (since Universal only had theatrical rights; [[ITC Entertainment Group|ITC Entertainment]] or other successor companies retained all other rights). | * This logo was also seen on theatrical prints of [[Associated Film Distribution]] titles they purchased the rights to; however, most home video, TV, and/or streaming prints edit the logo out (since Universal only had theatrical rights; [[ITC Entertainment Group|ITC Entertainment]] or other successor companies retained all other rights). | ||
** ''On Golden Pond'', for instance, had this logo on theatrical prints, but most video prints have this logo omitted (it is still preserved intact on the 1987 Mexican VideoVisa VHS release, however). | ** ''On Golden Pond'', for instance, had this logo on theatrical prints, but most video prints have this logo omitted (it is still preserved intact on the 1987 Mexican VideoVisa VHS release, however). | ||
** Similarly, it was also seen on the theatrical release and an HBO airing of ''The Great Muppet Caper'', but all home video releases of the film delete the logo. | ** Similarly, it was also seen on the theatrical release and an HBO airing of ''The Great Muppet Caper'', but all home video releases of the film delete the logo. | ||
** Conversely, the scope variant was deleted from [[Jim Henson Home Entertainment|Jim Henson Video]]'s VHS release of ''The Dark Crystal'', but is still intact on [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]]'s VHS and DVD releases of the film; the original [[Thorn EMI Video]] also retains it. | ** Conversely, the scope variant was deleted from [[Jim Henson Home Entertainment|Jim Henson Video]]'s VHS release of ''The Dark Crystal'', but is still intact on [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]]'s VHS and DVD releases of the film; the original [[Thorn EMI Video]] also retains it. | ||
* This logo can also be found on domestic prints of [[Carolco Pictures]]' ''Wes Craven's Shocker'', ''Field of Dreams'' and ''The Wizard''. | * This logo can also be found on domestic prints of [[Carolco Pictures]]' ''Wes Craven's Shocker'', ''Field of Dreams'' and ''The Wizard''. However, international TV airings of ''The Wizard'' have the Universal logo blacked out, with the music still playing. | ||
* It was also seen on some trailers for ''Back to the Future: Part III'', ''Ghost Dad'', ''Jetsons: The Movie'', ''Problem Child'', and ''Darkman'', all of which ultimately used the next logo. | |||
* It was also seen on some trailers for ''Back to the Future: Part III'', ''Ghost Dad'', ''Jetsons: The Movie'', ''Problem Child'', and ''Darkman'' | * This logo is also seen at the beginning of the 1989 TV film ''Nightlife'', despite it being an [[MCA Television Entertainment|MTE]] production. | ||
* This logo is also seen at the beginning of the 1989 TV film ''Nightlife'', despite being an [[MCA Television Entertainment|MTE]] production. | |||
'''Legacy:''' One of the most well-known logos in film due to its 27-year lifespan and use in many popular films. | '''Legacy:''' One of the most well-known logos in film due to its 27-year lifespan and use in many popular films. |