New World Entertainment
Edited by Sean Beard
New World Pictures
(1970-1990)
Background: This company was founded by B-movie legend Roger Corman in 1970. However, they didn't use an on-screen logo until 1977.
1st Logo
(1977-1980)
Logo: On a Orion-like starfield, the phrase NEW WORLD PICTURES PRESENTS-stacked and curved like an open eye-trails itself from the right of the screen in multiple colors (å la Filmways' second logo) onto the center.
FX/Cheesy Factor: the cheaply-made trailing animation
Music: None-this is a silent logo.
Avaliablity: Rare-can still be easily spotted whenever a
New World film from this era is shown on TV, often with a Viacom
"Wigga-Wigga" or Paramount logo at the end.
Scare Factor: Neglible, given the fact that New World's
output was nothing more than B-movies.
2nd Logo
(1980-1984)
Nickname: "Blue Sun"
Logo: On a plain black background, an Aztec
hieroglyph-like sun (given a metallic blue coloration) is seen
centered in the middle of the screen. As light streaks
encirclrcle the logo, the company name is seen in a plain font.
This is faded out as the light streaks once again pass all over
the logo after which the sequence fades out.
Variation: A still version exists without animation on
Battle Beyond the Stars with NEW WORLD PICTURES PRESENTS under
it.
FX/Cheesy Factor: The light streaks circling around the
logo and the fade-out on the studio name
Music: Some new-age, synth and string music.
Avaliability: Rare-should be retained whenever New World
films from this period air on television (again with Viacom or
Paramount logos at the end).
Note: In recent years, Roger Corman has been reissuing
parts of the pre-1984 New World library on VHS and DVD on his own
New Concord Home Video label (Corman left New World in 1984). The
1970-83 films except Battle Beyond the Stars (coproduced with and
released through Orion) were licensed to Viacom Enterprises for
TV distribution. The pre-1974 titles are now owned by Paramount.
Scare Factor: Low-rather effective piece of early CGI from
Roger Corman of all people. The logo's shape might rattle those
who've never seen it before.
3rd Logo
(1984-1989)
Nickname: "The Sphere"
Logo: On a black background, several three-dimensional orange "slices" merge together to form a red-orange globe shape as the camera pulls back; as this occurs, a quick flash of light happens as each section passes. Once the abstract globe forms. The company name "NEW WORLD PICTURES" fades in below it.
FX: The 3D sections merging into the globe.
Music: None (on some films, the opening music is heard over the logo)
Availability: Common on Anchor Bay Entertainment VHS
and DVD reissues of New World movies. This is retained on the
1985-88 films currently distributed by Warner Bros. Television.
Scare Factor: None. This was among one of the truly cool
1980s logos.
New World Television
Background: New World didn't enter TV production until
1984, when the soap opera Santa Barbara premiered.
1st Logo
(1984-1989)
Nickname: "The Sphere"
Logo: This was merely a still version of the movie logo and the company name here is "NEW WORLD TELEVISION"
(Note: Also known as New World International for international distribution.)
FX: None-this was a static image.
Music: Closing theme music finishes over this on TV episodes while silent on TV movies.
Availability: Uncommon. Can be found currently on reruns of 1st season eps of "The Wonder Years" on ABC Family, and on the first two seasons of "Tour of Duty" (currently on History Channel Canada).
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(1989-1994)
Nickname: "The Ocean"
Logo: On a purple background we see a purple-bluish ocean and the now-crystallized New World globe (smaller than previous logo variant), and below that is the text "New World Television" (or "New World International" on international distribution prints)
FX: The ocean waves flowing; CGI animation abounds here.
Music: A New Age-sounding sax jingle, the theme song finishing or silence.
Availability: Rare-any program that had this logo with the saxaphone music would have it replaced with the 20th Television logo by now; Tour of Duty and Crime Story retain this logo.
Note: Much of New World's television output from this
period is currently divided between Warner Bros. (The Wonder
Years, Crime Story), Sony Pictures Television (Tour of Duty) and
20th Television (the rest of the catalog).
Scare Factor: None-the ocean aninmation is rather calming
3rd Logo
(1995-1997)
Nickname: "CGI Sphere"
Logo: With a shooting star effect we see a blurred red-orange sphere that clears up to create a small reddish-orange abstract globe and below that is text reading either "New World Television","New World Entertainment" or New World/Genesis Distrbution.
FX: The fireworks, the sphere clearing up.
Music: A synthesizer sounder that ends with a series of
non-musical noises resembling a seagull.
Availability: Extinct. Only seen on the first episodes of
"Access Hollywood", "Second Noah", "Real
Stories of the Highway Patrol" and the sixth and seventh
seasons of Slik Stalkings. Replaced with the 20th Century-Fox
Television logo for the latter show's final season.
Note: New World Entertainment's buyout by News
Corporation, parent company of 20th Century-Fox, and with it the
rights to some of New World's television programs, some post-1988
feature films, the New World/Genesis backlog and Cannell
Entertainment effectively ended the company.
Scare Factor: Median-the shooting star/fireworks EFX
animation can startle many viewers..