ABC Pictures

Compiled by Nicholas Aczel

ABC Pictures International
(1968-1982)

Nickname: "Globes in Space"

Logo: We see a picture of a rotating Earth globe on a zooming space background. The letter "b" sketches in the center of the globe and the letters "a" and "c" uncover from the left and right of the "b" to form "abc". The globe turns black over the white "abc" letters, the words "PICTURES INTERNATIONAL" fade in below the "abc" as the logo moves to the left and a filmstrip with another rotating globe grows out from the right of the logo. The byline "A Subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. fades in below.

Blue Skies: There is a variant with the logo on a sky blue background.

SFX: The rotating globe, the zooming space background, the "abc" sketching, the globe turning black, the filmstrip growing out.

Cheesy Factor: The logo was intended to resemble a film canister, but is ultimately dogged by the perspective limitations of the 2-D "abc" logo. Furthermore, what in the universe is a film canister on a space background supposed to represent anyway?

Music: A very dramatic orchestral fanfare.

Availability: Rare, but assumed to be intact on several Cinerama releases such as "Straw Dogs" and "Too Late The Hero."

Scare Factor: Nightmare, due to the dramatic fanfare, the "in-your-face" animation, and a dark mood.

ABC Motion Pictures
(1982-86)

Nickname: "Crystal"

Logo: On a black background, we see some moving shots of sparkling transparent crystals. Then a crystal "T" slowly zooms backwards, and more letters are revealed. Finally, when the words

ABC
MOTION
PICTURES (in sparkling crystal lettering)

all appear, the logo stops in the middle of the screen.

SFX: The sparkling crystals, company name zooming backward.

Cheesy Factor: The crystals look like a model, and the zooming words are simple animation.

Music: A lush synthesized fanfare.

Availability: Rare, but usually preserved on movies produced by the company, including "Prizzi's Honor" and "Young Doctors in Love."

Scare Factor: Low, the cheesy music is actually quite soothing.