Simitar
Written and Compiled by Nicholas Aczel

1^st Logo A
(1980s)

Nickname: "The Spinning Scimitar"

Logo: On a space background, we see a black and blue scimitar (a sword with a curved blade) with a swirly-styled red S on the front spinning up to the center of the screen. The scimitar "flashes" and the letters "IMITAR" slide from behind the S to the right to spell the word "SIMITAR." The text "ENTERTAINMENT INC." fades in below the scimitar, which flashes again.

SFX: The scimitar "flashing," the spinning, the animation.

Cheesy Factor: Very high. The space background looks as if it were done on an Apple II, the letters "IMITAR" sliding out like construction paper, and the poor coloring and flashing of the scimitar...ugh.

Music: None

Availability: Hard to find. Seen on specialty videos from Simitar Entertainment from the 80s, usually with Logo B below included.

Scare Factor: High, what with the bad animation, not to mention the scimitar spinning up so close it looks like it’s gonna poke you in the face (ouch!).

1^st Logo B
(1980s)

Nicknames: "Giant S," "The Other S From Hell"

Logo: On a black background, a creepy white line moves from left to right, up, right to left, up, and left to right, etc. many times to draw a lined square, shining cheesy rainbow colors as it moves. When it finishes drawing the square, the line takes a right curve up to draw the outline of a very ugly, boxy "S." Suddenly, the logo flashes, and in the lower left of the box a ray of light sweeps across, leaving a black trail with "Simitar Entertainment Inc." written in white. Then the logo shines and flashes again.

SFX/Cheesy Factor: YUCK! This logo screams 1980s; the white line drawing and shining rainbow colors, the ugly S, the flashes, the ray of light sweeping, and the logo shining all seem to be made of super cheesy 1980s computer effects. Not to mention the dated synthesizer music is simply unlistenable!

Music: A creepy synth bass, accompanied by a loud synthesized crash when the logo flashes, a loud synthesized choir, another loud synthesized crash for the second flash, and a loud WHOOSH or two to top it all off.

Availability: Seen on special interest videos released by Simitar in the 1980s.

Scare Factor: Nightmare. With the darkness, the super cheesy animation, the scary light effects, and the loud, oversynthesized, dramatic 1980s music, this logo will arguably scare many people!

2^nd Logo
(1990s)

Nicknames: "Gold Bars," "Gold S"

Logo: On a shady blue background, we see two separate sets of gold bars at opposite angles merging into each others’ spaces in the center of the screen. From offscreen bottom the familiar S, now in gold CGI, swoops up and plasters itself on the bars. Underneath the gold text "Simitar" appears underlined with another gold bar.

SFX: The gold bars merging, the S swooping, "Simitar" appearing.

Cheesy Factor: Still rather bad CGI; at least better animation than the previous logo, but that’s not saying much...

Music: Same as 1^st Logo B.

Availability: A bit more available than previous logos being more recent; seen on 90s Simitar Entertainment videos.

Scare Factor: Median, that music will still get to some, but at least the animation is tamer.