Paramount Home Video

Written and Compiled by Matt Williams, James Fabiano and Kris Starring

1st Logo
(1976-1979)

Logo: On a sky blue background, we see "Paramount" in the famous script, and "HOME VIDEO" below that in a wide bolded Eurostyle font in between two lines, one above and one below. To the right of that, we see the 1975 Paramount print logo to the right, complete with Gulf+Western byline.

Trivia: It might be interesting to note that this was the first ever home video logo, predating Magnetic Video Corp. by a year.

SFX: Absolutely none, it's a still logo.

Cheesy Factor: What more can be said about a still logo?

Music: None

Availability: As rare as they come. This logo appeared primarily on Betamax releases, meaning this is a very difficult find. Should appear on a few VHS titles from 1978, but keep in mind that the format was in its infancy at the time.

Scare Factor: None

2nd Logo
(1979-1981)

Nicknames: "Mountain Silhouette", "Black Mountain", "Rising Mountain", "Cheesy Mountain"

Logo: On a dark blue background, we zoom out on a silhouette of a mountain. After we zoom out to a comfortable distance, there is a bright flash behind the mountain, and white "stars" (they look like circles or lens flares) appear, as well as "Paramount" (in script, but closer to the pre-1975 logo). A yellow trapezoidal trail zooms out from the base, and "HOME VIDEO" zooms out soon after, crappily chyroned in.

The end result looks like the pre-1967 print logo.

SFX: The flash, the effects.

Cheesy Factor: Off the scale. The stars look cheesy, the "Paramount" font doesn't look right, and the chyron for "HOME VIDEO" : ) ugh!

Music: A pounding backbeat as the mountain zooms out, then a synth chord.

Availability: There are logos that are rare and then those that are so rare that they are classified as myths. This logo, by far, falls into that last category-the only record of its existence is on the original print of "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown".

Scare Factor: Median, the chord and flash might not sit well with most people.

3rd Logo
(1982-1987)

Nickname: "Growing Mountain"

Logo: On a black background, we see the abstract mountain logo, with Gulf + Western byline. It begins to zoom up on us, as the stars and byline zoom past, and grows bigger until we are literally right on top of the peak of the mountain. There is a VERY bright flash, and it dies down to reveal the Paramount script logo (in blue) and a small "VIDEO" between two blue lines.

SFX: The growing mountain, the flash

Cheesy Factor: Flash seems cheesy, but the rest is okay.

Music: A new-age type tune, similar to the Columbia Pictures "Sunburst" music.

Availability: A pretty tough find. Most Paramount releases went for the logo used at the time, but Television shows and non-Paramount releases have this.

Scare Factor: High, the creepy music, flash, and especially the growing mountain make this a very bad logo.

4th Logo
(1987-2002)

Logo: On a background filled with blue/purple squares, we see a blue square with the Paramount abstract mountain logo in gold. It shines, then moves and zooms away as the squares behind it move away, revealing "FEATURE PRESENTATION" on a tannish background. After a few moments, it zooms towards us.

Byline: This used whatever byline Paramount was using at the time: Gulf + Western around 1987, Paramount Communications from 1990-1994, and Viacom from 1994 onward.

SFX: The squares moving away, the animation on the Paramount square.

Cheesy Factor: The zooming effect on "FEATURE PRESENTATION" looks like cheap computer effects.

Music: Abridged version of the Paramount fanfare. An announcer says "And now, we're pleased to bring you our Feature Presentation."

Sound Variant: A variation exists where the announcer says "And now, Paramount is pleased to bring you our Feature Presentation". This was used with the Gulf + Western byline.

Availability: Appearing on most Paramount video releases. The Gulf + Western variation is the toughest find.

Scare Factor: None, although the transition from the zoomed-in logo to the Paramount warning screen is very jarring.

5th Logo
(2002-)

Logo: An enhanced version of the home video logo that was seen from 1987 up to now. A full color version of the Ultra Majestic Mountain (90th Anniversary version) appears in a square that overlaps a background of four blue squares. A line of light passes over it, and then the logo flies off and the squares peel off, pretty much like before. They reveal "FEATURE PRESENTATION" in a gold-yellow font flying into place, each word from a different end. The words now float against a dark cloud background, eventually zooming out towards the screen in a trail of gold light. The warnings post-logo appear as always.

SFX: Separating squares, the words' movements, and the moving cloud background.

Music: Same as it has been since 1987, announcer says, "And now we're pleased to bring you our feature presentation" as always.

Availability: Should be turning up on more and more Paramount releases. For one it is on the video of "Changing Lanes."

Scare Factor: Low, complements the new movie logo very nicely.

PARAMOUNT DVD
(2002-)

Nicknames: "Disc Mountain"

Logo: Starts off with the 2002 Ultra Majestic Mountain animation with the stars flying through the clouds, the zoom out of the "Paramount" script, and the stars coming in and circling around the mountain. When we are at a comfortable distance, a DVD flies in from the bottom, glides and settles behind the summit and the Paramount script. Then, a bright flash underneath the peak brings forth "DVD" with a line below it, and "A VI/\CO/\/\ CO/\/\P/\NY" below that. The background fades to black, and a white laser scans the disc, turning the entire DVD Paramountain silver. The finished product resembles the Paramount print logo.

SFX: It's all great CGI.

Cheesy Factor: The larger-than-life DVD flying in like a frisbee behind the mountain looks a little bit ridiculous.

Music: Some whooshing sounds, culminating in a synth "explosion" effect.

Availibility: Common, appears on recent DVDs of Paramount movies and TV shows.

Scare Factor: High, the DVD flying in and the sudden flash and change to black is pretty jarring, especially if you are used to the movie logo and wind up with this.