Cinemax
By Kris Starring
1st (known) Open
(Late 80's-1994)
Nickname: "The Palette"
Logo: We begin in a black CGI enviornment with different
colored circles. We see a clapboard. It claps and zooms out onto
a gray bar that moves onto the screen from the left. Another gray
bar moves from the right, and the bars form a piece of film with
a typical film countdown leader going inside it (3, 2, 1...). We
zoom around the film past some abstract shapes of various colors.
Some abstract cut letters spelling out the words "CINEMAX
MOVIE" float past the screen. We begin to rotate and zoom in
on the abstract "E" in "MOVIE" (which is a
red square with two yellow triangles) which splits apart into a
purple marble square on the bottom, a wooden square in the
middle, the red square and yellow triangles on the top which
float off the screen. We pan along the wooden square which turns
out to be a wooden palette with color test patterns where the
paint would be. Zooming out, we see "italized"
rectangles with the letters "c i n e m a x", which are
italized as well (ala the old BBC logo), zoom in onto the palette
from the right. The abstract cut letters for the word
"MOVIE" (except for the "O" which is the
finger hole in the palette) come down from the top of the screen
and plaster themselves onto the palette. Now, we see the entire
palette. An invisible light shines back and forth on the /c/i/n/e/m/a/x/
logo, and the letters in "M VIE" begin the sway back
and forth. Small multicolored particles move from the left of the
screen and travel behind the palette.
FX: Top notch late 80's CGI from Pacific Data Images.
Cheesy Factor: All the abstract cut shapes. Very tacky
design typical of the time, like the Saved By The Bell credits or
CBS's 1990-91 graphics campaign.
Music: An 80's synth/electronic guitar score.
Availability: Extinct, was last seen on Cinemax around
1994 or 1995. Check those old tapes for the logo!
Scare Factor: Low
2nd Open
(1994-1997)
Nickname: "Golden Ushers"
Logo: We see a pinstriped popcorn bucket with a spiral staircase going around it. The staircase has the infamous movie countdown leader design, all with the number 3, on the steps. Popcorn and candies dance down the stairs. We turn and head down a majestic hallway, one wall to the left is the bottom of the popcorn bucket, and the right is filled with golden CGI ushers holding flashlights towards us. The camera stops at the end of the hallway where we see a film reel. One of the golden ushers walks forward onto the film reel and turns to face us, and we fade to see the /c/i/n/e/m/a/x/ logo, and zoom out to see the complete text, "THE /c/i/n/e/m/a/x/ MOVIE", the words stacked on top of each other. The text is on a palatial, old-time cinema background with blue filmstrips curled around.
FX: Mindblowing CGI
Music: A majestic fanfare with some strings, orchestra hits and piano.
Availability: Once again, gone from TV for good, check those old tapes!
Scare Factor: None, a great open, very professional.