Columbia Showcase Theatre

Background
On May 29, 2000, Columbia TriStar Television Distribution launched a film-on-television syndication programming block called the Columbia Showcase Theatre. With the rebranding of CTT as Sony Pictures Television (named after Columbia's parent owner) in 2002, the block went dormant before it returned to syndicated television in 2004, coinciding with Sony's music division merging with the Bertelsmann Music Group the same year.

(May 29, 2000-2010s)


Nicknames: "The Blue Robe", "Jenny Joseph", "Rise of the Torch Lady", "Torch Lady From The Waves"

Logo: We see a realistically rendered body of water that appears to be bubbling, complete with a sky. A large yellow pedestal then rises out of the water, with a hole in the center that lights up, and the 1993 Torch Lady rises out from the middle of the pedestal while a blue robe flows around. The blue robe causes a scene transition to occur, as we view the spinning Torch Lady from upperhead. Then, we fade to a shot of the giant gold chiseled text "COLUMBIA", in its usual font, flying across, before we fade to a profile shot of the Torch Lady, with the blue robe covering her eyes. Then, we fade to a shot of "SHOWCASE THEATRE", in the Trajan Pro font, flying around, before fading yet again to a back shot of the Torch Lady. As the text flies around, a flash results in a full-panel view of the standard Torch Lady, with the text in its completed positions. The text and lady move a bit as her torch shines.

FX/SFX: The steps and Torch Lady rising and the words flying in and taking place. Incredible CGI. Additionally, live-action footage of (presumably) Jenny Joseph for the close-up shots of the Torch Lady.

Music/Sounds: A rising, majestic orchestral fanfare, composed by Pei Pei Chung.

Availability: It can be found on syndicated airings of some Sony Pictures-owned films such as Stuart Little 2, Under Suspicion, and The Glass House, among a few others.

Editor's Note: Some actually like this logo better than the standard movie logo, and it's understandable why, thanks to its incredible CGI and music.