Island Pictures

Background
Island Pictures was the movie production arm of Island Records active from 1982 to 1998. After Chris Blackwell sold Island Records to PolyGram, he retained this studio and its library, incorporating both into his next company, Island World, which was acquired by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in 1994. Eventually, PolyGram was folded into Universal Pictures. Island's film library is currently held by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; however, some films, such as The Basketball Diaries, are held by Blackwell's current company, Palm Pictures, though MGM/New Line Cinema owns TV rights to the latter.

1st Logo (1982-1985)
Logo : On a black background, a green-ish blue light rises slowly. Then we rapidly zoom-in to the light, revealing a silver island with palm trees on it, which later glows and mirrors into two islands. Then, some stars quickly comes to us, glows the screen for less than a second, and goes back to it's position, revealing a shadow of the island with the blue light behind it, with the words "ISLAND PICTURES" below it.

FX/SFX : The zooms, the glows. Nice animation from it's time.

Music/Sounds : Silent at the beginning, then a whoosh when zooming in, and a dreamy tune that sounds like it was composed by Kitaro.

Availability : Near extinction. It was originally seen on the 1982 film Countryman and was seen on SBS Australian airing of the film. The Palm DVD has the Island Alive logo instead.

Editor's Note : TBA.

2nd Logo (November 6, 1985-October 11, 1996)
Logo : On a black background, we see a silhouette of two palm trees inside a circle. Under it there is a line, and the words "ISLAND" and "PICTURES" on a paradise-like font.

Variants :


 * A variant with the logo shifted to the right, and the text in a different font, was used in the early days of this logo.
 * An animated version also existed where the circle zooms back while it appears to be raining in the circle. The trees are also white while the circle zooms back.
 * On Straight to Hell, the word "PRESENTS" fades in below.

FX/SFX : None.

Music/Sounds : Silent or the opening theme of the film.

Availability : The earlier variant is very rare, it may be intact or plastered on current prints, so check various VHS, DVD releases and TV airings for this one. The later version however, is uncommon, and can be found on films such as Slam Dance and Nobody's Fool, preceded by an MGM logo on DVD releases or any of the Universal logos on TV airings. The animated version can be found on The Lunatics and From Hollywood to Deadwood.

Editor's Note : TBA.

3rd Logo (April 21, 1995-April 28, 1998)
Logo : On a black background, we see a purple silhouette of a palm tree, changing to white as a red to yellow gradient sun slowly rises behind it. The word "ISLAND" fades in under the palm tree.

Later Variant : Starting in 1997, the byline "Just off the coast of PolyGram " (with the PolyGram logo to the right of the byline, which is in script font) appeared under the logo.

Closing Variant : An in-credit print logo exists following the end credits.

FX/SFX : The sun rising, the letters fading.

Music/Sounds : Either sounds of the ocean or the opening theme of the film. Sometimes it is silent.

Availability : Rare. Seen on How to Be a Player (not the Bounce TV airings as those have it plastered with the 2002 E.T. variant of the Universal logo), The Gingerbread Man, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in Da Hood, and Eddie. Some releases of these films would keep this logo, or have them plastered by ether the MGM, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment or Universal logos.

Editor's Note : TBA.