Atlantic Releasing Corporation

Background
Atlantic Releasing Corporation was an independent production and distribution company formed by Tom Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt in 1974. In January 1989, amidst financial troubles, Atlantic was sold off to Kartes Video Communications, and Island Alive bought Atlantic Releasing's library (though Paramount retained TV and until recently, home video rights; some TV rights were also handled by Viacom). Island Alive sold out to PolyGram Filmed Entertainment within two years (that company was originally Island Pictures, a movie subdivision of Island Records and Alive Films, an "art-house" film production/distribution company; those two companies merged in 1987). The Island Alive (which became a subdivision of PFE, like Working Title and Propaganda Films) holdings, along with the pre-March 1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment library ended up at MGM. Here Come the Littles is owned by WildBrain through the way of Cookie Jar and production company DiC Entertainment.

1st Logo (November 8, 1981-January 17, 1986)
Nicknames: "AR", "Flashing AR", "The Lights"

Logo: Starting on a black background or superimposed on the screen, a string of flashing white lights forms, creating a shape with cerulean blue rays of light extending beyond the white lights. When it looks like an "A" is about to be made, the lights make a right turn to a semi-oval part. In the same trail, the lights go back up and make a more accurate "R". When the shape completes, it flashes as a a whole, then the shape straightens out into a horizontal line. The line flashes and all the lights split to the top and bottom of the screen. This reveals the text:

ATLANTIC RELEASING CORPORATION

PRESENTS

Variant: On Starchaser: The Legend of Orin, the text changes to:

ATLANTIC RELEASING

CORPORATION

FX/SFX: The forming of the "AR" shape, which looks pretty good.

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

Availability: Uncommon, bordering on rare. Usually preserved following the current MGM logo on most issued prints, though it is plastered on Teen Wolf. Can be seen on films such as Starchaser: The Legend or Orin (which uses a custom variant), Valley Girl, and Night of the Comet (it was plastered with the next logo on a syndie print which was last seen on SyFy back in 2007). It was also seen on Here Come The Littles (a theatrically released compilation film edited from The Littles cartoon series), but the home video release removes it, going straight to the DiC logo used at the time. Was also seen on the 1982 reissue print of Loose Shoes, a PD DVD of the movie actually starts with just the "ATLANTIC RELEASING CORPORATION PRESENTS" text. This was also seen the 1983 U.S. dubbed version of The Smurfs and the Magic Flute. This also appeared on the North American release of Nineteen Eighty-Four, but it's plastered (along with the Virgin Films logo following) on current prints by the MGM logo, and by the next logo on the 1996 PolyGram video reissue. However, it can be found on the 1985 U.S.A. Home Video and 1990s Avid Home Entertainment VHS releases of said film. This also plasters the Clubhouse Pictures logo on current prints of The Adventures of the American Rabbit, following the MGM logo.

Editor's Note: Typical 80s cel animation and special effects.

2nd Logo (March 7, 1986-May 19, 1989)
Nicknames: "Golden Star", "Streaking Star"

Logo: We see a golden, shiny triangle zoom out. Once the triangle is fully developed, a star shape inside the triangle pushes out, with lots of shining behind it. The star moves to the right and reveals the word "Atlantic" on an azure-gradient background. The star keeps moving, leaving a shiny trail behind (that crosses paths with the other letters) until it reaches the "i" and places itself on top of it. The trail then becomes more transparent, and the text "RELEASING CORPORATION" appears with a laser effect below a line between it and "Atlantic". The entire logo then shines.

Variants:


 * On the earlier variant the animation is the same, but there is a byline and copyright stamp added. It fades in after the "RELEASING CORPORATION" lasers in. The byline and the copyright stamp are very hard to read, as it is in gold, but it reads:

A Subsidiary of the

Atlantic Entertainment Group

Copyright 1985 Atlantic Entertainment Group All Rights Reserved

FX/SFX: The Triangle zooming out, the star panning out towards the "i" in Atlantic.
 * On some films and trailers, this logo is shortened.
 * On the 1996 Polygram Video VHS reissue of 1984, the logo is tangerine.

Music/Sounds: Wind sounds sounds start it off, then an explosion/rocket-type noise (the thunderclap sound effect from the BBC Sound Effect Library) is made when the star advances, with a laser noise for when the other text appears. Sometimes, it is silent.

Availability: Uncommon. Retained on most Atlantic releases of the era, usually preceded by the Paramount logo (Paramount Communications or Viacom-era versions) on older prints and MGM on current ones. Such examples include Teen Wolf Too, Cop, Wild Thing, Steel Justice, Extremities, Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker (though the initial home video release plasters it with the Paramount 75th Anniversary logo), and the infamous The Garbage Pail Kids Movie,  among others.

Editor's Note: Excellent CGI animation. One of the best efforts of the 1980s.