LK-TEL Video (Argentina)

Background
LK-TEL Video was a video label established in Argentina in 1986 in order to get help from The Coca-Cola Company to do commercialization of such films in the country, and then branched out into operations in Chile in 1987 and Brazil in 1988, creating a regional South American video distributor. The company acted as the international distribution arm for RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (now Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) as well as Vestron Video. The Argentinian arm became an affiliate of Video La Rioja S.A. on July 2, 1987, who also go on to launch a sublabel for low-budget movies, Videomega Entertainment. The Chilean and Brazilian arms was split from the Argentinian operations by creating a distinct identity. The Argentinian video arm became the first in the country to offer DVDs in 1998. The Brazilian arm eventually stopped distributing movies from Columbia TriStar in 1996 as the company set up its own Brazilian operations, and eventually be sold to Paris Filmes. The company was one of the major Argentinian video labels, along with Gativideo that went defunct in 2009.

1st Logo (1986-1988)


Logo: On a black background, we see 3 lines (, and ) in a shape of a TV screen spinning around. In a blank at the bottom of the TV screen are the words "Times New Roman" in a serif font. It continues to spin around until it stops in the middle.

Technique: Computer graphics.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on early LK-TEL tapes from Argentina from 1986 to 1988, such as the 1986 Argentinian VHS releases of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jagged Edge and The Man Who Loved Women.

2nd Logo (1988-2000)


Logo: On a light-blue background, we see the logo from before (albeit with lighter colors and "Arial" beneath it) flip from the top of the screen to cover the background. The logos then play, and then disappear as the white script text "Tenemos le mejor imagen" swoops from the center of the original logo.

Variants:
 * From 1988 to 1992, the RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video logo swoops from the center of the LK-TEL Video logo and eventually slides down as we come back to this logo.
 * From 1992 to 1993, the 1st Columbia TriStar Home Video logo flips and zooms in from the center of the LK-TEL Video logo and then slides down as we come back to this logo.
 * From 1993 to 2000, the 3rd Columbia TriStar Home Video logo cuts in from the LK-TEL Video logo, and then cuts away as we come back to the this logo.

Technique: Computer graphics.

Music/Sounds: A droning theme with some beeps thrown in.

Music/Sounds Variant: On later tapes, when the CTHV logo appears, the logo's own theme is played, cutting off the LK-TEL music in the process, and then went silent as we come back to the LK-TEL Video logo.

Availability: Seen on LK-TEL Video releases from Argentina, such as the 1988 VHS of Krull, 1989 VHS of Look Who's Talking, the 1990 VHS of Ghostbusters II, the 1992 VHS of Body Chemistry and the 1993 VHS of A League of Their Own.

3rd Logo (2000-2009)


Logo: On a black background, we see two moving spotlights along with the glassy-looking word "LK-TEL" with a arrow between "LK" and "TEL". The letters eventually settle and the words become silver while the arrow turns. A circle consisting of a multi-colored swoosh on top and a film-strip below surrounds the text and the whole logo shines. The company URL appears beneath everything in white.

Variant: Sometimes, the URL doesn't appear.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: Some whooshing sounds along with some synthesized notes followed by a synchronized moan.

Availability: Seen on later Argentine releases from the company, such as Spider-Man, Daddy Day Care, Men in Black II, Casino Royale (2006) and The Patriot.