Metropolitan Films

Background
Metropolitan Filmexport is a French film distribution company founded in 1978 by Morocco-born Samuel and Victor Hadida. They're notable for French (France) distribution of movies from studios such as Lionsgate, CBS Films, STX Entertainment, Open Road Films, Millennium Films, New Line Cinema (pre-WB merge era), Summit Entertainment (some titles), The Weinstein Company (some titles), Ghost House Pictures, FilmDistrict, Relativity Media, and DreamWorks Pictures (those produced by Amblin Partners) as well as produced films by the company.

1st (known) Logo (1980's)


Logo: On a black starry space background is a red sun and in front of it is a white pegasus. Below is METROPOLITAN FILMEXPORT" in white.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on French tape releases.

2nd Logo (1990's-2000)


Logo: On a black background, the white top piece of a silhouette of a horse flashes beams of light as it eases back to the middle of the screen. As it does this, a red circle rises from the background and two more pieces of the silhouette (also flashing light) fly from the left and right. They meet with the background of the circle turning pinkish -white. Then an orange outlining of the pegasus eases back and goes to the circle. It flashes red and it turns into a painting of the pegasus behind an orange sun. Below that, it flashes red, and "METROPOLITAN FILMEXPORT" appears below.

Variant: The background sometimes is black and blue

Technique: The flying outlines and two light splashes.

Music/Sounds: A synthesized high pitched triumphant fanfare.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * Sometimes, the theme would be played in regular/NTSC pitch.
 * There is also a silent version.

Availability: Was seen on French video and theatrical releases in the late '90s. It was also spotted on a French DVD release of American History X and Canal+ France airing of Impulse (1984) before the 2nd Capital Cities/ABC Video Enterprises Inc. logo.

3rd Logo (2000-)


Logo: We start with the wall of orange -yellow glass bars and the legs of Pegasus running somewhere. Then his head appears, seen from another point of view, and he rears in the color of light, which quickly forms the sun eclipse surrounded by red aura. The words "METROPOLITAN FILMS " fades and shines.

Variant: On most trailers from the company, as well as on a few films, like a Belgian VHS release of The Cell and a French TV airing of The Mask, there's a short version of this logo, starting with the Pegasus rearing.

Technique: CGI animation from BUF Compagnie. Directed by Seb Caudron, and designed in Flame by Christophe Richard.

Music/Sounds: It starts with sounds of horse hooves accompanied by a fast-paced drum theme. It concludes with a majestic 3-note synth fanfare and, some heartbeat sounds if you listen closely.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * There is also high and low tone versions of the theme. On French DVD prints of Office Christmas Party and Riddick, the theme is very low toned.
 * In some movies, the opening theme of the movie is heard.

Availability: Current in France.