GoodTimes Entertainment

Background
GoodTimes Entertainment was a bargain bin home video company founded in 1984. It distributed TV shows, movies (both classic and contemporary) and lifestyle programs. The Kids Klassics division was formed to distribute children's programming. It also distributed budget priced releases from the Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures and Orion Pictures catalogs, among others. The company went bankrupt and closed down in 2005 and the assets were sold to Gaiam.

Note: This is not to be confused with Goodtimes Enterprises. Not to mention that early GoodTimes releases from 1984-85 did not have an onscreen logo; it generally cut straight to the film. It did have a print logo, which served as the basis for our first logo.

1st Logo (1985-1990)
Nickname: "GoodTimes Rainbow"

Logo: On a shady light blue background, we see a rainbow, wiping in left-to-right. As it finishes appearing, "GOODTIMES", colored amber, appear above the rainbow. Under the rainbow are "HOME VIDEO" and under that in bronze "PRESENTS". For the closing variant, "PRESENTS" is not shown.

Trivia: Some versions of the song "Future Love" by Kristinia DeBarge feature a synth wind chime-like pad note at the beginning that's sampled from the penultimate half of this logo theme.

Variants:
 * An earlier version had the parabolic rainbow wiping in to replace a circular blank outline. The background was a gradient pink and the text was in 2-D.
 * A black & white version exists on B&W films.
 * On reprints of MCA Home Video releases distributed by GoodTimes, the 1983 MCA Home Video logo would play as normal with a freeze frame at the end and "UNDER LICENSE TO" appearing underneath, followed by the GoodTimes logo.

FX/SFX: The rainbow and text appearing.

Music/Sounds: A crystallized sparkling sound followed by a synth percussion tune. The first variant had a generic synth fanfare.

Availability: Uncommon. Seen on tapes from the period, some of which were co-released by MCA Home Video. It can be found on some compilation videos that were later reissued, namely Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello material. Some early printings of 1989-90 releases have the 2nd variation, but were later updated with the 2nd logo.

Legacy: The early version is ugly, and the main version looks a bit cheesy, but it's decent.

2nd Logo (1989-2000)
Nicknames: "Goodtimes Filmreel", "Goodtimes Filmstrip", "Cheaptimes"

Logo: On a starry sky background, we see a filmreel, flying downward. Then it shifts to the pink film inside it, which becomes flat. It then zooms-out, and the film reads "H O M E V I D E O". Then "GOODTIMES", colored raspberry pink, appears over the filmreel.

Variants:
 * On Platinum Series releases starting in 1993, a silver rectangle with the words "PLATINUM SERIES" appeared under the film reel that read "HOME VIDEO" and shines.
 * Starting in 1996, the URL text "www.goodtimes.com" appeared at the bottom of the logo. Currently, this company's Internet home page is redirected into Gaiam's web page.
 * A still version of the logo appears at the end of some tapes.
 * The closing version of the Platinum Series variant had the rectangle shine.
 * One Platinum Series variant had a much cheaper star field at the beginning which fades into The Three Stooges which is still and plays for a second and reverts into a still image. The URL (seen in a bold, serif typeface this time) was seen for two seconds before fading out, and the animation for the rectangle was only shining.
 * On MCA/Universal Home Video reprints distributed by GoodTimes, the MCA/Universal logo would play as normal, but the logo fades out when the wrapped around words 'UNDER LICENSE TO" appears in its place and straightens itself out on the star field, the 1989 GoodTimes logo would follow.

FX/SFX: The zooming of the film reel and formation of the logo.

Music/Sounds: Starts with some "tinkles" and a whoosh as the film reel shifts downward, followed by a bombastic synth orchestral fanfare with a choir mixed in. On the "PLATINUM SERIES" variation, an additional whoosh is heard as the rectangle shines. On some releases, the logo is silent. The closing version of the Platinum Series variant just had three whoosh sounds in-sync with the rectangle shining.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * There is a strange version of the Platinum Series variant where the sound effects are absent; this was used on the 1991 Platinum Series tape of the colorized version of March of the Wooden Soldiers.
 * A Spanish announcer can be heard in the Spanish VHS release of Leo the Lion: King Of The Jungle.

Availability: Common. Seen on releases of the period. This was used in tandem with the next logo for its last 3 years. It also replaces the "Rainbow" logo on some 1989-90 releases that used earlier tape masters.

Legacy: This logo got some recognition for its longevity and music, even though it could get to some.

3rd Logo (1997-2005)
Nicknames: "Zooming GoodTimes", "Skytimes", "Cheaptimes II"

Logo: We see a blue cloud background with clouds moving. The text "GOODTIMES ENTERTAINMENT" in baby blue, zooms-out as the cloud background becomes ochre. After it zooms out, the logo shines once.

Variants:
 * There exists a filmed and a videotaped variant.
 * There is a variant with an URL with the link www.goodtimes.com. This variant exists in both filmed and videotaped forms.
 * A variant with "FEATURE PRESENTATION" fading underneath exists. This variant is videotaped.
 * A shorter variant where "NOW IN PRODUCTION" fading underneath exists. This variant is videotaped.
 * A trailer variant exists.
 * A shorter version exists on trailers and promos.

FX/SFX: The clouds and logo moving and shining.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on GoodTimes releases of the period. The URL variant can be seen on Rudolph And The Island Of Misfit Toys. The "FEATURE PRESENTATION" variant is seen on the DVD of The Night Before Christmas. The "NOW IN PRODUCTION" variant is seen on a trailer for In Search Of Santa on the VHS of Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer: The Movie. The trailer variant is seen on trailers for Ben Hur and Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer: The Movie.

Legacy: Because there's no music, this logo can be boring to some, but this is a favorite to many.

4th Logo (2006)


Logo: On a black background, we see the GoodTimes Entertainment logo in white by the top left corner of the screen. This is to the left of the logo for Distant Horizon, on top of the logo for Broadway Video and the above left of the logo for Pili International Multimedia.

FX/SFX: Apart from the fade-in, none.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Pretty much extinct, seen on the infamous Wulin Warriors, an American iteration of the Taiwanese series. The show was pulled after two episodes due to negative reviews, with remaining episodes hosted on AOL Kids before the service closed.

Legacy: The show debuted a year after GoodTimes filed for bankruptcy, though it is possible the show was in production while the company was still operating.

(1998-2005)


Nicknames: "Watertimes", "Cheaptimes III"

Logo: On a black background, we see black water, and we see "GOODTIMES ENTERTAINMENT" (as seen in the 3rd logo). It then dives into the water, and bright blue, lightning-like electricity is seen. The words emerge from the water with a cloud of steam and the standard DVD symbol appears under the GoodTimes logo:

GOODTIMES E N T E R T A I N M E N T DVD

The URL text "www.goodtimes.com" appears at the bottom of the logo.

FX/SFX: The logo, water, and electricity.

Music/Sounds: A brief synth note and a deep whir as the logo dives, followed by a synth tune with heavy percussion, ending with a MIDI-like cymbal crash and 3 synth horn notes.

Availability: Seen on GoodTimes DVD releases of the time such as The Nutcracker Prince, Car Wash, Earthquake, Born in East L.A., Problem Child, Jaws: The Revenge, Judgement Night, and Bustin' Loose.

Legacy: Nice animation & music for a budget company.