Republic Pictures Home Video

Background
Republic Pictures Home Video (formerly NTA Home Entertainment) was the home entertainment division of National Telefilm Associates founded in 1982 to distribute their library (including the original Republic Pictures films and Paramount Cartoons) on home video. After the rebranding of NTA as the revived Republic Pictures in 1984, the home video division was rebranded as well.

The division released material from it's catalog and later released other material. After Republic's purchase by Spelling Entertainment in 1994, they merged their existing home video unit Worldvision Home Video into Republic's, allowing the business to release Spelling material as well. By 1996, the home video unit was the only operational part of the then-renamed Republic Entertainment, Inc. after Spelling shuttered the theatrical division.

In 1998, before Spelling's full purchase by Viacom, they shuttered the home video unit and instead signed a deal with Artisan Entertainment to release Republic's movies on home video and using the logo under license.

Currently, Republic's assets are released on Home Media in North America by Olive Films, under license from Paramount Pictures.

(1982-1986)


Nickname: "Outlines"

Logo: On a blue/black gradient background, we see outlined versions of the text "NTA" zoom out, one-by-one, each outline coming in after a split-second. When all zoom out, a flash occurs, making the letters silver, and “HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS” appears below.

Trivia: The logo was later reused by National Telefilm Associates for their 1984 logo, with "presents" appearing under "NTA" after a freeze-frame technique removes "HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS" or just "HOME ENTERTAINMENT".

FX/SFX: The outlines zooming out. Simple early '80s animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * On the 1983 VHS of All-Star Cartoon Parade, this logo, as well as the FBI Warning screen preceding it, have the 1968 Commonwealth United jingle playing over them.
 * On the 1983 VHS of Hoppity Goes to Town, this logo, as well as the FBI Warning screen preceding it, plaster over the 5th NTA logo, leaving its music (and the start of the film's overture) to play over both.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on older home media releases of Republic Pictures films and Paramount Cartoons. It recently appeared at the start of a Movies! airing of the film Riot in Cell Block 11. Some 1986 reprints (using the original NTA clamshell cases) would have the Republic Pictures logo on the label and actual tape.

1st Logo (1985-1987)
Nickname: "The Bald Eagle in the Sky"

Logo: It's basically the same as the 1985 Republic Pictures logo, except a few seconds later, "HOME VIDEO" fades in below the company name.

Variant: An early "prototype" variant showed the text in a plain yellow Helvetica font which zooms in from behind the volcano. Also, the clouds don't move.

FX/SFX: Same as the 1985 Republic Pictures logo, with the text "HOME VIDEO" fading-in.

Music/Sounds: None, but on some video releases, a light synth tune was heard.

Availability: Appears on Republic Pictures videos from the '80s. Look at the tape case for a print version of this logo; it's printed exactly as it appears on-screen. One such release is the two-tape set of the 1939 serial Daredevils of the Red Circle. The "prototype" version appeared on a 1987 Betamax of The Men (1950), which used a 1985 video master.

Legacy: This is a rather basic home video logo, but it does its job.

2nd Logo (1987-1990)
Nickname: "The Chyron Bald Eagle"

Logo: On a grey gradient background, we see the Republic Pictures print logo on the left. The eagle and the mountain are in monochrome, and the sky is Turkish blue. The words "REPUBLIC PICTURES HOME VIDEO" appears in orange and seen in its usual font.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Scarce. It's seen on Republic Pictures Home Video tapes from the period. Unlike the previous logo, this logo's print counterpart is no guarantee of its on-screen appearance.

Legacy: A bit of a step down from the previous logo. This is basically an on-screen print logo.

3rd Logo (1990-1996)
Nickname: "The Restored Bald Eagle"

Logo: On a blue sky background, we see the Republic Pictures eagle, perched on a volcano, but this time the words "REPUBLIC PICTURES HOME VIDEO" appears in a plain white Goudy Old Stylefont.

Variant: On a laserdisc of The Quiet Man, we see just the eagle and volcano at first, and a few seconds later the text appears.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Uncommon. Seen on prints of some Republic Pictures videos from the early 90s. Though it officially ended in 1993, this logo continued to appear mostly on trailers for another few years. This was retained on the 2002 Artisan DVD of The Quiet Man. This is also preserved on Lionsgate DVDs of Republic Pictures films. Surprisingly, it appears on TCM's prints of The Fabulous Dorseys and Venus in Furs, and at the beginning of a UK GREAT! Movies Classic airing of The Flying Deuces. Also appears on a British VHS of The Langoliers.

Legacy: Like the first logo, it's a basic home video logo that does its job.

Final Note: After 1993, Republic Pictures began to simply use their regular logo at the time for home video releases.