MGM/UA Home Entertainment/Clip-On Library

1st (and only known) Bumper (1988-1990?)
Bumper: We see the 1987 MGM/UA Communications Co. logo animating, which zooms out to reveal itself as a picture on a piece of filmstrip on a / gradient background with several "MGM/UA"s plastered all over it. The metallic silver filmstrip then moves off of the screen in the upper right corner, with another piece of filmstrip with some yellow text saying when the motion picture is available. That is set on a gradient background. That filmstrip moves from the bottom left corner to the upper left corner. A third and final piece of filmstrip appears at the bottom left corner and settles in the MGM/UA piece of filmstrips' original place, in the center of the screen. That final piece of filmstrip includes the 1987 MGM logo, which is seen animating as normal. When it is done, it fades to black. The blank/black picture on the piece of filmstrip then zooms in and rotates slowly, taking up the whole screen. The trailer for the motion picture mentioned in the bumper then begins.

Variant: On some releases, the text with the release date says "NOW PLAYING AT A THEATER NEAR YOU."

Technique: Pretty much all of the animation in this bumper.

Music/Sounds: The MGM/UA logo theme, the late Don LaFontaine announcing "The following MGM/UA Motion Picture is coming to a theater near you [date of release]", and Leo roaring.

Music/Sounds Variant: On the "Now Playing" variant, Don says "The following MGM/UA motion picture is now playing at a theater near you."

Availability: Ultra rare. Seen on the 1988 video release of Spaceballs. The "Now Playing" variation appears on the 1990 VHS of Rocky.

Legacy: The announcer, as well as Leo roaring, may frighten some, but for those that are used to seeing it, it's still OK.