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 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 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 (1986-1990, Argentina and Chile)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 1)

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 on Argentinian tapes, although on Chilean tapes, a piece of "Axel F" from Beverly Hills Cop is heard.

Availability: Seen on early LK-TEL tapes from Argentina from 1986 to 1987, and from Chile from 1987 to 1990, such as the 1986 Argentinian VHS releases of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jagged Edge and The Man Who Loved Women and the 1988 Chilean VHS release of Max Headroom.

2nd Logo (1987-2000, Argentina)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 2)

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 1987 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 (1988-1991, Argentina)
(a.k.a. VideΩmega Entertainment Logo No. 1)

Logo: On a black background, we see the blue text "Arial Black Arial" flip towards the center of the screen. "Arial Black" is set in a large font and the "Arial Black" and "Arial Black" in "Arial Black" are italicized. "Arial" is much smaller and is beneath the former text. The logo for "RCA/Columbia Pictures Video swoops down from the omega symbol and it overtakes the entire screen. Note that the latter logo is slightly different than the more familiar one since the area where the Columbia Pictures logo is much larger and is completely flat below. The logo remains on screen for the remainder of the logo.

Later Variant: In 1991, the RCA/Columbia Pictures logo merely appears after the Videomega logo flips in.

Technique: The flipping, the RCA/Columbia Pictures Video logo zooming in.

Music/Sounds: Same as LK-TEL Video logo no. 2.

Availability: Seen on international prints of RCA/Columbia Pictures material.

Legacy: The nature may seem ominous, but its mostly cheesy with the cheap animation and the synth tune.

4th Logo (1987-1991, Brazil)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 3)

Logo: On a black background, the TV tube from the previous two LK-TEL Video logos slowly spins around as it goes to the middle of the screen. "Times New Roman" zooms in as "Times New Roman" flips in the space of the TV tube. Blinking lights appear between the spaces the the tube and text.

Technique: Computer graphics.

Music/Sounds: Same as LK-TEL Video logo no. 2.

Availability: Seen on LK-TEL Video releases from Brazil from 1987 to 1991, such as Anna, Ghostbusters II, The Karate Kid, D.A.R.Y.L. and Nothing in Common.

5th Logo (1990-2004, Chile)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 4)

Logo: On a black background, three blocks in, , and zoom out and rotate with a trail effect. They start to draw the TV tube from the previous four LK-TEL Video logos. When they stop, they spin around and move to the top of the TV tube as it zooms out. The same text from LK-TEL Video logo no. 1 rises from the bottom of the screen and rest in their usual position.

Technique: Computer Graphics.

Music/Sounds: A complicated synth theme with swoosh sounds.

Availability: Seen on LK-TEL Video's releases from Chile, such as Men in Black, The Blob, Groundhog Day, I Dreamed of Africa, Spider-Man and Daddy Day Care.

6th Logo (1991-1994, Argentina)
(a.k.a. VideΩmega Entertainment Logo No. 2)

Logo: We see the Videomega text from VideΩmega Entertainment logo no. 1 (this time in aquamarine) swooping down from the top of the screen leaving behind some particles. It settles down in the center and a large slash forms beneath it.

Technique: The swooping, the slash. Typical late 80s/early 90s animation, but at least it's an improvement over the previous logo.

Music/Sounds: A synth theme with a whoosh sound when the slash is formed below the logo.

Availability: Spotted on Vestron Video releases in Argentina.

7th Logo (1991-2002, Brazil)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 5)

Logo: On a gray background, the TV tube zooms out one by one with the text following after. A flash occurs and the text becomes metallic gray and the background becomes dark gray.

Technique: The zooming and flash.

Music/Sounds: A synth bell tune ending with a electric bass hit.

Availability: Seen on later Columbia TriStar Brazilian releases from 1992 to 1996, including titles from the 20:20 Vision sublabel, such as Street Fighter: The Movie and Manhattan Murder Mystery, as well as Turner Pictures releases such as Rising Sun.

8th Logo (2000-2009, Argentina)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 6)

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: The spotlights, the text animation, all aesthetically pleasing and good by Argentinian home video logo standards.

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.

9th Logo (2004-2006, Chile)
(a.k.a. LK-TEL Video Logo No. 7) Logo: On a black background, we see two colored lines from the previous four LK-TEL Video logos on top and bottom. Three colored boxes (, and ) slide over, and settle in the center, and then move into the correct position. Then the three colored squares zoomed out to show that it was revealed from the top. The word "Times New Roman" in a different font stretches in from the bottom, while the colored lines stretched out to form the LK-TEL TV tube from the previous logos appear.

Technique: The sliding and zooming, the blurring.

Music/Sounds: A dreamy relaxing theme with some chime sounds.

Availability: Seen on the last ever LK-TEL VHS releases from Chile, such as Spider-Man 2.

(2002-2005)
Logo: A film camera starts projecting in, and then we see the theater, which turns around, to see a white screen, then it disappears as the word "Times New Roman" fades in, and sets invisible. Three white lines, which is basically the TV tube from the previous logos drawn in, and then stop, surrounding the text. A light flashes on the text, and then we see the word "Times New Roman" fades in below the logo.

Technique: The camera panning, the lines drawing.

Music/Sounds: An ominous synth theme with whooshes and clangs.

Availability: Seen on later Brazilian releases from the company, such as Serendipity, Time Out, Open Water and House of Flying Dragons.