HBO Home Entertainment/Warning Screens

1st Warning (1981)
Warning: On a black background is the word "WARNING:" and generic text below it in white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Found on the earliest Thorn-EMI Video releases, preceded by the still Thorn-EMI logo.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Warning (1981-1990)
Warning: On a black background, two red lines appear near the top. On top of the first big line, "LEGAL WARNING", in white and in big letters, types itself in. Then, in the middle of the lines, "FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY", in white as well, types itself in. On the bottom of the second red line, "ALL OTHER RIGHTS RESERVED", also white, types itself in. Finally, below that, white warning text types itself in.

Variant: As seen at the end of American prints of Duran Duran, the British version of the warning uses a different warning text. This variant was also seen on many tapes released by SVS.

FX/SFX: The words being typed in.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on all Thorn-EMI Video releases of the era, including The Lord of the Rings.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Warning (1985-1988)
Warning: On a shady blue-gray background, we see the white words "LEGAL WARNING" and the warning text below. The second row of text has a shadow drop. The word " UNAUTHORIZED " is noticeably underlined.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on most Thorn-EMI/HBO and HBO/Cannon releases, as well as 1987-1988 HBO Video releases, early GoodTimes Home Video releases, and Aries Video Corporation releases. Does not appear on the first edition release of Amadeus, though the second edition release, from 1986, does have it.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Warning (1988-1993)
Warning: On a fuchsia/dodger blue gradient background, the words "LEGAL WARNING" appear on top with the same text from the previous warning below, all in white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on HBO Video releases of the era, such as Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Mom and Dad Save the World, and Ricochet.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Warning (1988-1993)
Warning: On a gray backdrop of multiple copies of the HBO Video logo, we see the red words " LEGAL WARNING " with an underline and the warning text from the previous warnings below, all in white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Used alternatively with the previous warning. Seen on Rock-a-Doodle.

Editor's Note: None.

6th Warning (1993-2003)
Warning: Same as the previous warning, except the warning text is in a yellow Century Gothic font, and it stands against a shimmering red curtain with multiple copies of the HBO Home Video logo.

FX/SFX: The curtain shimmering.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on HBO Home Video releases of the era. It is unknown whether this ever appeared in Spanish or the Spanish-subtitled release of Last of the Dogmen used the standard version.

Editor's Note: None.

7th Warning (1997-)
Warning: On a black background, we see a red square with the letters "FBI" in a somewhat thin white font, and the FBI logo in blue below the letters at the top left. On the right and bottom of the FBI logo, we see different ("Title 17, United States Code, Sections 501 and 506" - "may subject the offender" version) warning text in white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on certain DVD releases from HBO, such as Flashpoint. Also on PBS DVD releases.

Editor's Note: None.

8th Warning (1998-)
Warning: We see the word "WARNING" in red with a drop shadow. Below it is the "$250,000.00" & "licensed for" warning text in white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on certain DVD releases from HBO such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and 61*, as well as shows like Everybody Loves Raymond, Entourage, and The Sopranos. Also used as a warning for MGM/UA Home Video and for New Line Home Entertainment.

Editor's Note: None.