Greater Union Film Distributors

Background
Greater Union Film Distributors was a short-lived distribution arm of Greater Union Cinemas, an Australian cinema chain. Greater Union are now owned by AHL which falls under Village Roadshow ownership.

1st (known) Logo (Early 1980s-Mid 1980s)
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Logo: The camera zooms back through a star-shaped tunnel made out of lines. It zooms so far out that it goes out of a star-like shape revealing the words "GREATER UNION" in a bubbly font which is neon blue. Many lasers shoot the logo in different places and leaves stars on many letters. The letters change to a yellow color and shines many times. The logo then shines more brightly and the words "FILM DISTRIBUTORS" are revealed in a yellow font. The logo then glows once more.

Trivia: This logo was a variation of their cinema idents at the time.

Technique: Backlit animation.

Music/Sounds: A rising spaceship engine drone sound for the zooming back, followed by an ethereal choir, accompanied by the laser sounds, on the flash the choir breaks into a synth fanfare. Sometimes, it's silent.

Availability: Near extinction. This logo was only used in Australian cinemas. However this has shown up letterboxed on a 1984 PBV VHS of The Last Starfighter, another unknown video and strangely enough the UK VHS release of Warriors of the Wind, the infamous Manson International dub of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Also appears on the short film Palace of Dreams. This makes a surprise appearance on the Umbrella Entertainment Blu-ray of Razorback, instead of the Warner Bros. logo.

2nd Logo (Late 1980s)
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Logo: On a space background with a purple nebula, the camera slowly pans down to reveal the Earth's horizon as a white flash of light appears on the center of the nebula. A spinning silver disc then zooms in shining to a comfortable position. It stops spinning, revealing it to be a stylized "GU" monogram (an updated version of the monogram used in the GUO days). Below, the following text also in silver zooms in from the horizon: GREATER UNION DISTRIBUTORS A star-shaped cutout is seen on the "A". The byline "A Roadshow Greater Union Company" in Futura Black fades in afterwards underneath the company name.

Variants:


 * Widescreen and scope versions exist.
 * There also existed a "Greater Union Presents" version of this.

Technique: Appears to be a mix of live-action model work and cel animation.

Music/Sounds: A ding when the flash of light appears, followed by a synth horn fanfare over a chorus pad, then a drumbeat when the emblem stops zooming in, ending in a synthesized flourish.

Availability: Extinct. Until 2023, the only evidence this logo existing is on Australian VHS releases of Blinky Bill on the video cover and on trailers for the film. This print logo has been recently spotted on a TV spot for Proof. This logo was most likely seen only in Australian cinemas as the logo is erased from all home media releases or plastered with the Roadshow Television logo on TV prints.