New World Pictures

Background: New World Pictures was founded by B-movie legend Roger Corman in 1970. However, they didn't use an on-screen logo until 1976. In recent years, Roger Corman has been reissuing parts of the pre-1984 New World library on VHS and DVD on his own New Concorde Home Video label (Corman left New World in 1984). Shout! Factory has been re-releasing and releasing films previously unreleased on DVD for pre-1984 New World films, but some have also seen releases from Scorpion Releasing and Code Red, under license from Corman himself. The 1970-1983 films except Battle Beyond the Stars (co-produced with and released through Orion) were licensed to Viacom Enterprises (now "CBS Television Distribution") for TV distribution. The syndie rights to the pre-1984 titles are now owned by Paramount and licensed to Trifecta Entertainment and Media. The rights to most of the New World Pictures library, post-1984, are held by Lakeshore Entertainment, while Image Entertainment (previously Anchor Bay Entertainment) holds the home video rights; however, Kino Lorber, Code Red, and Arrow Video USA have also released some post-1984 New World films on home video.

1st Logo (1975-1979, 1982)
Nickname: "Sliding Rectangles"

Logo: Two rectangles (light blue and dark blue) slide from both sides of the screen and eventually overlap each other (a la "The Orion/WB Combo Logo"). On the dark blue rectangle, we see "ROGER CORMAN PRESENTS" (in Peignot font, the same used for the first Viacom logo) and on the light blue rectangle we see "A NEW WORLD PICTURES RELEASE" in the same font, as well.

FX/SFX: The sliding rectangles. Typical mid-'70s animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare, might be seen on a few New World films from the era, but some went straight to the opening scene like Hollywood Boulevard. This appears on the U.S. version of Starcrash (1979), Foxtrot and the 1982 English dub of Galaxy Express 999; most home video releases have the 1996 Viz Media dub, but it can be found on the Embassy Home Entertainment VHS.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (October 22, 1976-November 11, 1980, October 30, 1981)
Nickname: "Constellation"

Logo: On an Orion-like starfield, the text "NEW WORLD PICTURES PRESENTS", stacked and curved like an open eye, trails itself from the right of the screen in multiple colors (a la Filmways' second logo) onto the center.

FX/SFX: The trailing animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Uncommon. Films that contain this logo are God Told Me To, The Kids Are Alright, Humanoids from the Deep, Grand Theft Auto, and Piranha. This logo also made a surprise appearance on Smokey Bites the Dust, released in 1981, since that movie would have had the next logo.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (September 8, 1980-September 7, 1984)
Nicknames: "Blue Sun", "Blue Camera", "Blue World"

Logo: On a plain black background, the bold company name "NEW WORLD PICTURES" fades in. Then, two light streaks collide in the background and morph into a blue Aztec hieroglyph-like sun. The sun shines, then fades out.

Variant: A version exists on Battle Beyond the Stars with "NEW WORLD PICTURES PRESENTS" under the shut black aperture with faintly visible blue outline, then it fades to "A ROGER CORMAN PRODUCTION". In this version, we zoom into the aperture as it gains red streaks on each blade and opens up at the end.

FX/SFX: The light streaks circling around the logo and the fade-out on the studio name. Early CGI.

Music/Sounds: It's usually silent or the film's opening theme. On Galaxy of Terror, a loud whoosh is heard followed by blasts.

Availability: Rare. It appears on films like Battle Beyond the Stars, Galaxy of Terror and Forbidden World.

Editor's Note: Not a popular logo, thanks to the dark atmosphere.

4th Logo (March 9, 1984-August 25, 1993)
Nickname: "The Sphere"

Logo: On a black background, several 3-dimensional orange "slices" merge together to form a red-orange globe shape as the camera pulls back; as this occurs, a quick flash of light happens as each section passes. Once the abstract globe forms, the company name "NEW WORLD PICTURES" (or "NEW WORLD INTERNATIONAL" for international distribution) fades in below it.

Variants:
 * An early short version exists with the just the sphere "wiping" in. This was seen on films such as Children of the Corn and The Philadelphia Experiment.
 * There's a version where the company name is "NEW WORLD" and under it "ENTERTAINMENT".
 * On Hellraiser II, the text is in red, just like the television logo variant from Gladiators.

FX/SFX: The 3D sections merging into the globe. Very good animation; it still looks good today.

Music/Sounds: On occasion, it featured a new-age synth theme composed by Joel Altshuler. Other times, it would be silent or accompanied with the films opening theme play over it.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Angel 3: The Final Chapter, whooshes are heard from the slices, combined with the synth theme.

Availability: Common. Currently seen on Anchor Bay Entertainment, Image Entertainment and possibly Arrow Video USA, Kino Lorber and Code Red DVD & Blu-ray releases of New World Pictures material. However, original New World Video VHS releases replaced this with the Home Video logo, so there is no chance of finding it there. However, it has been sighted on the Thorn EMI Video release of The Philadelphia Experiment, as well as VHS copies of C.H.U.D., Hellgate, Children of the Corn, The Applegates, and City of Blood, along with Malofilm releases of Midnight Fear, Hide and Go Shriek and Frankenstein General Hospital, and a Canadian Cineplex Odeon Video (Canada)/MCA VHS of Making Contact (AKA: Joey). This is sometimes plastered by the Trans Atlantic Entertainment or Lakeshore International logo on older TV prints or international releases. The New World International logo can be found on Checkered Flag. It is unknown if it was seen on theatrical prints of Pin.

Editor's Note: The logo may induce epileptic seizures for those susceptible due to the lines flashing, but this is still among one of the most memorable logos from the 1980s.