British Empire Films

Background
British Empire Films was an Australian film company founded in 1930 by the Greater Union Organisation for use as a distribution arm for its cinema chain and also for Cinesound Productions, a local film studio that operated until the start of World War II, and was the first in Australia to produce films with sound. Its other clients included British International Pictures, Eros Films and The Rank Organisation, which acquired a 50% stake in GUO in 1947. In 1971, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which was experiencing financial difficulties at the time, sold its Australian distribution facilities to GUO; the acquisition gave the cinema chain the distribution rights to films from Walt Disney Productions. Although MGM relocated the Australian distribution of its films to Cinema International Corporation in 1973, the Disney distribution contract remained with BEF. Toward the end of its life, BEF began to distribute its own local productions again and acquired the Australian theatrical distribution contract for EMI Films. In 1976, the company was renamed to GUO Film Distributors.

1st Logo (1932-1967)


Visuals: On a grey-to-black gradient background, we see the stacked text "DISTRIBUTED IN AUSTRALIA BY" and, below it, a large metallic object containing the letters B-E-F. Enclosed inside the object is a globe showing only the continents of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and the country of Australia. The text "British Empire Films" appears below.

Technique: None.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the film. Availability: Has been spotted on a small number of early Australian film prints of domestic and imported productions, among which are The Girl in the Picture and Bond of Fear.

2nd Logo (1967-1976)
Visuals: On a blue background, we see three octagons, each of which the letters B, E, and F. The stacked text "BRITISH EMPIRE FILMS" wipes in from the left.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the film. Availability: No film prints with this logo are known to have surfaced as of this writing.