Draft:PolyGram Video/USA Home Entertainment Home Video Bumpers

Bumper (August 24, 1994)


Bumper:↵ On a dark blue background with a PolyGram Video logo wallpaper, we see one of the following clip-ons appear on the screen. The text for the clip-on will either zoom in, zoom out, or be wiped into view by one or two red lines, which themselves appear by stretching into view. The text will either be in a shiny silver font, or be in plain white text. The text and red line(s) will also shine and have twinkling sparkles.

Clip-Ons:↵
 * Coming Soon from PolyGram Video
 * Coming Soon to Theaters Everywhere
 * Available Now in Music Stores Everywhere
 * Feature Presentation

Technique:↵ The appearances of the text, red lines, and the PolyGram Video logo (if it appears in the clip-on in question), which is 2D animation (likely CGI).

Audio:↵ A low, drawn-out synth note, a whoosh when the text appears.

Audio Variants:↵ Each clip-on has a unique set of additional sound effects, which are either additional whooshes and/or higher-pitched synth notes to coincide with the animation of the clip on question (being in sync with the text movement, the text sparkling, and/or the text shining).

Availability:↵ Only known to have appeared on Four Weddings and a Funeral.

2nd Bumper (October 12, 1994-August 18, 1998)




Visuals: On a blue background with a PolyGram Video logo wallpaper, we see either one of the below clip-ons zoom in ultra fast, or a message asking viewers to stay tuned after the movie for a specific feature.

Clip-Ons:
 * Coming Soon to a Theater Near You
 * Coming Soon from PolyGram Video
 * Coming Soon on Videocassette
 * Now Available from PolyGram Video
 * Feature Presentation
 * PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (this was used as a opening/company logo for the film it was attached to)
 * Modified Screen ("This film has been modified from its original version. It has been formatted to fit this screen.")

Technique: Zooming text for the Now Available from PolyGram Video, Feature Presentation and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment bumpers. The "Coming Soon" bumper has the "Coming Soon From" text fades in, while the 1993 PolyGram Video bumper plays underneath it. The "Stay Tuned" bumpers are still images. The zooming and fading text all appears to be simple 2D animation.

Audio: None in most cases. The "Coming Soon from" uses the same audio from the 1993 PolyGram Video logo

Availability: Seen on some PolyGram Video releases. Some of the last releases to use this were 1998 VHS of The Graduate and certain prints of The Borrowers. The PolyGram Filmed Entertainment variant is extremely rare and was spotted on a 2003 television airing of The Usual Suspects.

3rd Bumper (August 18, 1998-2002)


Visuals: On a blue gradient background with a "POLYGRAM VIDEO" wallpaper (or "USA Home Entertainment" wallpaper for their respective releases), we see one of the below clip-ons appear as stacked text in the following manner. The first row of text flies down from the above right from the screen, while the second row of text zooms in at the bottom. Once the two rows of text meet, a large lens flare effect shines across the clip-on. All of the text is in a shiny 3D silver font, with the first row of text bigger in size than the second row of text. Then the text fades out via a stretch effect.

Clip-Ons:
 * Coming Soon to a Theater Near You
 * Coming Soon on Videocassette
 * Now Available on Videocassette and DVD
 * Feature Presentation
 * Modified Screen ("This film has been modified from its original version. It has been formatted to fit this screen.")

Technique: Computer-generated animation for the flying, zooming, and stretch effects of the 3D text and the lens flare effect. The Modified Screen clip-on/bumper is a still image.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on some PolyGram Video and USA Home Entertainment releases from the era, such as What Dreams May Come, Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie and certain prints of The Borrowers. Strangely, the PolyGram version of the Feature Presentation bumper is also preserved on the 2000 MGM Home Entertainment VHS of Malice.