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{{PageCredits|description=Nicholas Aczel|capture=Eric S., V of Doom, Mr.Logo, Gilblitz112, Pygmalion X, and filmbaza.net|edits=VofDoom, universalxdisney172, indycar, and Donny Pearson|video=DudeThatLogo, BringGeorgeBush12, Ryan Holman}}
{{PageCredits|description=Nicholas Aczel|capture=TangoWhiskeyDelta|edits=VofDoom, universalxdisney172, indycar, and Donny Pearson|video=ifrequire, Xpk951Logos and Peakpasha}}


===Background===
===Background===
[[ABC|'''ABC''']] returned to theatrical film production in May 1979 as '''ABC Motion Pictures'''; it was incorporated by June 11, 1980.<ref>https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_nameid=713902&p_corpid=632661&p_entity_name=ABC%20Motion%20Pictures&p_name_type=%25&p_search_type=BEGINS&p_srch_results_page=0</ref> ABC Motion Pictures was a boutique production company, and only made a few theatrical films a year. The studio's films were released by [[20th Century Studios|20th Century-Fox Film Corporation]] (now 20th Century Studios). The studio's president was Brandon Stoddard, who figured that ABC would succeed in movie production as there were additional revenue sources from VHS and cable on top of theater ticket and broadcast TV sales.<ref>https://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-11-21/features/8503200730_1_abc-motion-pictures-movie-boutiques</ref>
'''ABC Pictures Corporation''' was a film production division of the American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. The studio's films were distributed by [[Cinerama Releasing Corporation]]. The studio never turned a profit for ABC and was shut down in 1972. [[Walt Disney Pictures]] owns the rights to the studio's library, while the home media rights are licensed to Kino Lorber after they were previously released by [[MGM Home Entertainment]], [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment|Fox Video]] and [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]].


The studio didn't start production on its first slate of three films until two years after its formation. Although it mainly made films, it also produced TV movies, series and mini-series. One of the studio's films, ''The Flamingo Kid'', was pulled from release by Fox so the company could stop spending money on advertising, despite the movie doing well.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/29/business/abc-discontinues-movie-operations.html</ref>
==ABC Pictures Corporation==
===(September 23, 1968-February 13, 1972)===
<gallery mode="packed">
File:ABCMP1.jpg
File:ABCMP2.jpg
File:ABCMP3.png
File:ABCMP4.jpg
</gallery>{{YouTube|id=https://youtu.be/vzLB7HaVxCI|id2=https://youtu.be/YLPSMaBq6wA|id3=https://youtu.be/16b5_daCUKs|id4=https://youtu.be/jcTGXt-zopQ|id5=https://youtu.be/C0hlkj0QzMQ}}


With networks getting better ratings for their own movies of the week over films released by cable and cassettes, they reduced licensing of theatrical films. Additional boutique production companies entered the market at the same time, crowding the market and increasing filming costs. With films distributed by a major studio, ABC's films were slotted in less desirable release dates.
'''Nicknames''': "Globes in Space", "ABC Globe"


ABC shut down the studio's theatrical motion picture operation on October 28, 1985, after the release of only 6 theatrical films<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/29/business/abc-discontinues-movie-operations.html</ref>; the move came within weeks of rival [[CBS]] shutting down [[CBS Theatrical Films]]. The unit released one more movie, ''SpaceCamp'', already produced in the summer of 1985.<ref>https://articles.latimes.com/1985-11-13/entertainment/ca-5454_1_abc-entertainment</ref> ABC continued producing TV movies and mini-series while increasing TV series output through [[ABC Circle Films]]. A Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation media analyst forecast ABC's losses on its theatrical operations for 1985 to be $5 million.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/29/business/abc-discontinues-movie-operations.html</ref> The company elected to terminate its agreement with Mercury Entertainment in March 1986.<ref>"Mercury, ABC Pics Terminate Contract". ''Variety''. 1986-03-05. p. 4.</ref>
'''Logo''': We see a picture of a rotating globe on a blue (or pale blue/gray) background. The letter "b" sketches in the center of the globe and the letters "a" and "c" uncover from the left and right of the "b" to form "abc". The globe turns black over the transparent "abc" letters, the words "PICTURES CORP." fade in below the "abc" as the logo moves to the left and a filmstrip with another rotating globe grows out from the right of the logo. The byline "A SUBSIDIARY OF THE AMERICAN BROADCASTING COMPANIES, INC." fades in below, and the word "PRESENTS" fades in below the filmstrip.


⚫
The Walt Disney Company owns the rights to the ABC Motion Pictures library (and currently own the library through 20th Century Studios after that company was brought by Disney in 2019). Disney has licensed the home media rights to Kino Lorber Films, after being previously licensed to [[Embassy Home Entertainment]], [[Vestron Video]], [[Image Entertainment]], [[Anchor Bay Entertainment|Anchor Bay]], and [[MGM Home Entertainment]].
'''Variant''': A rare variant exists where the background is white as the byline in orange, as the "PRESENTS" text in black.


⚫
===Logo (October 29, 1982-June 6, 1986)===
'''FX/SFX''': The rotating globe, the "abc" sketching, the globe turning black and the filmstrip growing out.

'''Music/Sounds''': The opening theme of the film, or none.

'''Availability''': Was near extinction due to DVD releases from MGM Home Entertainment having ether the 2001 [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|MGM]] logo (or in some cases, having it blacked out with the opening theme), but is now uncommon. It can be seen on the [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment|Magnetic Video Corporation]] VHS and Kino Lorber DVD and Blu-Ray releases of ''Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?'', ''Kotch'', ''The Grissom Gang'', ''Song of Norway'', and ''The Last Valley.'' Some films such as ''Straw Dogs'' (on [[The Criterion Collection]] DVD and Blu-Ray release (except the [[MGM Home Entertainment|MGM]] and [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]] DVDs) only contains the 1968 [[Cinerama Releasing Corporation]] logo. It was also seen on the original [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment|Magnetic Video Corporation]] VHS and Laserdisc of ''They Shoot Horse's Don't They?'' (current prints have the ABC Pictures International logo), and the Anchor Bay DVD release and TCM airings of ''Too Late The Hero'' (though removed on the [[MGM Home Entertainment|MGM DVD]]).

'''Editor's Note''': Although the logo is supposed to represent a film canister, the limited 2-D perspective of the ABC logo slightly ruins it.

==ABC Pictures International==
=== Background ===
The previous studio was reorganized as a production company for television and some theatrical films for ABC (although [[ABC Circle Films]] did handle the former use for the network).

===(1973-1984?)===
<gallery mode="packed">
File:ABCMP5.jpg
File:ABCMP6.png
File:ABCMP7.png
File:ABCMP8.jpg
File:ABCMP9.jpg
ABCMP10.jpg
</gallery>
{{YouTube|id=6HTDF4r7Ou8|id2=oEbs_QvTEXA|id3=oavOkLO9aK8}}

'''Nicknames:''' "Globes in Space II", "ABC Globe II", "Scanimate/3D Globe"

'''Logo:''' It's the same as the previous logo, except it's a rotating Earth globe on a zooming space background. The letter "b" sketches in the center of the globe and the letters "a" and "c" uncover from the left and right of the "b" to form "abc". The globe turns black over the white "abc" letters, the words "PICTURES INTERNATIONAL" fade in below the "abc" as the logo moves to the left and a filmstrip with another rotating globe grows out from the right of the logo. The same ABC byline fades in below, and the word "PRESENTS" fades in below the filmstrip.

'''Variants:'''
* On B&W movie re-releases such as the 1980 [[Magnetic Video Corporation|Magnetic Video]] VHS and Betamax prints of ''Notorious'' (an [[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO Radio Picture]] that was produced under license from [[Selznick International Pictures]] that ABC acquired the rights to in 1965 when they purchased the Selznick library from the David O. Selznick estate), the logo appears in black and white.
* On some prints of ''The Comeback Kid'', the regular ABC logo is entirely chyroned over, text and all, by a different black circle with the ABC text on it. You can tell because the logo does not match the film quality and shakes differently. Under it, the chyroned in text "ABC PICTURES INTERNATIONAL" is seen below it. "A Subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Companies, Inc." appears a second later below the text. The logo also freezes at the end. Strangely, some prints of the first season of ''The Littles'' also used this logo, as seen on a Junior DHX (WildBrain - Kids Videos) upload of the episode "The Little Winner".

'''FX/SFX:''' Same as the previous logo, including the zooming space.

'''Music/Sounds:''' An excerpt of "Industrial Power", by Keith Mansfield, being remixed/abridged on later releases. In some cases, none.

'''Availability:''' Uncommon. Can be seen on the Kino Lorber DVD and Blu-Ray releases of ''Midas Run'', ''Jenny'', ''They Shoot Horses Don't They?'', the international theatrical version of ''Nightmare in Badham County'', and the [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment|Magnetic Video Corporation]] VHS and Betamax releases of ''Straw Dogs'', ''Take the Money and Run'', ''Notorious,'' and various television movies aired on ABC, such as ''Love Among The Ruins'', ''Griffin and Phoenix: A Love Story'', and ''Kolchak: The Night Stalker'' among others. Don't expect this logo to appear on ''Cabaret'' or ''Mame'', as both of those films use in-credit notices only. It makes a surprise appearance on the trailers for ''The High Commissioner'' on the Kino Lorber Blu-Ray and ''Ben'' on the [[Scream Factory]] release. The black and white version of the logo can be seen on the [[Mill Creek Entertainment]] DVD release of ''The Bat.''

'''Editor's Note:''' None.

==ABC Motion Pictures==
=== Background ===
⚫
ABC later returned to film production in May 1979 as '''ABC Motion Pictures'''. The studio's films were released by [[20th Century Studios|20th Century-Fox Film Corporation]]. The studio would close down on October 29, 1985. Disney owns the rights to the library (as would 20th Century Fox in 2019). Disney has licensed the home media rights to Kino Lorber Films, after being previously licensed to [[Embassy Home Entertainment]], [[Vestron Video]], [[Image Entertainment]], [[Anchor Bay Entertainment|Anchor Bay]], and [[MGM Home Entertainment]], whose home media releases are distributed by [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]].

⚫
===(October 29, 1982-June 6, 1986)===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
ABCMP11.jpg
ABCMP11.jpg
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{{YouTube|id=o0DqBbW0j-g|id2=-UcG2Kfh0Pg|id3=MDTAQIq7xTQ}}
{{YouTube|id=o0DqBbW0j-g|id2=-UcG2Kfh0Pg|id3=MDTAQIq7xTQ}}


⚫
'''Visuals:''' On a black background, some moving shots of sparkling transparent crystals are shown. Then a crystal "T" slowly zooms backwards, and more letters are revealed. Finally, when the words
'''Nicknames''': "The Crystals", "ABC: The Crystal Shards"

⚫
'''Logo''': On a black background, we see some moving shots of sparkling transparent crystals. Then a crystal "T" slowly zooms backwards, and more letters are revealed. Finally, when the words...

<center>ABC
MOTION


PICTURES</center>
<center>'''{{big|{{big|ABC}}}}'''<br>'''MOTION'''<br>'''PICTURES'''</center>


all appear in sparkling crystal, the logo stops in the middle of the screen.
all appear in sparkling crystal, the logo stops in the middle of the screen.


'''Trivia''': The logo was designed by Universal Hartland Visual Effects in North Hollywood, which also created special effects work for the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' series. According to studio employee Kenneth A. Larson: "The letters were made from highly polished faceted jewel like glass crystal. They were glued to a plate of glass. No one know how to attach them without bubbles showing. A fellow employee came up with a solution and this logo was shot on a Hartland stage".
'''Trivia:''' The logo was designed by Universal Hartland Visual Effects in North Hollywood, which also created special effects work for the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' series. According to studio employee Kenneth A. Larson: "The letters were made from highly polished faceted jewel-like glass crystal. They were glued to a plate of glass. No one knows how to attach them without bubbles showing. A fellow employee came up with a solution and this logo was shot on a Hartland stage."


'''Technique:''' Live-action.
'''FX/SFX''': The sparkling crystals and company name zooming backward are very nice live-action shots.


'''Music/Sounds''': A lush synth orchestral fanfare with twinkles. Sometimes it is silent. On some co-produced films, a more generic theme was used.
'''Audio:''' A lush synth orchestral fanfare with twinkles. Sometimes it is silent. On some co-produced films, a more generic theme was used.


'''Availability:'''
'''Availability''': Rare. Was seen on films produced by the company, such as ''SpaceCamp'', ''Prizzi's Honor'', ''Young Doctors in Love'', and the international cut of ''The Day After'' (which was released on VHS by [[Embassy Home Entertainment]] in the 1980s and laserdisc by Image Entertainment in 1995; the U.S. broadcast print was released by ABC's Summa Video label in 1995). Most releases of their films put out by Embassy Home Entertainment, [[Vestron Video]] and [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]] have this logo intact, but DVD releases by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios|MGM]] have it removed and/or plastered with the 2001 MGM logo. This and the 1981 [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]] logos are retained on Kino Lorber's Blu-ray releases of ''Prizzi's Honor'', ''The Flamingo Kid'', ''National Lampoon's Class Reunion'', ''Impulse'', and ''Young Doctors in Love.'' This logo was also seen on international prints of some ABC TV movies, including ''Who Will Love My Children?'' and ''The Day After''.
*It was seen on films produced by the company, such as ''SpaceCamp'', ''Prizzi's Honor'', ''Young Doctors in Love'', and the international cut of ''The Day After'' (which was released on VHS by [[Embassy Home Entertainment]] in the 1980s and laserdisc by Image Entertainment in 1995; the U.S. broadcast print was released by ABC's Summa Video label in 1995).
*Most releases of their films put out by Embassy Home Entertainment, [[Vestron Video]] and [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]] have this logo intact, but DVD releases by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios]] have it removed and/or plastered with the 2001 MGM logo.
*This and the 1981 [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]] logos are retained on Kino Lorber's Blu-ray releases of ''Prizzi's Honor'', ''The Flamingo Kid'', ''National Lampoon's Class Reunion'', ''Impulse'', and ''Young Doctors in Love''.
*This logo was also seen on international prints of some ABC TV movies, including ''Who Will Love My Children?'' and ''The Day After''.


===References===
'''Editor's Note:''' None.
<references/>


{{Navbox-WaltDisney}}{{Movie-Navbox}}
{{Navbox-WaltDisney}}{{Movie-Navbox}}
{{Chronology|[[ABC Pictures Corporation]]}}{{American film logos}}
[[Category:The Walt Disney Company]]
[[Category:The Walt Disney Company]]
[[Category:Film logos]]
[[Category:Film logos]]
[[Category:American film logos]]
[[Category:American film logos]]
[[Category:American logos]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:ABC]]
[[Category:ABC]]
[[Category:Logos with library music by Keith Mansfield]]

Latest revision as of 14:49, 8 April 2024

Credits
Descriptions by
Nicholas Aczel

Captures by
TangoWhiskeyDelta

Editions by
VofDoom, universalxdisney172, indycar, and Donny Pearson

Video captures courtesy of
ifrequire, Xpk951Logos and Peakpasha

Background

ABC returned to theatrical film production in May 1979 as ABC Motion Pictures; it was incorporated by June 11, 1980.[1] ABC Motion Pictures was a boutique production company, and only made a few theatrical films a year. The studio's films were released by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation (now 20th Century Studios). The studio's president was Brandon Stoddard, who figured that ABC would succeed in movie production as there were additional revenue sources from VHS and cable on top of theater ticket and broadcast TV sales.[2]

The studio didn't start production on its first slate of three films until two years after its formation. Although it mainly made films, it also produced TV movies, series and mini-series. One of the studio's films, The Flamingo Kid, was pulled from release by Fox so the company could stop spending money on advertising, despite the movie doing well.[3]

With networks getting better ratings for their own movies of the week over films released by cable and cassettes, they reduced licensing of theatrical films. Additional boutique production companies entered the market at the same time, crowding the market and increasing filming costs. With films distributed by a major studio, ABC's films were slotted in less desirable release dates.

ABC shut down the studio's theatrical motion picture operation on October 28, 1985, after the release of only 6 theatrical films[4]; the move came within weeks of rival CBS shutting down CBS Theatrical Films. The unit released one more movie, SpaceCamp, already produced in the summer of 1985.[5] ABC continued producing TV movies and mini-series while increasing TV series output through ABC Circle Films. A Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation media analyst forecast ABC's losses on its theatrical operations for 1985 to be $5 million.[6] The company elected to terminate its agreement with Mercury Entertainment in March 1986.[7]

The Walt Disney Company owns the rights to the ABC Motion Pictures library (and currently own the library through 20th Century Studios after that company was brought by Disney in 2019). Disney has licensed the home media rights to Kino Lorber Films, after being previously licensed to Embassy Home Entertainment, Vestron Video, Image Entertainment, Anchor Bay, and MGM Home Entertainment.

Logo (October 29, 1982-June 6, 1986)


Visuals: On a black background, some moving shots of sparkling transparent crystals are shown. Then a crystal "T" slowly zooms backwards, and more letters are revealed. Finally, when the words

ABC
MOTION
PICTURES

all appear in sparkling crystal, the logo stops in the middle of the screen.

Trivia: The logo was designed by Universal Hartland Visual Effects in North Hollywood, which also created special effects work for the original Battlestar Galactica series. According to studio employee Kenneth A. Larson: "The letters were made from highly polished faceted jewel-like glass crystal. They were glued to a plate of glass. No one knows how to attach them without bubbles showing. A fellow employee came up with a solution and this logo was shot on a Hartland stage."

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: A lush synth orchestral fanfare with twinkles. Sometimes it is silent. On some co-produced films, a more generic theme was used.

Availability:

  • It was seen on films produced by the company, such as SpaceCamp, Prizzi's Honor, Young Doctors in Love, and the international cut of The Day After (which was released on VHS by Embassy Home Entertainment in the 1980s and laserdisc by Image Entertainment in 1995; the U.S. broadcast print was released by ABC's Summa Video label in 1995).
  • Most releases of their films put out by Embassy Home Entertainment, Vestron Video and Anchor Bay Entertainment have this logo intact, but DVD releases by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios have it removed and/or plastered with the 2001 MGM logo.
  • This and the 1981 20th Century Fox logos are retained on Kino Lorber's Blu-ray releases of Prizzi's Honor, The Flamingo Kid, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, Impulse, and Young Doctors in Love.
  • This logo was also seen on international prints of some ABC TV movies, including Who Will Love My Children? and The Day After.

References

  1. ↑ https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_nameid=713902&p_corpid=632661&p_entity_name=ABC%20Motion%20Pictures&p_name_type=%25&p_search_type=BEGINS&p_srch_results_page=0
  2. ↑ https://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-11-21/features/8503200730_1_abc-motion-pictures-movie-boutiques
  3. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/29/business/abc-discontinues-movie-operations.html
  4. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/29/business/abc-discontinues-movie-operations.html
  5. ↑ https://articles.latimes.com/1985-11-13/entertainment/ca-5454_1_abc-entertainment
  6. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/29/business/abc-discontinues-movie-operations.html
  7. ↑ "Mercury, ABC Pics Terminate Contract". Variety. 1986-03-05. p. 4.
◄ ABC Pictures Corporation
ABC Motion Pictures
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