Alpha Video Classics

Background

Alpha Video is one of the largest video distributors in the United States with over 600+ VHS's and DVDs released. The company is owned and operated by the Greene family, which also owns reissue record label Collectables Records and e-commerce site OLDIES.com.

Alpha Video Distributors

Logo (Early 1990s-Early 2000s)

Visuals: On a gray marble background, a yellow square with a star cut out of it and three curvy lines on the right (forming an abstract and simple version of a waving American flag) with "Alpha Video Distributors" seen on the right, zoom up to the top of the screen. Fading in below are the words "The Finest in Children's Entertainment" in white.

Variant: Sometimes, the logo flips up to the screen, then it either cuts to the Greatest Film Classics logo or it has the tagline fading in normally.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: Same as the New Age Video logo.

Availability: Seen on old tapes of public domain cartoons, and may be plastered over with the 2nd New Age Video logo.

Alpha Video Classics

Logo (2000s-)

Visuals: Against a cloudy sky, some silver stars circle around, followed by a blue square and three waving red stripes. The square turns upright to face the camera as a large silver star zooms out and plasters itself onto it. The stripes arrange themselves on the left of the square, and the ring of stars circles out into the distance. Some sunbeams form the words "Alpha Video Classics", and the star shines.

Variants:

An early version used a brighter, different version of the clouds in time-lapse with blander CGI.
On DVD menus, a still version of the early clouds time-lapse is seen with a slightly smaller version of the early logo, and two dark blue gel-like rectangles added at the right of the logo. The logo and rectangles are also tilted upwards.
Also From: The logo fades in a bit later, and is smaller and starts with the text wiping in below. Then, "Also From" wipes in above the logo. The star also doesn't shine.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A dramatic synth bass sound, a "pow" when the star hits the square, and a short piano ditty at the end.

Audio Trivia: The music for the early logo can be heard here.

Audio Variant: The early version has a corporate fanfare also used in the United Artists Theater Policy trailer for the time, so it's probably stock music from that period. Otherwise, it's another classical jingle that they used for it as well.

Availability: Seen on DVDs of classic TV shows and films, and even some exploitation films.