Astral Video

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum

Background

Astral Video was the home video division of Astral Films Limited.

1st Logo (1988-1990)

Visuals: On a space background with moving stars and teal nebulas, an orange comet streaks from the left side of the screen to just off-center before vanishing into the background, before reappearing closer to the screen from the bottom right. It then swerves around and flies straight to the right, wiping in the text "ASTRAL VIDEO" in a glowing white Optima font. The glow around it then dies down and turns gold, followed by pink, and then light blue, like the text is "cooling" in color. The comet then returns from the right and flies under the text to the left, revealing a tiny version of the rooster logo that flashes in, and changes colors the same way.

Trivia: This is basically a modified version of the 1988 Astral Films logo.

Variants:

  • Certain tapes which have the phrase "This videocassette is sold exclusively in Canada by" on a black background before the logo starts.
  • On Astral tapes released in conjunction with Hi-Tops Video, the Hi-Tops Video logo is seen first and is then followed by a black screen with the words "HI-TOPS VIDEO Presents" and then the Astral Video logo.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A triumphant Moog synthesizer fanfare.

Audio Variant: On some videotapes, an announcer would say "The following feature will be presented after these previews. Stay tuned."

Availability: Seen on Canadian NTSC tapes of Astral releases from the 1980s.

  • May appear on packaging of VHS tapes from this company, but the earlier Films logo would be on the tape itself. One such release was Extra Terrestrial Visitors.
  • Also, certain releases would have previews before or after this logo. One example is the Canadian VHS of The Care Bears Movie.
  • Also appears on Canadian VHS releases of films from Media Home Entertainment and its offshoot labels, early Trans World Entertainment releases, Forum Home Video releases, and SouthGate Entertainment releases, among others.
  • Some French-dubbed videotapes have the Ciné-Maison Bellevue logo instead of this one.

2nd Logo (1990-1997)

Visuals: On a sky background, the word "ASTRAL" in blue with a small golden star attached to it, now in a custom Peignot font (just like in the MTM and 1971 Viacom logos) zooms out and stops at the center of the screen. A sun peeks behind the clouds.

Trivia: This is essentially the first half of the 1990 Astral Films logo, but videotaped and played in reverse. The hollow star also appears to be filled with yellow before it becomes solid again.

Variants:

  • A still version exists, with a larger logo. French-language VHS tapes would have this logo starting 1992 when the parent company, Bellevue Home Entertainment, was renamed as Astral Home Entertainment.
  • Most VHS releases have a blue background with the words "This videocassette is sold exclusively in Canada by:" before this logo.
  • On some tapes, a filmed version has the still logo's star fading in, before it glows.
    • A sub-variant exists with a 2D gold star swooping around and passing through the 3D star, complete with particle trails. It then swoops off-screen, before it returns and dives down and through the logo, and eventually pass the camera.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The animated version and the sub-variant do not have music, but the still and the standard "shooting star" ones use a synth choir sounder.

Audio Variant: On some tapes, an announcer would say "The following feature will start in just a few minutes. Stay tuned."

Availability: Seen on 1990s Astral releases on VHS, such as Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Demon Possessed, Castle Freak, Alien Intruder, Zarkorr! The Invader, Conflict of Interest, Maximum Force, Warriors, The Final Heist, Backlash: Oblivion 2, Love Bites, Night Siege: Project Shadowchaser II, and Gumby: The Movie, among others.

  • The shooting star variant is found on Hollow Point, and was also spotted at the end of David Copperfield (1993).
  • This also appears on Canadian VHS releases of later AIP Home Video and Magnum Entertainment titles, among others.
  • Also makes an appearance on a Canadian VHS reprint of the 1986 film Body Count (AKA: The Eleventh Commandment), before the Manson International logo.
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