Decla Film

Background

Decla Film was a German film production and distribution company that was originally founded in 1911 as a German branch of the French company Laboratoires Eclair under the name Deutsche Eclair, which during The Great War, had to be taken into German ownership by 1915 (alongside with other French film companies in Berlin, like Pathé Frères, under Literaria Film, and Gaumont, under Deutsche Gaumont), with the German film producer Erich Pommer and film distributor Fritz Holz forming Decla-Film-Gesellschaft Holz & Co. in the following year. Under Pommer's leadership, Decla became one of the leading film companies in the early period of the Weimar Republic, with famous movies such as Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler, Die Nibelungen and specially the 1920 expressionist horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. In the same year, it merged with its rival Deutsche Bioscop to form Decla-Bioscop, which was eventually bought by UFA in 1923 and then absorbed by the later, despite, due to Decla's previous success, some UFA productions were released under Decla-Bioscop label as late as 1924.

Logo (February 26, 1920)

Green variant

Visuals: On a black background, an outlined eagle comes flying from the right along with five forms, which flip to reveal letters. As the letters "EDCLA" take their place at the bottom of the screen, the eagle lands between the "L" and the "A". Then it takes the "D" and places it its correct position, as the "E" moves to the right and morphs into a fish, which the eagle grabs with its beak.

Variant: A green-tinted variant exists.

Technique: Early traditional animation.

Audio: Silent, or the opening theme of the film.

Availability: Only seen on the aforementioned horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Legacy: Quite possibly the oldest logo animated with traditional cels on the wiki.