Europa Filmes

Background

Europa Filmes started off as Europa Home Video, being merged in 1992 with Carat Home Video. In 1995, it became part of Consórcio Europa Severiano Ribeiro, where they invested in assets to various Brazilian films around that time, following the Brazilian Audiovisual Law. They've been owned since 1990 by Wilson Feitosa.

Europa Carat Home Video

1st Logo (1992-mid 1990s)

Visuals: The logo starts with a gray square flying from the left side of the screen, while the stylized lowercase blue "E" emerges from the right side. The square goes to the center and the "E" positions itself on front of it, then the texts "EUROPA" and "HOME VIDEO" appear from behind the square. The full Europa Home Video logo goes to the left side of the screen to give way to the Carat Home Video logo, that fades in and positions itself on the right. After the Carat logo finishes forming itself, the Europa logo and Carat logo go to the center of the screen, with the latter getting "video-masked" so only the Carat text is seen. The Carat logo covers the "HOME VIDEO" text for a few frames, before it appears again below the logo.

Technique: Mostly 2D animation, with the exception of the Carat Home Video logo, which is in CGI.

Audio: Two quick dramatic notes in the beginning, then a happy synthesizer tune (which comes from the Carat Home Video logo) that repeats twice.

Availability: Unknown.

2nd Logo (mid 1990s-1998)

Visuals: On a black-blue space background, a metallic square with a yellow trail in the form of a stylized "E" emerges from the bottom, while another "E" in the same style emerges from the top, in a blue/metallic texture. The blue "E" falls on the square while it rotates. The yellow trail dissipates as the "Carat" logo shows up on screen from the right side, each letter moving in different positions. A rectangle in the same texture of the square moves below it, settling behind the Carat logo. The "EUROPA" text surges up from the middle of the screen, accompanied by a lens flare, then comes the "HOME VIDEO" text, emerging from below, without a lens flare. The logo finishes with the space layout fading out, giving space for a black-blue gradient background.

Technique: CGI with 2D elements.

Audio: There are two variants of the logo, both with different fanfares:

A somewhat fast-paced synthesizer-like fanfare.
A fanfare composed of a harp-like sound that ends in bombastic trumpet notes played in a synthesizer.

Availability: Available on some Videoteca Caras Quality tapes launched in the late 90s by magazine Caras.

Europa Filmes

1st Logo (1998-2007)

Visuals: On a dark blue and purple background, there is a clear glass square. The square rotates as a beam of light cuts out an stylized lowercase "E". As the "E" is being drawn, the screen pans to see a filmstrip moving fast. When the "E" is finished drawing, the shell of the "E" that was drawn zooms in. "EUROPA" in silver zooms out and shines as the "E" turns blue. A grey square fades in when the filmstrip ends off. "FILMES" sprouts up as a shadow appears behind the "E".

Variant: Starting in 2003, with the Brazilian dub ofSpirited Away, after the logo was formed, the "E" became tridimensional.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An eight-note xylophone theme with rising synths at the end. It's actually a stock music from the Valentino Music Library album Classic And Logos Vol. 2 called "ID and logo #98", composed by Dom Massaro.

Availability: In Brazil; despite being seen on many movies, original or distributed, it's well remembered for appearing in front of the Brazilian dub of Spirited Away (2003) in both in the theatrical release and the subsequent VHS and DVD releases.

2nd Logo (2007-2013)

Visuals: On a stormy sky with blue mist, several silver squares fly by the screen. The screen then pans to see the squares are forming the "E" from before. The "E" then turns blue and a outline of a square is drawn and filled in as the "E" is completed and turns grey and refined. "EUROPA" and "FILMES" zoom out as the logo faces forward. A lightning strike happens in the background and the "E" turns blue.

Variant: A Blu-ray version exists where, after the "E" turns blue, another strike flashes and the Blu-ray symbol appears and spins to the center as the Blu-ray Disc text fades in below it.

Technique: CGI by ETC Filmes.

Audio: Lightning strikes are heard throughout the logo, with an majestic theme during the middle portion of the logo.

Availability: Used for only four years, and then the company went bankrupt. It wouldn't be bankrupt for long, though.

3rd Logo (2013-)

Visuals: In a dark environment, there are two robotic arms making dots that are glowing. The robotic arms make many dots and form the "E" from before. The "E" zooms out and rotates as the "E" turns blue and solid. "EUROPA" and "FILMES" zoom out above and below the "E". The "E" shines.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Many tinks for the dots and a proud fanfare with a ding.

Availability: Seen in front of original movies, as well as foreign and/or American movies that are distributed by the company.