First Independent Films: Difference between revisions

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===Background===
===Background===
'''First Independent Films''' was a UK film distributor and video company. It was formed when Welsh/West [[ITV1|ITV]] franchisee [[Harlech Television/HTV|HTV]] acquired the UK assets of the former [[Vestron Video International]] in 1991, and rebranded the company as such.
'''First Independent Films''' was a UK film distributor and video company. It was formed from the UK assets of the former [[Vestron Video International]] in 1991, and was owned by Welsh [[ITV1 |ITV]] company [[Harlech Television/HTV|HTV]]. The company distributed titles from [[Spelling Films]], [[Castle Rock Entertainment]], [[Ted Turner Pictures|Turner Pictures]] and [[Hanna-Barbera Cartoons]] along with a smattering of independent films made in the UK and abroad. From its inception until 1996, it shared a distribution contract for [[New Line Cinema]] with [[Entertainment Film Distributors|Entertainment Film Distributors]]. First Independent was acquired by United News and Media (publishers of the ''Daily Express'') in 1996. The company was eventually completely undone by the box office failure of ''G.I. Jane'' in the UK and was subsequently sold to the Sony Corporation of Japan. The label later folded into Sony's main video arm, Columbia TriStar Home Video (now [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]]), in 1999. However, Columbia TriStar continued using the label for some years later, mainly on DVDs of titles from their heyday.


The company was the official UK distributor for [[Turner Entertainment Co.]] from 1992, releasing products from [[Castle Rock Entertainment]], [[Ted Turner Pictures|Turner Pictures]] and [[Hanna-Barbera|Hanna-Barbera Cartoons]] along with a smattering of independent films made in the UK and abroad. From its inception until 1996, it shared a distribution contract for [[New Line Cinema]] with [[Entertainment Film Distributors|Entertainment Film Distributors]]. The company also distributed titles from [[Spelling Films]].
===(April 1991-January 22, 1999)===
[[File:First Independent (1991).jpg|300px|center]]
{{YouTube|id=-Ki4uJp7bgA|id2=cQIrj7SAoyw}}


HTV, including First Independent, was acquired by United News and Media (publishers of the ''Daily Express'') in 1997. The company was eventually completely undone by the box office failure of ''G.I. Jane'' in the UK and was put up for sale shortly afterwards. The UK division of Columbia TriStar Home Video (now [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]]) acquired the company and fully absorbed First Independent in 1999. However, Columbia TriStar continued using the label for some years later, mainly on DVDs of titles from their heyday.
'''Logo:''' On a shady green background, we see a selection of multicoloured shapes (including a star, a triangle and a beak) scattered around the screen. As soon as we open in, the shapes start to move away, spinning round as they go. After a few turns, the shapes come more together and the logo starts to take shape, then we see the shapes turning one last time to form the completed logo of a white eagle with red eyes and a star on its right side flying in front of a now blue triangle (which is supposed to be a mountain). Then the words "'''FIRST INDEPENDENT'''" quickly fade in below.


===Logo (April 1991-January 22, 1999)===
'''Variant:''' On a Polish VHS release of ''Tom & Jerry: The Movie'', the logo is filmed.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
First Independent (1991).jpg|Standard
First Independent Films (1991 Filmed).png|Filmed
</gallery>
{{YouTube|id=-Ki4uJp7bgA|id2=8sj8PY_STrQ}}


'''Visuals:''' On a shady {{color|green}} background, there is a selection of multicoloured shapes (including a star, a triangle and a beak) scattered around the screen. As soon as it opens in, the shapes start to move away, spinning round as they go. After a few turns, the shapes come more together and the logo starts to take shape, then there is the shapes turning one last time to form the completed logo, which is a white eagle with {{color|red}} eyes and a star on its right side flying in front of a now {{color|blue}} triangle (which is supposed to be a mountain). The words "'''FIRST INDEPENDENT'''" then quickly fade in below.
'''Technique:''' Mainly CGI throughout.


'''Variant:''' A filmed version exists.
'''Music/Sounds:''' Begins with a synth sound, kind of like hearing water running below. We lead out to a majestic rock guitar theme and two drumbeats. The water-like synth sound returns at the end with long synthesized notes.


'''Availability:''' Uncommon in the UK.
'''Technique:''' CGI.
* Can be found on a wide range of tapes that comprise most, but not all, of this company's products.
* Your best bet would be to spot a box on the spine that features "VHS" at the top, "PAL FORMAT" in the middle and a stock number (VA 20XXX for rentals and VA 30XXX for retails) at the bottom (the spines of their early tapes carried over, from Vestron, a box which just had a the VHS logo and the catalogue number below it).
* Among the many titles that this logo was spotted on were the UK rental releases of all of the post-[[Touchstone Pictures|Touchstone]] ''Ernest'' films, ''Dumb and Dumber'', ''Misery'', ''G.I. Jane'', ''Sibling Rivalry'', ''Naked'', ''Now and Then'', ''White Squall'', ''Night Falls on Manhattan'', ''Killer: A Journal of Murder'' and ''The Basketball Diaries''.
* At the time it distributed a lot of [[Ted Turner Pictures|Turner Pictures]]/[[Turner Home Entertainment|Home Entertainment]] products in the UK, so it is also likely to be on things like ''Tom and Jerry: The Movie'', ''The Wizard of Oz'' and Hanna-Barbera cartoons such as ''Scooby-Doo'', ''The Flintstones'', ''Yogi Bear'', ''Top Cat'' and ''Wacky Races'', the 1993 UK VHS release of ''Yo Yogi and the L.A.F. Squad'', the 1995 UK VHS releases of ''Stone Protectors: Forged In Fire'', ''A Flintstones Christmas Carol'' and ''Yogi the Easter Bear'' (both 1994) and ''Richie Rich: Maltese Monkey'', the 1996 UK VHS releases of ''Scooby-Doo: Bumper Edition'' and ''The Flintstones: Bumper Edition'' and the 1997 UK VHS releases of ''Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: Bumper Edition'', ''The Perils of Penelope Pitstop: Bumper Edition'', ''Yogi Bear: Bumper Edition'' and ''Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels: Bumper Edition'', respectively, among others.
* It also appears on the 1993 UK VHS retail release of ''Naked Lunch'' as well.
* It's also been seen on rental and retail VHS releases of ''City Slickers'', most ''Budgie the Little Helicopter'' VHS releases and ''The Famous Five'' (1996 series), among other releases.
* This logo debuted on the 1991 UK rental VHS release of ''Masters of Menace'' and made its final appearance on the 1999 UK rental VHS release of ''Savior''.
* This logo also does not appear on the very last First Independent tapes, which were copyrighted to [[Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment|Columbia TriStar Home Video]], since they use CTHV's third logo instead.


'''Audio:''' It begins with a synth sound, kind of like hearing water running below. It then leads out to a majestic rock guitar theme and two drumbeats. The water-like synth sound returns at the end with long synthesized notes.


'''Availability:''' It appears on a wide range of VHS releases that comprise most, but not all, of this company's products.
* Your best bet would be to spot a box on the spine that features "VHS" at the top, "PAL FORMAT" in the middle and a stock number (VA 20XXX for rentals and VA 30XXX for retails) at the bottom (the spines of their early VHS releases carried over, from Vestron, a box which just had a the VHS logo and the catalogue number below it).
* Among the many titles that this logo was spotted on were the UK rental releases of all of the post-[[Touchstone Pictures|Touchstone]] ''Ernest'' films, ''Dumb and Dumber'', ''Misery'', ''G.I. Jane'', ''Sibling Rivalry'', ''Naked'', ''Now and Then'', ''White Squall'', ''Night Falls on Manhattan'', ''Killer: A Journal of Murder'' and ''The Basketball Diaries''.
* At the time, it distributed a lot of [[Turner Pictures]]/[[Turner Home Entertainment|Home Entertainment]] products in the UK, so it appears on ''Tom and Jerry: The Movie'', ''The Wizard of Oz'' and Hanna-Barbera cartoons such as ''Scooby-Doo'', ''The Flintstones'', ''Yogi Bear'' and ''Top Cat,'' among others.
* It also appeared on films distributed by them, but the only VHS release that preserves the filmed version is the Polish VHS release of ''Tom & Jerry: The Movie''.
* It also appears on rental and retail VHS releases of ''City Slickers'', most ''Budgie the Little Helicopter'' VHS releases and ''The Famous Five'' (1996 series), among other releases.
* This logo debuted on the 1991 UK rental VHS release of ''Masters of Menace'' and made its final appearance on the 1999 UK rental VHS release of ''Savior''.
* This logo does not appear on the very last First Independent tapes, which were copyrighted to [[Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment|Columbia TriStar Home Video]], since they use CTHV's third logo instead.


{{Navbox-Sony}}{{Home Entertainment-Navbox}}{{Movie-Navbox}}
{{Navbox-Sony}}{{Home Entertainment-Navbox}}{{Movie-Navbox}}

Latest revision as of 15:59, 11 April 2024


Background

First Independent Films was a UK film distributor and video company. It was formed when Welsh/West ITV franchisee HTV acquired the UK assets of the former Vestron Video International in 1991, and rebranded the company as such.

The company was the official UK distributor for Turner Entertainment Co. from 1992, releasing products from Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Pictures and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons along with a smattering of independent films made in the UK and abroad. From its inception until 1996, it shared a distribution contract for New Line Cinema with Entertainment Film Distributors. The company also distributed titles from Spelling Films.

HTV, including First Independent, was acquired by United News and Media (publishers of the Daily Express) in 1997. The company was eventually completely undone by the box office failure of G.I. Jane in the UK and was put up for sale shortly afterwards. The UK division of Columbia TriStar Home Video (now Sony Pictures Home Entertainment) acquired the company and fully absorbed First Independent in 1999. However, Columbia TriStar continued using the label for some years later, mainly on DVDs of titles from their heyday.

Logo (April 1991-January 22, 1999)


Visuals: On a shady green background, there is a selection of multicoloured shapes (including a star, a triangle and a beak) scattered around the screen. As soon as it opens in, the shapes start to move away, spinning round as they go. After a few turns, the shapes come more together and the logo starts to take shape, then there is the shapes turning one last time to form the completed logo, which is a white eagle with red eyes and a star on its right side flying in front of a now blue triangle (which is supposed to be a mountain). The words "FIRST INDEPENDENT" then quickly fade in below.

Variant: A filmed version exists.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: It begins with a synth sound, kind of like hearing water running below. It then leads out to a majestic rock guitar theme and two drumbeats. The water-like synth sound returns at the end with long synthesized notes.

Availability: It appears on a wide range of VHS releases that comprise most, but not all, of this company's products.

  • Your best bet would be to spot a box on the spine that features "VHS" at the top, "PAL FORMAT" in the middle and a stock number (VA 20XXX for rentals and VA 30XXX for retails) at the bottom (the spines of their early VHS releases carried over, from Vestron, a box which just had a the VHS logo and the catalogue number below it).
  • Among the many titles that this logo was spotted on were the UK rental releases of all of the post-Touchstone Ernest films, Dumb and Dumber, Misery, G.I. Jane, Sibling Rivalry, Naked, Now and Then, White Squall, Night Falls on Manhattan, Killer: A Journal of Murder and The Basketball Diaries.
  • At the time, it distributed a lot of Turner Pictures/Home Entertainment products in the UK, so it appears on Tom and Jerry: The Movie, The Wizard of Oz and Hanna-Barbera cartoons such as Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear and Top Cat, among others.
  • It also appeared on films distributed by them, but the only VHS release that preserves the filmed version is the Polish VHS release of Tom & Jerry: The Movie.
  • It also appears on rental and retail VHS releases of City Slickers, most Budgie the Little Helicopter VHS releases and The Famous Five (1996 series), among other releases.
  • This logo debuted on the 1991 UK rental VHS release of Masters of Menace and made its final appearance on the 1999 UK rental VHS release of Savior.
  • This logo does not appear on the very last First Independent tapes, which were copyrighted to Columbia TriStar Home Video, since they use CTHV's third logo instead.
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