Golden Harvest

Credits

Captures by
Logoarto, Camenati and Compooper

Editions by
mr3urious, Henrynguye5, Camenati and TheLogoFan2004

Video captures courtesy of
CorneliusTehSpartan, Jordan Rios Logo Vault, Logo Archive, MediaYellowBlackPinkVideoMaker2023, GrahamGough, Gundam, Movie Related Logos, Peakpasha, Logo Archive, DudeThatLogo, and Jason Malcolm

Background

Golden Harvest (嘉禾娛樂事業集團有限公司) is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. Founded in 1970 by Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho (both former executives of Shaw Brothers) as well as Leung Fung, it dominated Hong Kong box office sales from the 1970s to the 1980s, supplanting Shaw Brothers as Hong Kong's dominant film studio at the time and played a major role in introducing Hong Kong films to the Western market, especially those by Bruce Lee (Concord Production), Jackie Chan (Golden Way Films), and Sammo Hung (Bo Ho Films). In 1976, it acquired Panasia Films Limited from Andrew G. Vajna (later co-founder of Carolco Pictures). Golden Harvest has also produced a number of films with Jet Li and Donnie Yen. Golden Harvest also produced The Cannonball Run and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy in the United States. In 1993, GH sold their entire film library to STAR-TV (later known as Fortune Star).

In 2004, Li Ka-shing and EMI became shareholders of the company. In 2007, Raymond Chow sold the company to Chinese businessman Wu Kebo, who owns the China-based Orange Sky Entertainment Group. In early 2009, Golden Harvest merged with Orange Sky and was renamed Orange Sky Golden Harvest Entertainment Co. (橙天嘉禾娛樂集團有限公司).

1st Logo (January 22, 1971-March 3, 1972)

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Visuals: Set on a shot of a wheat field is "GH" in a shielded font similar to the WB shield sitting on what appears to be a wreath. It then fades out to some Chinese text with "GOLDEN HARVEST (H.K.) LTD. PRODUCTION" below. Then it fades out and is replaced by "DYALI SCOPE" with "GH" between "DYALI" and "SCOPE", some Chinese text above it, and "EASTMANCOLOR" underneath.

Variant: There is a version that the Chinese company name and the English text in the second sequence are now different and appears in a different font and below the sequence, the words "Golden Harvest Presents" is seen instead of the "GOLDEN HARVEST (H.K.) LTD. PRODUCTION" name.

Technique: Live-action with motion-controlled animation for the logo and text.

Audio: A slow bombastic fanfare with French horns ("Orchestral Opening #2" by Cyril Watters, from the Thomas J. Valentino music library). There is a second fanfare where the logo starts with a drum roll, then five changing notes which slow down with five notes, then two more during "DYALI SCOPE".

Availability: This logo was frequently plastered with either the 1978 Golden Harvest, or Media Asia Group logos, but now with the GH library under Fortune Star's hands, this logo has begun to resurface again on recent prints. A notable release with this logo is The Big Boss (a.k.a. The Chinese Connection, its intended American title), the 2023 Blu-ray release of which restores this.

2nd Logo (1971-1972)

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Visuals: Set on a shot of a wheat field, there is the same "GH" from before, but without the wreath. The text "A GOLDEN HARVEST PRESENTATION" appears under it. Chinese characters wipe in left and right of the shield. Then the logo fades out, being replaced by the same Dyali Scope/Eastmancolor info from before but with "IN EASTMANCOLOR".

Technique: Live-action with motion-controlled animation for the logo and text.

Audio: The second fanfare from the previous logo.

Availability: Same as the previous logo. ^[Examples?]

3rd Logo (March 22, 1972-1978)

Visuals: On a black background, a white "GH" is drawing. Then a thin red line is drawing in the "GH". Finally, a wheat-ear is drawn at the top right side of the "H". Four yellow Chinese characters wipe in on both sides of the letters, and "GOLDEN HARVEST PRESENTS", also in yellow, fades in below.

Variant: On a Finnish VHS of The Way of the Dragon, it is stretched to fit the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A suspenseful fanfare followed by xylophone tinkles as the wheat-ear is drawn, then ending with a loud trumpet fanfare.

Availability: This logo was frequently plastered with either the 1978 Golden Harvest or Media Asia Group logos. Now with the GH library under Fortune Star's hands, this logo has begun to resurface again on recent prints.

• This can be seen (in full) on the trailer for When Taekwondo Strikes (1973), which is on the Shout! Factory Angela Mao Ying DVD collection.
• Its first appearance was on Fist of Fury.

4th Logo (March 24, 1978-January 23, 2003)

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Visuals: Over a black background, four orange rectangles appear one-by-one, forming a "G". Then it zooms out as the "G" changes colors. The "G" finally becomes gold and then stops zooming, and "A GOLDEN HARVEST PRESENTATION" in the Helvetica font flashes in under the "G", along with two red Chinese characters on both sides of the rectangle. The text sparkles.

Variants:

• There is a version that lacks the Chinese characters. This was used mainly for international releases of their films.
• A blue colored background version (also lacking the Chinese characters) also exists on international prints of GH titles as well as most Hong Kong prints of GH's international productions.
• There is another version which reads "A GOLDEN HARVEST DISTRIBUTION" in a slightly different font as well as the logo off-center.
• Sometimes, the Chinese characters are shifted up higher.
• Around late 1998 to 2003, the logo was slightly redone, the color change of "G" is brighter with a wipe effect and the word "A GOLDEN HARVEST PRESENTATION (or DISTRIBUTION)" text is slightly different, along with the Chinese text fading with no sparkles.

Technique: Cel animation. The later variant was animated digitally.

Audio: It starts out with four drumbeats as the rectangles appear, then a synth tune plays, ending with a high synth note as the text appears. Later on, the music was rearranged with different instruments. Sometimes it may be silent or may have the opening theme of the movie playing over it.

Audio Variants:

• On the 1978 re-release of Return of the Dragon, the blue-background variant has the music from the Bryanston Pictures logo.
• On some recent Fortune Star prints of GH films, the music from the 1994-2000 Media Asia logo would be heard, due to poor reverse plastering.
• On Blu-ray prints of Miracles, it uses the Golden Way Films music due to an editing mistake.
• On Interactive Murders, Funny Business, and 2002 (Nicholas Tse Film), the 1978 music is used on the 1998 logo.
• On the 1992 Korean VHS of The Best of the Martial Arts Films, the music is slowed down and it's double low pitched.
• On Big Bullet (1996) the music is rearranged, and the 1978 music can be heard faintly.
• On China O'Brien, the music is re-orchestrated, sounding more synthesized.

Availability: This is seen on a lot of martial arts and action movies made in Hong Kong, and plasters older ones on occasion. This was subject to plastering with the Media Asia logo, but in Fortune Star's hands, has been preserved and restored to some recent prints.

• The last theatrical release to use it was My Lucky Star (2003, not the 1985 Jackie Chan film), though the next logo might appear instead.
• The version with "Distribution" variant of the 1978 logo appeared on some films such as Heart of The Dragon as well as certain Taiwanese films such as The Scalper, and it appeared of The Lord of Hangzhou which was released in December 5, 1998.

Legacy: A favorite among Asian film and martial arts fans.

5th Logo (January 23, 2003-2009?)

Visuals: On a black background, a "G" and an "H" are drawn. As the letters finish drawing, a gold square/plate appears, shimmering, with two Chinese characters next to it, which zooms out. Then "Golden Harvest" appears under the square/plate.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A more triumphant and orchestral remake of the 1978 theme, playing in sync with the animation.

Availability: Golden Harvest only produced five films during that period, and the logo is often plastered on current prints.

• It may be seen on at least later prints of 行運超人 (My Lucky Star).
• It was also seen on their website.