HandMade Films

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

HandMade Films was a production company founded by former Beatle George Harrison and business partner Denis O'Brien. It was formed primarily to back Monty Python's Life of Brian after the original financiers dropped it. It also purchased the rights to The Long Good Friday from producer British Lion Films. HandMade later became one of the most dominant companies in the British film industry, making such important films as Time Bandits (1981), Mona Lisa (1986), and Withnail & I (1987). Harrison and O'Brien later sold HandMade to Paragon Entertainment Corporation in 1994. Changing hands over the years, it was eventually acquired by Patrick Meehan, former manager of the band Black Sabbath. The company saw a lot of financial struggles during that time, and on 2 February 2011, it was reorganised as HandMade Limited, a private company. The new name would last until its dissolution on 22 February 2018.

Logo (17 August 1979-4 December 2009)


Visuals: On a black background, an emblem zooms into the frame. It consists of a hand pointing to the left with film camera parts (a tripod at the bottom, reel holders at the top and the lens on the pointing finger), and below it, the words "HAND MADE FILMS", in a fancy font and looking rather curved. Usually, the word "present" or "PRESENTS" fades in below.

Trivia: The logo was designed by Terry Gilliam, Monty Python collaborator and director of Time Bandits.

Variants:

  • On The Long Good Friday, the logo is in blue on a cloud background.
  • The logo can be seen in either white or yellow.
  • The logo is often still.
  • The film adaptation of Tales of the Riverbank and Planet 51 have the word "INTERNATIONAL" below the logo.

Technique: Traditional animation.

Audio: The opening and/or closing themes of the movie, or none.

Availability: Seen on The Long Good Friday, Time Bandits, Water (1985), Shanghai Surprise, Checking Out, Nuns on the Run, and Planet 51. It was also seen on original prints as well as an old VHS of Monty Python's Life of Brian. It made its last appearance on Cracks.

Paragon Entertainment Corporation
HandMade Films
GFM Animation
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