Hsin Wha Motion Picture Co.

Background

Hsin Wha Motion Picture Co. (新華影業公司) was established as Xinhua Film Company in Shanghai, 1934 by Chang San-kuen and his wife Tong Yue Juan. After the Chinese Civil War, the couple set up their Hong Kong branch in 1947, and later produced Hong Kong's first feature film in Eastmancolor, Blood Will Tell, released in 1955. The last production of HK Hsin Wha was Dress Off for Life, released in 1984.

1st Logo (1936?-1940's?)

Visuals: On an ocean background , there is an outlined circle containing a drawing of a lighthouse. Two birds are seen flying around the circle.Later at the top, the Chinese company name, with a trail behind, wipes in. The whole thing fades out after a few seconds, minus the text, which wipes out instead.

Technique: Cel animation and light effects.

Audio: A fanfare featuring a timpani, violins and a trumpet, consisting of descending notes at the beginning and a grand held-out note and drumroll at the end.

Availability: Can be found on early Chinese films like Song At Midnight (a Chinese take of the "Phantom Of The Opera" story) and Thunderstorm.

2nd Logo (1947-1950's?)

• 
• 

Visuals: On a white background, there is another outlined circle with a different lighthouse drawing inside. In front on it, there is a filmstrip surrounding it with the Chinese company name on it.

Technique: A still, painted graphic.

Audio: A majestic fanfare.

Availability: The logo can be seen in The Moon-Blanch'd Land (月兒彎彎照九州).

3rd Logo (1950's?-1960s?, 1973)

• 
• 

Visuals: A video of a lighthouse on a bay is shown. The Chinese name is shown above it. Below, there is the English company name: "HSIN WHA Motion Picture Production".

Variant: In later years, the logo are widescreen (or probably full screen), and the video footage is different, the Chinese text is different and in yellow font, and the ribbon is red and the English name is also yellow.

Technique: Model work.

Audio: A slow fanfare. The 1973 version has the fanfare cut out.

Availability: Probably intact on some films made by Hsin Hwa, including The Flame of Love (戀之火第二春), You Are the Winds of Spring (郎如春日風) and She Sets My Heart on Fire (噴火女郎). The 1973 variant is appeared on The Dark Alley and The Dragon Blows (aka. Dragon Fist), which can be viewed on Chinese Taipei Film Archive.