Nordisk Film

Background

Nordisk Film was opened in November 6, 1906 by Danish filmmaker Ole Olsen. It claims to be the oldest continuously active film studio in the world and the 4th oldest behind Gaumont, Pathé, Nikkatsu Corporation, Titanus, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures. While it did go bankrupt in 1928, the studio did not close down and was reformed in 1929. It was bought by Egmont in 1992.

Contents

1st Logo (October 3, 1907)	2nd Logo (January 10, 1914)	3rd Logo (February 1, 1919)	4th Logo (May 23, 1920)	5th Logo (1948-1968, 2015)	6th Logo (October 11, 1968-1984, 2019)	7th Logo (1983-1987)


8th Logo (Mid 1980's)	9th Logo (Late 1987-1998)	10th Logo (1987-1998)	11th Logo (90th Anniversary) (1996)	12th Logo (1998-2005)	13th Logo (2005-2020)	14th Logo (2020-)

1st Logo (October 3, 1907)

Visuals: On a black background, there is a model globe (showing Africa and part of Eurasia) with "COPENHAGEN" in black over it. On top of the globe is a polar bear roaring. Arched under the globe is "⅍NORDISK FILMS KOMPAGNI". The polar bear roars multiple times.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: None.

Availability: Only seen on Fyrtøjet.

Legacy: This is currently one of the oldest logos on this wiki, and one of the only ones with actual footage to prove it.

2nd Logo (January 10, 1914)

Visuals: On a black background and surrounded by white borders, a print polar bear with its head raised is standing on a globe containing Europe and "COPENHAGEN" inside. Wrapped around it is "• NORDISK • FILMS • COMPAGNI •". Two emblems are also seen next to the polar bear.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: None.

Availability: It was resurfaced on Eyefilm's print of The Eleventh Hour.

3rd Logo (February 1, 1919)

Visuals: Just some sepia-toned footage of a book turning its pages by a hand, with the pages containing the credits on them. The hand then turns the pages to a right blank page and a mostly blank page on the left. Here, a small version on the logo is seen in black print. It comprises of a globe with longitude and latitude lines, containing a muddy-looking Europe with "COPENHAGEN" written across it. On top of the globe is a polar bear roaring and encircling the globe is "⅍ NORDISKFILMS COMPAGNI". The hand then flips to the last set of blank pages, and finally closes the cover.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: Either none, or the film's opening/closing theme.

Availability: Can be seen on The President.

4th Logo (May 23, 1920)

Visuals: On a black background, two print polar bears with their heads raised are standing on a their globes, wrapped around it is "• NORDISK • FILMS • COMPAGNI •".

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: None.

Availability: It was resurfaced on Eyefilm's print of Autorace.

5th Logo (1948-1968, 2015)

Visuals: On a black background, the Nordisk Film logo at the time fades in. This time, the globe is now redesigned to have a view of Eurasia and Africa, as well as more lines. The globe is also colored light grey with dark grey seas. The text surrounding the globe is also in a different font and "COMPAGNI" now says "KOMPAGNI". On top of the globe, a live-action polar bear, with its feet now close together rather being spread out, now stands on top of the globe, holding its head up for a bit, before looking around for the remainder of time. It puts its head back up as the logo fades.

Variant: The logo was restored for a couple of newer films, where it's smaller and green-tinted.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: None.

Availability: Appears on Qivitoq and several other titles.

6th Logo (October 11, 1968-1984, 2019)

Visuals: Basically just the logo from before, but with the live-action polar bear being replaced with a drawn one.

Variants: The logo experienced some minor changes during the years:

1962-1972: The polar bear is colored an intense white, and the globe is more realistic, with it colored green with blue seas. It also appears to be rotated. The background is black with light colors to represent the northern lights.
1973: The background is now blue, and the polar bear has black details instead of light blue. The globe is also redrawn again, with blue continents, simplified details, and a "COPENHAGEN in a larger print. The text also has a shadow effect.
1974: The name is now placed below in Times New Roman, now properly capitalized. The background is also darker.
1975-1979, 2019: The background is even darker and the logo has reverted back to the 1973 variant, but with black text and white land.
1981: A prototype of the next logo, the polar bear is now just a simple outline with a white eye, standing on a wreath with "75" on it. To the left of it is "1906" and to the right is "1981". Below is "NORDISK FILM".

Technique: A painting filmed by a camera.

Audio: None.

Availability: The majority of older Nordisk films are not easy to find. However, it appears on the local masterpiece Olsen-banden (Olsen's Gang, 1968) and its numerous sequels. Also can be found on Slap af, Frede and a couple of other available movies.

7th Logo (1983-1987)

Visuals: On a black background, the 1981 variant of the 3rd logo appears, but without any text and the wreath replaced with a simple wireframe ball.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None or the opening theme.

Availability: Seen on films from the era.

8th Logo (Mid 1980's)

Visuals: Over a blue background is the logo with light-blue outlines placed in the middle of the screen with centered text of "Distributed through" above and "NTD A/S" below.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Could be found at the beginning of early prints of certain movies and shows aired on television during the mid 1980's. So far it has been spotted in the Finnish TV airing of Knightriders.

9th Logo (Late 1987-1998)

Visuals: On a blue-black gradient background, a shiny blue line is seen. It then zooms out and rotates to the left, revealing the logo from before as "NORDISK FILM" wipes in below.

Technique: CGI effects.

Audio: A triumphant synth fanfare.

Availability: Seen on VHS releases of their films. It was mostly seen in the ending of films.

10th Logo (1987-1998)

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Visuals: On a marble-like background with a light-blue to light gray gradient is the logo of Nordisk Film rotating and rising, until it comes to a stop in the middle of the screen. Then, a dark blue rectangle with a white border fades behind the logo. Then, the logo moves up as the warning text scrolls up. Once the text scrolls out of the screen, the Nordisk Film logo does the same animation at the beginning, except no dark blue rectangle fades in. Then, the logo fades to black.

Variants: On Finnish tapes distributed by Nordisk Film, the Finnish warning fades in, replacing the logo with the warning screen on the same marble background. On some releases from the company, once the warning text scrolls out of the screen, the word "TRAILER" spins and moves out before coming to a complete stop. Then, fade to black.

Technique: CGI, possibly compiled in-house.

Audio: Possibly stock music.

Availability: Seen on Nordisk Film home video releases from the era.

11th Logo (90th Anniversary) (1996)

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Visuals: Starting off with the 5th logo, it slowly zooms out. As it starts to spin, it glows white and the background turns into a dark blue space background with nebula clouds. The logo transforms into the logo from before, but in orange, as a large "9Oth" zooms out around the logo. As it zooms out further, the text "NORDISK FILM" and "ANNIVERSARY" rotate with a group of 6-pointed stars and the logo connects with the text. The logo then shines and a ping appears on one of the stars.

Technique: Live action from the 5th logo transitioning to CGI.

Audio: A silent film piano tune (complete with crackles) is heard at the start, before transitioning to an orchestral fanfare.

Availability: ^[Examples?]

12th Logo (1998-2005)

Visuals: Peering over the edge of an icy cliff, a polar bear walks over the cliff with a sun breaking through the clouds and snow blowing towards the screen. The camera then rotates above the cliff, over the polar bear (which looks at us) and to the side of the polar bear. The polar bear then roars and the Earth beneath shrinks rapidly. The snow stops, the polar bear shines brightly along with the Earth, and lines then form below the globe. Then, the entire logo flashes and brings forth the logo on a dark blue background. Below it, the text "NORDISK FILM" and the byline "an Egmont company" fade in, and the logo shines as mist passes along.

Variants:

There's a filmed version used on most films that lacks the byline.
On films produced by Egmont like Olsen Banden Junior and At kende sandheden, the logo is instead placed on a zooming space background, while the name reads "Nordisk Film Production".
Some distributed movies would have "NORDISK FILM INTERNATIONAL SALES" below.
A short version exists, where the logo starts with the polar bear roaring.
A fullscreen version also exists where the text says "NORDISK FILM & TV" (for TV movies) or "NORDISK FILM SALGSVIDEO"/"NORDISK FILM VIDEO" (for VHS releases).
A still print variant also exists.
- Mumble Bumble has the text "EGMONT IMAGINATION" under the "NORDISK FILM" text.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An atmospheric music entry followed with the polar bear roaring, and then a three-note violin tune. Composed by Jacob Groth.

Availability: The full version is seen on DVDs and VHS tapes in Scandinavia, serving as the de-facto home video logo. It can be found on releases such as Reservoir Dogs and At kende sandheden.

13th Logo (2005-2020)

Visuals: In a snowstorm, a face appears in the distance. It then disappears and reappears closer to the screen, looking around a bit. It then reappears again closer to the screen. It then cuts to a close of of an eye surrounded by white hairs, blinking once. It then cuts to a polar bear emerging through the snow, before cutting to a shot of its paws walking on top of ice. The polar bear then gets up, first with a shot of its paw lifting up, then the polar bear fully standing up, with the snowstorm clearing to reveal a starry night. The polar bear looks around, then gets back down, with some shots of it in the process, including one with its front paws clawing up the snow. The camera then cuts to one last shot with the bear, with the bear coming up towards the screen and sniffing around as a light in the shape of the Nordisk Film logo materializes on the bear. The bear then growls once and walks off the screen, revealing a black background with the Nordisk Film logo from before, but with the polar bear being completely white and completely redrawn in general. A sparkle draws in "We bring stories to life" in a sketchy font as a box with Egmont's logo in one side fades in around the logo.

Variants:

When the company celebrated its Centenary during 2006, the logo had the years "1906" and "2006" wiping next to the globe. The box and the slogan only fade in.
There's a medium version used for home video releases, composed by clips of the blinking eye, the paws walking on the ice and bear roaring. Then the animation proceeds at normal.
Later on, an enhanced variant is made, with several minor scenes added into the sequence and other modifications. At the end, "EGMONT" just appears below the logo, without any box. This debuted in 2011.
As for the previous logo, a still production version exists, which reads "NORDISK FILM" under the bear picture.
At the end of a trailer for every Oskars Videofilm release, the animals are sitting in the movie theater, watching this logo.

Technique: CGI by FRAME.

Audio: A more dramatic version of the theme, with more sound effects for the wind and snow with the polar bear growling. This version was mixed at JAM Audio Post in Copenhagen.

Availability: Seen on various film releases in Scandinavia from this era, like Penelope, After the Wedding, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dear John, W, Young Victoria, Twilight, Over Her Dead Body, Shine a Light and Marie Antoinette. It was also used as a de-facto home video logo.

14th Logo (2020-)

Visuals: On a black background, a light starts glowing with large trails before flashing very briefly and very quickly, causing a ice chunk to form. The camera starts to zoom out and rotate clockwise as the ice shard begins to expand out drastically. As the camera zooms out from the cavern-like corridors, it reveals that it was actually a snowflake and it flies away, with a bunch of other snowflakes now falling in the background. As the blizzard keeps going, a light blue polar bear head starts to form within the snow. As it zooms out, it reveals itself to be part of the new Nordisk Film logo, which is the last logo's polar bear, but inverted and is now standing atop a crescent instead of a globe. As it starts to turn white, the snow fades away and "NORDISK FILM" in a Sans font zooms out, along with the "EGMONT" corporate text, as it moves to the center. A visible aura is also seen for a few seconds before disappearing. Mist then wipes in the same "We bring stories to life" as before.

Variants:

A short version exists.
On films such as Narvik, the short version (where the crescent rises as the polar bear fades in) has the text "PRODUCTION" slide next to "FILM". Also, the tagline is removed.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A soft whoosh starts off the logo, which is then quickly followed by a deep bass synth note with the sound of ice crackling and forming. A soft, yet dramatic tone consisting of violins and piano notes then plays out, along with the sound of wind as it reveals the snowstorm. At the end, the same 3-note fanfare as the previous 2 logos plays. Sometimes, it's silent.

Availability: Unknown.