Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Home Video Bumpers)

North American Bumpers

1st Bumper (June 1-October 21, 1985)

Visuals: On a background of multiple stripes (from top to bottom: yellow, thin blue, black space, yellow, blue, thin white, thick red) is the large word "ALSO" in a thick red font, with the word "AVAILABLE" in an italicized, formal font, underlined in red. The white line is gapped on the right by the word "FROM", in the same font; the same space has a small black line drawn in the thick red stripe at the bottom. It quickly "page turns" to reveal the RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video logo.

Variant: There is a variant that cuts to the RCA/Columbia logo instead of doing the "page turn".

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Only known so far to appear on Starman, Runaway, and rental copies of Ghostbusters (sale copies have no previews) from 1985.

2nd Bumper (1989-1990)

Visuals: On a magenta background, one of these would be on the screen:

COMING SOON ON VIDEOCASSETTE
COMING SOON TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU (here, the font is different and with shadow effects and the background is gradient.

Variants: Another version of the "COMING SOON TO A THEATRE YOU" screen has a pink gradient background and no shadow effects.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on RCA/Columbia tapes of the time, one of which is See No Evil, Hear No Evil. The pink "COMING SOON TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU" screen is seen on The Karate Kid Part III.

3rd Bumper (February 1990-1993)

Visuals: On a blue gradient background, a silver filmstrip with black pictures with the yellow words "Sneak Preview", stacked on top of each other, flies in from the right. The screen then focuses on the strip as it moves until it stops, with the beginning of the trailer replacing the "Sneak Preview" pictures. The trailer then zooms in from the filmstrip, filling the whole screen.

Variant: Sometimes, the trailer will play during the animation. Other times it doesn't start until the screen zooms in the preview.

Technique: Just simple computer animation from 1990.

Audio: A low synthesized note that plays for the duration of the logo. There is also a male announcer that says one of the following:

For soon to be theatrical releases, "And now, a special sneak preview of movies coming to a theater near you."
For upcoming releases on home video, "And now, a sneak preview of upcoming videocassette releases."

Availability: Can be found on VHS release from RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video and Columbia TriStar Home Video, such as Immediate Family, Casualties of War, Pump Up the Volume, My Girl, the first two Look Who's Talking films, One False Move, Hudson Hawk, Men at Work, Curse IV: The Ultimate Sacrifice, Arena (1989), Fast Getaway, Too Much Sun, Night of the Living Dead (1990), City of Joy, and Single White Female. Also seen on the original VHS releases of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Groundhog Day and Full Contact (a couple of the few CTHV releases to have this and the third CTHV logo).

Legacy: If you look around the sides while the trailer plays, you can see some of the filmstrip outside. Sometimes, it's not there, but it's usually kept.

4th Bumper (Castle Rock Variant, 1996-1997)

Visuals: On a black background, one of the following lines would be on the screen:

"The Following Feature Is Coming Soon To A Theatre Near You."
"The Following Feature Is Coming Soon To Home Video."

Variant: A variant of the "theater" line reads "The Following Features Are Coming Soon To A Theatre Near You."

Technique: Just a fade-in/fade out.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on the original VHS releases of select Castle Rock Entertainment films that were distributed by CTHV and Turner Home Entertainment in that period, such as Alaska, The American President, City Hall, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Othello, and Striptease.

Legacy/Final Note: After Columbia TriStar Home Video changed its logo in 1993, from there on until the end of pre-recorded VHS, they just used their logos for sneak preview bumpers. Descriptions of those can be found on the regular logo descriptions of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment at the Audiovisual Identity Database. These bumpers, however, mark a surprising exception to the rule.

International Bumpers

United Kingdom

1st Bumper (1987)

Visuals: On a black background is the text "AT THE CINEMA NOW" in white.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: This was found on the 1987 UK rental VHS of Just Between Friends, following a short trailer for Platoon.

2nd Bumper (1988-1993)

Visuals: On a black background is the text "COMING ATTRACTIONS" in a silver shiny font.

Variant: Rarely, this bumper would feature which season/month of the year the forthcoming videos were being released.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on British RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video and Columbia TriStar Home Video releases from the time.

3rd Bumper (1991-1992)

Visuals: On a black-purple or dark blue-black gradient background is the stacked words "GREAT MOVIES FOR YOU TO BUY" in a bold white Futura font.

Variants:

On some releases, "GREAT" is over "MOVIES".
Sometimes, the background is a red-black gradient background, and the text is replaced by "NOW AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO BUY" in a gray font, with a white light slowly rotating clockwise around them.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: The standard version appears on some 20/20 Vision UK rental releases from 1991, such as Hudson Hawk, Creepers and Drop Dead Fred. The variant appears of the original retail version of The Silence of the Lambs.

4th Bumper (1992-1993)

Visuals: Over a light-dark blue gradient background is either "VIDEOS FOR YOU TO OWN" or "COMING SOON" in a bold Helvetica font.

Variant: Very rarely, the words "FOR YOU TO OWN'" slide in from the sides on a black-red gradient background.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: For the first bumper, the very end of the music from the 20/20 Vision logo can be briefly heard. The second has a gong sound, similar to the Rank Organisation logo. The variant is silent.

Availability: Mostly appears on retail tapes of very early Columbia TriStar Home Video UK releases, such as The Pope Must Die. The variant appears on My Girl.

5th Bumper (1992-1995)

Visuals: There are the words "COMING SOON FROM COLUMBIA TRISTAR" in either a Times New Roman or Helvetica font on a black background.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: This bumper only appears on rental tapes of Buena Vista-released films, such as Father of the Bride, California Man, Tina: What's Love Got to Do With It, and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.

6th Bumper (1993-1994)

Visuals: Over a black-dark purple gradient background is the white words "AVAILABLE IN THE NEW YEAR FOR YOU TO OWN".

Variant: A variant exists for cinema releases, where the background is lighter and the text instead reads "COMING SOON TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU" with a white light shining within them. The light rotates a few times around the words.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: The "AVAILABLE IN THE NEW YEAR" variant appears on the UK VHS of Groundhog Day, and the cinema variant appears on the rental edition of Look Who's Talking Now!.

7th Bumper (1998)

Visuals: The screen fades in on a green mist, which narrows to reveal the logo for Godzilla. "Own your copy from 22nd March" soon fades in underneath.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: Godzilla roaring.

Availability: Seen on the UK rental VHS of Godzilla.

Australia

1st Bumper (1988?-1993)

Visuals: Same as the British bumper at the time, but it fades from the RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video logo from the time.

Technique: Same as the British bumper at the time.

Audio: The tail end of the RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video logo music.

Availability: Seen on Aussie RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video and Columbia TriStar Home Video releases from the time.

2nd Bumper (1994?-1998)

Visuals: After the Columbia TriStar Home Video logo finishes, it fades out and the words "NOW" and "AVAILABLE" connecting and zooming in from the top and bottom of the screen respectively.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: The tail end of the Columbia TriStar Home Video logo.

Availability: Found on Australian tapes at the time, such as Napoleon and Jerry Maguire.

Japan

1st Bumper (Mid 1980's?-Early 1990's)

Visuals: Over a blue background is the text "RCAコロンビア・ピクチャーズ・ビデオが贈る話題作 (Titles of movies previewed) のご紹介をいたします。あわせてご鑑賞下さい。" ("Introducing the hot topics (Movie titles) presented by RCA Columbia Pictures Video. Please appreciate it together." in Japanese).

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: This was found on Japanese VHS releases of the time, such as Psycho Cop and The Witches.

2nd Bumper (Early-Late 1990's)

Visuals: Over a dodger blue background is the text "ソニー・ピクチャーズエンタテインメントが贈る話題作 (Movie titles) のご紹介をいたします。あわせてご鑑賞下さい。" ("Introducing the hot topics (Movie titles) presented by Sony Pictures Entertainment. Please appreciate it together." in Japanese).

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: This was found on Japanese VHS releases of the time, such as Philadelphia.

Germany

1st Bumper (1989-Early 1990's)

Visuals: After the warning screen ends, a filmstrip with the words "FILM" and "TIP" appearing inside the frames scrolls up, and the screen zooms in on the RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video logo.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: The ending of the warning screen's music.

Availability: Found on later German PAL tapes from RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video.

2nd Bumper (Early 1990's-Early 2000's)

Visuals: After the warning screen wipes itself out, an FSK label saying "Freigegeben ohne Altersbeschränkung gemäß § 7 JÖSchG FSK" ("Released without age restriction according to Par. 7 of FSK's Youth Protection Act") flies in. It then rotates and moves to the left side of the screen, before returning to the center. Then, it fades into a silver rectangle, which rotates to reveal the words "FILM TIP" and moves at a position where it faces them. The words emit a yellow light that displays an aqua background and a countdown on the rectangle. Finally, the screen zooms in on the rectangle as the background on it becomes black.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: The warning screen's music, which segues into a synth rock theme.

Availability: Found on German tapes at the time, such as Stuart Little, Muppets from Space (Muppets aus dem All) and Gattaca.

Brazil

1st Bumper (Late 1980's-Late 1990's)

Visuals: Over a blue background is the text "A SEGUIR VOCÊ ASSISTIRÁ A TRAILERS DE FILMES EM CARTAZ ATUALMENTE NOS CINEMAS E QUE POSTERIORMENTE SERÃO LANÇADOS EM VÍDEO PELA LK-TEL. ("NEXT YOU WILL WATCH TRAILERS OF MOVIES ON DISPLAY CURRENTLY IN CINEMAS AND THAT WILL BE LATER RELEASED ON VIDEO BY LK-TEL." in Portuguese).

Variant: If only one trailer is played, the text is replaced by "A SEGUIR VOCÊ ASSISTIRÁ AO TRAILER DE UM FILME EM CARTAZ ATUALMENTE NOS CINEMAS E QUE POSTERIORMENTE SERÃ LANÇADO EM VÍDEO PELA LK-TEL." ("NEXT YOU WILL WATCH THE TRAILER OF A MOVIE ON DISPLAY CURRENTLY IN CINEMAS AND THAT WILL LATER BE RELEASED ON VIDEO BY LK-TEL.").

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Brazilian VHS releases of the time, such as Look Who's Talking Now (Olha quem está falando agora).

2nd Bumper (Early 2000's)

Visuals: Over a blue background is the text "ASSISTA AGORA ALGUNS TRAILERS DE SUCESSOS DA COLUMBIA TRISTAR" ("WATCH SOME TRAILERS FROM COLUMBIA-TRISTAR SUCCESSES NOW").

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on Columbia-Tristar tapes at the time, such as Men in Black II.

Argentina

1st Bumper (Mid-Late 1990's)

Visuals: On a black background, there are the words "PROXIMO ESTRENO" ("COMING SOON" in Spanish).

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on Argentine VHS releases at the time.

2nd Bumper (Early 2000's)

Visuals: On a blue background, there are the words "PROXIMO ESTRENO".

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on Argentine VHS releases at the time.

Spain

Bumper (Early 2000's?)

Visuals: On a steel blue background with light rays coming from the center and a square on the lower right corner, there is a rectangle with the text "PRÓXIMO ESTRENO EN VIDEO Y DVD" ("COMING SOON ON VIDEO AND DVD" in Spanish) in a futuristic font inside in the center.

Variant: Before cinema previews, the text reads "ESTRENO EN CINE" ("COMING TO CINEMAS").

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: So far, it's only known to be available in the Spanish VHS release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (El Señor de los Anillos: la Comunidad del Anillo).

Italy

1st Bumper (Late 1980's-1996?)

Visuals: Same as the Australian bumper at the time, but the text is replaced by "PROSSIMAMENTE SUL VOSTRO SCHERMO" ("COMING SOON TO YOUR SCREEN" in Italian}.

Technique: Same as the Australian bumper at the time.

Audio: Same as the Australian bumper at the time.

Availability: Found on Italian tapes at the time, such as Someone to Watch Over Me (Chi Protegge il Testimone).

2nd Bumper (Early-Mid 1990's?)

Visuals: On a black background, there are the words "PROSSIMAMENTE NEI MIGLIORI CINEMA ("COMING SOON TO THE BEST CINEMAS").

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on Italian tapes at the time.

Chile

Bumper (Early 2000's)

Visuals: On a black background, there are the words "OTROS ESTRENOS" ("OTHER RELEASES" in Spanish) scroll to the center of the screen.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on Chilean tapes at the time

Portugal

Bumper (Early 2000's?)

Visuals: Over a black background is the word "BREVEMENTE" ("COMING SOON" in Portuguese).

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on Portuguese tapes at the time.