Star Video

Background

Star Video was established in 1980 as the home video division of Publishing and Broadcasting, Limited. It was one of the Magnificent Seven home video distributors, and was later one of eight labels Publishing and Broadcasting Video distributed. The label was phased out by 1984.

1st Logo (1982-1984?)

Visuals: The first element shown is a blue wireframe grid stretched out into the horizon against a black background. Then, the background fades to pink, and some lasers from the lower-left area of the grid shoot out from underneath it, causing it to flash blue, green, red, and yellow, in that order. Then, a "sparkling" rainbow rises up from that area, and as it continues to rise, the background changes between three different cloudy skies, then a space background (ergo, the background changes depending on altitude). Then, the rainbow curves 90 degrees to the right and flashes brightly as the background cross-fades again to light-blue. This reveals the words "STAR VIDEO" at the end of the rainbow, which "sparkles".

Variants:

Some tapes end with the Star Video logo on a white background zooming in with a motion blur effect to fill the screen.
At the end of a 1984 VHS of Breaker Morant, the logo plays in the bottom right and freezes-frames at the 3rd sky background. From here, a blue and white box with the words "STAR VIDEO", in a thick font with a 8-pointed star in the "A", pops in. This is actually one of the print logos they have at the time. It is accompanied by the words "DISTRIBUTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH" in the top right corner of the screen and the Australian Video logo in the top left corner.

Technique: A combination of the 2D analog computer and cel animation.

Audio: An ominous synthesized bass with 3 "popping sounds" as the lasers strike the grid, culminating in 2 bombastic synth organ chords (G♯ major and C major), with the last chord held up to the warning screen (though sometimes fading out early). The closing variant plays over the ending theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on Australian videotapes distributed by PBV under the Star Video label, such as the 1971 TV movie Sweet, Sweet Rachel, or In Broad Daylight.

2nd Logo (1983?-1984)

Visuals: On a black background, six lasers fly in from the right, forming a segmented neon blue star with smaller lines trailing in from the right, representing a shadow. "STAR VIDEO", in an italicized Arial font in the same colour, zooms-out as some little stars flash on the big star. The logo shines.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: 8 laser zaps, followed by a dramatic synth brass theme with 4 synth "chirps".

Availability: It appears on later Star Video releases, such as the PBV release of The Executioner's Song.