Vestron Video International

Background

Vestron Video International was formed in 1982 by Vestron Video as a vehicle for international releases of titles it had acquired for distribution. Headquartered in the Netherlands, where it owned a manufacturing facility that served primarily European countries, it owned branches in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico and many other countries, and was the second-largest international video distributor after Warner Home Video. It would later acquire the Locus Video Group and Interaccess Film Distribution, both of which would serve as international distribution arms for Vestron. The international assets were broken off and sold to various companies in the period following Vestron's acquisition by Live Entertainment. Its United Kingdom assets in particular became property of ITV franchise holder HTV, and were reorganized as First Independent Films.

1st Logo (1986)

Visuals: On a zooming space background with a dark blue haze below, after the titles of their releases pass by the screen, the Vestron Video International logo fades in with a chrome finish, colored a blue/white/yellow-graident shine, and the text in 3D. As the text shines, the Vestron logo spins slowly counter-clockwise for one whole cycle. Once the logo finishes spinning, the text and logo split apart and the promo continues as normal.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: A synth tune, accompanied by an announcer saying "Vestron Video welcome you to an exclusive preview of their releases for the second half of 1986. Six great films that will mean great business for you, and great entertainment for your customers."

Availability: Was found on a sales tape.

2nd Logo (1987-1991)

Visuals: On a black background, a small red sphere zooms into view. Zooming towards the sphere are several silver lines, forming a silver "V/Triangle" on the sphere. The sphere settles near the top of the screen and flattens into a circle. Zooming in below it are the words "VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL" in a modified Iconian Fonts' Tigershark font.

Variant: On releases from Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, as well as Spanish-language (dubbed or subtitled) releases in the United States, "INTERNATIONAL" is replaced with "ESPAÑOL".

Technique: CGI. The logo was animated and designed by Jan Carlee, Christine Chang, and Ken Pelin (among others) at R/Greenberg Associates. All three were previously a part of the special effects team for the original TRON movie.

Audio: A synthesized chord followed by a few notes of piano and then a French horn-type sounder with a rising "Ooooh..." choir. This jingle was done by Roger Bellon.

Availability: Seen on PAL versions of Vestron Video VHS releases and NTSC VHS releases from (at least) Canada, Mexico, Brazil or Japan and SECAM VHS releases from France or Russia.

The "ESPAÑOL" variant has been spotted on a Spanish-subtitled cassette of Into the Fire (also known as The Legend of Wolf Lodge).
- The "ESPAÑOL" variant was also, according to a YouTube comment, seen on a 2005 Spanish-dubbed TeleFutura airing of the 1986 film Salvador before the Hemdale logo (possibly because TeleFutura used the Spanish VHS's master).
The international version of the logo is also preserved on the 1987 UK VHS releases of The Life and Loves of Elsie Tanner, The NFL's Greatest Games, and My Little Pony: The Movie (1986), the 1988 UK VHS releases of Dirty Dancing: The Concert Tour and The Roux Brothers: Meat and Fish, the 1989 UK VHS release of The Princess Bride (1987), and the 1990 UK VHS releases of Nick Faldo's Golf Course: Volume 2 and Banjo The Woodpile Cat, respectively.
It is also intact on an all-NTSC Hong Kong DVD release of From Beyond, which was distributed by Ocean Shores Video Limited.