Video Treasures
Nightspears, BenIsRandom, and others
Background
Video Treasures was a budget video distribution company founded in 1985 by George Port. Initially distributing public domain films, the company ended up making licensing deals with Vestron Video, Hal Roach Studios, CST Entertainment, Media Home Entertainment, and Saban Entertainment among others. In 1994, Video Treasures was acquired by Handleman Co. and merged with Starmaker. In 1995, Video Treasures and Starmaker became labels of the newly-formed Anchor Bay Entertainment.
1st Logo (1985-1988)
Visuals: On a space background with zooming stars, the Video Treasures logo, which has the thick-fonted name stacked in white with a red line dividing the 2 words, and the "T"'s crossbar also extended to fit it, swoops down and upwards into place. "PRESENTS" then wipes in below if the logo is used at the beginning of the tape.
Technique: 2D computer animation.
Audio: An excerpt from the classical piece "Symphony No. 8 in G major: Allegro con brio" by Antonín Dvořák. Silent on the closing version.
Availability:
- This logo may appear on early releases of PD titles that they put out, notably Charade, It's a Wonderful Life, Royal Wedding, Fantastic Planet, The Snows Of Killimanjaro, Men In War, Godzilla Vs Megalon, Shock, Cartoon Favorites, and a 1987 reprint of American Tickler.
- The best way to find out is look for their older releases in clamshell packaging or slipcover box or if the Video Treasures logo takes up the top left corner of the box.
2nd Logo (1987-1998)
Visuals: On a stone wall, several tiles are seen embossed with the Video Treasures logo on them. The one in the center then fades to black, along with the red line, zooms in to a larger size, and then shimmers with a light gold line. The background then fades to a blue-black gradient background, and "Presents" appears below. The logo still has a stone texture, and has a white outline surrounding it.
Variants:
- A short variant exists where the logo is already in place.
- At the end of some tapes, the end result is shown without "Presents", and the logo shines once.
Technique: 2D computer animation.
Audio: A synthesized chime note followed by a long warbling synth note that holds out and reverberates for the rest of the logo. Silent for the closing version.
Availability:
- This logo appears on budget versions (recorded in SP, LP, or EP/SLP tape speeds) of Media Home Entertainment re-releases and such in the late 1980s to early/mid '90s.
- From 1996-98, most of Video Treasures' output was reissued (in SLP/EP speeds) under the Anchor Bay Entertainment name (with the early '90s adjust tracking/FBI warning screens intact, although the former logo still appeared on the tapes).
- Some examples include God Told Me To, Halloween, Prom Night, Dracula, Prince of Darkness, The Delta Force, and others. It also appears on several cartoon compilations.
- On the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends tape "Rusty to the Rescue and Other Stories", the closing variant appears at the beginning instead of the standard logo.
- The standard opening logo was used for intermissions on the company's martial arts double features, such as Shaolin: The Blood Mission/Deadly Shaolin Longfist.
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Video Treasures |
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