Vidmark Entertainment

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Vidmark Entertainment was formed in 1985 by Mark Amin of Vidmark, Inc. as a home video distribution company; it was initially formed to distribute various low-budget movies. It was expanded in 1987 to theatrical distribution, with its first motion picture Demonwarp. The success of the company led Vidmark's theatrical distribution unit to be renamed to Trimark Pictures. The company was successful, so Vidmark launched its game subsidiary Trimark Interactive. Following the formation of Trimark, Vidmark began mostly distributing Trimark's releases on video. In 1995, Vidmark, Inc. was renamed to Trimark Holdings, Inc., with the Trimark branding used on films and games, Vidmark used for video releases and a new label, Kidmark, was used for the newly-acquired kids releases. In 1997, Vidmark was renamed to Trimark Home Video. Lionsgate Films later revived the Vidmark name as a Roku app.



1st Logo (July 1985-December 1988)


Visuals: On a zooming blue space background is the Vidmark logo colored in fuchsia, with "VID" in a solid form and "MARK" in a segmented form, all on a thinly striped pendant shape. It flies in from the top right, swiveling itself in. As it rests in the near-center, the word "ENTERTAINMENT" later fades-in below.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A 3-note horn tune, followed by 3 drumbeats, combined with 3 horn notes, an electric guitar, and a synth flourish.

Availability: Tapes that may have this logo include The New York Ripper, Killing Cars, Midnight (1982), Bloodstalkers, and Izzy and Moe, among others.

2nd Logo (March 18, 1988-January 1, 1998)

Visuals: On a black background with a "trail" effect, the Vidmark logo, now mauve gradient, flies down from the top. Lasers colored neon green, pink, gold, and aquamarine, etch the grooves in "MARK". The word "ENTERTAINMENT" wipes in from the left to the right via a light effect. The logo shines and then zooms toward the screen.

Variant: One version of the logo is more centered, and the logo doesn't zoom towards the screen at the end. These versions are filmed.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: An upbeat disco fanfare better known as a cue from the original version of Star Search. A few releases have it silent.

Availability: Examples of tapes that have this logo include Interceptor, Trading Mom, Hong Kong 97 (the 1994 film), Teresa's Tattoo, The Little Patriot (it is preserved on the Echo Bridge DVD of that film, under the title of Sign of the Otter: The Little Patriot), as it used a print lifted from the original VHS release, and Freefall, among others. It was also spotted on VUDU and Tubi's prints of American Kickboxer 2 and the Amazon Prime and Tubi prints of The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James. Trimark Pictures used it as a placeholder logo on its earliest theatrical releases, such as Backstreet Dreams. It is unknown whether this appeared on U.S. theatrical prints of Endless Descent.

Vidmark Entertainment
Trimark Home Video
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