HandMade Films (UK)/Summary

Background: HandMade Films is a production company founded by former Beatle George Harrison and business partner Denis O'Brien. It was formed primarily to back Monty Python's Life of Brian after the original financiers dropped it. It also purchased the rights to The Long Good Friday from producer British Lion. HandMade later became one of the most dominant companies in the British film industry, making such important films as Time Bandits (1981), Mona Lisa (1986), and Withnail & I (1987). Harrison and O'Brien later sold HandMade to Paragon Entertainment Corporation in 1994. Changing hands over the years, it was eventually acquired by Patrick Meehan, former manager of the band Black Sabbath.

(November 3, 1980- )

Logo: On a black background, an emblem zooms into the frame. It consists of a hand pointing to the left with film camera parts (a tripod at the bottom, reel holders at the top and the lens on the pointing finger), and below it, the words "HAND MADE FILMS", in a fancy font and looking rather curved. Usually, the word "present" or "PRESENTS" fades in below.

Trivia: The logo was designed by Terry Gilliam, Monty Python collaborator and director of Time Bandits.

Variants:
 * The first film that uses this logo, The Long Good Friday, had the logo in blue on a cloud background.
 * Depending on the film, the logo appears in either white or yellow.
 * Often, a still version is used.
 * Planet 51 had the word "INTERNATIONAL" below the logo.

FX/SFX: The zoom-in, the fade in of "PRESENTS."

Music/Sounds: The opening and/or closing themes of the movie, or none.

Availability: Very common. Seen on HandMade releases such as The Long Good Friday, Time Bandits, Water (1985), Shanghai Surprise, Checking Out, Nuns on the Run, and Planet 51.