Anchor Bay Entertainment

Logo descriptions by Kris Starring and EnormousRat Logo captures and editions by Wyraachur, Shadeed A. Kelly, Eric S., V of Doom, MariluHennerArtist45, CooleyBoy10, Derrick Anderson, and others Video captures courtesy of EnormousRat, retro vhs trailers, and superfunforeveryone

Background: Anchor Bay Entertainment is a home video and production company originally formed in 1985 as Video Treasures. The company competed with Starmaker Video until May 1995, when both were purchased by the Handleman Company and merged into Anchor Bay. It remained a part of Handleman until 2003, when it was sold to IDT Entertainment. In 2006, IDT was purchased by Starz Media and the next year Anchor Bay was renamed Starz Home Entertainment, only for it to revert back to its original name in 2008. In March 2011, The Weinstein Company purchased 25% of Anchor Bay.

Video Treasures

1st Logo (1985-1988)

Video Treasures PresentsAnchor Bay Entertainment - CLG Wiki

Logo: On a zooming space background, we see the Video Treasures logo in white with a red line dividing the two words. It's elongated that's it the same width as "TREASURES". The word "PRESENTS" wipes in below from the top. On the closing variation, "PRESENTS" is omitted.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Typical '80s computer animation.

Music/Sounds: A classical orchestral piece. Silent on the closing variation.

Availability: Scarce.This appeared on some releases of the era.

Scare Factor: Low.

2nd Logo (1988-1998)

Video Treasures PresentsStarz Home Entertainment - CLG Wiki

Nickname: "Migraine Marble"

Logo: We see a stone wall whose bricks have the "VIDEO TREASURES" logo, same as the 1st logo, carved on them. The logo is the underlined word "VIDEO" centered on top of "TREASURES", in which the horizontal line of the T is elongated to extend over the smaller "REASURES". The carved logo in the center brick fades into marble (except for the underline under "VIDEO" which is red) and zooms in towards us and shines. Finally, the stone wall background fades into a plain, blue-black gradient, and the white word "Presents" appears under "VIDEO TREASURES".

Variant: There is a version of this logo that appears at the end of tapes that features the shining Video Treasures logo on the gradient background, but without "Presents" (On the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends tape "Rusty to the Rescue and Other Stories", this logo can even be seen at the beginning instead of the standard logo!), but not all releases have this variant.

FX/SFX: The name turning into marble and zooming, the background change to blue and "Presents" fading-in.

Music/Sounds: A chime and a long warbling synth note that is held until the logo fades out. The one without "PRESENTS" is silent.

Availability: This logo appears on budget versions (recorded in SP, LP, or EP/SLP tape speeds) of Media Home Entertainment releases and such in the late 1980s to early/mid '90s. Video Treasures titles have since been re-released under the Anchor Bay name (with the old Video Treasures FBI warnings and tracking reminders intact!). Also seen on The Making of Killer Instinct. The last tapes to use this logo, including Halloween, actually used Anchor Bay insignia on the packaging.

Scare Factor: Low. The chime/synth note can startle someone or give them a migraine (hence the name). None for the closing variant. _______________________________________________________________

Anchor Bay Entertainment

1st Logo (1997)

Logo: We see a still framed picture of a navy blue sailboat on a light blue body of water under a yellow sky with blue tinted clouds floating by. Above the Anchor Bay Entertainmentframe are the navy blue words:

ANCHOR BAY---

appear above the picture, and "ENTERTAINMENT" appears at the bottom, all in a serif font.

Trivia: This had been used as a print logo since May 1995, but this is its earliest-known onscreen appearance.

FX/SFX: None, with the exception of the logo swinging in and out of view which happens on Anchor Bay's Animated Video Treasures tapes.

Music/Sounds: None or the music of the program.

Availability: Appears on Anchor Bay's Hercules.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo (1998-2006)

Anchor Bay (2005)Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998)Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006)

Nickname: "The Sailboat"

Logo: We see abstract drawings of a light blue body of water under a yellow sky with blue tinted clouds floating by. A navy blue sailboat in the water moves toward us. When we see the boat at a comfortable distance, the screen fades white with a framed picture of the sailboat on the water in the center of the screen. The company name then appears, taking on the appearance of the print identity seen in the first logo. The words wave in place as if they were seen underwater before taking on a normal appearance.

Variant: A still version of this logo with Starz byline can be seen on the film Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.

FX/SFX: Simple but effective animation.

Music/Sounds: Silent on most releases. However, some releases such as the VHS release of Zombie, the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends VHS release of "Thomas and His Friends Get Along" and the DVD release of Scars of Dracula use a coastal theme consisting of seagulls and waves crashing ashore, combined with some dreamy, "underwater" new-age synth notes.

Availability: Appears on Anchor Bay releases, which include a few video nasties (most of which were originally released on Betamax and VHS by Wizard Video), re-releases of ABC Pictures International/ABC Motion Pictures films, and some pre-1991 Media Home Entertainment titles. Also seen on a few Disney releases on VHS and DVD from the late 1990s, including The Black Hole, The Happiest Millionaire, and The Devil and Max Devlin. It can be seen on Malevolence, too.

Scare Factor: None. The animation is very clean.

3rd Logo (2003-2007)

Starz Home Entertainment - CLG Wiki

Nickname: "The Blue Sailboat"

Logo: On a majorelle blue background, we see a big explosion which showers us with 0's and 1's, accompanied by orange flashes. With a rippling effect, we see the sailboat from the previous logo come toward us, like in the previous logo. It is enclosed in a box, and the words "ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT" fade in.

Variant: Starting in 2007, this logo was improved. The sparks were removed, and now the logo zooms onto a white square that wipes in. The company name fades in as usual, but there is space below the name. We see yellow sparkles bringing in the STARZ byline.

FX/SFX: The animation in the logo.

Music/Sounds: Whooshing noises combined with synth notes. The 2007 version adds chimes at the end.

Availability: Common. This can be seen on many Anchor Bay DVDs, such asThomas the Tank EngineDVDs from 2003 to 2007.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

4th Logo (2008-2009)

Anchor Bay Logo (2007)Anchor Bay (2006)

Nickname: "The New Sailboat"

Logo: Against a reflecting pool of water, we see a image of a sailboat, with a filmstrip in place of the right mast, against drawings of the sea and sky behind the sailboat. Once again, it is enclosed in a box. While it is zooming out, a black box wipes in and encloses the sailboat. Above the sailboat are the words:

ANCHORBAY ENTERTAINMENT

A second later, the byline "a starz company" fades in below.

Variant: A still version on a black background exists.

FX/SFX: Zooming and wiping effects.

Music/Sounds: The last notes from the previous logo.

Availability: Uncommon due to its short life span. Can be seen on The Grand and Lower Education, among others.

Scare Factor: Same as the 1st and 2nd logos.

5th Logo (2009- )

Anchor Bay (2009)Anchor Bay (2009)Anchor Bay Logo (2009)

Logo: In a stormy part of the sea, we move along a waving sail from various sides, then release and zoom out to see a boat sailing on a calm sea surface, all in blue. The sun is on horizontally. The picture turns into the Anchor Bay logo which resembles an "A" in white/dark blue and 3D-folded, and a lens flare runs over its side. Below, there are the words:

ANCHOR BAY F I L M S

with the Starz byline underneath.

Variants: •There is a variant where "Films" is replaced with "Entertainment". The "A" letter is flat and robin egg blue, and zooms out. •Some movies feature a more bluish "A" and the company name tinted yellow.

FX/SFX: The sail, the light blink.

Music/Sounds: Sail weaving sounds. None for the still version.

Availability: Common. Seen on Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, and DVD releases such as Stan Helsing, Scream 4, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, Apollo 18, and The Iron Lady, among others.

Scare Factor: None.