HBO NYC Productions/Summary

1st Logo (1986-1987)
Logo : On a purple gradient background, we see the golden word "SHOWCASE" in a tall serif font flips in, and searchlights move, revealing the text from the front center, and we see a gold marble with the gold HBO logo flips over, and we see the HBO logo and a outlined yellow rectangle, and the word "SHOWCASE" settles to the bottom of the HBO logo. The words "86" or "87" moves from the left and settles to the center of the outlined yellow rectangle, and then the gradient turns into a fabric background. The logo then shines.

FX/SFX : The "SHOWCASE" moving, the HBO logo zooming, and the number zooming down. All CGI that was done by PDI.

Music/Sounds : A piano theme that then turns into a majestic synthesized theme at the end that ends with a tinkling.

Availability : Seen on earlier films released with the HBO Showcase logo, as well as comedy specials from the era, like The Impossible Spy.

Editor's Note : None.

2nd Logo (1988-1996)
Logo: On a black background is several 3-D black and white translucent clappers (the top part of a movie clipboard), gold HBO logos and gold "SHOWCASE" words flying away. Searchlights scroll in the background. "HBO SHOWCASE" (in this case, "HBO" is not in its corporate font) fly by the screen as the camera pans to the right and over "HBO SHOWCASE" (In this case, "HBO" is in its company font.) Then towards the screen, two clappers meet and as they zoom out, with a big "HBO" logo with "SHOWCASE" below. As the camera zooms, the clappers are revealed to be the clipboard. The searchlight keeps scrolling back and fourth as it fades out.

Variants:


 * A filmed variant exists.
 * A shorter version of the logo exists, starting with just the clapperboard portion, and the logo is tinted blue.

FX/SFX: The flying objects, and the searchlights.

Music/Sounds: A majestic triumphant horn fanfare. Sometimes silent or has the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on TV movies like Tidy Endings Strapped and Doomsday Gun. The short version was seen on Prison Stories: Women on the Inside.

Editor's Note: It's standard early '90s CGI.

(1996-December 11, 1999)
Logo : On a black background, two searchlights scroll (a la 20th Century Fox). After a bit a third one appears as the camera eases back to a rectangle on a black background and inside it, the background turns a blue/orange gradient color. Two tall buildings (possibly the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building) and a few smaller buildings fly together (a la the first Beacon Pictures logo) and form a cityscape with the searchlights behind them. A white border appears around the rectangle and inside it, below the buildings is "HBO NYC" with "HBO" in its company font and below that is "PRODUCTIONS".

Variant : An alternate version that was used from 1997 to 1999 has stock footage of New York City, showing the Brooklyn Bridge and various buildings in the city. When it shows the Empire State Building, the footage disappears as the logo forms.

FX/SFX : The searchlights, the buildings flying in.

Music/Sounds : A quiet orchestrated theme. The alternate version has a majestic orchestrated fanfare.

Availability : Pretty rare. Can be seen on films from the company.

Editor's Note : None.