Carlton Home Entertainment (UK)

1st Logo

(1995-1997)

Nicknames: "Beelzebub's Letters", "Blood Letters", "The VHS Cousin of the Screen Advertising Logo"

Logo: The camera passes by giant zoomed-in letters of the name "CARLTON" on a red background. Once we see "N" zoom in, it dissolves into the full logo. "Video" fades in as well under the name.

FX/SFX: The close-up of the letters, the text "Video" blurring in.

Cheesy Factor: The closeup of the giant letters looks like a commercial for Victoria's Secret. It is also very cheaply done.

Music/Sounds: A droning synth chord with whooshes. The first whoosh is very long, sudden and loud.

Availability: Very rare. Appears at the beginning and end of Carlton Video VHS releases, most notably The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, Bananas In Pyjamas, Tots TV, and Starla & the Jewel Riders, among others. However, later releases still had the logo, but used the Carlton Home Entertainment logo that was only seen at the end of the tape.

Scare Factor: Nightmare. The hellish blood-red atmosphere, the jarring closeups, and the music with the very loud whooshing will likely scare children. However, the scare factor is lower for those used to it.

2nd (known) Logo

(1997-1999)

Logo: It's the 1995 Carlton Television logo.

FX/SFX: See the Carlton Television page for details.

Music/Sounds: See the Carlton Television page for details.

Availability: Very rare; appears on certain Carlton Video VHS releases.

Scare Factor: Minimal, due to the darkness. But it is otherwise a good logo and at least tamer than the last logo.

3rd Logo (1998-1999)

Logo: It's the Sunrise/Sunset variant of the 1996 Carlton Television idents.

Variant: FX/SFX: The O decending and the colour of the background changing.
 * On some releases, the background was blue and the O was lighter.
 * There is also a longer variant. The O descends slower and a brief piano track follows the 5-note harp tune.

Music/Sounds: A short 5-note harp tune (basically the Carlton jingle from the time).

Availability: Very rare; see logo 2.

Scare Factor: None; it is pretty relaxing.

4th Logo (1999-2001)

Logo: The finished product of the Carlton 1999 ident, without the ITV logo.

Variants: FX/SFX: See the Carlton Television page for details.
 * The background may be still.
 * "VIDEO" is seen below the logo in some occasions.
 * The URL may also appear below.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Very rare.

Scare Factor: None.