Tele-Monte-Carlo (Monaco)



WARNING: Do not watch both videos if you are prone to epilepsy.

Nicknames: "Too Many Colors", "Television Monstrosity Creation", "Flashy TMC", "Psychedelic TMC", "Light Trails from Hell", "What On Earth Is Blasting Through My TV Screen!?", "Rainbow Trails and Flashing Letters", "Trippy TMC"

Logo: It is difficult to describe in detail, but the logo consists of the letters "tmc", connected together, flashing one by one in different arrangements. The animation is synchronized to the music. Multiple light trails appear behind and in front of the logo. A "cloudy" product is formed through these light trails sometimes, of which obstructs the logo. The text "tele monte carlo" appears on the bottom in a similar font, and has copies trailed behind it on occasion. This sequence continues for about 45 seconds.

Variant: A color variant existed, and it eventually replaced the standard black and white variant. The light trails were rainbow-coloured.

FX/SFX: The letters appearing and the light trails. Early Video Feedback effects, somehow inclusive of excessive residue trails. Good for the time, but...

Cheesy Factor: ...it's way too busy and excessive! This usually preceded a television program, and the concept of waiting 50 seconds for the program to start -just to see this contraption- will test the nerves (and eyes) of many viewers, especially for those with epilepsy! It hasn't dated too well in the 80's, also. Overall, it looks like the creators were just having fun during the time this logo was being made, instead of giving it a better effort on the concept of the animation. However, as said before, the logo was good for its time.

Music/Sounds: A bombastic, high-tempo jazz-rock excerpt. It begins with a seven-note horn piece, which eventually includes violins, woodwinds, xylophones, drums, and many whooshes. It becomes increasingly bombastic as time goes on until it ends with a big finish.

Availability: Extinct outside of Monaco. Basically a station ID, but as said above, it preceded a program. It may show up on videotapes if they were in wide enough of a distribution. Was however, avalable in both languages.

Scare Factor: Depending on the variant.



Medium to nightmare for the B&W variant. The big text, initial darkness, and colourless lights flashing in your face can spell nightmares for some people. The fanfare makes it even worse, especially with it getting louder at the end. This is also one of the longest logos with a "nightmare" rating.

Medium to high for the color variant. The flashing is still there, but the logo being in colour calms it a bit.

Anyone used to any of these variants will have less of a problem.

2nd Logo (Italian, 1984?)

Nicknames: "The Thieves of The 3-2-1 Contact Intro", "Too Many Colors, Part II"

Logo: We see red, blue, and green hexagons trailing towards the viewer and back again, with the word "tmc" in red and the word "break" under it in green zooming in and spinning.

FX/SFX: The trails, the text zooming and spinning.

Music/Sounds: An analog synthesizer decrescendo.

Availability: Long extinct. It was used as a break bumper.

Editor's Note: The cheesiness in this logo is off the charts. The animation seems to have been stolen from the 1983 intro of 3-2-1 Contact and repeated to fit the music and logo spinning. The logo is off-center and pixelated as well.