Vestron Video

Logo descriptions by James Fabiano and Matt Williams Logo captures by JART4629, snelfu, V of Doom, Eric S., and Supermarty-o Editions by V of Doom, universalxdisney172, and Nathan B. Video captures courtesy of osdatabase and Eric S.

Background
Vestron Video was formed from the assets of the original Time-Life Video in 1981 to release special interest videos as well as independent films, B-movies, and TV movies. In 1991, Vestron, Inc. was acquired by LIVE Entertainment (later known as "Artisan Entertainment"), and later in 1992, it was completely folded into the said company. Today, the Vestron library is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment via their acquisition of Artisan.

1st Logo (January-September 1982, July 7, 1988)
 Nickname:  "Big V"

 Logo:  Just a blue screen with the Vestron Video logo as seen in the 2nd logo.

 FX/SFX:  None.

 Music/Sounds:  None.

 Availability:  Fairly rare. Seen on Vestron VHS, Betamax, and some Laserdisc releases of the era, like The Changeling, Rodan, Good Guys Wear Black, The Last Chase, Bolero, The Silent Partner, The Greatest Adventure, The Cannonball Run, Nothing Personal, Go Tell the Spartans, and Godzilla, King of the Monsters. The 1982 release of Benji doesn't use a logo. This also appears on a 1988 reissue of Fort Apache the Bronx.

 Scare Factor:  None. Not much to worry about here.

2nd Logo (November 1982-Early 1986)
 Nicknames:  "Big V II", "Cheesy V", "Christmas Lights", "Christmas V"

Logo: The screen fills with white stripes which are cut on the sides (downwards) and in the middle (upwards) by blue laser-like lights. The stripes now form a "V" shape against a red background. The "V" flashes blue, then backs up where it is "shadowed" by a lighter "V" appearing next to it. Four red lights shine in all but the lower right corner of the original "V," and the lower right of the "shadow." Above the letter, the blue light spells out "VESTRON" in white letters, and that shrinks to fit the word "VIDEO" which appears next to it.

 Variants: 
 * On some early Vestron releases, the words are not spelled out by the light and the logo fades out earlier than usual. This was spotted on the 1984 Canadian VHS of Mr. Mom.
 * Closing: Same as the regular variant, except when finished, a copyright stamp zooms in below. In some cases, the variant is put at the beginning of tapes.

 FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor:  Very '80s computer animations of the stripes appearing and forming the "V". The forming of "VESTRON VIDEO" looks really cheap. And the lights on the "V" look like red Christmas lights. The sound quality is awful.

 Music/Sounds:  Synthesized tones you may have heard on many '80s TV news programs, accompanied by laser zaps and more synthesized notes. For the closing variant, it used only the synthesized theme.

 Music/Sounds Variants: 
 * Some Australian versions of this logo carry a different synthesized theme, "Videospots 4" by Harry Forbes, from the Parry Music Library, with added sound effects.
 * There is a silent version.

Availability: Rare. Seen on Vestron video releases of the time. This includes Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Lord of the Rings, Harry and Son, Trancers, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Ghoulies, Interface, Lifeforce, Burial Ground, Curtains, The House by the Cemetery, The House on Sorority Row, Mutant, Class of 1984, Spaceship, Yellowbeard, How to Beat Home Video Games, An American Werewolf in London, For the Love of Benji and Class. Also seen on the Showtime Networks airings of The Company of Wolves. The first VHS release of Mr. Mom has this logo, but was missing when Vestron later reprinted it. On some early tapes that have the Vestron "Red V-Ball" on the box and tape sticker, this may appear. Ultra rare for the closing variant and the silent version. This makes very strange appearances on the Lionsgate DVD of Irreconcilable Differences, and the Full Moon/Echo Bridge releases of Trancers, since transfers for both films used inferior video masters. In the UK, this is seen on tapes such as Return of the Living Dead and My Little Pony: The Movie, despite both having the 3rd print logo on the box.

 Scare Factor:  Depending on the logo variant:
 * Low to medium. The cheap effects and music might sound ominous.
 * Low for the short-lived closing variant.

3rd Logo (Mid-to-Late 1986-1992)
 Nicknames:  "The Red Circle-V", "Red V-Ball"

 Logo:  On a black background, a small red sphere zooms into view. Zooming towards the red sphere are several silver lines, forming a silver "V/Triangle" on the sphere. The sphere settles near the top of the screen. Zooming in below it are the words "VESTRON VIDEO" in a futuristic font resembling that used on the title of the 80s Transformers cartoon.

 FX/SFX:  The sphere zooming in, the lines, and the zoom in of the letters. All in all, this logo has exceptional animation and looks very professional.

 Music/Sounds:  A chord followed by a few notes of piano and then finally a French horn-type sounder. They also had another synth fanfare later on that did not fit in at all. Sometimes, it is silent.

 Availability:  Uncommon. Can be seen on tapes from this era, such as SpaceCamp, From Beyond, Class of 1999, Waxwork, 976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor, Dolls, Over Her Dead Body, Age Isn't Everything, Ghost Warrior, Fear (1990), To Live and Die in L.A. (early prints have the previous logo), Valet Girls, Parents, C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud, Ghoulies II-III, Nova Video Library, Naked Obsession, Dead Aim, Dirty Dancing, and early National Geographic VHS releases. On the 2003 Artisan DVD of Bride of Re-Animator, this makes a surprise appearance, and the same goes for the Lionsgate DVDs of Personal Services, Ironweed, Slaughter High, at the end of a FEARnet airing of The Gate, and a recent Encore Suspense airing of The Bedroom Window. On the 2002 Artisan Special Edition DVD of Dirty Dancing, this is strangely seen in place of the film's Vestron Pictures logo. 1991-1992 releases used this logo and the Live Home Video FBI Warning.

 Scare Factor:  Minimal. Very professional, very clean. Nothing to worry about.