Cinema International Corporation

Logo description by mr3urious

Logo and video captures by Eric S.

Editions by Nathan B. and Martin V.B.

Background : Cinema International Corporation (CIC) was a film distribution company started by Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios on April 9, 1970 to distribute the two studios' films outside the United States, as a response to declining movie-going audiences and national anti-trust laws. It even operated in Canada and the Caribbean Basin before those territories were considered part of the "domestic" North American market. CIC was registered in England and Wales, but was headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The company began operations on January 1, 1971. In 1973, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer closed down its distribution offices and became a partner in CIC, which took over international distribution for MGM's films; however, United Artists took over the North American distribution of MGM films. In 1981, MGM purchased United Artists, which had its own international distribution unit. CIC refused to let MGM drop out of the venture at the time, which led to the reorganization of the company as "United International Pictures".  In the mid 70s, CIC Australia merged its units with 20th Century Fox's Australian distribution arm to form a joint venture, known as CIC-Fox. Walt Disney/Buena Vista also made distribution deals with CIC (Paramount) in Italy until 1991 (under UIP) and Australia through CIC-Fox (20th Century Fox) until 1986.  CIC also entered the home video age, with its subsidiary CIC Video. MGM, however, had its own home video distribution unit (originally a partnership between MGM and CBS Video Enterprises).

(1971-1981)
Nickname : "The CIC Chain"

Logo : Against a blue background, we see the letters "CIC" (in a slightly lighter shade of blue) being drawn in simultaneously, with the first "C" drawn in counterclockwise, the last "C" clockwise, and the "I" from the middle. The letters take up almost the entire screen. Then, the letters zoom in towards the bottom, away from the screen, and a large chain link in an "S" pattern in drawn in, with the outer links colored the same as "CIC" and the middle link colored a very pale blue color. As the chain slowly zooms out, the text "Cinema International Corporation" (in white) zoom out from below.

FX/SFX : The drawing in of the letters and the chain.

Variants : Depending on the film quality, the background can vary from light blue, to faded green, all the way to dark blue/black.

Cheesy Factor : The animation is a little rough.

Music/Sounds : A brass/string tune ending in a dramatic three-note fanfare. It was made for the movie A Gathering of Eagles (1963) and composed by Jerry Goldsmith. Sometimes it is silent, or on The Slipper And The Rose, has the opening theme of the film play over it.

Availability : Extremely rare. It was seen on theatrical prints of Paramount, Universal, and MGM films outside of North America. Examples areDemon Seed, The Slipper And The Rose, Earthquake', Monty Python's Life of Brian, 'Grease, and The Eagle Has Landed (strangely an ITC production, as Universal may have been the distributor in other territories). Was seen on Australian prints of various 20th Century Fox films released in Australia under "CIC-Fox". This was also seen on Italian and Australian theatrical prints of Disney/Buena Vista productions from 1974-1981, with examples being Hot Lead and Cold Feet, Condorman, and The Fox and the Hound. Most current prints of these films use domestic prints, so this logo is long gone. However, it survives fully intact on the following: The Universal UK DVD of The Slipper And The Rose(which has the logo and credits in 2.35:1 while the rest of the film is cropped), the U.S Criterion DVD of Die Verlorene Ehre Der Katharina Blum(aka The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum'), the German region 2 DVD and TV airings of Sorcerer (titled Lohn der Angst), the trailers for Battlestar Galactica, Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, and Conquest of the Earth on the German Battlestar Galactica Blu-Ray set, along with a Argentinian HDTV airing of Saturday Night Fever (which appears to have used the rare PG edited rerelease of the film).

Scare Factor : Low, due to the fanfare.