Logo descriptions by Kris Starring, Gerald Fogg, TheMisterFree
1st Open (1964-1980)[]
General Cinema Corporation - CLG WikiGeneral Cinema Corporation (1964?-1980)General Cinema Corporation - CLG Wiki
Nicknames[]
"Projector 1.0", "'60s GCC", "GCC Projector", "Kaleidoscopic Projector"
Logo[]
On a kaleidoscopic red/purple background (think the Family Affair credits), we see a white translucent GCC logo: an abstract projector made out of the letter G, and two C's representing film reels above and below the G to the slightly aligned to the right. A jazzy drumbeat begins and the film reels (the C's) begin to rotate, as the projector begins to spool out a line of dots. A harpsichord riff briefly cuts in, and the word "GENERAL" comes out of the projector, followed by more dots. The musical trade-off repeats two more times, with the words "CINEMA" and "CORPORATION" spooling out of the projecter along with the dots. Then, after "CORPORATION," the brushes finally take it home, allowing the projector enough time to spool out the entire line of dots as either "COMING ATTRACTIONS" or "FEATURE PRESENTATION" appear with the final hit of the drum.
Variants[]
• There was another variant of this opening with a blue background.
• Also, the graphics originally appeared on black before switching to a kaleidoscopic background in 1970.
FX/SFX[]
The film reels rotating and the projectors spooling out the dots that morphed into the titles. This snipe was produced by Pike Productions of Newport, Rhode Island.
Cheesy Factor[]
The harpsichord break with the company's name is very rough, and the kaleidoscopic background is very cliched '60s and looks more like someone wadded up some purple cellophane.
Music/Sounds[]
A snazzy jazz beat established on a snare drum with brushes, occasionally interrupted on the off-beat by a catchy harpsichord riff. The drums give the feel of the sound a projector makes. A few double bass notes are also heard on the third harpsichord riff.
Availability[]
Extinct. It appeared only in General Cinema theaters before the start of a movie or trailers during the '60s and '70s.
Scare Factor[]
Low to medium. The harpsichord riff and psychedelic graphic effects could catch some off guard, but this is a favorite of many.
2nd Open (1980-1986)[]
General Cinema Corporation (1980-1986)
Nicknames[]
“Projector 2.0”, “80s GCC”, “Blue Projector”
Logo[]
On a background of blue spotlights, we see the GCC Projector logo from the 1st open at the left of the screen. A star traces the logo ending with a star that flashes on the projector-end of the "G". The C's begin to rotate as the G puts out a line with lens flares that travel to the right, culminating in a bright flash of light which brings forth “GENERAL CINEMA THEATRES”. A byline then fades in at the bottom of the screen (centered under the name): “A SUBSIDIARY OF GENERAL CINEMA CORPORATION”. The company name and byline fade out as a star sparkles on the projector and another line and lens flares is projected which flashes into “FEATURE PRESENTATION”. A star appears on the projector for the last time before the C's stop and a lens flare travels across “FEATURE PRESENTATION”.
Variant[]
There was also a version that replaced “FEATURE PRESENTATION” with “COMING ATTRACTIONS”.
FX/SFX[]
Now this is how you update a logo! The animation and lighting effects make up for a suitable successor to the original Projector.
Music/Sounds[]
A flute/brass rendition of the first music mixed with a Rhodes piano. Chimes are heard whenever a star shines. Also, like in the first logo, the animation is supported by reverberated percussion that simulates the sound of a projector.
Availability[]
Extinct. It was only used in General Cinema theaters back in the early '80s.
Scare Factor[]
Low. The music is much more soothing than the first logo, plus the graphics are less bizarre than its predecessor.
3rd Open (1986-1993)[]
General Cinema Corporation - CLG Wiki
Nicknames[]
''GCC in the Blue Sky,'' Projector 3.0[]
Logo[]
We see some time-lapsed clouds in the sky. A blue circle with the gold letters “GCC” inside (arranged like the old Projector logo but in a different, more modern typeface) appears in CGI. The screen fades to night, and the words “General Cinema” appear at the bottom in a gold Century Gothic. The logo and company name fade out to reveal the words “Feature Presentation”.
Variants[]
•Coming Attractions: After a few seconds of black, the General Cinema text comes from the top center of the screen, with the GCC circle passing over it at the same time, looking like the above image; after a few seconds, it fades out to reveal the text "Coming Attractions" in the center of the screen; the words then move into a left-tilted arrangement, then fly off the screen.
•Also Showing at This Theatre: The aforementioned words tilt and fly away in a similar fashion to the previous variant.
FX/SFX[]
The blue sky, which is live-action, was shot from Hawaii, which took the film crew six days just to get right. Produced by Industrial Light and Magic.
Music/Sounds[]
Some ethereal synth music that culminates into a 6-note fanfare with timpani drums and a choir, which fades out with the logo.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
For the "Coming Attractions" variant, it starts out with the drumbeat from the first logo; a synth bass note then starts up, followed by a warbling synth hit, and a shorter version of the main logo's 6-note fanfare; the last note ends with a hit as the words fly away. For the "Also Showing" variant, it has a similar note to the end of the "Coming Attractions" variant, but in a different pitch.
Availability[]
Once again, extinct, as it only appeared in theaters (though there are some accounts that this logo, but with the next logo's "CandyBand" policy trailer instead of this logo's "Space Candy" policy trailer, showed up in some theaters as late as 1995).
Scare Factor[]
Low. It could get high in the parts with the GCC logo's background becoming dark, but other than that this is a nice open.
4th Open (1993-1997)[]
Nicknames[]
“Searchlights 1.0”, “GCC Moon”, “Searchlights and Moon”, “Moon Of Boredom,” "CGI Searchlights"
Logo[]
We zoom out from the ground as streaks of light fly by. We then see a horizon at night, and the light rays are streaking towards a “sun” that rises and splits into three searchlights. The searchlights project the letters “GCC” into the sky, then onto a moon which comes from General Cinema Corporation (1993-1997) the top-left. The moon turns into the GCC logo, which slowly rotates to the right, and “General Cinema” appears at the bottom in the same font as the previous logo, followed by “Feature Presentation.”
FX/SFX[]
The CGI light effects; all the work of Industrial Light and Magic along with the "Candy Band" policy trailers that were packaged with this opener as well as the next.
Variants[]
•Coming Attractions: Here, it starts with a closeup of the searchlights turn on, and we slowly revolve around them, and as we pan up the beams of light, we see the "GCC" letters shimmering (formed out of light streaks). The lights turn off, and the letters stop shimmering and arrange themselves like before, with the moon sphere fading in behind it, along with the name; after a few seconds, the GCC letters flash, the name and moon disappear, and the GCC letters dissipate and turn into a lot of streaking comets, which turn themselves into the text "Coming Attractions", with lots of stars moving around in the BG.
•Also Showing at This Theatre: Just the comets forming the text.
Cheesy Factor[]
Rather simple animation by Industrial Light and Magic standards. They must have put most of their energy in the "Candy Band" trailers rather than the actual Feature Presentation snipe. Although the previous FP animation was rather simple as well, at least the music was more fitting as this sounds more like PowerPoint music.
Music/Sounds[]
Some dreamy synth music, a slight choir, a few backwards-played "whoosh" noises, and a cymbal hit when the searchlights activate, followed by a fanfare with four chime-esque noises when the "GCC" letters are projected, and a fast electronic drumbeat. Very corporate sounding and not so majestic as would be appropriate for a theater snipe.
Music/Sounds Variant[]
For the "Coming Attractions" variant, it has a different version, without the electronic drumbeat; a cymbal hit sounds when the logo flashes, followed by "swirling" noises and the choir as the "Coming Attractions" text appears. For the "Also Showing" version, just the choir and the "swirling" noises are present.
Availability[]
Extinct, as usual.
Scare Factor[]
None. It's more boring than anything. Fortunately, this only lasted a short period of time, and what they came up with after this was hundreds of times better.
5th Open (1997-2002)[]
General Cinema's last logo
Nicknames[]
"City Searchlights", “CGI Searchlights Redux”, “Searchlights Redux”
Logo[]
We fly out from some shrubs on a mountain at night to see an aerial view of a city very much like Los Angeles illuminated with lights. In the center of the city there are some searchlights moving back and forth, at some sort of circular structure, which we fly towards. We pan upwards to see the searchlights merge into a glowing blue, smoky circle over a cloudy night sky. The searchlights fade out leaving a blue circle with the General Cinema logo from before, in white. "General Cinema" fades in underneath in gold for a brief moment, followed the words "Feature Presentation" which are in gold as well.
FX/SFX[]
The searchlights, the flight over the city, and the clouds moving, all very decent CGI from Industrial Light and Magic. A little bit reminiscent of the Showtime feature presentation bumper from the early '90s.
Music/Sounds[]
An orchestral piece with strings and oboes as we take flight, and ends in a timpani hit when the words "Feature Presentation" appear.
Availability[]
Extinct, seeing that it was only used in theaters. This opening was used alongside the infamous "Candy Band" trailers that advertised General Cinema's concession stands. General Cinema continued to use this and those additional trailers until the bitter end in Summer 2002 when AMC Theaters, Inc. bought the chain after its crippling bankruptcy in 2000.
Scare Factor[]
Low. The timpani hit at the end may get to some, though. However, this was a great end to a company with a long line of memorable opening logos.