Background: G2 Films (also spelled as "G² Films") was the indie/art-house movie arm of MGM established in 1997 and was first known as "Goldwyn Films", with the acquisition of Orion Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Entertainment. Due to Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. suing MGM for using the "Goldwyn" name, their name was later changed to G2 Films.
1st Logo[]
(1997-1998?)
Nickname: "Turning Silver MGM/Goldwyn"
Logo: On a black background, we see the silver letters "MGM" zooming out and turning from left to right. The two M's suddenly fade away leaving the letter "G" to form a aurora light effect while turning. There is also the word "oldwyn" one the right corner of the "G" forming the word "Goldwyn", where we later see the word "FILMS" wiping in from the right under the logo, and the byline "AN MGM COMPANY" fades in beneath.
FX/SFX: CGI.
Music/Sounds: A synth theme with a metal-swiping sound as the aurora appears, ending in a bang and a string note.
Availability: Rare. It's seen on U.S. prints of foreign movie releases from the era, such as Live Flesh (Carne Trémula), The Hanging Garden, and Velvet Goldmine.
2nd Logo[]
(1999-2000)
Nicknames: "Turning Silver MGM/G²", "G Squared", "Scientific Form of Goldwyn"
Logo: Same as the previous logo, but there are differences. There is a small number two (hence the squared symbol seen in mathematics) on the upper right hand corner of the "G", where we later see the word "FILMS" makes a wipe effect from the right under the logo and the byline fades in beneath.
Closing Title: It's only a still in-credit "G²" logo with the text "FROM" above and the byline "DISTRIBUTED BY MGM DISTRIBUTION CO." below.
FX/SFX: CGI.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Rare. It's seen on U.S. prints of the 1999 film Tea with Mussolini.