Star Cinema (Philippines)/Summary

Background: ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc. (doing business as Star Cinema), is a Filipino film and television production company, a film distributor, and the country's largest film production company, founded in 1993. Although comparatively young, the company has produced some of the most acclaimed (and highest grossing) films in the history of Philippine cinema.

Star Cinema Productions Inc.[]

1st Logo (1993-2000)[]

Nicknames: "Filipino Spiked Star", "The Half-Star"

Logo: On a black/blue gradient background (similar to the VIVA and V. Rich logos), we see a spiked star much like the DiC 1987 logo. It moves to the right and the camera follows it to see the words "STAR CINEMA". The camera zooms out to reveal the full text as the star goes above it. When the camera settles, the star glows and transforms into a divided 14-side star. A ball of light then appears and brings up "PRODUCTIONS INC." below.

Variants:

Early releases from 1993-1994 had the logo on a starfield. Plus, the spiked star would flash first and then form. It also had slightly different animation and other features.
A short version exists.
On Hey Babe!, the logo has a sky blue tint.
A warped version can be found on Puso Ng Pasko.
On Wanted: Perfect Father, a black background is used. This might be because of film quality, however.

FX/SFX: All CGI. It's a bit choppy on the camera movement, but it still holds up well for a 90's Filipino logo.

Music/Sounds: There are two themes:

1993-1994: An orchestral fanfare with pluck sounds. Used for the early variant.
1994-2000: A dark synth tune with violins, ending more triumphant. Used for the later version.

Music/Sounds Variants:

A majestic theme with some beeps is heard on Eskapo and Basta't Kasama Kita. On the latter film, a whoosh is added to the music. There is an early version has a different rearrange music with whoosh sounds. This was seen on Adan Ronquillo.
On Puso Ng Pasko, a Christmas fanfare is heard.
On Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?, the opening theme is used.
On Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin, it is silent.
On Wanted: Perfect Father, whooshes and zaps are added to the music.
On Batang PX, the fanfare is high pitched.

Availability: Rare overall. The early variant is more harder to find due to it's short life-span, but it can be found on Home Along Da Riles and pre-1994 films. The later version is more common, and examples including it are April, May, June, Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita and Di' Puwedeng Hindi Puwede!. Most of their films are distributed by Star Records Video (now Star Home Video) or Regal Home Video on VHS/VCD/DVD, and/or digitally restored by the ABS-CBN Film Restoration project.

Editor's Note: Low. The star may give people bad memories about the DiC "Kid In Bed" logo, but this is not scary nor cheap as that logo.

2nd Logo (2000-2003)[]

Nicknames: "Curve Star I", "Filipino Star I", "Pre ABS-CBN Star", "Curve Star In Space"

Logo: On a space background, a blue comet appears and forms a yellow curve. It shines and a star emerges from it, which emits light rays that move from left to right. The rays dissapear, making the star glow. The glass-like words "STAR CINEMA" appear, zoom out, rotate vertically for a bit (to face us) and place in front of the curve. The star glows more and the words also start to glow.

Variants:

A short version can be found on Bagong Buwan.
On Narinig Mo Na Ba ang L8test?, the logo is shortened to the point where the text places on the curve.

FX/SFX: The comet, shining, glowing, zooming out and rotation. All decent CGI for 2000.

Music/Sounds: A majestic fanfare, including a stock flute warbling with whoosh sounds.

Music/Sounds Variants:

On Pera O Bayong (Not Da TV), the opening theme is used.
A shortened version of the fanfare is also heard in Narining Mo Na Ba ang L8test?.

Availability: Uncommon, mostly on early 2000's films. First appeared on Anak, seen on films including Mila, Jologs, Dekada '70, Pinay Pie and Got 2 Believe. One of the last releases to feature this logo was Mr. Suave: Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!. Most of their releases by Star Records (Star Home Video) or Regal Home Video on Video, VCD & DVD.

Editor's Note: Low to medium, due to the huge logo, loud fanfare and somewhat dark look.

Star Cinema/ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc.[]

1st Logo (2004)[]

Nicknames: "Curve Star II", "Filipino Star II", "ABS-CBN Star I"

Logo: On a black/blue gradient background, we see a spark making the yellow curve from before while the camera follows it. Light streaks are seen surrounding it after 2 seconds. When it finishes, the spark flashes to form the star from before, while the words "STAR CINEMA" in yellow, "ABS" and "CBN", which are in translucent blue, zoom out and place themselves while emitting light rays. The ABS and CBN acronyms are moving to their normal positions to form the familiar name while the hyphen appears in between the two. The star glows, and "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC" fades in below "ABS-CBN". A light flare appears on the star for a second.

Variants:

A prototype version of the logo is seen on TV commercials of Milan.
On a trailer for Otso-Otso Pamela-mela Wan, the logo is slightly tinted yellow.

FX/SFX: Great CGI, which looks better compared to other Filipino logos.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Was only used as a placeholder logo for the film Milan - also on their Video & DVD release.

Editor's Note: Low. With a nice result and less use of darkness, it's a better logo than before.

2nd Logo (2004-2010)[]

Nicknames: "Curve Star III", "Filipino Star III", "ABS-CBN Star II"

Logo: On a black background with stars, an orange comet appears and starts to go faster to the middle of the screen, making a flash, which writes in the "STAR CINEMA" text in yellow. The 2000-2014 ABS-CBN wordmark in blue also writes in with the help of light rays, in a shadow wipe effect. The comet appears again, forming the curve, just like the 2nd logo, and makes the star appear when it finishes. The star shines brightly in yellow for a few seconds, while "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC" fades in below "ABS-CBN", just like before.

Variants:

A filmed version exists, where the text "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC." is shadowed over the curve and the background is darkened.
On several films, the logo fades out early when it's formed.
On Feng Shui, the logo is tinted blue and cropped to an octagonal shape, resembling a mirror from the bagua. An older print of the film has the same variation, but in sepia tone.
On an older print of Dubai, the last few seconds of the logo are in warp speed.
On First Day High, the logo fades to outer space.
On a trailer for Agent X44, the logo is in black and white. The film itself also has the same variation, except the filmed version of the logo is zoomed in and cropped in widescreen.
On a trailer for You Got Me!, while the logo finishes forming, the logo zooms in and out, turns black and white and flips horizontally for split seconds.
On a trailer for Sukob, the logo is zoomed out. The trailer of Cinco has the logo also zoomed out, but in a dark brown tint.
On Dreamboy, You Are The One, Wag Kang Lilingon and When Love Begins, the logo stars off in the exact point where the comet flashes. This also appears in Agent X44, but in black and white.
On Villa Estrella, after the logo is formed, it fades to a body of water that segues to the opening credits.
On Cinco, the logo is on a dark red background, with the curve drawing and the star appearing before the texts fade in. It can also be seen on the film's audience reaction commercials.
Currently, on restored prints of films made by the company, the logo is in a brown or a slight yellow tint.

FX/SFX: CGI animation. Not as impressive as before, but still looks great.

Music/Sounds: Same as before. The opening theme in a few occasions.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Bcuz of U, the fanfare is out of sync.

Availability: Uncommon. It began appearing on most Star Cinema produced films starting with Otso-Otso Pamela-Mela Wan. Also often seen on collaborations with Viva Films, including Ang Cute ng Ina Mo, A Very Special Love and its sequel, You Changed My Life. Restored prints have the ABS-CBN Film Restoration logo and extra credits preceding it. It was last seen in My Amnesia Girl, released in November 2010.

Editor's Note: Minimal to low, due to the comet, flash and lights (which may be sudden and bright), as well as the fanfare.

3rd Logo (2010-2013)[]

Nicknames: "Curve Star IV", "Filipino Star IV", "ABS-CBN Star III"

Logo: It begins with the first second from the previous logo, but it looks different and the star starts to move around. It moves close to the center to become the star in the curve, while the curve starts drawing quickly. The "STAR CINEMA" and "ABS-CBN" texts fade in and glow, and later "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC.". The curve shines and the background fades into a starfield.

FX/SFX: All in CGI.

Cheesy Factor: Well, it starts great, like a logo that suits well for the time, but as it progresses, it becomes cheaper.

Music/Sounds: A piano theme which transforms into a grand fanfare.

Availability: Common on recent Filipino films, including Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na 'To!, Dalaw, RPG Metanoia (the first three films released on the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival to use this logo) and Bulong. It also appears on VIVA collaborations, like Catch Me... I'm in Love, The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin and It Takes a Man and a Woman.

Editor's Note: None to minimal. The logo forming may be sudden for some.

4th Logo (2013-2014)[]

Nicknames: "The New Filipino Star I", "Filmstrip Star", "20 Years Of Star Cinema", "Happy 20th Birthday, Star!"

Logo: On a starfield, we see a star, leaving a yellow trail, zooming to us. It then zooms out while swiveling to the left, and a strip of 35mm film moves around to stop it. The film appears again and the letters of "STAR CINEMA" (in Eurostile typeface), appear scrolling to the left while turning. It moves to the center and dissapears, then appears again when the letters are gone. The film starts forming a 0 on the star while another one comes and forms a 2, making the "20". "STAR CINEMA" fades in below the logo as the letters turn clockwise to face us, and "ABS-CBN FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC.", with "ABS-CBN" in its corporate font, also fades in below.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Quality CGI, but choppy in a few places.

Music/Sounds: The fanfare from the 2nd logo.

Music/Sounds Variants:

On Momzillas, several wooshes are heard thoughout the logo.
On some films, like Girl Boy Bakla Tomboy and Bride for Rent, The fanfare from the 2011 logo is used.

Availability: Very common. It can be found on prints by the company from one year before the new logo was introduced, including Four Sisters and a Wedding. Notice that many films made by them are Philippine box-office films, so this logo may be an easier find. It last appeared on Past Tense.

Editor's Note: Minimal, bordering on low, due to the star zooming to the screen and fanfare, and the logo result may not be a favorite for a few people who liked the previous one better, but it's fine.

Star Cinema[]

1st logo (December 25, 2014-May 16, 2018)[]

Nicknames: "The New Filipino Star II", "The New Curve Star", "The Spinning Star", "Curve Star V", "Curve Star In Space II", "Akzidenz-Grotesk Cinema", "Plain Curve Star"

Logo: On a space and cloud background, we see a gold star rotating and moving towards the left. A sun can be seen on the right of the screen. The star leaves sparks during the spinning. When it stops, a golden curve forms and flashes red light. Then, the silver words "STAR CINEMA" (in Akzidenz-Grotesk typeface) zoom out, tilted over the finished product. The white byline "AN ABS-CBN COMPANY" in Gotham typeface, with the horizontal ABS-CBN logo in between, fades in. The star on the curve glows orange for a few seconds before fading out.

Variants:

Most films use this logo in Cinemascope format.
On Dukot, the logo is in black and white.
On an older YouTube print of Loving in Tandem, the logo is cropped in Cinemascope format, covering the byline.

FX/SFX: Simple but nice CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as above or the opening theme.

Availability: Very common. Debuted on The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin and Feng Shui 2 (which are entries to the 2014 Metro Manila Film Festival). Other films including this are Always Be My Maybe (the 2016 film), My Ex and Whys and A Second Chance, the sequel to One More Chance. It last appeared in DOTGA: Da One That Ghost Away, released on April 18, 2018.

Editor's Note: Minimal, due to the fanfare, but the animation is tamer than before.

2nd Logo (July 11, 2018-)[]

Nicknames: "The New Filipino Star III", "The New ABS-CBN Star", "The Interlocked Star", "25 Years of Star Cinema"

Logo: On a black background, we see blue, green and red rings from the ABS-CBN logo. The letter "C" with film strip holes appears with the star outline, while the rest of the words "STAR CINEMA" place on the "C" before we zoom out. Then the star wipes in diagonally and glows in yellow.

Variants:

On a trailer for Quezon's Game, the logo plays in black and white while in warp speed, then after the logo forms, it turns into color.
On Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim, the logo is in 4x warp speed, along with the preceding ABS-CBN Films logo.

FX/SFX: It's all excellent CGI.

Music/Sounds: A rearranged, shorter version of the familiar Star Cinema fanfare, or the opening theme of the movie.

Music/Sounds Variants:

An extended version of the fanfare can be heard on Last Fool Show and Four Sisters Before the Wedding.
The 2000 fanfare can be heard on Hello, Love, Goodbye and Unbreakable (both released in 2019).

Availability: Current. First seen on Kasal, (trailers use the previous logo) I Love You, Hater and some newer releases, such as Kusina Kings, Three Words to Forever and The Hows of Us. Also seen on VIVA collaborations, such as Fantastica. It is usually preceded by the ABS-CBN Films logo.

Editor's Note: Minimal. The elements of the ABS-CBN logo makes it a subsidary of ABS-CBN.