Academy Entertainment

Credits

Captures by
Eric S., filmbaza.net, and others

Editions by
Bob Fish

Video captures courtesy of
NorthridgeRangers and DudeThatLogo

Background

Academy Entertainment was a home video distributor that released mostly B-movies, which was in operation from 1985 to 1994.

1st Logo (July 1985-December 21, 1987)

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Visuals: On a sunset background, the camera pans down from a ceiling of shooting stars as two searchlights move in the background, as well as two more in the foreground. As the camera pans down, it reveals a teal Roman-styled temple structure on a black hill, with two more searchlights being projected onto the front of it. The camera then settles as the bottom right spotlight in the foreground flashes brightly, revealing the yellow text "ACADEMY HOME ENTERTAINMENT" at the bottom of the temple. After a few seconds, the text zooms in and everything fades to a print version of the Academy Home Entertainment logo at the time, which lacks the temple's roof as well.

Variant: At the end of tapes, it shows a still of the print logo at the end along with a copyright plastered below it.

Technique: What appears to be a model temple, along with 2D computer animation for the text.

Audio: A majestic fanfare, which is "Fanfare Royal" by William Loose off of the Captain Dynamo (And His Mission To Save The Universe) album. Sometimes, a different fanfare plays.

Availability: Seen on B-movies and other obscurities released by this company during the mid-to-late 80s, such as Magee and the Lady and Concrete Angels, among others.

2nd Logo (1987-1993)

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Visuals: On a dark blue/blue gradient background with stars, a flash occurs in the middle of the screen, bringing forth a golden star-like object that also resembles the letter "A". The object zooms in while revolving from right to left until it takes up most of the screen and then flashes, having a glow for a few seconds. "ACADEMY ENTERTAINMENT" zooms out and flips in to the bottom of the star, with it being in silver and stacked, along with a line dividing them. The star shines during this, followed by the text shining much brighter, and then a ping appears on the "Y".

Variants:

• On the end of Academy tapes until 1993, the "ACADEMY ENTERTAINMENT" text flies in, and then a copyright date (in Roman numerals) fades in below as the text shines.
• A filmed variant was spotted on the 1999 Platinum Disc DVD of Dealers; it is placed between the 2nd Skouras Pictures and Rank Organisation logos.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Two chords when the star rotates in, another one when the star flashes and "ACADEMY" flips in, three more chords, and then a glittery sound when the words shine. For the ending logo, the tail end of this music played.

Availability: Seen on horror movies and other films released by them around the time period. This logo made a strange appearance at the end of the Vidmark Entertainment VHS release of Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes with the second Vidmark logo appearing after it. It was also seen at the beginning of a 2000s Encore airing of Iron Maze. The variant was preserved on the Platinum Disc DVD of The Neighbor, likely due to using a VHS master.

3rd Logo (1992-1994)

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Visuals: Over a dark blue background, the star "A" from the previous logo which is now in 2D, fades in and shines. Later, the "ACADEMY ENTERTAINMENT" text fades in below, and the entire thing is much smaller.

Variant: At the end of tapes, a copyright date appears underneath.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: None, or the closing theme at the end of some tapes.

Availability: Appears on later tapes distributed by this company, like Medicine River and A Kiss Goodnight. It was first used as a secondary logo until 1993, before being fully adopted.