Casablanca Video Home

Background

Casablanca Video Home was formed in 1985 as Video Top as a subsidiary of leading Argentina distributor Casablanca Films, owned by Francisco "Pancho" Di Silvestro, initially to distribute erotic films. It was changed in 1986 to Casablanca Video Home SRL, in order to start picking up titles from low-budget independents like Action International Pictures and Omega Entertainment, in order to start with the Icaro Video label, which was designed for European productions, and Prestige Collection, which was dedicated to French productions. In 1989, the company started up a label for Hollywood classics, Casablanca Classics. The label would end up being shut down in 1991.

1st Logo (1986-1988)

Logo: In a dark brown background, a white grid in a format of an eye forms. Then, "CASABLANCA" in a gold stylised font flies to the bottom right corner and rises to the centre as "VIDEO HOME S.R.L" flies spins from the top right corner whilst spinning and flipping underneath "CASABLANCA". The logo then zooms out leaving an orange background.

FX/SFX: Simple 80s computer effects.

Music/Sounds: "Caption 1" by Dave Richmond is played throughout the logo.

Availability: Rare. Apparently, this was on porn tapes in Argentina released by the company.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1988-1991)

Nicknames: "Argentinian Snow White in Casablanca"

Logo: At afterdark in the village, a woman (Paula D'Agosti) comes out from a car, goes into her house. When she's already in her room, she took off her ring, socks, some jewelry and her shoes. And she walks into her tape player, which plays the song "Kiss", and she dances, then took an apple. She took another tape to being played on this time, her VCR. She lays herself on her couch while watching TV and eating the apple (which somewhat resembles a modern Snow White). On the TV, we see another woman says some stuffs in Argentinian, and we go back to the first girl again, while she's eating her apple and looking at us. "CASABLANCA" with "VIDEO HOME S.B.L." below it (a la the 1st Family Home Entertainment logo font) appears on freeze-frame, along with the woman. The logo fades out for a while. Suddenly, we see that woman again, and she says another stuffs in Argentinian.

Trivia: The logo was filmed two days in Paula D'Agosti's house. Paula D'Agosti is the professex of the program Noti-dormi.

Variant: On some children's tapes released under the label, like El Clan de Patsy, a different version is used. Here, the woman comes up, holding a remote control. A kid picks up and settles from the girl, and says some stuff in Argentinian. The action freezes, and the text appears. No music, aside from the voices is heard in the variant.

FX/SFX: All live-action.

Music/Sounds: Starts with a tense piano tune (much like the 1982 United Artists "Turning UA" logo), then "Kiss" by Prince and the Revolution plays towards the end.

Availability: Rare. Apparently, this was on erotic, horror and drama tapes in Argentina released by the company.

Editor's Note: None.