Channel 5 Video

Credits

Descriptions by
DisneyInternationalFan

Captures by
GoboFraggle1983

Editions by
PM pinter, Michael Kenchington, Blue2000, TrademarkMagic04 and Luigitehplumber

Video captures courtesy of
dylan fagan and LogicSmash

Background

Channel 5 Video was a significant British VHS distributor from 1986 until 1991 when it was acquired and folded by PolyGram. In 1997, PolyGram revived Channel 5 Video as a children's label for their existing budget VHS imprint 4 Front Video until being retired again in 1999 following the rebranding of PolyGram Video to Universal Studios Home Video.

It is completely unrelated to (and not to be confused with) Britain's fifth terrestrial TV station.

1st Logo (1986-1990)

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Nicknames: "The Segmented Trapezoid 5", "3D Segment 5", "CGI 5", "Cool 5"

Logo: On a gradient blue background, a series of translucent 3D quadrilaterals rotate into view and form what turns out to be a right-pointing arrow with a "5" cut out of it. The arrow is then hit by a line of electricity (two CASCOM stock footages called "Electro Charge II" and "Electro Burst", respectively) and turns gold, and as it turns to face us, the word "CHANNEL" also in gold appears above. The whole logo faces us very briefly, with a flash of white light behind it, then zooms in towards us and disappears, leaving just the blue background.

FX/SFX: The quadrilaterals, the line of electricity, the arrow turning gold, and the whole logo zooming in.

Music/Sounds: A synthesizer tune is played with some bells and electric guitars, and just before the bolts of lightning hit each other, a cymbal is heard building up to the flash, with a final electric guitar riff before the synthesizer fades out, as the logo zooms off the screen.

Availability: Seen on Channel 5 videos from the UK around the time period such as Thunderbirds, Stingray, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90 and The Trap Door, among others.

Legacy: This logo boasts some pretty impressive CGI for 1986.

2nd Logo (1989-1991, 1997-1999)

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Nicknames: "The Segmented Trapezoid 5 II: Not An Electric Boogaloo", "2D Segment 5"

Logo: On a gradient brown background, a beige square appears from the bottom right corner, zooming towards the center of the screen before disappearing. Two more squares, colored purple and black respectively, participate in similar sequences. While this is being done, the word "CHANNEL" forms letter-by-letter, then the symbol from the previous logo (a segmented arrow with a "5"-shaped hole) is formed afterwards. It stays on the screen for a few seconds, then the symbol and "CHANNEL" fly to the top right corner of the screen, leaving just the background.

FX/SFX: The squares flying in, the logo being formed and flying out. All 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A lullaby-esque theme, featuring a xylophone and woodwind.

Music/Sounds/Variant/Trivia: On some videos, a different audio track is used which consists of a droning note followed by a downing synth chord with drumbeats, which surprisingly is in sync with the lines forming the logo and even fits a bit more. This was actually sourced from "Threshold" by the Steve Miller Band. The track was also used for an early station ident for KMPH-TV.

Availability: Seen on Channel 5 videos from the UK around the time period.

Legacy: A simpler and cheaper effort compared to the previous logo.