Greater Union Film Distributors

Credits

Video captures courtesy of
Logo Archive, FT Depot

Background

Greater Union Film Distributors, a successor to GUO Film Distributors, was the name of the distribution arm of Greater Union Cinemas, an Australian theater chain. The company distributed its own productions as well as those of Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment, Walt Disney Productions (later Walt Disney Pictures), and the Touchstone Pictures subsidiary that was founded by Disney in 1984. On that same year, The Rank Organisation sold its 50% share of the Greater Union chain to Amalgamated Holdings, Ltd., a move that returned the chain to being wholly-owned by Australian interests for the first time since 1947. In 1987, Greater Union Film Distributors merged with the distribution arm of Village Roadshow, but both companies retained their own patterns of temporary theatrical film distribution. In 1992, Greater Union Film Distributors was absorbed into Roadshow Films. The Greater Union theater chain itself (which was renamed to Event Cinemas on its' own in 2010) is now owned by Event Hospitality and Entertainment, which falls under the ownership of Village Roadshow.

1st (known) Logo (1982-1988)

Visuals: The camera zooms back through a star-shaped tunnel made out of lines. It zooms so far out that it goes out of a star-like shape revealing the words "GREATER UNION" in a bubbly font which is neon blue. Many lasers shoot the logo in different places and leaves stars on many letters. The letters change to a yellow color and shines many times. The logo then shines more brightly and the words "FILM DISTRIBUTORS" are revealed in a white font. The logo then glows once more.

Trivia: This logo was a variation of their theatrical snipes that were shown at a Greater Union theater at the time.

Variant: Widescreen and scope variants of this logo exist, alongside an open-matte variant.

Technique: Backlit animation.

Audio: A rising spaceship engine drone sound for the zooming back, followed by an ethereal choir, accompanied by the lazer sounds, on the flash the choir breaks into a synth fanfare. Sometimes, it's silent.

Availability: This logo was only used theatrically in Australia. However, this has shown up on a 1984 Australian PBV VHS release of The Last Starfighter (albeit letterboxed), another unknown VHS release, and strangely enough, on the British VHS release of Warriors of the Wind, the infamous Manson International dub of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Also appears on the short film Palace of Dreams. This makes a surprise appearance on an Australian Umbrella Entertainment Blu-ray of Razorback, instead of the Warner Bros. logo.

2nd Logo (1988-November 7, 1991)

Visuals: On a space background with a purple nebula, the camera slowly pans down to reveal the Earth's horizon as a white flash of light appears on the center of the nebula. A spinning silver disc then zooms in shining to a comfortable position. It stops spinning, revealing it to be a stylized "GU" monogram (an updated version of the monogram used in the GUO days). Below, the following text (in Futura Medium), also in silver, zooms in from the horizon:

GREATER UNION
DISTRIBUTORS

A star-shaped cutout is seen on the "A" in "GREATER". The byline "A Roadshow Greater Union Company" in Futura Extra Bold, and in a purple gradient, fades in afterwards underneath the company name.

Variants:

• Like with the previous logo, widescreen and scope versions of this logo both exist, alongside an open-matte variant.
• There also existed a "Greater Union presents..." version of this, as well as a version without both "DISTRIBUTORS" and the Roadshow Greater Union byline. That latter version was seen as a "Feature Presentation" snipe.

Technique: Appears to be a mix of live-action modelling work and cel animation.

Audio: A ding when the flash of light appears, followed by a synth horn fanfare over a chorus pad, then a drumbeat when the emblem stops zooming in, ending in a synthesized flourish.

Availability: Until 2023, the only evidence this logo existing is on Australian VHS releases of Blinky Bill: The Mischievious Koala on the cover of the VHS tape itself, and on trailers for the movie. This print logo has been resurfaced on an Australian TV spot for Proof. This logo was most likely seen theatrically only in Australia, as the logo is either plastered with the Roadshow Television logo on Australian television prints, or got erased from all home media releases of any of the movies they produced, released, or distributed in Australia under that name entirely. According to the OzMovies website, Greater Union Distributors' final movie that was produced under that name was The Magic Riddle, released theatrically in Australia on September 26, 1991, and its' final movie that was released under that name was Sweet Talker, released theatrically in the same country on November 7 of that same year. As of today, it is currently unknown if there are Australian theatrical 35mm film prints of either movie to have this logo.

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Greater Union Film Distributors

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