Universum Film AG (1917-1945): Difference between revisions

Content added Content deleted

Inline

Latest revision as of 00:51, 21 April 2024

Background

Universum Film AG (UFA) was the oldest German film studio created in 1917 and produced a lot of worldwide-known films. The studio later went into the control of the Nazi government and continued to work during World War II. After the war, the studio facilities remained in the Soviet occupation zone and was renamed DEFA, quickly returning to production, becoming the main film studio in the DDR and created many acclaimed movies until it closed in 1992. In West Germany, the film industry remained long dormant, although Universum Film AG was resurrected in the 1950s.

Logo (January 29, 1930-1945)

Visuals: There is the UFA signature logo taken into a rhombus. Other details depend on the movie shown.

Variants:

In early years, the construction was thinner.
On Munchausen, the logo looks like neon-tubes, the rhombus is red and "Filmkunst" appears in a decorative font
On Kolberg, the background is blue and the logo has a purple metallic look.
On American releases of Metropolis, the Paramount print logo is underneath the UFA logo.

Technique: A still graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability: Was regularly seen on German films made in the 1930s-1940s, such as Munchausen, Der Blaue Engel, or Kolberg.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{About|the original film company of Universum Film AG (1917-1945)|the current incarnation film company|Universum Film AG}}
 ===Background===
+'''Universum Film AG''' ('''UFA''') was the oldest German film studio created in 1917 and produced a lot of worldwide-known films. The studio later went into the control of the Nazi government and continued to work during World War II. After the war, the studio facilities remained in the Soviet occupation zone and was renamed [[DEFA]], quickly returning to production, becoming the main film studio in the DDR and created many acclaimed movies until it closed in 1992. In West Germany, the film industry remained long dormant, although [[Universum Film AG]] was resurrected in the 1950s.
+===Logo (January 29, 1930-1945)===
-Universum Film AG derives from UFA, the oldest German film studio created in 1917 and produced a lot of worldwide-known films. The studio later went into control of Nazi government and continiued to work during World War II. After the war, the studio facilities remained in Soviet occupation zone and was renamed DEFA, quickly returning to production, becoming the main filmstudio in DDR and created many acclaimed movies until closed in 1992. In West Germany, filming industry remained long dormant, although Universum Film AG was resurrected in 1950's and acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1964. Later Universum Film began releasing home videos since 1979. The merger of Germany led to the existence of loosely based companies UFA, formerly DEFA, and Universum Film with their UFA Home Video label, which got rights to distribute former DEFA-made movies on DVD. Universum Film AG celebrated their 30 years in 2009. This has no relation to the other German company [[Universum Film GmBH (Germany)|Universum Film GmBH]], which uses a logo with planets and confusingly also operates the UFA Home Video label.
+<gallery mode=packed heights=200>
+UFA1.png
+UFA2.png
-==UFA Filmkunst==
+UFA3.jpg
+UFA4.png
-===(1930's-1945, 1955-1970's)===
+UFA5.png
+UFA6.jpg
-<gallery mode="packed" heights=200>
+UFA7.jpg
-File:UFA1.png
-File:UFA2.png
-File:UFA3.jpg
-File:UFA4.png
-File:UFA5.png
-File:UFA6.jpg
-File:UFA7.jpg
-File:UFA8.png
-File:UFA9.jpg
 </gallery>
+'''Visuals:''' There is the UFA signature logo taken into a rhombus. Other details depend on the movie shown.
-'''Nickname:''' "UFA Signature", "Almost-Ambigram-Styled Signature"
-'''Logo:''' We see UFA signature logo taken into a rhombus. Other details depend on the movie shown.
 '''Variants:'''
 * In early years, the construction was thinner.
-* On Munchausen, the logo looks like neon-tubes, the rhombus is red and "Filmkunst" appears in decorative font
+* On ''Munchausen'', the logo looks like neon-tubes, the rhombus is {{color|red}} and "Filmkunst" appears in a decorative font
-* On Kolberg, the background was blue and the logo had purple metallic look.
+* On ''Kolberg'', the background is {{color|blue}} and the logo has a {{color|darkviolet|purple}} metallic look.
+* On American releases of ''Metropolis'', the [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] print logo is underneath the UFA logo.
-'''FX/SFX:''' None.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' Silence.
-'''Availability:''' Was seen on German films made in 1930's-1940's, such as ''Munchausen'', ''Der Blaue Engel'', or ''Kolberg''.
-'''Editor's Note:''' None.
-==Universum Film AG==
-===1st (known) Logo (1970's-1980's)===
-[[File:UFA10.png|center|200px]]
-<center><youtube width="220" height="165">tZLz9nXaRNk</youtube></center>
-'''Logo:''' On a space background with the overhead view of the Earth at the bottom, a three-dimensional UFA logo flies in from the top-right in a tilted position, leaving thick solid {{font color|red|red}}-{{font color|#ffff80|yellowish-white}} trail with some plastic glare, then "'''UFA präsentiert:'''" in the typewriter font wipes in below. The logo and text fade out, leaving the space background, and the words: "'''Einen kurzen Blick in die große UFA-Video-Welt'''" would fade in with the same font as before.
-'''FX/SFX:''' The logo flying in and the words typing in. Good 70's animation.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' A high string note breaking into the triumphant fanfare accompanied by the swoosh.
-'''Availability:''' Extremely rare.
-'''Editor's Note:''' None.
-===2nd (known) Logo (1980's)===
-[[File:UFA11.jpg|350px|center]]
-{{YouTube|id=tEhNXHX-idI}}
-'''Logo:''' We zoom through the void of space, suddenly a pink laser comes in from the top-left and hits the near bottom-right corner, forming the grid floor. The horizon flashes and the grid shines, afterwards, the purple shimmering glowing rhombus rises from the horizon to the near-top, the light ping rises from the left corner of the rhombus to the top and shatters, revealing the familiar signature logo inside the blue rhombus, then the red outline wipes in quickly from the top followed by the white outline wiping in from the bottom. However, the logo zooms in and lowers a little, and the text quickly dissolves in below the rhombus, reading:
-<center>{{font color|#d6d0d0|<u>UNIVERSUM FILM
-<br>präsentiert</u>}}</center>
-'''FX/SFX:''' The grid, rhombus, and the space background.
+'''Technique:''' A still graphic.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' A spacey synth tune that turns turn into a dramatic fanfare. Whooshes and crashes are heard throughout.
+'''Audio:''' None.
-'''Availability:''' Rare, was seen on German tapes.
+'''Availability:''' Was regularly seen on German films made in the 1930s-1940s, such as ''Munchausen'', ''Der Blaue Engel'', or ''Kolberg''.
-'''Editor's Note:''' The synth tune suddenly turning to a dramatic one and the effects used will scare some.
-[[Category:German Logos]]
+[[Category:German film logos (pre-1945)]]
-[[Category:Movie Logos]]
+[[Category:Germany (pre-1945)]]
-[[Category:German Movie Logos]]
+[[Category:Film logos]]