Atlantis Communications

Credits

Descriptions by
Nicholas Aczel and Sean Beard

Captures by
Eric S., V of Doom, Subzero917, and Shadeed A. Kelly

Editions by
V of Doom, Eric S., Michael Kenchington and TheRealMarcel2000

Video captures courtesy of
Eric S. and Subzero917

Background

Atlantis Communications (also known simply as Atlantis) was a Canadian film distribution and television production company, founded in 1978. In 1998, the company entered a joint venture with Alliance Entertainment Corporation, forming Alliance Atlantis.

1st Logo (May 21, 1985-February 9, 1990)

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Visuals: The screen is divided with the top half black and the bottom half blue. A golden sun rises from under the blue portion. When it is halfway up the screen, the text "ATLANTIS" zooms out and flashes. The blue portion disappears and we are left with a black background with a sunburst in the middle and the "ATLANTIS" below it shining.

Variants:

• There is a variant that features "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" above the logo.
• Another variant features the copyright stamp for "Atlantis Package One (or "Atlantis Package Two") Limited" below.

Technique: 2D animation. None for the "IAW" variant.

Audio:

• A six-note bell tune, followed by a horn fanfare. Composed by Eric Golden.
• On the final season of Airwolf, it used a dramatic drum rolled fanfare.
• On a VHS of Destiny to Order, it used a different horn fanfare.
• For the final season of The Twilight Zone (1985 series) and 110 Lombard Street, it is the last few seconds of the end credits theme.

Availability:

• The still version is seen on the final season of The Twilight Zone (1985 series) on Chiller and the short version was last seen on the final season of Airwolf on RTV.
• The long version can be found on a VHS of Destiny to Order.

2nd Logo (July 20, 1990-August 20, 1995)

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Visuals: On a sky and sea background, the familiar sunburst rises from the sea. The text "ATLANTIS" zooms out and settles itself below the sunburst. A star shines on the "S" in "ATLANTIS".

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The ending theme of the show, or none. In 1995, the audio is a calm synth jingle with a choir.

Availability:

• It can be seen on The Outer Limits (1995 series) on Comet.
• It also appeared on Ray Bradbury Theater from season 4 onwards (but Comet airings have the FilmRise logo in its place instead), the pilot Limboland, the TV movie Heads, the Maniac Mansion TV series and TekWar.
• It was said to have appeared on Wild Side Show (later retitled Wild Side), which last aired on the Noggin channel on March 31, 2002, but uploaded recordings lack any evidence.

3rd Logo (December 14, 1995-December 18, 1998)

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Visuals: On a black background, two parallel golden laserlights draw a round curve across the screen. As we zoom out and turn up on their side, we notice at the focal points of the lower curve 5 laserlights, about an inch apart, draw lines connecting with the upper curve. There is a flash of light and we see the CGI sunburst with the text "ATLANTIS" below it on a dark blue marble background.

Variant: Sometimes the company's website URL "www.atlantis.ca" would also appear under the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Digitally synthesized whoosh sounds amongst a dreamy choir.

Audio Variant: On Night Man, it has the Tribune Entertainment music.

Availability:

• Seen on reruns of Earth: Final Conflict, The Outer Limits (1995 series), Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, and other shows produced during the period.
• Also appears on some made-for-TV movies, such as Night of the Twisters.
• It also appeared on the obscure Disney Channel series Flash Forward (not related to the 2009 ABC series).
• It may be followed by a Fireworks or Endemol Entertainment logo.

4th Logo (May 18-September 25, 1998)

Visuals: On a black background, the silver text stack "ATLANTIS" folds onto the screen.

Variant: This logo would later be used for the first logo for Alliance Atlantis.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A soft orchestration tune.

Availability: It was only seen on some episodes of The Outer Limits (1995 series). The DVD releases plaster this logo with the Alliance Atlantis logo.

Atlantis Communications

Alliance Atlantis ►