Central Motion Picture Corporation

Credits

Descriptions by
Logoarto and Thisisanswer

Editions by
Henrynguye5

Video captures courtesy of
Logo Archive, Asiamovielogos

Background

Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC), founded in 1954, is the largest and most comprehensive movie production company in Taiwan. Best known for the phenomenal international success of its films over the past few decades, it is also a fully-integrate, multi-faceted corporation which owns a complete array of the most up-to-date filming and editing equipment, film and sound studios, film processing laboratories, art and mainstream movie theaters, and even a movie theme park. With a staff of 100 including some of the most talented directors, producers, and technical crew in the country, it has produced almost 200 feature films in nearly half a century of making movies.

1st Logo (August 16, 1948-1950s?)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is a lyre with ribbons and masks on each side. The word "中電" in vertical text appears in the center of the lyre. The company name is seen below.

Technique: A still printed image.

Audio: Opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on early CMPC films like 碧血千秋.

2nd Logo (October 21, 1966-1973)

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Visuals: On a sunburst background, there is a red circle with two Chinese characters zooming in. The letters "CMPC" fades in. Then, the logo fades out when six Chinese characters appears. Finally, it fades out.

Technique: Likely a mix of 2D animation and live action.

Audio: A triumphant fanfare.

Availability: May be seen on 1950s CMPC films such as 還我河山 (Fire Bulls).

3rd Logo (February 8, 1973-1981)

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Visuals: Over a tan background is the then-current CMPC logo (blue and white circle with two Chinese characters on each side). Below are the company name in both Chinese and English, though the English name is abbreviated.

Technique: A still printed image.

Audio: A triumphant fanfare. This stock fanfare is probably known as "Hail to the Chief " by Eric Rogers.

Audio Variant: Sometimes, there was a majestic fanfare.

Availability: May be seen on CMPC's films, such as 皇天后土 (The Coldest Winter of Peking).

4th Logo (March 28, 1981-1982)

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Visuals: On a black background, the CMPC logo in yellow spins and zooms out with a trail effect. The sequence then fades to the logo in gold with the Chinese characters shining. The logo then fade away to make room for another logo with the colored CMPC logo in the middle of the chromed Chinese characters. The English name in full is also seen below.

Technique: Backlit cel animation.

Audio: A triumphant fanfare.

Availability: This was seen on CMPC's films, such as A Man of Immortality.

5th Logo (1982-1992)

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Visuals: On a space background, the screen zooms out from a rotating planet Earth with a smaller planet on the other side of the screen. Some stars then appear and the CMPC shield appears over the Earth. Some Chinese characters zoom in below the planet and a flash appears behind the logo, with the final one engulfing the whole screen. It turns the background yellow and the characters blue. The English name then wipes in below.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: It was shown on CMPC's films from 1982 to 1992. ^[Examples?]

6th Logo (June 6, 1991)

Visuals: This is a special compilation logo with Shaw Brothers. On a crystallized background similar to the Shaw Brothers logo's is the Shaw Brothers logo and the CMPC logo. The logo zooms out a bit to see the names beside each other in red Chinese characters. The background then starts to change colors.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: 2 timpani drumrolls.

Availability: This was only seen on Twin Bracelets.

7th Logo (1993-2001/2002?)

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Visuals: On a rotating space background, a phoenix flies around. When the phoenix flies through the middle of the screen, it releases 4 embers that distinguish into "C M P C", which then spread out and blue lines trace out the rest of the English name and Chinese characters, which then appear after a bit. The phoenix continues flying and reaches the middle of the screen as it traces a curved line and the flies into it, creating a silhouette in a blue crescent shape and the phoenix distinguishes.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A triumphant synth tune.

Availability: This may be seen on CMPC's films. ^[Examples?]

8th Logo (2001/2002?-2011)

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Visuals: Same as the fifth logo, but remade in higher quality with a few differences. The Chinese characters are different, the globe and logo are bigger, and the text is dark grey with the background turns yellow.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: A peaceful synth tune.

Availability: This was shown on CMPC's movies, including reprints of earlier films such as That Day, on the Beach.

9th Logo (September 9, 2011- )

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Visuals: On a silver background, the CMPC shield slams down onto the background, creating ripples. The ripples then reveal the Chinese characters and English name in green. The ripples then dies down and leave a marble-like silver background.

Variant: On Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, the logo is next to the ARS Film Production logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A slam sound and a bell tune.

Audio Variant: On Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, it has a 4 note piano tune after the slam sound.

Availability: Seen on CMPC's movies since 2011, such as The Assassin.