Istituto Luce

Credits

Descriptions by
Pentagon041

Captures by
Electra

Editions by
Henrynguye5

Video captures courtesy of
Nico Gazzillo, Google Chrom, Istituto Luce Cinecittà, Mr. Gann and ifrequire

Background

The Istituto Luce (L'Unione Cinematografica Educativa) is the oldest public institution devoted to film distribution for educational and informative of the world. Born in Italy in 1924, Istituto Luce quickly became a powerful propaganda tool of the fascist regime. The Institute, based in Rome, also participated in the production and distribution of films and documentaries for the cinema. In 1936, Istituto Luce ceased to report directly to the Head of the Government to move to the Ministry of Popular Culture. After the war, the Istituto Luce is engaged in the production of several documentaries and films.

1st Logo (1924-1929)

• 
  Opening variant
• 
  Closing variant

Visuals: In a black background a small light appears and then rises into a searchlight which illuminates the entire background, appearing to be an outlined map of Italy. The Fasces lictoriae fades in while the light continues to illuminate the background until it reveals the words "L.U.C.E", then it starts to zoom toward the camera and after it stops,the light starts to illuminate so much that the background becomes fully white while the Fasces lictoriae fades into black.

Technique: Traditional animation.

Audio: A triumphant fanfare.

Availability: It is seen on early Istituto Luce's newsreel transmissions and films. ^[Examples?]

2nd Logo (1929-1931)

Visuals: There is a live action eagle moving on the background. The text "ISTITVTO NAZIONALE LVCE" then zooms down.

Technique: Live-action and traditional animation.

Audio: A fanfare with trumpets and drums.

Availability: Seen on Istituto Luce's newsreel transmissions and films from this short period. ^[Examples?]

3rd Logo (1931-1939)

Visuals: The sequence opens with a slow fade into a sky background with an eagle statue, while "ISTITVTO NAZIONALE LVCE" fades in. At the end the text fades out and "PRESENTA" wipes in.

Technique: Traditional animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: It is seen on Istituto Luce's newsreel transmissions and films of this period. ^[Examples?]

4th Logo (1939-1943)

Visuals: There are two Fasces lictoriaes on the sides of the screen. In the center of the screen there's a globe that rotates (a la Universal Pictures) with the words "LVCE" on an equal footing of the axes of the Fasces lictoriaes.

Technique: Live-action model work.

Audio: None.

Availability: It is seen on Istituto Luce's last black and white newsreel transmissions and films. ^[Examples?]

5th Logo (1979-1997)

• 
• 
• 

Visuals: Over a blue background, the logo starts with 17 bold azure lines appearing to down to up one at time. after them are all appeared they turn into light to up to down one at time revealing an stylized eagle head (the Istituto Luce logo), a shine creates the eye of the eagle and the azure and white shadows of the words "LUCE" appears one at time, first the azure one to left to right and then the white one to right to left and at the end the words "ISTITUTO LUCE - ITALNOLEGGIO CINEMATOGRAFICO" appears one at time.

Variants: On later versions of the logo, "ISTITUTO LUCE - ITALNOLEGGIO CINEMATOGRAFICO" had been replaced with simply "ISTITUTO LUCE".

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: Relaxing synth piano-like tunes rising when the lines appear and then going down when they become light, a sound of a long synth organ-like chord, a dramatic trilling sound when the shine creates the eye, another rising synth piano-like tunes but with low pitch when the shadows of the words "LUCE" appears, an echoed electronic drop-like sound and a drum beat.

Availability: Unknown. ^[Examples?]

6th Logo (March 6, 1998-2001)

• 
• 

Visuals: There is an oil paints or pastel animation of an eagle of various colors soaring from the camera, back to the camera, and then flying away to the left. A gush of wind appear from left to right before "ISTITUTO LUCE" appears on the left to the screen, just before the eagle flies away to the left.

Technique: Likely oil paint animation.

Audio: A relaxing fanfare composed by Fabrizio Baldoni.

Availability: Can be found on Italian films during the time like Pane e Tulipani. It's also available on Fabrizio Baldoni's Youtube account.

7th Logo (May 9, 2003-June 5, 2009)

Visuals: On a blue foggy background, the screen passes though a dark blue corridor with some windows with inside clips from old Istituto Luce's films. when the camera exits though the corridors, the camera flies up inquadrating the corridor that will reveal to be the Istituto Luce's logo. The logo's color gets brighter while the word "LUCE" fades letter-by-letter and shines.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A triumphant electronic fanfare.

Availability: Debuted on Piazza delle Cinque Lune, and was shown on the company's distributed films and DVDs until its fusion with Cinecittà Holding S.p.A. in 2009. ^[Examples?]

8th Logo (Summer 2009- )

• 
• 

Visuals: There is the eagle logo with an "E" zooming out and flies. Lots of letters flies in the front of the eagle logo. Afterwards, letters flies, forming "CINE ITTÀ" and "LUCE" below. Afterwards, it shines.

Technique: 3D animation.

Audio: A long and reversed cymbal crash, that segues into a turning LED-like sound.

Availability: Unknown. ^[Examples?]