Lorimar Home Video

Credits

Descriptions by
James Fabiano, Sean Beard, and Matt A.}

Captures by
Eric S., Dean Stewart Rumsey, and others

Editions by
Mr. Logo Lord and Nathan B.

Video captures courtesy of
czar7474, logoman7881, and Logocompilation

Background

Before Lorimar purchased video distributor Karl Home Video in 1984 and relaunched the company as Karl-Lorimar Home Video (later known as Lorimar Home Video), the company's previous features were issued first by USA Home Video, CBS Video (through MGM/CBS) and later CBS/Fox, who retained the home video rights to the pre-1984 library until Lorimar-Telepictures was acquired by Warner Bros. in 1989. As Karl Home Video, the company was started in 1982 by Stuart Karl (1953-1991). Karl later resigned from the company due to disputes between Karl and his superiors and the Karl name was ultimately dropped.

1st Logo (1982-1985)

Nickname: "Big K"

Logo:

• 1982-Late 1985 (Karl Home Video): We see parts of the bottom of a giant "K" slide up from the bottom of the screen, and the top half (in whole) flip up afterward. After, the K glows orange and gains a much thicker outline.
• Late 1985-1986 (Karl-Lorimar Home Video): Same as before, except the logo zooms out after it glows orange, and the words "KARL-LORIMAR" (in the Lorimar font) and "H O M E---V I D E O" in a rounded font slide in. The color is also lighter.

FX/SFX: The K being formed, which looks similar to the logo of Kartes Video Communications.

Music/Sounds: An upbeat disco fanfare, but the logo is usually silent.

Availability: Extremely rare. Found on VHS releases of Money Hunt and Americathon as well as the first releases in the Jane Fonda's Workout series, among others, although the 1988 VHS reprint of The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (that still used the 1985 box) has the WHV "Cheesy Shield" logo with the Warner Communications byline, followed by the regular Lorimar Home Video logo.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1985)

Logo: A blue Lorimar logo flies in from the top left of the screen while rotating until it settles into place. The words "HOME VIDEO" in a blocky font zooms into place with a trail behind it, similar to the credits of Superman (1978) or Star Trek: The Next Generation

FX/SFX: Cheap 1980s 2D animation

Music/Sounds: An upbeat synth fanfare (possibly stock music) and whooshing sounds when the Lorimar Logo and "HOME VIDEO" animate in

Availability Unknown, Only surfaced very recently on a Spanish VHS tape of A Streetcar Named Desire

3rd Logo (1986-1989)

Nickname: "Multi-Colored Bar"

Logo:

• 1986-1987 (Karl-Lorimar Home Video): A multi-colored line of yellow/orange/red/blue sweeps onto a black background. It straightens out, and sets itself down at the bottom of the screen. Then a whole mess of gray dust collects and converges above the "HOME VIDEO" bar, forming the "KARL-LORIMAR" logo. Then, to give it a shiny look, little stars sparkle at the letter's edges in time with the "ding... ding... ding..." fade-out of the music.
• 1987-1989 (Lorimar Home Video): Same as before, but instead the text above the bar reads "LORIMAR" (and is larger to fit the width of the bar and does not have a 3D look to it) with a TM mark next to.

FX/SFX: The logo flying with the trail, the (Karl) Lorimar text dissolving in. Actually pretty decent '80s CGI.

Music/Sounds: A synth sweep brings in the bar, and after the dust forms the logo a 4-note synth melody (similar to the Viacom "V of Doom" music) plays. The music closes with a "ding... ding... ding..." fade-out. A silent variant exists as well.

Availability: Rare. Can be seen on videos such as several Jane Fonda workout tapes, Clifford's Sing Along Adventure, Manhunter, Maximum Overdrive, Housekeeper, Scream for Help, Max Headroom: The Original Story, American Anthem, Return of the Living Dead Part II, Russkies, Trick or Treat, End of the Line, Nowhere to Hide, Big Shots, In the Mood, Made in Heaven, The Chipmunk Adventure, King Kong Lives, Crimes of the Heart, Prettykill, Nobody's Fool, Action Jackson, My Beautiful Laundrette, Warren Miller's Guide to Skiing, and Insignificance, among others. It has also been seen on a early 1990's Warner Home Video VHS reissue of Americathon instead of the 1986-96 Warner Home Video logo. The silent variant can be found on some Kideo Video releases. The Lorimar Home Video variant also showed up on a later reprint of The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, preceded by the WHV "Cheesy Shield" logo with Warner Communications byline.

Editor's Note: None.