MCA DiscoVision

Credits

Descriptions by
James Stanley Barr, Kris Starring, Matt Gauer and indycar

Captures by
V of Doom, EnormousRat, Dean Stewart Rumsey, Logoboy95, Mr.Logo, socoollogos and indycar

Editions by
V of Doom, RSX-798, kidinbed, betamaxtheflyer, MariluHennerArtist45, Lizz Tetlow, Muzzarino, Nathan B. indycar, KirbyGuy2001 (Logoblin), UniversalFlorida1990, FrozenHater and Michael Kenchington

Video captures courtesy of
Tlogos, LogoLibraryinc, titigag89, fredbur50, Watcher3223, EnormousRat and Evelyn Ain

Background

Universal Studios' home entertainment unit descended from MCA's DiscoVision division, which was created to develop the LaserDisc system. Following its development in the late 1960s and the first demonstration of the system in 1972, DiscoVision entered the market in December 1978 with the release of Jaws. Numerous films were released from Universal, with Disney, Warner Bros., and Paramount also licensing titles to the label. Ultimately, DiscoVision was not a profitable venture for MCA; in 1981, they sold the rights and responsibility for LaserDisc production to Pioneer Electronics, who continued to release titles and support the format until the 2000s. That same year, MCA's DiscoVision releasing plant was renamed to "MCA Videodisc".

1st Logo (February 1977)

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Visuals: The sequence starts out with glowing blue light in the center of a black background. The glowing light shrinks until it is the size of a small yellow circle embedded in an orange upside-down triangle split vertically in the center. The words "MCA DISCO-VISION" appear on top of the triangle, and while the circle turns the same color as the triangle, the copyright symbol appears in the bottom right area.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: An 8-note percussive string tune followed by a dramatic orchestral finish.

Availability: This was only used in a 1977 test pressing that MCA used as a public display. It is not known to have appeared on other test pressings, or full-length programs pressed at the same time such as the television version of High Plains Drifter and episodes of The French Chef.

2nd Logo (December 11, 1978-January 1982)

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  Color (1978)
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  Color/copyright stamp (1979-1981)
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  B&W

Visuals: On a black background, 2 copies of the word "DISCOVISION" crawl across the entire screen with a blinds effects: one copy in orange scrolls from right to left, while the other copy in Bondi blue scrolls from left to right. Before the copies are off-screen, multiple lines with a blocky orange-to-red gradient from center horizontally out wipe in vertically opposite directions of each other, with each pair getting thinner and thinner. After the copies are gone, the lines split open like scissor blades to reveal the same result, but the lines in white and the stripe gradient colored sky blue-to-dark blue. It then splits open to reveal the prior gradient before a black background forms from a letterbox format before wiping over the remaining area in a zigzag maneuver. The blue gradient then wipes back in with a giant white "V" with concentric lines coming off the sides wiping in piece by piece. The text "DISCO ISION" draws in a Century Gothic-like font, forming "DISCOVISION" as the letters start to shine with bright lights constantly.

Variants:

• On 1979-1982 releases, a 1978 copyright stamp appeared underneath the DiscoVision logo.
• Black and white DiscoVision movies featured this logo in black and white.
• Most of the later LaserDisc players will skip over most of the animation on most DiscoVision titles due to DiscoVision's decision to encode the start frame halfway through the bumper on most titles. Some titles will play the full opening, such as the 1978 standard play version of The Sting.
• The last few seconds are cut off on the CAV edition of The Jerk.
• Some LaserDisc skip the first half of the logo.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A lavishly orchestrated fanfare that opens with a harp/flute section.

Audio Variant: On some releases, such as Bustin' Loose and The Four Seasons, it's silent.

Availability:

• It was seen on every DiscoVision release from 1978 to 1982.
• To find them, look for packaging where the print logo is on a gray background with the space around the “V” peeling to both sides revealing the movie that is printed on the disc.
• It is tough to find in good quality, as poor manufacturing practices have caused most DiscoVision discs to degrade over the years.

MCA DiscoVision

MCA Videocassette Inc. MCA Videodisc LaserVision ►