Media Home Entertainment (Warning Screens)

1st Warning (1981-1987)

Warning: On a blue background, we see a white FBI square (with a rounded left side) with a standard blue FBI logo. On the right we see the white word "WARNING" (in a larger font) and the white warning text below. It then cuts to a blue background with the word "WARNING" in a larger white font and the white INTERPOL text below, between the two white bars seen at the top and bottom at the screen.

Variant: A bright maroon background version of this also exists.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Media Home Entertainment, Music Media, Nostalgia Merchant, and Hi-Tops Video releases of the era. Also seen on tapes from Imperial Entertainment, BridgeStone Media, and Trans World Entertainment. The bright maroon background variant was only seen on New Star Video releases. Also appears on Monarch Home Video releases (1st screen only). This appeared at the end of tapes until 1985. For some reason, this appears on the UK pre-cert VHS of I Drink Your Blood.

2nd Warning (1981-1985)

Warning: On a blue background we see the following text in white scroll up:

WARNING The motion picture contained in this video cassette is protected under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. This cassette is sold for home use only and all other rights are expressly reversed by the copyright owner of such motion picture. Any copying or public performance of such motion picture is strictly prohibited and may subject the offender to civil liability and severe criminal penalties. TITLE 17 UNITED STATES CODE SECTIONS 501 AND 506.

Variant: Some releases use a different font.

Technique: The text scrolling up.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen at the start of Media Home Entertainment, Music Media, The Nostalgia Merchant and Hi-Tops Video releases of the era. May also be on Alliance Entertainment Group releases such as Choices (1985).

3rd Warning (1987-1996)

Warning: On a sky blue background, we see a large transparent white FBI logo in the center. The black text superimposed over it reads:

FBI WARNING Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or exhibition of copyrighted motion pictures and video tapes. (Title 17, United States Code, Sections 501 and 506) The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigates allegations of criminal copyright infringement (Title 17, United States Code, Section 506)

Moments later, the first screen fades out and the next screen fades in, featuring the following text:

_________________________ INTERPOL WARNING International agreements and national laws protect copyrighted motion pictures, video tapes and sound recordings. Unauthorized reproduction, exhibition or distribution of copyrighted motion pictures can result in severe criminal and civil penalties under the laws of your country.

After a few seconds, the text fades to the following:

_________________________ INTERPOL WARNING The International Criminal Police Organization-INTERPOL-has expressed its concern about motion picture and sound recording policy to all of its member national police forces. (Resolution adopted at INTERPOL General Assembly, Stockholm, Sweden, September 8, 1977)

Variant: Lyrick Studios also uses this warning (and some releases of VeggieTales from Word Entertainment), except it uses yellow text, a purple stone background, and the line above "INTERPOL" is absent.

Technique: None except for the fading of the INTERPOL text.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Media Home Entertainment, Nostalgia Merchant, Hi-Tops Video, and Fox Hills Video releases of the era. Also seen on Southgate Entertainment, later Trans World Entertainment, and Schlessinger Video Productions releases. Also seen on Lyons Group and early Lyrick Studios releases (which at first used the original version, but started using the purple stone version in 1996). The Lyrick/Lyons Group version can also be seen on VeggieTales tapes from Word and Everland Entertainment, likely due to VeggieTales also being released by Lyrick Studios in the late '90s. However, on Canadian tapes of Hi-Tops Video released by Astral Video, the Astral warning is used instead. Also appears on Ardustry Home Entertainment releases (first screen only).