Pearl & Dean

Credits

Descriptions by
It'sATrap

Captures by
youjustfailedfilms, StephenCezar15, and Camenati

Editions by
StephenCezar15, Henrynguye5, TheRealMarcel2000 and DannyTheMuppetMan

Video captures courtesy of
JX866, Google Chrom, EpicFam

Main Logo Variations

Background

Pearl and Dean is a British cinema advertising company, founded by brothers Charles and Ernie Pearl, and Robert "Bob" Dean, to sell advertising on British cinema screens prior to the showing of the main feature. Pearl and Dean is now owned by Willowbrook Investments Ltd, and controls advertising at many UK cinema sites including multiplex operators Empire Cinemas, Showcase Cinemas, and UK branch of AMC Theatres; the company also represents approximately half of the UK's independent cinemas.

1st Logo (1953-1968, 1970-1972)

• 
  Fullscreen variant
• 
  Widescreen variant
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  Closing variant
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  Youngers variant
• 
  Youngers closing variant

Logo: On a sky background, we see some pillars. Some text fades in at the center of the pillars, and we then begin zooming in. Once we get close, the camera stops, and the text is then revealed to say "PEARL & DEAN present" in yellow. The logo then fades out.

Variants:

• A later variant in the early '1970s had the camera not zooming in as much, and the sky was brighter.
• A version that says, "PEARL, DEAN & YOUNGERS" exists.

Technique: A zooming effect.

Music/Sounds: For the 1953-1968 variant, a rather majestic fanfare. For the 1970-1972 variant, a Latin-flavored music piece.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen in UK cinemas in the '1950s, '1960s, and early '1970s.

2nd Logo (1968-1970)

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Logo: Two vertical lines (one green, one yellow) are made on the screen. They unfold and make the letters "P" and "D" (for Pearl and Dean). Each has a clip of someone dancing in it. They fold back again, and unfold to the "P" and "D" again, but this time with different clips. They yet again fold back, but this time, they disappear. Ten smaller lines in rows are five are made, which unfold to make the words “PEARL & DEAN” in a rather odd-looking font. Each letter has a small clip in it, but they then combine to make a large image of a car passing. When the car goes by, the smaller clips return to normal, and seven lines appear under the "PEARL & DEAN", and they unfold to read “PRESENTS”.

Trivia: This intro is parodied in one of Terry Gilliam’s animated segments for the Monty Python’s Flying Circus episode “Intermission”.

Technique: 2D animation and live action.

Music/Sounds: A 5/4 dance tune.

Availability: Extinct. Was shown in UK cinemas in the late '1960s and early '1970s.

3rd Logo (1972-July 1996)

• 
  Normal version
• 
  Closing variant
• 
  B&W variant
• 
  B&W closing variant
• 
  Phone number closing variant

Logo: We begin with a black space (which constantly changes shape) on a blue background. An odd-looking white shape appears from that black space, which later fades. When it does, all manner of shapes start shooting up from the center, and while that is happening, the text "PEARL AND DEAN PRESENTS" in white (sometimes blue) shoots up from the center. After it has been there for a few seconds, the logo fades.

Trivia: Heineken used the music in this logo to create an ad specifically for British cinema where the song keeps breaking down and is refreshed by the drink.

Variants:

• A closing version exists, with, "PEARL AND DEAN" zooming out, instead of in. The "PRESENTS" text is absent.
• Another closing version with the company's phone number underneath "PEARL AND DEAN".
• A higher-pitched version exists, although this might be because of film deterioration.
• Starting in 1990, coinciding with Universal Pictures celebrates its 75th Anniversary and introduced the "90s MCA Globe" logo, the logo was given an "enhanced" look. The blue background and the black space-changing shapes are switched to videotape. The black space-changing shapes and the 1970's Pearl and Dean text zooming are using the 1990's graphics.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A 20-second piece named "Asteroid" composed by Pete Moore. A stereo mix version is introduced.

Availability: Extinct, but has now been recognized as legendary by many people. Was seen in UK cinemas in the '1970s, '1980s, and '1990s. Lots of videos of it are on YouTube.

4th Logo (1996-2011)

• 
  Normal version
• 
  Early version
• 
  Website link variant

Logo: We see lots of colorful images of filmstrips (or at least the sprockets most of the time) moving around, constantly changing scenes, in time with the music. When that finishes, on the background of the filmstrips, the words "Pearl and Dean" appear in the middle of the screen.

Variant: From 1996 to the early 2000s, the text was different and faded in instead of jumping back onto the screen.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A remixed version of the music from the third logo.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen in UK cinemas in the late 1990s, 2000s, and early 2010s.

5th Logo (2006?-2011)

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Logo: This logo bears a resemblance to "Asteroid" (the third logo). On a blue background, we see filmstrips appearing from the center of the screen, and then the following text zooms up all the way from the center of the screen, in this order:

"all the latest film news...

reviews of the latest releases...

movie merchandise and ringtones...

cinema listings for every site in the UK and Ireland..."

When that text finishes appearing, the filmstrips stop appearing the text "Pearl and Dean for film lovers everywhere" flips in, with "Pearl and Dean" in pink, and at the same time, the website URL, "www.pearlanddean.com", fades in. The URL "shines.", and the "Pearl and Dean for film lovers everywhere" text zooms in and disappear, leaving just the website URL.

Variant: Sometimes, different texts zooming in all the way from the center of the screen, in this order:

"news...

reviews...

listings & film times...

and much more..."

When that text finishes appearing, the filmstrips stays on screen for 1 second before the filmstrips stop appearing the text "Pearl and Dean for film lovers everywhere" starts flips in. Also, the "Pearl and Dean for film lovers everywhere" flips in faster. After the "www.pearlanddean.com" website URL fades in and "shines", the "Pearl and Dean for film lovers everywhere" text does not zooming in.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Same as the fourth logo.

Availability: Extinct. It was only ever used as an outro in tandem with fourth logo as an intro.

6th Logo (2011-2014)

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Logo: On a purple background, a sort of wave appears along with what looks like glitter. When that is almost off the screen, a shooting star flies on from the right of the screen, splits in two, and draws a carmine pink "&" sign. That zooms out as the words "Pearl" and "Dean" appear on either side of it. They stop in the center of the screen.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A shortened and remixed version of the Asteroid music from the fourth logo.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen in UK cinemas in the early-mid 2010s.

7th Logo (2014-)

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• 

Logo: A group of white circles' movement is being synchronized on a violet background. After the music finishes, a larger circle with the "Pearl & Dean" name appears.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before. The full version of the theme from the 4th logo is used in the tie-in variants, except for the Bohemian Rhapsody variant, which has the above-mentioned Queen rendition of "Asteroid".

Availability: Currently in use. Seen in cinemas which aren't part of the Vue, Cineworld or Odeon chains, like for example Empire Cinemas or the Prince Charles Cinema just off of Leicester Square.