Seville Pictures: Difference between revisions

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum

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(Merging Malofilm and Behaviour into the page, since they are basically the same company.)
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===Background===
===Background===
'''Malofilm Video''' (formerly "Les Films René Malo/René Malo Vidéo") was a film/home video company founded in 1983 by René '''Malo''' in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. During the life of the company, Malofilm published films and released tapes licensed from [[New World Video]], [[Republic Pictures Home Video]], [[Trimark Home Video|Vidmark Entertainment]], as well as French-dubbed titles from [[MGM Home Entertainment|MGM/UA Home Video]] (until the early '90s) and [[Paramount Home Media Distribution|Paramount Home Video]]. Some of these tapes were distributed in Canada by [[New World Video]].
'''Seville Pictures''' (also known as '''Les Films Séville''') is the French-Canadian film distribution unit of [[Entertainment One]], headquartered in Montreal, Québec. It was originally founded in 1983 as "Les Films René Malo" (later '''Malofilm Video''') by René '''Malo'''. Malofilm published films and released tapes licensed from [[New World Video]], [[Republic Pictures Home Video]], [[Trimark Home Video|Vidmark Entertainment]], as well as French-dubbed titles from [[MGM Home Entertainment|MGM/UA Home Video]] (until the early '90s) and [[Paramount Home Media Distribution|Paramount Home Video]]. Some of these tapes were distributed in Canada by [[New World Video]].


René Malo resigned from the company in 1997 and it was renamed to "'''Behaviour Communications'''", two years after Malofilm purchased Canadian video game developer Megatoon, and around the time that was renamed to [[Behaviour Interactive]]. Behaviour later acquired [[MDP Worldwide]] in 1999, turning that into "Behaviour Worldwide". Soon after, the company struggled financially, leading to its split in 2000; the film studio was sold to [[Industry Entertainment Partners|Industry Entertainment]] and renamed to '''Seville Pictures''' (also known as '''Les Films Séville'''), the game company was sold back to its founders and renamed to Artificial Mind & Movement, and the worldwide division was also sold back to its founders and reverted to its original name.
René Malo resigned from the company in 1997 and it was renamed to "'''Behaviour Communications'''", two years after Malofilm purchased Canadian video game developer Megatoon, and around the time that was renamed to [[Behaviour Interactive]]. Behaviour later acquired [[MDP Worldwide]] in 1999, turning that into "Behaviour Worldwide". Soon after, the company struggled financially, leading to its split in 2000; the film studio was sold to [[Industry Entertainment Partners|Industry Entertainment]] and renamed to '''Seville Pictures''' (also known as '''Les Films Séville'''), the game company was sold back to its founders and renamed to Artificial Mind & Movement, and the worldwide division was also sold back to its founders and reverted to its original name.


In 2007, [[Entertainment One|E1]] took over the company and turned it into its French-Canadian unit. In 2008, Séville took over Christian Larouche's [[Christal Films]], which filed for bankruptcy earlier that year. In 2014, an international division was launched, intended to distribute indie films.
In 2007, E1 Entertainment took over the company and turned it into its French-Canadian unit. In 2008, Séville took over Christian Larouche's [[Christal Films]], which filed for bankruptcy earlier that year. In 2014, an international division was launched, intended to distribute indie films.

'''Séville Pictures''' handles distribution of Francophone films: it plays basically the same role as Alliance Vivafilm (the division of [[Alliance Films]], taken over by Entertainment One) and is located in Montreal, Quebec.


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Revision as of 22:42, 15 January 2023


Background

Seville Pictures (also known as Les Films Séville) is the French-Canadian film distribution unit of Entertainment One, headquartered in Montreal, Québec. It was originally founded in 1983 as "Les Films René Malo" (later Malofilm Video) by René Malo. Malofilm published films and released tapes licensed from New World Video, Republic Pictures Home Video, Vidmark Entertainment, as well as French-dubbed titles from MGM/UA Home Video (until the early '90s) and Paramount Home Video. Some of these tapes were distributed in Canada by New World Video.

René Malo resigned from the company in 1997 and it was renamed to "Behaviour Communications", two years after Malofilm purchased Canadian video game developer Megatoon, and around the time that was renamed to Behaviour Interactive. Behaviour later acquired MDP Worldwide in 1999, turning that into "Behaviour Worldwide". Soon after, the company struggled financially, leading to its split in 2000; the film studio was sold to Industry Entertainment and renamed to Seville Pictures (also known as Les Films Séville), the game company was sold back to its founders and renamed to Artificial Mind & Movement, and the worldwide division was also sold back to its founders and reverted to its original name.

In 2007, E1 Entertainment took over the company and turned it into its French-Canadian unit. In 2008, Séville took over Christian Larouche's Christal Films, which filed for bankruptcy earlier that year. In 2014, an international division was launched, intended to distribute indie films.


Malofilm Video

1st Logo (1983?-1991)


Logo: We see a rainbow shoot forth from the left of the screen, as the black background fades to a blue gridded floor with a reddish sunset in the background. The rainbow turns into a bronze filmstrip as it spirals toward a smooth ribbon, joining it near the center to form an abstract "M". The filmstrip flashes, and "LES FILMS RENÉ MALO PRÉSENTENT" appears below in a white ITC Avant Garde font. The filmstrip sparkles a little after that.

Variant: On most tapes, the logo is videotaped and the text reads "RENÉ MALO VIDÉO PRÉSENTE".

Technique: The filmstrips twisting and the flashing lights.

Music/Sounds: "Prestige Logo (B)" by Paddy Kingsland, a track from the KPM music library that opens up with three bouncy, vibey drum beats, but with the arpeggio riser part cut and coupled with whooshes and a few dings.

Availability: Very rare.

  • It can be seen on French-Canadian releases of MGM/UA Home Video titles and Paramount Home Video titles.
  • It can also be seen on Canadian VHS releases of King of the Kickboxers, Mindfield, Black Christmas (1974), The Wizard of Speed and Time, Cyber Ninja (aka Warlords in this said country), The Decline of the American Empire, The Amityville Curse and Matinee (aka Midnight Matinee).
  • It also appears on French-Canadian prints of films they produced or distributed.

2nd Logo (1990-1997, 2002)


Logo: Against a gray marble or cloudy sky background, a rainbow ribbon comes up from the bottom of the screen. The rainbow glides around to the right, and then twists itself into an “M”. The rainbow “M” turns gold from left to right while a beam goes through it from right to left. Two more beams shoot underneath the “M” from right to left, leaving behind the words "MALOFILM" and "VIDEO".

Variants:

  • There is a shorter version, starting when the rainbow begins to glide and twist to the right.
  • A very short filmed variant starts with the shooting beams; "DISTRIBUTION" replaces "VIDEO". Used probably for trailers and theatrical prints.
  • There is a version with odd color changes, ending in what looks green-tinted; it's seen on the 2002 Platinum Disc DVD of Blind Fear. This is most likely the fault of the DVD company themselves, since at the time, a great majority of their DVD releases were unfortunate enough to be green tinted as well.

Technique: Some early CGI from the looks of it, which is remarkably advanced for the time period and holds up quite well today.

Music/Sounds: A low-pitched chime, then an ascending synth drone (not unlike THX), which leads into a triumphant synth hit and a 7-note chime tune. Reverse cymbal crashes are used for the beams shooting. Later releases use a re-orchestrated version of the theme, beginning with a much more subdued, softer chime-like sound. The distribution version uses the opening theme to the trailer, if not a shortened version of the regular music.

Availability: Somewhat easier to find than the previous logo, but still very rare.

  • Releases with this logo include Monty Python and the Holy Grail and some of the Scanners movies, particularly parts 2 and 3 and Scanner Cop 1 and 2.
  • Also appears on some Canadian releases of Vidmark tapes such as Leprechaun, Spitfire, Heatseeker, and Best Kept Secrets.
  • It also appears on Canadian releases of VHS tapes from Republic Pictures such as A.P.E.X. and French-Canadian VHS releases of Paramount films such as Cool World.
  • Also found on a rare VHS release of Something About Love.
  • This makes a surprise appearance on the 2002 Platinum Disc DVD of Blind Fear and the French-dubbed version of Dead Cold, before the Image Organization logo on the latter film's Canadian DVD release from Seville Pictures.
  • Also appears on Canadian VHS releases of the 1991 film The Psychic, before the Cineglobe and C/FP Distribution logos and on Frame Up before the Cineglobe logo, oddly.

Behaviour Communications

(1997-2000)


Logo: We see an old black-and-white video of a middle-aged woman walking on a street, when we suddenly fade to a shot of something rising up from the ground. Next she then stops and looks backwards, and we see her scream and point her arm up as we fade to a shot of a giant stone "b" being pulled up. We then see a matrix-web with the Behaviour Interactive logo (without the box with the company name underneath it) animating in various directions, crossfading to a view from a rollercoaster diving into a dark tunnel. We then fade into the "b" being pulled up near a skyscraper and a crane around it in front of a rollercoaster, and we fade to a black background with the Behaviour logo on it.

Variant: On some films, the logo begins when we see the "b" being fully pulled up.

Technique: A mixture of live-action clips and minor CGI.

Music/Sounds: It starts off with some crickets chirping and the sound of footsteps, followed by a loud rumble and the woman briefly screaming. All of a sudden, the logo audio is cut off as the camera is driven into the darkness. As we fade into the "b" being pulled up, the sounds of the wind blowing and a heartbeat are heard.

Music/Sounds Variant: The short variant has just the sounds of wind blowing and the heartbeat or uses the film's opening theme.

Availability: Seen on Love & Sex, Eye of the Beholder, and the Canadian releases/prints of films from that company such as Chinese Box and Free Money.

Seville Pictures

1st Logo (2000-2008)

Logo: On a black background, we see a shadow writing out "SEVILLE" (in an Arial font, in white and spaced). Two orange half-rectangles are seen on the top and bottom with a line in the middle. The words "Les Films" fade in on the left side, and the words "Pictures" fade in on the right.

Variant: A still variant exists.

Technique: Simple animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on any DVD or VHS release from Seville Pictures, as well as theatrical releases. The still variant can be found on the Platinum Disc DVD of Blind Fear.

2nd Logo (2009-2010)

Logo: We start off with the same animation as the first E1 Entertainment logo. However, the "E1" structure does not appear. After a few seconds, the logo animates like it would normally, but without the structure, and a white rectangle with light blue-green borders zooms out, with the letters "SEVILLE" zooming onto it as it appears. Then, the byline "une filiale de E1 Entertainment" appears below. The rays in the logo continue to move until it fades.

Technique: Same as the E1 Entertainment logo.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare due to its short lifespan. Was seen on French-Canadian movie releases.

3rd Logo (2010-2015)


Logo: Same as the 2010 eOne logo, but "e" and "one" are changed to "seville", and "entertainment" is replaced by the same byline as the previous logo. The byline appears when the logo is formed.

Variant: A variant exists to salute cinemas in Quebec, showing the Saint's mark and the text reads "Célébrons le cinéma Québécois" (French for "Let's Celebrate Quebec's Cinemas").

Technique: Same as the eOne logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the eOne logo.

Availability: Common.

4th Logo (2015-)


Logo: We start off similarly to the 2015 Entertainment One logo, with the shine reflected on a different letter. Then the letter zooms out revealing it is an "S". Then the letters of "Seville" zoom out and place themselves next to the "S". Then, a blue rounded square turns as it places itself on a black background, encasing the "Seville". It turns to the left revealing "Les Films". The byline appears after the logo forms.

Variants:

  • Short variants exist for both the English and French versions.
  • There is an international variant reading "Seville International" (without the accented e) and the byline translated to English: "an entertainment One company". Another variant is the same as the previous variant to salute cinemas in Quebec.
  • On the Canadian trailer for Big Giant Wave, the French print logo is used.

Technique: Same as the Entertainment One logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the Entertainment One logo.

Availability: Current. The normal version is seen on King Dave and other Francophone Canadian films. The international variant can be seen on the European release of Ma ma, among others. With eOne changing their logo in 2021, this logo's days might be numbered.

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