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Background

Simitar Entertainment, Inc. was a Minnesota-based company founded in 1985 that released content on VHS, DVD, CD and CD-ROM. It was founded by Mickey Elfenbien and Philip Kives, who were the CEO and founder of K-Tel, respectively. They bought out Pickwick Records and began releasing music. Eventually, they became one of the leading names in budget VHS. They also released many tapes of sports footage, and spun off Simitar Motorsports Video for this purpose. They also had a short-lived Japanese animation distributor known as Ani-Magine Anime, started by John Litton. In 1997, they became the first independent film producer to release their films on DVD. Simitar Entertainment would eventually go bankrupt and shut down in 2000 after losing a lawsuit filed by Titan Sports (then-owner of the World Wrestling Federation, now known as WWE) over a 1999 knock-off compilation entitled Slammin' Wrestling Hits, which contained covers of WWF entrance themes produced without their consent. Simitar's film library ended up being sold to Brentwood Communications (later BCI Eclipse).

Contents

1st Logo (Early 1985-1987)	2nd Logo (1985-1990)	3rd Logo (1990-2000)	4th Logo (DVD) (1997-2000)

1st Logo (Early 1985-1987)

Visuals: On a space background, a black/blue scimitar (a sword with a curved blade) with a swirly-styled red "S" on the front spins up to the center of the screen. The scimitar shines and the letters "IMITAR" slide from behind the "S" to the right to spell the word "SIMITAR". The white text "ENTERTAINMENT INC." fades in below the scimitar, which shines again.

Trivia: This was the only logo of theirs which did not make use of the "Big S" logo.

Technique: Backlit cel animation.

Audio: A few droning beeps that descend in pitch.

Audio Variant: On most releases, the logo is silent.

Availability: Seen on specialty VHS releases from Simitar Entertainment from the '80s, among others. Some 1986 releases also used this with the next logo below.

2nd Logo (1985-1990)

Visuals: On a black background, a white line moves from left to right upwards many times to draw a lined square, shining the RGB colors as it moves. When it finishes drawing the square, the line takes a right curve up to draw the outline of a boxy "S". Suddenly, the logo flashes, fills in with a bluish silver gradient and the lined square turns silver, and in the lower left of the box a ray of light sweeps across, leaving a black trail with "Simitar Entertainment Inc." written in white. Then the logo shines and flashes again.

Trivia: This was the first logo by Simitar to use their "S" logo, which would be used until the company shut down.

Variant: A filmed version exists.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A synth bass repeating the same note 129 times throughout, accompanied by a loud synthesized crash when the logo flashes, a loud synthesized choir that sings five ascending notes, another loud synthesized crash for the second flash, and finally two loud whoosh sounds.

Audio Variant: On some VHS releases, the logo is silent.

Availability: Seen on special interest videos released by Simitar in the 1980s, such as Vitsie and Baseball tapes. Some early releases that used this logo also used the previous logo above.

3rd Logo (1990-2000)

Visuals: On a shady blue background, two separate sets of gold bars at opposite angles merge into each others' spaces in the center of the screen. From the bottom, 3 stacked lines swoop up and rotate 90 degrees to reveal the familiar "S", now in gold CGI, and plasters itself onto the bars. Underneath, a 9th bar drops down and causes the golden ITC Eras Ultra text "S i m i t a r" to rotate forward.

Trivia: This logo contains an animation error: one of the gold bars protrudes from the right side of the screen before the rest of them do. It may or may not be visible depending on the aspect ratio of the viewer's television.

Variant: On some instances, the end of the logo may be used in promos. This can also be seen on some products featuring Simitar trailers on Amazon.

Technique: CGI animation.

Audio: Same as the second logo.

Availability: Seen on 1990s Simitar Entertainment VHS releases, and some DVD releases like Dumb Luck in Vegas.

It was also spotted on a VHS tape of It's a Wonderful Life (1946), and is preserved on the VHS release of Christopher Crocodile.
This was also seen on the movie The Christmas Light.
It can also be found on the 1993 UK VHS release of Dinosaurs: The Official Video of the Natural History Museum.

4th Logo (DVD) (1997-2000)

Visuals: On a shady denim blue-textured background with some light near the upper-left is a faded square in the center with a shadow drop behind it. A DVD flies around with a dust trailing effect, and parts of the Simitar logo (very much like the one seen in the 3rd logo, but slightly re-textured) fly into place in the center. The word "Simitar", now in Futura font, flies around and settles underneath it, and the silver DVD logo (with a CGI DVD and a simple font for "DVD") flies into place under that. The disc seen earlier is part of this. Then the logo starts to "ripple" away before it fades out.

Technique: CGI animation.

Audio: A short variant of the second logo's music, which starts off at the synth crash and the first synth choir note.

Availability: Seen on most Simitar DVD releases from the time-period until 2000.

Examples include The Killing Man, Firehouse, Mob War, Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe, Search and Destroy (1988), Hyperspace, Cybernator, Cartel, Red Scorpion, The Naked Truth, Werewolf, Dead End, Ninja Academy, Bloodstone, and Glitch!, among others.
This can also sometimes be found on Simitar-related Amazon Video Shorts (which is used mainly for trailers and promos of films, TV shows, etc.), in tandem with the 3rd logo.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{PageButtons|Warning Screens=1}}{{PageCredits|description=Nicholas Aczel|capture=cadermitchel, V of Doom, and videomaster13|edits=The Twenty Thousand TonneBomb (a.k.a. 20000), kidinbed, LJK193, and Edc4|video=DudeThatLogo, Eric S., ActionPackedCinema, and Edc4}}
+{{PageCredits|description=Nicholas Aczel|capture=cadermitchel, V of Doom, and videomaster13|edits=The Twenty Thousand TonneBomb (a.k.a. 20000), kidinbed, LJK193, Edc4 and KosMir|video=DudeThatLogo, Eric S., ActionPackedCinema, and Edc4}}
 ===Background===
-'''Simitar Entertainment, Inc.''' was a Minnesota-based company founded in 1985 that released content on VHS, DVD, CD and CD-ROM. It was founded by Mickey Elfenbien and Philip Kives, who were the CEO and founder of K-Tel, respectively. They bought out Pickwick Records and began releasing music. Eventually, they became one of the leading names in budget VHS. They also released many tapes of sports footage, and spun off Simitar Motorsports Video for this purpose. They also had a short-lived Japanese animation distributor known as Ani-Magine Anime, started by John Litton. In 1997, they became the first independent film producer to release their films on DVD. Simitar Entertainment would eventually go bankrupt and shut down in 2000 after losing a lawsuit filed by Titan Sports (former owner of WWF, now known as WWE) over a 1999 knock-off compilation entitled ''Slammin' Wrestling Hits'', which contained covers of WWF entrance themes produced without their consent. Simitar's film library ended up being sold to [[Brentwood Communications]] (later BCI Eclipse).
+'''Simitar Entertainment, Inc.''' was a Minnesota-based company founded in 1985 that released content on VHS, DVD, CD and CD-ROM. It was founded by Mickey Elfenbien and Philip Kives, who were the CEO and founder of K-Tel, respectively. They bought out Pickwick Records and began releasing music. Eventually, they became one of the leading names in budget VHS. They also released many tapes of sports footage, and spun off [[Simitar Motorsports Video]] for this purpose. They also had a short-lived Japanese animation distributor known as Ani-Magine Anime, started by John Litton. In 1997, they became the first independent film producer to release their films on DVD. Simitar Entertainment would eventually go bankrupt and shut down in 2000 after losing a lawsuit filed by Titan Sports (then-owner of the World Wrestling Federation, now known as WWE) over a 1999 knock-off compilation entitled ''Slammin' Wrestling Hits'', which contained covers of WWF entrance themes produced without their consent. Simitar's film library ended up being sold to [[Brentwood Communications]] (later BCI Eclipse).
 {{ImageTOC
-|Simitar_Entertainment_(1986).jpeg|1st Logo (1985-1986)
+|Simitar_Entertainment_(1986).jpeg|1st Logo (Early 1985-1987)
 |Simitar_Entertainment_(Late_1986).jpeg|2nd Logo (1985-1990)
 |Simitar_Entertainment_(1990).jpeg|3rd Logo (1990-2000)
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 }}
-===1st Logo (1985-1986)===
+===1st Logo (Early 1985-1987)===
 [[File:Simitar Entertainment (1986).jpeg|center|350px]]
 {{youtube|id=76sEoc7xwyY|id2=FU5hIxM1j2E}}
-'''Logo:''' On a space background, we see a black and blue scimitar (a sword with a curved blade) with a swirly-styled red "S" on the front spinning up to the center of the screen. The scimitar shines and the letters "IMITAR" slide from behind the "S" to the right to spell the word "SIMITAR". The text "ENTERTAINMENT INC." fades in below the scimitar, which shines again.
+'''Visuals:''' On a space background, a black/blue scimitar (a sword with a curved blade) with a swirly-styled red "{{color|red|'''S'''}}" on the front spins up to the center of the screen. The scimitar shines and the letters "{{color|red|'''IMITAR'''}}" slide from behind the "{{color|red|'''S'''}}" to the right to spell the word "{{color|red|'''SIMITAR'''}}". The white text "ENTERTAINMENT INC." fades in below the scimitar, which shines again.
+'''Trivia:''' This was the only logo of theirs which did not make use of the "Big S" logo.
-'''Technique:''' The scimitar shining, the spinning, and the animation.
+'''Technique:''' Backlit cel animation.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' A few droning beeps that descend in pitch.
+'''Audio:''' A few droning beeps that descend in pitch.
-'''Music/Sounds Variant:''' On most releases, it's silent.
+'''Audio Variant:''' On <u>most releases</u>, the logo is silent.
-'''Availability:''' Ultra rare. Seen on specialty videos from Simitar Entertainment from the '80s, among others. Some 1986 releases used this with the next logo below.
-'''Legacy:''' This was also the only logo of theirs which did not make use of the "S" logo.
+'''Availability:''' Seen on specialty VHS releases from Simitar Entertainment from the '80s, among others. Some 1986 releases also used this with the next logo below.
 ===2nd Logo (1985-1990)===
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 {{youtube|id=75Q4ly0d43Q|id2=cybe7JSiWLE|id3=https://youtu.be/XFok9u5fJis}}
-'''Logo:''' On a black background, a white line moves from left to right upwards many times to draw a lined square, shining the RGB colors as it moves. When it finishes drawing the square, the line takes a right curve up to draw the outline of a boxy "S". Suddenly, the logo flashes, fills in with a bluish silver gradient and the lined square turns silver, and in the lower left of the box a ray of light sweeps across, leaving a black trail with "Simitar Entertainment Inc." written in white. Then the logo shines and flashes again.
+'''Visuals:''' On a black background, a white line moves from left to right upwards many times to draw a lined square, shining the {{color|red|R}}{{Color|green|G}}{{color|blue|B}} colors as it moves. When it finishes drawing the square, the line takes a right curve up to draw the outline of a boxy "S". Suddenly, the logo flashes, fills in with a {{color|steelblue|bluish silver}} gradient and the lined square turns silver, and in the lower left of the box a ray of light sweeps across, leaving a black trail with "Simitar Entertainment Inc." written in white. Then the logo shines and flashes again.
+'''Trivia:''' This was the first logo by Simitar to use their "S" logo, which would be used until the company shut down.
-'''Variant:''' A filmed version exists.
+'''Variant:''' A <u>filmed version</u> exists.
-'''Technique:''' The lines moving, the "S" forming, the flashing. 2D animation.
+'''Technique:''' 2D computer animation.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' A synth bass repeating the same note 129 times throughout, accompanied by a loud synthesized crash when the logo flashes, a loud synthesized choir that sings 5 ascending notes, another loud synthesized crash for the second flash, and finally 2 loud whoosh sounds.
+'''Audio:''' A synth bass repeating the same note 129 times throughout, accompanied by a loud synthesized crash when the logo flashes, a loud synthesized choir that sings five ascending notes, another loud synthesized crash for the second flash, and finally two loud whoosh sounds.
-'''Music/Sounds Variant:''' On some tapes, it's silent.
+'''Audio Variant:''' On <u>some VHS releases</u>, the logo is silent.
-'''Availability:''' Rare. Seen on special interest videos released by Simitar in the 1980s, such as ''Vitsie'' and ''Baseball'' tapes. Some early releases that used this logo also used the previous logo above.
-'''Legacy:''' Very much a product of its time, this was the first logo by Simitar to use their "S" logo, which would be used until the company shut down.
+'''Availability:''' Seen on special interest videos released by Simitar in the 1980s, such as ''Vitsie'' and ''Baseball'' tapes. Some early releases that used this logo also used the previous logo above.
 ===3rd Logo (1990-2000)===
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 {{youtube|id=4hN9LJ0Ozqo|id2=sDNEfjYeinA}}
-'''Logo:''' On a shady blue background, we see two separate sets of gold bars at opposite angles merging into each others’ spaces in the center of the screen. From off-screen bottom, 3 stacked lines swoop up and rotate 90 degrees to reveal the familiar "S", now in gold CGI, and plasters itself onto the bars. Underneath, the 9th bar drops down and causes the gold text "Simitar" to rotate forward.
+'''Visuals:''' On a shady blue background, two separate sets of gold bars at opposite angles merge into each others' spaces in the center of the screen. From the bottom, 3 stacked lines swoop up and rotate 90 degrees to reveal the familiar "S", now in gold CGI, and plasters itself onto the bars. Underneath, a 9th bar drops down and causes the golden ITC Eras Ultra text "{{color|gold|'''''S i m i t a r'''''}}" to rotate forward.
+'''Trivia:''' This logo contains an animation error: one of the gold bars protrudes from the right side of the screen before the rest of them do. It may or may not be visible depending on the aspect ratio of the viewer's television.
-'''Variant:''' In rare instances, the end of the logo may be used in promos. This can be seen on some products featuring Simitar trailers on Amazon.
+'''Variant:''' On some instances, the <u>end of the logo</u> may be used in promos. This can also be seen on some products featuring Simitar trailers on Amazon.
-'''Technique:''' The gold bars merging, the S swooping, and "Simitar" appearing.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' Same as the 2nd logo.
+'''Technique:''' CGI animation.
+'''Audio:''' Same as the second logo.
-'''Availability:''' Rare. Seen on '90s Simitar Entertainment videos, and some DVDs like ''Dumb Luck in Vegas''. It was also spotted on a tape of ''It's a Wonderful Life'' as well as a ''Christopher Crocodile'' VHS. This was also seen on the movie ''The Christmas Light''.
+'''Availability:''' Seen on 1990s Simitar Entertainment VHS releases, and some DVD releases like ''Dumb Luck in Vegas''.
-'''Legacy:''' This logo contains an animation error as one of the gold bars protrudes from the right side of the screen before the rest of them do. Depending on the aspect ratio of your television, it may or may not be visible.
+* It was also spotted on a VHS tape of ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946), and is preserved on the VHS release of ''Christopher Crocodile''.
+* This was also seen on the movie ''The Christmas Light''.
+* It can also be found on the 1993 UK VHS release of ''Dinosaurs: The Official Video of the Natural History Museum''.
 ===4th Logo (DVD) (1997-2000)===
@@ Line 68: / Line 71: @@
 {{youtube|id=rN24smNWaCY}}
-'''Logo:''' On a shady denim blue-textured background with some light near the upper-left, we see a faded square in the center with a shadow drop behind it. A DVD flies around with a dust trailing effect, and parts of the Simitar logo (very much like what you see in the 3rd logo, but slightly re-textured) fly into place in the center. The word "Simitar", now in Futura font, flies around and settles underneath it, and the silver DVD logo (with a CGI DVD and a simple font for "DVD") flies into place under that. The disc seen earlier is part of this. Then the logo starts to "ripple" away before it fades out.
+'''Visuals:''' On a shady <span style="background:linear-gradient(lightsteelblue,darkblue); -webkit-background-clip:text !important; -webkit-text-fill-color:transparent;">denim blue</span>-textured background with some light near the upper-left is a faded square in the center with a shadow drop behind it. A DVD flies around with a dust trailing effect, and parts of the Simitar logo (very much like the one seen in the 3rd logo, but slightly re-textured) fly into place in the center. The word "{{color|gold|'''Simitar'''}}", now in Futura font, flies around and settles underneath it, and the silver DVD logo (with a CGI DVD and a simple font for "{{color|gray|'''DVD'''}}") flies into place under that. The disc seen earlier is part of this. Then the logo starts to "ripple" away before it fades out.
-'''Technique:''' The flying parts, the dust-trailing effect, the "melting" effect.
+'''Technique:''' CGI animation.
-'''Music/Sounds:''' A short variant of the 2nd logo's music, which starts off at the synth crash and the first synth choir note.
+'''Audio:''' A short variant of the second logo's music, which starts off at the synth crash and the first synth choir note.
+'''Availability:''' Seen on most Simitar DVD releases from the time-period until 2000.
-'''Availability:''' Rare. Can be seen on most Simitar DVDs, including ''The Killing Man, Firehouse'', ''Mob War'', ''Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe'', ''Search and Destroy'' (1988), ''Hyperspace'', ''Cybernator'', ''Cartel'', ''Red Scorpion'', ''The Naked Truth, Werewolf, Dead End'', ''Ninja Academy'', ''Bloodstone'', and ''Glitch!'', among others. This can sometimes be found on Simitar-related Amazon Video Shorts (which is used mainly for trailers and promos of films, TV shows, etc), in tandem with the 3rd logo.
+* Examples include ''The Killing Man, Firehouse'', ''Mob War'', ''Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe'', ''Search and Destroy'' (1988), ''Hyperspace'', ''Cybernator'', ''Cartel'', ''Red Scorpion'', ''The Naked Truth'', ''Werewolf'', ''Dead End'', ''Ninja Academy'', ''Bloodstone'', and ''Glitch!'', among others.
+* This can also sometimes be found on Simitar-related Amazon Video Shorts (which is used mainly for trailers and promos of films, TV shows, etc.), in tandem with the 3rd logo.
-'''Legacy:''' This logo was used only on DVDs, with the 3rd used in tandem.
-[[Category:American home entertainment logos]]
 [[Category:United States]]
 [[Category:Home entertainment logos]]
+[[Category:American home entertainment logos]]
+[[Category:Public domain distributors logos]]
+[[Category:English-language logos]]