Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (Warning Screens)

USA/Canadian Warnings

NOTE: During the DiscoVision days and going into the MCA Videodisc era, there was no real warning screen.

1st Warning (1977-1981)

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Warning Screen - CLG Wiki Warning: On a blue background, we see the generic warning text in white.

Trivia: The entire warning text was used in the end credits of Universal's films during this era, and is still used currently (albeit with "THE" placed in between "UNDER" and "LAWS").

Variants: Sometimes the text was chyroned. Other times, it appeared as a card. It also existed as a filmed variant. A black and white variant was used on B&W films.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Ultra rare, seen only on Universal laserdisc/DiscoVision releases of the time. This was also seen on non-DiscoVision releases pressed at the DiscoVision plant such as the 1981 Magnetic Video laserdisc of Alien, the 1981 Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment laserdisc of Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Special Edition and the 1981 Paramount Home Video laserdisc of Charlotte's Web. These were put after the movie. It was also seen on some MCA Home Video/Videocassette releases such as the 1981 MCA Videocassette release of The Andromeda Strain, the 1982 MCA Videocassette release of The Eiger Sanction, and the 1984 MCA Home Video release of Rear Window. This was also located on the Fotomat Betamax rental release of Saturday Night Fever from 1979, which used the master print created for MCA DiscoVision. The Blu-ray release of The Sting preserves the black and white variant.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Warning(1978-1981)

MCA DiscoVision Copyright Warning (1978)

Warning: On a black background, we see a small warning in white Impact font.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on a handful of DiscoVision releases. Most DiscoVision releases went from the opening straight to the opening logo.

Editor's Note: "Exhibition" is misspelled.

3rd Warning (1980-1991; 1993)

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Warning Screen - CLG WikiMCA Home Video Videodisc Warning (1984)

Warning: On a black background, we see the word WARNING at the top of the screen, in red and in Helvetica font. Below it we see the standard warning text, in smaller print and in white.

Variations: Some MCA Home Video releases have a screen freeze of this warning. On classic movies, the whole thing is in black and white. Starting in 1983, the warning screen began use on MCA Home Video laserdiscs. The wording was altered for laserdiscs and was created by a character generator. This was used until around 1988 or 1989 when the next warning was used. On most French Canadian releases from MCA/Universal and Alliance, the warning is white and scrolls up. The next warning is an improved variant of this one.

FX/SFX: None.

Availability: On every MCA Videocassette Inc. and most MCA Home Video releases. This includes all VHS and Betamax releases on MCA Home Video. It can also be found on early MCA/Universal Home Video releases, as well as early releases from Cineplex Odeon Video and a few early releases from Alliance Releasing Home Video, particularly Night Crawl and Bedroom Eyes II, among others. The last tape from Cineplex Odeon Video to have this warning was Frozen Assets in 1993. Can also be found on later KVC Home Video releases. Later laserdisc releases from DiscoVision and early releases from MCA Videodisc did not have this warning. MCA Videodisc releases usually didn't have copyright warnings at all. One of the last VHS releases to have this warning was Child's Play 2 in 1991. The warning makes a surprise appearance at the start of the 1982 Vestron Video release of Benji, followed by a long stretch of black before the feature presentation.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Warning (1988/1989-2005)

MCA/Universal WarningUniversal Warning ScreenUniversal/Alliance Atlantis Warning Screen (Canada)Universal DVD WarningUniversal Studios Home Entertainment Warning Screen (DVD)

Warning: It is exactly like the previous warning, but looks more modern and with the red WARNING in the top center of the screen.. We see the word "WARNING" in fire engine red with Warning text in white.

Variants: There is a DVD variant of the warning in which the word "WARNING" was slightly larger, colored a regular shade of red and doesn't have a drop shadow, and the warning text was somewhat modified. This was also used on laserdisc releases starting around 1988 or 1989. On classic movies, the Warning is in black and white. There is a Canadian variant in which the words Title 17, United States Code, Section 501 and 506 are replaced with the Anti-Piracy message from the Canadian Bureau of Protection of Film and Videocassette with the toll-free number (1-800-361-9166) and the words "All calls confidential". This is spotted on the 1988 VHS release of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and on most Alliance releases from 1992 to 2005, before Alliance started to use its own Interpol warning. A Spanish-language variant exists on Spanish-dubbed releases of movies such as Babeand Casper. FXSFX: None.

Availability: On most MCA/Universal Home Video, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Cineplex Odeon Video (Some releases from 1990, but mainly releases from mid-1992 until mid-1993 for the regular variant. The Canadian variant appears on Cineplex Odeon tapes from 1993 until 1998, when the company folded), Trimark Home Video, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Alliance/Alliance Atlantis and DreamWorks Home Entertainment releases from the era. The DVD version was seen on Universal and DreamWorks DVD releases of the era, as well as Trimark, Goodtimes and pre-2005 Lionsgate DVD releases. Also seen on some later MCA Home Video releases, but only on laserdisc. This logo did not start use on VHS until 1991, with Kindergarten Cop being one of the first to use this warning. Don't expect the Spanish variant to appear on Trimark/Lionsgate releases.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Warning (1992-2006)

Warning: On a blue background, we see the following demo tape warning in white scrolling up:

This cassette is the property of MCA/Universal Home Video, Inc., and MCA reserves all right, title and interest in and to the cassette and its content. The quality of the video and audio elements of this picture are subject to change. Use is strictly limited to viewing by MCA's customers in connection with the selection and purchase of retail copies of this cassette. Duplication or distribution of this cassette is prohibited and is in violation of Federal and international copyright laws.

Variant: Later, after MCA/Universal Home Video became Universal Studios Home Video, the MCA/Universal text on the warning was replaced with it. Starting in 2004, a darkish shade appears at the bottom

FX/SFX: The text scrolling.

Availability: Rare. It only appears on screener tapes made by the company to show to retailers.

Editor's Note: None.

6th Warning (2005-2012)

Warning: On a blue/white gradient textured background, we see the colorized FBI logo with a white box with "FBI ANTI-PIRACY WARNING" in front of it, with warning info below.

Variant: On Universal Music releases, the text appears in English first, then French and Spanish.

FX/SFX: None.

Availability: Seen on all Universal releases from 2005-2012.

Editor's Note: None.

7th Warning (2012-)

Universal warning (2012- ) 1Universal Warning (2012- ) 2 Warning: On a black background, we see the "FBI ANTI-PIRACY WARNING" logo at the top from before, this time aligned to the left. To the right of the logo is the Department of Homeland Security badge. Below is the warning text. Then it switches to another screen, this time it has the Intellectual Property Rights Center logo. Below is the text: Piracy is not a victimless crime. For more information on how digital theft harms the economy, please visit www.iprcenter.gov

FX/SFX: None

Availability: Brand new. Seen on the newest Universal releases on DVD and VOD, such as The Grey, Side Effects, and Safe House, among others.

Editor's Note: None.

INTERNATIONAL WARNINGS (NON USA/CANADA)

1st Warning (1980-2000)

See CIC Video Warning Screen.

United Kingdom

1st Warning (1999-2002) Universal Studios Home Entertainment Warning Screen - Company Bumpers

Warning: Exactly the same as the 1997 PolyGram warning.

FX/SFX: The fading of the text.

Availability: Seen on Universal UK releases from 1999-2002.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Warning (2002-) Universal Studios Home Entertainment UK Warning ScreenUNIVERSAL DVD WARNING

Warning: Exactly the same as the 2000 DreamWorks warning.

FX/SFX: The fading of the text.

Variant: On DVD releases, the font is thinner and the text is slightly different.

Availability: Seen on UK Universal releases.

Editor's Note: None.