Video Treasures
Nightspears, BenIsRandom, and others
Background
Video Treasures was a budget video distribution company founded in 1985 by George Port. Initially distributing public domain films, the company ended up making licensing deals with Vestron Video, Hal Roach Studios, CST Entertainment, Media Home Entertainment, and Saban Entertainment among others. In 1994, Video Treasures was acquired by Handleman Co. and merged with Starmaker. In 1995, Video Treasures and Starmaker became labels of the newly-formed Anchor Bay Entertainment.
1st Logo (1985-1988)
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Visuals: On a zooming space background, we see the Video Treasures logo swooping in a white font with a red line dividing the two words. It's elongated so that it's the same width as "TREASURES". The word "PRESENTS" wipes in below from the top. On the closing variation, "PRESENTS" is omitted.
Technique: Computer animation.
Audio: An excerpt from the classical piece "Symphony No. 8 in G major: Allegro con brio" by Antonín Dvořák. Silent on the closing version.
Availability: This appeared on some releases of the era. This logo may also appear on early releases of PD titles that they put out, notably Charade, It's a Wonderful Life, and a 1987 reprint of American Tickler. The best way to find out is look for their older releases in clamshell packaging or slipcover box or if the Video Treasures logo takes up the top left corner of the box.
2nd Logo (1987-1998)
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Visuals: We see a tan-colored stone wall whose bricks have the "VIDEO TREASURES" logo, same as the 1st logo, carved on them. The carved logo in the center brick fades into marble (except for the underline under "VIDEO" which is red) and zooms in towards us and shines. Finally, the stone wall fades into a plain, blue-black gradient background and the yellow word "Presents" appears under "VIDEO TREASURES".
Variant:
- Some early cartoon compilations with this logo have a shortened version, with "VIDEO TREASURES" already in place but just before the background changes.
- There is a version of this logo that appears at the end of tapes that features the shining Video Treasures logo on the gradient background, but without "Presents" (on the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends tape "Rusty to the Rescue and Other Stories", this logo can even be seen at the beginning instead of the standard logo!), but not many releases have this variant.
Technique: Computer animation.
Audio: A synthesized chime note followed by a long warbling synth note that holds out and reverberates for the rest of the logo. Silent for the closing version.
Availability: This logo appears on budget versions (recorded in SP, LP, or EP/SLP tape speeds) of Media Home Entertainment re-releases and such in the late 1980s to early/mid '90s. From 1996-98, most of Video Treasures' output was reissued (in SLP/EP speeds) under the Anchor Bay Entertainment name (with the early '90s adjust tracking/FBI warning screens intact, although the former logo still appeared on the tapes). Such examples include God Told Me To, Halloween, Prom Night, Dracula, Prince of Darkness, and others.
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