Background[]
LaserVision is the American certificate mark arm of Laserdisc, and it appears on a majority of Laserdiscs that were released from approximately 1981 after the end of MCA DiscoVision to the late 90s. American Laserdisc production ended in 2000, while disc production in Japan continued until approximately 2001. Stand-alone players ceased production around that time as well, but combination LD/DVD players were produced until late 2009, when Pioneer discontinued the final combo player models.
This logo was used mostly on U.S. titles pressed by Pioneer and, in some cases, DiscoVision Associates (a spinoff of MCA DiscoVision).
Logo (1981 - 1999)[]
Logo: Up against a black background are strange purple lines (which is actually an extremely vertically-stretched "LaserVision" in purple) at the bottom of the screen that slide a bit. Then the LaserDisc certificate logo appears from a distance, and it turns a little bit left towards the center with a trail. Then, "LaserVision" appears with a similar trail and moves under the certification mark. Finally, in the top left corner, a set of strange purple lights with "lens flares" appears.
Variants:
- When a side beyond the first side plays, the words "Side 2", "Side 3", etc. appears after the animation. End of side bumpers on most discs simply consisted of a still image of the logo.
- A still blue and white version exists on the earliest discs. On Charlotte's Web, Grease, and Alien, there is an animated version. The outermost part of the logo fades in along with the word "Laser". The innermost part of the logo fades in along with the word "Vision". Again, on a side that's not Side 1, the side number fades in.
- At the end of a Phillips promotional video, the LaserVision logo (colored in blue) zooms in with a whoosh sound effect, on a black BG. It then says on the bottom "Now Ask For A Demonstration Here."
FX/SFX: The purple lines moving, the LaserVision logo and text appearing, and the lights.
Music/Sounds: While a low warbling synth plays, a couple of synthesized whooshes are heard, followed by a ding when the lights appear. This is usually played at a low volume, sometimes with the warbling synth and ding barely being heard.
Music/Sounds Variants:
- The blue and white version sometimes has the opening music from "LaserDisc: What It Is", the first half of a demonstration disc with Patrick O'Neal.
- A silent version appears on the 1990 Laserdisc of S.O.B..
- On the 1993 Laserdisc of Highlander, only the whooshes are heard.
Availability: Uncommon.
- Used on the majority of Laserdiscs from Warner Home Video, Paramount Home Video, Walt Disney Home Video, and (CBS-)Fox/Magnetic Video.
- Some studios, such as MCA, Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (RCA/Columbia releases did use the logo), Vestron, and MGM/UA, did not use the logo. The logo decreased in usage through the late 1980s, but was still in use into the mid-1990s, as seen on some Warner discs, which only had it at the start of side 1.
- While it's usually the first thing to appear on Laserdiscs, some early Paramount titles, such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture (original theatrical cut only), Saturday Night Fever, Starting Over, and Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke feature this logo after their "Acid Trip" warning screen.
- Strangely, despite being Warner releases, the 1990-91 Laserdiscs of Batman, Men Don't Leave, Battle of the Bulge, and GoodFellas do not feature this logo.
Editor's Note: Lasting nearly the entire lifespan of the media format, it held up fairly well over the lengthy period it was used.