Logo descriptions by James Fabiano, Sean Beard, and Matt A.
Logo captures by Eric S., Dean Stewart Rumsey, and others
Editions by Mr. Logo Lord and Nathan B.
Video captures courtesy of czar7474, logoman7881, and Logocompilation
Background
Before Lorimar purchased video distributor "Karl Home Video" in 1984 and relaunched the company as "Karl-Lorimar Home Video" (later known as "Lorimar Home Video"), the company's previous features were issued first by USA Home Video, CBS Video (through MGM/CBS) and later CBS/Fox, who retained the home video rights to the pre-1984 library until Lorimar-Telepictures was acquired by Warner Bros. in 1989.
1st Logo
(1985-1986)
Nickname: "Big K"
Logo:
- Early-Late 1985: We see parts of the bottom of a giant "K" slide up from the bottom of the screen, with the whole top half flipping up afterward. After, the K glows orange.
- Late 1985-1986: Very similiar as before, except the logo zooms out after glow it orange, and the words "KARL-LORIMAR" (in the Lorimar font) and "H O M E V I D E O" in a rounded font slide in.
FX/SFX: The K being formed, which looks similar to the logo of Kartes Video Communications.
Chessy Factor: Simple animation.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Extremely rare. Found on VHS releases of Money Hunt and Americathon.
Scare Factor: Minimal. That huge K may put some people off.
2nd logo
(1986-1989, Early 1990's)
Nickname: "Multi-Colored Bar"
Logo:
- 1986-1987: A multi-colored line of yellow/orange/red/blue with the words "HOME VIDEO" sweeps onto the screen. It straightens out, and sets itself down at the bottom of the screen. Then a whole mess of gray dust collects and converges above the bar, forming the "KARL-LORIMAR" ltext. Then to give it a shiny look, little stars sparkle at the letter's edges in time with the "ding ding ding" fadeout of the music.
- 1987-1989: Very similiar as before, but instead the text above the bar reads "LORIMAR", and is larger to fit the width of the bar.
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The logo flying with the trail, the (Karl) Lorimar text dissolving in. Actually pretty decent '80s CGI.
Music/Sounds: All synths, all the time on this one. A synth sweep brings in the bar, and as the dust forms the logo, a 5 note synth melody (similar to the "V of Doom" music) plays. The music closes with a "ding ding ding..." fade out, which on some releases has a waterdrop-like sound playing underneath it.
Availability: Rare. Can be seen on videos such as Clifford's Sing Along Adventure, Manhunter, Maximum Overdrive, Housekeeper, Scream for Help, Max Headroom: The Original Story, American Anthem, Return of the Living Dead Part II, Russkies, Trick or Treat, End of the Line, Nowhere to Hide, Big Shots, In the Mood, Made in Heaven, The Chipmunk Adventure, King Kong Lives, Crimes of the Heart, Prettykill, Nobody's Fool, My Beautiful Laundrette, and Insignificance, among others. It has also been seen on a early 1990's Warner Home Video VHS reissue of Americathon instead of the 1986-97 Warner Home Video logo.
Scare Factor: Minimal.