Virgin Vision

Virgin Vision was a British home video distributor and former production company. The company was originally founded in 1975 as Virgin Rags Limited, and renamed to Virgin Entertainments (Holdings) Limited in 1978. Around this time, the company entered the theatrical market under the name "Virgin Films and Video", which was later split into two separate divisions - Virgin Video, which handled home video distribution, and Virgin Films, which handled theatrical releases. Much of the content produced by both divisions have since gone on to become cult classics in 1980's retrospective. 20th Century Fox's UK division initially distributed their films theatrically before the company started self-distributing them.

By 1983, the company was renamed as Virgin Vision Limited, although they still used both the Films and Video names. By the mid-80's, the company operated a distribution joint venture with Stephen Wooley's Palace and Gold, titled "Palace, Virgin and Gold (Distribution) Ltd." In 1987, in order to increase its global presence, the company expanded to North America, initially releasing videotapes there through Continental Video. A year later, the North American branch was officially founded as Virgin Vision, Inc. and started self-distributing in the U.S. and distributing through Cineplex Odeon Home Video in Canada.

In July 1989, Virgin Vision was acquired by Jonathan D. Krane's Management Company Entertainment Group from the Virgin Group and was renamed M.C.E.G. Virgin Vision Limited. M.C.E.G. subsequently also merged its existing American video subsidiary Forum Home Video (which also included M.C.E.G. Home Entertainment) with Virgin Vision's home video operations, forming M.C.E.G. Virgin Home Entertainment. However, the buyout would soon prove to be a failure, and M.C.E.G. soon filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1990. By this point, 85% of the company was sold to GE Capital with the remaining 15% stake reacquired by the Virgin Group. The company scaled down its operations to video distribution only in the U.K., while shutting down operations in other countries, namely the U.S., Canada and Australia.

In March 1991, GE Capital put Virgin Vision up for sale. Virgin soon sold its stake in the company to GE Capital in July 1991. The business was rebranded as Vision Video Ltd. by July 1992.

1st Logo (September 1981-1986)

ImagesVideos

• 
  Normal variant
• 
  Extended variant

Visuals: A muscular, shirtless man hits a vinyl record labelled with the Virgin logo on it, as if it were a gong (like the Rank logo), in the darkness. Once he does so, the screen briefly flashes a yellow colour, engulfing the appearance of a dark setting with a man, the record explodes and as the pieces fly away, sparks appear and white the familiar "Virgin" logo, which is stylized for a moment before flashing to its normal corporate font. The stacked text "FILMS and VIDEO " appears on the lower-right of "Virgin", and "presents" fades in underneath. All the text is white.

Variant: An extended variant of this logo exists. In this version, the man from before is about to hit the record again, now in gold, but it shakes and he runs away as an aeroplane comes crashing though it. The screen pans across the puzzled man as the aeroplane makes smoke trails that form the normal "Virgin" text, which flashes as the stacked text "FILMS PRESENTS " appears below it on the right.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability:

• The regular version can be found on some very early pre-cert concert VHS releases from this time period such as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - The Best of OMD.
• The extended version is only seen on older international prints of Electric Dreams and is also retained on the 1984 UK VHS release from the company, although some releases plaster it with the next logo while the U.S. release plasters it with the 1984 MGM/UA Entertainment Co. "Diamond Jubilee" logo instead.

2nd Logo (September 1982-1986)

ImagesVideos

• 
  Standard variant
• 
  Theatrical variant
• 
  Kace International variant

Visuals: Against a black background, the Virgin logo, coloured red while appearing in a thinner font weight, zooms out from the top left of the screen with a residue-trailing effect, of which a few copies streak down before it settles and flashes. Then, "VIDEO", which is set in a thin Futura font, zooms out to the lower-right of the logo with a similar trail effect, each of the letters lighting up before the trail disappears, and then glows slightly. The whole logo later fades out as the white text "Presents", set in Gill Sans, fades, glows blue and zooms in.

Variants:

• At the end of some VHS releases, the blue text "other major releases available from" appears at the bottom of the screen, before a silent version of the logo plays afterwards.
• On some releases like NOW Music and at the end of some like the 1985 UK VHS release of Rupert and the Frog Song (1984), the text "Presents" isn't shown.
  • In addition, with the exception of UB40: Labour of Love, the logo also stays on-screen longer because of it.
• A variant for theatrical movies exists where the logo is pretty much the same, except it reads "FILMS" instead of "VIDEO". The colors are also much darker in this version, so it makes it look more orange than red.
• On the 1984 UK pre-cert VHS release of U2: Live at Red Rocks: 'Under a Blood Red Sky', a unique variant plays out with the Kace International logo. The Virgin Video logo, though with "VIDEO" now being in Century Gothic, flies down from the top of the screen, while a sky-blue Kace International logo flies up from the bottom, and they both flash when they stop moving. It then fades to "Presents", also coloured red and set in Century Gothic, before staying on a black screen as the rest of the music plays.

Technique: Scanimate.

Audio: A very deep, distorted electric guitar tune with heavy bass, what sounds like a flute in the background and a Kenny G-esque saxaphone riff. Composed and performed in the key of B minor by Mick Karn of the English music group Japan.

Audio Variants:

• Two versions exist: a mono version (which is more muffled in nature, and the lower bass can be heard clearly), and a stereo version (where the low bass isn't heard very well, but the audio is much cleaner).
• Sometimes, the opening theme of the film will play instead.

Availability:

• The "VIDEO" variant is seen on many pre-cert releases from the company such as old concert music videos such as Genesis: The Mama Tour, the Depeche Mode videos (Live in Hamberg and Some Great Videos), UB40: Labour of Love, Public Image Limited: Videos, U2: Under a Blood Red Sky, the Japan videos (Instant Pictures and Oil on Canvas), the 1985 UK VHS release of Now That's What I Call Music 6 (following the 1982 Picture Music International logo), and cult films such as Electric Dreams.
  • It is also only seen at the end of the 1985 UK VHS release of Rupert and the Frog Song (1984).
• The "FILMS" variant is harder to find however.
  • Because MGM owns the rights to their catalogue through the pre-March 31, 1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment library, it has fallen to plastering by either the MGM logo, other logos, or being deleted altogether on newer prints.
    • However, it is still preserved on older releases such as 1984 and The Executioner's Song.

3rd Logo (1986-1992)

ImagesVideos

• 
  Standard version
• 
  "Virgin VISION" variant
• 
  Filmed version

Visuals: Over a black background, a set of revolving tri-colored light beams (red, blue, and green) shoot out towards the screen and bounce back and forth thrice in a backward "Z" formation. As it hits the center, various circles wipe in to form the Virgin print logo, glowing various colors as it rotates upward. Then a light glows under it and fully turns into white circles, forming the logo as its signature red color wipes over the circles. The light then engulfs the background becoming blue, followed by white and then mostly blue.

Variants:

• On post-1988 releases in the United States and Canada, a different end result is used with slightly simpler animation, a cornflower/slate-blue background, a drop shadow on the Virgin logo and "VISION" (in black serif text) sandwiched between two red lines to the latter's lower-right.
  • Another version where the logo is already formed and then shines twice exists.
• A filmed version also exists.

Technique: CGI animation by Digital Pictures.

Audio: A series of dreamy, peaceful synthesised horn notes, accompanied by light chimes as the beams bounce around, and a descending synthesised warble when the logo rises up played over a more majestic synth horn fanfare, which concludes with a cymbal clash that leads to strings.

Audio Variant: On some VHS releases, the jingle ends quicker than usual.

Availability: Seen on VHS releases of films such as Retribution, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, Edge of Sanity, Checking Out, How to Get Ahead in Advertising, Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills, The Banker, Fear (1988), The Rosary Murders, and Destroyer among others.

• It can also be found on UK VHS releases of Paris by Night, RoboCop, The Terminator, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie among others.
• In Canada, some VHS releases from this company show the Cineplex Odeon Home Video logo before this logo, even some from M.C.E.G. Virgin, including Slipstream.
• Likewise on some VHS releases in Argentina, the Transmundo Home Video would appear before this logo and M.C.E.G.'s on PAL VHS releases.
• In the UK, the M.C.E.G. logo is also seen before this (International) logo on some VHS releases from 1989 until its rebranding in 1992.
• It is also seen on the Canadian VHS release of Communion, after the Cineplex Odeon Home Video logo and before the M.C.E.G. Virgin logo.
• The standard logo is also seen on U.S. releases through Continental Video.
• The logo without any byline was also seen on a Brazilian VHS of the 1986 thriller, Twisted.
• The Virgin Vision logo also makes a surprise appearance on the Canadian Cineplex Odeon VHS of Thunderground, even though Virgin did not release that film on VHS in the United States.
• The standard logo is also seen on the 1986 UK VHS releases of Fraggle Rock: Red Handed & The Invisible Thief, The Muppets: Kermit and Fozzies Favourites, The Muppets: Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff, and The Muppets: The Kermit and Piggy Story, the 1987 UK VHS release of Paddington’s Birthday Bonanza (1986), the 1988 UK VHS releases of Cat Care, Dog Care, Super Gardening, A Guide to Home Decoration, The Adventures Of Tintin: Destination Moon/Explorers On the Moon, Paddington Goes to the Movies (1980), and The Care Bears Family: The Cloud of Uncaring, the 1989 UK VHS releases of The Adventures Of Tintin: The Calculus Case and The Little Green Man: 1, the 1990 UK VHS releases of Jingle Bell Foolin, King Rollo, The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. Benn, and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987), and the 1992 UK VHS release of My Favourite Nursery Rhymes, respectively, among others.
• It can also be found on several early releases from Watershed Pictures, such as The Best Children's TV series and Bleep and Booster, among others.

Virgin Vision

M.C.E.G. Virgin Home Entertainment Vision Video Ltd.