Background[]
Roadshow Entertainment (formerly "Roadshow Home Video") was formed by a merger with Australian film distributor Roadshow and Australian cinema chain Village Cinemas. Roadshow Entertainment is currently one of the biggest home entertainment distributors in Australia, currently releasing content from Village Roadshow Pictures, BBC, ABC, Lionsgate Films, The Weinstein Company as well as Australian TV content. They also used to distribute Walt Disney Home Video and Touchstone Home Video releases in Australia.
Logos[]
1st logo (1982-1985)[]
It's only an updated variant of the 1979 Roadshow theatrical logo with "HOME VIDEO", in yellow, zooming out below "Roadshow".
Variants[]
There are a lot of variants for this logo.
- After the logo, "SNEAK PREVIEWS FROM OUR CATALOGUE", in yellow, appears and zooms out into the Australia as the announcer says, "Welcome to Roadshow Home Video. Before the movie, we'd like to show you previews of some of our films.".
- Same as the above variant, but no announcer. "HOME VIDEO" and "SNEAK PREVIEWS FROM OUR CATALOGUE" are also in red instead of yellow.
- There would be just "Roadshow" and no "HOME VIDEO", announcer, or "SNEAK PREVIEWS".
- There would be no announcer or "SNEAK PREVIEWS".
- On very early tapes, such as The Fifth Musketeer and the very first release of Mad Max, basically, a combo of variant 2 and the Roadshow Films logo plays. "HOME VIDEO" is in red (like variant 2), then the Roadshow Films logo's animation plays ("Roadshow" reverses on to Australia, "The Australian Company" appears), and "HOME VIDEO" zooms out. After an introductory scroll, the opening animation is repeated, but it freeze-frames when the Australia hits the usual position. "SNEAK PREVIEWS FROM OUR CATALOGUE" in red zooms out just as the freeze frame begins, and later, it zooms out.
2nd logo (1985-1993)[]
Same as the Roadshow Films logo of the time, however the words "ROADSHOW HOME VIDEO" appears instead in a smaller font.
Variants[]
- On rental releases, once the logo finishes, a page turning effect occurs, revealing the message "SNEAK PREVIEWS FROM OUR MOVIES" in brown and white.
- On some videos released in 1988 (Australia's bicentennial year), the logo starts out like the 1st logo, with the Australia outline, but then fades into this logo as an announcer says, "In the Australian tradition, Roadshow Home Video brings you a 6-pack, the Aussie 6-pack. In this, our bicentennial year, for only $19.88 each, you can have in your home library six of the all-time greatest Australian movies.
3rd logo (1993-)[]
Same as the theatrical version, except the segments move from front to back rather than the other way around, and "ROADSHOW ENTERTAINMENT" appears in its place with the byline "A VILLAGE ROADSHOW COMPANY" below, underneath a line.
Variants[]
- On some of the first releases with this logo, the words "HOME VIDEO" replace "ENTERTAINMENT".
- On some early releases, the logo has a greyish tint.
- At the start of most rental tapes until 1995, when the logo is finished, the words "COMING SOON" appear, the "HOME VIDEO" version of this logo has a different version of this. There is also a "MORE PREVIEWS TO FOLLOW" variant of this.
- On some releases like The Dish, Space Cowboys and Looking for Alibrandi, the text is smaller and the word "HOME" is added. The byline is not italicized.
- There is a special promo variant in which there is a smaller logo at the top of the screen, and "Power to the People at Home" (with an announcer repeating the line) in silver script is wiped in below, then it flashes (it could also be seen as a print logo on some of their releases such as Gallipoli, Pulp Fiction and Mad Max).
- From around 1996 onwards, the company name just zooms out with the "V".
- In 2011, the logo became more orange-tinted, and the text "ROADSHOW ENTERTAINMENT", with its byline, zooms out with the logo to end up with the same result as the previous version of the logo.
- On the 1993 VHS release of Sonic The Hedgehog: Lovesick Sonic, the logo appears via an wipe-up transition, and the music is slightly cut-short.
Music/Sounds[]
1st logo[]
Same as the theatrical logo, but with the announcer.
Music/Sounds Variant[]
A variant of the yellow text version had no announcer (much like the version with the red text), this is only known to have appeared on the original 1982 VHS & Betamax release of Gallipoli.
2nd logo[]
Same as the Roadshow Films and Village Roadshow Pictures theme of the time, also probably used in Village Cinemas.
3rd logo[]
- 1993-1995: A low-pitched calm synth tune with 4 chime sounds with a low synth sound at the end, also if you listen carefully as the V zooms out, a sound that resembles a drum roll can be heard, and if you listen even more carefully you'll notice that the synth tune and low synth sound come from the backing track of the Roadshow Films theme (i.e. without the 12-note melody). The text fades in exactly at the low synth sound.
- 1996-2011: A 5-note synth chime arrangement, based on the Roadshow Films theme.
- 2011- : The last 8 notes of the Roadshow Films theme.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- On the DVD releases of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the 2005 Tim Burton remake), Happy Feet, Ocean's Twelve, Ocean's Thirteen, and I Am Legend, the 1998-2005 Village Roadshow Pictures music is heard in PAL.
- On pre-2011 Blu-ray releases, the music is in a lower tone due to PAL to NTSC sound conversion.
- On the video board game Nightmare IV: Vampire (aka Atmosfear IV), a different sounder consisting of some spooky sounds and a few whooshes is heard.
- On the "Power To The People At Home" Promo variant, we hear a funky tune with the announcer saying "Roadshow Entertainment, Power to the People at Home!"
- On the 1993-1995 Coming Soon variant, once the Roadshow logo finishes, the 1993-1995 music is still heard, but slightly extended.
Scare Factor[]
1st logo[]
Low, due to the music, dark atmosphere, announcer, flash, weird font and Australian outline. The text zooming out on the "SNEAK PREVIEWS" variants might also get to some. However, this logo is a favorite of many.
2nd logo[]
Low to medium. The sounds may surprise you, but this is a great logo, and it is a favorite of many.
3rd logo[]
Depending on the variant.
- 1992-1995 version: Low, because of the low synth-sound at the end.
- 1996-2011 and 2011-present versions: None. It's very relaxing, especially the music. However, this is nothing compared to the next variant…
- Nightmare IV: Vampire version: Medium to nightmare, because of the very creepy sounds, which will scare many. It’s very easy to get nightmares from this logo thanks to the creepy theme.
Overall, the logo is a favorite of many.
Video[]
