TriStar Pictures

==Logos==

1st logo: On a dark blue/purple evening background with pink skies, a splashed white horse that's known as a stallion, gallops into view coming from the left. When it gets really close, three stars coming from the left, right, and bottom of the screen crash into each other, forming a "T" in Didot font (the same font used for the CBS text as CBS was one of the joint owners of Tri-Star until 1985). The stallion grows a pair of wings and flies over the "T". It zooms out, revealing two more letters: "R", and "I", and below it is the word "STAR" reading the stacked words, "TRI STAR". The text continues to zoom out. A yellow outline of a triangle zooms out with the spaced-out word "PICTURES" under it, surrounding the text and the background. As this happens, the triangle outline reveals an abstract drawing of a Pegasus "jumping" over the logo.

Variants

• On some movies that are in the 2:35:1 ratio, the triangle and the Pegasus shrink while the jingle plays. On VHS and full-screen DVD releases, they might use the standard animation or use the pan-and-scan version of the zooming Pegasus by (1.) the screen focusing on the Pegasus when it appears and suddenly shifting when it jumps over the "T", (2) the screen following the Pegasus or (3), the screen starting in the middle and the Pegasus appears shortly before it jumps over the "T". On two Carolco movies in the aforementioned format (in this case, shot in Super 35), Deepstar Six and Air America, the standard logo is stretched to fit the ratio.
• On The Fisher King, a 1.85:1 verson of the shrinking Pegasus was used.  A cropped 2.35 version was used onTerminator 2: Judgement Day. The open matte version appears only on the 4:3 version of The Fisher King; Iron Eagle used the standard variant in its 4:3 version, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day never had a known 4:3 release with the TriStar logo.
• On many Tri-Star releases in 1985, we can see the white stallion make it half way and start to grow its wings and jump over the "T".
• The text "A TRI-STAR RELEASE" appears on a black background after the end of the Tri-Star logo. The 1984 theme, which appears to be out of sync in this variant, plays over it as well. This was seen on an December 24, 1986 HBO airing of Santa Claus: The Movie.
• On 1991-1993 movie trailers and commercials, the words "TRI STAR" are in white over a black background with a little "Pegasus Over Pyramid" logo in the upper right next to "TRI", while the films themselves used the 1984 logo and the newly-formed TriStar Television did use this for their logo.
• There was a logo for Producers Sales Organization that began at the end of the Tri-Star logo.
• The beginning of Tri-Star Showcase has this logo edited, with the horse galloping. When it jumps over the "T", it fades to the preview of the movie.
• On a TV commercial for Places in the Heart, the pegasus outlining and company name appear bolder.
• On the VUDU print of Lock-Up, the 2011 StudioCanal logo plays, and after it ends cuts in the middle of the this logo when the Pegasus jumps over the "T".

Closing Variants

• May 11, 1984 - September 20, 1991, January 29, 1993: Scrolling in the end credits would have the same exact logo, minus the purple triangle with the gold outline color. Above the logo has the phrase "A TRI-STAR RELEASE". Some films such as The Natural, Johnny Handsome, The Freshman, and Sniper, the "A TriStar (or Tri-Star) Release" phrase is below the logo.
• Flashpoint has "A TRI-STAR RELEASE" text on the right of the logo.
• The movie Sweet Dreams, being produced by HBO/Silver Screen Partners, has the text "Presented by HBO Pictures in association with Silver Screen Partners" above the Pegasus-over-Pyramid and the "A TRI-STAR RELEASE" text below. Made in U.S.A (produced by Hemdale) has the text "Released through Tri-Star Pictures".
• December 11, 1991- October 16, 1992: The closing variant of the still logo from the movie trailers and the 1991 TriStar Television logo, minus the "TELEVISION" rectangular box below "STAR" nor "PICTURES" below the triangle with the phrase "A TRISTAR RELEASE" minus the hyphen between the TriStar name seen above the logo. Sometimes, the rectangular box is seen below the logo, but it lacks the "TELEVISION" text inside it. Starting in late 1992, there is a new version with "RELEASED BY" above the logo and the rectangular box has a Sony Pictures Entertainment byline. This was seen on Wind and Candyman.
• A black screen with a copyright stamp is seen at the end of The True Story of Glory.
• On Avalon, a still of the movie logo is seen after the end credits and the Baltimore Pictures logo.
• A few Carolco films such as Narrow Margin, Jacob's Ladder and L.A. Story only have the print logo.

2nd logo: We start out on a black background. Then we see a part of the evening, which slowly fades in and brightens up to reveal a dark background with dark cumulonimbus clouds with a layer of fog on the bottom. A white flash of light at the bottom, that starts to glow and gets bright as it almost fills the screen. A Pegasus appears from far distance spreads its wings out and takes a few steps towards the viewer, causing the fog to flow as the flash dims away slowly. "TRISTAR" in a light shiny gold chiseled bold font slowly fades in above it, on top of the screen with the letters "T" and "S" in a bigger font that the other letters. The Pegasus stops when its wings are fully spread out and the "TRISTAR" text fully appears. The text slowly shines as the fog still flows.

Byline

• June 25, 1993-March 12, 1999: (Bylineless)
• December 15, 1995-Febuary 21, 2014: "a SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT company" (first seen on Jumanji, but starting with Mary Reilly, released on February 23, 1996, the byline is bright yellow or white.) However, some post-1995 films continued to use the bylineless version until 1999. In 2012, the byline appears smaller and a bit darker, but slighty off centered, like the 1996 Columbia Pictures logo; last used on Pompeii. However, Moms' Night Out and When the Game Stands Tall still used the SPE byline in tandem until August 2015.)
• April 16, 2014-September 12, 2015:"a Sony Company" (seen on Heaven is for Real, Ricki and the Flash, War Room and the UK theatrical version of The Lady in the Van (The last film to use this logo). In this version, the Sony Pictures Entertainment logo transitions to this logo)

Variants

• During this logo's early years, on movie trailers and commercials, when the Pegasus is spreading out its wings, the "TRISTAR" text is fully transparent, rather than fading in as in the regular version. Also, it doesn't shine.
• On Sleepless in Seattle (the first movie to use this logo), the flash dims away quickly and early before the Pegasus spreads out its wings and the "TRISTAR" text appears.
• The brightness of the clouds and the color of the byline vary depending on the film.
• A very early trailer and commercial logo has a black background with the stacked words "TRI STAR" and next to it is the box with the Pegasus in front of the cloud. This can be seen on the trailer for Rudy.

Closing Variants

• It's the same current print logo that appeared on movie trailers during its early years, and looking similar to the last print logo. The Pegasus is placed inside a box, with a cloud background overlapping the top. Its wings overlap both ends of the box. Below the logo is the phrase "A TRISTAR RELEASE", or "RELEASED BY" above the logo with the SPE byline underneath. Sometimes, "A TRISTAR RELEASE " isn't there. Sometimes, it's bylineless.
• One early variant of such featured the boxed Pegasus logo at center, with "TRISTAR PICTURES" (in Bank Gothic MD BT) and the SPE byline below one another. This particular closing variant happened to appear at the end of the features Chaplin and Cliffhanger, which both used the old logo at the beginning, although the latter was the last movie to use the old logo at the beginning; though this may be unsurprising, since both Columbia and TriStar first introduced their new logos for their home video and television divisions a year earlier in 1992. The movie Wilder Napalm has the "A TriStar Release" text above.
• On films like The Call and Heaven is for Real, the shadows of the Pegasus' wings is removed.
• Starting with Heaven is for Real, "A TRISTAR PICTURES RELEASE" is now seen underneath with the byline: "a Sony Company".

3rd logo: We see the clouds of the previous logo, only this time, more improved. Then the clouds brighten and turn into full daylight. Then, we see a pegasus run towards us. He stands up in his hind legs and rises his wings. Once he has done this, the TRISTAR text from the previous logo (only more golden) fades in, then the byline "a Sony Company" fades in after that.

Variant

On FXM's print of The Walk, a 1.78:1 matted version is used.

Music/Sounds

1st logo: An orchestrated piece done by Dave Grusin. As the horse gallops into view, three low French horn notes play and they repeat. When the Pegasus flies over the "T", more enlightening trumpets play and are combined with the trombone. For the logo formation, a loud trumpet solo is played. Although on some films, such as Birdy, Runaway, Candyman, The Muppets Take Manhattan (The Columbia/TriStar DVD has the fanfare The Hulu and CTHV VHS print are silent), a recent Turner Classic Movies (TCM) broadcast of Places in the Heart, and streaming prints of the theatrical version of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (save for the Director's Cut), among others, the logo is silent. On The Principal and Chaplin, the music begins a few seconds before the logo fades in. Sometimes the theme echoes after the logo ends. Strangely, on the 2004 Lionsgate DVD release of Universal Solider, the fanfare is barely audible, likely due to a printing error.

Music/Sounds Variants

• On some prints of Rambo: First Blood Part II, the Carolco theme is heard (one TV airing of the movie had the high-tone version of the theme). This also appeared on a 1995 Australian television broadcast of Iron Eagle II. The original domestic print had the standard TriStar fanfare, as this was the version used on HBO early on, starting in 1986.
• A Chinese bootleg Blu-Ray of Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo had this logo with the music from the Cannon logo, probably thanks to sloppy plastering. This also appeared on a French print of The Hitcher (the 1986 version).
• When TubiTV aired Bat*21, it used a master that preserved this logo, but also contained the MGM lion roar due to poor reverse plastering.

2nd logo: We hear French horns playing the same opening notes as the last logo, but the music rises in intensity as we hear more and more instruments come in, ending in a very majestic fanfare. This was composed by Bill Johnson. Starting with the film Godzilla, released on May 20, 1998, the fanfare has been rearranged.

Music/Sounds Variants

• On earlier films with this logo such as Jury Duty and some prints (such as the 1999 DVD release) of Sleepless in Seattle, the 1984 fanfare plays.
• Sometimes, this logo is silent. Other times, there's music from any music soundtrack playing over the logo.
• On Little Secrets, the logo is high-pitched.

3rd logo: The 1998 rearranged fanfare from the previous logo.

Scare Factor

1st logo: Low, due to the sudden loud music at the end of the logo. This logo has become a memorable one and a favorite of many.

2nd logo: None to low. This logo is beautiful over the years, although the Pegasus appearing like it might burst through the screen might startle some.

3rd logo: Low. The Pegasus coming at you may startle some, but other than that, it's a great logo and a suitable successor to the previous logo.