Inbetweener
Posted:
Apr 6, 2008, 5:05 AM
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Scary Closing Logos Seen in Cartoons
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What is/was the scariest closing logo you'd ever seen when watching a certain cartoon at the end?
Scary by me:
Worldvision "WHOOSH Globe" (1988-1999)
Exhibitions: All Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears cartoons that were mastered in 1988.
Why So Scary?: The screen gleaming white, the subsequent zooming in of the Radar Globe (a 1973 design) accompanied by a "WHOOSH" sound (an analog synthesizer filter sweep effect, followed by three notes) and the WORLDVISION name zooming out. As the globe and company name come together, the screen goes black and the phrase ENTERPRISES INC. is seen below the company name. The disclaimer ("Not affiliated with World Vision International, a religious and charitable organization") fades in as the globe logo shines.
In a Hurry?: Basically, this was the same as their 1986-1993 home video logo (which is scarier yet), except the animation is faster and the music is shorter.
Variations:
1991-1994: The byline "A UNIT OF SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT INC." is seen below the company name.
September-December 1994: Byline as 1991, but has the Blockbuster Entertainment ticket logo seen next to Worldvision's globe logo.
January-June 1995: Byline as 1991, except Blockbuster's ticket logo is now part of a new byline seen below Spelling's.
July 1995-June 1996: The Spelling byline is amended to read "A UNIT OF SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT GROUP INC.", in observance to Spelling Entertainment's absorption of the NTA Telefilm/Republic Pictures backlog (which includes most Paramount cartoons outside of Popeye and Superman, such as Betty Boop; and NBC's pre-1970s TV backlog). Blockbuster's byline same as in January 1995.
July 1996-June 1999: The Spelling byline now reads "A SUBSIDIARY OF SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT GROUP INC." and Blockbuster's reference is eliminated.
Hanna-Barbera "Swirling Star" (1979-1986 standard; 1986-1991 CGI)
Exhibitions: All Hanna-Barbera cartoons produced from 1979-1991, as well as prints of all H-B cartoons reissued from 1979 to 1988.
Why So Scary?: The white star revolving around, accompanied to polyphonic synthesizer music (the tune was composed by Hoyt Curtin); the star leaves behind a residual trail in various colors.
Variations (namely in bylines):
1979-1981: A TAFT BROADCASTING COMPANY
1981-1982: A DIVISION OF THE TAFT ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY (on a single white line)
1982-1983: A DIVISION OF THE TAFT ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY (on two white lines)
1983-1986: A DIVISION OF THE TAFT ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY (on two yellow lines; main logo and company name are slightly smaller)
"The Jetsons: The Movie" special version: Recreation of the 1979-1986 Swirling Star logo, except the company name we see is just "Hanna-Barbera" (in their signature '80s script logotype), and a byline for Great American Broadcasting (not seen on any other H-B logo, before or after).
Opening version: In response to Filmation's "Anklepants" opening logo, H-B followed suit with their own version in 1985. It is the same animation as the closing logo, except it fades in during the middle of the sequence. The text is different; "Hanna-Barbera" is big and over a small yellow "PRESENTS". Music for this logo was a sweeping chimes sound effect, although a rendition of the "Meet George Jetson" theme was used on 1980s episodes of The Jetsons.
Anomaly?: Some shows have the 1979 version of the logo at the end, but with the 1968 music. This was done chiefly to update the logo on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? and its pre-1979 successors when they first entered local syndication in 1980, but has spread to other shows as well, with the standard Swirling Star theme. This version was sort of common but became rare when Turner/Time Warner began updating the prints of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? in 1998, tacking on the Action All-Stars logo.
CGI Variations:
1986-1988: A recreation of the 1983-1986 Taft Entertainment byline.
1988-1991: No byline (in observance to Taft Entertainment's reorganization as Great American Broadcasting). Two versions exist: the standard zoom (common); and a close-up zoom (to hide any outstanding chyrons).
1998-2001: Company name "HANNA-BARBERA CARTOONS", byline "A Time Warner Company"
2001-2002: As 1998, except byline is "An AOL Time Warner Company"
(the last two variations only appeared on The Powerpuff Girls series)
Availability: The 1979 version of the logo is uncommon in its standard forms as most prints of shows from the 1979-1986 era have the Taft references blacked out. Also, the credits may fade out at the copyright notice, another reason for this version of the logo being rare. The 1986 version (mostly the 1988 subversion without byline) was more common as it had been the chief means of plastering used during the late '80s-early '90s, and was also added to the end of a few 1960s shows which had no logo.
Hanna-Barbera "Zooming H-B" (1968-1974, 2002-)
Exhibitions: All Hanna-Barbera cartoons produced in this timeframe which didn't get plastered with the Swirling Star (sadly, most unaltered prints of shows from this era are not seen).
Why So Scary?: The 1968 version begins with a scary abstract-looking, gold-colored "HB" zooming in at a viewer while an ascending flute-and-xylophone tune plays (composed by Ted Nichols). As it nearly engulfs the screen, the HB outline turns orange and the previously black screen to gold. The phrase in the now-orange outline reads "a hanna-barbera production" (yes, this is in all low capitals). A cutout appears on the upper right part of the "H" for the "a". A byline "a division of taft broadcasting company" is seen (replete with Taft's corporate logo). The bylined version of the logo was mostly seen on H-B cartoons whose closing credit theme songs finished at the in-credit notice, before the logo appeared.
Variations:
Prototype #1: Two prototype versions of this logo were known to exist on two specials (both from 1968), like The Adventures of Huck Finn and Gulliver's Travels. It started with the 1969 type animation of the shapes multiplying, but as the orange background finished revealing itself, the black HB cutout pans out into a far distance, only to return in red. The company name and byline are in blue text. The square opening for the "a" is dark blue with an orange "a". Music for this version was a brass band tune. This version can be seen on the 1966 special Jack and the Beanstalk.
Prototype #2: This version starts with the black screen going orange, as soon as the stenciled HB logo reveals itself. It then zooms out as the background temporarily goes grayscale and then gleams as orange, with the HB logo fading in again, colored yellow with the company name in black text. No byline appears here. Same music as prototype #1.
1969-1970: This version starts with shapes multiplying. As soon as the background finished revealing itself (colored red), the HB cutout turns light blue, with the company name and byline ("A TAFT BROADCASTING COMPANY", again accompanied by Taft's corporate logo) in a darker blue. Same music as the 1968 version.
Reborn: The 1968 version of the logo reappeared in 2002, starting with the direct-to-video release Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire, replacing the previous Cartoon Network Studios "Scooby-Doo All-Stars" logo. The HB now realistically zooms in before cutting to the finished logo.
Availability: The bylineless version of the 1968 logo can still be found on several H-B shows from this era (except most 1973-1974 season episodes of The New Scooby-Doo Movies), but the version with the byline is tougher to find; some shows still have it (such as on Wacky Races), others have it plastered with a later logo (such as the Swirling Star) or fade out at the in-credit notice. The 1969 version is rarer still; on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, it had suffered from the burden of being plastered over with the 1979 Swirling Star logo and then with the 1994 H-B Action All-Stars logo (speaking of that, on the episode "Never Ape an Ape Man", this logo appeared, but with the Comedy All-Stars audio).
~Ben (ScoobyDoo1976)
(This post was edited by ScoobyDoo1976 on Apr 6, 2008, 5:31 AM)
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Supervising Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Apr 6, 2008, 7:24 AM
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The 1969-1971 H-B logo recently appeared on Cartoon Network's current print of "Go Away Ghost Ship" (they are using the crappy-quality time-compressed print from the 1980s and early 1990s). It's also seen on Boomerang's current airings of the Perils of Penelope Pitstop, and is followed by the curent WB TV logo.
Also, Hanna-Barbera cartoons made in the 1965-1966 timeframe (second seasons of "Magilla Gorilla" and "Peter Potamus," "Atom Ant and Secret Squirrel," "The Flintstones" final season, "Alice in Wonderland, or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?") ended with one of the most well-known creepy logos: the Screen Gems "S from H**l."
A version was also seen on "Batfink" in 1967 with a different fanfare instead of the eerie synthesizer tune by Eric Siday. The Batfink version drastically cuts down the scare factor.
And here's another creepy logo that's also talked about, the Viacom "V of Doom" In the late 1970s, some H-B cartoons were distributed by Viacom outside the USA, so this dramatic logo showed up, with the V zooming toward the screen and a five-note tune with a tympani drum. It was also seen on Filmations' Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle revival in 1979. And some reruns of "The Alvin Show" in the early 1980s had this logo, too.
THIS is what Viacom wants the Youtube users they've banned to see what they are! 
Then there's DiC's Kid in Bed, particularly the 1987 version, with a difference is that the starfield is almost empty, the music has a spooky synthesized tune that sounds almost like a choir, and the kid says "Deek" in a sad-sounding voice.
And a variant has a synthesized choir of kids singing "Diiiiic!"
The 1990 version had a more realistic starfield, some nice dreamy music and a more happy-sounding kid saying "Deek!" But it can still scare some people.
You won't find this around much anymore, thanks to DiC's new, stupid "Incredible World of DiC" logo. But I found the 1990 DiC logo recently on a couple of episodes of the "Inspector Gadget - The Original Series" DVD box set (other episodes have the new DiC logo)
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People think I am crazy just because I didn't like "Ratatouille." Am I REALLY crazy, or do I see things differently?
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Supervising Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Apr 6, 2008, 8:20 AM
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Interestingly, none of the Hanna Barbera logos bothered me, not even the H-B zooming in from the distance. But I must admit that the old Screen Gems logo used to disturb the whiz out of me! The sad musical sting always made me think of impending death.
A more recent example would be the production logo for [adult swim]'s Moral Orel. It's a shot of outer space and a fairy in a wheelchair (WTH?) zooms in to the center of the screen, looks at the camera and says "Hello, goodbye!" in a creepy toddler's voice before flying off. I'm pretty sure that production logo would have given me nightmares as a child.
But without a doubt, THE creepiest production logo of all time (IMO), has to be the one seen at the beginning of the old Davey & Goliath shorts, with the logo and the 4 trumpeters. Man, I remember hiding under my covers as a kid or running out of the room when that thing came on just to avoid seeing it.
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I love humanity, it's people that I have issues with.
(This post was edited by SpaceDemon on Apr 6, 2008, 8:57 AM)
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Apprentice
Posted:
Apr 6, 2008, 11:47 AM
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Regarding the HB "swirling star" and the Viacom "V of Doom," all I have to say is, it's about time someone pointed these out. Especially the the HB star. I'll be lying in my bed in the dark and I'll hear that creepy music and it'll just make me think of creepy stuff. 
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I am NOT the next American Idol.
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Apr 6, 2008, 4:11 PM
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When Clerks: The Animated Series was on the air, I admit to being a little creeped out by the giant clown face on the show's "View Askew" production logo; probably because it was so close up. I don't think I ever want to be that close to a clown.
But then clowns are generally a little frightening.
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Fanboyism (noun): The belief that Batman would win every fight he could ever be put in.
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Supervising Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Apr 7, 2008, 8:27 AM
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When Clerks: The Animated Series was on the air, I admit to being a little creeped out by the giant clown face on the show's "View Askew" production logo; probably because it was so close up. I don't think I ever want to be that close to a clown.
But then clowns are generally a little frightening.
Then you obviously haven't seen the opening animated logo for the original 1994 "Clerks" movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWFBXocl3Go
Very bad animation (reminds me of the worst of Hanna-Barbera), and the calliope music at the beginning is VERY weird and freaky!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHW4UuA7IMA
Here's an interesting logo combination from the 1982 Scooby/Puppy hour: the Hanna-Barbera Swirling Star and the Ruby-Spears "Gold RS!" This combo must've put off some people.
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People think I am crazy just because I didn't like "Ratatouille." Am I REALLY crazy, or do I see things differently?
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Supervising Animator
Posted:
Apr 7, 2008, 12:06 PM
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Then you obviously haven't seen the opening animated logo for the original 1994 "Clerks" movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWFBXocl3Go Very bad animation (reminds me of the worst of Hanna-Barbera), and the calliope music at the beginning is VERY weird and freaky!
Wow. That is down right disturbing.
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Key Animator
Posted:
Apr 8, 2008, 8:03 PM
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The 1969-1971 H-B logo recently appeared on Cartoon Network's current print of "Go Away Ghost Ship" (they are using the crappy-quality time-compressed print from the 1980s and early 1990s). It's also seen on Boomerang's current airings of the Perils of Penelope Pitstop, and is followed by the curent WB TV logo. Also, Hanna-Barbera cartoons made in the 1965-1966 timeframe (second seasons of "Magilla Gorilla" and "Peter Potamus," "Atom Ant and Secret Squirrel," "The Flintstones" final season, "Alice in Wonderland, or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?") ended with one of the most well-known creepy logos: the Screen Gems "S from H**l." A version was also seen on "Batfink" in 1967 with a different fanfare instead of the eerie synthesizer tune by Eric Siday. The Batfink version drastically cuts down the scare factor. And here's another creepy logo that's also talked about, the Viacom "V of Doom" In the late 1970s, some H-B cartoons were distributed by Viacom outside the USA, so this dramatic logo showed up, with the V zooming toward the screen and a five-note tune with a tympani drum. It was also seen on Filmations' Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle revival in 1979. And some reruns of "The Alvin Show" in the early 1980s had this logo, too. THIS is what Viacom wants the Youtube users they've banned to see what they are! Then there's DiC's Kid in Bed, particularly the 1987 version, with a difference is that the starfield is almost empty, the music has a spooky synthesized tune that sounds almost like a choir, and the kid says "Deek" in a sad-sounding voice. And a variant has a synthesized choir of kids singing "Diiiiic!" The 1990 version had a more realistic starfield, some nice dreamy music and a more happy-sounding kid saying "Deek!" But it can still scare some people. You won't find this around much anymore, thanks to DiC's new, stupid "Incredible World of DiC" logo. But I found the 1990 DiC logo recently on a couple of episodes of the "Inspector Gadget - The Original Series" DVD box set (other episodes have the new DiC logo)
The V of Doom! They want to Engulf+Devour.
On the subject, I never had a scary logo...maybe the LBS one or the FHE one, but other than that...
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Thank God for kids who love obscure things-Lee Hazelwood (1929-2007)
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Supervising Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Apr 9, 2008, 6:08 AM
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On the subject, I never had a scary logo...maybe the LBS one or the FHE one, but other than that... I bet you mean the 1976 LBS logo that appeared at the end of "Inspector Gadget" first season, and the 1985-1993 FHE logo. That one I can understand, with its loud music and in-your-face animation. It was seen on several "Transformers" and "Inspector Gadget" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" videos from the period.
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People think I am crazy just because I didn't like "Ratatouille." Am I REALLY crazy, or do I see things differently?
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Research Guru
Posted:
Apr 9, 2008, 1:30 PM
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When I was a kid, scariness meant the "flying quill" at the closing of King Features Syndicate Popeye cartoons (1960-61).
It came flying in like a bat out of hell, and the soundtrack was always much too loud.
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"Oh boy." -- Allan Sherman
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Inbetweener
Posted:
Apr 18, 2008, 1:46 PM
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When I was a kid, scariness meant the "flying quill" at the closing of King Features Syndicate Popeye cartoons (1960-61).
It came flying in like a bat out of hell, and the soundtrack was always much too loud.
It was also seen after the 1978 version of Hanna-Barbera's "Rainbow H-B" logo on season 1 of The All-New Popeye Hour. When the CBN Family Channel (currently ABC Family) reran this series (in shortened form) the closing sequence would start out at normal speed and then after a few seconds it would speed up very drastically (early syndicated airings even reminded us of the eventual speed-up when Popeye blurted "Full speed ahead!!"). The '60s KFS logo was then followed by the 1985 KFS "Rolling Crown" logo.
On seasons 2 and 3 (1979 to early 1981) with the H-B Swirling Star logo, the next logo was the '85 KFS logo. The credits were sped up even faster on these episodes.
~Ben
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Supervising Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Apr 22, 2008, 1:35 PM
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Here's a rather unnerving closing logo that scared quite a few kids, including a few friends I know...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0oNFPkWcSc
Not the opening in the same clip, but the closing Golden Book Video logo (the Outer Space animation) is the scary one. I have it on my "Herbert the Timid Dragon" video
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People think I am crazy just because I didn't like "Ratatouille." Am I REALLY crazy, or do I see things differently?
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