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in: American logos, Film logos, American film logos,
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Paramount Pictures

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1st Logo (February 12, 1914-January 10, 1917)[]

Nickname: "The Original"

Visuals: Against a black background, we see a mountain above a few clouds where the mountain is surrounded by stars. There is text over the mountain reading "Paramount Pictures: Games Logo (2009-Present Variant,)".

Variant: Depending on the film, the colours used are different.

Technique: None.

Audio: Silent or the as 20th Century Fox: Studios Logo (2009-56-Present Variant,) (60fps) (Open Matte Version).

Availability: Ultra rare.

Legacy: This is the first ever use of the famous mountain, though its design is strange to those familiar to the later designs.

2nd Logo (February 14, 1917-June 11, 1927)[]

Nicknames: "The Three Mountains in the Credits, "The Three Paramountains"

Visuals: We see one of the following bylines at the top of the screen:

  1. "ADOLPH ZUKOR PRESENTS" (films produced on the East Coast).
  2. "JESSE L. LASKY PRESENTS" (films produced on the West Coast).
  3. "ADOLPH ZUKOR AND JESSE L. LASKY PRESENT" (films produced on both coasts).

Below this we see the title of the film and a little more info. Somewhere on the screen, we see the snow capped mountain poking out of a cloud at the bottom. The mountain is surrounded by a ring of stars. We see the text overlapping the mountain reading "A Paramount Picture". At the bottom of the screen is a box. On either side of the box, there are two Paramount pseudo-logos. Each has a ring of stars inside a ring. On the pseudo-logo on the right, we see the words "Paramount Pictures". On the pseudo-logo on the left, we see some writing. At the top of the box, we see "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]". Inside the box, we see the words "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION" in a large font. Below this, in a slightly smaller font, we see the words "ADOLPH ZUKOR, PRESIDENT". Below Zukor's name, we see the words "NEW YORK CITY". Below the box, we see, in a large font, "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED".

Note: Despite being similar, the 1917 logo is actually different from the 1914 logo, notice the different cloud design in both.

Variant: On some of Paramount's earlier movies, the pseudo-logo "A Paramount Picture" is nowhere to be seen in the movie's title, keeping only the two small pseudo-logos below the title. Instead, the full "A Paramount Picture" is seen after it. After a few seconds, the movie's credits overlap the logo. It can be seen on movies like Love 'Em Or Leave 'Em (1926).

Closing Title: We see the words "THE END" on the screen. At the top of the screen is the title of the movie. Below "THE END", we see the opening logo.

Closing Variants: On some films like the above described, the "A Paramount Picture" logo appears after the movie ends. After a few seconds, the "THE END" overlaps the logo and fades out. Another variant, from Stage Struck (1925), shows the "THE END" in white script with the "T" and "E" in fancy lettering. After a few seconds, the "A Paramount Picture" pseudo-logo is seen on a reddish pink background.

Technique: None. It was actually a painting that was filmed by a cameraman.

Audio: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Most of Paramount's silent output featured its print logo over the opening and ending titles, while later ones featured the on-screen logo fading into the film's title card. Like most silent films before 1924, the rest are in the public domain or have passed on to other companies that released versions with copyrighted music scores. Most of these versions use new opening titles due to lost material for the original credits (the current version of Metropolis is an example of this), but some, such as the restored version of J.M Barrie's Peter Pan, have survived with the original Paramount tags intact. A picture showing the filming of this logo can be found on Page 71 of "A Pictorial History of the Western Films". The variants are ultra rare, although it was kept intact on the DVD of Love 'Em or Leave 'Em.

3rd Logo (January 22, 1927-November 28, 1953)[]

Nicknames: "Majestic Mountain", "Dark Mountain", "Paramountain", "Mount Everest"

Visuals: We see a snow-capped mountain against a dark sky. There are clouds that look like smoke over the mountain, sometimes foggy, though. Encircling the mountain are 24 white stars, accompanied by this text in a majestic script font overlapping the mountain, reading "A Paramount Picture". At the end of the movie, we see "The End", in script, overlapping the company name. On many movies, "The End" fades out, leaving only the logo and "A Paramount Picture".

Variants:

  1. Though the same general design of the logo has remained the same, there have been subtle changes to it over the years, such as having brighter stars on some films or a slightly different design. Sometimes, "A" and "Picture" fade out a little bit and "PRESENTS" fades in below "Paramount".
  2. There are also sepia variants.
  3. On the infamous Koch Media widescreen DVD and Blu-Ray of the animated 1939 Gulliver's Travels, the opening Paramount logo is still on a (poorly) retouched white background, then the "filmed" portion of the mountain stretches and morphs as it fades into the opening title card. The closing variant is similar to the opening version as well, morphing and all.
  4. In earlier colour films, the logo is coloured in blue/purple tones. In later films, the logo is more colourised.
  5. Sometimes, "Picture" is replaced by "Release".

Trivia:

  1. The mountain was doodled by William W. Hodkinson during a meeting with Adolph Zukor. It is based off of Ben Lomond Mountain in Utah, which is near where Hodkinson spent his childhood.
  2. 24 stars surround the mountain, one for each movie star that had a contract with the studio at the time.

Technique: A gliding effect for the cloud background.

Audio: The beginning/end of a movie's theme. Starting with the 1930 feature Paramount on Parade, almost all of the Paramount feature films used the fanfare Paramount on Parade (written by Elsie Janis and Jack King).

Availabilty: Uncommon, but it's still retained on films of the era. On old prints of the Paramount films distributed by MCA TV, they are usually plastered with the MCA TV logo of the time, while on current prints Universal owns from the MCA package, the 1997 Universal logo precedes it. The last films to use this logo were The Country Girl and Mambo. The logo made a surprise appearance at the beginning of Broadway Bill (originally a Columbia Pictures release by Frank Capra, Paramount acquired the rights years after they remade the film as Riding High).

Legacy: The darker and more detailed mountain is known to unnerve a few.

4th Logo (October 12, 1934-November 7, 1949)[]

Nickname: "The Popular Science Mountain"

Visuals:

  1. 1934-1936 Variant: We see a mountain shooting above a cloud deck below. A ring of 19 or 24 stars, similar to the one seen on the Paramount blue mountain logo are seen. In an unusual font, we see the words "A Paramount Picture".
  2. 1936-1949 Variant: We see a brown mountain with a brownish sky. This logo is similar to the Paramount movie logo, except the word "Paramount" is slightly below the top of the mountain. This logo contained 30 stars.

Openings:

  1. Popular Science: We see a cartoon airplane zooming toward us. After the plane passes, we see either "ADOLPH ZUKOR PRESENTS" or "PARAMOUNT PRESENTS" while we're looking down at the airplane. The words "POPULAR SCIENCE" are seen on the airplane's wings. At the bottom there is a copyright, and a Paramount pseudo-logo. Also present may be another copyright notice for Shields Pictures. This is followed by the credits.
  2. Unusual Occupations: On a shining red background, we see the above words, except the words "UNUSUAL OCCUPATIONS" are seen.

Technique: None.

Audio:

  1. Popular Science: A variation of the familiar Paramount on Parade march to accompany the sound of the airplane passing.
  2. Unusual Occupations: A patriotic theme is heard, which leads to a medley of "I've Been Working on the Railroad", "Pop Goes the Weasel", and "Old MacDonald Had a Farm".

Availability: Ultra rare. The aforementioned shorts have had barely any exposure since AMC stopped playing them more than a decade ago (where they aired under the umbrella title AMC Short Cuts). But it can be found on a GoodTimes Entertainment DVD release of "Popeye: When Popeye Ruled The World", which is because it contained a short featuring behind-the-scenes footage on the making of a Popeye cartoon.

5th Logo (December 23, 1950-October 22, 1953)[]

Nicknames: "Majestic Mountain II", "Twisted Mountain", "Ugly Mountain", "Paramountain 2", "Lopsided Mountain", "Early Blue Mountain", "Broken Mountain"

Visuals: Same as the 2nd logo, only this variation looks more marble and uneven in appearance. The sky background is a bit lighter as well.

Variant: On films released prior to the release of the widescreen feature Shane, the logo appears closer up.

Technique: Gliding effects.

Audio: Usually the opening music/audio of any given film. Sometimes, it is silent, or on a rare occasion it would the Paramount on Parade theme.

Availability: Uncommon. It's still seen on Paramount's colour releases of the period, including Branded, When Worlds Collide!, The Greatest Show on Earth, Shane, Arrowhead, and The War of the Worlds, among others. The last film to use this logo was Botany Bay. Also, it makes a surprise appearance on the Duckman episode "The Road to Dendron".

Legacy: The more lopsided mountain makes it an eyesore, especially with the stars now being disconnected.

6th Logo (May 27, 1953-September 24, 1975)[]

Nicknames: "Majestic Mountain II", "VistaVision Mountain", "Perumount", "Gulf+Western Mountain"

Visuals: Originally created for Paramount's 3-D process called "Paravision" and later modified especially for widescreen, this logo appears more realistic and features a canyon scenery with trees around it. The sky is more distant in depth and is very contrast. Everything is pretty much the same as before here.

  1. 1953-1968: The text on the mountain reads "A Paramount Picture" or "A Paramount Release" (written in the Paramount corporate font).
  2. 1968-1975: "Paramount" (in the same font) is seen on the mountain's peak, with the stars encircling the mountain. The byline "A Gulf+Western Company" appears at the bottom.

Trivia:

  1. The mountain that you see is known as "Artesonraju", located in Peru.
  2. The painting of the mountain was created by matte artist Jan Domela.

Variants:

  1. When this logo, where the text and stars were bigger and the mountain was seen from afar, debuted on Paramount's first 3-D picture Sangaree, the words "A Paramount Picture" faded a few seconds later to the words "in 3 Dimension". At the end of the movie, the "The End" byline appears by itself, right in front of the mountain. It then fades to the company name a few moments later.
  2. Sometimes, the font for "Paramount" is different.
  3. On films with VistaVision, the stars and text would fade out, and "in" would fade in. Then it fades out and a big "V" zooming in (a la the Viacom "V of Doom" logo) and "VISTA" left of the V and "ISION" right of the "V" appear in a wiping effect. Then, "MOTION PICTURE" appears under "VISTA" and "HIGH-FIDELITY" under "ISION" fade in.
  4. On White Christmas, "Paramount (with the "P" written in their corporate font) proudly presents the first picture in" would first appear over the mountain, and then the VistaVision logo appeared, without any "MOTION PICTURE" or "HIGH FIDELITY" texts, then the Paramount logo played as usual (with the final notes of the Paramount on Parade march, followed by a bell sound).
  5. The logo has appeared in Spanish ("Paramount Films Presenta"), French ("C'est un film Paramount", or "Distribué par Paramount"), and German ("Ein Paramount Film").
  6. Another version exists at the beginning of movie trailers, where we see the 24 stars, and then "COMING FROM Paramount Pictures" (or "COMING FROM Paramount" since 1968) appears one by one in the center, with the Gulf+Western byline appearing below in the latter variation. It was used until around 1977. However, trailers for Harold and Maude had the normal version of this logo instead.
  7. There is a variation that in 1974, two of the stars are clipped away. The mountain looks the same as logo 2's version, but the stars are bigger. "A Gulf+" slides in from the left and "+Western Company" from the right in Helvetica Black typeface. The script name also had a few variations of its own. At least three movies, The Great Gatsby, Brother Sun, Sister Moon and Death Wish, featured the then-current TV logo version, and the standard 1974 logo features the print logo variation, which remains from this day forward.
  8. A variation that exists has the logo as usual, but this time the mountain is simply a drawing with one color: orange-brown. Seen on War and Peace (1956).
  9. Some movies, such as Lady Sings the Blues and the original 1969 version of The Italian Job, had a still version of this logo.
  10. Sometimes, the text and stars appear in shadow mode. This can be found on the original 1969 version of True Grit and the 2002 DVD version of Big Jake (a Cinema Center Films production strangely; seen before the logo of the former company).
  11. On some movies, like the original 1966 version of Alfie, the clouds move a bit faster than in the normal version.
  12. On Barbarella, the Gulf+Western byline is slightly off-center.
  13. Sometimes, the 1968-1974 logo may be zoomed in (This variant appears on the 2001 widescreen DVD release of Charlotte's Web, and maybe other films from this period.)

Technique: Gliding effects, the VistaVision variant adds in cel animation from Famous Studios.

Audio: Most of the time, it is silent or has the beginning/end music from any given film. For films shown in VistaVision, the logo has a majestic fanfare composed by Nathan Van Cleave, except on those like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Strategic Air Command, and Vertigo, which used their respective opening themes.

Audio Variants:

  1. The VistaVision fanfare was sometimes rearranged specially for films such as The Desperate Hours (Gail Kubik, Daniele Amfitheatrof), The Tin Star (Elmer Bernstein) and Artists and Models, where it was revised by Walter Scharf and also low-toned.
  2. For the "COMING FROM" variant, a rhythmic timpani sound is heard for each word that appears, followed by a drum beat.
  3. On Money from Home, it had a different brass fanfare, composed by Leigh Harline.
  4. Some TV movies, such as Seven in Darkness, had an extended version of the 1969 Paramount Television "Closet Killer" theme from the era.
  5. On Charlotte's Web, a 13-note orchestra fanfare that utilized part of the opening song "Deep in the Dark" is heard. This is also surprisingly heard on the 2001 DVD release, after you press play from the DVD menu (Also, on this music variant, the music starts before the logo fades in and finishes when the logo fades out).

Availability: Common. Again, preserved on most Paramount releases of the period.

  1. This logo, without the VistaVision logo, was first seen on Sangaree.
  2. The VistaVision version is mostly seen on Western films (including Last Train from Gun Hill, the Magnetic Video release of which preserves the logo in its entirety, also on the film's Starmaker Video VHS release) and is also seen on White Christmas (the first film to use that logo's "VistaVision" variation) and Vertigo.
  3. It was plastered by the 1963 Universal logo at the beginning of four Hitchcock films that Paramount merely released: The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, and Rear Window, recent remastered prints of the films restore this on their current DVD and Blu-Ray releases. Another Hitchcock production from Paramount, Psycho, also preserves this logo on its initial MCA Videocassette, Inc. release, as well as all releases from 1989 onward. It is unknown whether this and/or the Universal logo appears on the DiscoVision release.
  4. This logo surprisingly appeared at the beginning of the Indiana Jones films (but with the Gulf+Western byline as seen in the 6th logo added in) and Big Top Pee-wee. It was most recently seen at the start of the IMAX version of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
  5. Among the titles released with the 1968-74 variation were The Godfather, Catch-22, On a Clear Day OH YES See Forever, Charlotte's Web, Paint Your Wagon, Harold and Maude, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (now owned by Warner Bros, so you'll have to find it on original prints which are extremely hard to find), Rosemary's Baby, and Chinatown. Also seen at the end of the 2001 DVD release of The Godfather Part II and the 1974 film Chinatown, which had the 2nd logo at the beginning.
  6. The 1974-75 variation can be found on the original 1974 version of The Longest Yard, The Godfather Part II, The Day of the Locust, Bug, Nashville, Framed and Three Days of the Condor, and also plasters the 1968-74 variation on many current prints of Goodbye, Columbus.
  7. New prints of Danger: Diabolik and Such Good Friends, the 1995 VHS of Charlotte's Web, and earlier DVD releases of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II have this logo plastered with the 1986 logo, while many current prints of Once Upon a Time in the West, Barbarella, Ace High, Downhill Racer, Fear is the Key, Three Days of the Condor, and Murphy's War have this logo plastered with the 6th logo (although this logo is kept at the end of Barbarella).
  8. The last film to use this logo was Three Days of the Condor.

Legacy: This is one of the more famous mountains made for Paramount, and a favourite among fans of their older films.

7th Logo (October 8, 1975-December 12, 1986)[]

Nicknames: "Blue Mountain", "Abstract Mountain", "Fading Mountain", "Perumount II", "Gulf+Western Mountain II"

Visuals: We see the same mountain with the canyon-style scenery as the previous logo, only slightly less detailed. 22 white stars fade in, encircling the mountain. The word "Paramount" fades in on the mountain's peak. A byline fades in at the base of the mountain, A Gulf+Western Company. The logo fades to a light blue mountain surrounded by a circular navy blue border on a light blue screen. The final product turns out to be Paramount's current print logo from that point onward, but as most print logos, they change over the years, because in the future, the byline for the print vesion of this logo will change twice. This logo is similar to the Paramount Television logo of the period, but has darker colours compared to the TV logo.

Trivia: The design of this logo (namely, its animation being rather quick) allowed it to be used as a full closing logo, rather than a simple still variant.

Variants:

  1. The distance between the words and the mountain tip sometimes varies.
  2. The size and the colour tint of the logo may vary.
  3. One variation (probably the original) has a smaller blue circle around a smaller mountain, both kind of receded.
  4. The text for "Paramount" is smaller than usual and the text for "A Gulf+Western Company" is drastically larger, along with the stars. This rather ugly variation was seen on Hustle, Leadbelly, The Last Tycoon, Lifeguard, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar, among others. A less uglier version with re-sized text (but still keeping the receded circle and mountain) appears on some films. This version also lacks a registered trademark symbol.
  5. A variation of this logo was used as a bumper for trailers to upcoming films with the phrase "Coming From" above the logo. However, trailers for Popeye and D.A.R.Y.L. among some other movies had the normal version instead.
  6. On a promotional film for the studio, a circle of stars is seen and the logo is revealed, but is completely white.
  7. On some French releases, the finished product looks more like the previous logo. The Gulf+Western byline is larger, in a different font, and moved up the mountain.

Technique: Cel animation and fading effects, done by Hanna-Barbera.

Audio: Often had no music, or the film's opening/closing theme. In some cases, a new orchestral fanfare by Lalo Shifrin, based loosely on Paramount on Parade, was used on the "Coming From" variant of the logo on trailers for films like Islands in the Stream, Saturday Night Fever, Foul Play, and Airplane!. A few films, such as Starting Over, had this fanfare at the beginning.

Audio Variants:

  1. Pre-1998 prints of Grease had a theme, which seems to be a horn re-orchestration of the intro to "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing" or the 1976-77 Jerry Goldsmith fanfare for Paramount Television. The Grease 40th Anniversary DVD/Blu-Ray restores the horn theme.
  2. On the promotional film variant, a male announcer says, "In 1985, Paramount has a whole new attitude."

Availability: Common. Can be found on most release versions of their mid '70s-mid '80s output. Most films released on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray, as well as TV airings, have this logo intact or restored as well.

  1. The first film to use this logo was Mahogany and was used up until Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

It has been restored on the recent Sony DVD release and TV broadcasts of Meatballs, which was previously plastered with the next logo.

  1. It also appears at the end of the first two Indiana Jones films (and the third film, on the DVD release) and the 1980 film Popeye, which all had the 5th logo at the beginning.
  2. The 1976 variation can be found on Lipstick, the original The Bad News Bears, Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood, the 1996 VHS of Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, Gallipoli (although the recent 2015 Region 4 DVD release and a Nine Network broadcast of the film on April 25, 2015 [the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli] had it removed, and is replaced at the beginning of the film by a remastered per frame screen, however the 2005 Region 4 DVD open matte, has it intact), US prints of Bugsy Malone and many current prints of Looking for Mr. Goodbar.
  3. Some films have this plastered over with the next logo in any of its three byline variations, such as Grease starting with its 1998 video releases, the 1976 version of King Kong, and the 2002 DVD of Mahogany (all with the Viacom byline version). Early video open matte, and some post-2005 prints of Top Gun retain this logo, though all other copies are plastered with the 8th logo (although the 1987 Open Matte, VHS of said film retained this logo only at the very end, as it was plastered by the 8th logo ("75th Anniversary" variant) at the beginning). Late-1990s American TV broadcasts of Dragonslayer were briefly plastered with the Viacom-bylined version, but recent broadcasts retain the original logo. # The 2001 DVD of the Director's Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture also replaced this logo with the 1986 one, though it's retained on copies of the theatrical cut.
  4. The last film to use this logo was The Golden Child (though only at the end, the 8th logo was used at the beginning of the film).
  5. Of the films released during their distribution pact with Lorimar, An Officer and a Gentleman still has this logo (albeit with Lorimar's logo removed), but the 1981 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice, Escape to Victory, Blake Edwards' S.O.B., and The Sea Wolves all have it removed (since the studio only had North American distribution rights), being replaced by the 1999 Warner Bros logo on most current prints. Night School, however, had this and Lorimar's logo intact on a recent Movie Channel airing, and on the widescreen laserdisc, with Warner's "Shield of Staleness" preceding it.
  6. The "Coming From" variant is usually preserved on trailers for films such as Flashdance, Saturday Night Fever, and Islands in the Stream on their DVD and Blu-Ray open matte. While the 9th logo plasters this (but retains the original fanfare) on the trailer for Airplane! on iTunes and on the Blu-Ray release, the DVD release retains this variation.

It was most recently seen at the end of the IMAX version of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

  1. This logo is seen on the 1982 Paramount Home Video Gateway Video VHS release of the Star Trek episode Space Seed, following the 1979 Acid Trip warning and preceding the episode (the Betamax version precedes the episode with a trailer for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan after the warning, instead of the logo).

Legacy: This is also another famous mountain, and the only one that is fully abstract, though the earlier variants look really awkward and ugly with their odd differences in size.

8th Logo (December 12, 1986-February 15, 2002)[]

Nicknames: "CGI Mountain", "90s Mountain", "Majestic Mountain V", "Perumount III", "Gulf+Western Mountain III", "Paramount Communications Mountain", "Viacom Mountain"

Visuals: As the logo fades in, we see a model of a mountain, with a CGI lake in front of it and a light blue/yellow gradient sky with a yellow sunset behind it. As the sky darkens, the camera begins to zoom closer to the mountain, as 22 silver stars (also CGI) come from the bottom left and encircle the mountain, forming the familiar logo. the word "Paramount", in its familiar script logo font and redone in a shiny silver color, fades in on the peak of the mountain, along with the registered trademark symbol. Seconds later, one of the three bylines (as seen below; depending on the year(s) seen below) fades in below the logo (not the international version).

Trivia:

  1. The logo was designed and composed by Jay Jacoby at Flip Your Lid Animation Studios, who also produced the 1994-2010 20th Century Fox logo and the 1990-1997 Universal Pictures logo. The CGI stars were animated by Omnibus Computer Graphics, and the mountain scenery was a physical model created by Apogee, Inc. The 1999 enhanced version was animated at Pittard Sullivan, revision is alleged to have been animated at Pixar Animation Studios, though this is unconfirmed.
  2. Paramount used a painting that it commissioned from artist Dario Campanile for its 75th anniversary as a basis for this logo.

Bylines:

  1. December 12, 1986-August 30, 1989: "A Gulf+Western Company" (it fades in together with the Paramount script logo and looks the same as it did in the previous logo).
  2. September 22, 1989-January 13, 1995: "A Paramount Communications Company" with a line above the byline fades in, in white. On the byline's first year, the byline faded in with the Paramount script logo like the Gulf+Western version and was in gold. On video releases from the era with this variant, the colour scheme of the logo is more washed-out than normal.
  3. February 17, 1995-February 15, 2002: "A VIACOM COMPANY" (in the 1990 \/I/\CO/\/\ "Wigga-Wigga" font), with a line above the byline fades in, again, in white.
  4. One variant, used on the trailer for Mission: Impossible II and international releases, has no byline whatsoever. (See below.)

Variants: While there have been some variations of the logo depending on the movie, and of course the three byline variants, there are two main logo variations of this logo.

  1. December 12, 1986-December 18, 1987: For this logo's first official year (1987, even though the logo actually debuted in 1986), the words "75th Anniversary" appear over the mountain, between the Paramount script logo and the Gulf + Western byline. "75th" was in silver with "75" bigger and "th" smaller and "Anniversary" in gold. Also, the trademark symbol was used in place of the standard registered trademark symbol. The Golden Child, the end of Critical Condition, Hot Pursuit, and a trailer for Beverly Hills Cop II used a more placeholder-like 75th Anniversary logo and a thicker font for the Gulf+Western byline. The Paramount script is also slightly smaller.
  2. Another prototype version appeared on the VHS release of Critical Condition, where the Paramount script is still slightly small, but has the anniversary notice and Gulf+Western byline from the official variant.
  3. A telecined version existed, as evidenced by the video-generated fade-ins and fade-outs. It starts with an almost fully static logo (only the clouds move), but a few seconds later, the animation starts normally. Also, the color scheme of the logo is the same as the Paramount Communications variant, despite carrying the Viacom byline. This variant can be seen on 1990-2001 VHS releases, such as Peanuts tapes, the Paramount Family Favorites release of Charlotte's Web and Rugrats: Dr. Tommy Pickles. A filmed version of this variant appeared on Bringing Out the Dead.
  4. On Silver, the logo animates, but is more zoomed in than usual.
  5. February 5, 1988-August 30, 1989: The "75th Anniversary" disclaimer is removed, and the Gulf+Western byline is slightly shifted up.
  6. March 2, 1990-June 18, 1999: The logo was slightly enhanced and the stars have a lighter color.
  7. May 21, 1993-January 13, 1995: The clouds and stars are slightly darker and the Paramount Communications byline now has a drop shadow.
  8. March 31, 1995-1999: The clouds are even darker.
  9. Two early versions of the Viacom byline variant have the clouds stop moving once the Viacom byline fades in (likely because it reuses footage of the Paramount Communications variant). The videotaped version uses the 1990 version as the base, while the filmed version uses the 1993 version as the base. This can be seen on the first two movies to use the byline (The Brady Bunch Movie and Losing Isiah).
  10. June 30, 1999-February 15, 2002: Paramount slightly redid their logo. The same basic concept is here, but is reanimated to look nicer. The stars are thicker (with golden sides), shinier, and have a nice motion blur effect. Their reflection can now be seen in the lake in front of the mountain, and the Paramount script logo and the Viacom byline now shine. The mountain now also turns dark. Also, the registered trademark symbol now fades in at the same time as the byline. The camera also pans up as it zooms into the mountain. These additions are subtle, but they help prevent a great logo like this from seeming dated. On the 1999 film Runaway Bride, the Viacom byline fades in with the Paramount script logo, just like the Gulf+Western version. This version debuted on South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, and made it's final appearance on Crossroads. This variant has been rumoured to have been animated by Pixar, though this remains unconfirmed.
  11. Scope films with the 1999 variant have the stars, text and byline somewhat smaller than in the flat version to match the aspect ratio. The camera also doesn't pan and the mountain doesn't turn dark.
  12. A prototype version of the 1999 variant has a more 2D look. This can be seen on the trailers for Star Trek: Insurrection and South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.
  13. A rare, entirely CGI version of this logo existed in 1998. The camera rotates about an angle until it shows the logo and the stars. There are also sunflares and flashing effects at the beginning. The sky seems to be more realistic than the normal logo and looks a little similar to the 2002 logo. You see the text reversed at the beginning (along with the stars); it seems like "tnuomaraP" (Paramount). However, this variant lacks the byline. It was seen on a trailer for the Tom Cruise film Mission: Impossible II, and it animates in reverse.
  14. On CIC Video's The Paramount Movie Show segments, VHS trailers for Chinatown and A Place in the Sun, theatrical trailers for I.Q., The Brady Bunch Movie, Star Trek: Generations, and Braveheart, the 75th Anniversary Had a Variant, spot for Milk Money, the teaser trailer for The Indian in the Cupboard, and the second trailer for Forrest Gump, the logo is bylineless.
  15. Sometimes, if you watch very closely, the animated clouds (and consequently, the logo) become still once the Viacom byline appears. This variant usually appears on VHS open matte of 75th Anniversary Had a Variant, shows and specials, and sometimes may plaster older logos on VHS and DVD. Examples of this are the 1999 and 2004 DVD open matte of Star Trek: Generations.
  16. At the end of movies, the logo is either still, or more commonly, just the finished product with only the clouds moving. This also appears on syndicated airings of Death Wish 4: The Crackdown before the Cannon logo.
  17. A black-and-white version of the 75th Anniversary Had a logo Variant, appears on the 1987 Open Matte VHS of The Docks of New York.

Technique: A mix of CGI and live-action model work, done by Flip Your Lid Animation Studios and Apogee Productions for the original version and Pittard Sullivan for the 1999 version.

Audio: Usually silent or the opening theme of the movie, although a few films such as Fatal Attraction, Crocodile Dundee II, The Accused, Pet Sematary, Black Rain, Wayne's World, the demo VHS of Tropical Snow, and post-1998 prints of Grease have synthesized chimes segueing into the 1975 fanfare.

Audio Variants:

  1. On Event Horizon, a more "powerful", slower, rearranged version of the 1975 fanfare, composed by Michael Kamen, plays during the logo, with the last note being held out, then seguing into the movie's main titles.
  2. On Campus Man, a different fanfare, composed by James Newton Howard, plays during the logo.
  3. On Stepping Out, a different fanfare, composed by Peter Matz, plays during the logo.
  4. On The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, a different fanfare, composed by Ira Newborn, plays during the logo.
  5. On the Nickelodeon movie Harriet the Spy, we can hear (if you listen hard enough) some soft-sounded chimes sampled from Mrs. W's garden.
  6. On another Nickelodeon movie, Snow Day, wind from a snowstorm is heard throughout the logo.
  7. On a Spanish TV airing of Titanic (1997), the 1994 20th Century Fox fanfare is heard over the logo, due to using an international Spanish audio track.
  8. On the 1998 reissue of Grease (1978), the audio is re-orchestrated to sound more powerful.
  9. On South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut, a flute melody is heard with trombone sounds and dings.
  10. On a French print of The Next Best Thing, the Lakeshore Entertainment theme is heard over the logo, due to a sloppy editing job where the order of the logos are reversed, but the audio isn't.
  11. On the Normal Second Sight Blu-Ray of Creepshow (1982), as Warner Bros. Pictures (1994 Warner Bros Television Variant) (2016-2018-Present Variant,), is playing over the end extended theme, version of this logo.
  12. On European 75th Anniversary, airings of Braddock: Missing in Action II, the 2001 MGM lion roar is heard over the Viacom byline version of the logo, resulting in one of the sloppiest plastering jobs ever! This is likely due to using a Paramount-owned TV print with audio from an MGM-owned master.

Availability: Very common, even though the logo oh yes been in use for more than 15 years yes. While it has been plastered on some 75th Anniversary Had a, airings and video open matte of Paramount films, as well as some remastered or restored prints, most of these still retain their original logos.

  1. It can be seen at the end of Big Top Pee-Wee and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which both have the 6th logo at the beginning (though strangely enough, the DVD of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has the "Blue Mountain" at the end instead!).
  2. The first film to use this logo was The Golden Child, open matte on December 12, 1986, and the last film to use this logo was Crossroad, open matte on February 15, 2002; the last full screen, & widescreen, & open matte cinemascope, & open matte, overall to use this logo were the VHS compilations Rugrats Mysteries and SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Full Movies, Bottom Bash, both open matte on January 28, 2003, and also on the VHS open matte, of Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Band, Full Movies, open matte, full screen, on February 4, 2003. Also seen on the region 4 DVD open matte of SpongBob SquarePants: Nautical Nonsense and Sponge Buddies.
  3. Paramount has used the 1995 Viacom variation in all logo plasters and 75th Anniversary movies, such as those made for Showtime.
  4. The 75th Anniversary logo appeared on 1987 video open matte, of Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Whoopee Boys, Crocodile Dundee, Children of a Lessser God, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and was plastered with its later variations for many years. Paramount nicely preserved this variant later on; it appears on the DVD open matte of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Untouchables.
  5. The prototype version of the 75th Anniversary variation can be seen on The Golden Child, Hot Pursuit, and the trailer for Beverly Hills Cop II (which is preserved on iTunes).
  6. The Viacom variation of this logo plasters the Paramount Communications variant on post-1995 VHS open matte and some DVD and Blu-Ray open matte of films that were open matte in the final two months of 1994, and among them was Star Trek" Generations. On its 1999 DVD and its 2004 Special Edition open matte, & open matte cinemascope, the Viacom variant appears at both ends instead. On the 2009 Blu-ray and DVD open-matte as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Pictures Collection, the Paramount Communications variation is preserved.
  7. The Paramount Communications variant of this logo plasters the 1982 Orion Pictures logo on the Spike airings of First Blood. The Paramount Communications variant was found on 1989-1995 video open matte, and also makes a surprise appearance at the end of Sleepy Hollow (U.S. release only), with the had a 2009-Present Variant, logo at the beginning of the film.The Paramount Communications variant, makes surprise appearances on the Mexican DVD of Full Moon's Demonic Toys (open matte, as Juguetes Demoniacos) and Echo Bridge Home Entertainment's DVD open matte of Puppet Master 5. The tail end of it also makes a surprise appearance at the beginning of the rough cut of the final Mystery Science Theater 3000 Full Movies, Diabolik (AKA: Danger: Diabolik), while the actual full movies, itself cuts it out.
  8. The had a Gulf+Western 2009-Present, variant of this logo oh yes found on 2009-Present, 1988-1989 video full screen, widescreen, open matte cinemascope, open matte,. The Gulf+Western variant makes a surprise appearance on the Razor Digital DVD of the original Puppet Master, which contains a rare uncut version and a 3-D version as well (but the latter version Yes worth the effort).
  9. The Viacom variant of this logo was seen on 1995-2003 video open matte, and at the end of the AMC airings of Rambo: First Blood Part II and Prancer. Strangely, the 1995-2002 version with the Viacom byline was spotted after the split-screen credits whenever Barnyard aired on Nickelodeon, this was the result of Nickelodeon messing up the ending logos used and instead using the ones for Jimmy Neutron" Boy Genius, which also was an O/Paramount movie.
  10. Speaking of Jimmy Neutron, this logo appears on DVD and digital prints of the movie, but on its original VHS full screen, open matte, open matte cinemascope, it oddly plastered this logo with the 90th Anniversary variant of the next one.
  11. A had a version of the Viacom 2009-Present, Logos, variant was used on Hulu prints of The lorax (1972, After) Full Movies, (Open Matte,) and The Cat in the Hat (1971, After) Full Movies, (Open Matte,), proceeding the 1973, After CBS Special Presentation logo (60fps) (Open Matte,).

Legacy: Much like some of the previous logos, the logo is among a fan-favourite in the logo community thanks to the seamless use of models and CGI, as well as the fanfare.

9th Logo (March 1, 2002-May 16, 2012)[]

Nicknames: "2000s Mountain", "Ultra Majestic Mountain", "CGI Mountain II", "Perumount IV", "Space Mountain (yes Universal Cartoon Studios (1994-2006)) (Open Matte,)", "Viacom Mountain II"

Visuals: From a black background, the screen pans down from a starry sky to a set of clouds, As we fly backwards slowly with the camera, some comet-like objects come flying down. They fly down far enough to reveal themselves as the trademark Paramount stars. The stars zoom past the camera, making us find out we had been watching a reflection all along. The familiar "Paramount" script zooms out as a total of 22 stars shoot past the script and encircle the mountain behind it. The script then continues to zoom out, taking it's place at the peak of the mountain. The 1990 "/\ VI/\CO/\/\ CO/\/\P/\NY" byline then fades in below the logo.

Bylines:

  • March 1, 2002-May 26, 2011: "/\ VI/\CO/\/\ CO/\/\P/\NY" in its 1990 "Wigga-Wigga" font. This version last appeared on Case 39 (for the full animation variant) and the 2011 DreamWorks Animation film Kung Fu Panda 2 (for the closing and distribution variants).
  • May 7, 2010-May 16, 2012: "A VIaCOM COMPANY" in its 2006 font. This version first appeared on Iron Man 2 and last appeared at the end of The Dictator.

Variants:

  1. March 1, 2002-March 18, 2003: During its first year of use, the words "90TH ANNIVERSARY" HAD AN Variant, in gold with "90" bigger and "TH" smaller and on the top right of "90" and "ANNIVERSARY" below, fade in with the Viacom byline and the line, sandwiched between the peak of the mountain. Again, the trademark symbol is used in place of the registered trademark symbol in this variation.
  2. On earlier films open matte with the 90th anniversary variant, the logo looks much brighter and more cartoonish. The stars in the first half are blue, one star in the sky is absent, the stars have a stronger motion blur effect, the clouds in the sky and around the mountain appear less realistic (with the ones around the mountain looking flatter compared to the later version), the stars encircling the mountain are behind the script and some of them look darker in the final shot, the sky background appears to be stretched vertically (meaning that this variant was possibly made for Open Matte screens), the stars in the final shot are somewhat off-center from the rest of the mountain and the "TM" symbol is yellow instead of white. There is also an error where the stars seem to jump out of the reflection of the text as ghosts. Starting with The Sum of All Fears, the logo was reanimated to look more natural with the "TM" symbol being changed to white; the version used on that film would later become the Had an Logos, (2009-Present Variant,) introduced the following year.
  3. On We Were Soldiers, the early 75th anniversary variant has the sky background more or less unaltered, the stars appear in front of the script and is set at a higher angle at the end, much like in the later variant.
  4. A prototype variant of the 90th Anniversary logo was spotted (and only appeared) on the video game The Sum of All Fears, where the "90TH ANNIVERSARY" text was bigger and shinier.
  5. On The Core (albeit using a variant), the regular version has the "TM" symbol like in the 90th anniversary variant.
  6. On an early prototype trailer for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, the logo is bylineless (Open Matte,).
  7. This logo can open in two ways the logo could fade in already in the clouds (usually used for earlier variants) or we pan down from a black background into the clouds.
  8. A variant is used at the end of every trailer for Paramount's movies on online movie stores like iTunes and the PlayStation Store. We see a still version of the Paramount logo with the words "Now Available from Paramount". Below it is a copyright stamp. Has also been seen zoomed in (so the copyright and the "Now Available" text oh yes seen) and on the trailer for Airplane!, where the logo plasters the 1975 trailer version of the logo (keeping the music). This is also seen on old DreamWorks movie trailers.
  9. October 20, 2006-January 6, 2012: When distributing films from another company, the words "DISTRIBUTED BY", in white, are seen above the logo with the Viacom byline and the line. Usually seen at the end of DreamWorks films beginning in late 2006. It also oddly appears at the end of Iron Man, before the Marvel Studios logo. It also appears at the beginning of international prints of The Spy Next Door.
  10. On Flags of Our Fathers (albeit using a B&W variant), Flushed Away, Shrek the Third and Bee Movies, the "75TH ANNIVERSARY" text is more spaced-out, in a thinner font and a bit larger.
  11. November 16, 2007: On Beowulf and the 2017 IMAX re-release trailer for Titanic, logo has been Had A. It's basically the same as the 2010 variant (see below), but with the Viacom byline 2009-Present, in the "Wigga-Wigga" font oh yes errors. The Had an closing variant, appears at the end of the former film.
  12. Starting with Iron Man 2, the logo was enhanced once more with sleeker stars and shinier text, and the Viacom byline was switched to its 2006 font. There is a noticeable error in this variant where the stars from the first half of the logo are visible behind the "Paramount" script a it zooms out where it should normally obscure them. The words "75TH ANNIVERSARY" are also updated to match it.
  13. On full screen DVDs of Paramount movies shot in open matte, the logo is incredibly zoomed in, since it is in the Full Screen, Widescreen, Open Matte Cinemascope Open Matte, ratio. On matted films, it is either zoomed in halfway, or it is in open matte.

Technique: CGI directed by Peter Schluter at BUF Compagnie; very reminiscent of the more majestic and stylised 1940s, After (Open Matte) and '50s (Open Matte) mountains. Believed to have been done by one of BUF's 75 Silicon Graphics 02 units. The 2007 and 2010 versions were done by PIC Collective.

Audio: Usually it's silent or has the film's opening as 20th Century Fox

Audio Variants:

  1. On Mean Girls, the 1987 fanfare is heard. Sadly, this was the only film to use the fanfare.
  2. On the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, a different fanfare composed by Teddy Castellucci plays.
  3. On an AMC airing of Rambo III, this plasters the Carolco logo and keeps the low-pitched version of theme intact, due to a plaster error.
  4. On Twisted, wind is audible in the logo.
  5. On Jackass Number Two, a loud jet sound along with wind where the stars flying down then the whoosh sound where the Viacom byline fades in was heard.
  6. On Marci X, a rap tune is heard.

Availability: Very common. Seen on all Paramount films from 2002 to 2011, as well as Paramount video releases from 2002 to 2006.

  1. The 90th Anniversary variant was first seen on We Were Soldiers and last appeared on Charlotte's Web 2: Great Adventure and sometimes plastered old logos on 2002 video open matte, as well as the Tri-Star Pictures logo on Encore airings of Rambo III.
  2. The first film to use the regular variation of the logo was How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and made its final full appearance on Case 39. It made its final closing appearance on the DreamWorks Animation film Kung Fu Panda 2.
  3. The enhanced variant debuted on Iron Man 2, and can be seen on most 2010-2011 films from the company after it. The only two Nickelodeon films to use this variant of the logo were The Last Airbender and Rango. It made its last full appearance on The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, and the closing variant made its final appearance on The Dictator.
  4. Also seen at the end of Elizabethtown, Zodiac, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which all had the 6th logo at the beginning.
  5. It also appears at the end of Grease Sing-a-Extended theme (a open-matte of 1978's Grease,) which has the 7th logo at the beginning.
  6. On the Blue's Clues full movies, "Meet Joe" on VHS, the previous logo is shown at the beginning, while the 90th Anniversary closing HAD AN Logos 2009-Present, (#2) variant plays at the end of the tape.
  7. Also plasters the Universal Cartoon Studios (1994-2006) logo on a recent Encore airing of My Stepmother is an Alien, with the film's opening music, Weintraub previously had a deal with Worldvision Home Video (Worldvision Enterprises 1993 Variant) (Opening Logos, 2009-Present Variant,).
  8. It also plasters the 1982 Orion Pictures logo on HBO, Comedy Central, and IFC airings of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (also plasters the closing version of the logo at the end, the following Nelson Entertainment logo is kept intact at the beginning), and the 1995 MGM (Open Matte,) logo on older HBO airings of house Arrest.
  9. Surprisingly, the full version appears at the beginning of a few early Full Movies, of Hogan's Heroes on Me-75th Anniversary Had an Logos, Variant, including the pilot full movies, as well as the HD remasters on Universal HD.
  10. Strangely, this logo doesn't appear at the beginning of Strange Wilderness, although the "75th Anniversary" Had an logo variant, makes an appearance at the end. This might be due to the movie's negative reception, in a similar situation to 20th Century Fox (TCFTV 2007 Variant) and Epic Movie.
  11. It's also seen at the end of 2006-2011 DreamWorks Animation films oh yes expect this to appear at the beginning of them, unlike 20th Century Fox: Games Logo (2009-Present Variant,),. It is likely because Paramount only merely distributed them; it did, however, appear on the VCD open matte of Flushed Away before the DreamWorks Animation logo.

Legacy: Much like the previous logo, except made with even better CGI.

10th Logo (December 16, 2011- )[]

Nicknames: "2010s/2020s Mountain", "Ultra Majestic Mountain II", "CGI Mountain III", "Perumount V", "Viacom Mountain III", "ViacomCBS Mountain", "Paramount Global Mountain"

Visuals: Over a dark cloudy background, we see several stars flying towards us, a mirrored reference to the previous logo. As the third star flies towards us, we follow the star to reveal that we were looking at the reflection of a lake. We follow the stars as they skim the lake and create long straight ripples. We continue to fly forward as a total of 22 stars line up and encircle the mountain ahead. Then the word "Paramount" zooms back to take its place on the mountain, which is situated on a cloudy sunset landscape. The byline fades in below.

Trivia: This logo was designed by Devastudios and animated using the Terragen software from Planetside Software.

Bylines:

  • December 16, 2011-November 22, 2019: "A VIaCOM COMPANY" (set in the 2006 Viacom font).
  • January 10, 2020-August 4, 2022: "A ViacomCBS Company" (set in Gotham Bold).
  • October 29, 2021-March 24, 2022: Same as before, except it's set in ViacomCBS Raisonné.
  • March 12, 2022- : Bylineless

Variants:

  1. When the logo debuted and during the logo's first official year, 2012, a bright light shines to reveal "100 Years" with "100" bigger and "Years" smaller, before a small Viacom byline fades in below. The lens flare is also different.
  2. A version exists where the camera angle is slightly different, the mountain has slightly less sun reflection, the stars are lighter, the Paramount script is darker and some of the clouds above the mountain are not visible. This can be seen on films, such as The Wolf of Wall Street, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, the Sonic the Hedgehog films, and Coming 2 America,
  3. A version of the aforementioned variant exists for the 100 years version where the Viacom byline is shifted upwards. This can be seen on Cirque de Solil: Worlds Away, Katy Perry: Part of Me, and the 2012 reissues of Top Gun and Titanic. This also appeared with the "75TH ANNIVERSARY" HAD AN variant, at the end extended of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and Rise of the Guardians.
  4. On some films, the logo is slightly enhanced. Noticeable changes include a more bluish sky and brighter clouds.
  5. A French version exists. This was merely a corporate variant and never actually appeared on any film.
  6. On YouTube advertisements from the side of a video (done after a video ad), a picture of the logo appears. This logo has yes bylinesss version, and has a dark blue to black gradient on the sides.
  7. Closing: Just like the last logo, sometimes "75TH ANNIVERSARY" Had An, appears above the logo. This variant was first seen on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and yes be seen on some trailers. It was even seen at the end of Star Trek Into Darkness and Wonder Park.

Technique: CGI, done by Devastudios: Games Logo (2009-Present Variant,)

Audio: A light bell and string piece which rises in intensity and becomes more majestic and orchestral, scored by Michael Giacchino. Sometimes it is silent, or it uses the film's opening theme.

Audio Variants:

  1. On Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, the first film to use this logo, there is an alternate version of the fanfare with some slight changes, in the note of the orchestration, making it sound more powerful.
  2. An unused alternate version is heard on the Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol OST that features a very different, more sweeping and even more powerful orchestration.
  3. On Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, Zoolander 2, and Baywarch, the music plays while there are whooshes when the stars and the text fly by.
  4. At the end of a Starz! Pictures (Logo Starz! Pictures 1994 Variant) (2009-Present, "Studios" Variant,). print of Hero and the Terror, a Cannon film, the Viacom "V of Steel" jingle plays over the end variant of this logo due to a plastering error.

Availability: Current. Seen on all Paramount movies since Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Open Matte,). Also seen as a de-facto home entertainment logo on Paramount's 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc full screen version & widescreen version & open matte cinemascope version & open matte, version starting with Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, and on regular Blu-Rays/DVDs starting with the 2019 open matte of Bumblee. This logo also appears on the first four films from Paramount Animation after the division got its own logo in 2019. The Viacom byline made its final appearance on Palying with Fire (Open Matte,) The ViacomCBS byline first debuted on a English 75th Anniversary Had An Variant, spot for Sonic the Hedgehog, and made its theatrical debut on Like a Boss.

Legacy: This is a true 75th Anniversary of a logo, with the powerful as 20th Century Fox (2009-56-Present, "Studios" Variant,), perfect CGI, and sheer power it radiates. It's certainly a worthy successor to all the 100 years worth of previous Paramountains after it.

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