Imagine Entertainment

Imagine Entertainment[]

Imagine Entertainment was a film and television production company that was founded in November 1985 by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer. The company's films are distributed by Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and a few others.

1st Logo (February 17, 1989-April 12, 1996)[]

Nicknames: "The Rising", "Shining Star", "Reflection"

Logo: On a black background, we see a star flashing, revealing a reflection of the shiny chrome-blue text "IMAGINE", on rippling water, and then the word "IMAGINE" rising out of the water and then the word settles on top of its reflection. The words "AN" above the "IMAGINE" text and "ENTERTAINMENT" in spaced-out letters, to fit the length of "IMAGINE" with "PRESENTATION" at the bottom, appear respectively, in a Serif Gothic font. The name "IMAGINE" then sparkles three times, one sparkling side was on the center of the "G", one sparkling side was on the top right of the "N", and one sparkling side was on the bottom of the "M".

Trivia:

This logo was used as the print logo until 2020, twenty-four years after this logo ended.
It was worth mentioning while this was the first logo used for theatrical releases, Imagine debuted its logo a year earlier for their television unit for the failed pilots Channel 99 and Smart Guys with metallic bronze text and a water background, without the company's name other than the "IMAGINE" text.

Variants:

Another variation used the term "PRESENTS" below the logo. This version appeared on Closet Land and at the end of Cry-Baby.
Most of the time, "FILMS" appeared sandwiched in between the company name, in spaced-out letters to fit the length of "IMAGINE". This was seen on Backdraft, HouseSitter, Far and Away, and Cop and a Half. Also, the text is bolder, and "FILMS ENTERTAINMENT" appears in light blue.
An open-matte version exists on some uncropped 35mm film scans of films, such as The 'Burbs, Kindergarten Cop, HouseSitter and The Paper.
On the TV movie Conagher, the logo was in warp-speed.
At the beginning of Take Me Home Tonight, this logo was done to fit the film's 1980s setting and after the text wipes in, it slows down.

FX/SFX: The star shining, coupled with "IMAGINE" rising and sparkling.

Music/Sounds: Silent. in some cases, the jazz music plays.

Availability: Seen at the end of most movies from this company from the era. Most of their films during this era were distributed by Universal Pictures including Parenthood, Kindergarten Cop, Apollo 13, The Dream Team, The Paper, The 'Burbs and others. The "FILMS" variant can be found on the aforementioned movies above. Don't expect this logo to appear on Willow (which MGM and Lucasfilm Ltd. distributed), My Girl (which was released through Columbia Pictures), The Doors (which was a co-production with Carolco Pictures, distribution by Tri-Star Pictures), Boomerang (which was distributed through Paramount Pictures), Sgt. Bilko, CB4, or the first two Problem Child movies (both of them being distributed by Universal).

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (June 28, 1996-June 24, 2022)[]

Nicknames: "The Drop", "Ripples", "The Dripping"

Logo: On a black background, we see a waterdrop appear at the very top of the screen, prior to dropping. It then disappears before revealing rippling blue water. The water appears to be shone by a spotlight, until it slowly reveals that it was actually the word "IMAGINE" in a orange-yellow gradient color being reflected inside. The text waves for a few seconds until it finally settles into view. Shortly after that, the word "ENTERTAINMENT", in white and in spaced-out letters, to fit the length of "IMAGINE", appears underneath it.

Alternate Variant: Sometimes, the spotlight was either very difficult to see or omitted on the logo.

Other Variants:

A still version of this logo exists at the beginning of trailers for some films. It also appears on Curious George (2006 TV series), albeit with the show's ending theme song.
There exists a 1.14:1 open matte version of the logo for some uncropped 35mm film scans of films, such as Liar Liar and The Grinch.

FX/SFX: The drip, the ripples forming the word "IMAGINE". This was done by Intralink Film Graphic Design.

Music/Sounds: A calming orchestra piece composed by James Horner. Sometimes, the movie's opening theme was used.

Availability: Current. Debuted at the beginning of The Nutty Professor (1996), and has been used on all Imagine releases until Curious George: Cape Ahoy. The spotlight-less variant also made its debut on 8 Mile. This also appeared at the end of Ransom and American Made (the beginning of the latter uses a variant). Also seen on Curious George (2006 TV series).

Editor's Note: A brilliant upgrade to the previous logo, but with much better results, and nice music from James Newton Howard. This logo was actually quite calming.

Imagine Television[]

1st Logo (1988)[]

Logo: On a shimmering sky blue background with hints of light orange at the bottom, we see the brownish-red word "IMAGINE" rising up from a pool of water.

FX/SFX: The ripples of water and the word emerging.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen on the unsold pilot Smart Guys, which presumably aired once on NBC and resurfaced via an off-air recording. Might have appeared on the NBC pilot Channel 99.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (July 8, 1989-August 11, 1991)[]

Logo: A shortened version of the 1988 movie logo which shows the words rising out of the water and shining, with "TELEVISION" appearing underneath.

Variants:

A version with the "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" text exists.
The pilot of Life When We Know has an extended version.

FX/SFX: Same as the 1988 movie logo.

Music/Sounds: None or the closing theme to the program.

Availability: Extinct. Confirmed to have been seen on Parenthood (the 1990-91 NBC show), and the TV pilot Life When We Know.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (September 23, 1997-April 21, 2020)[]

Logo: Just a shortened version of the 1996 movie logo, but the word "TELEVISION" replaces "ENTERTAINMENT".

Variants:

On Sports Night, the text "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" appears under it in a sans serif typeface.
Sometimes, it shares the screen with other logos.
Still and scope versions exist.
Starting with season 5 of 24 in 2006, the logo was given an enhanced look, and the finished logo has "TELEVISION" fading in.
In 2019, beginning with the first season of Wu-Tang: An American Saga, the words on the bottom read "TELEVISION STUDIOS".

FX/SFX: Same as the 1996 movie logo.

Music/Sounds: The last two notes of the movie fanfare also composed by James Horner.

Music/Sounds Variants:

On the DVD commentary for the fictional Arrested Development episode "Flight of the Phoenix", George Bluth (Seth Rogen) speaks over the logo while interrupting Steve Burns and then shouts "Imagine Television!", then normally, "-or Imagine TV." Then, Lucille shouts, "I get the next one!".
Sometimes, the end theme of the show was used.
In a few cases, it's silent.
Most Fox airings used a generic theme.

Availability: Common.

First appeared on the short-lived series Hiller and Diller.
This later appeared on shows such as Empire, Friday Night Lights, Arrested Development, Parenthood, Lie to Me, Quintuplets, Friends With Benefits, and Why Women Kill.
Also appears as a de-facto home video logo on the UK VHS tapes of 24 until the end of season 2, which is followed by the 20th Century Fox Television logo.

Editor's Note: None.