Cinema City Films (US)

Background: This is a mini-major US film studio founded in 1920. Around 1931, it began challenging other studios like Cairo and Visual Arts. The studio ran into some financial troubles around the mid-90s, and was acquired by MTM Enterprises in 1997.

1st Logo (1920?-1935)

Logo: We see an outline CCC logo with the words "CINEMA CITY" in the middle on a rock wall.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Absolutely none.

Music/Sounds: Possibly silent.

Availability: Possibly extinct. It may have appeared on their earlier films.

Scare Factor: None to low, the scratchy prints may get to some.

2nd Logo (1935-1950)

Logo: The Cinema City logo (the familiar stylized "CCC") is seen on a gray background. The logo appears to have a drop shadow. "Cinema City Films Company" is written on the bottom of the screen.

Variant: On educational films, the background is a very dark gray (almost black; due to major film deterioration), and the CCC is light gray.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on movies from the era.

Scare Factor: Minimal. The B&W prints may unnerve some viewers.

3rd Logo (1950-1965)

Logo: On a space blue background with multicolored lines, with a shining center. On the center, we see the "CCC" in white. Under the "CCC", we see the yellow text "CINEMA CITY FILMS COMPANY, LTD".

Evolution/Variants: The logo has changed through the years. Here, we can see the differences:

• 1950-1955: The logo is closer to the screen and in black and white. The text wipes in below the logo instead of already being there.
• 1955-1965: The logo is in color, and is shown on a dark blue space background with two versions, one with golden stripes various colors of the rainbow spectrum, and clear, light blue stripes with the colors of the rainbow spectrum more apparent.
• 1957-1965: "CINEMA" and "CITY" are on the left and right sides of the circle in a huge font, and the yellow text reads "FILMS COMPANY, LTD.".

FX/SFX: The stripes rotating and shining. Very nice practical effects for its time, although it did improve over the years.

Music/Sounds: Usually silent or the opening theme of the film.

Availability: Can be seen many titles produced by Cinema City during the era.

Scare Factor: None.

4th Logo (1965-1970)

Nickname: "Merging Cs"

Logo: On a red background, four squared Cs, one moving down from the top, another moving up from the bottom, another moving right from the left, and another moving left from the right, merging into one "C". Then two more squared Cs fade inside the "C", forming the "CCC" logo. Then, "CINEMA CITY FILMS CORPORATION" appears under it.

FX/SFX: The joining of the Cs.

Music/Sounds: A bombastic fanfare similar to the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation fanfare. Sometimes, it is silent or has the opening them/audio to the film.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Twisted Spine, the drum fanfare from the 1963 Visual Arts logo plays over this logo. It actually works quite well with the logo, if only it was synched better.

Availability: Extremely rare. Was seen on Cinema City films of this time period, but is sometimes plastered by the Cairo "Late 90s/2000s Pyramid'.

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The loud fanfare may get to some people.

5th Logo (1970-1980)

Nickname: "Spinning Arrow-like Lines"

Logo: On a sky blue or red background, we see many brass lines, looking like a wheel, spinning, which zooms in. It stops zooming, a squared "C" appears. Then the wheel disappears, and then the "CC" zooms in, located inside the "C", forming the "CCC" logo. Then "CINEMA CITY FILMS CORPORATION" appears under it.

Variant: There is a version where the logo says "CINEMA CITY".

FX/SFX: The lines spinning, the C zooming, the golden "CC" forming between the C and the text fading in.

Music/Sounds: Silent or the opening theme/audio to the film.

Music/Sounds Variant: On the original theatrical release of Longitude Zero, it has opening tanko drums.

Availability: Extremely rare. Like the fourth logo, it was seen on films of this period and is usually plastered by the Cairo "Late 90s/2000s Pyramid".

Scare Factor: Low.

6th Logo (1980-mid 1986)

Logo: On a black background, a blue squarish C zooms out via light trailing effects, followed by a larger yellow C and an even larger red C, forming Cinema City's logo, which glows. A few seconds later, the logo disappears, and the text "CINEMA CITY FILMS CORP." in blue Helvetica Bold font zooms out, turning the background yellow. "presents" flashes in below. The words remain on screen several seconds.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The zooming and light effects.

Music/Sounds: A loud trumpet fanfare, which probably came from a track library since it's used in some other logos (like Entertainment Film Distributors).

Availability: Rare. Seen on Cinema City films from the era. It is sometimes plastered by the Cairo logo, or those of other companies on newer versions, such as MTM Films. Also appears on CC theatrical trailers.

Scare Factor: Medium; some may get scared by the loud fanfare coming on all of a sudden, as well as the light effects.

7th Logo (1986-1990)

Logo: On a red background, the pieces of the Cinema City logo, now in gold, zoom out and shine with a ping on the top left side, except for the largest C, which fades in. The logo shines three times, and a gold line appears below as the words "CINEMA CITY" are wiped in on it from left to right via a light beam. "FILMS CORPORATION" or "ENTERPRISES LIMITED" appears below.

FX/SFX: The pieces of the logo zooming out and shining; pretty good effects for 1986.

Music/Sounds: A synthesized fanfare with five ascending notes as each piece of the logo appears, ending with a drawn-out two-note fanfare

Availability: Rare. Seen on Cinema City films of the time. Sometimes is plastered by the Cairo logo, or those of other companies on newer versions, such as MTM Films. It is intact on Cairo's U.S. DVD of Tomorrow II, and the DVD release of FIRE! (surprisingly, after the Cairo logo!). Also appears on CC theatrical trailers.

Scare Factor: Low; this is much tamer from before and is a favorite of Cinema City fans.

8th Logo (1990-present)

Logo: On a dark blue/black gradient background with several reddish filmstrips shooting forth and toward the right, a gold C zooms out, followed by a larger silver C and a small reddish C. The filmstrips fly away, and several more vertical ones fly across from left to right. The letters zoom out toward the top of the screen and change color to red, yellow, and light blue, forming the Cinema City Enterprises logo, which the same as before. "CINEMA CITY ENTERPRISES LTD." fades in below in white.

Variant: From 1995-present, the text reads "Cinema City Entertainment Ltd." and is in Times New Roman Bold font.

FX/SFX: The filmstrips and the parts of the logo zooming out.

Music/Sounds: A rather loud synth orchestra fanfare with timpanis. Whooshes are heard as the logo parts zoom out.

Availability: Rare for the original variant; current for the 1995 variant.

Scare Factor: Low.