Background: Magic Window is a motion picture animation division of Wagnermation Studios. It was originally founded in 1985 as a home video sub-division of RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video. It was now defunct in 1989. Magic Window revived as an animation motion picture division.
1st Logo (1985-1989)[]
Nicknames: "Running Kid", "The Colorful Outer Limits"
Logo: We see a cartoon boy with red hair (wearing a yellow shirt and blue jeans) in front of a stone-made gate with fish fountains which takes to a large avenue flanked by trees (making us think we're in some kind of park). He is looking directly at us and gives a "Come on!" gesture with his arm. After which he starts running through the avenue until he reaches a clearing. Just then, the background gradually changes (as star streaks appear) to a rainbow colored environment with sparkles, as the camera moves backwards to show how that same environment shrinks and spins until forming a window (leaving the background in a grayish purple color). The kid jumps inside the window (which causes a "rippling" effect) and continues running. A violet silhouette of him jumping has remained at the window, and finally some other figures of playful kids magically appear (with their stars and all that "magical" FX), holding their hands, forming a human chain. The words "MAGIC WINDOW" suddenly appear above.
FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The logo is done using a limited animation technique (like the Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the '60s). The animation of the kid running is looped, and so is the background. The colors surrounding the magic window are maybe the gaudiest ones ever seen in a logo. And with all the "magical" FX shown, why do the words "MAGIC WINDOW" simply appear?
Music/Sounds: Starts with insects buzzing and birds screeching. When the kid starts running, a joyful tune played with pipes, other wind instruments, acoustic guitar and synth sounds for the magical FX.
Availability: Rare. Releases from this company were featured in white clamshell cases (and sometimes the standard slip cover) with the Magic Window logo on them (as well as the RCA/Columbia logo). Titles include the mid-late 80's releases of the He-Man and She-Ra series, The Real Ghostbusters, Popples,Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, classic Columbia and UPA cartoons (like Mr. Magoo), and many other children's titles.
Scare Factor: Minimal. The buzzing/chirping sounds (before the music starts) and the kid looking at you as the logo fades in can unnerve some viewers. Overall, it's a cute logo (maybe way too cute).