Background: Manhattan Pictures was a film division of The Michael Shires Company that was established on February 1, 1989, initially to finance and distribute B-movies and smaller-budget films. After being dormant since 2001, the brand was re-activated in 2006 to produce genre films such as horror and African-American films (in the same vein as Panasonic Pictures Entertainment's Silver Gems Pictures) in place of LBS Films after Bob and Harvey Fremantle left The Michael Shires Company to form FremantleMedia Motion Pictures. However, the failure of the company's later films resulted in the company closing again a year later. Michael Shires Pictures continues to control the films produced by the studio (although Manhattan does retain the copyrights).
1st Logo
(July 18, 1990-April 6, 2001, March 24, 2006-April 27, 2007)
Nicknames: "Stonehenge", "Manhattan Pictures Stonehenge", "British Stonehenge", "Wiltshire Is Not Manhattan", "Manhattan Pictures? More Like Great Britain Pictures", "Great Britain Pictures"
Logo: On a black background, a blue moon glows behind an object, as the glow line increases to reveal the object as the famous Stonehenge. The light dies down to a circle behind the logo, as three lines (resembling as steps) fades-in below the logo, and below them the text "MANHATTAN PICTURES".
Variants:
- There is a early variant, in witch a box appears around the Stonehenge logo, with "MANHATTAN" above it and "PICTURES" below. It appeared on Triskadekaphobia and Serious Business.
- On some movies, such as Speed Limit, the logo looks worn out.
FX/SFX: The glowing of the light behind Stonehenge.
Cheesy Factor: A logo with Stonehenge, a symbol of Great Britain, doesn't fit with a logo for a company called Manhattan Pictures. Also, there's not too much animation to the logo, and the music does fit the logo well. But, back to Stonehenge, it should have been replaced with the Statue of Liberty to make this logo more fitting. Otherwise, it should have been called "GREAT BRITAIN PICTURES"
Music/Sounds:
- An orchestral fanfare by David Orcman, former frontman of Bingo Bongo and composer of the Catman films, Atomic Betty, Bulk, Edward Knifehands, and Army of Evil, among others.
- An alternate mix of this fanfare can be heard on most movies from the company released in 1992 and 1993.
- On some movies like Bloody Tide, The Stone or The Sixth Sensation, it is silent, or uses the opening theme of the movie.
- As a closing logo, the closing theme is used or it is silent.
- On the 2012 Milton Creek Entertainment DVD and Blu-ray release of Gone Huntin', the Michael Shires Pictures theme can be heard muffled and quiet. This was due to the film originally being planned as a Shires release but switched to Manhattan later on.
Availability: Common. Was seen on several films from the studio such as Triskadekaphobia (the first film from the studio and the first film with this logo), Headstone, Reagan, Eve, Free Parking, Stay Dead, Sonic the Hedgehog, An French Vampire in New York and The Sixth Sensation. Don't expect this on The Easter Bunny Clause, for even though it was credited on the film (and was, in fact, originally going be be released under the banner), the logo itself doesn't appear.
Scare Factor: None to low. This logo is considered very boring, due to the questionable concept and minimal animation. However, Stonehenge might make you a little uncomfortable. But other than that, this is a very relaxing logo.
2nd Logo (1993)
Logo: On a black background we see the stacked words "MANHATTAN PICTURES" in white fading in. Two red lines come from left and right between the words and form into one red line.
FX/SFX: The red line.
Music/Sounds/Voice-over: Just the music from the TV spot and the announcer saying "From Manhattan Pictures".
Availability: Extinct. It appeared on a TV spot for the Sonic the Hedgehog film.
Scare Factor: None. This is more fitting than the previous logo.