These warning screens are from Vestron Video, Children's Video Library and Lightning Video, until 1991, because Live Entertainment (now Lionsgate) took over the company, and post-1991 Vestron releases began using the 1988 IVE (now Lionsgate) warning screen. A really tough find for the early version, since it was only used with the first Vestron logo at the time. However, it was spotted as late as 1991, such as a few Marvel Comics releases on VHS put out by Best Film and Video Corp. It was also used in tandem with the second Vestron logo (with the copyright variant). Surprisingly enough, the black variant appears on the 1990 Hi-Tops Video release of Madeline, preceding the 1987-1992 Media Home Entertainment warning screen.
1982-91
On a blue background, we see the following text in white color and all caps, which says "THE MATERIAL ON THIS HOME VIDEO PRODUCT, INCLUDING VIDEOCASSETTE AND VIDEODISC, IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. IT IS FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY AND ANY OTHER USE INCLUDING COPYING, REPRODUCTION, OR PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
There are some variants, which are especially black variant, which was used on releases from Children's Video Library (Vestron releases began using said variant in mid-to-late 1986). and an early version of this warning screen, which exists, with the text in a different font and spaced out, and it was lowercased.
As seen on videocassettes (VHS and Betamax) and laserdiscs, such as Dirty Dancing (1987), Waxwork (1988), Incubus (1981), Mad Max (1979), Mr. Mom (1983; 20th Century Fox, later MGM), The Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984; 20th Century Fox, later MGM), Thriller (1983), Easy Money (1983), Irreconcilable Differences (1984; Warner Bros.), Ghoulies (1985), Ghoulies II (1987/1988), Hamburger Hill (1987; Paramount), Evil Dead II (1987), Hoosiers (1986), Lifeforce (1985; Cannon, later TriStar), Re-Animator (1985), The Running Man (1987; TriStar, later Republic), Terminal Exposure (1987), Steel Dawn (1987), Young Guns (1988), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988/1989), The Lair of the White Worm (1988), Paperhouse (1988), The Unholy (1988), Dream A Little Dream (1989), Far From Home (1989), C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. (1989), The National Geographic Video Episodes, NOVA (on PBS) Video Episodes and others.
International Warning Screens
1983-1987
Warning: On the same red background as the 2nd Vestron Video logo, the words
THE COPYRIGHT PROPRIETOR
HAS LICENSED THE FILM
(INCLUDING ITS SOUND TRACK)
COMPRISED IN THIS VIDEO
CASSETTE FOR PRIVATE HOME
USE ONLY. ALL OTHER RIGHTS
RESERVED. ANY UNAUTHORISED
COPYING, EDITING, EXHIBITION,
RENTING, EXCHANGING, HIRING,
LENDING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCES,
DIFFUSION, AND/OR BROADCAST
OF THIS VIDEO IS STRICTLY
PROHIBITED. INFRINGEMENT OF
THE RIGHTS OF THE COPYRIGHT
OWNER AND/OR THE TERMS OF
THE CONTRACT FOR SALE OR HIRE
OF THIS VIDEO CASSETTE MAY
LEAD TO CIVIL ACTION BEING
TAKEN. INFRINGEMENT OF
COPYRIGHT MAY ALSO RESULT IN
CRIMINAL OFFENCES PUNISHABLE
BY FINES OR IMPRISONMENT.
all scroll upwards. The words are white with black shadow effects. A little later the address
A RELEASE OF
VESTRON VIDEO
INTERNATIONAL
A DIVISION OF
LOCUS VIDEO GROUP, B.V.
CATHARIJNESINGEL 49
3511 GC UTRECHT
THE NETHERLANDS
scroll up as well.
Variants:
- Naturally, the language would differ depending on which region the video is from.
- On UK tapes, the words are changed. It's like this:
a release of
VESTRON VIDEO INTERNATIONAL
a division of
LOCUS VIDEO GROUP B.V.
Catharijnesingel 49
3511 GC Utrecht
The Netherlands
The second text scrolls up, in the same formula as in the US warning reading:
THE MATERIAL ON THIS HOME
VIDEO PRODUCT, INCLUDING
VIDEOCASSETTE AND VIDEODISC
IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.
IT IS FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY
AND ANY OTHER USE INCLDUING
COPYING, REPRODUCTION, OR
PERFORMANCE, IN PUBLIC, IN
WHOLE OR IN PART,
IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
FX/SFX: The words scrolling.
Music/Sounds: A dramatic synthesized theme.
Music/Sounds Variant: On UK tapes, the warning is silent.
Availability: Seen on Vestron Video releases outside the US, such as My Little Pony: The Movie and Return of the Living Dead.
Scare Factor: Low, some may not be too crazy about the music, but it's harmless.
1987-1991
Warning: On a black background, a red sphere (from the Vestron Video International logo) zooms in with the following in the middle:
a release of
VESTRON VIDEO
INTERNATIONAL
a division of
LOCUS VIDEO GROUP, B.V.
Catharijnesingel 49
3511 GC Utrecht
The Netherlands
The words are white with a black drop shadow. After a few moments the address flips around to reveal the warning info, reading
WARNING
The material on this home
video product, including
videocassette and videodisc
is protected by copyright.
It is for private use only,
and any other use including
copying, reproduction, or
performance in public,
in whole or in part
is prohibited by law.
After a few seconds, the sphere zooms away, transitioning to the Vestron Video International logo.
Variant: Again, the language will vary depending on which region the tape is from.
FX/SFX: The sphere.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on Vestron Video International VHS tapes seen outside the US, such as UPWorld, Class of 1999, From Beyond, and Farewell to the King.
Scare Factor: None, but the transition from this to the logo might make you feel a bit faint.