Changes: Walt Disney Pictures

Revision as of 00:20, 31 May 2015

Walt Disney Pictures started off as Walt Disney Productions on October 16, 1923. Since then, third-party distributor RKO Radio Pictures released Disney movies from 1936 to 1954, before Buena Vista Distribution Company was founded. The name "Walt Disney Productions" first appeared in the opening credits as of 1968, and then at the end of each film as of 1971. This is due to the fact that Walt Disney himself died in 1966.

1937-1953: RKO Radio Pictures

Prior to 1953, Walt Disney's films were distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. This includes the first 14 Disney animated features, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to Peter Pan (1953).

1954-1960: Buena Vista Film Distribution

This is what the first Buena Vista logo looks like. It appears on all VHS and DVD prints of Sleeping Beauty (1959), the 1991 VHS of Dumbo (1941), and the 1995 VHS of Cinderella (1950).

1960-1984: Buena Vista Distribution

1960-1966

In 1960, the word "Film" was dropped from the company's first name, changing it to Buena Vista Distribution. The logo with this name shown above was seen on films released from the early to mid 1960s, such as 101 Dalmatians (1961), The Sword in the Stone (1963), pre-1997 prints of Mary Poppins (1964), and Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966).

1966-1981

This is the Buena Vista logo that you would see before watching a film from the late 1960s to early 1980s. The Aristocats originally had this logo on 16mm prints, but is nowhere to be found on any VHS or DVD release. Other movies with this logo include Robin Hood (1973), The Rescuers (1977), and The Fox and the Hound (1981).

1979-1984

First seen on The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (June 27, 1979), this was the last Buena Vista Distribution logo ever made. The last film to ever have this logo was Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983). There were no Walt Disney Pictures films ever released in 1984, except for some featurettes.

As of October 14, 1983, an in-credit closing text logo was used for films distributed by Walt Disney Pictures until after September 28, 2007. The text logo comprises of the words "Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution".

1985-Present: Walt Disney Pictures

1985-1990

In 1983, Walt Disney Productions was renamed as Walt Disney Pictures. The first film to have the new company name's first logo is Return to Oz (June 21, 1985), which made its home video debut on June 25, 1986. The logo can also be found on The Black Cauldron (1985), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), Flight of the Navigator (1986), Benji the Hunted (1987), and a few others. Within television networks, the logo premiered on ABC with The Journey of Natty Gann on October 4, 1987.

On VHS, this Walt Disney Pictures logo was seen on 1988 prints of Cinderella, and 1990 prints of The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan, all later seen on The Disney Channel from October 1989 to November 1991.

1990-2006

In 1990, the logo was modernized, and was first seen in The Prince and the Pauper on November 16 of that year. On VHS releases, it was first seen on DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp on March 15, 1991, when the second generation of Walt Disney Home Video began. It was also first seen on The Disney Channel in August 1991.

Since then, the logo was commonly used on many films, such as 1991 prints of The Rescuers Down Under, 1992 prints of 101 Dalmatians, The Great Mouse Detective and Beauty and the Beast, 1993 prints of Aladdin, original 1995 prints of The Lion King, 1996 prints of Pocahontas, The Aristocats and Oliver & Company, 1997 prints of The Jungle Book, 1998 prints of The Little Mermaid, and lots more. Some films with this logo were also broadcast on TBS, ABC Family, and Hub Network.

The last film to have it was The Fox and the Hound 2 on December 12, 2006, several months after the current Walt Disney Pictures logo began.

1995-2007 (Pixar version)

The Pixar version of this logo was seen on Pixar Animation Studios' first eight feature films, from Toy Story up to Ratatouille. Each film also always used the Pixar Animation Studios logo seen to the right of the Walt Disney Pictures logo. 13 years after its debut, this logo was discontinued on the first two Toy Story films.

2000-2006 (alternate)

This was an alternate logo for some Disney movies, such as Dinosaur (2000), 102 Dalmatians (2000), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), and even the 2002 IMAX theatrical re-release of The Lion King, which was later transferred to DVD in October 2003.

2006-Present

This is the Walt Disney Pictures logo with CGI animation, first seen on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest on July 7, 2006 (on DVD on December 5, 2006). WALL-E is the first Pixar film to also have this logo. As of November 23, 2011, the logo now just uses the word "Disney" on brand new Disney films in theaters today, and on newer prints of classic Disney movies, especially the Diamond Edition prints.

2007-Present: Walt Disney Animation Studios

First seen on March 30, 2007 with Meet the Robinsons (on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on October 23, 2007), this logo is currently seen on all new prints of Walt Disney animated feature films.

Websites

http://www.disney.com (1996-1999)

http://disney.go.com (1999-2013)
http://disney.com (2013-present)

http://www.pixar.com

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ===1966-1981===
 This is the Buena Vista logo that you would see before watching a film from the late 1960s to early 1980s. The Aristocats originally had this logo on 16mm prints, but is nowhere to be found on any VHS or DVD release. Other movies with this logo include Robin Hood (1973), The Rescuers (1977), and The Fox and the Hound (1981).
-===1981-1984===
+===1979-1984===
-First seen on Arthur (July 17, 1981), this was the last Buena Vista Distribution logo ever made. The last film to ever have this logo was Frankenweenie (1984). There were no Walt Disney Pictures films ever released in 1984, except for some featurettes.
+First seen on The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (June 27, 1979), this was the last Buena Vista Distribution logo ever made. The last film to ever have this logo was Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983). There were no Walt Disney Pictures films ever released in 1984, except for some featurettes.
 As of October 14, 1983, an in-credit closing text logo was used for films distributed by Walt Disney Pictures until after September 28, 2007. The text logo comprises of the words "Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution".
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 Buena_Vista_Distribution_(1960).jpg|1960-1966 logo
 Buena_Vista_Distribution_(1966).jpg|1966-1981 logo
-Buena_Vista_Distribution_(1979).jpg|1981-1984 logo
+Buena_Vista_Distribution_(1979).jpg|1979-1984 logo
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