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Scary Logos

I know this is heresy in the scary logo universe, but the Screen Gems S From Hell never bothered me. (Had I been a year or 2 younger when it first came into being, it might be a different story, however.) Now, the Revue music was a little unnerving, as was the zooming-in camera shutter version of the CBS eye. Also, anyone remember the NBC News logo that ran at the end of Huntley-Brinkley in the mid 60's? (Not the snake w/the chimes, but one that just said "NBC NEWS" and had some seriously scary music to go with it?)
 
Definitely the Revue-Universal music was scary, particularly the 1966-71 versions. Also the 20th TELEVISION Fox tune from 1967-89 was just as unnerving.
 
It's amazing what can frighten one in their youth, seemingly for no discernible reason. Believe it or not, for some reason, when I was very young, I was scared of the "NBC Films" logo at the end of "You Bet Your Life" -- the one with the two animated film reels moving around. I can think of no good reason why it would scare me, but it did. I would always make sure to change the channel quickly during the credits before that came on the screen. Go figure.
 
oldiesfan6479 said:
How about what has been described by some as the
"scary Revue tag"?

The prominent first (audio) note along with the letters
moving across the screen, which first appeared around
1958. The audio was shortened by the early '60s,
then progressively shortened even more when Revue
morphed into Universal circa '64-'65.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVgZklXgl-Q&feature=related
Click to expand...

Oh, lord yes! That REVUE tag had shot me straight off the couch on
multiple occasions where I fell asleep with the TV on. Same with the
old PBS logo with the screetchy descending tones.
 
Since the name of this site is RADIO-info.com, how about scary musical signatures on radio? Some that might qualify would be the old RKO/Drake 20/20 News sounder used by CKLW, KHJ, and the other "Boss Radio" stations, and the Westinghouse "News Boom" (actually from a Henry Mancini piece called "March Of The Cueballs"), heard for many years on KDKA, WBZ, WINS, WOWO, KFWB, etc.

On a side note, this phenomenon goes well before TV...I remember Johnny Carson once talking about being scared of the old movie newsreel open with the cameraman turning from a profile shot to pointing the camera straight ahead.
 
Corky Marlowe said:
On a side note, this phenomenon goes well before TV...I remember Johnny Carson once talking about being scared of the old movie newsreel open with the cameraman turning from a profile shot to pointing the camera straight ahead.
Click to expand...

...a shot that director Haskell Wexler copied at the very (disturbing) end of MEDIUM COOL...
 
Corky Marlowe said:
Since the name of this site is RADIO-info.com, how about scary musical signatures on radio? Some that might qualify would be the old RKO/Drake 20/20 News sounder used by CKLW, KHJ, and the other "Boss Radio" stations, and the Westinghouse "News Boom" (actually from a Henry Mancini piece called "March Of The Cueballs"), heard for many years on KDKA, WBZ, WINS, WOWO, KFWB, etc.

On a side note, this phenomenon goes well before TV...I remember Johnny Carson once talking about being scared of the old movie newsreel open with the cameraman turning from a profile shot to pointing the camera straight ahead.
Click to expand...

The 20/20 news theme is a classic, when that theme hit, you knew the news was on. The stories were scarier than the theme was. My favorite story is from CKLW about the guy who murdered his wife with his baseball bat, not to be morbid or disgusting but that was classic the way it was delivered, google CKLW 20/20 NEWS and you'll probably find it.
 
"My favorite story is from CKLW about the guy who murdered his wife with his baseball bat, not to be morbid or disgusting but that was classic the way it was delivered, google CKLW 20/20 NEWS and you'll probably find"

NPR did a great nostalgia story on CKLW a few years ago, and they ran clips of 20/20 News. They were unbelievable! Growing up on the West Coast, I'd heard many iterations of 20/20 new - KGB, KFRC, mostly KHJ. They were always dramatic, and often had pompous anchors like "Jaaaaaaaaaaaaay Pauuuullllllllll Huddleston." But the news was always delivered straight without a lot of blood and gore.

I have to wonder if the Big 8 would have done the same newscast if they were south of the US border, and had to answer to the FCC.
 
The 20/20 news theme is a classic, when that theme hit, you knew the news was on. The stories were scarier than the theme was. My favorite story is from CKLW about the guy who murdered his wife with his baseball bat, not to be morbid or disgusting but that was classic the way it was delivered, google CKLW 20/20 NEWS and you'll probably find it.
And, of course, "A disagreement over seven-come-eleven...Now she's in heaven..."
 
oldiesfan6479 said:
How about what has been described by some as the
"scary Revue tag"?

The prominent first (audio) note along with the letters
moving across the screen, which first appeared around
1958. The audio was shortened by the early '60s,
then progressively shortened even more when Revue
morphed into Universal circa '64-'65.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVgZklXgl-Q&feature=related
Click to expand...

I think the MCA tv air raid siren sounder at about 27-seconds in would have scared me, had I been alive when it aired.

I mean, good grief.
 
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