HARNELL'S UNITED ARTIST

How 'bout those classic film studio themes? I have long felt that you can get a sense of someone by asking them what their favourite studio logo theme is (if they have one). Of course, there is the famous 20th Century Fox fanfare... probably the most identifiable one. My favourite has always been -- since I cared, at least -- composer Joseph Harnell's 1980s United Artists fanfare. It's plays superbly well with that cool visual of the slowly rotating and revealing 'UA' logo. I find there is something about that theme that cannot be put into words. Later, and with clueless aplomb, the studio decided to change to a lesser piece of music and equally pallid graphic -- androgenous and neutral in its ineffectiveness. My real beef is when these 'older' United Artists films or television shows are re-released on video or broadcast television and have been 're-striped' with the more recent incarnations of the studio ident. Somehow these executive yard birds feel that the "new and improved" branding will cut through any lame nostalgia and put their product in a better light... if you'll pardon the pun. (This reminds me of the time Mike Stivic of "All in the Family" said, after looking over some groceries that he had just bought, "everything is 'new and improved'... what was it before, 'old and lousy'?!") I remember watching an episode of an old television show with a producer friend of mine back in 1988 and as that great 'UA' tune and logo played through, he turned to me and said, "it makes you feel as though you're watching something important". Yes, that is it! Trivia Time: Fox's fanfare was composed by Alfred Newman; Warner's was done by Max Steiner; and the current Universal one is by Jerry Goldsmith. Impress your buddies with these important facts next time you suck back that Cappuccino.