If, like so many people, you binge-watched the first half of Stranger Things’ final season the moment it dropped on Netflix last month, you were in for a bit of a treat. In case you didn’t notice, each episode started with a custom “upside down” version of the classic TUDUM intro. If you know anything about me, you know I get a kick out of stuff like this.

I already have a bit of a niche fascination with production logos, going all the way back to my childhood. For me, the booming sounds of the 20th Century Studios opener always builds great anticipation for whatever I am about to watch. To take it even further, I love reading stories of how Columbia Pictures’ Torch Lady and MGM’s Leo the Lion became the ever-present mascots they remain to this day. You can honestly trace through the history of Hollywood (and especially the studio system) to see how they’ve evolved, from simple title cards during 1910s and 1920s, to cel animation and matte paintings from the 1950s to the 1980s, to photorealistic CGI that has been a major part of this century’s films. There’s an art to these things, which is why the best ones can make the strongest impressions.

Personally, I love it when a filmmaker adapts these iconic logos to fit a specific production, sometimes in how they look but also in how they sound. It can perfectly set the tone of what’s to come before the very first scene, line of dialogue, or even opening credit. That’s what this feature is for: to highlight some of the most memorable logo variants — or, at least, my personal favourites.

But before we get into it, an article like this would be hard to put together without websites like Audiovisual Identity Database or YouTube channels like Ifrequire. These online resources have made it a mission to find all kinds of logos, bumpers, intros, and more. If you already had an interest in this sort of thing, or if this article sparks a new interest, consider subscribing and supporting what they do. They are essentially public media archives, which are increasingly at risk in this day and age.

So, without further ado…