Paramount Home Media Distribution Warning Screens

These are the warning screens of Paramount Home Video, Paramount Video, Paramount Home Entertainment, and Paramount Home Media Distribution.

1979-1980
The warning screen from Paramount Home Video is the words "LICENSED ONLY FOR NON-COMMERCIAL PRIVATE EXHIBITION IN HOMES. ANY PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, OTHER USE OR COPYING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. ALL RIGHTS UNDER COPYRIGHT RESERVED." appear in the Helvetica font on a dark blue background.

As seen on VHS and Betamax, such as Play It Again, Sam (1972), Escape From Alcatraz (1979), and others.

1980-1989
The warning screen from Paramount Home Video and Paramount Video is the same warning text, in the ITC Serif Gothic font, on a background of changing colors. There is an early version where the text is smaller, the font is Bauhaus 93, and in yellow instead of white. The variant is used until 1985, however, some reprints of movies from after 1985 use this, such as the 1989 VHS of Trading Places (1983), which uses the original 1984 tape master. The cheesiness is that it is missing some punctuation.

A Japanese version, for Paramount releases distributed by CIC Video in Japan, exists.

As seen on US VHS and Betamax tapes, such as Wings (1927), Star Trek videos (1966-1986), Barbarella (1968), Downhill Racer (1969), Mahogany (1976), Grease (1978), Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!) (1980), Friday the 13th: Part II (1981), Going Ape! (1981), The Elephant Man (1980), Staying Alive (1983), Terms of Endearment (1983), Fire With Fire (1986), The Golden Child (1986), Campus Man (1987), and U2: Rattle and Hum (1988), and Japanese VHS tapes, such as Roman Holiday (1953).

May 17, 1989-present
Warning: Transforming from the zooming-in of "FEATURE PRESENTATION" from the Paramount Home Entertainment Feature Presentation ID of the era, we see a wallpaper with the Paramount logo all over it. We see the standard Warning in the ITC Korinna font.

Color Backgrounds: Bylines:
 * 1989: Mauve/white gradient.
 * 1989-2006: Dark blue gradient.
 * 1989: A Gulf+Western Company
 * 1989-1995: A Paramount Communications Company
 * 1995-2006: A Viacom Company (in the Viacom Wigga-Wigga font)

Variants:
 * Later in 1989, the wallpaper's color was changed to a dark blue gradient. At the same time, a shadow effect was applied to the text, while still keeping the ITC Korinna font.
 * An extremely rare variant exists in which the warning text is mostly in lowercase letters and in the Foundation Sans Light font. It's only known appearance is on the 1990 Super VHS of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which on it's own is a really tough find.
 * The font of the text was changed to BTC Benguiat Medium in 1995.
 * Sometimes, the wallpaper would be in a light/dark gray gradient, and would have more warning text as well. This can be seen on most DVD releases from 1999 through 2002, though it makes a surprise appearance on all of the 2005 John Wayne Collection DVDs, which are most likely reprints.
 * A rare variant exists on promotional tapes that asks the viewer to call a certain telephone number and to help prevent video piracy, while also telling them that the VHS is not for resale. The text also scrolls upward. On the demo tape of Dollman vs. Demonic Toys, the text is in a different font, the top text says "This videocassette is a promotional copy and shall forever remain the property of Paramount Pictures Corporation", and there's no "Feature Presentation" that follows it. On the demo tapes of Hostage and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, the text is in a different font. The easiest way to find a VHS with this is to find a Paramount VHS with a blue sticker (or red sticker if it's from Canada) telling them that it is a promotional copy, and that the tape has a simple looking label that also says it.
 * An incredibly rare variant exists mainly on awards consideration tapes that tell the viewer that the tape is loaned for personal review. This was seen on the screener tape of the 2004 remake of Alfie. An earlier version of this warning exists that is cut to from the Feature Presentation ID instead of fading in and has differently-arranged warning text. This version was spotted on the screener tape of Rules of Engagement. There may exist a 90th Anniversary variant of this warning, and, if found, may appear on the awards screener tapes of Paramount films released in 2002, such as Narc.
 * The Canadian version has the word "WARNING" in red, underlined in white, along with modified warning text. From 1989-95, this was in a sans-serif font.
 * There is a version of this warning screen where the text is on a black background. This can be found on a few PBS releases such as the Paramount versions of Teletubbies: Oooh! Springtime Surprises and Magical Moments, Boohbah: Big Windows, Cyberchase: The Snelfu Snafu and Teletubbies: Go! Exercise with the Teletubbies.
 * There is a rare version of this warning where the warning is in a different font and the background is purple. This version can be seen on a few PBS releases from Paramount such as Teletubbies: Again-Again! and Caillou: Caillou at Play.
 * A rare variant exists where the warning screen just fades in from black or cut in from black. This appears on the VHS of Titanic (Cassette #1), the 1991 VHS of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the 1989 VHS of The Shootist, some Star Trek TAS tapes, the 1991 Laserdisc of Apocalypse Now, the 1989 Laserdisc of The Naked Gun, some PBS Kids VHS releases distributed by Paramount such as Boohbah: Comfy Armchair (though the promotional copy includes the "Feature Presentation" ID) and Snowman, a different VHS of The Truman Show, and the 1997 releases of The Godfather trilogy.
 * A variant from 2002 has the wallpaper removed, therefore making the background a plain blue color, while, of course, leaving the warning text in place. This can be seen on VHS releases that have the 90th Anniversary version of the era's Feature Presentation ID.
 * An even rarer version that combines the scrolling demo tape text with the 2002 variant background can be found on the demo tape of Hey Arnold!: The Movie.
 * Starting in 2002, the DVD version background has been changed to solid purple. Some DVDs have the background in an eggplant color. A Spanish-language (or in some cases, French-language) screen follows it, though on most releases, only the 1st screen is used.
 * A very rare variant can be found on French-Canadian tapes such as the 1995 release of The Ten Commandments. However, unlike other variants, the warning screen's background is a still image of the beginning of the Feature Presentation and Coming Attractions ID.
 * Sometimes, the text is spaced. This can be found on widescreen DVDs.
 * Some DVDs post 2018 may have the text once again on the wallpaper background as a throwback.

FX/SFX: The transformation from the "FEATURE PRESENTATION" zoom-in to the Warning.

Cheesy Factor: When it debuted, the warning had the same text as the last logo, which lacked some punctuation. Later in 1989, the first period returned, but the other punctuation is still missing. the purple background variant is very ugly, as it looks homemade. Also, there are two grammatical errors in the DVD warning; "CONTENTS" shouldn't be plural, and there should be a comma and "and" between the first two sentences, rendering the text as "This video device is licensed for private home viewing only, and any distribution outside, etc.".

Music/Sounds: None, unless you count the fade out of the Paramount fanfare.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Descriptive Video Service VHS's, a DVS narrator says the on-screen warning text by usually saying "Words appear" first. For example, Wendie Sakakeeny says the on-screen text on the 1990 and 1993 DVS VHS releases of Top Gun without saying "Words appear" first.

Availability: Like the Feature Presentation bumper that preceded it (except when the warning faded in from black), this appeared on all VHS releases from the era. The original variant is the toughest find, but can be found on releases with the Gulf+Western version of the era's Feature Presentation ID, such as ​Coming to America (1988) (on which it and the Coming Attractions and Feature Presentation IDs first appeared) and The Naked Gun (1988). The later variants are easier to find, and can be found on releases such as A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), Congo, The Real Macaw, Jade, Blue Chips, Wayne's World, Ghost (1990), all Rugrats VHS releases (excluding Christmas, which has the 90th Anniversary variant), Forrest Gump (1994), Faeries, Dragonworld, Without a Paddle, The First Wives Club, D.A.R.Y.L. (1985), and Braveheart. On S-VHS, this has turned up on a copy of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Strangely, no warning of any kind appears on the 2001 DVD of Apocalypse Now Redux and the Godfather and Indiana Jones box sets.

Scare Factor: None, unless you wish to count the jarring cut from the Feature Presentation ID to the warning. It can range from None to minimal if the font of the text on the first two variants can also creep some out.

1989
Warning: On a color-changing gradient background, the warning text appears in white, but in a different font (Times New Roman).

FX/SFX: Same as the 2nd screen.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Spotted on a 1989 VHS release of Star Trek: The Animated Series - Volume Five.

Scare Factor: Low.

2000-2001
See CIC Video Warning Screen.

2000-present
Warning: We see a blue wallpaper with the Paramount logo (with Viacom byline) all over it. We see the standard Warning in the Futura font reading:  WARNING

The copyright owner has licensed this video recording for home use only. All other rights are reserved.

For further details please refer to the end of the programme.

At the end of the tape, the long extended warning text scrolls up reading:  WARNING

The copyright owner has licensed the film (including it's soundtrack) recorded on this video recording for home use only. All other rights are reserved.

The definition of home use excludes the use of this video recording at locations such as clubs, coaches, hospitals, hotels, oilrigs, prisons and schools.

Any unauthorised copying, editing, exhibition, sale, rental, ending or any other kinds of trading, public performance or transmission by air, cable or otherwise of this video recording or any part thereof is strictly prohibited and any such action establishes liability for civil action and may give rise to criminal prosecution.

Not for sale or hire in Australia/New Zealand.

Variants:
 * DVD releases would have the altered text in the Arial font and the Express text appears after it. Early DVDs such as Forrest Gump don't have the Express text.
 * 2002 DVD releases have the Paramount 90th Anniversary logo (with Viacom byline) all over it.

FX/SFX: None, except for the text scrolling at the end of the tape.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on some UK Paramount Home Entertainment VHS releases and most DVD releases like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), SpongeBob DVD releases, Forrest Gump, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000), Airplane!, and Save the Last Dance.

Scare Factor: None.

2003-2006
Warning: The 1995 version of the 1986-2003 Paramount Pictures logo animates, then it backs away revealing itself on the inside of a film operating projector. Some filmstrip appears with "WARNING" scrolling on it and it moves very much similar to a videotape in a VCR. We cut to several shots, in sync with the music. We cut to one more shot that is a close up of the tape. The warning text appears below. The copyright owner has licensed this video recording for home use only. All other rights are reserved.

For further details please refer to the end of the programme.

At the end of the tape, we see the distance shot of the tape with "WARNING" scrolling on it and more detailed warning text appears scrolling up like the credits of a movie reading.

The copyright owner has licensed the film (including it's soundtrack) recorded on this video recording for home use only. All other rights are reserved.

The definition of home use excludes the use of this video recording at locations such as clubs, coaches, hospitals, hotels, oil rigs, prisons and schools.

Any unauthorised copying, editing, exhibition, sale, rental, lending or any other kinds of trading, public performance or transmission by air, cable or otherwise of this video recording or any part thereof is strictly prohibited and any such action establishes liability for civil action and may give rise to criminal prosecution.

Not for sale or hire in Australia/New Zealand.

Variant: A variant exists where the warning segues into the Piracy Warning.

FX/SFX: All CGI.

Music/Sounds: A piano-jazz tune, with the sounds of the projector as a background noise. The final part of the music is an ascending tune played by the piano. The end of the tape only has the projector's sounds.

Availability: Common in the UK and Ireland. Seen on The Core, The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002), Orange County (2002), Clockstoppers (2002), SpongeBob Squarepants: Tide and Seek, Action Man: X MISSIONS THE MOVIE, SpongeBob Squarepants: Nautical Nonsense, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 2 The Cradle of Life, The Iatlian Job (2003), The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie (2004), Rugrats Go Wild (2003), SpongeBob Squarepants: Lost in Time, and Max & Ruby: Party Time With Max & Ruby.

Scare Factor: Low, it may startle you the first time you see it, but it's harmless.

Australia
TBA