Creepy/Unsettling Childhood Film and Television Logos 

Another logo I was terrified of as a kid, was the 1998 MGM dvd logo. (Not the 2003 one) The way it just lauches to the screen, the loud roar, the music, all of it just terrified me. I'd always run out of the living room until it was over. Looking back on it now I just see it as an ordinary logo that I just happen to feel nostalgic for, but it's still pretty loud to listen to.

Glad I'm not the only one that found the Rankin-Bass logo freaky. Also, the WGBH logo is auditory hell. At least it's not the original longer lofo

As a little kid, I had a lot of weird fears, including the THX logo since it was so loud. I think being neurodivergent meant I was especially sensitive to this kind of thing, which seems to be a common factor.

I actually used to be afraid of the PBS logos that were used from 1984-1998. I didn't see the 1971-1984 PBS logo until about 15 years ago, but I am pretty sure that it would have scared me, if I saw it as a kid, as well.

The first time I got frightened by the THX logo when I was a kid was when I was watching the Return of the Jedi on VHS. I had a glass of juice in one had while screaming and running out of the room, spilling some of it on the floor lol.

Disney's Fastplay bumper used to scare me along with the THX logo. With Fastplay it was more related to how rapid-fire the narration was. It just kinda jumps at you from out of nowhere lol.

jeez The THX logo scared me as a kid as well but I’m still terrified by the sounds. I always cover my ears when it comes on before the movie starts

Nice to see you back again after such a long while. Though I think for me, the old Dreamworks logo used to give me the creeps, off the top of my head. Same even went for the Ragdoll studios logo(The company responsible for Pob's Programme, Rosie and Jim, Brum, Teletubbies, Tots TV, In the Night Garden and Boohbah) around 2000. Mostly due to the slide-whistle sound that would make you jump. Along with the DNA Productions logo(Jimmy Neutron)with the creepy 3 eyed chimp, Paul.

When I was young I use to be scared of DVD menu screens specifically the ones for animated movies sense they usually featured characters from the film either talking to you in some way or simply looking at you and it made me feel nervous like I needed to hurry up and start the movie or the characters would get mad. I was scared of console video game main menu's for a similar reason although to a lesser extent.

Very interesting video. I've visited the Scary Logos wiki a few times, and at the time, I found it odd that such a wiki existed. Each page described what happened in the logo, but didn't really explain why they were scary, or didn't do a very good job of explaining if it did. But you explained the reasonings a lot better. (I can DEFINITELY see why the thx logo scared people, that thing was damn loud!) In retrospect I feel like I should have been more understanding when reading the wiki, because the Scholastic logo that played before my Magic School Bus tapes used to scare me! The screen suddenly going to a "flying through space at hyperspeed" animation, always startled me. DNA Pictures on the other hand was an odd case. Despite scaring so many kids (for understandable reasons tbh) me and my sister always loved it, because we thought Paul had a funny voice and loved to imitate him.

I think they can be unsettling because of how they play in the sort of in between space before the show starts. Like, the preview trailers have ended and it’s quiet, the logo plays and then it’s quiet again. For the logos that play at the end it’s similar but with the added sadness you’d get with your program ending and the uncertainty you might have of what to do now, like maybe you’ll associate it with the feeling of the fun being over and having to go to bed. Idk I might not be articulating it well lol. But I think the quiet + sudden (maybe unfamiliar) sound are a big part of the eeriness.

For me, the logo that scared me the most was the Sketch Films logo after the ending credits of Courage the Cowardly Dog. The black background, detailed mouth, and that laugh scared me when I was young.

I remember being scared of the 20th Century Fox logo. Also the old Paramount Television logo from Brady Bunch reruns on Me TV.

I remember a logo screen that gave me unnerving vibes was the funding Credits for Dragon Tales. "Corporation for Public Broadcast" had such a stone cold, colorless opening to it. It looks like there should be sound there but it's completely null of sound except for the announcers voice which sounded totally out of place compared to what my young mind was seeing. Such a weird juxtaposition compared to the funny Dragon Cartoon that came after. Even most of the other PBS kids funding logos aren't like that.

Awesome video. The main logo that comes to mind is the variation of the "Hi, I'm Paul" bit where Paul's just not there. Also, deleted scene reels with long silence gaps and a blank screen between each deleted scene could be unsettling. A deleted scene could end at some ominous moment, then cut to a blank screen.

i remember the aardman one very well now that you mention it. this is such an intriguing and nostalgaic thing to talk about

The Klasky Csupo logo used to scare me as a kid. Side note: looking up the scariest logo compilations, I’m surprised that some people have made compilations that feature almost 2,000 logos!

I'm glad you mentioned the THX logo. That scared the crap out of me as a kid holy hell 😢

Yes, I can definitely understand. As a kid, I had horrible nightmares about the VID TV Company logo from Russia. It’s a very jarring logo that starts off with a black ball falling off a trampoline. As the ball falls, the camera zooms in on it until it engulfs the entire screen and very rapid black and white flashes occur accompanied by a 3-note jungle straight out of a horror movie. As the screen turns black, an evil-looking white death mask emerges looking straight at you with the word ВИD appearing beneath it. The jingle is followed by a very unsettling scratchy noise that also sounds like it’s from a horror movie. The screen then goes quiet and the mask would sometimes continue staring at you for up to 5 minutes. In some variants of the logo, the mask could unexpectedly “open” its eyes as the face of the Tv show host became superimposed on it and then the face would continue staring at you with a contorted expression as if it was being tortured

Great video! I remember one of my childhood friends had a really nice home theater system and the THX logo popped up and it was so loud I think he actually covered his ears. I’m a bit familiar with the “scary logos” community but never got too invested in it but it makes sense that the ones people remember as scary would be at the end. I never made that connection before. Strange that so many people from all different backgrounds can share memories around something so simple, lol. As for logos that scared me personally, I only have two (aside from THX): Valve and Klasky Csupo. Something about that bald guy with the water valve on his head was unnerving on its own but the music just made it worse. Part of me thinks the designer knew people would find it scary. The Klasky Csupo logo probably had more to do with the sounds at the end being a bit overwhelming; I’m not sure. It would be nice to have another video like this but the opposite with all the logos you remember liking. I know for me the old Dreamworks logo and the little “Nintendo” sound from the original Animal Crossing are big ones.

Hooray! You’re back! Also regarding scary logos, the Paramount logo (mainly the 2002-2011 variant) kinda freaks me out because, and this may sound a little crazy, the photorealistic mountain in front of the night sky and clouds really unsettle me. Idk these are just my personal thoughts 🤧

Rankin Bass used to creep me out as a kid. I think it’s because of the tune and the instruments they used. As much as I loved Rankin Bass movies, there are some scenes that used to creep me out. Also, the instruments and melody they used for their logo and played it in the ending was initially creepy. I do know some other logos that used to creep me out. Like “Surround Sounds” from 1996. I remember it from many Columbia Picture films. The loud bang and choir vocalizing at the end was pretty frightening and it still is. Another logo I can think of is “Simitar Entertainment” from 1984. In 1986, they remade the logo. The synthy bass music and the flashy and whosh noises were too loud for me and used to scare me. I remember seeing the third remake (1993) of Simitar with the same music from the 1986 remake. Another logo that I recently watched on RU-vid is called “Hendring” made in the UK in 1988. When I first watched it, I found it very eerie. It looked more like the minute-short film than a logo. In the logo, a thief snuck into the house and stole jewelry. Then he heard the VHS player buzzing and pressed and held the play button which sustained the last buzz. When the thief snuck into the house, there was music that you typically hear in thriller movies and the buzzing noises from the VHS player made it more scarier. But after a while, I find the audio quite soothing. I like the synth and the chimes that is heard from the jewelry. It’s so 80s! Anyway, feel free to check these logos out! You are not alone about this, I used to get scared of some logos. I think many vintage tv logos are creepy. Lol

Adding onto what was said about Aardman, the logo for the BBC that was on home media releases of their content during the 90's is also known to be frightening. The logo for it (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UaxlFQTTlLk.html) is the definition of emotional whiplash. Imagine you're a kid in the 90's and are about to watch a VHS or DVD of Wallace and Gromit or some other child-friendly BBC content, when suddenly, out of nowhere, the sound of a dramatic piano and an ominous choir blasts out of your speakers. It sounds like something straight out of the score for a horror game, like what the heck, I just wanted to watch A Grand Day Out, I know Wallace and Gromit can get pretty unsettling at times for the audience it's aimed at, but did you have to push it further?

I remember when I was a kid the horse from the tri Star logo running towards the screen freaked me out a bit. My mother thought it was beautiful but as a child I thought it was worrisome to stand alone in an open white field as a creature is charging towards me. That's how I interpreted it LoL

I was also scared of the THX logo and the butterfly/bowtie Aardman logo as a kid! I've heard about other people being scared of the THX logo but this is the first time I've heard of someone else who was scared of the Aardman one. I feel validated. 😂 I was also scared of the Dolby Digital intro with the helicopter that played at the start of some movies in the early 00's, as well as the Formula One TV intro from the late 90's/early 00's (something about the loud squealing car noises and bright lights on a black background freaked me out!) Great video, love your channel! I was so glad to see a new video from you pop up on my home page. 😄

The THX logo used to scare the crap out of me as kid. As a person on the Autism spectrum with sensory issues, that's saying something.

Baraem: The strechy films logo use to freak me out as a kid, however that laughing during the Courage the cowardly Dog credits, after the Man says: "STUPID DOG!"

The F.H.E. Kids logo with the dog scared me as a toddler, mainly because of the pause in the music and the barking of the dog that would startle me.

Just found your page while looking online for logo compilations (as you do when you're on the spectrum). I've been wanting to get into the logo community for a while, mostly because I know I'd find like-minded people around, but I just haven't done it yet. Anyway, I'm hoping to make a compilation of the logos that scared me then and scare me today, but for now, I'll share that the two that were constant sources of my nightmares growing up were the Viacom "Wigga Wigga" logo and the Nickelodeon "Pinchface" commercial. For now, you've gained a subscriber. :)

I used to be so scared of the 1997-2007 teletoon logo.

The first time I saw thx was in a cars dvd where the robot tried to fix the thx logo but I wasn’t scared of it the thing that made me jumped was how lightning mcqueen tipped one of the tractors cuz of that sound McQueen made

Nice video. I was always into logos/vanity cards ever since I was a little kid. As a kid, there were many that scared me that no longer do luckily but they all gave me chills due to aggressive/uninviting visuals and loud, scary music with it. Often, I realize studios do these to make their vanity cards more memorable or to arouse a sense of excitement before or after the content they're distributing, which gave me inspiration to do so myself in the future. I also find it interesting that you're the first female I ever saw who speaks about or makes a video on this topic. For my whole life, I always only ever saw guys talking about these and thought maybe it was either just a guy thing or that girls just only want to keep it in in fear of what surrounding society thinks.

The Aka Cartoon logo from the end credits of Ed Edd n Eddy gave me nightmares when I was 13 years old and it still scares me to This day. I still have reoccurring nightmares about the Aka cartoon logo. You should check it out.

I felt the same way when I was a kid from watching VHS tapes lol. I grew out of it.

I use to think I was alone on this too until I found these top ten videos glad it's not just me 😅 Based on my experience with these logos my theory on why these scared us as a kid is from how loud it sometimes is and things jumping into the screen out of nowhere or from a black screen when everything is quiet. I can't say for everyone cause others have different reasons why bumpers and logos scare them To me the worst ones are from Disney 🤦🏽‍♀️

Good to see you back shy the most scariest logo that haunt me was the THX logo every time that loud music will come on sometimes I was just stand there and watch the whole thing even tho I know I was scary I just like that scary and spooky theme every time sorry it's just me 😅😂

Growing up in the late 90s and early 2000s, I've seen a lot of logos on TV that I used to find scary or just plain weird. One that I was really terrified of was the PPI Entertainment/Peter Pan logo that appeared at the start of a videotape that I owned of Trollies Christmas Sing-Along, which had a black silhouette of Peter Pan, and to me, it was weird and unsettling.

The logos that where unsettling were THX, Warner Bros. Home Video with the clouds in the sky, Paramount feature presentation bumper, Walt Disney Home Video from 1986 because it fades in with a blue circle and the red font, the music was creepy too. I'm not sure if you saw that one before. And FBI warning screens were also my childhood fears.

CINAR scared the living mess out of me when I was little. Nightmares and all. This was at the end of Arthur, Caillou, Zoboombafoo, and other PBS shows I believe.

There's a specific trailer for a Ranma 1/2 movie that used to be at the end of the Pokemon VHS' that used to freak me out because I only ever saw it in the pitch dark, by myself, usually half asleep, before being plunged into silent blue light and TV static

YO SHE LIVES!!! WELCOME BACK BRO!

The first Star Wars film to use the THX sound system was actually Episode 6 - “The Return of The Jedi” (1983), not Episode 4 - “A New Hope” (1977), that used Dolby Stereo

YIPPPPEEEEEEEEEE YOU UPLOADED

This concept is really alien to me, but I can think of a few examples that would fit the category.

The frogger jingle brought back a core memory. Had many bad dreams with that sound 😂

Anytime the FBI piracy warning would play at the beginning of a VHS or DVD would terrify me as a kid. Just the silence with the huge warning was creepy. The worst case of this was a dvd of Snoopy’s family where the last 5 minutes of ending credits was a blue screen with white scrolling text warning about the FBI and anti-piracy stuff. No sound, just the tv static and anytime I’d try to skip or eject the disk, the dvd system wouldn’t let me. Every time I watched that movie since, I’d have to leave the room while this played out

The thx logo still scares me but anyway when I was little I was scared of the Connecticut public Television logo it was seen before a Barney vhs tape it was an a chord for 3 seconds

You're back!

Welcome back and check out Protect and Survive if you want to see an unsettling TV logo.

If The THX played in a cinema speakers, we're literally dead

Hey Welcome back!!

I completely forgot about this channel but it's great to another upload this is quality content

Awesome video!! First one I've seen of yours and I think it was a great first impression :o) subscribed!

How is the Sketch Films logo not on here? That one still creeps me out as an adult

honestly, thx was always creepy but the robot made it scarier for me cause the dude near the end starts to panic and run away, it's like he knows something big is gonna happen and he has to get away asap, even if the cow noise is snagged by the plug, also speaking of Aardman, I always and I mean always was scared of the intro for the wrong trousers when I was a kid, just how the camera slowly pans to the shadows of a pair of pants as the music slowly fades from the happy cheerful Wallace and Gromit theme to a few notes to then a big orchestra scream and during it, you hear the noise the trousers made when it moves, I always skipped the intro or that short cause of how much it scared me as a kid

Oh shit I was wondering what happened to you. Good to see you back.

You didn't spend much time on WGBH but it is really the scariest. I experienced it in the early 70's so I probably have a different perspective on it.

Wow, I had no idea THX dated all the way back to 1983! I never heard of it until I saw it on The Simpsons.

8:15 wait hold on that’s me 👀 But seriously I’m also super glad I’m not alone with this! I honestly think Rankin-Bass is the logo that kicked the whole fear off for me; I remember just freezing up when it’d come on after Rudolph. One that still kinda gives me existential dread is the Pixar logo; something about our last tenuous connection to the world of the film shutting off and plunging us into darkness is just… brrr. Actually the one that gives me nightmares to this day isn’t a closing logo at all; it’s the Cloudy w/ a Chance of Meatballs version of the Columbia Pictures logo where the torch lady gets hit by the banana. I don’t get it either. I’m a fully grown edgelord but I can’t handle a statue having an encounter with some potassium someone please hepl-

Tri Star logo was always a cute movie logo, could you adore the Pegasus?

I was wondering if you’d upload again but I’m happy to hear from you! Hope all is well

I did not have a fear of the Pocahontas end credits

I'm old. I was a kid in the 1980s and I was way more scared of the American logos that would appear at the end of their programmes than the British logos that would go at the beginning of ours. The fact that American logos went at the end rather than the beginning might be part of it, me being British rather than American might be another. But there was something about the Thames rising London skyline, TVS rainbow flower thing, Tyne Tees' boxy letters or even Yorkshire's chevron and parping fanfare bah t' hat that was different to Paramount Television's mountain, Columbia Pictures Television's sunburst or Viacom's friggin' V of Doom with its nightmarish cacophony of synths and timpanis... The British opening logos not only srved as opening logos, introducing the programme to the viewer, they also served as the station ident. I think if VIacom were part of the ITV network and "served" their region with the V of Doom as their station ident, the IBA would have took their franchise away for terrorising the British public! I've always had a fascination with logos and branding ever since, probably because of TV and film logos. Why did they choose _that_ to represent their company? What were they trying to say about themselves with _that_ logo?

Electric Company "HEY YOU GUYS!!!!!"

Yeah you could introduce THX to kids nowadays and they wouldn't find it scary but me growing up gave me nightmares!!!. I swear I thought Tex the little robot friend would fly through my tv and harm me

FINALLY SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT IT!!!!!! EVERYONE THINKS I’M CRAZY DUDDEEE

I always got scared by the NBCUniversal logo because of how unnerving the music is, Basically, the show is over. The credits roll and everything is alright? right? no. Out of absolutely nowhere you hear DUNUN DUUUUN DUUUUUUUUN! and its SO LOUD and BOMBASTIC its SOOOOOOO TERRIFYING! I must be the only person afraid of this logo because I've never seen anyone get afraid of this logo. Like how do you guys watch that logo with a straight face?

The shy narwhal is back!

THX actually debuted with Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi

me: goes to theaters *thx logo plays* my eardrums: M̸̡̛̝̖̯͖̠̱̘͕̜̠͖̉͊̄͋̑̋̈́̅̌A̴̢̡͔̜̺͙̬̰̱̦͍̜̣̼̓̑̑͒K̴̛͉̘̹͓͉̭̐̈́̀̊̔̒͊͆̆͜Ę̴̢̢̛̫̹̥͔͓̳̣̩̫̾͂̓̓͑͌̄͌̐͆͛̍̄̍͜ͅ ̴̢̛̘̏̈́̒͆̍̚͘͝I̸̺̳͇̰̓̂͒͌́̂̓̉̏̾͑͘̕T̵̢̢̬̦͉̞̝́̐̿̄͜ ̶̲̮̮̋̋̃̉̈́͑͐͂͐̕͝Ş̵̧̡̗͓̣̗̰̭̗̫̹̘͉͚͊̔̾̀͂̎̒̒̚͜͝͠T̵̛̗͉̦̘̙̻̯̻̘̱͕̩̀̀̈͆̿̇̎͝Ȯ̵̠̹͚̙̱͚͍̟̪̩̥̱̿̅̈̂̀̍̏̄P̶̨̜͉̹̅̔̍̓̆̌̆̌ ̸̫̮̩͚̹̞̙̫̗̼̗̹̓̋͆̄̒͗̕̕͘ͅͅM̵̡̫͚̱̙̆͒̂́͐͗͒̾̀͝͝Ḁ̵̘̱͙͖̭̗̫͚̭̗͈̗̔͋̉̾̈́͊͒́̀͆̾̌̍̕̕͠͠K̶̢̞͎̠͍͕̤̖͈͔̽̂̉̈́̿͒͐̈́̈́͆̈̿͌̈́̊̓Ë̶̢̨̨̛̺̬̠̩̲̠̝͈͕́̽̒̓̊̂̍̈́̕̚͠ͅ ̴͕̖̱̣̤̘̭̻̮̾͗̐̋͗̈́́̂͌́̈͠ͅI̵̧̯̜̰͆̿̕T̴͚̘̈́͆͛͊̓̑̎̾͐͛̈́ ̵̧̙̖̘̙͖̜͍̦̞̦̇̽̑̃̃͋̂͠Ş̶̬͙̰̼̥̳̟̣̞̞̩͇̘̪̋͑͐̓͆́͒͒́͐̓͘͘͘T̸̨̳͕͍͎͎̗̠̞̲̀̈̉̉ͅO̶̺̹͎̯̳͎͇͙̦̱̍͆̅̌̈̋́̔̂̎̓͗̂̾͠ͅṔ̶̢̡̜̟̻̗̦͍͕̖͓̐ͅ

When I was a kid the only logo I was scared of was the THX logo because of the eerie sound

Idk if anyone remembers this logo but there was this company called Eileena Productions, Inc. (It would come on after the closing credits of "Fame", look it up if you have the spare time). The logo consisted of an ink bottle with an ink bottle and quill, and these tiny little hands would appear and wiggle, but with no face. Now that I think of it, I'm not sure if whatever was in the bottle was supposed to be drowning in ink, or what... but it freaked me the hell out as a kid....now, as an adult, it just confuses me. Edit: found it. Prepare yourself. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jHmDRRVOH5k.html

Clearly, you cannot escape from the THX logo, it is clearly the audio system logo that you cannot escape or you can or maybe not I dunno

I was scared of the tellytubies credits

Am I the only one who was scared of the “Distributed by Buena Vista” logo? A film I watched all the time when I was little that had/has that logo was the many adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Everything about it, from the abstract blue background, to the weird font used for the “Buena Vista” text, and ESPECIALLY the music I found creepy. I’m not entirely sure if the music in the logo on many adventures is used in other films. It wasn’t the only logo that scared me - I was also scared of the radical sheep logo, Sony wonder website bumper, paramount dvd logo, paramount feature presentation logo, “cheesy shield” Warner home video logo, aka cartoon logo, and 2002 deluxe digital studios logo. As well as the “flashbang” bumpers on 90s Disney tapes as well as another Disney bumper - the “spinning disc” bumpers from 2006-2020. They’d have a spinning disc on the top left corner and the music would always be unpredictable, where sometimes they’d be calm, while others they’d be bombastic. Even to this day I mute the volume whenever I watch a dvd with those bumpers.

Baraem: 7.Stretch films Scare factor: Medium to high Scare meter: Level 4/5 Really scary

That one was the best one

Can totally relate with THX.

Man the original aardman logo gives me creepy nostalgia, it is called clayface and what crazy about this logo there are different vertion, I'm used to is the low pitch vertion

For me it would be THAT DAMN PACKAGE OF 3 LOGOS! First Kaboom! (The one with the bomb), then the Dark background eerie Nelvana logo (with the laugh) AND THEN THE FUCKING SPECTRA ANIMATIONS LOGO!! First of all, I’m in Canada, more specifically in the province of Quebec. Now, Toupie & Binou, which is iconic in my childhood was a great show, BUT. At the start of those DVDs (In the period between 2006-2012) these GOD DAMN THREE LOGOS ALWAYS STARTED! With the combo been traumatizing for me (And I mean literally). First you get the eerie and boom logo of Kaboom with a menacing bright red background then you get the dark and silent with laughter Nelvana logo. AND YOU GET JUMPSCARED BY THAT FUCKING SPECTRA ANIMATION LOGO!! Maybe for some of you reading this don’t understand but, the brutal change of logo just added fuel to the scariness, with the green hand with eyes on it looking at me and that fucking scream and font just get you. I still do nightmares of that damn Spectra logo and I’m about to be 16 which was 12 years ago of the first time seeing it. I still can’t look at it at night. I just get a visceral reaction out of it and get anxious afterwards. Anyways yeah scary as fuck for me. Loved the video!

I agree with you

Another one that comes to mind is the Jim Henson Productions (1993) logo, it starts off with a loud Laser forming an image of Kermit the Frog.

Old Logo are creepy!..one logo that creep me out the best was a kid was the CTW logo from 1978

Cute deer!🥰

i have an idea why this is a thing so these logos attempt to say something with just sound and visuals and it has a similar effect to the uncanny valley

Cute reindeer!🥰

In the same vein the "Ohhhhh yeahhhh" at the end of the Aristocats movie used to scare me 🥰😶‍🌫️👶👣

I'm still scared of THX and I'm almost 25

I was never scared of THX

Complete Honest Opinion: #1: Wasn't Scared #2: Wasn't Scared #3: Wasn't Scared I was a very soft child back then. Even the WGBH logo didn't scare me.

Shy i missed you where have you been

am i the only one scared of sony, columbia, tristar and that stuff?

Mine Sorrow & Chillin Logos Sounds on Media!: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gOHZTX2z-C0.htmlsi=n-OQuTDlQThlxGs6

Also the Netflix logo feels ominous. That's fine for Stranger Things, but why for everything else too?

I think your problem is that you don't like little robot guys in your logos... But they're just little guys 🥺🤖

I was afraid of the m g m lion

I'm not afraid of thx logo

How is WGBH Boston scary?

Uh actually it was return of the jedi that the thx id premiered with

That's crazy because George Lucas looks just as creepy as his logo.