Paramount Home Entertainment Clip-On Library

United States of America/Canada

1988-1998

Bumper: On the background of the later 1989 (or 1995) variant of the Paramount Home Media Distribution warning screen, we see the title of a specific Paramount movie in capital letters, along with being in a big font. Below that is the following clip-ons in a slightly smaller font, which uses some lowercase letters.

Variants: Depending on the variant:

There is an early variant of the bumper in which the background is blue-black gradient, and the text is in an Arial Bold font and with lowercase letters, which says "Coming in *Month* to video stores everywhere from Paramount" or "Coming this *Month* to video stores everywhere". Sometimes the text is in an Arial Regular font. It often had no voiceover until late 1990. Starting in mid-1991, the latter text was displayed over the warning screen.
On some early tapes, there is no movie text at all. This version appears on Eddie Murphy: Raw, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, and Beverly Hills Cop II.
On Days of Thunder, the movie text is in quotation marks. This follows trailers for The Two Jakes and Ghost.
On most tapes from the time, there is a variant that follows some trailers, which has the slightly small lowercase lettered text saying "Coming this *Month* to video stores everywhere". The same announcer says that text, too.
Sometimes the bumper would fade in from black once the trailer finishes, and other times it would cut in from the last frame of the trailer.
In the first few years of the bumper's life, the clip-on would have a period at the end.
On 1991 VHS tapes with the regular variant, the clip-on would read "coming in *Month* to video stores everywhere."
There is a rare variant which has the text "Rent it now on videocassette". This is seen on the 1998 VHS of The Beautician and the Beast.
Another rare variant has the text "Rent it this January at video stores everywhere". This can be seen on certain 1997-1998 releases following the trailer for Good Burger, though some tapes (such as Rugrats: Diapered Duo and possibly Rugrats: Dr. Tommy Pickles) instead have the "Coming this February to video stores everywhere" text. On Beavis and Butt-head Do America and Star Trek: First Contact, it also appears after the trailer for Event Horizon. "Rent it this April" and "Rent it this November" variations also exist.
There is a rare variant of this bumper which has the text "Now available wherever videos are sold or rented". There is no voiceover in this variant.
Yet another rare variant exists where the text is just "Now available". As with the last one, there is no voiceover.
On the 1992 VHS of The Butcher's Wife, the "Coming this June to video stores everywhere" clip-on appears before the trailer for The Addams Family (which is actually the MC Hammer "Addams Groove" music video), as well as its usual appearance after trailers.
1991-1995 VHS tapes have the Paramount Communications bylines in the background.
1995-1998 VHS tapes have the Viacom "Wigga-Wigga" bylines in the background.

Clip-ons:

Coming this summer to a theater near you from Paramount (The announcer doesn't say the text. This and the next clip-on can be found on the 1988 VHS of Beverly Hills Cop II.)
Coming to videocassette soon from Paramount Home Video (The announcer doesn't say the text.)
Coming this January to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Rent it this January at video stores everywhere (The announcer actually says "Coming this January to video stores everywhere".)
Coming this February to video stores everywhere
Coming this March to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Coming in March to video stores everywhere from Paramount (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1988 VHS of The Presidio, though it briefly flashes to a shot of two men, likely a still frame from "Crocodile" Dundee II.)
Coming this April to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Rent it this April at video stores everywhere (The announcer actually says "Coming this April to video stores everywhere".)
Coming this May to video stores everywhere
Coming in May to video stores everywhere from Paramount (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1989 VHS releases of The Experts, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and The Accused.)
Coming this June to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Coming in June to video stores everywhere from Paramount (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1989 VHS of The Accused.)
Coming this July to video stores everywhere
Coming this August to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
coming in August to video stores everywhere. (A very rare Version #3 of the above clip-on is used, in which the announcer says the text in a deep voice. This clip-on can be found on the 1991 VHS releases of He Said, She Said and Flight of the Intruder. On Almost an Angel, Version #2 is used.)
Coming this September to video stores everywhere
coming in September to video stores everywhere. (This clip-on can be found on the 1991 VHS of The Perfect Weapon.)
Available this September wherever videocassettes are sold (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the original 1995 VHS of The Brady Bunch Movie.)
Coming this October to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Coming in October to video stores everywhere from Paramount (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1989 VHS/Betamax of The Naked Gun.)
Coming this October to video stores everywhere from Paramount Home Video (the announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1988 VHS of Planes, Trains and Automobiles.)
Coming in October To Video Stores Everywhere (The announcer doesn't say the text. This and the short "Coming in November" clip-on can be found on the 1989 VHS of Cousins.)
Coming this November to video stores everywhere (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Coming in November to video stores everywhere from Paramount (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the first printing of the 1989 VHS of Major League.)
Coming in November To Video Stores Everywhere (The announcer doesn't say the text.)
Rent it this November at video stores everywhere (The announcer actually says "Coming this November to video stores everywhere".)
Coming this December to video stores everywhere
Coming soon to video stores everywhere (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1992 VHS of Hear My Song.)
Now available (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found on the 1992 VHS of Cool World after a promo for the NES Cool World video game.)
Now available on videocassette (Version #1 has the announcer say the text in a silent voice, and Version #2 has the announcer saying the text in a jolly-pitched voice.)
Now available at video stores everywhere (The announcer doesn't say the text.)
Rent it now on videocassette (The announcer says "Now available on videocassette".)
Now available wherever videocassettes are sold (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found at the end of a promo for Indecent Proposal, The Firm and Sliver on the 1994 VHS of Beverly Hills Cop III.)
Now available wherever videos are sold or rented (The announcer doesn't say the text. This clip-on can be found after a promo for Wayne's World on the 1992 VHS of Boomerang.)

FX/SFX: Just the simple fade in and fade out.

Cheesy Factor: On a few clip-ons, Brian Cummings says the wrong text, and several others don't have any voiceover at all. Some early variants of this bumper don't have the movie text at all, which is completely unexpected. On the Cool World video game variant, the clip-on just says "Now available" and not something like "Now available on NES". Last but not least, on the 1992 VHS releases of Hear My Song and Antonia & Jane, the "Coming this August to video stores everywhere" and "Coming this October to video stores everywhere" clip-ons respectively appear after the home video trailers for Antonia & Jane & High Heels despite the voiceover at the end of the trailer saying "now available".

Music/Sounds: None, except for Brian Cummings saying the lowercase lettered text (the slightly bigger text with the letters all in capitals the announcer does not say). In its early years and on several variants, there is no voiceover at all.

Music/Sounds Variant: Some 1992-93 VHSes have the end of the music from whatever trailer was being played before the bumper cut in. Tapes known to have this are the 1992 releases of The Naked Gun 2 1/2 (after a Regarding Henry trailer), Patriot Games, and Highway 61 (both having it after almost all the trailers), and the 1993 VHS of Enchanted April (after a trailer for A Brief History of Time).

On the 1993 VHS of Enchanted April, the last few seconds of the trailer music for A Brief History of Time are played under Brian Cummings' voiceover on the "Coming this April to video stores everywhere" clip-on. This also happened early in the bumper's life, as well as on some 1992 VHS tapes such as The Naked Gun 2 1/2 (after a Regarding Henry trailer), Patriot Games, and Highway 61 (both of them having it after almost all the trailers).

Availability: Common. It can be found on Paramount Home Video releases from the time, such as the 1994 VHS of Searching for Bobby Fischer, the 1989 VHS of "Crocodile" Dundee II, the 1988 VHSes of Beverly Hills Cop II and The Presidio, the original VHS print of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, and the 1997 VHS of The Evening Star.

Scare Factor: None to low. The announcer and the sudden appearance of the bumper may get to some.

May 17, 1989-January 21, 1997 (original usage); 2000s (reprints)

File:Paramount - Coming Attractions

Nickname: "Coming Attractions", "Abstract Mountain"

Bumper: On a background filled with blue/indigo squares, a flat, blue frame with the Paramount abstract mountain logo in silver appears. The stars shine from left to right, before the Paramount frame flies off as the blue/indigo squares move, opening up like a door. The words "COMING ATTRACTIONS" in gold are revealed on a heliotrope gradient background. They zoom in slowly to the center of the screen. They then shine, and after a few moments, quickly begin zooming in again, cutting the bumper to back.

Variants:

On 1989-91 tapes such as The Naked Gun: From the Files of the Police Squad!, Fat Man and Little Boy, Aftershock, Shirley Valentine, Let it Ride, He Said, She Said, and Friday the 13th, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, the bumper instead cuts to the MPAA rating screen.
On the 1996 VHS of Mission: Impossible, this bumper is replaced with the regular logo, which animates at warp speed while Jim Cummings says "Coming to theaters this holiday season from Paramount Pictures."

Bylines: This used whatever byline Paramount was using at the time:

1989: "A Gulf+Western Company"

1989-1995; 2000s reprints: "A Paramount Communications Company" (in a serif font)

1995-1997: "A VIACOM COMPANY" (in the 1990 \/|/\CO/\/\ "Wigga-Wigga" font)

FX/SFX: The CGI squares moving away, the animation on the flat, blue Paramount frame, and the actions of the "COMING ATTRACTIONS" text.

Cheesy Factor: The CGI animation looks somewhat primitive, but held up pretty well throughout its lifespan. If you look closely as "COMING ATTRACTIONS" zooms in, it becomes pixelated.

Music/Sounds/Voice-over: An abridged version of the Paramount on Parade fanfare, accompanied with an announcer saying "Here are some exciting coming attractions from Paramount". The announcer is likely Brian Cummings (known for his work in trailers and promos for the Walt Disney Company).

Availability: Rare. This was only used until 1997. The Gulf+Western variant is the rarest of the three, but can be found on Coming to America (on which it made its debut following a Pepsi commercial), The Experts, Major League, and The Naked Gun, while the Paramount Communications version is more common, and appears on 1989-1995 tapes such as Wayne's World, The Addams Family, It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and The Kid Who Loved Christmas, and the Viacom version, while its availability falls in-between the Gulf+Western and Paramount Communications versions, is seen on 1995-1997 tapes (mainly Paramount Communications reprints) such as The Phantom, Rugrats: Tommy Troubles, Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown?, Tommy Boy, Braveheart, Congo, Star Trek: Generations, Drop Zone, and Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Although this bumper officially ended in 1997, it was retained on 2000s reprints of releases that include it, ending with a 2006 reprint of The Mayflower Voyagers. While it usually appeared as the first thing on the tape, it appears as the second thing on the aforementioned Coming to America and the 1994 VHS of It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown.

Scare Factor: None to low. The sudden zoom-in of "COMING ATTRACTIONS" with the jarring cut to a trailer, as well as the loudness of the fanfare, can startle some first-time viewers. However, this two-in-one bumper has become a favorite of many people nationwide, and is maybe one of the greatest "Coming Attractions" IDs of all time.

December 15, 1998-January 26, 1999

Bumper: On a black background, we see the white text "COMING TO VIDEO STORES".

Variant: There is a variant where the text says "COMING TO THEATERS". The same announcer says the text.

FX/SFX: None.

Cheesy Factor: Unlike the other bumpers, this one is just waaaaaaay too plain.

Music/Sounds: Silent, except for the announcer, Brian Cummings, saying "Coming this *Month* to video stores".

Availability: Rare. This can be found on alternate VHS prints of The Truman Show and Deep Impact.

Scare Factor: None to low.

February 16, 1999-February 18, 2003

File:Paramount Id's (1999-2002)

A history of the era's bumpers

Bumper: We see a still shot of the 1995 Paramount Home Media Distribution logo fading in and fading out to a black background. We see one of the following texts below fade in, zoom in, then fade out.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The fading, as well as the text zooming in slightly when it appears, all of which looks like it was done on a severe time crunch. Also, what's the point of showing the Paramount logo for most of its existence?

Clip-ons: All of these are texts used in this bumper.

Coming To Theaters (Version #1 has Beau Weaver saying this text, and Version #2 has another male announcer saying this text.)
Now In Theaters (Version #1 has Beau Weaver saying this text, and Version #2 has another male announcer saying this text.)
Coming To Videocassette
Now Available On Videocassette
Coming To Videocassette And DVD
Now Available On Videocassette And DVD
Coming To DVD
Now Available On DVD
The Previously Unreleased Vanilla Sky Teaser Trailer (as seen on the 2002 VHS of Vanilla Sky)

Variants:

Special variants of these bumpers appeared on Vanilla Sky. On a white background, we see the texts in a narrow black font, and in all capitals. Brian Cummings says some of the texts in this variant.
"Now In Theaters" variant #1, rather than using the 1995 Paramount logo, uses the redone 1999 version.
Starting in 2002, the 1995 Paramount logo was cut, going straight to the bumper.

Music/Sounds: Beau Weaver says the first three texts. Another male announcer (probably Brian Cummings) says the last four texts, as well as the second variant of the "Coming To Theaters" and "Now In Theaters" clip-ons. On the original variant, there is a few seconds of silence as the Paramount logo fades in and then out to the clip-on before it's said.

Availability: Fairly common. This was seen on most tapes of the era, such as many Nickelodeon TV and movie releases, including Clockstoppers and SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Buddies. The first tape to use this was the 1999 release of Dead Man on Campus, and one of the last tapes to have it was Serving Sara. The original variant with the Paramount logo is somewhat tougher of a find, but can, for example, be found on the VHS release of Blue's Clues: Blue's Big Musical Movie. "Now In Theaters" variant #1 is incredibly rare, as it's only known sightings are on the 2001 Canadian VHS of Enemy at the Gates and the 2001 VHS of Along Came a Spider. "Now In Theaters" variant #2, however, is an easier find and can be found on certain VHS tapes from 2002, such as The Emperor's New Clothes and Festival in Cannes. The "Now Available On DVD" variant is extremely rare, and can only be seen on the VHSes of Orange County and Mostly Martha.

Scare Factor: Low to high. The dark background combined with the sudden zooming of the text, which looks creepy, can get to plenty of people, especially since this bumper sometimes kicks off the start to certain tapes, without any warning of its appearance. Although the Paramount logo on the original variant can serve as some form of "warning," it doesn't help the few additional seconds of eerie silence that'll soon be interrupted by the announcer. The font of the text is also bound to creep some out.

Final Note: Paramount stopped using these bumpers in 2003 and only included the previews.

International versions

United Kingdom

1999-2003

Bumper: On the same aurora background as the 1997-2001 CIC Video warning screen, we see one of the following clip-ons.

Clip-ons: All of these are texts used in this bumper.

AVAILABLE TO BUY ON VIDEO
AVAILABLE TO BUY ON DVD
NOW AVAILABLE TO RENT ON VIDEO
COMING SOON
NOW AVAILABLE TO RENT ON VIDEO & DVD

Variant: On the "COMING SOON" variant, sometimes the words may be on top of each other and in a different font.

FX/SFX: The animated background, and on the DVD variant, a 3-D DVD Video logo rotates.

Cheesy Factor: On the "COMING SOON" variant, why are they not more specific?

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on international Paramount Home Entertainment releases from 1999-2003.

Scare Factor: None.

2003-2006

Available to Rent on Video and DVD

Coming Soon

Available to Own On Video and DVD

Available to Own on Video

Bumper: Inside the VCR of the 2003 Paramount warning, we see several shots of filmstrip with one of the following texts, before it disappears.

Variants: Like before, this bumper uses the following texts:

AVAILABLE TO OWN ON VIDEO
AVAILABLE TO OWN ON VIDEO AND DVD
AVAILABLE TO RENT ON VIDEO AND DVD
COMING SOON

FX/SFX: More of the same CGI filmstrip animation.

Cheesy Factor: Same as before.

Music/Sounds: The jazz/piano music from the warning screen, with the VCR as background noise.

Availability: Seen on international Paramount Home Entertainment releases from 2003-2006 like Clockstoppers, The Core, Action Man: X Missions, SpongeBob Squarepants: Lost in Time, and Rugrats Go Wild!.