Modern Theatres, Ltd. (India)

Logo descriptions by naxo-ole
Logo captures by naxo-ole
Video captures courtesy of

Background: Modern Theatres was an Indian film company based in Salem (Tamil Nadu) and founded in 1935 by TR Sundaram. From that year until 1982 (the year of the close of the company), it produced over 150 films in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Sinhalese and some movies in English. The main contributions of the company to the Indian cinema are, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Theatres#Notable_Contributions" target="_self">among others</a>: the first talkie Malayalam film (Balan, 1938); the first English film in Tamil Nadu (The Jungle, 1952); the first Tamil film in color (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlV1XmJe6Vo" target="_self">Alibabavum Narpadhu Thirudargalum</a>, 1956); and the first Malayalam film in color (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPf9wzcpxNs" target="_self">Kandam Vecha Coat</a>, 1961). The first film produced by the company was Modern Girl (1935), and the last was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WPksaCFftk" target="_self">Vetri Namathe</a>-(1982).

1st (Known) Logo

(1940)

Logo: TBA

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Seen only on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLlU2sKFtxQ" target="_self">Uthama Puthiran</a>.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo
(1942)

Logo: On a dark background, there's a circle translation to show us a big circle over a mountain with some rays, supposed to be the sun. Inside it, we see a drawing of "MTL", which looks like a 3D drawing. After, we see on the upper part of the logo:

THE MODERN THEATRES, LTD.

SALEM.

And we see at the right side of the sun "PRESENT".

FX/SFX: The apparition of the sun over the mountain and the rays, which seems to be the opening "Shape" animation from Power Point. And the texts.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the film.

Availability: Seen only on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brvwv7b7Upk" target="_self">Manonmani</a>.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo

(1943-1947)

Logo: On a blue and cloudy sky background, we see a 3D "MTL", and "TD" is above the L. Below the great 3D initials, we read:

THE MODERN THEATRES LTD.

PRESENT

Meanwhile, the clouds are moving from the right to the left and there are search lights pointing at the logo.

FX/SFX: The clouds and the search lights.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the film.

Availability: Seen only on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMbhMDrDvfI" target="_self">Diwan Bahadur</a>,-<a class="external" href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsyqqv_burma-rani-1945-mj-taj_shortfilms" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Burma Rani</a>-and-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k_Gc1c4Jb8" target="_self">1000 Thalai Vaangiya Apoorva Chinthamani</a>.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo

(1950's-1982)

Logo: On a grey and black background we see a big structure, which suddenly makes a turn of almost 90 degrees. The big structure is in fact a 3D text similar to the previous logo. But below the big logo we see, between two lines, "MODERN THEATRES LTD".

Variants:

• <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlV1XmJe6Vo" target="_self">Alibabavum Narpadhu Thirudargalum</a>-and-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPf9wzcpxNs" target="_self">Kandam Vecha Coat</a>: the background is white and red, while the logo is red and yellow/white.
• <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WPksaCFftk" target="_self">Vetri Namathe</a>: The background is a blue sky with some clouds, and the 3D letters are red and gold, and "MODERN THEATRES LTD" is gold.
• <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrWa8cQZRrk" target="_self">Kali Koyil Kabali</a>: The logo is a little darker than Vetri Namathevariant.

FX/SFX: The logo turning almost 90 degrees.

Music/Sounds: A fanfare made by trumpets.

Music/Sounds Variant: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-5cHyHvcE" target="_self">Kattu Roja</a>uses a different fanfare.

Availability: Seen on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Modern_Theaters_Ltd_films" target="_self">some films</a> from the period. You can find some of them on YouTube, like Aravalli, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfAVfKaFiAg" target="_self">Vannakili</a>,-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5DGLRls0ZU" target="_self">Vallavanukku Vallavan</a>,-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlV1XmJe6Vo" target="_self">Alibabavum Narpadhu Thirudargalum</a>,-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPf9wzcpxNs" target="_self">Kandam Vecha Coat</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrWa8cQZRrk" target="_self">Kali Koyil Kabali</a> or-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WPksaCFftk" target="_self">Vetri Namathe</a>, among others.

Editor's Note: None.