The ABC Sunday Night Movie is the title for ABC's movie showings on Sunday nights.
Intro history[]
1974-1981 — Disco letters[]
During the 1974-75 broadcast season, ABC changed its intro for the first time since the early 1970s.
A glowing star appears on the screen, which immediately zooms out to reveal a bunch of glowing stars that form the word "MOVIE". One by one, the text, "ABC", "SUNDAY", and "MOVIE, fly through the screen while the announcer sounds out each word. The entire title, "THE ABC SUNDAY NIGHT MOVIE", flies toward the center of the screen and then pauses over voice narration, and a marquee sandwich forms the completed project, at which time the voice reads the title. Colors may vary depending on the intro, but usually, the text was in yellowish-orange.
1981-1987 — Star tunnel[]
ABC Sunday Night Movie Open 1982
The intro from 1981
During the 1981-82 broadcast season, a new intro was made.
We take a long trip down a tunnel in the shape of a star, which instantly changes colors from red to blue, with stars imprinted on it. When the star changes colors for the 4th time, blue, shiny ABC letters zoom out, one by one. When the "C" zooms out, several stars shoot to the center of the screen until they form the title "the abc sunday night movie" in Paul Rand's typeface. The lasers draw around, forming a marquee in shiny silver, laser pink, and blue. Each segment of the title shines, one by one, and the entire title shines at once.
1987-1990 — Floating glass discs[]
ABC The Thursday Night Movie Intro (1987)-1
During the 1987-88 broadcast season, a new intro debuted. This intro was animated by Rhythm and Hues Studios of Los Angeles, California.
It all starts with a glass sphere on a reflective floor against a black-purple backdrop, when it gets cut by a light bluish laser, forming beams of red, blue, purple, green, and yellow. Of the separated glass "discs", only three of them begin floating upward; the other ones vanish. When the floor disappears while the camera moves upward, several thin rectangle segments form a circle as they change into the colors of the ABC circle from the Something's Happening campaign of 1987. The three glass discs spin around and form the 1962 Paul Rand "abc" letters, thus forming the ABC logo. The ABC logo zooms to the center right, and many floating glass panes appear behind it. The title ("The SUNDAY Night MOVIE") flies to surround the ABC circle as many reflective glass panes unfold to reveal the finished product; one of the top glass panes has a reflection of the ABC logo and the word "The".
1990-1994 — From ABC circle to marquee[]
Diamonds Are Forever 1990 ABC Sunday Night Movie Intro-2