The fanfare was composed by Alfred Newman for 20th Century Pictures in 1933 and became the signature opening for 20th Century Fox films, playing over the studio logo before features for decades. As home video, television reruns, and later online video made the theme familiar worldwide, creators began lifting the short logo music for parodies, fake trailers, and dramatic introductions. Its lasting appeal comes from instant recognition: a few brass notes signal that something important, or deliberately overimportant, is about to begin.