Title sequences begin and end every movie. They can be “engagÂing or wildÂly enterÂtainÂing … or simÂply drop dead beauÂtiÂful.” They can “ooze with visuÂal poetÂry and sophisÂtiÂcatÂed imagery.” And they can put the audiÂence in the right mood for the movie, or close it in the right way, says the web site ForÂget the Films, Watch the Titles.
When it comes to title design, no one did it betÂter than Saul Bass (1920–1996). DurÂing his long career in HolÂlyÂwood, Bass designed sequences for Otto PreÂminger’s The Man with the GoldÂen Arm (full movie here), ScorsÂese’s GoodÂfelÂlas and Cape Fear, KubrickÂ’s SparÂtaÂcus, and sevÂerÂal films by Alfred HitchÂcock. And that’s just beginÂning to scratch the surÂface.
CreÂatÂed by Ian Albinson, the monÂtage above offers a brief visuÂal hisÂtoÂry of Bass’s most celÂeÂbratÂed work, stitchÂing togethÂer designs from 25 films. (Find the full film list here.) If this whets your appetite, you’ll want to check out the newÂly-pubÂlished book Saul Bass: A Life in Film & Design and this web site dedÂiÂcatÂed to Bass’s title design. And don’t miss our big colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online.
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