The Art of the Title Sequence

Book excerpt: From the scrolling yellow text of George Lucas' epic Star Wars to the witty, wordy quips that first appear in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the opening title sequence is essential for setting the mood of a movie. In this detailed visual guide and DVD, more than 1,000 films, 300 credit sequences, and the work of over 200 designers are showcased and analyzed to illustrate the power of successful film graphics. The Art of the Title Sequence explores this graphic phenomenon from the dawn of cinema to present day, and includes the work of the most well-known artists, including Saul Bass and Pablo Ferro, as well as the work of later prestigious designers like Tibor Kalman and Milton Glaser. The opening credits of some of the world's most legendary films are featured, including titles for Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, John Ford's Stagecoach, Woody Allen's Annie Hall, Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times, and Jean-Luc Goddard's Bande a Part. Screen stills are accompanied by insightful narrative into the various films' title sequences and an accompanying DVD shows the selected opening credits in motion, combining to form a package that will intrigue and educate film students and film makers, graphic designers, and film buffs alike.