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Features: Titles Designed by Saul Bass
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Image courtesy Harrie Verstappen
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Posted on 08 August 2005
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Titles Designed by Saul Bass: Introduction
One is pressed to cite an example of an active, self-contained, and characteristic credits sequence in film prior to the work of Saul Bass. Undoubtedly, there are examples that presage Bass’ pioneering work; namely, the famous final credits of Citizen Kane reprise excerpts from the film, underscoring the footage with actors’ names. Likewise, overtures frequently preceded films of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Many of these are visually complimented by static credits, and in some cases a montage. And despite these examples, in regard to innovation, renown, and influence, Bass’ impact in credits design remains virtually unparalleled, even to this day.
Bass’ expertise in design exhibits a range (his corporate identities and posters are also durable graphic statements), yet his distinguishing aesthetic is one of economy and simplicity. It is in this regard that his work in credits design is of particular significance—his opening for West Side Story, for example, is a solid block of color that morphs according to the overture. Elsewhere (and numerously), he employs hand-drawn type and cutout, construction paper shapes.
In 1964, after sixteen years as a collaborator, Bass began directing his own films including The Searching Eye (1964), From Here to There (1964), and Why Man Creates (1968). His latter effort resulted in an Academy Award—an appropriate gesture of recognition, as Bass may be credited for enhancing the visual strategy of cinema, assigning it another dimension.
Bass’ techniques are various and decidedly inconsistent: cutout animation, montage, live action, and type design to name only his more prominent exercises. Secondly, Bass exhibits an exemplary use of color and movement. Often sequences begin with a solid, empty frame of color (as with Exodus’ blue or North by Northwest’s green). His design tactic in this context, although characteristic, possesses subtly and variety.
Bass died in 1996 at the age of 75.
The remaining pages of this feature contain subsequent film stills; there are inherent flaws in this exhibition. The color of Bass’ work is not appropriately replicated on a computer monitor (the images are generally darker on an RGB screen), and the film stills in diminishment lose clarity. We have opted to overcorrect a few of these sequences—admittedly, such a modification may compromise the integrity of Bass’ selection of color, which is of obvious consideration. The stills are arranged in interactive galleries, and may be played by repeatedly clicking your mouse on the images.
Rumsey Taylor | © 2005 notcoming.com
Fitz / 9 August 2005 / 5:47 AM
Wonderful stuff, thanks!
Keith Brown / 9 August 2005 / 9:00 AM / URL
Please do something similar for the Italian westerns of Sergio Leone, Sollima and so on.
bart kiggen / 12 August 2005 / 5:18 PM / URL
you have great site here my friend. saul bass made me go into motion graphics.
an very impressive tribute.
just saw a night of intros in the filmuseum going from saul bass,pablo ferro and kyle cooper….this would fit in nicely there.
again good work
Jeroen Visser / 13 August 2005 / 8:17 AM
Nice little tribute to Saul Bass—or should I say nice huge tribute ;-). As a designer with a sidekick as movie operator in an arthouse cinema, I’ve watched some of Saul Bass’s work in action, always with a happy, admiring smile on my face.
And keep up the good work on the site. Good stuff!
j.m. / 13 August 2005 / 4:33 PM
I’m delghted to have found this site. It’s rad.
Paul / 13 August 2005 / 7:46 PM / URL
Thanks for the great appreciation of the brilliant work of this wonderful artist. So many people working in this field today owe a huge debt to him…
Robert Hubbard / 16 August 2005 / 7:50 PM
Wonderful site and features… only one question/complaint: why no mention of the title for WALK ON THE WILD SIDE?
rumsey / 16 August 2005 / 8:11 PM / URL
Although we were limited to Bass’ films available on DVD, no excuse. I’ve not even seen the film myself.
Jem / 18 August 2005 / 5:56 PM
Great collection, thanks. What Saul needs is a book of his work, like the recent Kubrick Archives.
Tony Ginorio / 22 August 2005 / 2:06 PM
Very nice. Would like to see a similar tribute for Richard Williams, who basically took over where Bass left off, with the titles to such films as Charge of the Light Brigade, Casino Royale, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, and so forth.
Stevie / 9 September 2005 / 6:57 AM / URL
Very inspirational, good work
matt / 9 September 2005 / 6:58 AM / URL
rock and roll
Lamp / 19 March 2006 / 5:22 PM / URL
Brilliant stuff . For my first school project I choose write about Saul Bass, and that sequences are really usefull. Love Saul work, it still modern in these days of CG. It´s art.
izzy / 2 May 2006 / 5:08 AM
what a great site. its one of a kind!
John Falchi / 22 September 2006 / 3:49 PM
Thank you for compiling an amazing retrospective. Saul Bass’s work inspires.
daniel / 14 August 2007 / 1:48 PM
great article. I’d love to hear what you have to say about Kyle Cooper from Imaginary Forces.
Xuls / 14 August 2007 / 2:44 PM
Yes, me too! Such a coincidence! I’m preparing a class for my students at Buenos Aires University and the case studies are focused on the work of Saul Bass, Pablo Ferro and Kyle Cooper as an introductory for motion graphics.
BTW, great site!