The Spirit Of Saul Bass Survives

September 15, 2008 4:22 AM

RocknRolla, isn't by all accounts a great film, but it does have a rather nifty title sequence (hi res), courtesy of Danny Yount of Prologue films.

His other work includes titles for: Iron Man, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (hi res), Six Feet Under (hi res)
The Reaping and The Invasion

Showreel, Interview, Another Interview (scroll down)

Prologue was founded by Kyle Cooper whose work includes the title sequences for Se7en and the Spider-Man films
Wired feature

More at The Art Of The Title Sequence
(Previously - Saul Bass)

posted by fearfulsymmetry (23 comments total)

These days it's not at all unusual for the titles to be the very best part of a film. Sadly, they often go rapidly downhill just after the dazzling title sequence is over.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:26 AM on September 15, 2008

Sadly, they often go rapidly downhill just after the dazzling title sequence is over.

Bond Film Syndrome.
posted by mandal at 4:45 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

Kyle Cooper's first company, Imaginary Forces, recently did the fantastic main titles for Mad Men.

Great post.
posted by infinitewindow at 4:48 AM on September 15, 2008

Hellboy II has a great title sequence.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:49 AM on September 15, 2008

The title sequence to Se7en owes a great deal stylistically to Stan Brakhage. The words scratched on film emulsion and overexposure of light are two of Brakhage's trademarks.
posted by jonp72 at 6:57 AM on September 15, 2008

Can anyone tell me the (main) software used to make this? I'm thinking After Effects, but I'm not sure.
posted by zardoz at 7:13 AM on September 15, 2008

These days it's not at all unusual for the titles to be the very best part of a film.

These days? Not everything Saul Bass worked on was Vertigo.
posted by roll truck roll at 7:35 AM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

Great link. I had to look it up to confirm, but Kyle Cooper also did the brilliant titles for Mimic and The Island of Dr. Moreau.
posted by nikitabot at 9:20 AM on September 15, 2008

That would definately be the best part of Dr. Moreau. Second bets paert would be the clsoing credits, since then you know it's over.
posted by Artw at 9:50 AM on September 15, 2008

Six Feet Under - I'm guessing also True Blood?

Funny thing about True Blood – my wife was convinced that the mysterious vampire stranger was someone she had seen in something – in the end it turns out he’s the guy from NY-LON (overly pretentious transatlantic channel 4 romantic drama with jerky cam and massive over sue of split screens - I swear they go triple at some point) .
posted by Artw at 9:55 AM on September 15, 2008

Jeremy Piven is the new Brad Pitt?
posted by mannequito at 10:35 AM on September 15, 2008

Six Feet Under and True Blood were done under Digital Kitchen (who also did House M.D.). I think Yount left DK way before True Blood existed.
posted by spec80 at 10:36 AM on September 15, 2008

The titles for 6FU (nicely SI'd here in Spain as "Dos Metros Bajo Tierra") remind me a lot of the titles for Dexter ... any connection there?
posted by benzo8 at 1:15 PM on September 15, 2008

> These days it's not at all unusual for the titles to be the very best part of a film

That's because making eye candy is easy, and telling a good story is hard. Try watching a title sequence stretched out for two hours.
posted by roger ackroyd at 1:25 PM on September 15, 2008

Try watching a title sequence stretched out for two hours.

I think it's called Snatch, but maybe it's the sort of thing that works only once.
posted by roll truck roll at 1:58 PM on September 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

Kyle Cooper/Prologue also did the opening credits to the Dawn of the Dead remake, which are also amazingly good.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 1:59 PM on September 15, 2008

maybe it's the sort of thing that works only once.

Why do you hate Guy Ritchie?
posted by Artw at 2:08 PM on September 15, 2008

He's a terrible filmmaker. I agree with Kermode on this.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:10 PM on September 15, 2008

Why do you hate Guy Ritchie?

Yesterday I listened to the commentary track for Snatch... Judo 'expert' or not, if I ever meet the guy it's gonna be hard to resist just punching him.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:39 PM on September 15, 2008

Okay, 'fess up everyone. Who else read that title as "Rickrolla"?

*raises hand sheepishly*
posted by bettafish at 7:32 PM on September 15, 2008

benzo8: According to imdb, Dexter's title sequence was indeed done by Digital Kitchen.
posted by spec80 at 11:28 AM on September 16, 2008

Cool! Thanks spec80...
posted by benzo8 at 12:20 PM on September 16, 2008

And Kyle originally came from R/Greenberg Associates in New York. As did Garson Yu, and as did all of the top people from Imaginary Forces.

As did I.
posted by jfrancis at 1:45 PM on September 16, 2008