List by MONIROM
The Best Title Sequences...
FEEL FREE TO CONTRIBUTE SUGGESTIONs
(with links if possible, so we can share the experience.)
Switch to detail view to see all the links to title sequences and the reasons why these movies were included.
A good director is one who realizes that the time "wasted" on the film title sequence (often used to satisfy legal, ego and studio requirements) can be used to set the mood, further the story line, or fill in back story. A great director is one who realizes he can't do it himself and collaborates with acclaimed and obscure design houses. Here's a list of my favorites and hopefully some of yours.
Be sure to switch to list view to see backstory and links to the actual title sequences themselves.
Don't want to click endlessly? Check out this post for the first 10 trailers all in one place: ✙SKC_BLOG: Sometimes the Best Part of the Movie Are: The Titles
Dr. No? There has to be at least one Bond film on this list.
@Tim, I must respectfully pass on Lolita, while Kubrick does infact try and use every second of his movies, I feel as if he views the credits as a nuisance - a necessary evil invading his cinematic masterpieces. My opinion of course, is mine alone as most people on the Art of the Title or Watch the Titles sites feel their collections would be incomplete without Kubrick. But even those sites that include Kubrick's titles have very little to say about the work. If you had to push me into including one of his opening titles I'd most likely opt to use The Shining.
@M.K. Nielsen, Dr. No. Added. I know right? All these movies and not a single Bond flick. I was wondering how long it would take for someone to notice. The Bond titles themselves are such a trademark, the gun barrel, the girls, the music and eventually something to do with the actual movie.
Dr. No Opening Titles
In fact, the predictable title elements are so key to the Bond visual signature that MK12 actually (I think) went out of their way to invent something new for Quantum of Solace.
The title sequence from Spider-Man 2 is pretty good. Goes through all the events in the first film with drawings from Kyle Cooper
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ5Irvc4Je8
Ooh yeah. As is the hulk will need to add those two as well. (soon) right now it's last call in the states and tomorrow is another work day...
Good list.
The Island of Dr Moreau has some cool opening titles. Terrible film though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eLg6ZxFDm4
Thanks for the compliment on the list Tom. Sometimes you have to seek out the little victories -- especially if you just sat through a bad film. The Island of Dr. Moreau, 1996, not Brando's best work but, we're not judging the film only the titles so...Added.
@ Daniel Maitland, Added!
Both Spiderman 2 and The Incredible Hulk Opening Titles can technically be considered Prologues, the same name Kyle Cooper chose for his most recent company.
He proposed integrating the credits fully into an opening that would serve as the main title as well as encapsulating Peter Parker's and Bruce Banner’s story. Never one to repeat himself literally, In Spiderman 2 it was done with illustration, in The Incredible Hulk with photography and live footage.
The fact that both yielded such good results, lends credibility to the myth that many directors now don't want to work with Kyle Cooper -- for fear that the film will be overshadowed by the opening credits.
FACT: Cooper actually did the titles for all three of Raimi's Spiderman movies as well as the original design on the flipping comic book page logo for Marvel. When does this man sleep?
Spiderman 2 Opening Titles-Credits
The Incredible Hulk OpeningTitles- Credits
BONUS: You know a piece of pop culture has reached cult status when 'Family Guy' does a parody of it: Family Guy Spoof of 70s era Hulk TV Opening
I love the 'Casino Royale' one. It's great-looking, and modern, yet the style is in tune with the classic Bond openings.
@Iris, I'm assuming you mean the opening in the rebooted version of Casino Royale - directed by Martin Campbell. I tend to agree and was just wondering how it escaped me that we don't have any Bond film opening sequences in the list. Rectified, I've added it and will annotate when I get a chance. I'm traveling and really enjoying the mobile version of the Letterboxd site on my phone.