RESEARCH OF SAUL AND ELAINE BASS

 Research of Saul and Elaine Bass.

Saul Bass (1920-1996) was an American filmmaker and graphic designer, well known for his work in title sequences, corporate logos and film posters; he worked for other significant film figures within the industry creating title sequences, such as Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, Otto Preminger and Martin Scorsese. Alongside this, he was incredibly successful in the creation of corporate logos for companies including AT&T, Continental Airlines and United Airlines. He married Elaine Bass (originally Elaine Makatura) in 1961 after she joined Saul Bass & Associates as his assistant in 1955 - another extremely successful American title and filmmaker. After the birth of their children (Jennifer, 1964 and Jeffrey, 1967) they instead began to place focus on their family and short films, one of which, Why Man Creates, won an Oscar. The pair were 'rediscovered' by Martin Scorsese and James L. Brooks in the 80s who encouraged them to return to title design.

Together, they developed many opening title sequences; the first project she co-directed/produced before their engagement was 'Spartacus' (1960). After this, the two worked in close collaboration and proceeded to create the sequences for West Side Story (1961), Something Wild (1962), Walk on the Wild Side (1962), Nine Hours to Rama (1963), The Victors (1963), Seconds (1966), Grand Prix (1966), Broadcast News (1987), Tonkô (1988), Big (1988), The War of the Roses (1989), Goodfellas (1990), Doc Hollywood (1991), Cape Fear (1991), Mr. Saturday Night (1992), The Age of Innocence (1993), Higher Learning (1995) and Casino (1995). Following Saul Bass's death, Elaine worked in collaboration with Pablo Ferro and went on to update Psycho's remake opening in 1998.

EXAMPLES SHOWN VISUALLY BELOW:

Their works were incredibly well known due to the fact that their title sequences captured the genre, mood, theme and narrative of the film effortlessly and in an aesthetically pleasing manner. For example, this is shown particularly well in 'Casino' (1995, Martin Scorsese):

The main character is introduced shortly after a black screen stating '1983' in a font closely resembling the 'Washington' font, indicating the time period in which the piece is set and somewhat elegant tone. He (Ace) walks out of a large building with well-built doors (copper/gold framed windows and polished wood), accompanied by iron garden tables and well trimmed plants suggesting that he is wealthy due to the casual manner in which he is moving around the space. Ace is dressed in a bold costume of a pink and white suit, holding the prop of a cigarette once again highlighting his wealth and perhaps the time period; the vibrant costume was a conscious decision on Scorsese's behalf, where he stated: "Oh, let’s put the apricot suit… right at the beginning of the movie. So it’s so ‘in your face’ [that] the audience will know what they’re in for, and they can leave the theater. Or stay.”

After this, he gets in his silver 1981 Cadillac Eldorado coupe (fitted with a metal sheet under the driver's seat which leads him to survive after it blows up) revealing a lot about his character as it suggests that the nature of his personality/status concerns that of murder attempts upon him. The early placement of the action heavy short segment combined with the overpowering character which triggers the titles is incredibly gripping as it leads the audience into wanting to discover more, and indicates the film's drama/crime genre and darker themes.

As mentioned, this triggers a more consistent title sequence, the text first accompanying the shot of Ace's body through the flames in a medium/small white font transitioned by crossfades (this format is used for the other credits) and intense, cinematic non-diegetic church/choir music. This gives the sequence an element of dramatic effect as it is overpowering, once again establishing the drama genre and tense tone of the film.

The font works incredibly well as it is highly stylised yet minimalistic, so attention is drawn to it but not so much so to an extent where the audience overlook the scenes shown behind them (a montage of close ups of gambling devices with neon lights, almost abstract). The Bass's choice with this is also effective as it hints at the narrative: the film will be set predominantly around a casino, presumably the owner of the casino as the character shown could be assumed as of higher status and has people after him. 

The use of darker reds, blues and purples not only gives an atmosphere of the 'night life' of the casino and its corruption (as it seems to be hidden in darkness and behind the vibrancy of it all), but also provides the overall mood with an emotional complexity which captures the film well. The colours are visually pleasing to the eye as they all compliment each other, making the sequence a visually pleasing one to watch. 

The sequence finishes with the screen being burned through and Ace placed at the centre of the frame composition wise, the angle from behind as he overlooks the room. This again suggests that he is the owner of the casino as he is the centre of attention in this scene, and that he is a morally tainted man due to the burning/ruining of the beauty of the casino lights.

Scorsese similarly uses this style of opening sequences in his other films (montages with minimal yet stylised fonts). A media product which seems to have directly lifted the action from this opening is the video game Mafia III: the ending involves Lincoln Clay being blown up in his car once he is in a high status position, shown below: