Some imagery from Hitchcock's masterpiece, VERTIGO (1958).
LE VIDEO SHELF: a love letter to all things film
Showing posts with label Vertigo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vertigo. Show all posts
6.10.10
11.3.10
Saul Bass vs. the World.
Think about how different the Star Wars series would have been if George Lucas had with an amazing title sequence like this!
It's inspired by the legendary Saul Bass, who was an American graphic designer and known for designing colourful, dynamic title sequences for filmmakers like Hitchcock, Kubrick, and Scorsese, among others. His style has gone on to inspire many others, his legacy can be seen in film credits like Catch Me If You Can, Toy Story, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, among many others. Bass' titles revolutionized how important a credit sequence can be. It sets the tone for the film, and if a director is smart, he can use it to prepare his audience emotionally for what they are about to see.
Hitchcock saw this, and it is apparent in the opening titles for both Vertigo and Psycho. Vertigo's titles literally give you the sensation of vertigo, as well as hypnotize you to Bernard Hermann's excellent and mysterious score. If you've seen the film, it's also no surprise that the journey down Bass' downward spiral is instigated by the face of a beautiful woman.
Saul Bass' Vertigo title sequence:
Psycho's titles are equally effective. Again Bernard Hermann's music is used to full effect; an energetic, pulsing, and piercing score that accompanies Bass' busy, fractured graphics. It gets you excited while slowly drives you crazy. Once the titles end, Hitchcock's camera scans the city of Phoenix, Arizona, giving the precise date and time, and slowly zeroes in on Marion Crane, almost picking her out of a city of millions, giving us the uneasy sensation that the protagonist could be nearly anyone, anywhere! Even you! It's no surprise that Psycho played at theatres with the proviso that no-one be allowed entry once the film had started. His films were a highly calculated package, with no dead weight; everything mattered--especially the titles.
Bass' Psycho title sequence:
It's inspired by the legendary Saul Bass, who was an American graphic designer and known for designing colourful, dynamic title sequences for filmmakers like Hitchcock, Kubrick, and Scorsese, among others. His style has gone on to inspire many others, his legacy can be seen in film credits like Catch Me If You Can, Toy Story, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, among many others. Bass' titles revolutionized how important a credit sequence can be. It sets the tone for the film, and if a director is smart, he can use it to prepare his audience emotionally for what they are about to see.
Hitchcock saw this, and it is apparent in the opening titles for both Vertigo and Psycho. Vertigo's titles literally give you the sensation of vertigo, as well as hypnotize you to Bernard Hermann's excellent and mysterious score. If you've seen the film, it's also no surprise that the journey down Bass' downward spiral is instigated by the face of a beautiful woman.
Saul Bass' Vertigo title sequence:
Psycho's titles are equally effective. Again Bernard Hermann's music is used to full effect; an energetic, pulsing, and piercing score that accompanies Bass' busy, fractured graphics. It gets you excited while slowly drives you crazy. Once the titles end, Hitchcock's camera scans the city of Phoenix, Arizona, giving the precise date and time, and slowly zeroes in on Marion Crane, almost picking her out of a city of millions, giving us the uneasy sensation that the protagonist could be nearly anyone, anywhere! Even you! It's no surprise that Psycho played at theatres with the proviso that no-one be allowed entry once the film had started. His films were a highly calculated package, with no dead weight; everything mattered--especially the titles.
Bass' Psycho title sequence:
27.2.10
I will write more about Vertigo in the future because this movie is amazing. It is one of my favorites, and certainly my favorite Hitchcock. I went to San Francisco last fall and had to make a trip down to the Golden Gate Bridge just to take a shot emulating that great moment from the film.
This movie is so dreamy and mysterious, full of anxiety and uncertainty, and went on to inspire Chris Marker to make his fantastic short film La Jetee, which in turn inspired Terry Gilliam to make 12 Monkeys.
Anyways, James Stewart delivers one of his most intense and dynamic performances, as does Kim Novak. Its really great, it is a definite must see for anyone remotely interested in Hitchcock or mysteries or thrillers or whatnot. Excellent score by Bernard Herrmann, and titles by the legendary Saul Bass.
Fort Point, 1958.
Fort Point, Nov 2009.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)