Se7en and Seconds. Possibly the greatest titles to a movie ever created.
Journey Into Fear
has anyone mentioned Ran?
if not, why the fuck has no one mentioned Ran?!
it’s the hunt!!! bad ass shot of the great lord bow drawn, straight to title. so good.
Natural Born Killers, which is also a major contender for the Criterion treatment. Psycho ranks up there as well (Martin Scorcese paid homage to the opening title sequence in Goodfellas).
Persona
Vertigo hands down is the best title sequence IMHO.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, seconded.
Psycho, of course!!!!
The one from LADY VENGEANCE
come to think of it, also CACHE.
very innovative and economical, yet small
The one that impressed me the most, put you completely in the mood of the film but mainly is really creepy and disturbing, once again done by the unsurpassed master of the genre, Saul Bass, is the credit sequence of a sadly forgotten masterpiece by John Frankenheimer, SECONDS. With just a metallic mirror in which a camera shoot the deformed reflection of a face, thanks also to the amazing DP work of James Wong Howe as well as the creepy music of Jerry Goldsmith (one of his forgotten and nevertheless best scores) as well as an incredible science of editing, Saul Bass grabs you completely.
Check an image there : http://www.the1-2-3-4.com/post-images/2007-03-images/seconds1.png
Intolerable Cruelty and Miller’s Crossing
Echoing some popular ones already mentioned: Ran and Caché.
- Conan the Barbarian. Mako says some stuff and then comes music with the forging of the sword and you are like woah. Then right after the opening credits his dad says that there are no gods to protect him and then is village is sacked (his dad is fed to armored rottweilers and his mom beheaded) to another great Poledouris composition and you are like this “movie is awesome.” Probably the best one,two punch of back to back musical pieces ever put to film.
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula. the best part of the movie that didn’t involve Monica Bellucci’s tits
mean streets
THE PIANO TUNER ON EARTHQUAKES.. Quay Brothers, since you hear this words start the “story” and BEFORE SUNSET, BEFORE SUNRISE… Richard Linklater, without words… thats my feelings.
Herzog’s NOSFERATU for titles themselves
Coppola’s DRACULA for pre-title intro
I completely agree with those who said The Royal Tenenbaums!
I love the title sequence from Bullit. Especially considering the technology at the time? I’ll watch that movie just for the titles.
Psycho
Of course Pablo Ferro has done some great ones, but I like his Bullitt the best. And I really remember The Island of Doctor Moreau as having a really great title sequence.
another great opening sequence is apocalypse now, excellent use the end by the doors!
North by Northwest and Vertigo
It isn’t really a “title sequence”, but the open sequence in Silent Light on a technical level is pretty brilliant.
The Fall .
Dir. Tarsem Singh
2006
It has one of the most beautiful displays of slow-motion, black & white situations I’ve ever seen on film. Reminded me of something documented by Vertov or Bunuel. A train is stopped on a bridge, 50 feet above a river while people are pulling a horse out of the water. The horse had just jumped out of the train while moving over the bridge. The entire sequence is as smooth as butter and Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 In A Major, Op.92 is just wonderful alongside these images.
Here it is, along with commentary by Singh:
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2009/01/09/the-fall/
I forgot about the intro to Gus Van Sant’s Gerry (2002). A nearly 6 minute tracking shot following behind their car with Arvo Part’s beautiful Spiegel im Spiegel playing over it. Hmmm…I’ve been thinking about this film a lot lately….I think it might be a masterpiece….
Thanks Rodney Welch for reminding me of the opening for “Stray Dog”—excellent
I know there are so many I’m forgetting, but here are a few more:
Contempt
L’Avventura
Women of the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
“La Notte”, a very underated Antonioni picture has very simplistic title sequence. A shot going down the side of a building that seems to go on forever. genius
Thank you, Bank. “La Notte” is yet another movie I couldn’t remember with a great opening sequence. Actually, I should have just included the entire Antonioni trilogy in my previous posting.
Justin Levine
Seven
Panic Room (Didn’t like the film all the much, but the credits were beautiful).
Soylent Green – sets the tone perfectly, charting the trajectory of the world from the start of sparsely populated settler days to a hellishly overcrowded dystopia within just a few minutes.