53 Comments

North by Northwest tops it, i am missing Vertigo.
Jay
2009-07-23 12:43:18

http://www.artofthetitle.com/

- cracking website for further reading/watching
Ed
2009-07-23 12:51:11

You've missed off se7en by kyle cooper!!!
Luke
2009-07-23 12:52:38

@Luke

Er, no we didn't. It's between Casino and the Island of Doctor Moreau above (admittedly as "Seven").

I'll add Dr Strangelove now, before anyone notices (it is in Adam's article though).
 Mark Sinclair
2009-07-23 13:04:00

Yes, there is much goodness on this list, to be sure. Of course everything about Soylent Green is full of WIN. People, people. Soylent green is people. (And also fab openingness full of dystopian discordance.)
Katy McDevitt
2009-07-23 14:34:59

Very glad to see 'Lord of War' in there. A story in itself and an incredible exposition for a film.

I'd add Fight Club in a blink.
Simon Coxon
2009-07-23 15:27:03

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
simon owen
2009-07-23 15:52:02

Watchmen had a truly spectacular opening credit sequence.
Mark McAllister
2009-07-23 15:58:23

I know not strictly a title sequence...more a credit sequence I suppose...but anyway I digress - I thought the end credit sequence to the new Star Trek film was fantastic.

Also the Bourne Trilogy's ins and outs are slick.

And Mk12 for the Quantum of Solace titles... It might just be me, but I didn't really like the Casino Royale titles, not enough boob for a Bond title sequence :-)
SP
2009-07-23 17:10:11

what about Gattaca (1997)? surely it should be on the list!
Gregorcic
2009-07-23 17:21:10

what about Gattaca (1997)? surely it should be on the list!
Gregorcic
2009-07-23 17:25:19

I would say Fahrenheit 451 is the best I've ever seen. Perfect, simple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwaYrejCTZ0

You have to have the sound up when you watch it. If you haven't seen the film or read the book, it's set in a future where literature is banned.
Patrick Duffy
2009-07-23 17:28:33

I heard from somebody that the title sequence to The Kite Runner is amazing, i can't find it online though
The Pig Faced Lady
2009-07-23 17:59:42

I was about to add Farenheit 451, but Patrick has beaten me to it (good call Patrick), the Youtube clip does it no justice, you really need to see it on a proper old telly to be stopped in your tracks.

Mark - glad to see you put Dr. Strangelove in.
Ben Stott
2009-07-23 19:23:07

i liked the watchmen-intro
Han
2009-07-23 19:32:48

I have been inspired by Bullitt, created by Pablo Ferro.
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/04/04/bullitt/
dorelvis
2009-07-24 00:55:39

No Rushmore? :(
J
2009-07-24 01:48:48

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK - best Asian movie opening credits, perhaps?
m
2009-07-24 02:48:50

Hey -- that's the wrong score for the opening sequence of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD !!! How'd that happen?
Renata Jackson
2009-07-24 04:57:14

The Italian Job. Lamborghini Miura, cigarette, no seatbelt, Matt Monro...
Macdo
2009-07-24 05:40:56

From what I remember Fight Club had a clever opening sequence and also a low budget movie called Right At Your Door which came out a few years back
Sojo
2009-07-24 10:34:50

Great list. Ironman is definitely worth a mention though.

Check out this years Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design here.

http://sellsellblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/2009-emmy-title-design-nominees.html
Ryan
2009-07-24 11:14:20

It's a rather narrow Anlgo-American list isn't it?
RichardA
2009-07-24 13:47:59

Runaway Train is also a classic
Peter Southworth
2009-07-24 14:22:13

Fantastic stuff. Saul Bass wins for me. The homages to him, particularly Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are very good too.
Philster
2009-07-24 14:23:29

For elegant simplicity look at BBLOOD SIMPLE or the original GET CARTER
RR
2009-07-24 14:36:29

Thank you for DELICATESSEN - my personal favourite. This trailer had me gasping & out of my seat at the showing of the film - best ever?


Jeane
Jeane Grogan
2009-07-24 15:03:18

The Kite Runner - its got to be on there - so beautiful.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2itQ5U5XcHM)
Hannah Beatrice
2009-07-24 15:15:58

Absolute joke - accepted that a list of this nature is always going to be passionately debated but where the hell is Steve McQueen's Bullitt with Lalo Schifrin's score? Way ahead of its time.
Nathan Savage
2009-07-24 15:19:37

i didnt see cowboy-beebop titles on here.... tsk tsk
jordan rutherford
2009-07-24 16:16:52

@Nathan Savage
You're right, and Adam included Bullitt in his actual article, so we've embedded it there.

Here's the link to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko3s4j8HD6o
 Mark Sinclair
2009-07-24 17:04:49

\My choice of opening credits would be Once Upon a Time in the West with Sergio Leone music. I don't remember how long the credits took, but they were a ways into the story before they completed with hinged credit dropping across the track with a train arriving at a depot.
Gary Smyth
2009-07-24 17:45:02

Correction to Gary Smyth "Once Upon a Time in the West" comment. The movie was a Sergio Leone film but the music was, of course, Ennio Morricone.
Gary Smyth
2009-07-24 18:23:11

You've misattributed the Napoleon Dynamite titles to Ferro. They were actually created by Aaron Ruell, who plays Kip Dynamite in the film and is also a talented photographer and director. (http://www.aruell.com/ and http://www.biscuitfilmworks.com) Ferro actually served as a visual consultant and contributed to other parts of the film. The ed. note here clears it all up: http://www.designobserver.com/archives/entry.html?id=175
Ann
2009-07-24 20:49:46

What the hell is Casino Royale doing here?
colonel
2009-07-25 01:28:52

I was going to mention Fight Club should have been on there, but someone got there before me!
Chris Gillespie
2009-07-26 12:56:07

I was going to mention Fight Club should have been on there, but someone got there before me!
Chris Gillespie
2009-07-26 13:02:02

@Ann

Thanks for that; much appreciated.
 Mark Sinclair
2009-07-26 16:47:26

I want to sit back and watch a film now :( Scarface is one of my favorites. I went to see the D&AD lecture by Kyle Cooper last year which was really inspiring.

This is a great book on titles if anyone is interested: The Art of the Title Sequence: Film Graphics in Motion - by Gemma Solana & Antonio Boneu
Alexa
2009-07-27 13:44:17

This list misses Trainspotting and Thanks for Smoking.
mistymountain
2009-07-27 15:38:49

For anyone interested in a big collection of old and new title sequences visit :

http://www.watchthetitles.com
tom
2009-07-28 16:06:56

Pssst! It's 'Ziegfeld' ;)
Llywarch
2009-07-28 19:34:57

@Llywarch

Thanks! Consider it amended ; )
 Mark Sinclair
2009-07-28 22:15:09

The intro to Batman (1989) is incredible. The camera swoops and turns through the logo to reveal it in the final shot, Danny Elfman with the score I believe.
Daniel Bower
2009-07-29 16:44:52

Thank you very much for this information.
film
2009-08-01 11:32:16

What ever happened to "The 6 O'clok News"?
Tlo Torfoot
2009-08-03 16:35:29

More of an intro than a credit sequence, but I really enjoy the intro to "The Royal Tannenbaum's"
PhineusQButterfat
2009-08-04 12:32:54

The Ipcress File is a glaring omission as is Golfinger, to a lesser degree.
Both films created by the same people yet poles apart.

Brownjohn's sequence to Goldfinger was the first film to "flash-forward", showing you actual scenes of the movie.

However, The Ipcress File's opening sequence is a masterpiece. Perfectly setting up the mood, the character, props and era.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kolQVDMW1IE
_SiD_
2009-08-20 12:04:13

What about West Side Story?
Ed Gutentag
2009-09-06 09:06:30

the Married Life titles are so great!!! Ilya Abulhanov did it..
Anselm
2009-11-30 17:57:36

I can't believe you don't have the correct soundtrack for To Kill a Mockingbird. Soemone else made that comment earlier. The real one has a child humming, giggling, saying "boon, boom." Also, you hear the sounds of her rumaging through the box, the marbles knocking into each other. And the music, which is absolutely beautiful and lilting doesn't even start until part way through the credits. I agree that the To Kill a Mockingbird credits are one of the best every made, but please fix the soundtrack!!! It's a travesty to the film and whoever wrote the original score that you've don't have the right one.
And I also agree with another person's comment that the opening sequence to Westside Story should be on your list.
Margo Taylor
2009-12-12 22:09:51

A pretty good top 30, but shame that the Yanks got so many credits at the expense of brilliant Brit talent. The big notable omission is Richard Morrison, whose 25 year career includes over 100 film titles, including the relatively recent 'classic' Sweeney Todd and the iconic Batman titles. http://www.richard-morrison.co.uk
Tintin67
2010-01-17 16:10:49

You missed The Thomas Crown Affair (the original Norman Jewison one, not the crap remake).
hans
2010-04-26 14:08:47

Tell us what you think

Your comment: What happens with my feedback?

What happens with my feedback?

We no longer require you to register and have a password in order to comment, simply fill in the form below. All comments are moderated so you may experience a short delay before your comment appears. CR encourages comments to be short and to the point. As a general rule, they should not run longer than the original post. Comments should show a courteous regard for the presence of other voices in the discussion. We reserve the right to edit or delete comments that do not adhere to this standard.

Name: (required)

Title:

e-Mail: (required)

URL