Starting with art

Seen any films made before 1960s? Do you ever wonder... when is this bloody film going to begin? Watching old films such as Spartacus, How to Marry a Millionaire, 2001 Space Odyssey you realize that audiences not only had a great deal more patience, but that watching a film was an event.

It was spectacle.

It was beauty.

James bond has always had distinctive direction, established by art director Ken Adams in the 60s, matched with excellent and memorable songs. Does anyone ever forget Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey, Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon, or Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney? Not to be out done there have been a number of modern filmmakers who have taken great care with the opening credits.

Catch Me if you can has to be one of the best. It tells you what the film is about, it sets a mood with music, and it's artistically captivating. That's what the very best do, they settle the viewer into a necessary mind space. (Simpsons created a spoof seen here on artofthetitle.com. )

A few others of note: (you can scroll on the site above, click on the movie of choice, and the image when selected will play the title sequence)

Cowboy Bebop

The Thing

Alien

Gattaca

Seven (above)

Twelve Monkeys

And of course the absolute pro, Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo