unstrungstudio

I was recently reminded of type's importance in film titling, while watching the lackluster Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. As I settled into my seat during the opening credits, I was shocked and surprised when I noticed that the longtime Indiana Jones' titling had been changed. The classic serial treatment of Indiana Jones had been replaced with a staid serif. For me, it set the tone for the film that followed. No more rollicking and original action; we were, instead, treated to a film where Indiana had been replaced by Dr. Jones. Upon doing a little research, I was surprised to discover that this actually change occurred during Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. No doubt, my education has honed my eye for type.

As a lover of movies, I recognize that they are highly choreographed works of art in which many elements combine to form a whole, and even though type is not often considered to be the most important element within this visual medium, its importance should not be underestimated. As Saul Bass illustrated in his film titling, a capable designer can define the visual personality of a film through type and image. Excellent commentary on the contributions of Saul Bass to film titling can be found on Not Coming to a Theater Near You. (You can learn more about the design of Saul Bass in David R. Brown's AIGA Medalist article.)

In film, the opportunity to combine type and image seems almost limitless. The examples in this entry came from Steven Hill's Movies Titles Screens Page, a great place to see a variety of styles. You should also check out Forget the Film, Watch the Titles, which aptly features the titling for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly on its homepage.

posted by J.  # 11:00 AM