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March 1995, Week 4

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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Wed, 22 Mar 1995 19:40:07 CST
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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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----------------------------Original message----------------------------
 
 
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>Hello out there I am a screen based designer and film maker who is
>currently teaching a group of second years about...
>
>        THE IMPORTANCE OF OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCES,
>        TYPOGRAPHY AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS...
 
>At the moment I cover the following.....
>
>Saul Bass from the 1950's to present day
>(Carmen Jones, The man with the golden arm, Vertigo,  Psycho,
>Goodfellas, Cape Fear,  The age of innocence  etc.,etc)
>
>Maurice Binder from the 1960's
>(Charade, Ekel, Thunderball, Live and Let Die)
>
>Randy Balsmeyer and Mimi Everett
>(Do the right thing,  Mo' Better Blues,  Jungle Fever, Naked Lunch,
>  Dead Ringers,  Pret-A-Porter)
>
>Other films and people I am trying to cover are
>Tomi Ungerer in the 1960's
>Richard Amsel and Bob Peak in the 1970's
>Star Wars - George Lucas
>Let's get lost  - Bruce Webber
>Delicatessen - ?
>High Heels - Almodovar
 
 
>Can anybody help...... got any info on any interesting opening credits
Well...
Try looking as the opening credits of: "Written on the Wind" (50's drama)
they are quite amazing. Others include "Manhattan", "Wizard of Oz", "Touch
of Evil", "Citizen Kane", "Scrooged" - don't be put off by its B type status
- the opening credit sequence is great parody and very media referential!
"Blood Simple" by the Cohen brothers and the sleazoid 70's "52 Pick-Up" just
to name a few I have studied for their opening credits only.
 
 
>Chris Golya
>Centre For New Media Research
>University of Portsmouth
>Lion Gate Building
>Lion Gate Terrace
>Portsmouth
>England
>PO1 3HF
>
Dear Chris, It just so happens I am doing a textual analysis on the opening
credits of Goodfellas for my first foray into a masters in film and
television studies in Australia.  I am fascinated by the fact that an entire
course is devoted to opening credit sequences. Obviously the industry takes
these sequences very seriously.  All film theory points to the opening
credit sequences as presenting the "embedded" narrative and the essential
questions of the film to the spectator.  It is often the most distilled and
stylized part of the film and one in which the sequence seems most
non-diegetic - not adhering to the narrative of the film.
 
I have looked at Goodfellas very closely, frame by frame, drawn a storyboard
to it, turned off the sound to detect editing, etc. etc. and have found the
film to be complex and disturbing, violence normalized and highly stylized,
the characters quite reprehensible, though I am fascinated and want to watch
on.  This simultaneous repulsion/fascination is what I am trying to link to
the formal aspects of the sequence - the credit cues, the completion of the
killing, and the link to the final title sequence.  I am interested in your
point of view concerning these formal/technical aspects and how they are
used to emit certain spectator response - ie. what the industry is trying to
do with the credit sequences.  I also wonder what you think of Goodfellas???
Ciao for now
Rea Turner - QUT School of Media and Journalism - Brisbane - Australia

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