I’m tired of blogging about the ephemeral lately, so let’s take a look at a classic. Saul Bass, designer of some of the most memorable and iconic main titles for films in the 20th century, the golden (and really, the only) era in which pre-digital celluloid ruled. Ian Albinson, editor-in-chief of the web site Art of The Title has put together a short montage — just 1:44 — of some of Bass’s best work. You can get to this by clicking on the image above. It’s smooth, refreshing, imaginative work.
As Albinson notes, “To celebrate the release of the long-awaited book Saul Bass: A Life In Film & Design by Jennifer Bass and Pat Kirkham, I put together a brief visual history of some of Saul Bass’s most celebrated work. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will also celebrate the life of Saul Bass with a film screening and talk on Monday, November 14, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. This special event features the New York premiere of Saul and Elaine Bass’s Academy Award-winning short Why Man Creates (1968), newly preserved by the Academy Film Archive, as well as a rich selection of title sequences, commercials, and corporate campaigns.”
The event is past, but the book is a real keeper; read all about it here.
Tags: Art of the Title, Elaine Bass, Ian Albinson, Jennifer Bass, Pat Kirkham, Saul Bass, The Museum of Modern Art
