No Opening Credits: A New Trend? (1 Viewer)

[Dan Rudolph]

The Truman Show didn't even have a title, IIRC.

 

[Scott_MacD]

Sure it did.. it was part of the "There's nothing fake about Truman himself" show's credits. Splendidly creative.

 

[Mark Palermo]

Unless I missed something, Jeepers Creepers 2 doesn't even have the title at the beginning.

 

[Ruben Zamora]

I like this trend as well.



I thought SPIDER-MAN and DAREDEVIL took the credits to ultimate extremes. What was that like 5min credits at beginning of the film LOL.

 

[Vincent Matis]

From the Hard Eight commentary (P.T. Anderson)

"The reason why the titles are at the beginning is because of a guy named Robert Jones (producer) (...). I wanted to start with 4 presentation cards ("Rysher Pictures",..., "a P.T. Anderson", boom). I wanted to do it that way (that's how Boogie Nights starts). In every one's contract (standard contract), it says the title goes before the picture. Considering I'm friends with everyone who's on this movie (with the EXCEPTION of Robert Jones), everyone agreed to waive that right, except Robert Jones who's been kicked off the movie by Rysher Ent.
So before that came to light, I had to get his permission and he said point blank to me: "I will not waive my right to have the main title at the beginning, so therefore, I'm essentially forcing you to put the main title at the beginning..."

Cheers,

Vincent

 

[Aaryn Chan]

I hate opening credits.. and they repeat forever..

It's just now that i realise that so many films dont have them

 

[Jeff Swearingen]

I can't believe what I'm reading!

Titles are crucial! It's a shame that people don't see the value in them. You can accomplish a lot in a title sequence - there's a lot going on if you sit back and watch.

Some great title sequences I can think of immediately:

anything by Saul Bass
Brief Encounter (for that matter most David Lean films)
the Bond films...but those sequences can't really be counted as a traditional title sequence!

I know there are lots of people out there who agree with me that opening credits are useful...back me up here!

 

[PaulP]

I can't believe what I'm reading!

Nor can I. I wholly agree with you, Jeff. It's sad to have to read that so many people dismiss credit sequences as unnecessary. To me they are some of the most important parts of the film. I see a lot of movies that come out in theaters and even if I don't like them (Cradle 2 the Grave), I still recall their interesting credit sequences. These things are an art, people. Look at Panic Room, the credit sequence there is just beautiful. And I can make countless similar examples.

P.S.: Someone stated earlier in the thread that Gladiator had no title, which is wrong. The opening of that film is actually quite impressive and Ridley talks about it in his commentary.

 

[Bill Williams]

Let's add Gladiator to the list. It's just got two or three credits with the title, then no title credits after that until the end of the film.

Also, I believe Jim Cameron's Titanic and The Abyss can be added to the list as well.

 

[John Doran]

Titles are crucial! It's a shame that people don't see the value in them. You can accomplish a lot in a title sequence - there's a lot going on if you sit back and watch.

well, i think there is, or at least can be, a pretty big difference between being "crucial" and being "fun to watch", or "interesting".

it seems to me that to whatever extent a credit sequence might actually be crucial to the movie - i.e. to the narrative - it's got nothing to do with the actual credits, but rather to the images that go with the credits.

i mean, how could it possibly be crucial to a(ny) movie that the viewer know the identity of, say, the executive poducer?

however, if what you're saying is that (good) credit sequences are crucial to, the pacing of a movie, for instance, or to the development of an initial emotional engagement with the audience, then that's an entirely personal matter - as i said before, for me, credit sequences (i.e. the display of the actual credits themselves) invariably detract from the experience of a movie.

for me.

 

[PaulP]

John, I do think what he meant is of course not the content of the credits (the names, etc.), but how they're done, what they convey, what music plays, etc. etc. Obviously, white credits in Times New Roman font on black background is not what's being talked about here.

 

[AllanN]

I can't believe nobody mentioned Chicago. Studio logo, zoom into Roxie's eye. CHICAGO in lights, movie starts.

I tend to not like big long opening sequences, bond films being an exception. If its a more arthouse film, a black background with white text:

A Production Company production of

A Some Director Film

Some Actor

Some Other Actor

Mabe Another Actor

Film Title

Fade to Black

Movie

Annie Hall and NARC come to mind.

If its more of a epic movie. A long shot leading up to the beginning of the movie eg. LOTR with similar credits from above. After the last credit the actual movie starts.

For me whenever there is a film with no credits or text only credits no music or picture. When the film starts it always feels a little more stressful. eg. NARC, Punch Drunk Love

 

[Iain Jackson]

It depends entirely on the movie. Some movies benefit well from good title sequences (eg Fight Club, Se7en, Panic Room... hmm, is there a connection here? ), whilst other movies are more suited to having no credits at all, maybe not even the film's title.

I'm quite happy to sit through a good title sequence. Similarly I don't mind if there isn't one...

 

[Bill Williams]

I agree, Superman is a good example of doing a good title sequence that brings you into the movie and one that I don't mind watching. One of the best.

And the earlier mention of Who Framed Roger Rabbit as having no title sequence but going straight into the cartoon reminds me of another animated film that starts out that way: Toy Story 2. Once the logo appears on screen, the film then goes right into the story, and all the usual main title credits are saved until the end of the film. (Interesting to point out that on the audio commentary to TS2, John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton point to the title credits sequence from Superman as the inspiration for the TS2 opening.)

 

[PaulP]

Once the logo appears on screen, the film then goes right into the story, and all the usual main title credits are saved until the end of the film.

What about "Walt Disney Pictures Presents" and "A Pixar Animation Studios Film"? THEN the title. To me that's still a sequence, albeit short.

 

[John Doran]

John, I do think what he meant is of course not the content of the credits (the names, etc.), but how they're done, what they convey, what music plays, etc. etc.

right. and that's my point - what you like about the credits isn't actually the credits.

as for the rest of title sequences, if they're not actually furthering the plot of the movie (and thus actually part of the movie itself), then they're as distracting to me as if a movie were to open with a music video or something.

the opening credits for se7en are a perfect example of this: a radically innovative title sequence that is fun to watch in and of itself, but which really adds nothing of substance to the movie (if the credits were ommitted, my understanding and appreciation of the movie would be totally unaffected).

basically, when i watch a movie, i'm interested in the movie, not the credits.

 

[Matt Pelham]

For some reason I love the Pulp Fiction credits, it perfectly sets the mood and provides a great segway between the startling opening and the following car scene.

I like having no opening credits, but I also like a great title sequence (such as Fight Club as was mentioned earlier).

 

[Jason Boucher]

We almost left Punch Drunk Love because we were sure that they had started the movie on the wrong reel. There were only about 10 of us in the theater, and 3 couples walked out. Too bad they didn't stick with this masterpiece. On the other hand, I love the Saul Bass style of credits that set the mood for the movie. But not credits over the opening scenes. They should be separate and apart, like an overture. I watched Jerry Maguire last night, and I swear that credits were still rolling into the fourth or fifth scene. It was ridiculous-like a disc jockey talking over the opening lines of a song.

 

[AllanN]

Se7en and to a lesser extent Fight Club did have good credit sequences. Although not part of the story line they really set the mood for the movie.

 

[Eric Fisher]

Blackhawk Down.

I don't even remember a studio logo at the start!