The genius is there to be seen and admired in this Vertigo poster, an iconic piece that transcends the world of movie memorabilia to stand as a pivotal moment not only in the history of graphic design, but also in popular culture as a whole. ‘We feel the genius of Saul Bass was to find an idea linked with the music.’) Brilliant, just brilliant'.Īt the same time, a series of homages and knowing pastiches helped to introduce the Bass style to a new generation – most notably in the title sequence to Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can (2002), designed by French duo Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Deygas (‘His name stayed as the reference point for that kind of graphic design sequence,’ they told . August 09, 2017, 2:19pm The man who launched a million minimalist movie posters (try not to hold that against him), graphic designer Saul Bass may have spent most of his career advertising. Quentin Tarantino paid tribute, saying 'Saul Bass was undoubtedly the greatest title-sequence maker. However, their distinctive style, emblematic of a golden era, with its nods to jazz, film noir and old school glamour of Tinseltown, saw a revival of interest in Bass's work, from the 1990s onwards, with Martin Scorsese in particular employing him to work on Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993) and Casino (1995). 'This Vertigo poster is an iconic piece that transcends the world of movie memorabilia to stand as a pivotal moment not only in the history of graphic design, but also in popular culture' In the same year, he produced the famous ‘kinetic’ titles for Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, in which the words appear within a grid that is gradually revealed to be formed by the windows of a skyscraper. Highlights include the much-imitated cut-out sequences for Preminger’s Man With the Golden Arm (1955) and Hitchcock’s Anatomy of a Murder (1959). Realising the creative potential of the opening credits to set the tone and mood of the film, Bass's use of animation was nothing short of groundbreaking. Having worked on Hollywood print advertisements in the 1940s, his big break came when the director Otto Preminger, impressed by Bass’s promotional poster for his 1954 film Carmen Jones, invited him to produce the title sequence too. But it is his film work that he is most remembered for. Given his skills, it’s no surprise that Bass also turned his hand to branding - he was responsible for some of the best-known corporate logos in the world, including those for Bell Telephone, the AT&T Corporation, United Airlines, General Foods, Hanna-Barbera, Continental Airlines, Kleenex and Quaker Oats. Coupled with the classic design, condition and sheer size, this is one of the ultimate film posters of the 20th century. Bass had designed the film's full US campaign using slight variations on the placement of the figures in relation to the spiral artwork, according to size. As part of the Original Film Posters auction opening 27 January and closing on 10 February, this 81 x 81 inch Vertigo poster, printed on four sheets, was super-sized for billboards and is one of only three copies known to exist. More than just a graphic designer, he created the visual identity for some of Hollywood’s most iconic films of the 1950s and 1960s, producing not only movie posters but often the opening title sequences too.Īmongst his very best work is the legendary design for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 film Vertigo, which incorporated a distinctive spiral graphic element, to convey a dizzying sense of disorientation. Perhaps I’m luckier than most in that I receive considerable satisfaction from doing useful work which I, and sometimes others, think is good.T’s safe to say that Saul Bass revolutionised the way that films are marketed and presented to the public. “There is nothing glamorous in what I do. It looks so simple yet is hard to recreate – just the way great design ought to be. Academy Film Scholar Jan-Christopher Horak will give a presentation on his forthcoming book Saul Bass: Anatomy of Film Design, examining the career of one of the most accomplished designers in Hollywood history. So today, in our own homage to Mr Bass, we have compiled just a few of our favourite pieces for you to admire.Īs you can see, his work was varied and intelligent. Our design team – along with with anyone who has a smidge of interest in graphic design, art or illustration – are big fans of his work. We felt that this, and the work of this great designer should not go unmentioned. Today, Google has marked the birthday of Saul Bass with a fantastic doodle. Album cover for Duke Ellingtons music from the motion picture Anatomy of a Murder. His design ethos was simple and stylish, just like his work. Saul Bass, Duke Ellington, Columbia Records. “Design is just thinking made visual” – This famous quote from Saul Bass has been drummed into design students for years now.
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