Saul Bass 1920-1996

1. Saul Bass 1920- 1996
His life and work.

2. Saul Bass’s early life and start of his
career
•Saul Bass was an American Graphic designer who became famous for his
work on title sequences and logo designs in films. He studied at the Art
Students League until attending Brooklyn College. His career really began in
the 1940’s in Hollywood where he would deign print advertisements for films.
His big break was when he designed the film poster for the 1954 film Carmen
Jones; director Preminger was so impressed he ask Bass to produce the title
sequence as well. This is when it became apparent that Bass had a unique
and creative style never seen before and this would be the start of many title
sequences that would revolutionise the approach to the design of title
sequences.
“I want to make beautiful things, even if
nobody cares, as opposed to ugly things.
That’s my intent”

3. Bass’ used simplistic techniques in many of his title sequences, lets look at ‘The Man With The
Golden Arm’ for example:
The lines here are very
simplistic, there’s not
actually much too them but
this is what creates the
beauty and it means it’s not
too over complicated.
The colours are simply monochrome,
this sets a serious tone and means the
contrast between the lines and
background stands out. Therefore, the
audience are drawn to the white lines
and text.
The crippled arm is actually symbolic for
The track used in this title sequence
is in time with how the lines and
credits appear; the sound is in sync
with the visuals.
Bass’ work- The Man With The Golden Arm(1955)

4. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
This title sequence also has simplistic aspects all the way through. However,
the shapes are more detailed;
Here, Bass has used silhouette
shapes of body parts . This links to
the title of the film ‘Anatomy of a
murder’ it’s clear in this title
sequence the genre is going to be
crime and it creates an enigma of
‘what type of murder will this be?’
Similar to ‘The Man
With the Golden Arm’,
the music comes in time
with the credits and
shapes and so the
sequence flows, it’s in
sync with the credits.
Bass has used simple colours; grey, black and white. The
use of these colours keeps the sequence simple and
focuses on the main idea which is crime and murder.

5. What Bass has influenced
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Catch Me If You Can is a
biographical crime drama
based on a con artist. The
sequence has taken the style
of Saul Bass and transposed
it into something more
contemporary.
Like in ‘The Man With The Golden
Arm’, Kuntzel and Deygas use lines
throughout the sequence, flowing
with the movement of the people
and credits.
Like Bass, Kuntzel and Deygas have used
shapes of people and objects that lack
detail, creating simplicity.

6. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is an American
crime-comedy film.
Like Bass, Danny Yount has used
shapes of people that lack detail
creating simplicity but not
moving away from the ideas of
the film.
Danny Yount has chose 4 colours too be
used throughout the sequence. They’re mainly
Black, red and white, these colours can connote
danger and blood and so linking to the genre of
‘crime’.