Forget the Film, Watch the Titles!

Brought to you by Amsterdam's Submarine Channel, Forget the Film, Watch the Titles! features 38 examples—from Hollywood blockbuster Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps to first-person-shooter Killzone 2—of some of the best title-sequence designs since 2003, along with interviews with top designers worldwide. Suffice it to say, this two-disc set does its best to ensure that you never again take for granted this component of the visual experience of movies, TV programs, and video games—all of which are included here. What's fascinating about this straightforward look at a deceptively simple and under-the-radar art form is how it provides a sense of the varied individual approaches to the task. On the one hand, someone like Richard Morrison (who worked on Sweeney Todd and Batman, among other films) plays down the design process behind each effort; on the other, some think of themselves as storytellers, viewing their title sequences as almost a structured visual homage to the overall work itself. Although plenty of these artists use the latest in computer graphics technology, others such as Germany's Darius Ghanai impress the most here: Ghanai's moving collages of old Berlin postcards for the opening sequence of Good Bye Lenin! is an uncomplicated but creatively stunning approach. Presenting the title sequences on the first disc and interviews with the creators on the second, this collection certainly confirms the legitimacy of this much underrated and understudied niche. DVD extras include a 36-page companion booklet. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)