Editorials
The Dying Art of the Horror Movie Title Sequence
More often than not these days, filmmakers opt to jump right into their films without any preamble, skipping any elaborate opening credits. For some, it’s a style choice, but for others it’s simply due to statistics and surveys that show audiences prefer not to see them and get straight to the point. While the title sequence still pops up now and again, it’s nowhere near as prevalent as it once was, making this artform a dying breed.
What exactly is a title sequence? At its most basic level, a title sequence gives the film’s title, obviously, as well as credits for the cast and crew involved. But it also sets the tone of the film ahead. It captures the essence of what the film is about, a sort of tease. Take Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, for example. The long-winding shots overhead of the family’s road trip to the Overlook Hotel while the ominous theme music plays and the credits scroll gives an overall sense of foreboding and dread that carries through the entire movie. Here are more examples that prove how effective the title sequence can be, and a few that keep the artform alive.
Frankenstein (1931)
The title sequence for Universal’s 1931 adaptation of Frankenstein begins with a warning on behalf of the producers by character actor Edward Van Sloan. It’s full of theatrics that promises shock and horror to come. Perhaps even more interesting is that the opening credits list The Monster as being played by a question mark. It’s not until the end credits that the actor is revealed to be Boris Karloff.
Halloween
Like John Carpenter’s simple yet effective theme music, this title sequence manages to accomplish a lot with simplicity. A black background with orange text and a jack o’ lantern flickering orange with candlelight, it’s pure holiday menace. And whether you enjoyed Halloween 2018 or not, how amazing was this callback to the original film via title sequence?
Creepshow
After an opening scene that sets up this anthology’s wraparound, which sees a boy seeking revenge by way of horror comic, the title sequence encapsulates that comic book aesthetic. Vivid animation and matching music set the tone of the film. Moreover, if you’re paying attention, the images give teases of the segments to come.
The Thing
You can always count on John Carpenter to nail a title sequence. Beginning quietly before Ennio Morricone’s score kicks in, it’s the music that sets the tone against plain black and white credits. The title sequence closes with an impressive title effect by Special Optical Effects supervisor Peter Kuran that pays homage to The Thing from Another World.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
What an amazing way to introduce an audience to the central boogeyman without giving too much away. The title and credits are intercut with images of that now iconic glove being assembled and the unnerving boiler room nightmare of Tina. This is how you make an entrance.
Night of the Demons
When you think of title sequences in horror movies, this animated opening almost always comes to mind. A playful animation sequence that invokes haunted houses and Halloween spirit signals that the movie that follows has fun on its mind. That is was handled by animator and artist Kathy Zielinski, known for her work in Disney and The Simpsons, further cemented this title sequence as an all-time great.
Se7en
Up until this point, the title sequence had just about died out completely. David Fincher’s Se7en kickstarted a new renaissance of title sequences thanks to its intricate and highly detailed opening credits. Directed by Kyle Cooper, it’s a series of images and fragments as killer John Doe makes entries in his diary, develops photos, and cuts out book clippings. It all gives the viewer a glimpse into the mind of a serial killer.
The Cabin in the Woods
After an ominous set of credits set to a serious score and red tinted depictions of hell, it abruptly cuts to a seemingly mundane lab with a trio of employees exchanging mundane banter. It’s an intentional set up for the jump scare- the title card. This sequence gives you everything you need to know about the film; at first glance it’s pure horror, but it eventually gives way to humor that lovingly spoofs the horror genre.
Climax
There are many filmmakers today that are doing their part to keep the spirit of title sequences going, and Gaspar Noe is leading the pack. A provocateur that manipulates the format of a title sequence with aggressive style that boldly declares the madness sure to follow, Noe’s work is unlike anyone else’s. In Climax, the main credits don’t even pop up until halfway through; Noe uses them as a way to break up the film into two parts. Tom Kan, the artist behind Noe’s title sequences, give each actor unique font corresponding with their personalities. It’s heavily stylized, and follows on the heels of a pulse-pounding overhead dance number. Noe’s a rulebreaker in every way, and his title sequences serve as a perfect introduction.
What movies have your favorite title sequences?
In a recent interview, filmmaker Christopher Nolan explained that he’s always been interested in directing a bona fide horror movie, with the award-winning director going so far as to praise genre creators for their continued risk-taking on the big screen.
If you’ve seen Nolan’s recently released The Odyssey, you’re likely aware that a scary movie helmed by the legendary director could be a very good idea.
After all, Nolan insisted on making use of old-fashioned movie magic and in-camera practical effects when shooting his adaptation of Homer’s epic. This retro approach made Odysseus’ encounters with mythological beings such as the giant cyclops that much more terrifying. By now, fans are undoubtedly aware that the massive creature was partially brought to life by an enormous puppet enhanced with near-invisible CGI, but there were also plenty of forced perspective shots where actor Bill Irwin actually chomped on disturbingly realistic replicas of Ithican soldiers.
As you can see in the below behind-the-scenes test footage shared by the Los Angeles-based Hamer FX, Irwin was given an assortment of latex dolls filled with fake blood and breakable skeletons that he could tear apart on camera. The darkness of Polyphemus’ cave covers up most of the gore in the finished film, but the moment remains a terrifying highlight in a movie that has a lot to say about the horrors of war.
Nolan actually requested these tiny edible soldiers for the flick because his vision for the iconic cyclops encounter was partially inspired by Francisco Goya’s disturbing mural of Saturn Devouring His Son. This mysterious piece is actually one of the artist’s infamous “Black Paintings,” which were found painted directly onto the walls of his old house near Madrid before a French baron ordered that the collection be transferred to canvas and assigned names for public viewing.
Details like these are what make me think that Nolan could pull off a genuinely scary horror picture if he came across the right idea. That being said, between the Fear Gas sequences in Batman Begins and Circe using body horror magic to transform men into pigs in The Odyssey, one might argue that he’s been preparing for such a task throughout his entire career.
The Odyssey is currently playing in theaters everywhere, though it’s definitely worth seeking out an IMAX screening if you can find one near you.
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