Saul Bass was the motion picture industry's pioneer as far as title sequences were concerned. He was probably best known for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock.
The title sequence for Hitchcock's "Psycho" showed how Bass' simple techniques could be used to maximise desired effect. The combination of Bernard Hermann's dramatic score and Bass's moving lines and simple block text give a frenetic almost psychotic feel setting the scene for the events to come.
The lines appear in time with the intense music bringing the words onto the screen and in turn pushing them off from all angles which is a very dramatic effect. This is complemented by the block text which distorts and fragments perfectly in synchronisation with the music.
Bass used the same techniques for the title sequence of "The Man With The Golden Arm" but this time the lines are used in a more laid back manner in sympathy of the films content but still paying attention to the rhythms and pace of the jazz soundtrack. He only uses what he needs rather than overwhelming the screen with unnecessary images.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Bass
YouTube.com (for the film clips)
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