Maurice Binder & the Bond Title Sequences

DrMaybe

I'm a part-time graphics artist, and have often gotten inspiration from the great title sequences from Bond films. Along with Saul Bass(North by Northwest, Psycho etc) and Iginio Lardani(Sergio Leone westerns), Maurice Binder created some of the most memorable graphix and title designs ever put to film.

I searched the forum, and could not find much about him, other than an obit and a few random comments. I was wondering how many other members enjoyed his work, what their favorites were, etc. Did he stack up to his contemporaries? And will the series ever completely withdraw from the use of Binder-like title sequences.

Hardyboy

Binder was an artist and he was one of the people who made Bond into an icon. After all, he created the gun barrel logo, and no one can really think of a Bond title sequence being without silhoutted nudes (though CR did away with them). My personal favorite of his title designs is You Only Live Twice: beautiful ladies, exploding volcanoes, Japanese-inspired lettering--a real masterwork. All Bond titles more or less follow Binder's lead, so I don't think the series will ever get entirely away from his influence.

emtiem

He did come up with a great visual style that stays with Bond today. Personally I think Robert Brownjohn's interpretation of it for Goldfinger is the classiest Bond has ever been, but Binder came up with the great initial ideas.

7289

While Binder's "gunbarrel" has become classic Bond, I think the best of the "original" titles were FRWL and GF, and I'm not sure Binder did both of them.

The nudes are one of those "iconic" Bond traditions that have been used to death. I have nothing against nude ladies, but too many Bond titles have used that format and it is to my mind quite stale now.

Casino Royale was a breath of fresh air, and I look forward to something different at the beginning of QOS.

RJJB

There is always a great anticipation for the title sequences in a Bond movie. Up to and through OHMSS, there seemed to be stronger effort to make them more thematic than their successors. Binder's best were Thunderball and YOLT, for unlike many of the later title sequences, they are not interchangeable from movie to movie. His succeding work is less memorable, though enjoyable. His contribution to the series is certainly important, although Robert Brownjohn gets special credit for his iconic work for FRWL and GF.

I've often thought it would cool if there were a DVD of just the title sequences with all the credit copy removed. It'd be a great way to enjoy the music together with the signature imagery of the series.

emtiem

Of course Brownjohn also did the poster for Goldfinger (which I think is one of, if not the best): he was a very talented chap.

RJJB wrote:

I've often thought it would cool if there were a DVD of just the title sequences with all the credit copy removed. It'd be a great way to enjoy the music together with the signature imagery of the series.

I think they are available on most of the UE DVDs without text.

Napoleon Plural

Binder did the credits to the last Road film, Road to Hong Kong, which had a Pink Panther feel to them. I reviewed this on ajb a week ago.

He also did The Wild Geese, very Bond like. Did he do Charade? Must admit I think the nudes stuff needs updating, and has been a bit.

DrMaybe

Yes, he did the very Bassian-inspired credits for Charade. If you go to YouTube, you can find most of his work. I was unaware that he had done the cheesy slo-mo strip sequence for Barbarella, or the great titles for Tamarind Seed.

DrMaybe

I just finished watching the YouTube trailer for Fathom(hadn't realized Binder had worked on it). It consists, mainly, of Raquel Welch packing her chute(no pun intended). Also rewatched the Thunderball credits, which, if not the most original, have to rank as the most colorful.