Casino Royale Opening Credits
I went to see this film on the day that it came out and still the main thing I remember about it were the opening credits.
It was a great introduction to the film, using the film name as a literal theme to the entire credit sequence. It is amazing what can be done when limited to four simple symbols; hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds.
It incorporated the expected action theme of the Bond series using the symbols and other linear objects associated with casinos, for example the roulette wheel.
I thought it really did set the scene for the remainder of the film, immediately making you engage with the casino theme with action scenes right from the very start. Simple things like villains being shot and the blood seeping out creating and morphing into the shapes of diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades. It didn’t once shy away from using the linear symbols to create violent images, even spades being projected from a gun shot and diamonds being thrown to result in stabbing the villains in the chest. Perhaps not a scene you would associate with something as simple and innocent looking as a suit symbol from playing cards.
Transactions between the different ‘scenes’ of the credits were done so smoothly with shapes constantly morphing into other objects. The elaborate patterns with which playing cards are associated with on the picture cards are also bravely incorporated into the credits. Thankfully this is done in a way which works although I fear that it could have had a negative effect if used too overtly in that the designs would appear too garish and look a little tacky.
Particularly effective elements also include the dramatic shooting of a guy who then shatters into hundreds of diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades which then disintegrate into the background. Another example would be the sinister target elegantly changing into the recognised roulette wheel. There are even parts of the credits that use the fractal concept which we looked at in our design theory module.
The credits are ended with a 7 of hearts into which two bullet holes are shot in front of the 7 creating the infamous ‘007’ image without which Bond wouldn’t be complete. Overall I think that the credits successfully set the scene and mood for the rest of the film.
It was a great introduction to the film, using the film name as a literal theme to the entire credit sequence. It is amazing what can be done when limited to four simple symbols; hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds.
It incorporated the expected action theme of the Bond series using the symbols and other linear objects associated with casinos, for example the roulette wheel.
I thought it really did set the scene for the remainder of the film, immediately making you engage with the casino theme with action scenes right from the very start. Simple things like villains being shot and the blood seeping out creating and morphing into the shapes of diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades. It didn’t once shy away from using the linear symbols to create violent images, even spades being projected from a gun shot and diamonds being thrown to result in stabbing the villains in the chest. Perhaps not a scene you would associate with something as simple and innocent looking as a suit symbol from playing cards.
Transactions between the different ‘scenes’ of the credits were done so smoothly with shapes constantly morphing into other objects. The elaborate patterns with which playing cards are associated with on the picture cards are also bravely incorporated into the credits. Thankfully this is done in a way which works although I fear that it could have had a negative effect if used too overtly in that the designs would appear too garish and look a little tacky.
Particularly effective elements also include the dramatic shooting of a guy who then shatters into hundreds of diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades which then disintegrate into the background. Another example would be the sinister target elegantly changing into the recognised roulette wheel. There are even parts of the credits that use the fractal concept which we looked at in our design theory module.
The credits are ended with a 7 of hearts into which two bullet holes are shot in front of the 7 creating the infamous ‘007’ image without which Bond wouldn’t be complete. Overall I think that the credits successfully set the scene and mood for the rest of the film.
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