There are some cases where I’d gladly watch the credits over and over again, and the film is somewhat of a letdown afterwards. Superman – It takes you wonderfully from that circa 1940 world of narrow movie screens and reading a comic on the living room rug through the stars and R/Greenberg Associates’ wonderful slit-scan credits to the planet Krypton, accompanied by John Williams’ fanfare of a score. The pyrotechnic “wonders of space” were far inferior to the similar idea that Stanley Kubrick had done a over a decade earlier with interacting chemicals for 2001, but I can overlook that.
Charade – Maurice Binder’s opening animation , coupled with Henry Mancini’s score are intriguing. Binder would go on to greater fame with his James Bond openings, which probably fit into this thread, too, but the one he did for Charade, and his first James Bond one (for Dr. No) were very different, traditional animation.
Return of the Pink Panther (1975) – the return of the series after a decade-long hiatus was heralded with some wonderful DePatie-Freleng animation
Around the World in 80 Days – the closing credits by the renowned Saul Bass basically retells the entire story in cartoon form, so you know who did what. It’s longer than your average cartoon. Not as good, but worth watching, are his opening credits for It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Touch of Evil – Easily the most suspenseful opening ever.
Your choices?
Cal cites The Return of the Pink Panther. However, I think the original Pink Panther movie (1963, Peter Sellers, David Niven, and Robert Wagner) fits the topic much better. It was an enjoyable little movie, but of no real significance or staying power. However, the credit sequence spawned an industry. Basically, without the monster success of the resulting Pink Panther cartoons, I doubt the sequels would have been made.
Watchmen is (in my opinion) a pretty good adaptation of the comic book and a good film, despite some flaws. By far the best part of it is the opening credits.
(I should note that two sequels were made, A Shot In the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. Neither had much if any pop cultural impact. The series didn’t take off until they brought back the title (credits) character.)
The credits sequence for the Return was, I think, much longer and technically more advanced. It was praised by critics at the time as one of the best parts of the movie. The original might have greater significance, but I’d rather watch the Panther impersonating Frankenstein’s monster, Groucho Marx, and all the rest than watch the original “sprung from a pink flaw in a diamond” animated opening.
Cal, I suppose you are correct, if the topic is** Movies where the opening or closing credits are as good as or better than the movie. I guess my response was on the topic of Movies where the opening or closing credits are as significant or more so than the movie**.
I find it interesting that the Pink Panther contributed more to the success of the movies than the talents of the remarkable Peter Sellers.
I loved the opening to Contact. The giant pullback from earth through the solar system and through the Milky Way through to the farthest reaches of the universe and finally ending up in young Ellie’s eye was incredible.
While I am one that liked the film, it was a letdown from the credits!
I saw this for the first time at a packed house in college, and it was a wonderful experience. That movie is absolutely relentless. Not a slack second - something funny (big or small) is happening at all times, so no wonder they did something fun with the opening credits.
Pulp Fiction. The transition from the coffee shop and “I’ll blow every last one of you motherfuckers’ heads off!” to Jules’s car and “Le Big Mac,” all to the tune of “Miserlou,” has to be a landmark in the history of Western cinema.
The ending wasn’t too shabby either. It was great when Vincent and Jules walked out of the diner like a couple of gunslingers to the tune of “Surf Rider.”
