Catch Me if you Can

I have decided to look at the work of Olivier Kuntzel, who is a part of design duo 'Kuntzel and Deygas'. Below is a copy of the title sequence creeated by the duo at Nexus productions:


http://www.youtube.com/

"Catch Me If You Can has been compared to “the light, sophisticated Cary Grant comedies of the 1950s and 1960s. Designed by Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Deygas for Nexus Productions, the sequence is a brightly coloured animation of geometrically stylised figures chasing one another through geometrically stylised scenery.

These titles have been widely noted by reviewers, who have likened them to Depatie-Freleng's celebrated animations for the Pink Panther films as well as more general design trends of 1960s titling such as the work of Saul Bass.

Sight and Sound magazine went so far as to describe the title sequence of Catch Me If You Can's as one of the film's two most striking features. Such acclaim in itself recalls that which greeted The Pink Panther credits".

Deborah Allison
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com

As stated in the extract from the artcile by Deborah Allison, there are clear references in the titles for this 2002 film. The image below shows still taken from the title sequence for 'Catch me if You Can', alongside some stills from Saul Bass', 'Man With the Golden Arm'. In both title sequences line and text are used in order to create visually stunning pieces.

Stills Taken from 'Catch me if You Can Titles':

(Mundi, Anima, 2004, Animation Now, Germany: Taschen, p218)

Stills taken from Saul Bass' 'The Man with the Golden Arm':


http://www.youtube.com/

Obviously the work by Saul Bass is a direct reference to design trends of the 1960's, however I think that the colour pallette that they have chosen for elements within the titles for 'Catch me of You Can' suggest a 1960's colour pallette. For example, the use of bright, bold colours.

Images reflecting 1960's colour pallette:

http://rlv.zcache.com/1960s

http://www.flickr.com/photos/locamama/2280901574/

The Pink Panther Titles:

http://www.youtube.com/

The titles for 'Catch Me if You Can' are a modern take on the ones for 'The Man with the Golden Gun' and 'The Pink Panther'. I think that it is a great example of how a modern designer can take influence from other animatoars, but still keep a sense of there own style, with a modern feel.