Analysis of contemporary opening title sequences vs. older opening title sequences:

Watchmen

Film Release: 2009

Genre: Action/ Mystery/ Sci-fi Fantasy

Directed: Zack Snyder 

The Opening credits of Watchmen were all shot in slow motion with using minor CGI. The first thing  you hear is the soundtrack which “ Every bodies Changing by Bob Dylan” which is appropriate because during the title sequence  It shows the evolution of superheroes over 30 years.  The first shot is a slow motion shot of the night owl punching a robber in the face, it is accompanied by the film distributers Paramount pictures and Warner bros pictures the colour of the font is yellow which is the colour scheme of the film. The screen begins to black out and is brought on by the next shot of Silk spectre 1 holding a Newspaper with her name as the header of an article with camera smoke slowly drifting across the screen, this show the paparazzi and taking pictures of her, this also shows that she famous, across the check the production company appears A Lawrence Gordon? Lloyd Levin Production.  The Comedian in his younger days is seen with another criminal in a head lock and a swag sack of money in the other with a cigar in his mouth the cigar smoke wafts across the screen along with bullets falling across the screen as the robber is open firing, then next set of titles appear A Zack Snyder film. The next shot is all the Minutemen getting ready for a photo shoot  then the name of the film appears in bold yellow font WATCHMEN. Now the names of the actors begins to appear accompanied by the down fall of the Minutemen of their murders , Retirement or imprisonment. Now the titles are still showing the cast members but now the shot are replaced with the new generation of super heroes The Watchmen. Dr Manhattan is seen shaking hands with President Kennedy, the next shot is his assignation, the Comedian is firing the a gun, now the other credits are seen such costume designer or editors, the credits begin to wind down with the new group of superheroes having  a photo shoot, then the title sequence comes to an end with a television set with Richard Nixon on it saying Nixon elected, the camera zoom out until its out of the shop and someone is graffitiing on the glass saying “ Who watches the Watchmen” finishing with an over shoulder shot of someone throwing a Molotov at the glass the Directors name appears just before Zack Snyder, the explosion covers the screen in flames then the titles finish.

BATMAN

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Film Release: 1989

Genre: Action/ Crime/Drama

Directed: Tim Burton

With the Batman title sequence it doesn’t use CGI unlike the Watchmen titles at some points. I chose this title sequence because it is made in a different style but the same genre. The credits start in a foggy night sky the soundtrack plays composed by Danny Elfman, then the first set of titles appear in a gold coloured font Warner bros presents, the camera moves slowly down and as it does that the three main actors names appear Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger, as this is happening the camera swoops slowly down into a maze cave. The production company appears A Guber-Peter Company Production then a Tim Burton Film appears, the camera enters the maze cave which is completely dark then the titles appear in the same style of font BATMAN. The maze cave then comes back into vision and the rest of the main cast begin to appear as well as the music costumes and editors names.  The camera begins to draw out wards to a bird eye angle to reveal that the maze cave is into fact shaped like the batman symbol; the directors name appears across the logo Directed by Tim Burton