While the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes drastically stymied the film and television industries in 2023, there was still no shortage of incredible title sequence splendor throughout the year. A year ago, I shared my top 10 television opening titles of 2022, but I wanted to enlist the insights of a bonafide title sequence scholar for our 2023 round-up.
Lola Landekic is the editor-in-chief of the wonderful website and critical resource Art of the Title, an online publication dedicated to title sequence design in film, TV, and beyond. I had the joy of interviewing Landekic last year about Art of the Title and title design at large. Now, the always generous Landekic shares her favorite opening titles across TV and film from 2023.
Dead Ringers (TV series)
“[Dead Ringers] features a main title reveal—rather than a full sequence—that appears at the opening of each episode, but it’s done with flair. The typography itself is a beautiful choice: the blood-red typeface with wide open curves and sharp serifs. The title appears differently in each episode, giving a sense of the unexpected, melding with the footage in an often fascinating way. I really appreciated this simple yet effective approach. It’s designed by Randy Balsmeyer of Big Film Design, previously of Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc., who actually designed the titles for the original Dead Ringers film 35 years ago.”
The Killer (film)
“David Fincher loves a title sequence, and this one was clearly part of the vision from day one. The sharp, slick slideshow of weapons being prepared and deadly actions taken fits in neatly with Fincher’s standard aesthetic and sets up the world of the titular killer.”
Poor Things (film)
“I loved the opening and closing titles for Poor Things—and the chapter headings throughout the film—done in a hand-lettering that immediately seemed to me a beautiful ode to Pablo Ferro’s long-limbed inky style from films like Men in Black, The Addams Family, and Stop Making Sense. The design is by Vasilis Marmatakis, who also created the fantastic posters for the film.”
May December (film)
“May December features elegant, gentle opening titles with typography that’s large yet light, a hollow all-caps sans serif in a pale color overlaid with footage. I was delighted to see it was designed by Todd Haynes’ regular titles collaborator, the activist, artist, and designer Marlene McCarty, who was also joined by designer Teddy Blanks.”
Infinity Pool (film)
“I’m obviously a fan of the Cronenberg clan, so I had to check out his son Brandon’s third feature film, Infinity Pool, which has a vibrant, colorful opener of various incarnations of typefaces and styles. The title logo is fun because it has a sense of symmetry and reflection, which echoes the film’s themes of death, rebirth, and the eternal return. It was designed by Aleksander Walijewski with music by Tim Hecker.”
Leave the World Behind (film)
“I enjoyed this title sequence because it was so unexpected and because it’s an obvious nod to titles of the past, specifically those designed by Saul Bass for Alfred Hitchcock: the simplicity of Psycho, the spiral abstraction of Vertigo. The imagery in Leave the World Behind‘s titles hints at what’s to come—the scale of the dreadful events, the gravity of the impending situation—but doesn’t give too much away. The film’s narrative arc reminded me very much of Hitchcock’s The Birds—what initially seems to be a harmless getaway for the well-to-do turns into a mysterious, apocalyptic nightmare—so the stylistic nod and connection feels apt. Antenna Creative designed the sequence with music by Mac Quayle.”
Saltburn (film)
“I can’t forget Saltburn’s terrific opening titles! A stunning crimson red blackletter typeface with gold embellishments shimmies and shakes, almost mimicking an optical effect, over footage of main character Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) and the opening scene. It’s a grand spot of style— modern meets old money, designed by Katie Buckley with assistance from India Paparestis-Stacey.”
What sort of trends in the opening titles space were prevalent in 2023?
Landekic: Recent title sequences increasingly embrace the history of the art form. We see this in the nod to Pablo Ferro’s work in the titles to Poor Things, the use of the original Dead Ringers film title designer Randy Balsmeyer for the new series, the collaboration between veteran designer Marlene McCarty and relative newcomer (he’s worked in the field for ten years, so truly not that new) Teddy Blanks for May December. I want to think that’s because the history of title design has come out of the shadows and become more accessible to designers, filmmakers, and fans thanks to sites like Art of the Title and the attention that the art form has gotten over the last decade.