28 February 2011
Opening title sequence from "The Shining"
The IFC website has an article this week hyperbolically entitled "The 50 Greatest Opening Title Sequences of All Time." Any listing like that obviously has to be totally subjective, and I disagree with many of the inclusions, but browsing it did give me a chance to see again some of my favorites, including the one embedded above, which I've never blogged, but always loved because of the scenery, the ominous soundtrack, and the car (I used to have a yellow VW Beetle identical to that one).
For a more in-depth discussion of opening title sequences, go to The Art of the Title Sequence, which I reviewed about two years ago.
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Interesting thing when "Barry Nelson"'s name goes by the credits is that the motion-compensation algorithm in the video compression had a glitch, and his name splits and becomes part of the rocky cliff! Happens at 1:41.
ReplyDeleteI saw that and didn't understand what was going on. I presume it wasn't in he movie credits, but in the recording of them??
ReplyDeleteSomething similar happens with Stephen King's name at around 2:12 It's as if the blue had somehow leaked out.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is that music? It's the theme of some classical piece, but just the theme. In the actual piece, after a couple of repetitions of the theme as here, in the tubas (?), the violins come in and repeat the theme along with the tubas but twice as fast. It's making me nuts that I can't think what it is. It's by a late-19th or early 20th-century composer. Maybe Russian?
I had to watch this movie as a punishment when I was 14. My father turned it on and walked out with the remote. I was told to just sit there and watch it. One of the weirdest punishments ever. Hated it. Dunno if I would have liked it more in different circumstances.
ReplyDeleteAnon, the music accompanying the title is based on Berlioz' "Dies Irae" from his "Symphonie Fantastique." Is that what you're thinking of?
ReplyDeleteThe opening footage from The Shining is also the ending footage from the (theatrical 1982 release) ending of Blade Runner.
ReplyDeleteblitherypoop: I have to agree.. that is one of the weirdest punishments I have heard of. Especially since I can see nothing rehabilitating, instructional or redeeming in it.
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