During the silent film era, film titling was a utilitarian affair title sequences plainly listed cast and crew, while intertitles were used to convey dialogue between characters as well as narrative or descriptive information in the absence of synchronous sound. When appraising the legacy of Caligari’s innovative opening titles, it’s important to consider the state of title design in those early days of cinema. Image set: Posters by expressionist illustrator Josef Fenneker
Featuring sharp, angular typography designed to match the disturbing subject matter and twisted visual landscape of the film, the highly stylized titles and intertitles of Caligari echo the lettering found in the work of contemporary Expressionist illustrators like Josef Fenneker.
#Horror film title sequence movie#
Described by critic Roger Ebert as "the first true horror film," Weine’s masterwork of German Expressionist cinema also features the first true horror movie title sequence. Caligari follows the titular doctor (Werner Krauss), a deranged hypnotist who uses a troubled sleepwalker named Cesare (Conrad Veidt) to commit a series of murders. The 1920 film, directed by Robert Weine, was undoubtedly a major turning point for the art of title design.
No introduced moviegoers to the true potential of title design, an unknown designer left an indelible mark on the craft with The Cabinet of Dr. When discussing watershed moments in the history of title design names like Saul Bass and Maurice Binder often crop up.
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