What am I seeing on the screen in my mind?

July 23, 2012 8:58 PM

TV/Movie Title Sequence Filter: For production reference I'm trying to figure out what tv/movie title sequence I am picturing - it's from the 60s (or has that retro feel), is an animation of/or including straight lines in different arrangements, they are (sometimes?) blue.

Even if you can't pinpoint the specific one in my head, your suggestions will be helpful.

posted by auntietennis to media & arts (11 answers total)

Sounds like something Saul Bass would do. Perhaps you're thinking of Charade?
posted by Hello Darling at 9:02 PM on July 23, 2012

*Saul Bass or Maurice Binder. Film nerd fail.
posted by Hello Darling at 9:03 PM on July 23, 2012

This is too vague to trigger anything for me. More details would be great.
posted by DesmondDoomsday at 9:03 PM on July 23, 2012

Yeah, it's probably something Saul Bass. Here's a collection of his title sequences.
posted by griphus at 9:04 PM on July 23, 2012

The Mentalist's title sequence fits your description.
posted by smilingtiger at 9:19 PM on July 23, 2012

They're not blue, but Saul Bass' titles for The Man with the Golden Arm is all straight lines in different arrangements.
posted by mediated self at 9:26 PM on July 23, 2012

this reminds me of the intro to the Jeeves & Wooster series.
posted by katieanne at 4:17 AM on July 24, 2012

Catch Me If You Can has a very Bassian title sequence.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:26 AM on July 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Your description reminded me of Cowboy Bebop.
posted by Monster_Zero at 6:52 AM on July 24, 2012

Well, not title sequences... but might you be thinking of The Dot and the Line (Chuck Jones out of Norman Juster) or The Critic(Mel Brooks)?
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 7:45 AM on July 24, 2012

Saul Bass is a very good possibility. That collection is great! I'm working my way through looking up all the titles, but in the mean time:

The lines are thin, mostly vertical. They move in staccato tempo along with the music. They don't take up the whole screen. Sometimes they overlap each other a little -- like pick up sticks. The background is black. I wish I had more details to give!

Thanks for turning me on to The Critic! Not what I was thinking, but hilarious.
posted by auntietennis at 6:47 PM on July 24, 2012