A personal tribute to Mr. Saul Bass, with a nod to creative thinkers everywhere.

Brilliance is brilliance. Always has been. Always will be. Sometimes it comes in a flash. Sometimes it emerges from a protracted period of serious contemplation. It is not the sole property of young or old and often presents itself in the form of an unexpected surprise. Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996), an American graphic designer and filmmaker, was no stranger to brilliance. I remember when his two short concept pieces, "Why Man Creates - Parts 1 and 2" were first released and the impact they had on those of us dragging ourselves through the 60's and filling seats in university classrooms from coast to coast. I think it's time to hold a little revival and I'm happy to share them with you now.

Why Man Creates - Part 1

If you're anything like me, you'll need to play this one several times. There are subtleties in here that slip by so quickly and totally deserve to be seen, heard and appreciated.

Why Man Creates - Part 2

The opening sequence is totally 1960's. Go with it. You'll be glad you did.

Bass's movie posters are my favorite part of his graphic design legacy.

[Wikipedia] All of Bass's posters had a distinctive style. After his first film project Carmen Jones, he frequently collaborated with Otto Preminger as well as with Alfred Hitchcock and others. His work spanned five decades and inspired numerous other designers

He received an unintentionally backhanded tribute in 1995, when Spike Lee's film Clockers was promoted by a poster that was strikingly similar to Bass's 1959 work for Preminger's film Anatomy of a Murder. Designer Art Sims claimed that it was made as an homage, but Bass regarded it as theft.

The cover art for the White Stripes' single The Hardest Button to Button is clearly inspired by the Bass poster for The Man with the Golden Arm. The original Thai poster for Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Last Life in the Universe is also influenced by Bass' work.

Brilliance is brilliance. Always has been. Always will be.

July 15, 2011   Permalink   Saul Bass - The Last Millennium