Hardback
1484 illustrations
440 pages
290 x 258
ISBN 978 1 85669 752 1
$75.00
Published November 2011
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: From the Beginning
Chapter 2: Renaissance Designer
Chapter 3: Reinventing Movie Titles
Chapter 4: Beginnings, Middles & Ends
Chapter 5: The Wheel Comes Full Circle
Chapter 6: Corporate Identity
Chapter 7: Personal Handwriting
Reviews Post Comments Books by the same author
This is the first book to be published on one of the greatest American designers of the 20th century, who was as famous for his work in film as for his corporate identity and graphic work. Saul Bass (1920-1996) created some of the most compelling images of American postwar visual culture. Having extended the remit of graphic design to include film titles, he went on to transform the genre. His best-known works include a series of unforgettable posters and title sequences for films such as Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and Otto Preminger's The Man with the Golden Arm and Anatomy of a Murder. He also created some of the most famous logos and corporate identity campaigns of the century, including those for major companies such as AT&T, Quaker Oats, United Airlines and Minolta.
His wife and collaborator, Elaine, joined the Bass office in the late 1950s. Together they created an impressive series of award-winning short films, including the Oscar-winning Why Man Creates, as well as an equally impressive series of film titles, ranging from Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus in the early 1960s to Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear and Casino in the 1990s.
Designed by Saul Bass's daughter Jennifer and written by distinguished design historian Pat Kirkham, who knew Saul Bass, this book contains more than 1,400 illustrations, many from the Bass archive and never published before, providing an in-depth account of one of the leading graphic artists of the 20th century.
This definitive study is eagerly anticipated by design and film enthusiasts.
Jennifer Bass is a graphic designer and artist. She has worked at CBS Television in New York and at Sussman/Prejza & Company in Los Angeles.In 1994, she and her husband, Lance Glover, opened their studio, Treehouse Design Partnership in Los Angeles, working in the areas of environmental graphics, identity and book design.
Pat Kirkham is Professor in the History of Design, Decorative Arts and Culture at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture, New York. She has written and edited a number of books, including "Charles and Ray Eames" (1998) and "Women Designers in the USA 1900–2000" (2001).
Yes, the wait is over
16/01/2012
I too have been waiting. I was in London in 2002 and was visting the Design Museum. It was on offer then with a 10% Discount. To be honest I was surprised as this book is priceless. I just need to get my hands on one now!! Great effort on finishing it, it must have been such an emotional roller coaster and logistical nightmare. Great achievement to a man who made us look further when our eyes were closed!
by kane McPherson
FINALLY!
02/12/2011
It's about time! I guess the copyright issues were resolved, since there had to be so many of them. Saul got around a bit, so he was quite the free-lancer.
I can't think of how many movies that he did that are SO much better because of his work. The number of people he's influenced is too huge to mention.
However, one man does stand out. Maurice Binder, the man who created the Bond movie titles for so long. There are many more, but Binder's work is so known, as is Saul Bass' work.
by RickDVD
Great Book
02/12/2011
I'm slowly working my way through the book, relishing each page.
A pleasant discovery was the fact that Saul sounds like he was a genuinely good person, a nice guy. Having just finished reading "Steve Jobs" makes this all the more significant.
by Steve McGuffie
Good Things Come...
06/11/2011
I remember picking up a leaflet for this at the Design Museum's Bass retrospective over seven years ago!
For 6 years the leaflet adorned my desk as I regularly scoured the web to see if had been published yet. Then I gave up...
So, chancing by Amazon today I was absolutely delighted when an image of the iconic golden arm popped up alongside a publish date of Nov 7th.
I'm so glad to see this has finally made it out of the legal department's in tray... and just in time for my birthday too!
by orfy
WITHOUT PEER !!!!!!!!!!!
06/09/2011
Saul Bass was a Friend, Mentor and Teacher, I had the Distinct Privilege meeting Mr. Bass in the early nineties
at the Aspen Design Conference, Bare Bones.
I grew up with his work in my home since the 1960s.
SAUL BASS was the GREATEST Designer in the History of Visual Communication
Bar None.
I use the above comment interchangeably with Herbert Bayer and Paul Rand.
There has never been a Designer in History who Designed as well, Directed Titles and Special Sequences for the Largest Grossing Movies in history within the same year Develop and Design Corporate Identity Programs for the Largest Corporation(s) in the World, within America, South America, The United Kingdom and Japan.
In this Respect, SAUL BASS is WITHOUT PEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Bass Monogram began circa 1995 before the untimely death of Mr. Bass.
The Original Format was 17 x 34 give or take a few inches to showcase the IMPACT of Mr. Bass, Poster Design,
Corporate Identity and Packaging.
Jenny Bass scaled the book down to a smaller format.
Sixteen years in the making when Saul Bass began.
Eleven years since Jenny Bass began.
Copyright issues plagued the book.
Allow me to expound, when Saul Bass was alive he had Carte Blanch to publish any and all his material to promote his Corporate Identity, Film and Design Practice.
When Saul Bass passed in 1996 the use of his work as promotional material ceased.
Many of you know in the Design Profession because of Buy Outs the Designer has No Rights to his work once purchased by the client.
Negotiations with clients ensure The Designer has the right to publish said work to promote their business during his/her Lifetime.
Before Saul Bass' untimely death in 1996 he was desperately trying to publish his book.
With the assistance of Martin Scorsese the Saul Bass Monograph is now published.
I have No Doubt this will be the BEST and FASTEST SELLING BOOK in Design History.
Kudos and Accolades to Jenny Bass and Prof. Pat Kirkham.
Job well done is an understatement since I'm Privy to what's in the Monogram.
Designer/Blogger formerly known as DesignMaven.
SAUL BASS, scholar, acolyte, and disciple.
FCB/dm
by Frank C. Briggs/DesignMaven
Yay
04/09/2011
Been waiting for this book for such a long time, can't wait to buy it.
by Ruth Heath
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