Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676

How did ’ experience as a graphic designer change his approach to de-

sign for the film industry?

45 Credits

7821 Words

1 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676

Index

1. Introduction.

2. Literature review.

Bass’s education and understanding of design.

Modernism and Bass’s Bauhaus education.

Bass’s education in Psychology.

3. Chapter 1: Psychology and Film.

Visual psychology and Semiotics.

Psychology in film.

4. Chapter 2: Audience perception and understanding.

Bass’s design skills in film.

The /Saul Bass relationship.

5. Chapter 3: Comparing Bass to artists in film.

Film advertising artists.

The Stanley Kubrick/Saul Bass relationship.

6. Chapter 4: Summary.

A summary of the information gathered throughout the dissertation.

7. Conclusion.

8. Bibliographies.

Written references.

Image references.

2 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676

Introduction

This dissertation focuses on the life of Saul Bass, but particularly the ways in which his art and design education and his interest in psychology influenced his deci- sions as a designer and how those factors supported him as a designer and visual con- sultant throughout his career. This paper follows his journey from a young artist and de- signer, interested and inspired by the modernist style of the Bauhaus in Chicago to somebody who worked to develop his understanding of the graphic design and film in- dustries, and more specifically, how his journey as a graphic designer meant that his approach to the film industry was different to that of a more conventional ‘film-maker’.

Alongside his role as a graphic designer, Saul Bass had a keen interest and thor- ough knowledge of psychology; he was somebody who applied his skills as a whole to his work. There was a different kind of awareness and confidence which radiated from his work and this was noticeable throughout his career. This dissertation doesn’t only explore his relationship with graphic design and the film industry but also the way in which his knowledge of psychology and application of such supported him throughout his work on psychological films - thrillers and horrors in particular.

Literature Review

Bass was a world renowned American graphic designer who studied under Gy- orgy Kepes, at the New Bauhaus in Chicago. Bass was an admirer of Kepes’ work after discovering his Language of vision (1944) in a book store. Kepes worked with former

Bauhaus teacher Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and had headed the Light and Colour depart- ment in the new Bauhaus in Chicago. "Kepes changed the way Saul thought about de- sign" (Bass, 2011:9).

3 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676

This was a pivotal time in Bass’ design education, he was heavily influenced and in-

spired during his studies at the New Bauhaus and by Kepes who had a keen interest in

filmic sequence in design. Kepes combined his love of light and colour and amalga-

mated this with the Bauhaus ideas he knew so well (Aynsley, 2004:104).

The combination of the various aspects mentioned proved to be effective in

Kepes’ work, the contrasting techniques created impactful outcomes. Kepes’ work of- ten reflected his interest in psychology, figure one even resembles an ink blot, The

Rorschach test was developed by Hermann Rorschach. “The Rorschach is what psy- chologists call a projective test. The basic idea of this is that when a person is shown

FIGURE 1: RORSCHACH CYCLOPS, 1977 - GYORGY KEPES

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FIGURE 2: ANATOMY OF A MURDER, 1959 - SAUL BASS

an ambiguous, meaningless image (i.e. an inkblot) the mind will work hard at imposing meaning on the image” (Drayton, 2012).

Bass took his inspired understanding of different disciplines and developing ap- preciation for psychology and used his strong, impactful and refreshing ideas to take advantage of a more commercially driven audience. Kepes’ curiosity and investigative nature in relation to film and moving image combined with the distinctive Bauhaus style is recognisable within Bass's work as exemplified in figure 2 – this is something which was consistent throughout both Bass and Kepes’ careers as artists and designers. Be- tween both Bass and Kepes’ work there are similarities which stem from their Bauhaus roots - bold focal points, subtle sub-focuses and an air of audience interpretation.

Modernism was “intended to be functional, with the use of straight, pure lines, tubular steel structures, new materials and innovative industrial techniques” (Cuiry, 2017).

Bass’ work captures his modernist education well. His work includes a great deal of

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FIGURE 2: ANATOMY OF A MURDER, 1959 - SAUL BASS. Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 straight lines and rigid looking shapes and figures. Bass had a creative and individual approach to designing modernist inspired imagery but incorporating subjects which would normally be produced with a ‘softer’ approach such as people and animals.

Figure 3 shows the way in which Bass used the angular, straight lines of the modernist style and carried it into the natural subject matter at the end of the opening credits for The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). During the 1950’s Bass’ work was of a more symbolic nature, sometimes appearing quite simple but thought provoking with room for analysis depending on the subject matter – In this case, a fractured man with a heroin addiction trying to fight his illness. The way in which Bass used the contrast be- tween black and white reflects the struggles and prevalent moments the main charac- ter, Nelson Algren, faces during the film. The straight lines and jagged edges of the hand also illustrate his pain and struggle effectively. Softer lines would have created a gentle, more comforting impression, which would not have been suitable considering the plot.

FIGURE 3: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, 1955 - SAUL BASS.

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Postwar America had a fascination with psychology, something which resonated with Bass who had read the complete works of Sigmund Freud in his youth and had been fascinated by psychology ever since (Kirkham, 2011:P70). This interest in Freud gave Bass the opportunity to nurture his already existing interest in symbols and the human psyche through his work and problem-solving approach to design (Kirkham,

2011:54). With his understanding of modernism and modernist design coupled with his growing interest in film, Bass’ work was bold and strong but had substance behind it.

As Freud observed, “a daytime thought may very well play the part of the en- trepreneur for a dream” (Sayers 2007:15). In acknowledging Bass’ interest in Freud’s work, one can appreciate the psychoanalytical depth to Bass’ designs. Bass combined his psychological understanding and therefore, consciousness of feeling and emotion with the very departed, traditionally and classically opposed Bauhaus modernism he was so thoroughly educated in. This contrast was quite unusual in that it was born us- ing bold colours, shapes and seemingly simple design which although visually stimulat- ing also provoked sub-conscious interest and recognition and therefore left a lasting impression. Much of this substance would have come from Bass’ understanding of the psychology - another aspect of his distinctive style which was partially influenced by

Kepes, a man practicing during postwar America. "Saul's fascination with psychology ensured that he soaked up Kepes' views on the importance of the psychological re- sponses to design" (Bass, 2011:9).

Because Bass understood the psychological aspect of design and was aware of the way in which symbols made a difference to perception he understood that "The physical objects made by graphic designers are guided by mental models of how communication works" (Davis, 2012:15). In this case, his thorough and clear awareness of communication and how to use his work to communicate gave him the upper hand

7 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 in the design industry at the time. A designer's understanding of communication and also the understanding of audience perception is key when producing pieces which will reach an audience. Understanding the way in which the mind works helped Bass im- mensely when designing for branding and advertising as well as film but in particular, psychological films due to the deeper, more complex nature of the stories. Figure 4 is a

fine example of the way in which Bass used simple aspects such a contrasting colours, fading text and negative space to create a feelings of tension and intrigue. There are seeds planted with the missing shape of what would be assumed to be a small child, a little girl in particular. This aspect alone evokes worry in regard to the missing child’s vulnerability.

FIGURE 4: BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING, 1965 - SAUL BASS

He not only appreciated people’s reactions to his work and the ways in which it made them feel, but he understood and analysed these kinds of raw feelings, very nat- ural, visceral perceptions and impressions of the visuals he was creating. Bass enjoyed

8 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 probing "the emotional heart of the problem” - He would try to give form to feeling

(Bass, 2011:34). The particularly appealing point to note here, from a designer’s per- spective, is the fact that Bass would focus on “giving form to feeling” rather than giving feeling to form. He was aware of the emotional outcome he was aiming for, as well as the way in which he wanted his audience to react. Because of his understanding of the human psyche and semiotics, he then needed to design with those ideas in mind and ensure that his work captured or evoked the feelings he expected.

Being capable of understanding and being able to analyse the psychological journey the audience may be travelling upon was something which benefitted Bass in his later design career and through the time he worked in film. His interest in the ‘feel- ing’ and the more natural, human aspect of design and perception of design meant that he was more aware of the changes or developments which needed to be made in order to achieve the level of appreciation and acknowledgement of the quality that the graph- ic design legend’s work demanded (Ong, 2018). Figure 4 illustrates Bass’s understand- ing of audience perception and the importance of the audience experience from the

first impression of a film – the poster and promotional material – to the closing credits.

Speaking of his interest in “the emotional heart of the problem” one can recog- nise Bass’ passion for design and respect for the work itself, the audience, and different areas which support each other throughout the process. Although Bass’s style was dis- tinctive and developed over time he often and openly acknowledged his peers. “Saul spoke of being inspired by other graphic designers [...] who, like him, were forging new, more distinctly American modes of expression. Recalling the cool sophistication of

[Paul] Rand, Saul stated, “At that time there were really extraordinary designers around”" (Bass, 2011:34). Rand was hailed for “transforming advertising, blowing away the dust of the Depression era and pioneering a new, modern approach to selling prod-

9 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 ucts” (Vanhemert 2015). Bass’ appreciation for the process and other original and styl- istically developmental designers such as Kepes and Rand was notable and detectable in his work.

Designers such as Rand and Bass had more to them than just advertising and branding, they were creative individuals with real knowledge and confidence in design.

Going back to Bass’ education at the New Bauhaus, it can be seen where a great deal of his influences came from, or at least, began to develop. The European influence is clear when we begin to dissect Bass’s works. The foundations of his designs incorpo- rate clean, straight lines and simple but bold and impactful shapes which are derivative of Bass’ modernist education. Kepes and Moholy-Nagy are engrained in his style, but something else which is notable when studying Bass’ work is that he was a practical designer, minimalist, there was no need for unnecessary, redundant elements. Bass managed to achieve great depth without using too many different aspects in his work.

The saying “less is more” comes to mind when looking at his work and this did not change, but only develop through his advertising work in film.

Chapter 1 - Psychology and Film

Through even the most minimal of research, it became clear quite quickly that

Bass was a complexed individual who had an eye for detail and a passion for design.

This passion and complexity which he could wield so effortlessly was also supported by his interest and fascination for psychology which gave the already multi-faceted de- signer yet another string to add to his bow. This became ever clearer when he started to move into and was being recognised in the film industry.

Bass was a man who was and is still extremely influential within both film and design. When discussing his development as a designer Bass stated that one of the

10 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 things that ‘dogged’ him in the beginning, when he would produce something he was pleased with or proud of, was that he would assume it was accidental. As if it were something he just happened to stumble on. He talks about that feeling coming from what sounds like lack of confidence, as if he hadn’t amassed a large enough body of work to understand his own process (Bass, 2011:35). “Freud discovered that there are no accidents and no coincidences […] from Freudian slips, to free association - delving into one's unconscious as a means of unlocking often hidden or denied fantasies, traumas or motivations is still crucial to gaining the whole truth about human beha- viour” (Fleetwood, 2015:3).

Bass was somebody who was aware of the way in which the human psyche op- erates thanks to his research and interest in psychology, Freud in particular. As such a consciously analytical man, Bass was confident in is awareness and understanding of the application of psychological theory to his practice and from where his ideas were initially developed. Bass appreciated that self-analysis and evaluation allows for and elevates the standard of self-growth one may achieve in their work. Reflecting on his earlier days as a designer, after acknowledging that perhaps his achievements were not accidental - but did in fact develop in one’s unconscious - he spoke of not realising that said achievements come from “a well-spring inside you” something which is always ac- cessible - and because of this - “each success seems like an external event” (Bass,

2011:35).

Speaking of his earlier achievements, Pat Kirkham discussed how Bass’s versa- tility was acknowledged frequently, as was his penchant for problem solving (Kirkham,

2011:P56). “In 1954, American Artist attributed the “underlying logic” of his work to a

“searching mind…always inquiring into the reason for things.” He also had a searching eye, which was recognised and admired by Elaine Bass who was made Bass’ assistant

11 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 in 1955 and later Bass’ wife in 1960. It is no coincidence that one of the first short films they made was called The Searching Eye (1964). It was an eye that saw with great clari- ty (Kirkham, 2011:P56). His ability to see things for what they were and further analyse them so to understand why they were that way, meant that his works were produced to the highest standard with depth beyond what was expected of the time.

Figure 5, Bass’s poster for Love in the Afternoon (1957), uses colour and posi- tioning of the imagery in such a manner that the audience can create an image of the goings on in their minds, the design is though provoking and creative. The way Bass used the soft, pale pink for the film title which is slightly hidden behind the closed blind creates the impression of a love affair of some sort unfolding, something quite personal which is being kept under wraps. In contrast to this flirtatious, delicate type we have a black blind which is being ‘pulled’ down the poster. The black blind has the cast’s names printed upon it. The names have been printed in primary colours. These colours are the starting points for art and design, much the way the actors and actress starring in this film were recognised at the time. Also, the use of colour is key because the names printed in the primary colours are the professional names of the cast – furthering their importance in the advertisement.

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FIGURE 5: LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON, 1957 - SAUL BASS

Otto Neurath was an American philosopher and social scientist. When address- ing designers, educators and scientists in particular, regarding the International System

Of Typographic Picture Education (ISOTYPE), he highlighted that the ideal outcome of the use of the ISOTYPE system was to be “independent of the knowledge of language, because pictures, whose details are clear to everyone, are free from the limits of lan- guage.…WORDS MAKE DIVISION, PICTURES MAKE CONNECTION” (Davis,

2012:156). This system seems particularly relevant to the way in which Bass worked. A number of Bass’s works, in particular pieces which were designed for film were simple in construction but were visually strong and thought-provoking. This kind of commu- nicative imagery would have been refined by his background in design but also his awareness of the audience’s most likely reactions.

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Bass was a pioneer of change through design, inspired by his education and motivation for development. “El Lissitsky, was a Russian artist, designer, photographer, typographer, polemicist and architect. He was an important figure of the Russian avant- garde” (Tate, 2019). Lissitsky’s was also a major influence on the Bauhaus and Con- structivism movements, therefore his ideas also influenced Bass through his knowledge and understanding of design. “Lissitzky's entire career was laced with the belief that the artist could be an agent for change, later summarized with his edict, "das zielbewußte

Schaffen" (goal-oriented creation)” (Tate, 2019) - Bass too, used design and education to teach and develop not only his own skills but his audience’s perception of his subject matter.

Although Bass was first known as a designer, his psychological knowledge sup- ported a number of his works, Bunny Lake is Missing (1965) is just one example. Bass understood people and having the comprehension that he had of the depth of reaction and it’s relevance to certain content would have propelled him through his career in re- gards to communication. Semiotics is key when understanding why Bass’s admiration for psychology was so important in his visual work. Semiotics is linked to aesthetics through the philosophical connection, the philosophy of art (Chandler, 2017:5). Being aware and making sense of signs is about exploring further, past their “clear” subject matter - “bringing to them 'certain expectations; a prior knowledge of possibilities or probabilities” (Gombrich, 1977:153).

Armed with the skills in semiotics which Bass had amassed over time and throughout his education, as his career developed and moved he would have been well aware of the ways in which "Advertising could shift and fragment the public psyche to- ward new styles of behaviour in ways that were consistent with economic imperatives for consumption" (Davis, 2012:172). His experience in advertising would have been a

14 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 good opportunity for him to demonstrate his skills in semiotics and use to his advan- tage, his general understanding of psychology. Bass would have been in the perfect position to design and develop his skills in visual communication and, predict, depend- ing on his task at hand, how the audience would respond the visuals he produced -

“Reaching a mass audience, in which all participants are seen as roughly equivalent in their behaviour and attitudes, is the goal of most communication design" (Davis,

2012:16). This could be considered problematic for a designer such as Bass because of his creative, in-depth and intelligent approach to design - his work may not have been appreciated by some, and if “all participants are seen as roughy equivalent” (Davis,

2012:16) then it could be understood that perhaps his work could not have been as successful as it was.

Considering that "the physical objects made by graphic designers are guided by mental models of how communication works" (Davis, 2012:15), advertising gave Bass a prime chair from which to view the reactions to his work which was specifically de- signed for a target audience. This experience and experimental process would allow him to analyse and further his existing understanding. With his complementary skill set constantly growing and evolving it became clear that one of those many specialised skills he had honed was “in finding elegant, robust and immediate symbols, often dis- tinctive pictographs, which distilled complex meaning - an approach he would later take to designing for film" (Aynsley, 2004:104).

Once Bass had made the move into film through, first, advertising and the forg- ing of relationships through his design work and connections alike, he began being commissioned for visual works and asked to support behind the scenes. Thanks to his thorough design past which was supported by his interest in other areas, he was able to create mood and context for “what followed” (Northover, 2012:P2), whether that be

15 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 credits, scenes or advertising in order to support films on which he worked - he ap- proached film and the way in which the acting was directed differently to a conventional

film-maker. He produced something which was different to what was being seen in cinema at the time, something which was unexpected but effective.

Chapter 2 - Audience perception and understanding

Learning to produce print advertising before any other kind of media makes logi- cal sense, (Barry, 2012:58) especially in regard to learning the basic principles of graph- ic design and learning to prioritise content and therefore the importance of content in- cluded in the final edit of a film. "Print design is considered to be advertising design's hardest creative discipline, especially compared to broadcast (TV and Radio). Think about it, a print ad has to communicate an idea in a few seconds rather than thirty, the images can't "move" or use sound like in TV." (Barry, 2012:58) By learning print adver- tising first, there is a great deal of positive lessons learned, so ‘rookie errors’ are avoid- ed in future ventures. Supporting all of Saul Bass’s knowledge in regard to psychology, semiotics and design as a whole, was his beginning in print advertising, working in commercial advertising, specifically for the film industry from the young age of sixteen.

(Kirkham, 2011:54)

FIGURE 6: BASS’ DESIGNS FOR BELL (1969), KLEENEX (1980S) AND AT&T (1986)

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Thanks to his mastery of the design industry, Bass was able to almost fluidly, take his skills of visual communication into the film industry. The visual simplicity of some of the huge commercial advertising campaigns and branding - such as the ex- amples seen in figure 6 - which he worked on enabled some of that style he perfected to be carried into the motion pictures he worked on. Bass turned the visual pieces into memorable, branded works of arts - A revolutionary achievement during the time that

Bass began in film (Northover, 2012:2); This skill was revolutionary because design hadn’t been approached in such a chameleon-like way at that point in time. Bass worked quite seamlessly through the various industries which he has opportunities to apply his skills to. He ran with these skills and developed his recognisable style of de- sign for film which was quickly taking shape - it was becoming reputable and appreci- ated by others in the industry, even with the subtle psychological aspect still quite present. "Saul's work in film was about more than just simplicity: his designs shaped complex ideas into radically simple forms that offered audiences a set of clues, a sort of hermeneutic key to deeper meanings under the surface of the movie." (Bass,

2011:107) This comment only further supports the evidence of Bass’s understanding and use of semiotic encoding throughout his works.

As mentioned by Andrea Timmer, in 2011, the physical aspects of Saul Bass’s work are all relevant and referential to a film’s plot, meanwhile in contrast to them their reconfigurations are intellectual and visceral communicators for emotion and subject

(Bass, 2011:217). His professional approach to his work and his capabilities regarding the inclusion of each important aspect of his designs, specifically his skills in semiotics and visual communication through graphic imagery proved to work well alongside and/ or as moving images themselves. "Saul brought a modernist design sensibility to film titles and revolutionised not only what they looked like, but also how they were thought

17 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 about" (Bass, 2011:P106). He was being asked to focus on the credits for films, partic- ularly the opening titles, something which he became very well known for doing so well that the position was often reserved for Bass thanks to his whole-hearted approach to such an important part of the film. "My position was that the film begins with the first frame and that the film should be doing a job at that point” (Bass, 2011:106).

Once comfortably established as a successful contributor to the film industry

Bass’ graphics would “announce” rather than “sell” each film he worked on (Kirkham,

2011:P59). Herb Yager - who worked closely with Bass on the design work and went on to managing his consultancy’s corporate clients (Northover 2012) - described Bass’s work as “Punching through the din, […] his aphorism is as true as ever” (Northover,

2011:4). He had been recognised by a number of reputable directors and was commis- sioned to work on their productions, bringing his already proven understanding of the design industry and his intelligent design expertise to their studios, working on different areas of films but primarily opening credits and scenes. Despite the fact that during the

1950’s, film publicity normally focused on the stars rather than the designers and artists behind the scenes. This recognition gave Bass many opportunities to use his devel- oped “graphic language” to set the film up for the audience, give them a taster of what they had to look forward to by using a combination of modern design, music and film

(Aynsley, 2004:105).

Although Saul Bass was an extremely successful designer far before his success in film, he was rarely commissioned to work on the actual advertising for the films he was designing for. In terms of the idea of Bass learning print advertising first, it is worth remembering that "The average time it takes a person to pass a billboard is around 3 seconds. In terms of the number of words, this roughly translates to a maximum of 8 words” (Barry, 2012: 58). It seemed that, although he was a highly successful graphic

18 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 designer, a number of directors steered cleared of Bass producing the advertising ma- terial for their films. This is because although the deeply psychological content and modernist design sensibility worked successfully and revolutionised how the films were perceived (Bass, 2011:106), "Large amounts of money were at stake if a film bombed, and film studios were often reluctant to stake their marketing campaigns on Saul's bold designs" (Bass, 2011:107).

That said, however, things began to change as Bass continued to work in the in- dustry. Following the positive reactions to his moving image design work, the opening credits for The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) for example, "More directors asked him to direct internal sequences within the main body of a feature film" (Bass, 2011:107).

Once again, his eye for graphic imagery and therefore a visually impactful scene was being recognised and the psychological aspect of his work translated well into different kinds of productions because the quality of the design behind the moving imagery was so powerful. Bass was requested to design a number of very famous film scenes throughout his career. These included the famous shower scene from Psycho (1960), he was given the chance to shoot and direct some of the scenes in Grand Prix (1966) and also visualised - as seen in figure 7 - the opening dance from West Side Story (1961).

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FIGURE 7: WEST SIDE STORY - OPENING SCENE - SAUL BASS

Being such a multi-faceted designer was new to the industry at the time and meant that Bass was given the title of “Visual Consultant”. (Bass, 2011:107) This signi-

ficant change in Bass’s role changed the industry and the audience’s perception of the importance of his work. It meant there was much more acclaim attached the ‘design’ aspect of film production and the importance of understanding visual communication and audience perception was changing and moving forward.

Bass designed a number of powerful opening scenes and imagery for films the

films of Otto Preminger in particular. The sequence he designed for The Man with the

Golden Arm (1955) (Fig. 3) catapulted Bass into international fame. (Kirkham, 2011:57)

It is a classy, monochromatic opening with strong brass playing while simple, contrast- ing shapes pierce the black background. A memorable and effective piece of visual work. It is easy to see why it gained so much recognition and rightly so that a designer, a visual artist be the one to succeed, having gained the kind of in-depth experience

Bass did throughout his career.

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Bass’s challenge was to create a symbol that captured the drama and intensity

of the film without resorting to sensationalism. The result was a compelling image of a

distorted, disjointed “arm,” the semiabstract form of which helped distance the image

from the harsh realities of shooting up drugs, although they are implicit in the (dis)figura-

tion. As well as being disembodied, the black “arm” has the appearance of being petri-

fied and transformed into something else, just as the Frank Sinatra character in the film

is transformed by his addiction. The reductive metaphorical symbol was featured in a

comprehensive advertising campaign notable for its scope and uniformity as well as for

the fact that images of the stars were either excluded or minimised (Kirkham, 2011:P57).

It seemed at this point as though more influential people were appreciating

Bass’s work and the depth behind it. It seemed as though the ‘fear’ of his work being too bold and powerful for the big screen, at least in terms of advertising had been cast aside, into the shadow of his successes. Bass later worked on Phase IV (1974) , a sci- ence fiction style horror film set in the desert. It was described by Dilys Powell from

London’s Sunday Times as "a film of design, of unsentimental forces set against one another in lines, curves, angles, shining surfaces. Beautiful but always threatening, mysterious, forbidding."(Bass, 2011:258) Bass’s work had a history of being applauded by certain individuals more than others, creative people, people who understood and appreciated substance as well as style. Powell is just one example of somebody who admired and appreciated Bass and his creativity, Otto Preminger, Kubrick, Hitchcock,

Kirk Douglas, were others.

Saul, who was extremely frustrated by Paramount's handling of the film, commented,

“Jay Cocks did a wonderful review of the film. He really positioned it. You see, it was not

a horror film, even though there were elements of horror in it. [But] Paramount adver-

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tised it as a horror film because they knew what to do with that. It had decent openings,

but then went right down the tubes because the horror fans showed up and said, 'Come

on, where's the horror?' There wasn't enough horror for horror, and there was too much

for something else... So it got a very bad release. But it did fantastic business in

France.”

(Bass, 2011:P258)

Although Bass understood the audience and the film and design industries, it seems once something is out of ones’ control there is little that can be done past a cer- tain point. Audience perception is easily influenced and a treacherous field to navigate when it comes to peoples tastes and preferences. Film and design is different to adver- tising. Advertising is designed to sell. There is rarely emotion or feeling involved, where as in film, this is was the audience are looking for. People expect a film to evoke some kind of emotional reaction. Film can be very personal, there is also a great deal more room for varying perceptions. Depending on how somebody perceives the film they could react and feel very differently to somebody else who has watched the same pro- duction. Pat Kirkham has written a great deal on Bass and his life, but she also focused specifically on a key part of his film career - The shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s

Psycho (1960). When she first set eyes upon the scene she recalled saying "This is modernist design" (Kirkham, 2011:P53).

In 2011 Kirkham stated that the entire collaboration between Hitchcock and

Bass needs to be better known. The complexities of the relationship between both cre- ative powerhouses as well as between film and design as creative disciplines, are key when considering the huge notoriety both Bass and Hitchcock received following the success of Psycho (1960). Almost more so is the controversy which surrounds Bass’ contribution to the famous shower scene (Kirkham, 2011:P51). There is a great deal of

23 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 evidence to prove Bass’s substantial contributions to the scene starring Marli Renfro

(’s ), but the questions and doubts are still there, despite the evidence of Bass’ hand-drawn story boards seen in figure 8. Hitchcock was once asked a question by Francois Truffaut which regarded Bass' contribution to Psycho (1960).

Hitchcock stated “[…] ‘He did only one scene, but I didn't use his montage. He was supposed to do the titles, but since he was interested in the picture, I just let him lay out the sequence of the detective going up the stairs, just before he is stabbed’" (Kirkham, 2011:P51). This one statement has since changed people’s minds and perceptions of the situation.

The dramatic intensity was reinforced by repetition. As Bass put it, “She’s taking a

shower, taking a shower, taking a shower. She’s hit-hit-hit-hit. She slides, slides, slides.

In other words, the movement was very narrow and the amount of activity to get you

there was very intense. That was what I brought to Hitchcock. By modern standards, we

don’t think that represents staccato cutting because we’ve gotten so accustomed to

flash cuts. As a title person, it was a very natural thing to use that quick cutting, mon-

tage technique to deliver what amounted to an impressionistic, rather than a linear, view

of the murder (Kirkham, 2011:74).

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FIGURE 8: PSYCHO SHOWER SCENE STORY BOARD, 1960 – SAUL BASS

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Despite all the controversy surrounding arguably one of the most famous scenes in American cinema, Bass always held great honesty and respect for his relationships with the directors he worked alongside. “From Preminger to Redford to Scorsese, Bass forged lasting friendships with many people who admired not only his talents but also his integrity and warmth. He was always extremely respectful of the directors from whom he learned a great deal about filmmaking when he was new or relatively new to the game, repeatedly referring to Preminger, Wilder, Wyler, and Hitchcock as “my mas- ters” and “mentors” in filmmaking” (Kirkham, 2011:P65). A professional as ever, Bass still appreciated the time and experience he spent with the many film industry greats he worked alongside. Bass took his educational experiences throughout his career and developed his skills and used them to his advantage as he learned more about the dif- ferent areas in which he worked. His understanding of visuals and psychology coupled with his design capabilities meant that he flourished throughout his time in the graphic design, and film industries.

Chapter 3 - Comparing Bass to artists in film

As mentioned previously, Bass would forge strong, unrelenting relationships with the directors he worked with, referring to them as mentors. Similarly, Stanley Kubrick commissioned Bass, solely to design the film poster for his 1980 now-famous horror

film The Shining after working with him on Spartacus (1960). (Bass, 2011:194) Despite the extremely competitive visual industry, the respect for one-another remained throughout the 20 years between the production of Spartacus (1960) up until their col- laborative efforts when designing the promotional material for the The Shining (1980).

Kubrick recognised the underlying factors within Bass’s work which some would over

26 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 look, understanding why Bass’s work successfully complimented horror and thriller kinds of productions. Much like Kubrick, Bass knew how to apply his comprehension of psychology combined with his visual creations and their relationship with the audience and develop intelligent subtleties in the visuals he produced. This is evidenced in the imagery which was developed by the creative pair for The Shining (1980).

FIGURE 9: THE SHINING POSTER, 1980 - SAUL BASS

The poster is eye-catching with the contrasting yellow and black colour scheme as well as the expression on the face and the bold choice of type. The type is used cleverly, with the imagine displayed inside the letters. The audience can see into the

‘window’ that is the title type. By using the words to encase the visual we have a ‘sneak preview’ of what is going on. However, not only that, it must be considered that al- though we can see ‘into’ the title we are also seeing a reaction. The character used in the imagery has been designed to look as though they have seen something shocking.

27 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676

This is just one example of the way in which Bass was able to use design to take the visual experience further.

Kubrick clearly had great confidence in Bass and had no qualms in getting him involved in The Shining, a viewing experience described as “Meticulous, detailed and never less than fascinating.” (Castle, 2016:652) It is for these exact reasons why Bass would have been selected for the role of designing the poster, it is a strong, bold piece of imagery which depicts terror rather than just fear or worry. In the poster the shocked and terrified expression is thought-provoking, especially in contrast to the relatively simple design. The audience can see there is more than just a horror film here. There is more to investigate and find out about, it creates intrigue.

Chapter 4 - Summary

The interests, education and history of Bass as a graphic designer are key in un- derstanding why his work was so pivotal in design, as Martin Scorsese said, “His de- signs, for film titles, and company logos and record albums and posters, defined an era.” (Bass, 2011:VI). His interest in psychology and his move into the film industry have been covered also because these go hand in hand, especially considering the kinds of

films he ended up working on. He had a colourful, exciting life and because of this it seemed important to research the aspects of his life and interests which may not have been at the forefront of people’s awareness of his achievements.

Initially, It was important for Bass to study a subject of his interest which shaped his work and informed many of his ideas and practices throughout his career. Having studied Freud so thoroughly, as explained in Chapter 1, he was able to apply those theories to his own practices, and also to the visuals he produced from a very early point in his career. Because this understanding of the human psyche was instilled so

28 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 early on, his work had a kind of intelligence behind it, a depth which was not noticeable in work from other artists in the film industry, hence, the comparative work and research done.

Bass described what he did as “thinking made visible” (Bass, 2011) and this is why he was such an important and enduring figure in design because design was so important to him and his understanding of such came naturally. His professionalism and business-like approach to design learned from his advertising background, meant that he handled tasks and relationships differently to other designers or artists. Although

Bass’s relationship with Alfred Hitchcock might have been rocky at times, considering

Hitchcock’s statement regarding Bass’s contribution to the shower scene, Bass still maintained respect and awe towards Hitchcock throughout the process.

Conclusion

Throughout this dissertation is one thing has become very clear - Bass used each op- portunity as a chance to grow and evolve as both a designer and film-maker, absorbing each experience and using them to his advantage. Ever the professional, he maintained his very strict, powerful modernist style throughout his work, even throughout the scenes he shot and directed. It is clear that his professionalism and passion for his craft was recognised by his peers. Kirk Douglas described Bass as "a tremendous talent. A real artist who captures feelings. He went much further than anyone could have imag- ined […].”(Bass, 2011:P193) This recognition and respect between his previous team members lasted decades, a good example being Kubrick contacting Bass after 20 years to collaborate on The Shining (1980).

These relationships and the respect Bass held for other ‘artists’ of different kinds comes from his very diverse education, he approached tasks differently to other de-

29 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676 signers and in a way which was not considered at the time. He was not afraid to use his skills and had great confidence in his work. Bass’s perseverance with his own style paid off and clearly the developments he made in the film industry were ground breaking and they are still referred to today for inspiration.

Because of his psychological understanding, Bass was able to portray the psy- chological aspects of the films he worked on with great belief in his own ideas. His methods and reasons for his ideas and plans for the complex, dark, mysterious motion pictures were supported by his own interests and ability to translate them and what he had learnt in his past into visual imagery which communicated the plot and the feelings of the film perfectly. There may have been method and planning behind each scene or opening title he produced but this only further ensured that the visual clarity of the piece he was working on would be pristine and achieve exactly what was hoped for and expected of him.

Bass was a confident, experienced designer from a young age, having started working in advertising at just sixteen years old, he had a great deal of experience and chose to further that throughout his education. He was an intelligent and thoughtful de- signer and because of this his work was very methodically planned and exemplary of his education. As mentioned previously, his experience as a graphic designer, but specifically in advertising, meant that he had professionalism and an enterprising ap- proach to designing his visuals. He understood how to combine the key elements which were needed for the outcome in a seamless and subtle manner without jeopar- dising the final appearance of the commissioned piece. His eye for detail and apprecia- tion for perfection and the impression his work had on the audience and his peers was what gave Bass the notoriety he gained through out his career.

30 Erin Ross-Elmer BA (Hons) Graphic Design S0716676

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