Moodle Post 3

When analyzing the opening sequence for The Man with the Golden Arm, we are exposed to a new and exciting art form being developed right before our eyes. As was noted in our text, when Saul Bass created the opening sequence for this film he ended up generating the future design for many opening sequences in movies. Because of the new, raw art at the introduction of this film, we begin to see the simple, yet effective artistic movements grow. For example, the introduction is set to a catchy, staccato jazz tune while the images that first appear are spaced apart and seem to almost follow the style of the background music. As the intro goes on and the music style and sound becomes fuller and more involved so do the images that appear on the screen. Instead of just being white block lines, we see the lines start to mold together and become thicker; eventually forming into a disfigured hand, which if there was any question up until this point, would connect the audience with the movie due to the title The Man with the Golden Arm.

Not only does the opening sequence match the music, but it sets the tone for the audience for the rest of the movie. Our textbook tells us that The Man with the Golden Arm is essentially about a poker dealer, Frank Sinatra, who has an addiction to drugs, specifically heroine. While the style of music has already set an alarming mood, the rigid, rectangular white bars also give the audience a hint that something is not quite right. Rigid movement will most likely make people nervous, unlike fluent, natural movement that might cause a relaxing, easy-going reaction. The abstract way in which the bars move also become unsettling, for they are never lined up perfectly or symmetrically and have a decent period of time on the screen. From our reading, we know that asymmetrical images are often portrayed as informal and cause a sort of tension in the viewers. This aligns with our expectations of the general plot outline of the movie perfectly, for we must assume that Sinatra’s character is going to be facing tension or some unfortunate turn of events in the film.

Yet another interesting factor noticeable in the opening sequence is Bass’s use of space. From our reading we understand that a lot of space in a frame means that the picture is classy or modern, while clutter represents a more traditional or serious look. Today, the jazz music in the background combined with the plethora of space would send the message that we are about to watch a classy or modern film. At the time that the film was created, this was most likely the case. The Man with the Golden Arm had new, modern features added to it and was most likely one of the classiest, most modernly made films around at that time. Not only could the rigid movement and use of space make the audience nervous but the crooked, awkward hand near the end of the opening sequence can also be quite troubling. Assuming the audience has a general idea of the plot of the movie, we can infer that the crooked hand symbolizes the harm that could be caused from Sinatra’s characters heroine addiction. (551)