Branding 007: Title Sequences in the James Bond Films

Abstract

The James Bond series has maintained its brand identity through the James Bond character, recurring plot elements, and its f ilm design, in particular the credits sequences of Maurice Binder, Robert Brownjohn, MK12, and Daniel Kleinman. This chapter will examine the work of Binder, who created fourteen of the f irst eighteen Bond titles and has been rightly singled out as one of a new generation of title designers who utilized modernist aesthetics to create a specif ic look for the James Bond franchise. The chapter also asks how the digital turn, which coincided with the transition from Binder to Kleinman in the 1990s, has impacted the design and aesthetics of the James Bond title sequences.