Montage editing in the title sequence for Scorsese's Casino

Filmmaker Saul Bass' abstract title sequence conveys the themes, mood, and tone of the film

This week I will be analyzing the title sequence from Martin Scorsese's 1995 film Casino edited by Thelma Schoonmaker. I will be looking at it from the perspective of montage editing. This sequence is the final one ever created by the legendary Saul Bass. I will underscore how he conveys the themes, mood, and tone of Scorsese’s picture and seamlessly blends it into the narrative, all while setting up a hell of a ride for the viewer.  

The title sequence for Casino is an example of an abstract sequence. In contrast to a representational sequence which presents an actual scene from the film with titles overlaid, an abstract one is its own creation building on the themes, mood, and tone of the film.

Traditionally, these types of opening sequences were presented at the start of the film and worked to set the audience up for the experience of the film to follow. Now they are still made, but often tacked on at the end so movie-goers can presumable get back to their regularly scheduled lives two minutes sooner.

It’s a curious practice to add some 15 minutes or more of ads and previews to the viewing experience at the cinema (if movie-goers time is indeed so valuable) and yet deprive them of the work of graphic artists as well as a few moments to luxuriate in the composer’s score for the picture. But I digress.

For a terrific video lamenting the absence of the title sequence you can do no better than checking out Patrick (H) Willems insightful and entertaining deep dive here.

The opening sequences of the legendary Saul Bass are a great example of the abstract sequence. For a primer have a look at these: The Man with the Golden Arm, Psycho, North by Northwest and the stunning one for Vertigo where he really out does himself. 

To revisit the opening sequence for Casino before we pick it apart in detail below, you may do so here:

If, like me, you’ve taken note of Saul Bass’ legendary work, the opening for Casino, his last, lives up to the legend and is a thrilling topper to his work. It begins with a bang, literally. Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert DeNiro) turns over his car’s ignition triggering an immediate explosion. This consumes him in a matter of a few frames with a massive ball of fire. It begins with a sound cue of an ignition turning over that triggers this explosion. In milliseconds the fire ball fills the frame edge to edge and corner to corner.

Keen eyed viewers will catch that at the start of the sequence there is a mismatch in the edit resulting in a micro-jump cut. The outgoing frame of DeNiro looking down at the dashboard jumps to the in-coming frame of the dummy’s head, which is already tilted back, as if blown back by the explosion yet to come. This type of cut is called a form match cut. Though the intension here is for it to not even be noticed, as opposed to when it’s used as an artistic match between two similar shapes. Here the missing frames of DeNiro's head lifting up gives it away. The resulting explosion will itself be a form match to the explosion that extends into the title sequence.

The outgoing frame of actor DeNiro.

The in-coming frame of the dummy for the explosion.

Note the mismatched positions of the character's head. 

Once the explosion takes over a silhouette of a man tumbles diagonally across the screen L to R upwards, then again L to R contra diagonally downwards.

All of this plays over the most bombastic choir recording that gives it an operatic feel and scope. The flames dissolve to scintillation red streaks of light which morph into more recognizable patterns of casino style marquee lighting. These present in multiple layers of flashing and streaking patterns. The red tones give way to pink and purple dots and then back to red. The font is a rather sober sans-serif font, small sized which only occupies a relatively tiny portion of the frame right in the center of the composition. Room enough for multiple names to be presented in one line, sharing the screen. You will note this is Bass’ signature style seen in the examples above going all the back to The Man with the Golden Arm.

The end of the title sequence brings back the silhouetted man who is now tumbling directly down into the returning flames motif rising up across the bottom of the frame.  After the final director credit, the sequence cross fades into the silhouette of Robert DeNiro against the same warm tones coming from the lights on the casino’s ceiling.

Although the titles have reached their conclusion the sequence itself still feels like it’s progressing. This seamlessly marries the sequence to the narrative. The camera pushes in as a warm light rises on DeNiro as he turns into a CU. Character narration now replaces the operatic choir.  The first thing DeNiro does is light a cigarette. Just as the flames of a fire ball explosion brought us into the sequence, the flame of the lighter tie him to the flames of damnation at the end of the title sequence.

Following this exit from the sequence three more stylized shots begin with a visual homage to the iconic Last Supper image with the mafia bosses breaking bread. Next an intro to Joe Pesci’s character Nicky. And finally, Sharon Stone in a jaw dropping portrait image, looking back over her shoulder from the far edge of a fountain above a flame.

The Pesci image is the weakest and doesn’t match the rest which are attempting to continue the thread of hell, fire, purgatory, and damnation. Though, like the others, it is warm toned and contrasted with the blue in Pesci’s suit, there is no iconic motif carried through. He simply seems to be hanging out with his buds, and rather nonchalantly.

The next shot of Stone, on the other hand, is an artistic composition par excellence. It contains burning flames in the bottom left corner, contrasted against blue water, while she is warmly lit, encircled by the rings around the fountain. These seem to suggest the hell she will visit upon her mark DeNiro's character. In a subtle nod it further suggests the personal circles of hell all the characters in this film will confront.

At the conclusion of this sequence DeNiro is seen with a warm ring of light cutting through his face in reflection as he sits God-like above it all. The sequence here cuts to black signalling its conclusion.

Perhaps the most thematically emblematic composition of the film showing the boss and all he surveys in one shot.

The title sequence also serves to position Rothstein as a God in this film. A man above everyone else who is constantly looking down, literally from his office over the casino floor on everyone, surveying them and deciding their fate. This continues a biblical grandness to the visual storytelling which Bass replicates in his sequence.

This is the story of Rothstein’s fall from grace. His descent from a God like status. His greatest vice is his stubbornness. Though he walks among men he is unable to overlook their minor flaws and love them as a non-judgmental God would. In this way he has a major blind spot. This is visually conveyed by the title sequence which begins with this massive triggering explosion to which Rothstein is blind.

A God-like man who should know all, yet his blindness sends him tumbling through darkness for the entire sequence only to re-emerge in burning flames, perhaps in purgatory, awaiting his judgment. That judgment will be the events of the film to come.

This final Saul Bass title sequence is exquisitely beautiful, concise, and ominously dark. It can only be seen as a true triumph of editing, direction, and thematic execution at the highest level in film art. I’m sure if such care and artistry was taken with title sequences overall, film-goers would indeed riot if it was relegated to end.