35 Greatest Movie Title Cards

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Shiny, opulent and almost painfully Art Deco, Gatsby's titles reflect the titular character's extreme wealth and fascination with expensive, beautiful things.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

A psychedelic blend of pulsating colours and futuristic space-font, Cloudy 's title card promises a film full of surreal and surprising visual and story-telling joy.

Battle Royale (2000)

It’s hard to find a title card with more impact than that of Battle Royale . Like King Kong and M before it, it’s a gut-pummel of brutalist graphic design, sharp angles and fractured lighting.

The Guard (2011)

There's not much that says "this is an action movie" like an enormous red font. But pair that with Brendan Gleeson's Gerry Boyle gazing out over an idyllic sea having just witnessed a grisly car accident, and you know it's not just any run-of-the-mill action.

Toy Story (1995)

The earliest (and arguably greatest) CGI feature film, Toy Story 's title card captures the vivid colours and playfulness of a film that played such a huge part of millions of childhoods.

High Fidelity (2000)

It seems only fair to include the ultimate film of top 10 lists in our Top 50, but the title card for the music obsessed movie deserves a place on its own merit. Shining grooves of vinyl meet the kind of logo you'd expect to find on the sleeve of a remastered Beatles album. Lovely.

The Graduate (1967)

The titles fade up just as Dustin Hoffman's character, Benjamin Braddock, stands vacantly on an airport travelator. Most graduates might be able to relate to the subtext; being carried forward by time despite having no kind of life-plan.

Dr Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)

A cult Cold War classic, Dr Strangelove 's hand-written title card sits on top of a plane refuelling in mid-air; advanced military technology meets an almost unhinged, child-like scrawl.

Insidious (2011)

Insidious' second half might be a cross between Ghostbusters and Buffy The Vampire Slayer , but the first 45 minutes are pure creeping horror and classic scares.

Bursting onto the screen in retro horror style, the title is lit from below, as though illuminated by the fires of hell… Which is quite apt.

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Another Luhrmann classic, Moulin Rouge ticks all the boxes; a brightly lit stage, the silhouette of a dancing girl, and just in case you still aren't sure, a tiny Moulin Rouge windmill sits at the bottom of an emphatic exclamation mark.