One of the most versatile and influential figures of 20th century design, Saul Bass revolutionized the feature film title sequence —for directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese— employing an oft-imitated stark minimalism that is also exemplified in his film posters. His graphic sensibility has also endured in his corporate logos and television commercials, as well as the Academy Award-winning “Why Man Creates” (1968) and other sponsored short films. His sole feature film as director, “Phase IV” (1974), was given new life in 2012 with the Archive’s rediscovery of his original extended abstract ending. Bass's collection at the Archive consists of 2,700 items.
The film material at the Academy Film Archive is complemented by material in the Saul Bass papers at the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library.