The Opening Credits Discussional

[Daniel Avery]

They were actually staring at a television. I believe it was the debut of Gary's commercial for Knots Landing Motors. It must have been difficult for the designer of the opening titles to find footage that fit the entire cast into one shot, but they had to add something in to balance out the timing once Don Murray's pictures were removed.

 

[Billy Nolan]

This reminds me somehow of the Aussie daytime soap Neighbours that started in 1985. The opening never made much use of their cul de sac. But the end credits still use the image. And it's a bit similar to Knots Landing's.

I'm the only one who voted for the sand castles? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT REAL ART???

No, I also voted for the sandcastles! I loved it. Something artful different.

 

[thomaswak]

Watching some random episodes from random seasons... The season 3-8 openings are (almost) timeless. Not like the cheesy colored frame that tried to recreate/modernize them during season 12-14 imo

 

[bmasters9]

Watching some random episodes from random seasons... The season 3-8 openings are (almost) timeless. Not like the cheesy colored frame that tried to recreate/modernize them during season 12-14 imo

And in scroll 2.0, the KL title didn't show up until the opening shot had gone into the first colored frame (unlike before, where the title formed by having the O in Knots animate itself in, then the title zooming out and becoming full, and then the screen turning black behind the title; only then would the scroll start).

 

[ClassyCo]

I've been watching a lot of the KNOTS LANDING opening credits videos that are all over YouTube the past couple of weeks.

I realize I'm probably in the minority here, but I'm really digging the Season 3 opening instrumental. Of course, I'd agree that visually that year's opening needed some fine tuning, especially considering some of the images were simply pictures and some of the clips weren't the most flattering of the actors. But I really enjoy the music for the third season intro. It's got a slow build, but at around 20 seconds in, the music really gets to kicking and we're introduced to the more traditional KNOTS opening sound, and I really like it.

I feel like I'm always defending the openings used for Seasons 9 and 10. I can certainly understand how people were disappointed that the familiar slide-and-stroll intro was retired, but I can applaud the producers or whomever made the decision for taking a step out of their comfort zone and doing something new. David Jacobs apparently wanted the painting and B&W posed photos (used in Season 9) to give KNOTS a more daytime soap opera feel. The B&W were scrapped in Season 10, in favor of close-ups taken from the show itself.

I'm undecided whether I prefer Season 9 or 10 when it comes to this specific style of the opening. I lean more towards Season 9 instrumentally, but I think I like the actual episode stills used for Season 10 a tad bit better.

KNOTS reinvented their fan favorite slide-and-stroll intro for Season 12. There were a few changes made to make the opening "safe for the 1990s", but I actually really like them -- even though I can see where some argue that the photos and names move a little too fast. My favorite of the new style slide-and-stroll opening would be from Season 13. I think the photos were really good that year, and the instrumental just happens to be one of my favorites.

Again, I know other fans of KNOTS might not agree with my likes concerning the opening credits, but that's a good about our discussions -- we don't all have to agree.​

 

[Daniel Avery]

I have no idea who any of these people are (our UK members can fill me in later), but there is something really cool about seeing new images set to familiar music

(things really kick into gear at about 1:10 into the video, but the whole thing is oddly hilarious)

 

[Mel O'Drama]

there is something really cool about seeing new images set to familiar music

Absolutely. It's also reminded me how effective these opening titles were. Seeing all those moments of drama and togetherness sold Crossroads as an exciting, fast-moving drama (which I'm sure it was. Occasionally).

the whole thing is oddly hilarious

The "Next... On Crossroads" bit at 2:50 makes it worth sticking around. I recognise the music it, and I'm fairly but can't place it. Is it from The Colbys or Dynasty? It sounded a bit Return To Eden-ish.




* Edit: Actually, it also sounds like the music in the from the "body in the pool" cliffhanger on Dallas.

 

[ClassyCo]

You know, as much flack as I give the Season 11 intro, I think the instrumental that year was pretty good. Had the sandcastle visuals been used a few seasons earlier, it might've worked out better. But yet I wouldn't have liked that because then my favorite slide-and-stroll intros would've been booted out, if only temporarily.

 

[ClassyCo]

I'm undecided whether I prefer Season 9 or 10 when it comes to this specific style of the opening.

It's settled: I prefer Season 10 better, both instrumentally and visually.

 

[TaranofPrydain]

Season 9-10. It's just like the show: Elegant, Classy, and sexy.

 

[Chris2]

I like the sandcastles (especially the ending of that intro). But the font is the worst - so cheap looking.

I also like season 10. Great orchestration.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I liked the paintsplash thing, even though it's more of a departure than I tend to condone.

What's so funny about the first of the two paintsplash version, the one with the B&W actor inserts, is the guys seem overtly bemused and even embarrassed by participating in the stylized head shot. The women, of course, do not, because women have the ambition of being queens. Most men don't want to be queens -- unless they're just very, very special men.

Anyway, here's all of 'em:

 

[shaqattaq32]

I’ve started watching some French dub episodes and they do something interesting in seasons 4 thru 7 - they keep the scrolling pictures in the same order, same number of pictures for each actor, but they actually replace some of the pictures! And, IMO, the French pictures are by and large better than the American ones.

 

[shaqattaq32]

I've been watching a lot of the KNOTS LANDING opening credits videos that are all over YouTube the past couple of weeks.

I realize I'm probably in the minority here, but I'm really digging the Season 3 opening instrumental. Of course, I'd agree that visually that year's opening needed some fine tuning, especially considering some of the images were simply pictures and some of the clips weren't the most flattering of the actors. But I really enjoy the music for the third season intro. It's got a slow build, but at around 20 seconds in, the music really gets to kicking and we're introduced to the more traditional KNOTS opening sound, and I really like it.​

like you, I am recently digging this version a lot myself. The bass line is to die for.

 

[Knots4ever]

I’ve started watching some French dub episodes and they do something interesting in seasons 4 thru 7 - they keep the scrolling pictures in the same order, same number of pictures for each actor, but they actually replace some of the pictures! And, IMO, the French pictures are by and large better than the American ones.

They’re fan-made the person who originally put all episodes online went through the trouble of swapping out the actual French openings (where simply the title and the music were changed) for the fan-made ones.

 

[DarkVader]

Much as i love the classic s4-s8 sequence, I also liked the change in S9-10 once I got used to it. It did suit a change in direction of the show, preparing us for the sadness of Laura's death, and moving back towards the cul-de-sac and character studies of our main cast. Donna's naughty-sexy turn to camera as the music crescendos in Season 9, was always a high. She sort of says 'Look I can bury bodies and still look beautiful, and I got away with it...'

This was the season where Joan Van Ark stole Lisa Hartman's Season 7 hairstyle.....

 

[DarkVader]

I'm watching the Season 8 stream on Primetime Soaps by WB TV. This must be the season where Lorimar/Telepictures started filming their shows on film but edited them on videotape in post, because on my 4K UHD monitor the opening credit titles look horrible. The flaws are revealed now with the higher resolution that is available today. This is why to avoid this and give their shows a longer shelf life they are remastering a lot of their older shows.

Also, the theme song is ruined. It sounds like it's being played by a kazoo and a synthesizer.

 

[knots4309]

I'm watching the Season 8 stream on Primetime Soaps by WB TV. This must be the season where Lorimar/Telepictures started filming their shows on film but edited them on videotape in post, because on my 4K UHD monitor the opening credit titles look horrible. The flaws are revealed now with the higher resolution that is available today. This is why to avoid this and give their shows a longer shelf life they are remastering a lot of their older shows.

Also, the theme song is ruined. It sounds like it's being played by a kazoo and a synthesizer.

Correct the season 8 intro was the first intro to completely be edited on videotape. The first episode to entirely be edited on videotape was "A Little Assistance" in season 7. You can tell as the font changed on the titles overlayed at the beginning of the episode and closing credits. Likely cause they could not match the old font in the new editing system. The intro was done on film that season, so it looks fairly good. Season 9 and 10 (the painting years) was actually shot all on film, but the effects of the cast oval pictures and the titling was done on video. Same is true about Season 11. Seasons 12, 13, and 14 were all entirely edited on videotape at 29.97 frames per second. I often wonder how season 8, 12, 13, and 14 will actually look like remastered. They will either have to upscale these intros or completely re-create them from scratch to get them to edit with the film material shot a 24 fps. I bet we get the former as they did with Dallas in the later years.

 

[DarkVader]

Correct the season 8 intro was the first intro to completely be edited on videotape. The first episode to entirely be edited on videotape was "A Little Assistance" in season 7. You can tell as the font changed on the titles overlayed at the beginning of the episode and closing credits. Likely cause they could not match the old font in the new editing system. The intro was done on film that season, so it looks fairly good. Season 9 and 10 (the painting years) was actually shot all on film, but the effects of the cast oval pictures and the titling was done on video. Same is true about Season 11. Seasons 12, 13, and 14 were all entirely edited on videotape at 29.97 frames per second. I often wonder how season 8, 12, 13, and 14 will actually look like remastered. They will either have to upscale these intros or completely re-create them from scratch to get them to edit with the film material shot a 24 fps. I bet we get the former as they did with Dallas in the later years.

Wow you know your stuff...you are very informative! I agree that they will have to recreate them from scratch like they did for "Dallas".

 

[Chris2]

I’m watching Laura’s head spin in the season 9 intro. Who does she think she is, Maggie Gioberti?