The designer and artist created the four-minute title sequence for Stanley Kramer’s 1963 comedy 'It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World."
The movie follows strangers that meet after a roadside crash. The injured driver, Grogan, tells them where he’s hidden some loot and hilarity ensues.
Bass incorporated this into the long opening sequence. The cars blowing out, a flight, running, cutting, tools, everything the people need to retrieve the loot is included with the opening title.
The background, the globe, the little man, and the giant hands that control a lot of the scene have become a staple sequence for upcoming designers to watch. Once again, Bass’s grace lies in his simplicity.
“The goal, and the ultimate achievement, is to make people feel as well as think,” Bass said of his work, according to the New York Times.
If there's one thing that can be said about Bass, it's that he reached his goal. The film's opening is chock full of quick humor and all of Bass's style.