Art of the Title

  • Title Sequences
  • Designers + Studios

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir Dogs
Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy, or are you gonna bite?
—Mr. Blonde
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Post
  • More

Quentin Tarantino came out swinging with Reservoir Dogs, his salty, foul-mouthed directorial debut.

As the besuited band of men strolls down an alley, each actor is introduced in a mustard serif typeface and the George Baker Selection’s 1970 hit “Little Green Bag” pulses upbeat. The sequence, originally filmed in 24fps and stepped down to an almost-jumpy 12fps, achieves a sort of snappy grace. Slowly, the title sweeps up into the frame and the men get smaller in the distance as K-Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies Weekend just keeps on truckin'.

This opening would be parodied four years later in Doug Liman's Swingers, appearing right after a sequence in which the characters discuss Hollywood directors copying from other directors' films.

VIDEO: Swingers (1995) Reservoir Dogs Scene

SUPPLEMENTARY: Swingers (1996) parodies the Reservoir Dogs opening

  • Credits

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Music: "Little Green Bag" by George Baker Selection

Related

  • Machete

    Machete

    interview

  • A Fistful of Titles: The Westerns of Iginio Lardani

    A Fistful of Titles: The Westerns of Iginio Lardani

    feature

  • Boardwalk Empire

    Boardwalk Empire

    interview

Title sequence

  • Category

    Film
  • Styles

    1990s, live action, main title, montage
Reservoir Dogs
  • Film Director

    Quentin Tarantino
  • Release Date

    October 23, 1992
  • Aspect Ratio

    2.35:1
  • Studio

    Miramax Films
  • Country

    USA
  • Language

    English
  • Reviews

    Reviews on Letterboxd
  • IMDb has full details

Article

  • Writer

    Lola Landekic
  • Published

    April 17, 2012

Subscribe to Art of the Title

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • About
  • News
  • Titles
  • Features
  • Designers
  • Studios
  • Sponsorship

Art of the Title is made with ❤ in Toronto and is supported by readers like you.

© 2007–2025 Art of the Title, LLC. All rights reserved.
Works appearing on Art of the Title are the property of their respective owners.

  • Gold Sponsor

    NOW OPEN! LET’S TALK

  • Silver Sponsor

    NOW OPEN! LET’S TALK