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All movies have credits rolling at the end of the film. But some, many really, tend to have two sets of them. By that, I mean the first set tends to be very animated, and at the mid point, switch into a plainer, static set. Often it's just white text on black background at that point.

My question is, which movie started this trend? What is the first instance of a movie not using just a plain "white-on-black" text scroll for the entire credits?

For example, Jupiter Ascending (2015):

First Closing credits starts with beautiful background showing main crew members worked for movie.

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Then this black & white closing credits comes.

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Edit: Since My question is closed, I am trying to open by adding more details to it.

The blockbuster 300 (2006) did the same. The First Set of closing credits of with more animation works & effects:

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After completing set I, then Set II closing credits starts with a plain, normal background (I mean no effects when compared to Set I).

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  • There have been many, many movies that end with a static shot (or a panned landscape shot). The credits begin rolling and then the background slowly fades to black and thus you end up with 2 different backgrounds. I doubt this can be pinpointed to a specific movie, but it can be pinpointed to a specific time period if you consider this question I asked about when closing credits began to get lengthy. Commented Sep 9, 2016 at 13:05
  • @Paulie_D My question is completely related to closing credits. Commented Sep 19, 2016 at 4:38
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    Good question, the first time I can recall something like this was Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991) (video) but I'd be quite surprised if that was the first. Commented Sep 21, 2016 at 6:43
  • Firstly, not all films have end credits... Traditionally, films only had opening credits, which were much longer, though not as complete as modern end credits. There aren't two sets of credits, it's two styles... Cards and the crawl. The crawl is newer as, traditionally, all credits were cards... You should do a bit more research.
    – Catija
    Commented Sep 21, 2016 at 8:14
  • I recall Lost in Space (1998) (poor video) the first time I ever saw such a radical example of what the OP is talking about. The Star Trek example seems almost more of a way to pay tribute to the TOS cast members, rather than a heavily animated, "credits highlight." I'd like to add, too, that this trend also seems to include The Pop Song™ over the animated portion, with movie score over the crawl. The Star Trek example carries the score from the film into the handwriting sequence, almost as if that sequence is part of the film.
    – drukepple
    Commented Aug 27, 2018 at 21:28

1 Answer 1

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This can probably be traced to the 1956 movie Around the World in 80 Days. There were earlier movies that had end credits rather than opening credits (Most notably Wizard of Oz in 1939), however they were simply names flashed on the screen.

Around the World had an 11 minute ending credit sequence with the first (most likely the "above the line" group) ones being displayed singly over an animated background, and while the background continues in animated style, the rest of the credits are over basically repeating, simpler animations.

This has become entrenched in filmdom, with the above the line group being displayed over relevant/differing backgrounds, with the below the line group following in a simpler fashion.

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