best opening scene ever

[hans de vries]

My question is: the best movie opening scene? I'm not saying the best is the opening of Fellini's Satyricon, but the main character starting to rant to the audience about the other main character makes you sit up immediately, and I really liked that. I've found that movies that open quietly with unremarkable images just make the audience talk on for a while longer.

(I do have an agenda here; I'm finishing a scenario. I don't need help, problem is more too many ideas than too few. I've been wondering for a while if I should shuffle things around to maximise the impact.) So...I'm not looking for advice, I'm just wondering what you guys' favourite opening scene is.

[Brad Webb]

Here's a list compiled by Total Film

http://www.totalfilm.com/features/20-awesome-movie-openings

5 awesome ones I can think of off the top of my head

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Touch of Evil
3. Snatch
4. Star Wars
5. Inglorious Basterds.

[Craig Ryan]

"I believe in America..."

[guiziliu]

I do not believe America……
http://www.photosnag.com/img/4713/n09x0302vnsn/clear.gif

[colinbaugh]

"The Business"

[Mark Allen]

Saving Private Ryan certainly had quite an amazing opening scene - but it was incredibly different from the rest of the film. I'd agree about Raiders though it's a bit dated now. But honestly the best openings I feel really create a curiousity in the audience. Matrix had a great opening scene because it set up a lot of questions and set up a fantastic mood.

[Liam Hall]

The Player had a cool opening shot as did Absolute Beginners which got a mention in the opening shot of The Player along with a lot of other cool opening shots from movies.

[Martin Weiss]

Casino Royale

[Andy Jarosz]

The title shot of Serenity...

[Jan Balster]

Quantum Of Solace had a great opening sequence.

[Peter Hodgins]

Chasing the horses in "Billy Jack", not exactly the opening scene, but close enough.

[Kyle Presley]

Mine is the opening of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

[Anton Woldhek]

Apocalypse Now & Once upon a time in the west would be the standard sounddesigners reply ;)

[Neil Larson]

Jurassic park came out when I was like 10 and I'll never forget that opening scene. "Shoot her........shoot her........."

[Roberto Lequeux]

The Matrix!

[hans de vries]

That's excellent response; good work guys!

[Jaime Vallés]

Jaws.

[Mitch Gross]

"I believe in America..."

Yes, "The Godfather." It instantly set the tone and framed the narrative structure of the film. Don Corleone was like a king, with the peasants coming to pay homage.

Another great one is "Reds" (how fitting for this forum). Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) arrives late for a conference she is supposed to report on. She peaks in the doorway to see a room full of people listening to a speaker talk a long diatribe on the evils of the current political system. The speaker then asks the esteemed John Reed (Warren Beatty) to explain why he believes that that current governement is evil, owners are unfair to workers, etc., etc. Reeds stands up and instead of a long complicated answer he says, "Money." and sits back down. Instantly you understand that he is an iconoclast who does not care to impress others and will not play along with them, which is why he will be both respected and reviled. And it is seen through Bryant's eyes, so we understand why she falls in love with him. And then the movie takes the next three-plus hours to explore this.

That's efficiency is storytelling.

The opening to Citizen Kane is pretty great as well.

[Yousuf Abbasi]

Reconstruction (2003)

[P Andersson]

agree to many above - here's some more

Bonnie and Clyde
Betty Blue
Irreversible
2001
Bladerunner
Paris Texas
The Wall
Citicen Kane
You The Living
Stalker

[Zakaree Sandberg]

boogie nights

[Milan Spasic]

It's interesting that you mentioned Fellini but not the opening scene in 8 1/2.

I guess that's the difference in how writers and DPs view film. ;)


Now I have to go and see Absolute Beginners again. I completely forgot about that film. :smile5:

[James Brundige]

The Magnificent Ambersons !! Done before steadicams.

[Yousuf Abbasi]

agree to many above - here's some more

Bonnie and Clyde
Betty Blue
Irreversible
2001
Bladerunner
Paris Texas
The Wall
Citicen Kane
You The Living
Stalker

I agree Paris Texas. Irreversible was a little dizzy.......

[Tom Lowe]

What about For Your Eyes Only when Bond scoops up Blofeld with the helicopter and drops him down that chimney LOL.

[Brandon Kraemer]

[QUOTE=Brad Webb;482023]
2. Touch of Evil/QUOTE]

I second Touch of Evil, especially since it's one continuous shot and reveals a whole lot of setup action, ending with the explosion. Great directing.

I have always been partial to the opening (and closing) shot in The Searchers, the use of silhouette that ties the people to the home with in the landscape and the introduction of the main character in deep focus all in one shot.

My favorite edited sequence that begins a movie is probably from Cool Hand Luke, where the parking meters are in extreme closeup as they are being cut from the poles, flashing the yellow violation flags. Really cool abstract sequence to begin a great film.

[Omar Saad]

Being a Kubrick junkie (surely like many people on here) I've always been partial to the opening of A Clockwork Orange. The combination of that opening shot, the trance-like music, the set design, and Alex's narration sets the tone for the entire film (IMO). Within those first 30 seconds, of your first viewing, you realize that you're watching something that you have likely never seen before.

Just off the top of my head, the opening sequence of Sexy Beast jumps out a me as one of my favorites from recent years. I laugh a little harder each time I see it.

[Frank Weeks]

So many great ones.

Always loved the open for "The Spy who loved me"

Bond on skis. Chased over the cliff. Union Jack parachute.

[michael webb]

shakes the clown

[Vito DeFilippo]

Tarsem's "The Fall".

[J. Bernard Vallon]

Cold Mountain. Hugely under appreciated film.

[Alan Rosenfeld]

The opening to Saving Private Ryan...not so much the first shot, but the entire getting to the beach, very visceral...

[Frank Cueto]

Eyes Wide Shut.

Anyone agrees?

-Frank

[Tom Lowe]

So many great ones.

Always loved the open for "The Spy who loved me"

Bond on skis. Chased over the cliff. Union Jack parachute.

Yep. Another awesome one for sure. :sifone:

[Chris Reynolds]

Billabong Odyssey.

[Jon Carr]

I always liked Intermission's opening, and funny games opening.

[REDneck]

the latest star trek. i thought that first sequence was the best thing in the movie, and the intensity of it bowled me over.

[Michael McLaughlin]

Man the opening was that subtle cool touch; then
the part that goes into the Cult song in the background
with the incredible helicopter(?) shot following him into
the countryside club... magnificient.

[Brandon Fraley]

Punch Drunk Love (my standard answer to most "best of" questions)

Matrix also

[Mitch Gross]

shakes the clown

You're a sick man!

[Paolo Tinari]

The corpse bride

[Joe G.]

I don't believe in "best" of course.

The opening of STRANGE DAYS was pretty gripping.

ROBOCOP 2 also had quite an opening, starting right where the first one ended.

PATTON was hard to look away from.

Many others. Don't know from "best."