Top 10 Opening Scenes
Welcome back viewers! readers! whoever you are! And it's time for another Top 10.
This time we will be tackling opening scenes in movies so turn down the lights, crank up the volume of whatever music that treks you along at night and get ready for the beginning of the beginning.
As always, please follow up with fellow reviewers Mickey and Tom as these lists are infinitely better when done in groups, not to mention they make the individual lists seem not as irrelevant.
Mickey's Top 10
Tom's Top... 20!?! Wow.
This is what we live for folks so get on board. Feed the trolls. Maybe our lists will be similar. Maybe they will be drastically different! Either way, come on down and chill with the three amigos.
Arguably the most crucial part of a film, the opening scene is an element that has the potential to not only make or break your work as a whole but will make or break your audience as well. And well, who more important to your work than your audience, AMIRIGHT?
Not every great film necessarily demands a memorable opening scene. Hell, 12 Years A Slave just took home Best Pic and I'll be damned if I can remember the opening scene. But let's not get hasty. An opening scene can most definitely get the job done of setting the stage in a way that will hook your audience member like a large mouthed bass and reel 'em all the way to theboat final credits.
*IGNORANCE WARNING*
I'm gonna say it once. Take into account that just because not all of these will be great film classics DOESN'T mean I DIDN'T consider them. This is simply taking into account the OPENING MOMENTS of a film. I am going to try my best and NOT lean on the crutch that exists due to the fact that MOST of the following films that appear JUST so happen to be some of my favorite films of all time (I'm not 100% ignorant). Coincidence folks. GET IT TOGETHER AMERICA. IT HAPPENS.
With all that said, each of the following films holds some kind of special place in my heart and they all share remarkably unique opening sequences that personally pull me in from just these moments alone, giving me a friendly brief reminder that within just a couple opening minutes, I'm about to witness something truly worthwhile.
And if you haven't yet, you should brush up on ALL of the following.
Now, as Gandalf the Grey once said, let's get this sh*t started.
FIRST:
Honorable Mention:
Okay ya know what? Be quiet folks, it's NEVER been easy for me to pick just ten. BEAR WITH ME HERE.
Austin Powers
Because, what's better than seeing a James Bond style parody opening with a bald scar-faced villain (played by Mike Myers) click a giant red button that sends his failed alliances to their fiery grave? Seeing Austin Powers dance his way through the streets of 1960s UK somehow being chased by hordes of women, were he all of The Beatles and NOT a gangly looking Sasquatch with yellow teeth (also played by Mike Myers). If you're not sold within those opening minutes, you're not gonna be sold with any of the film or its two sequels.
Boogie Nights
Because a still early PT Anderson film (his breakout film really) needs to not only rope in thepornstars moviegoers as a great film but it needs to prove itself as an establishment that can make its 1970s setting of such swingers and sex themes absolutely timeless. And what a better way to introduce us to these swingers of the disco era? Introduce them in one, long, never-ending tracking shot that never breaks and never once feels anything less than flawless.
And now...
ON TO THE LIST I SAY! HEE-YAH!
10) Jurassic Park
I'm gonna get it out of the way right now. Ready? Here it comes. Jaws does not make the list. Again, JAWS DOES NOT MAKE THE LIST.
"It's an outrage I tell ya!" Yeah yeah yeah, I've disappointed fans a hundred times before. But LISTEN. I like to play fair (kinda) and I only wanted to put one Spielberg movie on here (Well why not Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan then; the arguably better film openings, you heartless bastard!? You may cry out. Because I'm not trying to make you weep here folks. I'm giving you a list that has its fun moments and there's nothing more fun [in an eye-widening dinosaur eats a guy kinda way] than Jurassic Park). With that said, I chose Jurassic Park because LIKE Jaws, it uses the element of using your imagination to bring all the fear out of your soul. Now, Jurassic Park is a very underrated movie in my humble, irrelevant opinion, but I'm just talking opening shots, remember.
We start black with the famous bold text thumping on to screen with John Williams' chilling score played in the background. We slowly fade into nighttime. The trees rustle the way they do just before a Tyrannosaurus Rex moves through them a whole hour of tension later on in the film. But alas! It's not a dinosaur! But a bulldozer (of sorts)! And it's here to help transport a cage (of sorts)!! And what could be in that cage!? YOU GUESSED IT. A Dinosaur! Well let's see the thing dammit. Is this gonna look real or not? Sorry kids. You won't get to that point until the famous brachiosaurus entrance down by the swimmin' hole later on. Ah whatever. One of the construction workers gets pulled in. And it is because we don't see the thing, but we hear its deadly screeches; we see a quick shot of deadly claws, and this poor bastard getting sucked into this cage holding on by his fingertips, that makes this scene nothing short of terrifying. It's a moment of pure tension folks and one that gets the sweat goin' within minutes. By the time the Raptor-hunter's yelling "SHOOT HAH!" over and over before we actually fade into the T-rexless hour ahead, we know we're in for something that's DINO-damn worthwhile.
9) Goodfellas
Because what would a list like this even look like without Martin Scorsese? Now I get it folks. Why wouldn't I rather add Raging Bull or Taxi Driver? Might people prefer them? OF COURSE. But that's not the name of the game. We're not here to play "Which movies does this jagoff prefer even though there are clearly better movies than these?" (Why am I so negative today, what is going on?) ANYWAY, I went with Goodfellas because in MY opinion (as a given), not just this film but this opening sequence says EVERYTHING you need to know about this legendary director and it's done in a matter of minor minutes.
"Ever since I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster" is not only one of the most memorable movie quotes of all time but it's the opening line of this film and from there we're introduced to three superbly memorable dudes: A Ray Liotta at the peak of his career accompanied by gangster squad duo Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro. Together, the men drive through the night as they feel a "thump" in the road. Could it be roadkill? Could it be a flat? NOPE. It's just the guy tied up in the trunk we THOUGHT we killed. So let's knife him some more. You go Joe. You give 'im that knife. From these shocking opening moments the film directly shifts to Liotta's backstory and we learn the origin of the gangster. Before we know it, these memorable flashbacks have us so hooked, we don't even realize we've hit the 30 minute mark of the film. It's brilliant. Everything from the witty dialogue to the shots and editing choices. One could say it's near flawless. These mere minutes alone tell you everything you need to know about Martin Scorsese and why he's such a boss.
8) Hot Fuzz
Not just because the list needs a really light-hearted (kinda) addition but because as far as editing goes, this might top the list. The second entry in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's "blood and ice cream" trilogy is also the fastest and most action-packed. And by paying homage to action movies, the film does a DAMN good job of being more thrilling and exciting than many action movies it tends to mock. And what ropes the audience into an action movie quicker than anything? ACTION. But what I enjoy is that we don't start off guns blazing and high speed chases but instead we're given a very simple backstory; a backstory fleshing out our hero Nicholas Angel (Pegg) and how he became the elite cop in his field but good GOD do the cuts slice by a literal mile a minute. With just this opening scene alone, we're dished out Angel's years worth of history and how he got ahead in the force and it's told in a matter of mere minutes. It's brilliant because like every good action movie should do, it breezes by so quick, hitting us with so much that we don't know what hit us. The editing alone is so swift and so superb, capturing every minuscule detail at such a rapid pace, it's a sheer wonder how Wright's editing team has never been nominated for an Oscar.
7) X2: X-Men United
As I did with Jurassic Park, let me first state that the better movie of the genre will not be mentioned on this list due to playing fair. With Spielberg, I chose Jurassic Park instead of Jaws. With comic book movies, I choose X-Men instead of The Dark Knight. I understand that the latter is the better film with the arguably better opening but where everyone in the world still talks about the brilliant and tragically late Heath Ledger (as they should) giving us a bang of an entrance with his clown-faced bank robbery, I think everyone has forgotten just how good the opening moment of the X-Men sequel really is. Arguably the best part of the movie, we open with the White House. The stage has been set. The mutants have been established. But out of the literal shadows, who should be disguised as a tourist but the inevitably badass Nightcrawler?
Being confronted by security, this seemingly strange man in disguise reveals himself with a background shot of a demonic, navy blue tail waving behind him. It is this moment that raises the audience's brow and knocks us flat on our ass as we watch what is arguably X-Men's best mutant reign HELL upon White House security as he goes to attack the President. It is a single moment of pure fierceness of swift action and special FX that to this day make us giddy with seven-year-old-excitement and is one that to this day hasn't been thwarted by anything as initially 'wowing' in any other comic book movie since this release, twelve whole years ago.
6) Scream
A lampoon of horror movies that has become a lampoon itself with three sequels and eighteen years of influence, Scream has made its mark as a stamp on horror movies that has ultimately become a game changer in the horror movie genre. But take away all the fame, all the sequels, all the influence and strip the film down to its bare bones. This is a simple, serial killer story that uses homage and straight up references to all the horror classics that came before it but before our story of Neve Campbell and the teens of the Woodsboro massacre begins, we open with a very 90's Drew Barrymore.
As a clear reference to Psycho, our story kills off its poster girl in the beginning of the film without anyone ever seeing it coming. It is also this opening scene that in MY humble opinion is the scariest. Yes, being stalked by a masked killer who is out to get you and is killing all your friends one by one and no one believes you, is scary, yes. But let's just focus on Drew for a moment and why her story is so bone-chilling and why home invasion truly is a terrifying thing.
You get a weird phone call from a weird dude who's not NOT flirting with you, poking at the question of "what's your favorite scary movie?"From there, the mysterious questionnaire continues and the most terrifying statement of the film is made. When Drew pegs him with "why's" regarding his playful asking, he responds with "I want to who I'm looking at." Everything after that moment alone already has you hook, line and sinker because that simple line of dialogue should send shivers down your spine every time you watch. And the end shot of this horrific scene? If that's not a true horror-opening, I don't know what is.
5) The Matrix
People don't seem to talk about the first Matrix movie as much as they should. I get that the sequels left a bad taste in everyone's mouth (though I enjoyed them, that's besides the point), but that first entry was so damn brilliant, it shook the sci-fi AND action genre and would influence dozens of movies to come after it. I could sit here all day and prove how The Matrix is one of the greatest films of all time but that's not what this list is about to turn into so let's just focus on the opening scene, shall we?
We begin with our dark and ominous green WB logo with a chilling score by Don Davis in the background. Those horns prepare us for something special. The infamous green text falls down the screen and like a computer, (much like the movie's comparison) the text simulates it's blocky title through the foreign font.
We begin with Trinity in a dark room. The filter is dark green as would be seen when characters enter the Matrix and BOOM. Here come the police, led by the dastardly Agent Smith. Within SECONDS, the badass bitch of the Nebuchadnezzar goes HAM on EVERY cop. The whooshing sound effects of every swift kick and punch shatter our ear drums as she thwarts every officer and escapes every agent. Leaping from rooftops, she seems inhuman and we can't help but feel a rushing sense of adrenaline as we ponder what her motives are and how she's so perfect at kicking ass. The infamous slow-motion, 360-degree drop kick to the chest is revealed and that's it. I'm done. Towel thrown in. Give me all the sequels and spin-offs you want. This moment had me SOLD.
4) Pulp Fiction
Tarantino is a writer above all else. Arguably more so than a director, he is first and foremost a writer and one of the most talented writers in film. One of the things that makes Tarantino as good a writer as he is is the fact that he knows how to wrangle in his audience with his opening scene. It wasn't difficult for me to choose Pulp Fiction as the Tarantino scene for this list but it WAS difficult to exclude Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill volume 1, Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained as they are ALL worthy of this list, because Tarantino knows how to WRITE an opening proving he can WRITE a damn good film.
And it's funny because this was still an early work of Quentin's (Best Pic worthy and one of the greatest of all time, don't get me wrong) so it lacked certain fancy budget or flashy visual to immediately grab us and instead he focuses strictly on dialogue. The conversation is simple. A Bonnie and Clyde-style couple plot to make a robbery as they casually share lunch at a standard diner. But what a better place to rob than a diner? It's just so simple, as the characters point out. It is this first conversation that we realize these characters are very real. The words they speak; the form of language they use, is SO relatable in the sense that they consistently conflict and clash through their words, the way any casual person would. It's what makes this movie genius and what sets Tarantino apart from any and every other writer in Hollywood. He opens up the minds of every character he writes and invites us in, to get to know them. The conversation is just so REAL that we can't help but feel like we know the characters before they're even fleshed out. The characters can talk for ten minutes at a time and it doesn't matter because it never ONCE feels like it's not engaging. But what a better way to end a conversation about a robbery? END it with the robbery! BOOM. Freeze frame. Insert Dick Dale's famous Misirlou and flash those 1970s style opening credits. I'm ready to go.
3) The Lion King
Because what other animated movie has an intro as big and powerful as this one? Elton John and Tim Rice's explosion of an African theme awakens the blood red sky of a deep orange sun rising above the Earth as every animal in the African kingdom migrates to Pride Rock. A son is born! And you can bet your ass it's the damned LION king! Come on folks! If you don't have chills just THINKING about that red-butted baboon holding his majesty up to the heavenly clouds as all the animals bow to his glory, you MAY not have a soul.
2) The Godfather
Deemed the greatest film of all time by many, it also has one of the best introductions. The slow horns fading in over the Paramount Mountain already have us fans moist and once "Mario Puzo's The Godfather" slowly fades in as that marionette text, we know we're sold but that first conversation sets the entire stage for allthree two movies and decades of timeless influence. The poor man begs to The Godfather on the day of the Godfather's daughter's wedding; what a better day to ask AMIRIGHT!? Everything about this opening is brilliant. From the fear in the helpless man's eyes as he pleads to the bone-chilling Marlon Brando relaxed in his chair showing no remorse; not an ounce of guilt; not a shred of heart. It's a scene that would give way to countless, memorable scenes but everything about this first one says everything you need to know about this legacy of a trilogy duology of films, from Brando's dark, brooding character of a mystery man of grim intentions speaking with a mouth full of cotton balls as he slumps in his chair; his character says it all. Oh and that cat he slowly strokes as he carries out his deeds? That cat WANDERED on set, totally unplanned and improvised as Brando scooped it up minutes before the cameras rolled.
1) Star Wars (AKA: Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope)
Sorry I'm not sorry. In my mind there's no other opening greater than this one. It should come as no surprise, really. It's f**king STAR WARS we're talking about folks. It's easily one of the most well known, lampooned, iconic, recognizable and memorable openings of ANY film. The simple blue font quietly reading "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" preceding the yellow, iconic, GIANT "STAR WARS" font says everything it needs to say. Followed by an opening iconic crawl text explaining the history and why we're here at all, we see Lord Vader's famous ship soar through the stars blasting rebel ships, followed by a blast inside said ship introducing ourprotagonist villain of this six three part story making his smoky entrance. But let's be honest, with an opening TEXT that good, there's no WONDER it got five sequels, COUNTLESS spin-offs, books, TV series, and a fan base that cannot be described with words. It is the mere opening text alone, accompanied by arguably John Williams' most famous score that sets this apart from all the rest. The movie opens with a bang and it wowed audiences so much in the Summer of 1977 that people immediately went back to theaters and have continued to trek back to theaters and they will continue to do so until next year when the NEXT sequel comes out and inevitably the story goes on for centuries to come. And it's all thanks to this iconic opening. Long live Star Wars.
May the Force be with you.
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Now get out there and vote!
This time we will be tackling opening scenes in movies so turn down the lights, crank up the volume of whatever music that treks you along at night and get ready for the beginning of the beginning.
As always, please follow up with fellow reviewers Mickey and Tom as these lists are infinitely better when done in groups, not to mention they make the individual lists seem not as irrelevant.
Mickey's Top 10
Tom's Top... 20!?! Wow.
This is what we live for folks so get on board. Feed the trolls. Maybe our lists will be similar. Maybe they will be drastically different! Either way, come on down and chill with the three amigos.
We're a whole lotta fun when you get to know us.
Arguably the most crucial part of a film, the opening scene is an element that has the potential to not only make or break your work as a whole but will make or break your audience as well. And well, who more important to your work than your audience, AMIRIGHT?
Not every great film necessarily demands a memorable opening scene. Hell, 12 Years A Slave just took home Best Pic and I'll be damned if I can remember the opening scene. But let's not get hasty. An opening scene can most definitely get the job done of setting the stage in a way that will hook your audience member like a large mouthed bass and reel 'em all the way to the
*IGNORANCE WARNING*
I'm gonna say it once. Take into account that just because not all of these will be great film classics DOESN'T mean I DIDN'T consider them. This is simply taking into account the OPENING MOMENTS of a film. I am going to try my best and NOT lean on the crutch that exists due to the fact that MOST of the following films that appear JUST so happen to be some of my favorite films of all time (I'm not 100% ignorant). Coincidence folks. GET IT TOGETHER AMERICA. IT HAPPENS.
With all that said, each of the following films holds some kind of special place in my heart and they all share remarkably unique opening sequences that personally pull me in from just these moments alone, giving me a friendly brief reminder that within just a couple opening minutes, I'm about to witness something truly worthwhile.
And if you haven't yet, you should brush up on ALL of the following.
Now, as Gandalf the Grey once said, let's get this sh*t started.
FIRST:
Honorable Mention:
Okay ya know what? Be quiet folks, it's NEVER been easy for me to pick just ten. BEAR WITH ME HERE.
Austin Powers
Because, what's better than seeing a James Bond style parody opening with a bald scar-faced villain (played by Mike Myers) click a giant red button that sends his failed alliances to their fiery grave? Seeing Austin Powers dance his way through the streets of 1960s UK somehow being chased by hordes of women, were he all of The Beatles and NOT a gangly looking Sasquatch with yellow teeth (also played by Mike Myers). If you're not sold within those opening minutes, you're not gonna be sold with any of the film or its two sequels.
Boogie Nights
Because a still early PT Anderson film (his breakout film really) needs to not only rope in the
And now...
ON TO THE LIST I SAY! HEE-YAH!
10) Jurassic Park
I'm gonna get it out of the way right now. Ready? Here it comes. Jaws does not make the list. Again, JAWS DOES NOT MAKE THE LIST.
"It's an outrage I tell ya!" Yeah yeah yeah, I've disappointed fans a hundred times before. But LISTEN. I like to play fair (kinda) and I only wanted to put one Spielberg movie on here (Well why not Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan then; the arguably better film openings, you heartless bastard!? You may cry out. Because I'm not trying to make you weep here folks. I'm giving you a list that has its fun moments and there's nothing more fun [in an eye-widening dinosaur eats a guy kinda way] than Jurassic Park). With that said, I chose Jurassic Park because LIKE Jaws, it uses the element of using your imagination to bring all the fear out of your soul. Now, Jurassic Park is a very underrated movie in my humble, irrelevant opinion, but I'm just talking opening shots, remember.
We start black with the famous bold text thumping on to screen with John Williams' chilling score played in the background. We slowly fade into nighttime. The trees rustle the way they do just before a Tyrannosaurus Rex moves through them a whole hour of tension later on in the film. But alas! It's not a dinosaur! But a bulldozer (of sorts)! And it's here to help transport a cage (of sorts)!! And what could be in that cage!? YOU GUESSED IT. A Dinosaur! Well let's see the thing dammit. Is this gonna look real or not? Sorry kids. You won't get to that point until the famous brachiosaurus entrance down by the swimmin' hole later on. Ah whatever. One of the construction workers gets pulled in. And it is because we don't see the thing, but we hear its deadly screeches; we see a quick shot of deadly claws, and this poor bastard getting sucked into this cage holding on by his fingertips, that makes this scene nothing short of terrifying. It's a moment of pure tension folks and one that gets the sweat goin' within minutes. By the time the Raptor-hunter's yelling "SHOOT HAH!" over and over before we actually fade into the T-rexless hour ahead, we know we're in for something that's DINO-damn worthwhile.
9) Goodfellas
Because what would a list like this even look like without Martin Scorsese? Now I get it folks. Why wouldn't I rather add Raging Bull or Taxi Driver? Might people prefer them? OF COURSE. But that's not the name of the game. We're not here to play "Which movies does this jagoff prefer even though there are clearly better movies than these?" (Why am I so negative today, what is going on?) ANYWAY, I went with Goodfellas because in MY opinion (as a given), not just this film but this opening sequence says EVERYTHING you need to know about this legendary director and it's done in a matter of minor minutes.
"Ever since I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster" is not only one of the most memorable movie quotes of all time but it's the opening line of this film and from there we're introduced to three superbly memorable dudes: A Ray Liotta at the peak of his career accompanied by gangster squad duo Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro. Together, the men drive through the night as they feel a "thump" in the road. Could it be roadkill? Could it be a flat? NOPE. It's just the guy tied up in the trunk we THOUGHT we killed. So let's knife him some more. You go Joe. You give 'im that knife. From these shocking opening moments the film directly shifts to Liotta's backstory and we learn the origin of the gangster. Before we know it, these memorable flashbacks have us so hooked, we don't even realize we've hit the 30 minute mark of the film. It's brilliant. Everything from the witty dialogue to the shots and editing choices. One could say it's near flawless. These mere minutes alone tell you everything you need to know about Martin Scorsese and why he's such a boss.
8) Hot Fuzz
Not just because the list needs a really light-hearted (kinda) addition but because as far as editing goes, this might top the list. The second entry in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's "blood and ice cream" trilogy is also the fastest and most action-packed. And by paying homage to action movies, the film does a DAMN good job of being more thrilling and exciting than many action movies it tends to mock. And what ropes the audience into an action movie quicker than anything? ACTION. But what I enjoy is that we don't start off guns blazing and high speed chases but instead we're given a very simple backstory; a backstory fleshing out our hero Nicholas Angel (Pegg) and how he became the elite cop in his field but good GOD do the cuts slice by a literal mile a minute. With just this opening scene alone, we're dished out Angel's years worth of history and how he got ahead in the force and it's told in a matter of mere minutes. It's brilliant because like every good action movie should do, it breezes by so quick, hitting us with so much that we don't know what hit us. The editing alone is so swift and so superb, capturing every minuscule detail at such a rapid pace, it's a sheer wonder how Wright's editing team has never been nominated for an Oscar.
7) X2: X-Men United
As I did with Jurassic Park, let me first state that the better movie of the genre will not be mentioned on this list due to playing fair. With Spielberg, I chose Jurassic Park instead of Jaws. With comic book movies, I choose X-Men instead of The Dark Knight. I understand that the latter is the better film with the arguably better opening but where everyone in the world still talks about the brilliant and tragically late Heath Ledger (as they should) giving us a bang of an entrance with his clown-faced bank robbery, I think everyone has forgotten just how good the opening moment of the X-Men sequel really is. Arguably the best part of the movie, we open with the White House. The stage has been set. The mutants have been established. But out of the literal shadows, who should be disguised as a tourist but the inevitably badass Nightcrawler?
Being confronted by security, this seemingly strange man in disguise reveals himself with a background shot of a demonic, navy blue tail waving behind him. It is this moment that raises the audience's brow and knocks us flat on our ass as we watch what is arguably X-Men's best mutant reign HELL upon White House security as he goes to attack the President. It is a single moment of pure fierceness of swift action and special FX that to this day make us giddy with seven-year-old-excitement and is one that to this day hasn't been thwarted by anything as initially 'wowing' in any other comic book movie since this release, twelve whole years ago.
6) Scream
A lampoon of horror movies that has become a lampoon itself with three sequels and eighteen years of influence, Scream has made its mark as a stamp on horror movies that has ultimately become a game changer in the horror movie genre. But take away all the fame, all the sequels, all the influence and strip the film down to its bare bones. This is a simple, serial killer story that uses homage and straight up references to all the horror classics that came before it but before our story of Neve Campbell and the teens of the Woodsboro massacre begins, we open with a very 90's Drew Barrymore.
As a clear reference to Psycho, our story kills off its poster girl in the beginning of the film without anyone ever seeing it coming. It is also this opening scene that in MY humble opinion is the scariest. Yes, being stalked by a masked killer who is out to get you and is killing all your friends one by one and no one believes you, is scary, yes. But let's just focus on Drew for a moment and why her story is so bone-chilling and why home invasion truly is a terrifying thing.
You get a weird phone call from a weird dude who's not NOT flirting with you, poking at the question of "what's your favorite scary movie?"From there, the mysterious questionnaire continues and the most terrifying statement of the film is made. When Drew pegs him with "why's" regarding his playful asking, he responds with "I want to who I'm looking at." Everything after that moment alone already has you hook, line and sinker because that simple line of dialogue should send shivers down your spine every time you watch. And the end shot of this horrific scene? If that's not a true horror-opening, I don't know what is.
5) The Matrix
People don't seem to talk about the first Matrix movie as much as they should. I get that the sequels left a bad taste in everyone's mouth (though I enjoyed them, that's besides the point), but that first entry was so damn brilliant, it shook the sci-fi AND action genre and would influence dozens of movies to come after it. I could sit here all day and prove how The Matrix is one of the greatest films of all time but that's not what this list is about to turn into so let's just focus on the opening scene, shall we?
We begin with our dark and ominous green WB logo with a chilling score by Don Davis in the background. Those horns prepare us for something special. The infamous green text falls down the screen and like a computer, (much like the movie's comparison) the text simulates it's blocky title through the foreign font.
We begin with Trinity in a dark room. The filter is dark green as would be seen when characters enter the Matrix and BOOM. Here come the police, led by the dastardly Agent Smith. Within SECONDS, the badass bitch of the Nebuchadnezzar goes HAM on EVERY cop. The whooshing sound effects of every swift kick and punch shatter our ear drums as she thwarts every officer and escapes every agent. Leaping from rooftops, she seems inhuman and we can't help but feel a rushing sense of adrenaline as we ponder what her motives are and how she's so perfect at kicking ass. The infamous slow-motion, 360-degree drop kick to the chest is revealed and that's it. I'm done. Towel thrown in. Give me all the sequels and spin-offs you want. This moment had me SOLD.
4) Pulp Fiction
Tarantino is a writer above all else. Arguably more so than a director, he is first and foremost a writer and one of the most talented writers in film. One of the things that makes Tarantino as good a writer as he is is the fact that he knows how to wrangle in his audience with his opening scene. It wasn't difficult for me to choose Pulp Fiction as the Tarantino scene for this list but it WAS difficult to exclude Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill volume 1, Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained as they are ALL worthy of this list, because Tarantino knows how to WRITE an opening proving he can WRITE a damn good film.
And it's funny because this was still an early work of Quentin's (Best Pic worthy and one of the greatest of all time, don't get me wrong) so it lacked certain fancy budget or flashy visual to immediately grab us and instead he focuses strictly on dialogue. The conversation is simple. A Bonnie and Clyde-style couple plot to make a robbery as they casually share lunch at a standard diner. But what a better place to rob than a diner? It's just so simple, as the characters point out. It is this first conversation that we realize these characters are very real. The words they speak; the form of language they use, is SO relatable in the sense that they consistently conflict and clash through their words, the way any casual person would. It's what makes this movie genius and what sets Tarantino apart from any and every other writer in Hollywood. He opens up the minds of every character he writes and invites us in, to get to know them. The conversation is just so REAL that we can't help but feel like we know the characters before they're even fleshed out. The characters can talk for ten minutes at a time and it doesn't matter because it never ONCE feels like it's not engaging. But what a better way to end a conversation about a robbery? END it with the robbery! BOOM. Freeze frame. Insert Dick Dale's famous Misirlou and flash those 1970s style opening credits. I'm ready to go.
3) The Lion King
Because what other animated movie has an intro as big and powerful as this one? Elton John and Tim Rice's explosion of an African theme awakens the blood red sky of a deep orange sun rising above the Earth as every animal in the African kingdom migrates to Pride Rock. A son is born! And you can bet your ass it's the damned LION king! Come on folks! If you don't have chills just THINKING about that red-butted baboon holding his majesty up to the heavenly clouds as all the animals bow to his glory, you MAY not have a soul.
2) The Godfather
Deemed the greatest film of all time by many, it also has one of the best introductions. The slow horns fading in over the Paramount Mountain already have us fans moist and once "Mario Puzo's The Godfather" slowly fades in as that marionette text, we know we're sold but that first conversation sets the entire stage for all
1) Star Wars (AKA: Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope)
Sorry I'm not sorry. In my mind there's no other opening greater than this one. It should come as no surprise, really. It's f**king STAR WARS we're talking about folks. It's easily one of the most well known, lampooned, iconic, recognizable and memorable openings of ANY film. The simple blue font quietly reading "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" preceding the yellow, iconic, GIANT "STAR WARS" font says everything it needs to say. Followed by an opening iconic crawl text explaining the history and why we're here at all, we see Lord Vader's famous ship soar through the stars blasting rebel ships, followed by a blast inside said ship introducing our
May the Force be with you.
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