One caveat - I define opening "scene" loosely here - some of my examples are opening credits, others are just a minute or two long, while a few are extended sequences. Basically, the scene had to come very close to the beginning of the movie with the obvious intention of establishing the tone of the film.
(SPOILERS - DUH. Also some NSFW content)
The Goonies (1985) - Car Chase
Watching Stranger Things last month got me thinking about The Goonies, and how it really has held up well over the years. The film features exciting action sequences, hilarious dialogue, and a stellar ensemble cast. All three are on display in the opening scene as the criminal Fratelli family races through small-town Oregon to escape the pursuing police. Along they way, the chase passes by most of the Goonies, who are out and about in town. This 4-minute sequence introduces us to nearly all the important characters in the film and tells us a lot about their personalities in just a few seconds of screen-time each. My favorite bit (aside from Chunk's classic milkshake spill) is Mother Fratelli nonchalantly snacking on a biscuit while driving a 4-wheel drive Jeep at high speeds, all while dodging bullets from the police. Cool as a cucumber, she's not one to be trifled with.
Dave Grusin's rousing score and Richard Donner's expert direction cement this scene one of my favorites in the movie.
Pulp Fiction (1994) - The Diner
Like 1992's Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino opens his seminal Pulp Fiction with a seemingly-innocuous scene in a diner, where characters talk about basically nothing of importance. Here, Tarantino's innovative use of non-linear storytelling starts right away. Those of you who've seen Pulp Fiction know this scene is ultimately critical to the plot of the climax of the film, but upon first viewing it appears totally out of context to the main story.
All that aside, the dialogue itself it just hysterical, and acted to perfection by Tim Roth. The absolute over-the-top conclusion to this scene lets the audience know they're in for one heck of a cinematic ride!
Sunset Blvd (1950) - The Pool
Sunset Blvd is my favorite film of all time. For me, pretty much every single scene in the movie is perfect. The opening is no exception. Set to a menacing score by the famous Franz Waxman, Sunset Blvd opens to a mysterious narrator informing us about a grisly murder on Hollywood's famous Sunset Boulevard. A screenwriter has been found dead in the house pool of an aging silent film star. We quickly learn that the narrator is in fact the dead screenwriter, and spend the rest of the film learning how he ended up in that pool. The scene sets a creepy and melancholy mood that pervades the remainder of the film.
Coincidentally, Sunset Blvd also features one of cinema's greatest endings, with the famous line "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!" Directed by the great Billy Wilder, this incisive commentary on Hollywood is a must-see for any lover of cinema.
Zombieland (2009) - Opening Credits (warning - gore / nudity)
Zombieland is just pure fun from start to finish. It has all the hallmarks of a good zombie movie - thrills, scares, and buckets of blood - but also functions as an excellent comedy. The opening sequence lays out series of "rules" by which one must abide if they wish to survive in this post-apocalyptic zombieland. The consequences of breaking said rules are made apparent in a hilarious fashion. Immediately afterwards, the audience is treated to a hysterical slow motion montage of zombie mayhem accompanied by Metallica's epic track, "For Whom The Bell Tolls".
When A Stranger Calls (1979) - "Have You Checked The Children?"
Sure, the rest of the film is rubbish, by my goodness, the first 20 minutes of When A Stranger Calls may constitute the most terrifying sequence in any horror film I've seen. Famously parodied by Wes Craven's Scream, in the scene a teenage babysitter receives a series of increasingly-menacing calls from a disturbed individual who keeps asking her to "check the children", who are supposedly asleep upstairs. After 15 minutes of suspenseful build-up, a now-famous reveal occurs when the police dial back and notify the babysitter that the calls have been coming from inside the house.
The first time I watched this film, it was 1AM and I was alone in my pitch-black college dorm room. Needless to say, I had a difficult time falling asleep that night.
The Social Network (2010) - Opening Dialogue
Anyone who follows this blog probably knows I am a huge fan of The Social Network. The pairing of David Fincher's meticulous direction with Aaron Sorkin's superb dialogue is a match made in heaven.
Though simple in setting, the opening scene of the film perfectly establishes Mark Zuckerburg's character and tells us pretty much everything we need to know about him in just a few minutes. Equal parts ingenious, ambitious, and totally callous, Jesse Eisenberg's Zuckerburg is captivating to watch, even though (as his girlfriend points out) he's a massive asshole.
Blade Runner (1982) - Los Angeles 2019
I consider Ridley Scott's Blade Runner one of the most visually-stunning films of all time. Hugely influential, this gritty adaptation of Philip K. Dick's famous novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, paints a stunning vision of a dystopian Los Angeles. Considered by many to be one of the best examples of both the neo-noir and cyberpunk genres, it remains Scott's best film to date and a hallmark in American science fiction cinema.
The opening scene introduces the audience to the foreign entity that is 2019 Los Angeles, smothered in smog and covered in perpetual darkness. An ethereal score by Vangelis sets the mood as the camera slowly advances across an industrial landscape punctuated with bursts of flame and flying cars. Meanwhile, a very human-looking eye observes the landscape.
Beauty in (apparent) simplicity - that's the name of the game here. The visual effects on display hold up astoundingly well.
Hope you enjoyed these great opening scenes. Let me know what your favorites are!
-CC
Dave Grusin's rousing score and Richard Donner's expert direction cement this scene one of my favorites in the movie.
Pulp Fiction (1994) - The Diner
Like 1992's Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino opens his seminal Pulp Fiction with a seemingly-innocuous scene in a diner, where characters talk about basically nothing of importance. Here, Tarantino's innovative use of non-linear storytelling starts right away. Those of you who've seen Pulp Fiction know this scene is ultimately critical to the plot of the climax of the film, but upon first viewing it appears totally out of context to the main story.
All that aside, the dialogue itself it just hysterical, and acted to perfection by Tim Roth. The absolute over-the-top conclusion to this scene lets the audience know they're in for one heck of a cinematic ride!
Sunset Blvd (1950) - The Pool
Sunset Blvd is my favorite film of all time. For me, pretty much every single scene in the movie is perfect. The opening is no exception. Set to a menacing score by the famous Franz Waxman, Sunset Blvd opens to a mysterious narrator informing us about a grisly murder on Hollywood's famous Sunset Boulevard. A screenwriter has been found dead in the house pool of an aging silent film star. We quickly learn that the narrator is in fact the dead screenwriter, and spend the rest of the film learning how he ended up in that pool. The scene sets a creepy and melancholy mood that pervades the remainder of the film.
Coincidentally, Sunset Blvd also features one of cinema's greatest endings, with the famous line "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!" Directed by the great Billy Wilder, this incisive commentary on Hollywood is a must-see for any lover of cinema.
Zombieland (2009) - Opening Credits (warning - gore / nudity)
Zombieland is just pure fun from start to finish. It has all the hallmarks of a good zombie movie - thrills, scares, and buckets of blood - but also functions as an excellent comedy. The opening sequence lays out series of "rules" by which one must abide if they wish to survive in this post-apocalyptic zombieland. The consequences of breaking said rules are made apparent in a hilarious fashion. Immediately afterwards, the audience is treated to a hysterical slow motion montage of zombie mayhem accompanied by Metallica's epic track, "For Whom The Bell Tolls".
Touch Of Evil (1957) - Tracking Shot
While I'm not the biggest fan of the film overall, Orson Welles' famous noir Touch Of Evil certainly has one of the greatest opening scenes in cinematic history. It's one of the longest and most intricate tracking shots of all time, beginning with a ticking bomb placed in the trunk of a car. The cars' occupants, unaware of their impending doom, drive slowly through the streets of a Mexican border town, crossing paths several times with the protagonist and his wife, who are out for an evening stroll. The tension climbs steadily throughout the scene as the audience doesn't know when the bomb will go off. The level of detail needed to pull off an uninterrupted shot like this is insane, especially with so many things going on in the background. The way the focus of the scene shifts from the car initially to the protagonist and then to both is just brilliant.
Definitely worth checking out.
The Dark Knight (2008) - Bank Robbery Scene
This scene needs no introduction, since all of you probably saw it in theaters. Needless to say, this thrilling bank robbery sequence, tautly directed by Christopher Nolan, serves as an eerie introduction to The Joker. More importantly, it sets the mood - that of a crime drama instead of a typical superhero movie. That dynamic certainly made The Dark Knight more memorable than it might have been otherwise.
While I'm not the biggest fan of the film overall, Orson Welles' famous noir Touch Of Evil certainly has one of the greatest opening scenes in cinematic history. It's one of the longest and most intricate tracking shots of all time, beginning with a ticking bomb placed in the trunk of a car. The cars' occupants, unaware of their impending doom, drive slowly through the streets of a Mexican border town, crossing paths several times with the protagonist and his wife, who are out for an evening stroll. The tension climbs steadily throughout the scene as the audience doesn't know when the bomb will go off. The level of detail needed to pull off an uninterrupted shot like this is insane, especially with so many things going on in the background. The way the focus of the scene shifts from the car initially to the protagonist and then to both is just brilliant.
Definitely worth checking out.
The Dark Knight (2008) - Bank Robbery Scene
This scene needs no introduction, since all of you probably saw it in theaters. Needless to say, this thrilling bank robbery sequence, tautly directed by Christopher Nolan, serves as an eerie introduction to The Joker. More importantly, it sets the mood - that of a crime drama instead of a typical superhero movie. That dynamic certainly made The Dark Knight more memorable than it might have been otherwise.
When A Stranger Calls (1979) - "Have You Checked The Children?"
Sure, the rest of the film is rubbish, by my goodness, the first 20 minutes of When A Stranger Calls may constitute the most terrifying sequence in any horror film I've seen. Famously parodied by Wes Craven's Scream, in the scene a teenage babysitter receives a series of increasingly-menacing calls from a disturbed individual who keeps asking her to "check the children", who are supposedly asleep upstairs. After 15 minutes of suspenseful build-up, a now-famous reveal occurs when the police dial back and notify the babysitter that the calls have been coming from inside the house.
The first time I watched this film, it was 1AM and I was alone in my pitch-black college dorm room. Needless to say, I had a difficult time falling asleep that night.
The Social Network (2010) - Opening Dialogue
Anyone who follows this blog probably knows I am a huge fan of The Social Network. The pairing of David Fincher's meticulous direction with Aaron Sorkin's superb dialogue is a match made in heaven.
Though simple in setting, the opening scene of the film perfectly establishes Mark Zuckerburg's character and tells us pretty much everything we need to know about him in just a few minutes. Equal parts ingenious, ambitious, and totally callous, Jesse Eisenberg's Zuckerburg is captivating to watch, even though (as his girlfriend points out) he's a massive asshole.
Blade Runner (1982) - Los Angeles 2019
I consider Ridley Scott's Blade Runner one of the most visually-stunning films of all time. Hugely influential, this gritty adaptation of Philip K. Dick's famous novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, paints a stunning vision of a dystopian Los Angeles. Considered by many to be one of the best examples of both the neo-noir and cyberpunk genres, it remains Scott's best film to date and a hallmark in American science fiction cinema.
The opening scene introduces the audience to the foreign entity that is 2019 Los Angeles, smothered in smog and covered in perpetual darkness. An ethereal score by Vangelis sets the mood as the camera slowly advances across an industrial landscape punctuated with bursts of flame and flying cars. Meanwhile, a very human-looking eye observes the landscape.
Beauty in (apparent) simplicity - that's the name of the game here. The visual effects on display hold up astoundingly well.
Hope you enjoyed these great opening scenes. Let me know what your favorites are!
-CC
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