4. "What doesn't kill you..."
The Movie: The Dark Knight (2008)
The Opener: Our introduction to The Joker reflects The Joker - mean and smart and sharp and always one step ahead.
A bank job, masks all round, and the crew are offing themselves one by one, like a row of falling dominoes.
Then, Joker’s first magic trick (the arrival of the bus) followed quickly by his second (removing his mask to reveal… another mask).
It’s tight and gripping and expertly put together, but like the film itself it’s also bursting with typically Chris Nolan-esque ideas (identity, the power of misdirection) to back up the streamlined style. Watch here.
3. Prepare For Boarding...
The Movie: Star Wars: Episode IV (1977)
The Opener: Past the Freudian Star Destroyer and the endlessly discussed gravity of that opening shot, the magic of Star Wars’ beginning is that it’s a bloody mess.
You don’t know who’s who, you can’t understand what those robots are on about, and the talk of diplomatic missions goes way over your head.
But it doesn’t matter at all, because the basic mechanics of George Lucas’s pulpy space Western are so immediate and graspable.
This is beyond story. This is blockbuster.
Comments
ThrashGordon
Mar 18th 2009, 2:25
You like, totally missed Bufallo Soldiers.
Alert a moderator
HAL9000
Mar 18th 2009, 15:48
Lest we forget Fight Club?
Alert a moderator
Neil1972
Mar 19th 2009, 9:29
The Godfather - "I believe in America...." The Wild Bunch - ants, scorpions, bank robbers, the temperance union, 10-minute shoot-out. Apocalypse Now - helicopters, explosions, The Doors, "Saigon, s**t I'm still only in Saigon."
Alert a moderator
johnnysam
Mar 19th 2009, 12:14
....uhm, you forgot "The Sound Of Music." Best opening ever....still gives me goose bumps!
Alert a moderator
DJFOX2000
Mar 19th 2009, 13:44
Quantum of Solace's opening is conceptually brilliant- throwing the viewer straight into the action and while many of the stunts are very impressive the overall sequences is nothing but a failure. Filmed in a succession of super extreme shakycam closes up, edited in a mad stroboscopic fashion- it throws the primary rule of any action sequences- "geography" out of the window. At points you have no idea who is chasing who, and you quickly stop caring- its like watch a film is fast forward. It takes everything that progressively became wrong with the Bourne Films and takes it the next level!
Alert a moderator
DJFOX2000
Mar 19th 2009, 13:45
Talk about omissions from the list- where's the opening to "Once Upon a Time in the West"? Surely that deserved a mention?
Alert a moderator
Repoboom
Mar 19th 2009, 14:25
Those are some pretty cool openings and though there are so many great ones I will have to suggest an amazing one you missed. Raising Arizona Has one of the greatest openings in movies.It is informative and hilarious
Alert a moderator
johandav
Mar 19th 2009, 16:33
There's another one that should have gotten a mention. I'll give you a hint . . . "Rosebud". The death of the title character and then that great newsreel.
Alert a moderator
tacs3
Mar 19th 2009, 17:42
The Coen Bros' "Raising Arizona" and "Shoot to Kill" (yeah, that Sidney Poitier thriller) still stick to my ribs after all these years.
Alert a moderator
mattrix33
Mar 19th 2009, 17:47
Snyder`s Dawn of the Dead remake has the best opening to a film in ages.
Alert a moderator
Buried At Sea
Mar 19th 2009, 20:40
you should clearly extended this to 50 best. Rules of Attraction? Shaun of the Dead? WATCHMEN!!!!
Alert a moderator
Apathygrrl
Mar 19th 2009, 21:09
I want to put in a nomintion for Ginger Snaps! Best... School... Project... EVAR! If you haven't seen it, do it!
Alert a moderator
Brendan519
Mar 19th 2009, 22:33
I know it's a TV show, not a movie.... but how about the opening sequence of LOST's pilot? The plane crash scene is so terrifying, so jarring, and Shannon's (Maggie Grace) screams perfect the atmosphere of terror and helplessness.
Alert a moderator
hemicuda1982
Mar 20th 2009, 0:14
Let's see... The opening credits of 'Watchmen' holds more of a storyline than the entire 'Matrix' trilogy. 'Dr. Strangelove.' 'Children of Men.' 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.' 'Super Troopers.' All brilliant, memorable, and thoroughly good opening credit sequences. None made this list, but a mostly still-shot of Scarlett Jo's rear does... Don't get me wrong, its a wonderful rear, but not at the expense of movies that earned their right to such a list.
Alert a moderator
SusanC
Mar 20th 2009, 0:51
Another vote here for the awesome opening sequence of "Once Upon a Time in The West": "Looks like we're one horse shy." "No, looks like you brought two too many." (Boom! Boom! Boom!)
Alert a moderator
IGPNicki
Mar 20th 2009, 6:03
Goodfellas is your number one movie moment? Really?? Personally, I would've liked to have seen Contact on the list, or Watchmen- both of which had brilliant opening sequences. http://www.igp-scifi.com
Alert a moderator
ThrashGordon
Mar 20th 2009, 15:03
haha ooops, got that scene confused, ignore my post, Its been a while since I've seen that film!! Was referring to the tank scene fiy, which is not the opening scene... or anywhere near it. :(
Alert a moderator
ld13james
Mar 24th 2009, 15:16
raging bull
Alert a moderator
red157
Mar 27th 2009, 23:46
I'm sure I'll want to say Watchmen once I've actually seen it (God bless being 17 when cinema's suddenly decide to ask for your age) but I'd like to suggest a truly c**p film which is nevertheless worthy of addition. Final Destination 2. In any of the subsequent 80+ minutes and all the deaths included, it doesn't even come close to raising anything approaching excitement (In other words, it's awful), but the opening is still terrific.
Alert a moderator
joehelms
Apr 9th 2009, 21:52
Did not care for Quantum - but Thunderball - my deepest condolences on your loss..
Alert a moderator
Agent69
Nov 26th 2009, 17:41
The Dark Knight over Raiders? and no Godfather. Ridiculous. TDK fanboyism is really irritating.
Alert a moderator
ColouredPurple
Dec 21st 2009, 19:01
As long as Goodfella is number 1 I can't complain. Bes. into. Ever! Up has a very good into though too
Alert a moderator