Best film opening?

[Vault101]

not sure where "opening" starts and finishes

but that first scene/part in inglorious basterds, just the way it ramps up the tension gradually..you wonder "what is it with this guy?" (the natzi)

Already mentioned are the amazing openings to Watchmen, The Dark Knight and Lord of War.

I'll also offer you this.

The whole first scene of Inglorious Basterds.

damn ninja!

 

[Instant K4rma]

I'd have to say Saving Private Ryan, with the storming of the beach to kick off the film. Masterfully directed and unflinching with its brutality, as is the rest of the movie.

 

[Samus Aran but a man]

The Orson Welles film 'Touch of Evil' has an amazing opening sequence which begins with a car bomb being set, and ensues with 210 seconds of insane suspense as the car drives through town. It really is great film-making.

I love the opening to 'Manhattan', with Rhapsody in Blue playing. It sets a great mood.

Inglourious Basterds, Up, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Dark Knight, Star Wars all deserve mentions... hence why they have already been mentioned.

But who can forget 'THE HIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLS ARE AAAAAAAAAAALLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIVEE with the Sound of MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSIIIIIIIIC!!!!' DEM SWISS ALPS

 

[sammysoso]

Oh boy, there's a lot:

-Saving Private Ryan- The raw brutality is unnerving as hell

-Raiders of the Lost Ark- Sets the perfect tone

-Star Wars- Sheer awe-inspiring greatness

-The Dark Knight (and TDKR too)- Perfect introductions of the villians

-Star Trek (2009)- Just gripping, showed how different this Trek was going to be

-Inglorious Basterds- Hilarious and disconcerting

 

[Nazulu]

No idea. I'm leaning towards Saving Private Ryan and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The most epic openings I know of.

Also, like to mention Full Metal Jacket because I couldn't think of anything funnier.

 

[Sprinal]

Second nomination:

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Wow I hadn't considered Clockwork Orange. But yes. It would be one of the best I've seen.

For me I can't really say what is the best opening for a movie is. I could tell you what it should contain but even then... not really. And so many movies already do that. So I am just going to say that the movie also needs to be good. To have a brilliant opening.

So Clockwork Orange?
Raiders of the Lost Ark?
Original Starwars?
Matrix?

Can't say.

And even then one of these movies probably wouldn't even be it.

So yeah. Doubt there is one.

 

[octafish]

Once Upon a Time in the West...obviously. The wait, the sounds, looks like we're shy one horse...you brought two too many. Blam.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

i'm tempted to nominate the opening to Star Trek 2009.

I might have too if the VI opening wasn't so awesome.

 

[Frybird]

So many already mentioned:

Watchmen, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Trek, Matrix, The Dark Knight, Clockwork Orange, Scott Pilgrim

I'd also like to mention how the Dawn of the Dead Remake not only had a cool intro montage, but how fast and yet impressive the movie captures the insanity of the initial "Dawn" (and taking about or maybe less than five minutes until the first Zombie Attack.

...what's even left?

Maybe not the best, but certainly unique and well made was Serenity with it's flashback-in-flashback-in-flashback-in-flashback structure, followed by a lovely shot of the ship and a long almost-tracking shot that introduces every remaining main character.

I also really liked the opening flash-forward of Fight Club with it's frantic, confused narration and some (back-then) cool CGI Effects.

I also liked the beginning of Batman: Under the Red Hood wich is a flashback to the End of "Death in a Family" and establishes nicely how a compared-to-TDK goofier and more comical Joker can still be terrifying and nasty.

EDIT:
Oh yeah, and considering how for many it's the only part of the movie they even remember, the opening of Lord of War, both Nicholas Cage standing in a post-battle-zone while narrating as well as the "Life of a Bullet" Credits Montage is pretty great

 

[Ganath]

The opening scene of Cabin in the woods is awesome. But the best one has to be Lord of War for me, come to think of it. I'd link the cabin in the woods scene, but there's no good version of it on youtube;< In fact. That whole movie was amazing. Go watch it. It's good. In fact, watch it twice. You'll see why.

 

[Maeta]

I dunno what I'd say, but I've gotta go with this one, not because it's neccessarily the best, but because nobody's said it: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly just because of how awesomely it introduces everyone... Oh and Nighwatch has a cool intro, but Daywatch slips really important bits in in a montage that you're supposed to sort of undervalue, and so it works perfectly... They aren't the best, but they deserve respect

 

[JaceArveduin]

I really liked this one when I saw it on the cinema...

I'll be seconding this one as my favorite intro.

Can I just say the beginning of the first PotC is when Jack first shows up? Cause that's a fun scene

 

[Sammyjb17]

Kill Bill vol 1, without a doubt.

So tense and draws you in.

 

[Rayne870]

i'm tempted to nominate the opening to Star Trek 2009.

its maybe not the best ever...snip...

That opening sequence is just freaking incredible!

 

[Kontarek]

Looks like as good a place as any to stick my first (and possibly only) post.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame easily.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oNzUD0NfJY

I love damn near everything about this movie, and this opening sequence just sets it all up so perfectly: the long opening shot toward the towering cathedral as the choir bellows a dark hymn of foreboding, the brilliant lyrical narration of Clopin (the jester guy), the sinister introduction of Frollo, and finally the spectacular crescendo resonating with vigor and beauty not unlike the very bells of Notre Dame.

Christ, I could talk about this movie forever...

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Transformers: The Movie.
Just so perfect.
TRANSFORMEEEEEEEEEEEEERS!

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Ninja'd, that was going to be mine too.

If I had to pick something else, I would say The Avengers, that started out well.

 

[albear]

Xmen 2, the nightcrawler being so freaking awesome and backed up by that music, (film was a bit meh after that though and no more cool nightcrawler )

Oh yeah... that opening was awesome... though the film itself was actually pretty good, it's just... how can you follow up an opening like that?!

Yeah, i'd agree with that, after starting at the top you can only go down

 

[Squilookle]

Definitely agree with some choices here, like Watchmen, Lord of War, Star Wars, Inglorious Basterds.

i'm tempted to nominate the opening to Star Trek 2009.

it made everyone in the theatre sit up and pay attention to what followed.

I dunno, the only thoughts I got from that intro were:

1. That's a pretty neat way to bypass all the conflicting story versions of star trek

2. I see the 'take them with us' suicide dive is still alive and well in Hollywood.

3. Said dive seemed to have done no damage to the enemy whatsoever, making it the least effective death dive in cinematic history, and a prety crap way to throw your life away to boot. Didn't make me think he was a hero, just an idiot. Can't see why it would have saved the escape pods at all, either.

Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark

You know I'm right.

It always bugged the hell out of me that Indiana got there with a full caravan of porters on foot, yet had a two seater plane idling nearby. Made me think he was just an asshole who was planning to ditch everyone anyway- only he got betrayed first.

I'll add Sky Crawlers to the above then,


(minus the music...)
Still, find a better animated dogfight if you can...

Agreed it's better without that music. Damn that movie was frustrating. Maybe 15 minutes of action and one and a half hours of characters wooden puppets staring at nothing in particular. That big raid in the middle was the worst- it built up the tension so perfectly, and just as it was finally getting in to it they're all 'return to base everyone! there may be an enemy ace nearby! waaaa!'

If only more of the film was like that intro.

The opening to "Apocalypse Now" is amazing.
The symbolic rotating helicopters, The Door's "The End" in the background...just...everything.

Totlly agreed. For those who haven't seen it:

A couple of good ones have been said but for me I still think all of the James Bond films have amazing openings. I love each and every one of them but my favourites are Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The Living Daylights, Goldfinger, The Spy Who Loved me and Die Another Day (seriously, if the rest of the film was as good as the first half, then DAD would have been one of the best). These two are probably my over all favourites though;

Dude... how do I put this... You ARE me! Er... that is you've pretty much nailed my thoughts on them, including the brilliance of DAD's first half. Tomorrow Never Dies was probably my least favourite recent bond before QOS came out, but by god did it have an incredible opening sequence. Had me on the edge of my seat!

Can't believe I can't find a vid of it anywhere though.

As for a new one- try Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on for size:

 

[Dawns Gate]

Children of Men. This was some heavy shit the first time I saw it.