Some opening scenes in movies are more memorable than others. These scenes have stood the test of time and continue to be popular with moviegoers. ..
- The Godfather
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
- The Matrix Reloaded
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
- Jurassic Park
- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
- Forrest Gump
- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
- Avatar
- Die Hard
20
X-Men 2
In recent years, the Marvel and DC universes have been filled with more action-packed openers that work harder to one-up the previous film. ..
In 2003, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was only five years away and there were no big superhero films in movie theaters.
The X-Men films have always been incredibly powerful and moving, but the White House scene in the first one is still as stunning and frenetically charged as it was when it aired.
Nightcrawler’s impressive skills as a fighter are on full display as he effortlessly dispatches numerous guards while the epic classical score plays over the top. This scene heightens the tension and epic scale, making it one of the standout moments from the X-Men series. ..
19
Casino Royale
This new Bond is a moody, dark and brooding figure, who has solidified himself as one of the better iterations of this iconic male hero. He’s well-cast and provides a great deal of depth to the role.
Casino Royale’s opening scene is a deliberate departure from the other Bond films. It features a noir backdrop and paints the scene in black and white, which captures Daniel Craig’s new style of Bond brilliantly. ..
Bond’s new identity is revealed in a brutal bathroom brawl that sets the tone for his quiet and calculated character assassination. As he turns to face the camera, that blood spatter paves way for a beautiful and psychedelically charged title sequence that sets the film up nicely for one of Bond’s best openings.
18
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
The Lord Of The Rings films are a great example of how to make a fantasy epic. They have a great opening scene, they flesh out the characters, they understand their motivations, and they capture the tone and feel of the books. This is done beautifully by Howard Shore’s incredible score.
The One Ring: an impressive and mesmerizing film that tells the history of the Ring with stunning visual effects and great editing. ..
17
Wall-E
A great example of “show, don’t tell”, Wall-E crafts its dystopian world brilliantly and with the opening cheery vibes showing Wall-E at work, you instantly feel a warmth for this robot.
When the music shuts off, the string segments begin and with it, this cheerful facade fades away to show a wasteland of bleakness in this post-human Earth. ..
Pixar’s “Wall-E” is a visually stunning and emotionally powerful film that tells the story of a robot who has been abandoned by humans and must find a way to live on his own. The film’s introduction features projections of recorded video clips that show the world as it has changed since Wall-E was built. This innovative way to introduce the film is a wonderful way to start it off and makes it one of Pixar’s best movies. ..
16
Scream
This tense and suspenseful opener sets the tone for a dark and twisted horror movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire way through. The acting is excellent, and Drew Barrymore’s performance is especially strong. This is one of the best slashers ever made, and it’s sure to become a genre-defining addition to horror.
The opening scene of Scream is one of the film’s most iconic and well-known moments. It features a slasher that comes before it, but its iconic opener is what makes it so successful.
The opening minutes of this film are unsettling in that they introduce the viewer to the dark and mysterious world that will be explored throughout the film. This world is full of secrets and mysteries, and it will be the focus of much attention as the film progresses.
15
2001: A Space Odyssey
2001 is one of the most anticipated films of the year, but it has been ranked at the bottom of this list. Some people are saying that it is not up to par with other films on the list, while others are saying that it should have been ranked higher. ..
Some see the film as a classic, while others find it too slow and ponderous. It’s an interesting film, but not everyone will love it.
The film’s iconic introduction sets the tone and pace for the rest of the film. It does this without any dialogue. ..
In 2001, man has undergone a constant change that is consistent right up to its bizarre and psychedelic ending. This theme remains consistent throughout the year.
14
The Social Network
The opening to The Social Network is a great example of how to capture an audience solely based on dialogue. There’s a great video breaking down this entire scene on YouTube via the Lessons From The Screenplay channel.
The opening 10 minutes of “The Social Network” establishes Mark Zuckerberg’s character, how different he is from everyone around him, and the different wavelength that he operates on. There’s an awful lot said within this dialogue too, beyond the usual expository-layered back and forths many films are reliant on. ..
This opening to The Social Network is definitely one of the best openings I’ve ever seen. It’s concise, well-written, and packs a punch.
13
Jurassic Park
The opening to Jurassic Park is a tense, mysterious, and well written story. It is a story that will forever be synonymous with the park ranger and all of the events that take place. ..
The suspense builds as the humans wait for the big, bad predator to show up, and then the creature does. It’s fast, it’s strong, and it outsmarts them all. The writing is well-done and the tension is palpable.
28 Weeks Later
2007’s follow-up to the excellent 28 Days Later, the opening scene in the isolated barn with numerous zombies picking off the family one by one remains an incredibly tense and action-packed opener. ..
The 28-Day Zombie is a new and terrifying variety of zombie that is quickly becoming popular. The scream alone is enough to make people scared, and the speed and blood-curdling screams make it even more unnerving.
The opening scene of 28 Weeks Later is one of the best zombie-centric openings scenes in any film to date. It sets the tone for the rest of the film, and provides a more action-orientated direction for the series.
11
Children Of Men
The opening scene of Children of Men is a perfect way to start the film. In just 3 minutes, we learn about the world, our main character, the sci-fi elements, and what year it is. This information sets the stage for the rest of the film’s conflict. ..
The bomb blast at the end of the movie is a masterful example of plot and character working in-sync. The shocking bomb blast at the end of the movie is a perfect way to encapsulate all of this.
10
Jaws
The original Jaws is a horror movie that is perfect for those who love sharks. It has a great point of view shot with a simple but effective two-note score. This makes for an incredibly terrifying deep dive into the ocean.
The success of Jaws is unparalleled. It continues to be one of the pioneers for aquatic horror and a film unlikely to be usurped from its watery throne anytime soon. ..
9
The Matrix
Since then, the Wachowskis have continued to create groundbreaking films that continue to change the way we experience cinema. Their latest film, “The Matrix Reloaded,” is a return to form and one of the most anticipated movies of the year.
In the now-infamous Trinity fight sequence and later segment involving Neo’s bullet-time, the technique has been parodied and replicated so many times that it feels well-worn. In 1999, The Matrix ushered in a new wave of visual effects, much like Star Wars did in the 70’s.
The opening sequence of The Matrix is a classic example of how movie trailers can make or break a film. The early ones for the film were much like the ones for Alien and The Exorcist, giving little away about what the film would be. This opening sequence is all the more shocking because it is so unexpected.
8
The Godfather
The Godfather is a film that is both fantastic and masterfully executes a zoom shot. Beginning with a single character’s face, the way Director Francis Ford Coppola manages to zoom out slowly from that to reveal natural exposition is an excellent example of how to drip feed information but do so in such a natural and captivating way. ..
This scene sets the tone for the rest of the film, as Don Corleone stroking his cat and Bonasera struggling with his words. This juxtaposition is fascinating, and a must-watch for any fan of crime fiction.
7
Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War drama is brilliantly written and stylish, but the opening scene is a masterpiece in mood and tone setting. ..
As the camera pans across a devastated landscape, we see a dolly movement that quickly grips our attention. It’s dangerous and Napalm-filled, as the scene unfolds before our eyes. As the action intensifies, we see how this is only further enhanced by faded edits of our main character.
The song choice, “This Is The End” is perfect and while this aggressive fire rages, the faded edits of this on our protagonist is a subtle but wonderful bit of characterization.
6
The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins reinvigorated the Batman series and brought with it a fresh, gritty tone that took a lot of people by surprise. The idea of seeing Bruce Wayne’s origin story has been played out more times than Spider-Man’s with Uncle Ben but somehow Christopher Nolan managed to add a modern, dangerous spin to this tale. This fresh take on the character allowed for new fans to be introduced to the character and old fans to enjoy the story in a new way. ..
The Dark Knight is a successful sequel that manages to keep the audience engaged from beginning to end.
The Joker, the main themes of chaos and anarchy, and the opening bank heist are all unpredictable, well written, and action-packed. This opening film grabs you by the scruff of the neck and starts it off in the best possible way. ..
The Lion King
The Lion King is a classic story that starts with a catchy and goosebump-inducing track. This style of animation is rare today, and it showcases a great style of animation that is often not seen anymore. The song also has a very iconic beginning that is instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever watched this film.
This musical montage establishes the hierarchy of animals and who the main characters are without a single line of dialogue.
4
Indiana Jones: Raiders Of The Lost Arc
The Raiders of the Last Arc is a temple run adventure that is perfect for those who love action and adventure. It has a fast-paced, exciting opening that will have you on the edge of your seat.
The boulder chase in “The Revenant” is a perfect example of how you don’t need CGI or a smattering of explosions to build tension. The film starts with a tense opening scene in which the protagonist, Leonardo DiCaprio, is chased by a group of men who believe he stole their boulder. The chase is full of suspense and excitement, and the only thing that comes close to matching it is the climactic scene in which DiCaprio finally escapes. In this scene, he climbs up a tree and then jumps onto the boulder, which causes an intense explosion that leaves the men stranded on the ground.
Indy’s daring temple run is plotted and paced to perfection. There’s just the right amount of charisma and wise-cracking humour thrown in to keep things exciting. ..
The game that started it all, and the one that has inspired many adventure games over the years, is “The Legend of Zelda.” This video game set the foundation for many other games to follow in its genre, like Tomb Raider and Uncharted. It’s also a film that has been influential in the adventure game genre, and continues to be so today.
3
Up!
The 8-minute introduction to the characters and the montage scene between Ellie and Carl are both well written and poignant. ..
The music in “The Shape of Water” is a perfect example of how symbiotic audio and visual can be in this medium. The music changes depending on what’s happening on-screen, adding an extra layer of suspense and excitement to the film.
This scene is something you could easily write an essay about in itself – it’s that well-done. There’s foreshadowing (the balloon cart flying off in the sky), heartbreak, sadness, regret, joy, happiness, the mundanity of everyday life and the pursuit of dreams and life’s stumbling blocks along the way. ..
The opening montage of Up! is one of the finest and well-crafted in any film to date. Even as a stand-alone piece, this holds up as a true masterpiece in telling a story through music.
2
Star Wars: A New Hope
In 1977, a new form of sci-fi was born with the release of “Star Wars.” The movie showed the world a new type of space opera, with a small ship trying to outrun a larger one. It was an instant hit with audiences and has since become an iconic film. ..
In a time before Star Wars, movies like The Matrix and Star Trek used special effects to create amazing visuals. It feels unheard of that there was a time where these sorts of visuals weren’t the norm on the big-screen.
In the making of A New Hope, George Lucas and co. went through a lot of trouble. Without this one moment, the worldwide success of Star Wars would not have been possible. ..
This single shot in Star Wars is one of the most iconic and influential scenes in sci-fi, inspiring filmmakers for years to come. It’s a fight between Darth Vader and stormtroopers that is incredibly exciting, but it’s also one that has a lasting impact.
1
Saving Private Ryan
The opening scene of Saving Private Ryan takes us into a World War II mass graveyard, before taking us back to the Normandy landings in 1944. ..
The opening act of Saving Private Ryan is an absolute tour-de-force in gritty war visuals, with the entire massacre on Normandy shown in all its raw, harsh reality.
This film is one of the most successful in recent memory and its impact can still be felt today. It was able to capture the same shock, violence and visceral horror that it did so well over 50 years ago and some of the images remain as harrowing today as they were back then. This film is one of the most successful films in recent memory and its impact can still be felt today.
As the captain looks out at the carnage, he can see the blood and gore all around him. He can also see the broken bodies of those who have died in this senseless violence. The captain is horrified by what he has seen and he knows that there is nothing he can do to stop it.
The opening of “The War of the Worlds” is one of the best movie openings of all time. It starts with a segment in a graveyard that is incredibly important to show the importance of war and on repeat watches, certainly holds up.
In the opening scene of “The Revenant,” we see a manhunt for his prey, as he walks through the woods. Suddenly, we are treated to a stunning view of the sun setting behind the mountains. The juxtaposition of these two scenes is amazing and makes for one of the best film openings of all time.
- The opening scene in The Godfather is a classic example of a well-done, suspenseful scene that sets the tone for the rest of the film.
- In Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks’s character travels back in time to meet his ancestors and learn their story. This scene is also one of the most memorable in cinema.
- In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Garcia’s character is released from prison and must find his way back to his family. This scene is one of the most emotional in the film.
- In Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Luke Skywalker’s first steps onto Tatooine are a powerful moment that sets the tone for his journey ahead.
- In The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo Baggins’ journey begins with a dramatic entrance into Mordor. This scene is one of the most iconic in all cinema.
Do you agree or disagree with our list? Drop a comment below and let us know your favourite movie opening scene!
