Like Judging A Book By Its Cover
The first few minutes (or even seconds) of a film can be a make-or-break moment. If a movie can grip its audience immediately, viewers are more likely to be forgiving of slow moments later on. The following movies have the most amazing opening scenes—and the films that follow them aren’t bad either.
The Matrix (1999)
Viewers had never seen anything like The Matrix when it opened in theaters. Carrie-Anne Moss’s introductory scene showed audiences exactly what to expect and then still managed to blow their minds. Thrilling and informative, and easily one of the best sci-fi openings of all time.
Warner Bros., The Matrix (1999)
Casino Royale (2006)
A grittier, younger Bond sets the tone for a film based on one of the first James Bond books. As an introduction to new Bond actor Daniel Craig, and to a very different version of the main character, Casino Royale’s opening lets viewers know exactly what sort of spy film they’re about to experience.
Forrest Gump (1994)
The feather blowing in the wind is a vital symbol in the life and story of Tom Hanks’s Forrest Gump. And though we don’t know it at the very beginning, what we’re also seeing is the end of the tale, a fact that gives the opening scene a great deal more emotional weight when we get to the end of the film.
Paramount, Forrest Gump (1994)
Ghostbusters (1984)
It’s an opening scene that sets up the film’s premise rather nicely, and makes libraries just that much spookier to boot. This opening scene lets us know that what we’re about to see is going to be weird and creepy despite having a stellar line-up of comedy legends in the lead roles.
Superbad (2007)
If you’re going to establish a close relationship in the opening seconds of a film, there are few ways better than two dudes having a frank and open discussion of their preferences for naughty movies. Seth and Evan’s friendship is evident right from the start and gives a great foundation for the problems of their impending separation that drive the rest of the movie.
The Long Goodbye (1973)
It takes a talented director and a talented actor to make the nighttime search for cat food one of the greatest opening scenes in film history. Elliott Gould as noir detective Philip Marlowe, under the direction of Robert Altman, turns an everyday occurrence into an audience-grabbing opening.
United Artists, The Long Goodbye (1973)
Back To The Future (1985)
This classic comedy about how we construct our pasts and futures opens on a panning shot across multiple clocks, the ultimate example of how humans construct time. It’s a brilliant thematic link to the story, and the jarring alarm prepares the audience for an unexpected adventure.
Universal, Back to the Future (1985)
Scream (1996)
Drew Barrymore’s iconic performance in the opening scene of Scream tells us everything we need to know about the film. That so famous a character could be done away with so early on also increases the stakes of the movie. If Barrymore didn’t survive, what hope did the rest of the cast have?
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Knowing that the main character isn’t going to survive their story is a surefire way to engage an audience. William Holden’s Joe Gillis is found floating face down in a pool, and the audience spends the rest of the flashback film wondering how he ended up there, and knowing that no matter how much they want it, he can’t avoid his fate.
Paramount, Sunset Boulevard (1950)
The Lion King (1994)
An iconic Disney song coupled with the apparently important birth of a cute little lion cub? Audiences in 1994 didn’t stand a chance. The Lion King’s opening scene established tone and grandeur and became a template for animated Disney films for years to come.
Walt Disney, The Lion King (1994)
A League Of Their Own (1992)
Another flashback opening, A League of Their Own’s first scene lets the audience know that the story they’re about to watch ends in a significant place: a baseball hall of fame. What keeps the viewers riveted is finding out how this mismatched group of athletes achieved the heights they did.
Columbia, A League Of Their Own (1992)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park wowed audiences with its ultra-realistic dinosaurs, and it starts by demonstrating how vicious these creatures can be. Before we even see any of the ancient reptiles, the opening scene of the film shows us that the stakes are more than just a joy ride through an amusement park. If only we could have warned the scientists and children!
Universal, Jurassic Park (1993)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Much copied and parodied, the “Rosebud” moment from Citizen Kane is only one of the utterly brilliant moments in this cinematic masterpiece. Setting up the central mystery of the film in such an innovative way is just the beginning of why so many consider this to be one of the greatest films of all time.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Director Quentin Tarantino is no stranger to over-the-top filmmaking, and this brutal opening scene featuring Christoph Waltz is peak Tarantino. Waltz won an Oscar for his role as Hans Landa, and it all begins in a relentless and horrific moment that spurs the action of the rest of the film.
Universal, Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Jaws (1975)
It was no secret that Jaws was about a killer shark. So there was no reason to wait until well into the movie to establish that screaming and terror were going to be a huge part of the film. Poor Chrissie is the first victim of the killer from the deep, but not the last—and audiences were entranced waiting to see who would be next.
Goodfellas (1990)
“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”. This opening line, following the reveal of a body in a trunk, sets the stage for one of the greatest mob movies of all time. The audience’s journey with Henry Hill starts with a body in a trunk, and we’re glued to the screen finding out how he got to this point in the first place.
Warner Bros., Goodfellas (1990)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Beginning at the dawn of humanity, Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece about evolution lets the audience know right from the get-go that the film will be dealing with foundational questions about our species. The brilliant transition from the Stone Age to the Space Age implies all the history in between and sets up the scope of the film beautifully.
MGM, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
This opening scene may have been responsible for producing more archaeology students than any other film in history. This pulp adventure starts with non-stop traps and action and never really lets up. It also proved that Harrison Ford was much more than just Han Solo.
Lucasfilm, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The Sound Of Music (1965)
This is perhaps one of the best examples of a film that decides to go big or go home. Julie Andrews. “The Sound of Music” (the song). A gorgeous panorama of the Swiss Alps. What more do you need in an opening scene?
Twentieth Century, The Sound of Music (1965)
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
A riveting opening sequence full of action is a sure way of grabbing your audience’s attention. Or you can do it like Sergio Leone does in Once Upon a Time in the West, and establish a creeping suspense over a mostly quiet, 10-minute opening scene of three rough-looking characters waiting at a desolate train station. A masterful opening to one of the great Western films.
Paramount, Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
One complaint about the Marvel Cinematic Universe films is that they are all very similar in tone. Enter James Gunn and Guardians of the Galaxy. As Peter Quill dances about on a soggy alien planet to some funky tunes, audiences know right from the start that what they are about to see is going to be something completely different.
Marvel, Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Once New York is established, and the Bee Gees kick in, every movement and look from John Travolta’s Tony Manero tells us exactly who he is and how he sees himself. This dark film about the seedy side of ‘70s disco culture sets its leading character up perfectly right from the start.
Paramount, Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Set to The Doors’s “The End”, the opening sequence of the acclaimed war film establishes both the chaos and carnage of the setting and the mental state of Martin Sheen’s Captain Willard. As much an indictment of war as it is a journey into the heart of humanity, Apocalypse Now brings viewers along into the heart of darkness right from the opening moments.
United Artists, Apocalypse Now (1979)
No Country For Old Men (2007)
No Country for Old Men is not a film for the faint of heart, and it lets its audience know that right from the beginning. The opening monologue from Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, and then the brutal introduction to Anton Chigurh leave no doubt in the viewer’s mind that what they’re about to watch will be gripping and unsettling.
Paramount, No Country For Old Men (2007)
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Wait, what? “Episode IV”? Right from the first moment of the opening scroll, audiences were dropped in the middle of things. Who could fail to be intrigued by the idea that there were three chapters we hadn’t seen? And then, small screen or large, when that Star Destroyer starts rumbling across the frame, you know you’re in the presence of something great.
Twentieth Century, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
An iconic rendition of “Science Fiction/Double Feature” leads into a faux-documentary opening decades before it became a common horror film trope. Not that any of this even remotely prepares viewers for the madness of Rocky Horror—and that’s a good thing.
Twentieth Century, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The Dark Knight (2008)
What seems to be a “normal” bank heist goes completely off the rails and audiences are introduced to a version of The Joker that no one was expecting. Heath Ledger stole the show in this Batman Begins sequel opening and never let it go.
Warner Bros., The Dark Knight (2008)
Watchmen (2009)
This comic book adaptation leans into its roots for the opening sequence, a history of superheroes in an alternate reality. The opening credits take place over a series of almost-still shots of heroes in action, bridging the static medium of the comic book and the dynamic medium of film.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
To say that the opening scene of this film is harrowing is an understatement. As much of the brutality of the D-Day invasion as possible is conveyed in this sequence, one that left theatergoers haunted and scarred upon its release.
Paramount, Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
Cate Blanchett’s haunting voiceover is as spellbinding as the elf queen she portrays. A short history lesson at the beginning of the film lets the audience know that they are on the precipice of an epic tale—and film series—that will leave them breathless and moved.
New Line, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Iron Man (2008)
As a way of establishing the dodgy morals of its main character, opening Iron Man in the middle of a warzone is a great move. As Tony Stark celebrates his weapons sales, he is violently made keenly aware of the consequences of his actions. This opening sets him on a path that leads, ultimately, to Avengers: Endgame over a decade later.
Trainspotting (1996)
With an Iggy Pop soundtrack and Ewan McGregor’s iconic monologue voiceover, Danny Boyle’s chaotic look at young Scottish addicts hits the ground running and never lets up. Equal parts hilarious and shocking, Trainspotting’s opening sequence grabs hold of the audience and drags them along for the ride.
Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
Well, what did we expect from the madmen of Monty Python? Is that Swedish at the bottom of the screen? Were the special thanks signed by Richard Nixon? Before we even see a knight or a coconut, the opening credits of this historical send-up are full of gags and jokes, leaving no one in doubt that they’re seeing a Monty Python comedy.
StudioCanal, Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
Unbreakable (2000)
M Night Shyamalan’s follow-up to The Sixth Sense opens with the same kind of harrowing atmosphere as his ghost story hit, but in an altogether different setting. A birth goes terribly wrong, and audiences unwittingly witness the genesis of a supervillain.
Touchstone, Unbreakable (2000)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Like many of David Lynch’s films, the facade of suburbia from Blue Velvet’s opening sequence hides a sinister and unsettling truth beneath. The facade only lasts for moments, and then audiences are pulled through grass and dirt, and we begin to realize that there is something deeply troubling beneath the sunshiney surface.
StudioCanal, Blue Velvet (1986)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer’s opening scene in Pulp Fiction is both romantic and terrifying, something that only a filmmaker like Quentin Tarantino can pull off. Plummer’s demand for stillness from the restaurant patrons is perhaps one of the most iconic lines in all of cinema.
Inception (2010)
What is real and what is a dream is the central question of Inception, and right from the opening sequence, it is a question viewers are asked. While there are often signs that characters are moving through a dream, even Leonardo DiCaprio’s Cobb isn’t sure all the time, starting with washing up on an unfamiliar shore at the film’s opening.
Warner Bros., Inception (2010)
Gladiator (2000)
Russell Crowe’s Maximus is cast as a conquering hero in the opening sequence of Ridley Scott’s epic adventure. Setting Maximus up as a victorious general in the first moments of the film makes his journey through the gladiatorial arena and slave revolt that much more intriguing.
Up (2009)
If you can get through this opening without tears streaming down your face, well, we’re not sure what to say. The beautiful love story laid out in the opening of this Pixar masterpiece establishes exactly what the stakes are for the rest of the movie, and gives all the insight the audience needs into the complex character of Carl.
