5 Honourable Mentions:
LOTR: Fellowship of the Rings
The Player
The Social Network
There Will Be Blood
Rear Window
10. The Shining:
The opening credits to The Shining are perfect in setting the unsettled tone and sense of dread. We are literally pulled in towards the hotel, the haunting score adds to the tension of this terrific horror film.
9. Saving Private Ryan:
The pain, desperate hopelessness and frenzy of war have never been captured on film any better than the opening 10 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Visually and aurally we are thrown completely off guard. The camera does not shy away from the violence but we are left disoriented from the noise and the quick cuts. This is terrific filmmaking, the rest of the film perhaps doesn't live up to the opening but it would be hard for any film to do so.
8. Inglorious Basterds:
There is definitely something to be said for the way Tarantino opens his films. A second entry for him here in almost a carbon copy scene as Pulp Fiction. We know something is wrong. We are trained to know that when characters in Tarantino films talk for long periods it usually erupts in a scene of shocking violence. Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa is a revolution and the interogattion is undercut with great gags like the glass of milk and the pipe (both a 'dick measuring' metaphor joke - 'I will outwit you' and an homage to Sherlock Holmes - 'I will find these people').
7. Suspiria:
If the rest of the film were as good as the opening 10-15 minutes of Suspiria then it would have a fair claim as the greatest horror film of all-time. The Goblin music, the rain, the colours as Jessica Harper gets into the taxi are all stunningly breathtaking and set the mood for this film, then we see the opening death (see video above) which is gruesome, never has blood looked so red and vital. This is a tremendous extended opening sequence.
6. Pulp Fiction:
The diner scene is iconic and introduces us to two characters who we do not see again until the climax of the film. An excellent performance by Tim Roth & Amanda Plummer who deliver the excellent Tarantino dialogue setting up the tone for the rest of the film. As Miserlou kicks in, we are set up perfectly for the fun and unforgettable ride that Tarantino takes us on...
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey:
Spoiler: This won't be the last time 2001 appears on these here top 10 lists! :)
Perhaps the boldest film of all-time is quite rightly introduced with one of the boldest opening scenes of all-time. Kubrick takes us back to the Dawn of Man and in what could otherwise be a 10 minute short silent film presents key ideas about humanity, intelligence and murder that will become recurrent themes throughout the film.
4. Scream
The first time I watched this I was about 8/9 years old and I didn't know who Drew Barrymore was, I did not understand the Psycho-influenced killing off a big-named actress surprise factor and yet this opening had me completely gripped. Great dialogue, a bloody murder, everything about this scene has become iconic and a part of pop culture. This film is one of the biggest and best horror films of all-time and the opening 10 minutes are perhaps its best.
3. Touch Of Evil
The infamous long tracking crane shot has become iconic, I almost included The Player's opening in the top 10 which is a direct homage to Touch of Evil but decided why not go with the original. Great filmmaking from the master, Orson Welles.
2. The Godfather
I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. The music, the lighting, the shots of Don Corleone, the dialogue - there isn't much I can say, this is perfect film making.
1. Once Upon A Time In The West
It doesn't get any better than this. 3 gunslingers waiting at a train station, the boredom is evident, Jack Elam capturing the fly in his pistol, the sound of the fly, the repetitive sound of the wind turbine and then in comes our hero, played by Charles Bronson along with his superb theme scored by the great Morricone. "Looks like we're shy one horse." "No. You brought two too many!" Fuck yeah!!
There you have it, my opening Top 10 List. Hope you enjoyed. Please comment, share your favourite openings, there were many others I would have loved to have included.
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