Best Movie Openings (1 Viewer)

[Don Quixote]

The best movie endings thread got me thinking about movie openings, as some movies named for best ending (like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Citizen Kane) could probably get mentioned for best opening too.  

But for best opening, I'd go with another one of Orson Welles' films: Touch of Evil.

 

[Parrothead]

Saving Private Ryan

 

[Scoresman]

Up  

 

[Parrothead]

LOTR- Fellowship

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Just a generic pick, the opening segment of most James Bond movies.

 

[Scoresman]

Scream

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Apocalypse Now

Blade Runner

A New Hope

 

[Ilov80s]

The best movie endings thread got me thinking about movie openings, as some movies named for best ending (like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Citizen Kane) could probably get mentioned for best opening too.  

But for best opening, I'd go with another one of Orson Welles' films: Touch of Evil.

You spry SOB, I see what you did.

Saving Private Ryan 

Goodfellas

Raiders

The Searchers

 

[Tom Hagen]

I'm going to have to go with The Godfather

 

[Short Corner]

Inglorious Basterds

 

[Ilov80s]

Inglorious Basterds

I really like the movie and saw it not that long ago but I can't remember the opening scene. What was it again?

 

[MAC_32]

It's probably not, but Dark Knight immediately came to mind.

 

[MAC_32]

I really like the movie and saw it not that long ago but I can't remember the opening scene. What was it again?

At the farm house - Shoshanna escaped.

 

[Short Corner]

I really like the movie and saw it not that long ago but I can't remember the opening scene. What was it again?

At the dairy farmer's house.

 

[badmojo1006]

Raiders

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Matrix

 

[Ilov80s]

Double Indemnity is pretty great

Yes, I killed him. I killed him for 
money -- and a woman -- and I didn't 
get the money and I didn't get the 
woman. Pretty, isn't it? 

 

[Keith R]

Godfather, GoodFellas, and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

 

[ThaPenguin]

Pulp Ficton.

 

[matttyl]

At the dairy farmer's house.

Au revoir, Shosanna!

 

[whiskey7]

Pulp Ficton.

Good call. I was thinking Pulp Fiction.

The beginning of Kill Bill: Vol 1 certainly got my attention.

ETA: The Revenant and No Country For Old Men

 

[ThaPenguin]

Au revoir, Shosanna!

Waltz was so great in that movie.

 

[matttyl]

Waltz was so great in that movie.

One of the best acting jobs I've ever seen.  How he can just flip his brain between 2 (or was it 3, or even 4) languages like that is crazy.  Pitt wasn't bad in that role, either.  A bit over acted, but still very good. 

 

[Short Corner]

Pulp Ficton.

I'd go with Reservoir Dogs as QT's number two.

 

[MAC_32]

One of the best acting jobs I've ever seen.  How he can just flip his brain between 2 (or was it 3, or even 4) languages like that is crazy.  Pitt wasn't bad in that role, either.  A bit over acted, but still very good. 

Landa: Are you mad? What have you done? I made a deal with your generals for that man's life!

Raine: Yeah, they made that deal. but they don't give a #### about him. They need you.

Landa: You'll be shot for this!

Raine: Nah, I don't think so. More like chewed out. I've been chewed out before.

 

[matttyl]

Great, now I'm going to go home and watch that movie tonight.

 

[Scoresman]

Having re-watched Suspiria last weekend, I'm throwing it out there.  The lighting and that creepy soundtrack set a mood that draws you in.  

 

[bigmarc27]

I'd go with Reservoir Dogs as QT's number two.

This is a very passionate topic of mine, so...

1. Pulp Fiction (my personal top movie of all time)

2.  Kill Bill (1 and 2)

3. Inglorious Basterds

4. Reservoir Dogs

5. Jackie Brown

 

[Don Quixote]

Double Indemnity is pretty great

Yes, I killed him. I killed him for 
money -- and a woman -- and I didn't 
get the money and I didn't get the 
woman. Pretty, isn't it? 

I know you said that no one wrote a last line like Billy Wilder in the other thread.  We can probably just strike the word "last line" and say that no wrote like Billy Wilder (granted Double Indemnity was with Chandler, but Some Like It Hot and Sunset Blvd both in the opening scene mix too).  

 

[Short Corner]

This is a very passionate topic of mine, so...

1. Pulp Fiction (my personal top movie of all time)

2.  Kill Bill (1 and 2)

3. Inglorious Basterds

4. Reservoir Dogs

5. Jackie Brown

For opening scenes?  The IG scene is an all timer regardless of when it occurs in the film.

 

[badmojo1006]

The Lion King is in the top 5 of not #1

 

[falguy]

The opening of Kingsmen was quite good. 

 

[nirad3]

There's a movie called Anarchy Parlor that a buddy of mine produced that has a cool opening scene.  There's a long tracking shot that for some reason just resonated with me.

Check it out if you like Saw-like movies.

 

[Wrigley]

Apocalypse Now

Blade Runner

A New Hope

this

 

[El Floppo]

Trainspotting was a grabber. choose...

dammit... I think Fallen Angels had a great opening scene, but I can't remember if it happened first or just near the beginning.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Romancing the Stone

Ghostbusters

 

[Kev4029]

Super Troopers

 

[Don Quixote]

Kubrick had some good ones:

Paths of Glory

2001

A Clockwork Orange

 

[Ilov80s]

I know you said that no one wrote a last line like Billy Wilder in the other thread.  We can probably just strike the word "last line" and say that no wrote like Billy Wilder (granted Double Indemnity was with Chandler, but Some Like It Hot and Sunset Blvd both in the opening scene mix too).  

What a trio: Chandler, Wilder and the original Cain story. 

 

[brun]

Not crazy about heights. So, the start of Cliffhanger always gets me.

 

[Hooper31]

Full Metal Jacket

R Lee just being himself was awesome. 

 

[The General]

Definitely Raiders.

Also came to mind:

Mad Max Fury Road - Some people didn't care for this movie (they are wrong). Opening to this was just amazing.

Spy Who Loved Me (or whatever one ends with him skiing off the mountain)

Full Metal Jacket

Saving Private Ryan

A ton more I'm not thinking of.

 

[The General]

Up  

Yeah this was good.

 

[The General]

After looking online to jog the memory these were also great:

Jaws

Patton

Contact

 

[Mister CIA]

After looking online to jog the memory these were also great:

Jaws

Patton

Contact

Was just checking in to make sure Patton got a mention.

 

[That one guy]

Up  

This may be the only movie I loved but absolutely refuse to watch again, all because of the first 10-15 minutes 

 

[Hov34]

Reservoir Dogs

"Like a Virgin"

 

[Hov34]

Star Wars

https://youtu.be/yHfLyMAHrQE?t=111

 

[OrtonToOlsen]

A Clockwork Orange

 

[dkp993]

Inglorious Basterds

All time favorite.  Great scene!

 

[dkp993]

Love Snatch’s opening scene too.  Benico as a Hasidic Jew is awesome