Best Opening Scene in a Movie

[TheTim]

I'd have to say saving private ryan.

 

[Marine Mike]

Gotta say Fight Club... simply awesome from the credits to Bob's bitchtits.

 

[ddq5]

Up.
Seriously, I've never seen such an amazing opener to a movie. It had emotion, it showed us the happy and sometimes tragic lives of two people in love, and the ultimate fate of the relationship. And it did this without words.

This this this this this this, this this and this, oh did I mentions THIS?
Wall-E did a great job of this too. Oh Pixar, you magnificent bastards!
Other highlights for me would be the previously mentioned Pulp Ficion's diner intro, The Prestige's in medias res murder, and Tropic Thunder's fake trailers. Though not technically an opening scene, the opening titles for North by Northwest are the best I've ever seen.

 

[NIHILHATE]

I dunno man, but the best character introduction ever is-
That's awesome enough to count it as the opening.

 

[Shock and Awe]

 

[Sonicron]

The opening scene from 'Up', with 'Watchmen' coming in a semi-distant second.

 

[MortalForNow]

Gonna go with something no one's said yet. The one that always sticks in my mind for originality and really cool visual style is the opening credits for Memento. The shaking of the picture, the snap of the camera, the bullet into the gun, and that final scream... all backwards. Sets the style for the rest of the film and lets the viewer know what they're in for.


EDIT: Yes, that last part is in Spanish. This was the best video of that scene that I could find on short notice.

 

[Enigmers]

I loved The Dark Knight's opening scene as well, the clown bank-robbery. Saving Private Ryan's intro was a huge adrenaline rush.

Passchendaele's intro stands out as the only part of the move that didn't piss me off.

 

[cheese_wizington]

I was gonna say Terminator 2, figuring that the beginning through the bike chase is the opening seen. But then I remembered Pulp Fiction.

 

[CowboyfromHell666]

Ooh, gotta be Star Wars, it's legendary.


The title, the opening shots, the whole scene just sticks in your mind forever.

Ninja'd

But yes, that scene is fucking brilliant.

Oh, and I'd also say Saving Private Ryan, Hamburger Hill, and Dark Knight

 

[MortalForNow]

Gonna go with something no one's said yet. The one that always sticks in my mind for originality and really cool visual style is the opening credits for Memento. The shaking of the picture, the snap of the camera, the bullet into the gun, and that final scream... all backwards. Sets the style for the rest of the film and lets the viewer know what they're in for.

God DAMN it. Ninja'd. Ok, gimme a minute.....Uh.....How 'bout JFK?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vW2ryP16Vk


(someone please tell me how to embed videos.)

It's boring as hell at first, but just stick with it. Trust me.

For embedding Youtube videos, put, without spaces [ youtube (no space here)= (letters in youtube url, right after "v=") ]. Try to preview it first to make sure that it works.

Adding to what I said before, the best recent one that no one's said yet is from the Hurt Locker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ABS3HZ5wkY (Embedding this doesn't seem to work for me right now, my computer's slow)

 

[The_Decoy]

How about From Dusk till Dawn? Benny's World of Blood
(or indeed pretty much any Tarantino is awesome)

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

I would say one of the most compelling was Sunshine Cleaning. 10 seconds in and a guy offs himself with a shotgun. Startled me. Too bad the rest of the movie just kind of fizzled...

 

[rhyno435]

I forget which Terminator movie it is (I think 2) where Arnold goes into a bar naked and takes the clothes from the guy. He threw him onto a freaking stove.

 

[Klepa]

Many to mention, and some of the already have been mentioned. One flick I recently saw, that I thought had a nice opening scene, was How To Train Your Dragon. The narration's a bit mediocre, but the flick opens up to the village which is just about to be invaded by dragons. Characters are briefly introduced, and the momentum keeps going on for quite a while.

 

[jmd102993]

I thought the opening for No Country For Old Men was done realy well, but my favorite lately has been the opening chapter for Inglorious Basterds

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Guys... what ever happened to Gladiator?

 

[Zmann966]

Children of Men, hands down.

Not a single cut in the entire shot yet there's so much going on. It gets inside you, it's insanely good.