Comments on: Top 5: Opening Scenes

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:10:42 +0000

There's a website listing such great opening scenes: http://flickbites.com At the top of the list: To Be Or Not To Be, very funny start in an absurd way, with a good hook introducing a short flashback): http://flickbites.com/node/13 Office Space, great depiction of the aberrations of office work: http://flickbites.com/node/8 Contact (1997) ...

By: pohn qyagcr

pohn qyagcr — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:00:33 +0000

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By: runoh igwkp

runoh igwkp — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:23:11 +0000

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By: nik

nik — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:14:55 +0000

how’bout “One Eyed jack”

By: wimbeer

wimbeer — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:18:42 +0000

Can’t believe I had to get this low on the thread to see REAR WINDOW posted. The single shot opening sequence gives you the set-up and location and tells you everything you need to know about every character you’ll be introduced to – and not a word is spoken. It was Hitchcock’s moment of pure genius.

By: Karkata

Karkata — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:01:51 +0000

Once Upon a Time in the West is the best opening sequence. It would have fared better if Leone used GB&U’s Eastwood, Wallach, and Van Cleef, but the attention to each cowboy’s face and respective reactions are unmatched. Strode and Elam are rugged and real. The lack of dialouge sets the stage for Harmonica’s arrival.

By: Mcbain

Mcbain — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:34:47 +0000

HIGH NOON- Three riders meeting up to ride into town as credits roll and a wonderful theme song is played. We don’t know anything about them except by the body language and facial expressions, but we know they spell trouble.

By: LarsPorsena

LarsPorsena — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:11:01 +0000

Agree with most of the aforementioned but I have to mention ‘Top Gun’.
The opening on the flight deck with with the roar of jet engines, crewmen
scrambling, and the violent catapult launch of F-14’s to the background
of throbbing rock. Instant adrenaline surge.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:40:54 +0000

The Longest Day. 1962 B&W
Opening music – German quick march (put up volume), drums pounding, symbols clashing, jumping cuts of war news reel, stukas dive bombing, Nazis marching, advancing, an unstoppable doom. Cut to a field in the French countryside, older man, maybe a bank manager, in a full sweat, panting, you can feel his panic, hopelessly running from a German vehicle, machine-gunned in the back, he twists in pain and collapses dead, without emotion Nazi officer collects briefcase from corpse, returns to vehicle motioning his driver to go as if he were leaving for a business meeting.
To me this a short scene conveyed how cheap and insignificant life was under Nazism, void of empathy, murder was just a day at the office.

By: Larry

Larry — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:12:18 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPa93P4UXzc