most memorable film openings

[pooroldcodger]

There have been many memorable film openings - James Bond films come to mind.
But today I couldn't get the opening sequence to the original Italian Job out of my head.
Matt Monro singing a Quincy Jones song ("On Days Like These") whilst a super cool guy threads a Lamborghini Miura through the alps, fag dangling from his lips.
What a sequence!
Any others come to mind?

 

[(CZ)enda]

The best opening EVER is in "Once Upon a Time in the West".

 

[homeward]

The best opening EVER is in "Once Upon a Time in the West".

Followed closely by Hitchcock's 'Rope'....

 

[the rake]

There have been many memorable film openings - James Bond films come to mind.
But today I couldn't get the opening sequence to the original Italian Job out of my head.
Matt Monro singing a Quincy Jones song ("On Days Like These") whilst a super cool guy threads a Lamborghini Miura through the alps, fag dangling from his lips.
What a sequence!
Any others come to mind?

I had that one in mind when I read the thread title....,

 

[mark65]

for opening scenes in a film i think gladiator is up with the best of them .that battle scene in the woods takes some beating

 

[Eklipze3k]

The 8-bit styled 'Universal' opening sequence for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is one of my favourites.

If you mean opening scenes though, I really couldn't say. I've seen so many visually impressive or suspense building or intriguing opening scenes, I don't think I could pick a favourite.

 

[Magic Johnson]

The best opening EVER is in "Once Upon a Time in the West".

YES.

It is SO intense I was sitting on the edge of my sofa dripping in sweat with my eyes wide open by the end of it lol.

 

[Ulpian]

Gladiator: the evocative and portentous walking hand through the wheat field underscored by the initially light yet almost sinister touch of Hans Zimmer's magnificent music.

And The Birdcage: That eternity of a long long shot across the sea into the Miami club is quite something. And again; the music.

With films it's nearly always the music

 

[Liquid Knight]

Chow Yun Fat's ability to control the scene even though John Woo wanted more dialogue the emotions expressed purely by body language was exceptional.



Blatant character establishment so five minutes before anything happens you already know who the bad guys are, what the bad guys are and if nobody were to help the vacuous septic stereotype was about to have a bad day.



Basic monologue over a haunting soundtrack with pedantic story boarding but places you right over the lead characters shoulder for the rest of the film.

 

[pooroldcodger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilfrj8NAAUs

Chow Yun Fat's ability to control the scene even though John Woo wanted more dialogue the emotions expressed purely by body language was exceptional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHBhKbF2xMA

Blatant character establishment so five minutes before anything happens you already know who the bad guys are, what the bad guys are and if nobody were to help the vacuous septic stereotype was about to have a bad day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_0D8F_X7us

Basic monologue over a haunting soundtrack with pedantic story boarding but places you right over the lead characters shoulder for the rest of the film.

Maybe my loss, but I would never have got past the first 5 minutes with all that shooting going on!