Memorable Movie Openings

[ijon]

This is similar to a thread over on the MST specific board, but I was wondering what movie openings people remember as being memorably good.

One that I always recollect is "Catch-22," with the dawn slowly brightening, the distant bark of a dog, the occasional bird lazily flying by, all suddenly shattered by the engines of the whole medium bomber group beginning to screech over and rev up.

[ijon]

Good choices, those that I've seen at any rate.

When I was in college the ritual call for Friday bar-hopping was my cranking the Queen Mary dirge on the CD player.

Maybe this should be on the Kubrick thread, but didn't you think Droogie Pete got a little short-changed in the movie? Of course, going with the American ending would leave his later appearance less pointful.

[ijon]

Oh my! How could I have forgotten, "You're going to die, Quilty, and I want you to know why." When I finally saw Lolita I didn't find it as classic as Kubrick's best (though that's exhaltation with faint admonishment) but that opening scene was marvelous.

On "Clockwork Orange," does anyone remember Malcolm McDowell's SNL appearance (I believe it was the first show w/o the remnants of the original cast). He got into the full Alex gear to do an ad for the Milk Advisory Board! After that I'll even forgive "Moon 44."

[NerdGroupie]

I love the opening for Goodfellas. Especially since it didn't come at the end like so many movies, just randomly in the middle(ish).

The opening for Kill Bill still gets me all psyched up for the rest of the movie.

[Chuck]

Good ones, all.

Have you seen the restored version of Orson Welles' Touch of Evil? One long tracking shot that's just the most amazing thing you'll ever see!!

The opening of Diva is also quite unique (especially experienced in a theater). The audience is going into a recital and is settling down (as the film audience is), so both audiences are settled down by the time the Diva sings her opening aria.

[mrsphyllistorgo]

There's a similar and very well done tracking shot used in the opening of a little seen film called The Trigger Effect. It starts by following a regular joe kinda guy walking through a mall. He's roughly jostled by a rude passer-by, who doesn't apologize. Pissed, he goes to get in line at a movie and is rude to the person who lines up behind him. That person is in turn rude to the ticket taker, who's rude to the next customer, who's rude to the candy counter guy.... it's all to show how easily moods and ideas can sweep ramdomly through seemingly unrelated crowds of people, and is a great setup for the film.

mrsphyllistorgo

[Broadsword]

I love the opening to the Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring.
Don't forget the classic Touch of Evil.
Saving Private Ryan - beach head on DDay just unforgetable.
The Godfather - simple right to the story
Many James Bond films.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Matrix
The Player

[Lincolnator]

I have to agree with you, the opening to Saving Private Ryan was the most memorable for me. When I went in to see it, I had heard that the opening was rough, but it was just jaw-dropping. I also love the openings to Top Secret (Skeet Surfin') and Ace Ventura (that package delivery is classic).

[In_Stereo]

Sunset Blvd. - with the police fishing William Holden's body out of the pool. It's especially weird when you realise he's the narrator, plus he keeps narrating even after his character dies.

Annie Hall - Woody warms us up with a couple of his favourite jokes.

Network - Just a minute or so of four TVs showing assorted programs, commercials, new reports droning on, before a narrator introduces the story.

Requiem for a Dream (though that, I believe, is every teenager's favourite film these days) - The cheery, upbeat infomercial followed by a scene of a noisy feud between mother and son (plus that Kronos Quartet music... just wow)

Bananas (Woody Allen) - Don Dunphy and Howard Cosell cover the assassination of a Latin American president as if it were the match of the day. One of the funniest scenes from one of the funniest movies of all time.

And yes, of course, I must agree with Forrest:

[losingmydignity]

besides many good ones already mentioned....

Dustin Hoffman arriving at the airport to Sounds of Silence in The Graduate

The airport arrival and simultaneous murder in Suspira

Terence Stamp arriving at the airport in Fellini's episode of Spirits of the Dead.

Jackie Brown in the airport in Tarrantiono's.....wait, forget this one. ha ha

But seriously, I've always like the first three, something sad and lonely about arriving at an airport I guess.

Others:

The dream scene at the beginning of Eight and a half.

The first five minutes of Bresson's Au Hazard Balthazar. This is a whole movie in itself compressed into five minutes. A lesser director would have used up twenty to tell the "childhood" portion of the story and it would not have been nearly as effective.

The awakening from a trance at the beginning of Tarkovsky's Mirror

The dream sequence in Belle De Jour

The Haunting's back story beginning and great "dripping" credits

And who could forget the montage in Persona (though it's been imitated to death by now)

Yeah, a Clockwork Orange has always been one of my favorites.

[Don Quixote]

'Casino' has a good opening.

I have a soft spot for the Dolphin musical in the begining of 'Hitchhiker's Guide'

And, of course, 'Patton.'

[Shep]

I'm seeing great choices. Also:

"Escape From New York"
"Dawn of the Dead" (original)

[donmac]

ijon said:

On "Clockwork Orange," does anyone remember Malcolm McDowell's SNL appearance (I believe it was the first show w/o the remnants of the original cast). He got into the full Alex gear to do an ad for the Milk Advisory Board! After that I'll even forgive "Moon 44."

How about this ad:

[RafaelH]

Aguirre the Wrath of God- One of my favorite movies. It has one of the best openings ever.

I also liked almost every opening from the Star Wars series except for attack of the clones.

[Nunyerbiz]

Wow... a ton of great ones listed already.

Surprised nobody has mentioned the original Star Wars yet. Say what you will about what the franchise has turned into recently... but the opening to A New Hope is still excellent.

EDIT: I probably should make sure I'm on the last page of the thread before I click reply. RafaelH beat me to the Star Wars reference.