Great Opening Scenes / Title Sequences

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

The world has changed
I feel it in the water
I feel it in the Earth

I smell it in the air.

Much that once was is lost. For none now live who remember it.



It began with the forging of the great rings.
Three were given to the Elves; immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings
Seven to the Dwarf Lords; great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls
And Nine, Nine rings were gifted to the race of men, who above all desire power.

And within these rings was the strength and will to govern each race.

But they were all of them deceived.

For another ring was made.
In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom the dark Lord Sauron forged a Master Ring to control all others.
And in this ring his poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life.
One ring to rule them all.

One by one, the free lands of Middle Earth fell to the power of the ring. But there were some- who resisted.
A Last Alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of Mordor and on the slopes of Mount Doom they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth.

Victory was near, but the power of the ring could not be undone.

It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Isildur son of the King took up his father's sword.

Sauron, the enemy of the free people's of Middle Earth, was defeated.

The ring passed to Isildur, who had this one chance to destroy evil forever. But the hearts of men are easily corrupted. And the ring of power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isildur, to his death.

And some things that should not have been forgotten, were lost. History became legend, legend became myth and for 2500 years the ring passed beyond all knowledge- until, when chance came, it ensnared a new bearer. The ring came to the creature Gollum, who took it deep within the tunnels of the Misty Mountains. And there, it consumed him.

The ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life. For 500 years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum's cave it waited. Darkness crept back into the forests of the world, rumour grew of a shadow in the East. Whispers of a nameless fear. And the ring of power perceived it's time had now come. It abandoned Gollum.

But then something happened the ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable- a hobbit- Bilbo Baggins of The Shire. For the time will soon come when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all.

[Lt Plonker]

Marlowe feeding his cat in The Long Goodbye. Tickles me every time.

[holyzombiejesus]

Combat Academy.

From the opening notes of Twisted Sister's Be Cruel To Your School, it has you right by the jaffas. Great false end to the scene too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8yZA_YbU2g

[zomgmouse]

Talk of James Bond reminded me of Maurice Binder, who designed that opening barrel sequence. In terms of pure title sequences, it's hard to beat his titles for Stanley Donen's Charade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6obTyQcG64 (that is a pretty cool cold open as well)

Also we can't do titles and not do Saul Bass. He's probably best known for his Hitchcock collaborations (Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest) or the brilliant little cartoon in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but I personally like his more surreal, disturbing ones. My favourite is probably his title for John Frankenheimer's Seconds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxRhqoJBhmU ; it's unsettling, draws you right in, and blends seamlessly into the first scene of the film.

[Shaky]

Opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Still the best part of the franchise.

Mad Max 2's downbeat opening montage n' narration... then we cut straight to the chase.

[Kelvin]

The single shot opening of Altman's The Player. I can't find it online anywhere, but it's great for the way it conveys the process of greenlighting a film by passing from window to window on a studio lot. Plus, of course, it's packed with great jokes, including one about showy single shot camera sequences.

In superhero films, I don't think anything's topped this, from X-Men 2:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLOMdddg11A

In fact, even in all the years since, I don't think there have been many action scenes in comic book films that come close to beating that sequence. If anything does, it's the Quicksilver sequence from Days of Future Past, by the same director and using many of the same tricks that made the Nightcrawler scene so impressive.

[holyzombiejesus]

There's an old 70s horror film called The Mutations about a half man, half plant played by Tom Baker and the credits are really good. Sounds like something that Broadcast or Plone might have made, set to some slowed down droplets and time lapse photography. Really ropey quality video here.

[phantom_power]

Dawn of the Dead

Fran shown mid nightmare before being suddenly awoken and then you and her are thrown into the chaos of a TV station losing its shit. The accompanying Goblin score just plays up to the situation perfectly.

The start of the remake is good as well, and really sets the tone of the film

[Spiteface]

The "Legendary War" that opens Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle

High stakes that require 34 Sentai to band together and fight, teamups within teamups, heroes back from the dead. Love it.

[phantom_power]

The opening scene of Serenity is pretty great. It simultaneously fills in some back story for the casual viewers and is a rip-roaring action scene for everyone else, plus a great introduction to a great villain

[Serge]

The single shot opening of Altman's The Player. I can't find it online anywhere, but it's great for the way it conveys the process of greenlighting a film by passing from window to window on a studio lot. Plus, of course, it's packed with great jokes, including one about showy single shot camera sequences.

Which reminds me of the opening scene of 'Touch Of Evil', one of the most famous single shot sequences, lasting three and a half minutes before an edit. Apparently, on the first take, an extra fucked something up right towards the end of the shot so they had to retake it - if I had been Welles, I probably would have attacked him with a hammer.

[studpuppet]

Which reminds me of the opening scene of 'Touch Of Evil', one of the most famous single shot sequences, lasting three and a half minutes before an edit. Apparently, on the first take, an extra fucked something up right towards the end of the shot so they had to retake it - if I had been Welles, I probably would have attacked him with a hammer.

2 pages before someone mentioned it! The Player is Altman's homage to it. Touch Of Evil is far better because there's so much happening that you don't realise it's a single shot.

[studpuppet]

In terms of being burned into peoples' psyches, this one takes some beating. I saw this in the cinema when it came out, and even watching it now I still get caught out by how big the Imperial cruiser is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHfLyMAHrQE

[Phil_A]

There's an old 70s horror film called The Mutations about a half man, half plant played by Tom Baker and the credits are really good. Sounds like something that Broadcast or Plone might have made, set to some slowed down droplets and time lapse photography. Really ropey quality video here.

Yeah, I think Broadcast were pretty open about their debt to Basil Kirchin(for it was he what done it).

https://youtu.be/CAS4LRXaW7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efc3EtQ7PoE

[Blinder Data]

Double Indemnity has got a smashing opening credits sequence ('silhouetted man in crutches walks towards the camera' looks much better than it sounds), but I really wanted to mention it here for the opening scene. After he gets into his office, Fred MacMurray's records his opening monologue and it's just one of the best bits of screenwriting I think I've ever experienced. Filmed in one long take, perfectly delivered. Totally gripping.

Here's the main bit of it, but you should really watch the whole film (which might become quite tempting after watching this clip): https://youtu.be/7vZy9ra8kdM

[Cerys]

And then there's this nifty little piece.

[Kelvin]

In terms of being burned into peoples' psyches, this one takes some beating. I saw this in the cinema when it came out, and even watching it now I still get caught out by how big the Imperial cruiser is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHfLyMAHrQE

I always think it's funny how silly Darth Vader looks in his very first shot; coming in, looking terribly short, then putting his hands on his hips like an angry mother seeing the state of her toddler's bedroom.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Yes, when he's not doing his mind-chokey thing he is one of the most ludicrous, least-scary bad guys ever.

[Kelvin]

Yes, when he's not doing his mind-chokey thing he is one of the most ludicrous, least-scary bad guys ever.

He really is. Vader's just a bully with an unusually cool voice. He's a bodyguard or heavy, doing dirty work for characters higher up the chain. Since the prequels he's even more rubbish; a whiny, sulking brat with no ideology and no vision who decided to enslave the galaxy... because his wife died? Even in the originals, he only really shines in Empire Strikes Back. Boo to Vader, I say. 

[studpuppet]

He really is. Vader's just a bully with an unusually cool voice. He's a bodyguard or heavy, doing dirty work for characters higher up the chain. Since the prequels he's even more rubbish; a whiny, sulking brat with no ideology and no vision who decided to enslave the galaxy... because his wife died? Even in the originals, he only really shines in Empire Strikes Back. Boo to Vader, I say.

You're right - Dave Prowse's voice would have really suited him. Or Brick's of course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vskHXtPuvBk

[Brundle-Fly]

How about Doberman (1997) with one of the most curveball audacious opening credits to a film ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h15zQmt6R_U

[Brundle-Fly]

There's an old 70s horror film called The Mutations about a half man, half plant played by Tom Baker and the credits are really good. Sounds like something that Broadcast or Plone might have made, set to some slowed down droplets and time lapse photography. Really ropey quality video here.

Also know as The Freakmaker. Quite a horrid film really. Trunk Records have been sitting on the complete soundtrack for ages. Come on Jonny.

[Glebe]

The world has changed

Indeed, one of the great prologues (and the best Rings film to boot).

There's nothing better than a great opener to send shivers down your spine... need to have a proper think, but a favourite is Close Encounters, can't find a decent vid of it online.

A pretty obvious one.

The opening scene of Braindead provides plenty of laughs, chills and spills.

[Gulftastic]

Grosse Pointe Blank is a favourite of mine.

[mothman]

And then there's this nifty little piece.

I JUMPED. I knew it was coming, and I still jumped!

[Catalogue Trousers]

Superb. Alternate history, lots of little nods to the fanboys, and the music choice is perfect. While the film has its flas, it got this just right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X7aaUf5Fjw

[lipsink]

The Joker bank robbery in The Dark Knight is superb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-8Lssf3_Yg

Just plunges you straight into the madness of the character and film. It never really lets up from there on in either.

I also love the cold openings to Nolan's Batman films, with just the Bat logo in different styles reflecting the themes for each installment.

[greenman]

the rabbit mythology opening to Watership Down. "all the world will be your enemy, prince with a thousand enemies."

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyucbo_watership-down-frith_shortfilms

I'd guess somewhat inspired by this the woodblock style history at the start of Laputa Castle In the Sky.

[East of Eden]

Mad Max 2 Road Warrior - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n29c-q3_8Q

Knife in the Water - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq1d2ie5_Nk

Blue Velvet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDEzzFtrCTs

[thraxx]

Has anyone mentioned the opening to Dirty Harry?  I can't believe no-one's mentioned the opening to Dirty Harry?

Perfect fusion of images and music.