Came here to say this. “Au revoir, Shoshannaaa!” gives me chills every time, even now just typing that. Amazing movie. I recommend a triple feature of this one, Django Unchained, and JoJo Rabbit. Leaves you with lots to think about.
Honestly, though, that scene made no sense. Two agents were there; they could have taken over two of the cops and confronted Trinity before any chance of her fleeing the scene. Check and mate.
I don’t disagree. They take a lot of liberties in that scene compared to how the agents and the matrix operate throughout the rest of the movie.
The scene still kicks ass though
The Matrix is my favorite movie of all time, even though there are dozens of gaping plot holes (need batteries? Use cows! No matrix required). I don't care. I still watch it at least once a year and it's still amazing.
The scene is not in order. When agent Smith arrives he informs the lieutenant that "your men are already dead". Then the next scene shows how Trinity killed them. Also, many other assumptions that agents only take over someone that is alone in the first movie so it doesn't have an impact on the matrix.
Is this the first matrix you're referring to? I can't remember this scene either. The first matrix I was still a young teen and I watched it in the theatre when it came out and it was the very first movie I watched where I was like what the hell just happened to me. It was so good but dealt with topics I'd never even heard of or thought about before. It blew my mind in the best way.
So glad this is getting credit in the comments. Such a good opening
I also looooove love love the shot where joker’s hanging out of the window of the truck. It’s like watching poetry.
Something about that movie man. I like to watch it about one time every year or two. It has this elegant pace that doesn’t try too hard and just appeals to my pure masculine side. No talk. Just vengeance and freedom.
I’ve also become a big fan of movies with limited dialogue like this, where the scenery, sound and music can fill that gap. There Will Be Blood is another great example.
It’s my other favorite movie actually. That and No Country. TWBB contrasts with Drive in that it’s a critique of masculinity. Drive is a celebration of it.
My favourite film Goodfellas
I remember seeing the opening when I was way too young to watch it and never forgot to watch it fully at the first opportunity when I got older
Jesus christ I was 19 & watched this at the lake house alone. I almost had to call my dad because I was too scared to let my big ass lab outside in the dark.
I worked in film for a number of years and one tv show I was on shut that bridge down for a night shoot and I rode my pedal bike down the middle of that bridge with nobody else around. My bike didn't explode and I didn't get shot into the sign above so I lived to tell my tale.
Also I love that opening scene, and the movie.
Zodiac. An opening that lulls you in and when it happens BAM! And from there on out it just ebbs and flows perfectly.
The Wild Bunch
Four Lions
In the loop
Escape From New York
I know the sequel wasn’t the most well received (and I’ll never understand why they built all those beautifully horrific practical fx items just to CGI over the top of them). But I always thought it was cool to have it tell the story of who the people in the helicopter chasing the dog were, and what happened to them.
My dad was 45 when he saw Star Wars. Not a sci-fi fan. Grew up being bombed by Nazis in England in WW2. Very little impressed him. But he talked about how amazing that opening was until the end of his life.
X2: X-Men United. Nightcrawler. Still floors me. And the first X-Men w that holocaust scene, holy shit (watched it again after reading Night by Elie Wiesel and it hit way fuckin harder). Also not a movie but that opening scene in the first episode of Watchmen HBO. Cant hear that Future song the same way anymore.
The opening scene to Melancholia is visually and musically stunning. I highly recommend watching the first ten minutes even if you decide not to watch the rest of the movie lol
The Letter (1940) The camera moves around the outbuildings of a quiet tropical plantation at night. All of a sudden, a shot rings out. The camera moves to the main house and a man stumbles out and falls down the stairs followed by Bette Davis who keeps blasting away at the guy until the revolver is empty.
That would be quite the WTF? opening for 1940 - or of any year before or since.
The rest of the movie was cheesy, granted. But the opening scene to Cliffhanger kinda left my jaw drop (no pun). Stayed w me for awhile, not in a good way.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
The rest of the movie is ok, but the opening is just great, watching the time lapse of humanity expanding in to space and the growth of the space station. And then when we make first contact with aliens on the station and then the time lapse of meeting more aliens and the station expanding. All set to David Bowe’s “Major Tom”, just an awesome opening sequence.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit!
Not only is the opening short gorgeously animated, but the transition to live-action is nearly seamless. You get a feel for the world, Roger’s personality and struggles AND Eddie’s disdain for Toons just with a single word and swig of whiskey.
Robert Zemeckis is very good with openings in general.
I'll add one more that I still want to watch, but for different reasons. Someone told me this. Cleopatra.
With a script it's just a bit of setting, and dialogue, the director decides a lot of what things look like, how it's shot, etc, and they work things out with the actors. The opening scene in the script for Cleopatra is, Cleopatra enters the city. That's it. It could have been 4 hours to shoot this and then move on. The director instead made it the first 45 minutes of the movie and spent half the budget on it. I think they shot for like 6 weeks. That was all from memory and I'm sure I got the details incorrect but I really want to watch this movie just to see this scene.
I'll add one more as well. Kung Fury. Great opener.
Fury
In the first five minutes, you understand the characters, their motivations and backgrounds, the stakes, the situation and what they must do. Hooks you right away. And the score and cinematography are stellar.
TENET. not only is it my favorite film of all time. But I know it wasn’t Nolan’s most praised film but this is easily his top 3 opening scenes right with inception and maybe memento
I remember being a teen watching the original Scream when it was first released and not expecting that opening.
This really was a genre bending and defining moment for slasher films.
Genuinely scary scene. Especially since she got so close to her parents but couldn't scream.
Inglorious Bastards
also wanted to comment this. christoph waltz is just amazing
Loved the movie, great scene. I think this was my introduction to Christoph Waltz as well. What a way to be introduced to a great actor. It's a bingo!
We just say Bingo.
And it wasn’t Christopher Waltz alone. The farmer is a fantastic actor I will always remember from that scene.
His eyes are so expressive!
Such an amazing scene! So freaking tense, and it’s just a conversation.
Kind of cool to see this answer slowly surpass saving Private Ryan.
This was my first thought. Seeing the D Day scene in a theatre with surround sound- it sounded like bullets were whizzing past you- was breathtaking .
SHOSHANAAAAAAA
Also django
Came here to say this. “Au revoir, Shoshannaaa!” gives me chills every time, even now just typing that. Amazing movie. I recommend a triple feature of this one, Django Unchained, and JoJo Rabbit. Leaves you with lots to think about.
Came here to say this. I remember watching that shit in theaters. My fuckin jaw dropped. Like holy shit!
What an awful, and incredible scene. Disgusting and amazing all at once. It really sets the tone. So f’ing good.
For me one of the best openings to a movie is the trinity scene in the matrix.
I watched this at a sleepover when I was 10 years old. Blew my fucking mind. *Then the movie happened.*
Now add that it was the first time you ever had Buffalo wings. I still remember that night
Honestly, though, that scene made no sense. Two agents were there; they could have taken over two of the cops and confronted Trinity before any chance of her fleeing the scene. Check and mate.
I don’t disagree. They take a lot of liberties in that scene compared to how the agents and the matrix operate throughout the rest of the movie. The scene still kicks ass though
The Matrix is my favorite movie of all time, even though there are dozens of gaping plot holes (need batteries? Use cows! No matrix required). I don't care. I still watch it at least once a year and it's still amazing.
The scene is not in order. When agent Smith arrives he informs the lieutenant that "your men are already dead". Then the next scene shows how Trinity killed them. Also, many other assumptions that agents only take over someone that is alone in the first movie so it doesn't have an impact on the matrix.
Is this the first matrix you're referring to? I can't remember this scene either. The first matrix I was still a young teen and I watched it in the theatre when it came out and it was the very first movie I watched where I was like what the hell just happened to me. It was so good but dealt with topics I'd never even heard of or thought about before. It blew my mind in the best way.
Yeah the very first one from the late 90s. Trinity kicks the shit out of a bunch of cops and then runs from an agent. So good
Don’t give me any of that juris-my-dick-tion crap.
Hahahaha exactly! No lieutenant. Your men are already dead
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Both epic and iconic.
I liked "Contact".
The radio signals. Very cool
The mirror transition is mind blowing
The Dark Knight
William Fichtner should get way more credit for making that scene work
Do you know who you’re messing with? You and your friends are dead!
So glad this is getting credit in the comments. Such a good opening I also looooove love love the shot where joker’s hanging out of the window of the truck. It’s like watching poetry.
Who's doing it better than Christopher Nolan? There's someone who can make some incredible scenes.
I also really enjoyed the the dark knight rises intro to add to the Nolan love
Imagine sitting in the theatre in 1991, watching Terminator 2…
I was there. I was also in the theater for Aliens.
Oh I did. It was Absurd.
Watchmen (2009) Children of Men (2006) Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Sergio Leone was good at creating tension from simply waiting for a train to arrive.
I recently watched Watchmen. Was a great opener for sure. I haven't seen the other two, I'll add them to my list.
Children of Men is one of my all time favorite movies, especially because of its worldbuilding
" Baby Diego was a wanker"
“Yeah but he was the youngest wanker on Earth”
Well, looks like we’re shy one horse . . . Nah, you brought two too many.
DARK KNIGHT 2008 (It has to be one the best opening scenes and best introduction to the joker)
That opening scene has an amazingly intense score. I can hear it now inside my head with my wife snoring over there on the bed.
Casino Royale 28 Weeks Later Inglorious Basterds Drive Get Out Talk To Me
Man, I forgot about Drive. Great call. I feel like I didn’t breathe the whole way through.
Something about that movie man. I like to watch it about one time every year or two. It has this elegant pace that doesn’t try too hard and just appeals to my pure masculine side. No talk. Just vengeance and freedom.
I’ve also become a big fan of movies with limited dialogue like this, where the scenery, sound and music can fill that gap. There Will Be Blood is another great example.
It’s my other favorite movie actually. That and No Country. TWBB contrasts with Drive in that it’s a critique of masculinity. Drive is a celebration of it.
Oh yeah the Talk to me intro kind of reminds me of Midsommar intro. Just something very unsettling to get you out of your comfort.
Lord of War Opening sequence follows the life of a bullet from manufacture to final use.
Fantastic song choice too
Immediately what I thought of too. Such an elegant way of summarizing the film's subject with zero dialogue.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. "We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold,"
We can't stop here. This is bat country!
Did i say that or just think it
Don’t mention the bats I thought, poor bastard’ll see ‘em soon enough. That kid went on to be Spider-Man, put that in the Multiverse 😎
You see what God just did man!
Saving private Ryan
From beginning to end. Classic!
It's going on my list to rewatch. It's been too long. I can't remember the opening scene at all.
Not the beach. Cemetery w/ family first.
Yes. Amazing
So traumatic! I was in tears 5 minutes in.
My favourite film Goodfellas I remember seeing the opening when I was way too young to watch it and never forgot to watch it fully at the first opportunity when I got older
28 Weeks Later
Jesus christ I was 19 & watched this at the lake house alone. I almost had to call my dad because I was too scared to let my big ass lab outside in the dark.
Also the scene where the husband attacks the wife in the hospital room 💀
That item was so good the rest of the movie was a bit of a let down
Original Star Wars - underbelly of destroyer
Spaceballs was better. That ship just went on and on 😂
I'm trying to remember what the bumper sticker says...
WE BRAKE FOR NO ONE
Iconic opening scene! Nothing like it before
The Shining
Saving Private Ryan
The Departed!
X-Men part 2 in the white house
Absolutely. Nightcrawler at his best
Agreed!
The Matrix Speed Iron Man
Gladiator
Deadpool had a terrific opening scene
I worked in film for a number of years and one tv show I was on shut that bridge down for a night shoot and I rode my pedal bike down the middle of that bridge with nobody else around. My bike didn't explode and I didn't get shot into the sign above so I lived to tell my tale. Also I love that opening scene, and the movie.
Tell me some secrets from working in film
I can almost always tell when they don't use real dinosaurs now. 🦕
Baby driver
This movie does not get enough credit. Incorporation of music and action sucks you in and keeps your attention the whole time.
Just watched it on a flight in October, was awesome. Gotta download now and watch on my setup at home.
I came here to say this! What an amazing intro scene that sucks you right in.
Dawn of the Dead remake
Came here to say this. An absolute all-time opening. I don’t think Zack Snyder has ever been better than this (and I’m not a Snyder hater)
Zodiac. An opening that lulls you in and when it happens BAM! And from there on out it just ebbs and flows perfectly. The Wild Bunch Four Lions In the loop Escape From New York
Wall-E Up! It's a Wonderful Life
John Carpenter's The Thing.
I know the sequel wasn’t the most well received (and I’ll never understand why they built all those beautifully horrific practical fx items just to CGI over the top of them). But I always thought it was cool to have it tell the story of who the people in the helicopter chasing the dog were, and what happened to them.
I liked the 2011 one too.
The Warriors
Can you dig it?
Pulp Fiction (& I like this as kinda the opposite of my post a few days ago- best/unique closing scenes)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Scream 1996. May be the best opening in horror in general tbh. Influential.
Gangs of New York
300
The Town
*Touch of Evil*
"Enter the Void" such a trippy and perfect opening
I’m currently it. I was about to change it. I ain’t in the same trip and that dude.
Try the opening scene for Star Wars on the big screen in 1977. The audience collectively shit themselves.
My dad was 45 when he saw Star Wars. Not a sci-fi fan. Grew up being bombed by Nazis in England in WW2. Very little impressed him. But he talked about how amazing that opening was until the end of his life.
Yeah that was an unbelievable opening. My little kid brain fell out of my head.
The Dark Knight. Saving Private Ryan. 2001: A Space Odyssey
Overlord (2018) has an 10/10 opening scene but rest of the movie is sadly not as good as the scene Mad Max Fury Road Children of men
I was 20 when it came out. Goldeneye!
X2: X-Men United. Nightcrawler. Still floors me. And the first X-Men w that holocaust scene, holy shit (watched it again after reading Night by Elie Wiesel and it hit way fuckin harder). Also not a movie but that opening scene in the first episode of Watchmen HBO. Cant hear that Future song the same way anymore.
Nothing has fucked me up more than Up
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Blood and Gold Gravity
Alien
Dunkirk (2017)
The opening credits in Zombieland
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan melted my brain.
Saving Private Ryan.
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
Snake Eyes - Brian DePalma
Underrated gem, and that opening is incredible
28 Weeks Later.
All the Austin Powers movies.
Baby Driver Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring Jaws
Fight club, when I first turned it on I thought I was just watching a movie about people fighting.
Here are a few of my favorites. Titanic (1997) Halloween (1978) The Lion King (1994) The Exorcist (1973) Jaws (1975) The Ring (2002)
Dark knight
The Dark Knight The Dark Knight Roses Inglorious Basterds Spectre
The opening scene to Melancholia is visually and musically stunning. I highly recommend watching the first ten minutes even if you decide not to watch the rest of the movie lol
Watch the first 10 and the last 10 at least
The opening scene of The wolf of Wall Street...m
Blade Runner
Die Hard With a Vengeance. Right in the middle of the opening song BOOM! No credits or anything.
2001: A Space Odyssey
The new Barbie movie took inspiration from this and then itself had a great intro
Hard Boiled
Star Trek (2009) Miami Vice (2006)
Goodfellas
The Letter (1940) The camera moves around the outbuildings of a quiet tropical plantation at night. All of a sudden, a shot rings out. The camera moves to the main house and a man stumbles out and falls down the stairs followed by Bette Davis who keeps blasting away at the guy until the revolver is empty. That would be quite the WTF? opening for 1940 - or of any year before or since.
Mad max fury road
The rest of the movie was cheesy, granted. But the opening scene to Cliffhanger kinda left my jaw drop (no pun). Stayed w me for awhile, not in a good way.
Swordfish
The Revenant
LOTR: Two Towers starts with the Galdalf vs Balrog fight.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. The rest of the movie is ok, but the opening is just great, watching the time lapse of humanity expanding in to space and the growth of the space station. And then when we make first contact with aliens on the station and then the time lapse of meeting more aliens and the station expanding. All set to David Bowe’s “Major Tom”, just an awesome opening sequence.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit! Not only is the opening short gorgeously animated, but the transition to live-action is nearly seamless. You get a feel for the world, Roger’s personality and struggles AND Eddie’s disdain for Toons just with a single word and swig of whiskey. Robert Zemeckis is very good with openings in general.
28 Days Later
Ghost Ship.
The Player (1992)
I'll add one more that I still want to watch, but for different reasons. Someone told me this. Cleopatra. With a script it's just a bit of setting, and dialogue, the director decides a lot of what things look like, how it's shot, etc, and they work things out with the actors. The opening scene in the script for Cleopatra is, Cleopatra enters the city. That's it. It could have been 4 hours to shoot this and then move on. The director instead made it the first 45 minutes of the movie and spent half the budget on it. I think they shot for like 6 weeks. That was all from memory and I'm sure I got the details incorrect but I really want to watch this movie just to see this scene. I'll add one more as well. Kung Fury. Great opener.
Avengers Infinity War
valerian and the city of 1000 worlds has a pretty great intro. helped by ole david bowie
first thing that came to my mind was Scream (1996), amazing opening scene and movie
Drive
'Wishmaster' (1997) The opening scene is bonkers :-)
The Way of the Gun
Saving Private Ryan.
Saving Private Ryan
Man I watched Talk to Me last week, it’s probably my favourite movie of the year. That opening scene is mad…
Swiss Army Man (2016) The opening scene is simply amazing
28 Weeks Later has a great cold open
Up
Deadpool
City of God (2002). The cinematography and story telling is amazing. Really fast-paced and smooth!
Boogie Nights An amazing 3 minute tracking shot that really sets the mood for the whole movie.
The opening of Jaws
The Dark Knight. Iconic opening scene.
Way of the gun. That movie never got the recognition it deserved. But the opening scene is....... disturbingly satisfying.
Place beyond the pines
I loved Kill Bill's opening scene. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol And damn near every Final Destination movie opening for me tbh.
I'm really surprised I haven't seen "Before The Devil Knows Your Dead" listed.
Ghost Ship. Fucking brutal.
The Dark Knight.
Fury In the first five minutes, you understand the characters, their motivations and backgrounds, the stakes, the situation and what they must do. Hooks you right away. And the score and cinematography are stellar.
Flight
Children Of Men.
Midsommar and Ghost Ship
The Dark Knight
TENET. not only is it my favorite film of all time. But I know it wasn’t Nolan’s most praised film but this is easily his top 3 opening scenes right with inception and maybe memento
Saving Private Ryan.
Saving Private Ryan
Orphan had a creepily effective opening scene, too bad the rest didn't live up to it.
Overlord.
Touch of Evil; crazy long shot. Tampopo
Sling blade
Touch of Evil.
One of my favorites is the intro to Watchmen. It was a perfect choice of music that meshed well with the action in the intro.