After the 9 production studio animations, the movie begins... Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most memorable, riveting, and inviting opening scenes in film history.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00No time to argue. Throw me the idol, I throw you the whip.
00:02Give me the whip!
00:04Adios, senor.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable, riveting, and inviting opening scenes in film history.
00:13Don't forget the guy who planned the job. He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice.
00:17I know why they call him the Joker.
00:21Number 30. Honoring a fallen friend. Deadpool and Wolverine.
00:25While investigating Wolverine's final resting place at the beginning of Deadpool and Wolverine,
00:29Deadpool encounters the Time Variance Authority.
00:32Last chance. Throw out your weapons and come out peacefully.
00:36I'm not gonna give you my weapons, but I promise not to use them.
00:40He uses an unorthodox way of fighting back, involving the use of the fallen Wolverine's adamantium skeleton.
00:47Deadpool takes down his enemies in an over-the-top and darkly funny scene.
00:51The superhero delivers all the quips and violent moves that you could ask for.
00:55There's also an unforgettable soundtrack with Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC adding extra flair to the sequence.
01:05Superhero movie fans will never hear the song the same way again,
01:09with this sequel giving audiences a shot of comedic adrenaline.
01:13Number 29. Migrating Coconuts. Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
01:17In this classic comedy, the Monty Python troupe infuse the Middle Ages with their silliest humor.
01:22This becomes apparent in the very first scene, as King Arthur emerges with his squire Patsy.
01:39Instead of riding a horse, Arthur pretends to gallop as Patsy bangs coconuts together.
01:44This was actually done for budgetary reasons. They couldn't afford real horses.
01:49It's a goofy image that only gets better when they encounter castle guards.
01:53Arthur wants to speak to their boss, but not so fast.
01:56Instead, the guards start a discussion about the coconuts' origins.
02:00This includes a funny breakdown of birds and their migratory patterns.
02:04By the end of it all, you'll be pleasantly surprised, amused, and maybe even confused,
02:09but in a good way.
02:11Number 28. Bellbottom's Chase. Baby Driver.
02:14What's more entertaining than a good movie bank heist?
02:17Baby Driver gives you the exciting feeling of being in the middle of a bank heist.
02:21It's a good movie, but it's not a good movie.
02:23It's a good movie, but it's not a good movie.
02:25It's a good movie, but it's not a good movie.
02:28It's a good movie, but it's not a good movie.
02:30What's more entertaining than a good movie bank heist?
02:33Baby Driver gives you the exciting aftermath of a robbery with an awesome soundtrack.
02:37Director Edgar Wright starts off his crime thriller with a bang,
02:40giving you a getaway scene set to the John Spencer Blues explosion.
02:50You also get a slick car chase courtesy of some talented stunt drivers.
02:54As the vehicle swerves through city streets,
02:56you can't help but feel like you're riding along as another passenger.
03:00They fuse together high-octane action, music, and danger with each passing second.
03:11Number 27. Landing Sequence. Serenity.
03:14Whether or not you've seen the original TV show Firefly,
03:18the film Serenity gives viewers an effective introduction into the sci-fi world.
03:22Things start off with an exciting and bumpy landing sequence
03:25that guides you through the Serenity ship.
03:28Did you see that?
03:33Was that the primary buffer panel?
03:34It did seem to resemble...
03:35Did the primary buffer panel just fall off my ground ship for no apparent reason?
03:39Captain Mal Reynolds explores the vessel while bantering with various crew members
03:42such as Wash and Jane.
03:44The movie wastes no time in catching newcomers up to speed,
03:47while also offering diehard fans of Firefly another reason to love this ensemble.
03:52There's also the elaborate set, amazing visuals, and fun dialogue to thrill audiences.
03:57But it's ultimately the chemistry between cast members that makes this opening scene special.
04:13Number 26. Dance Fight. West Side Story.
04:16Moving Shakespeare to New York City,
04:18West Side Story opens with some great aerial views of the Big Apple.
04:21The scene then shifts to a contentious part of town ruled by two gangs.
04:28The Jets, led by Riff, and the Sharks, led by Bernardo, establish themselves here,
04:35showing that they can dance as well as fight.
04:38Robert Wise's vision and Jerome Robbins' choreography bring the scene to life,
04:42with Leonard Bernstein's music piecing it all together.
04:51The whole story comes alive within the first 10 minutes without the need for any words.
04:56Number 25. The Rules. Zombieland.
04:59To survive a zombie apocalypse, you need to live by a few simple rules.
05:04This is the crux of Columbus's philosophy in Zombieland.
05:13He walks the audience through his survival rules,
05:16which prove to be as funny as they are practical.
05:18Right from the jump,
05:19this movie lets you know that you're in for a mix of zombie mayhem and off-the-wall comedy.
05:24There's also the fantastic voiceover from Jesse Eisenberg,
05:27displaying a lovable everyman character with a dry sense of humor.
05:38You might even find yourself taking notes in case the undead rise up.
05:41Number 24. Car Bomb. Touch of Evil.
05:44Orson Welles' film noir, Touch of Evil,
05:46features an electric opening scene that'll have you on the edge of your seat,
05:50as a car bomb ticks away.
05:51The driver rides around for the last time.
06:02You'll find yourself sweating as you wonder when the device will go off.
06:06The director juxtaposes Mike Vargas and his wife Susan enjoying their night,
06:10until the explosion interrupts them.
06:12Welles' long take keeps you engaged, guiding you through the action.
06:22I don't know, I'll have to try to find out.
06:24The director establishes the compelling conspiracy and violence,
06:27lurking beneath the story within the first few minutes.
06:30Number 23. Tuco's Escape.
06:32The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
06:34In this definitive spaghetti western,
06:36director Sergio Leone starts things off in a quiet town.
06:39Bounty hunters are looking for Tuco Ramirez.
06:49The filmmaker lets you fill in the blanks here.
06:51Watching as the team slowly heads for their prize.
06:54It is an incredibly atmospheric scene,
06:56with both staggering close-ups and beautiful landscapes.
07:00The gunmen finally charge in after their target,
07:02but Tuco manages to fight back and escape in memorable fashion.
07:10It might be one of the boldest character introductions of its kind.
07:13With one freeze frame, we know we are in for a true masterpiece from Leone.
07:18Number 22. Standoff.
07:20Once Upon a Time in the West.
07:22Aside from the Dollars trilogy,
07:24Sergio Leone also directed other influential films,
07:27including Once Upon a Time in the West.
07:29This western begins with a sequence full of dramatic intensity.
07:32As several hitmen wait for their target,
07:34the director lets viewers soak in the setting.
07:36Every movement, sound, and character beat gives you a glimpse into this universe.
07:50The scene emphasizes action over dialogue as you wait for the violent conclusion.
07:54Charles Bronson's character Harmonica finally emerges with his cool energy and steely gaze,
07:59leading to a satisfying shootout.
08:07Leone shows off his mastery of silence, mood, and style as he beckons people into this world.
08:13Number 21. From the Cemetery to the Beach.
08:16Saving Private Ryan.
08:18The first sequence of Saving Private Ryan is an epic piece of filmmaking.
08:22An older James Ryan visits Captain John H. Miller's grave at the Normandy American Cemetery,
08:27setting up a flashback to June 6th, 1944.
08:37Director Steven Spielberg whisks viewers from the somber prologue
08:44to the intensity of Omaha Beach.
08:46Captain Miller and his soldiers are thrust into dangerous territory,
08:50fighting through machine gun fire and explosions from artillery.
08:56Spielberg barely lets you take a breath as the men battle their way
09:00through a visually stunning scene.
09:01It is among the most harrowing depictions of warfare ever put to film,
09:06giving audiences an unprecedented look at World War II combat.
09:09Number 20. Casey Gets a Call.
09:12Scream.
09:13Wes Craven created something special with the first Scream,
09:16and the opening scene encapsulates the movie's brilliance.
09:19During a seemingly ordinary night,
09:21Casey gets a phone call from a rather strange person.
09:24One who wants to talk about horror flicks and has a deranged sense of humor.
09:36Scream expertly balances laughs and fear,
09:39serving as a satirization of slasher cliches,
09:42while still being an effective and scary entry in the horror genre.
09:46Casey's back and forth with Ghostface establishes the film's tone,
09:50and casting a known actress like Drew Barrymore as the first victim
09:54makes it clear that nobody's safe.
09:57Number 19. Theo Buys Coffee.
10:00Children of Men.
10:01In just two minutes, Alfonso Cuarón's sci-fi masterpiece establishes
10:05its unique premise, the protagonist's apathetic attitude,
10:09and the social climate that defines its world.
10:12Witnesses at the scene say that Diego spat in the face of a fan
10:16who asked for an autograph.
10:17He was killed.
10:18The man was shot dead.
10:20The man was shot dead.
10:22The man was shot dead.
10:23As a TV in a cafe covers a news broadcast about the death
10:34of the youngest person alive in the infertile world,
10:36Theo pushes through the stunned crowd to buy a cup of coffee.
10:40This excellent scene leads to the cafeteria's bombing,
10:43a moment shot with such realism that it might cause someone
10:46to forget they're watching a sci-fi flick.
10:48Children of Men is a work of art,
10:51and its opening scene is its first masterful stroke.
11:00Number 18. The Job.
11:02Drive.
11:10A car chase is a pretty conventional way to start an action or heist film,
11:14but Drive is anything but conventional.
11:17Lasting for roughly 10 minutes,
11:19Drive opens with the driver going out on a job that threatens to go wrong,
11:23but never actually does.
11:25This sequence is nearly exclusively shown from the point of view of the protagonist,
11:29turning a common action set piece into a character piece
11:32that establishes the driver's personal rules.
11:35You give me a time and a place, I give you a five minute window.
11:40Anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours, no matter what.
11:45From the five minute window to the perfectly executed escape plan,
11:49this opening scene is all about control,
11:52something the rest of the movie gradually wrestles away from the driver's grasp.
12:05Number 17. A Night Out.
12:07American Psycho.
12:09Who doesn't appreciate a good dinner and a bit of dancing after a hard day's work?
12:13Patrick Bateman is the ultimate boy scout,
12:15a dignified gentleman willing to put his colleagues in their place
12:19if they were, for example, to be offensive.
12:29At least, that's what American Psycho's first scene indicates.
12:32Although, Bateman quickly reveals that this straight-laced attitude
12:35is nothing more than an act.
12:37Starting with the restaurant scene and ending with the protagonist's morning routine,
12:42American Psycho launches with a captivating opening few minutes
12:45that underline the many facades of Bateman's mask.
12:56Number 16. The Floating Body.
12:59Sunset Boulevard.
13:02A classic noir about Hollywood,
13:14Sunset Boulevard starts by giving away the ending.
13:17The credits roll seamlessly into the opening scene
13:20as police cars race through Sunset Boulevard towards the house of a celebrity.
13:25A narrator comes in to explain the situation,
13:27that an unimportant man has been found dead in the pool.
13:31A narrator and a corpse might not be all that unique of an opening for a film noir,
13:35but Sunset Boulevard uses this familiarity to its advantage
13:39by flipping the script halfway through.
13:41Franz Waxman's score is also fantastic.
13:44Number 15. Anton Chigurh's Arrest.
13:58No Country for Old Men.
14:00The Coen brothers have had more than a few memorable openings,
14:03but No Country for Old Men just sticks with you like nothing else.
14:14Starting with a monologue from Sheriff Ed Tom Bell
14:23that reminisces about the past before expressing a fear of the unknown,
14:27the dialogue is unsurprisingly riveting.
14:30In the meantime, Anton Chigurh is taken into custody,
14:33an arrest that proves to be less than beneficial for the deputy.
14:37In the opening five minutes, Chigurh brutally kills two people
14:42and also unleashes one of the creepiest smiles in cinematic history.
14:53Number 14. War of the Last Alliance.
14:56The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring.
15:12Considering the short version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy
15:15clocks in at roughly nine hours,
15:17the opening scene really needed to hit it out of the park.
15:20The Fellowship of the Ring opens with the War of the Last Alliance,
15:24a sequence that establishes Middle-Earth's main races,
15:26the power of the One Ring,
15:28and the threat posed by Sauron and his forces.
15:31For the longest time,
15:32the Lord of the Rings was considered almost unadaptable,
15:36so this opening not only needed to bring up to speed the uninitiated,
15:39but also showcase that the film will do justice to Tolkien's epic story.
15:53The Two Towers opens brilliantly as well.
16:05Number 13. Choose Life... or Not.
16:08Trainspotting.
16:13An energetic and chaotic opening that sets the pace for the rest of the flick,
16:17Danny Boyle's Trainspotting is a trip right from the opening seconds.
16:22As Iggy Pop's lust for life blasts away,
16:24audiences are introduced to the charismatic Renton and his friends,
16:28a group from Edinburgh going nowhere fast.
16:30As Renton humorously but poignantly monologues about choosing life,
16:34family, and fixed-interest mortgage repayments,
16:37Trainspotting provides glimpses into the seedy world these characters exist in.
16:41Ewan McGregor is mesmerizing as Renton right from the get-go,
16:45instantly presenting a likable figure for audiences to grasp onto.
16:54Number 12. Noisy Trunk... Goodfellas.
16:57Such a relatable opening scene.
16:59Who hasn't experienced the frustration of having car trouble in the middle of the night?
17:03Jimmy, Henry, and Tommy find their peaceful drive disrupted by an unexplainable sound.
17:12Although, it doesn't take too long for the trio to figure out the issue.
17:15Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas opens with a morbidly funny scene,
17:19and it also highlights the different personality traits
17:22that will come to define its three main gangsters.
17:25Ultimately, opening scenes are there to entice people to stick around for more,
17:29and Goodfellas guarantees that nobody will be changing the channel.
17:33As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.
17:38Number 11. Alex and the Droogs at the Milk Bar... A Clockwork Orange.
17:42Stanley Kubrick opens his most controversial film with a pullback
17:46that will trigger a wide range of feelings.
17:49Curiosity, discomfort, and alarm.
17:57A Clockwork Orange tells the eccentric tale of Alex DeLarge,
18:00the violent leader of a British gang who spends his time harassing homeless people,
18:05drinking milk, and just generally being the worst.
18:08The first shot of the film is a close-up of the confrontational and arrogant Alex,
18:13before A Clockwork Orange pulls back to reveal the rest of the Droogs
18:17and a setting that is anything but ordinary.
18:20Number 10. Chrissy Goes for a Swim... Jaws.
18:23Steven Spielberg doesn't waste a single second in this classic.
18:28Right from the underwater opening shot set from Bruce the Shark's point of view,
18:32Jaws is a masterclass of suspense.
18:42Unaware of the beast that lurks beneath the waves,
18:45Chrissy heads out for a swim and quickly comes to realize she's not alone.
18:50The music and build-up are perfect, culminating in a thrilling and terrifying scene
18:55that almost works as a standalone short film, proving that sometimes less is more.
19:01Jaws creates magic without utilizing gore or showing the shark.
19:10Number 9. The Dawn of Man... 2001. A Space Odyssey.
19:14It takes guts to begin a sci-fi epic with a prehistoric prelude,
19:26centering around a tribe of apes.
19:292001's Dawn of Man sequence chronicles the hominids' discovery of an unexplainable monolith
19:34that triggers humanity's birth. Naturally, the first thing the apes create is a weapon.
19:44Impressive both visually and narratively, this sequence adds a sense of completeness
19:52to 2001 A Space Odyssey and ties in beautifully with the events that transpire later in the film.
19:582001 has aged incredibly well and that extends to its impeccable and awe-inspiring opening scene.
20:14Number 8. The End. Apocalypse Now.
20:23Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam epic starts with a haunting scene
20:27that foreshadows the psychological and trippy journey the film is about to depart on.
20:32Apocalypse Now opens essentially with a dream sequence, albeit one heavily fueled by reality.
20:37Soundtracked hypnotically by the Doors, The End, the mesmerizing napalm bombing of a forest
20:43is transposed with the image of an out-of-it Captain Willard in a hotel room in Saigon.
20:56Willard's 100-yard stare makes the destruction all the more unsettling,
21:00setting the stage for the darkness that will consume Apocalypse Now moving forward.
21:05Number 7. One Little Girl. The Matrix.
21:08A sci-fi film with plenty of ideas and action, The Matrix incorporates both in its opening scene.
21:24The police show up at an abandoned building to arrest one little girl,
21:28an undertaking that proves a tad difficult when Trinity begins kicking some serious ass.
21:33Cool and innovative for the time, The Matrix's opening provides just enough context to keep
21:37people hooked while also sprinkling in a few hints that foreshadow later reveals.
21:42More than anything, this sequence brings up so many fascinating questions.
21:47Who is Trinity? Why can she defy the laws of physics? Who is The One?
22:03Number 6. A Disrespectful Request. The Godfather.
22:06At the wedding of his daughter, Vito Corleone sits in his dimly lit office listening to a
22:11request for vengeance from Amerigo Bonasera. Showing plenty of restraint, Francis Ford
22:22Coppola leaves Corleone in the shadows for a couple of minutes, reflecting the Don's role
22:26in society. Expertly directed and flawlessly acted, this scene is subtle, powerful, and
22:33revealing, and serves as a microcosm for the entire film. As the Godfather speaks to
22:47Bonasera about justice and respect, Corleone showcases his influence, morality, and authority.
22:53The Godfather opens on a sublime note.
22:56Number 5. Shoot Her! Jurassic Park.
23:03Reminiscent of the opening in Jaws, Jurassic Park whets the viewer's appetite by offering
23:08a glimpse of the mayhem to follow. The park's attempt to cage a velociraptor goes awry when
23:19the dinosaur puts up a fight and grabs a bite to eat along the way. Utilizing great audio and
23:25tight editing, Jurassic Park shows more than enough in its opening scene to get people
23:29interested without spoiling the excitement by prematurely exposing a full dinosaur.
23:37Considering Jurassic Park has a pretty exposition-heavy first act,
23:41this scene does a lot of the heavy lifting in the film's early stages.
23:50Number 4. Bond Jumps! GoldenEye.
23:53While 007 had been around for a few decades, by 1995, GoldenEye marked a new era for Bond,
23:59and the film needed to make a great first impression. Following a bit of misdirection
24:04with a plane, GoldenEye introduces the world to this version of Bond with a bungee jump off a dam.
24:09007 is known for jaw-dropping opening stunts, but GoldenEye manages to hit the elusive sweet
24:15spot of being both over-the-top and also grounded. Before Bond's face is even shown,
24:23the agent's nerves of steel and courage are proven beyond a shadow of a doubt,
24:28and this jump is only the first moment in a long and thrilling sequence.
24:33Number 3. Joker's Rob a Bank. The Dark Knight.
24:46Christopher Nolan's second entry in the Dark Knight trilogy is just as much of a Joker film
24:51as it's about Bruce Wayne. The opening scene is a bit of a twist on the Joker's first film,
24:55but it's also a bit of a twist on the Joker's second film.
24:58is just as much of a Joker film as it's about Bruce Wayne. The opening scene places the clown
25:03Prince of Gotham at the forefront, as the Joker leads a squad of disposable criminals in a bank
25:08heist. Splendidly paced and culminating in a fun shootout, the Dark Knight's opening
25:13instantly establishes the Joker as a criminal genius with a penchant for chaos
25:17and a willingness to challenge Gotham's status quo.
25:29Joker is Batman's greatest enemy, and The Dark Knight shows that from its first scene.
25:46Number 2. Chapter 1. Inglourious Bastards.
25:59Whether talking about Madonna or robbing a diner, a Quentin Tarantino movie will always
26:11start in an attention-grabbing way. Inglourious Bastards achieves perfection in its opening scene,
26:22as the SS officer Hans Landa interrogates a dairy farmer on whether he happens to
26:27be hiding any Jewish people. In this scene, Hans charmingly leads Perrier-Lapidit on a charade,
26:33while the officer casually reveals aspects of his psyche and ideals. A masterfully intense scene,
26:39Chapter 1 cements Hans as one of the best villains in cinema,
26:43and achieves a high that the rest of The Very Good Movie struggles to replicate.
26:58Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about
27:05our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
27:10If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
27:16Number 1. The Golden Idol. Raiders of the Lost Ark.
27:20Certain sequences are so good, they come to represent an entire genre. When someone pictures
27:33an adventure film, they are likely to imagine Indy picking up a Golden Idol and running away
27:38from a boulder. Indiana Jones is an icon nowadays, and so much of that can be credited
27:50to Raiders of the Lost Ark's opening set piece. With barely any exposition, the scene reveals
27:56that Indy is brave but not fearless, perceptive but not infallible, funny but serious, and
28:02simultaneously lucky and stupidly misfortunate. Raiders packs in all this awesomeness before the
28:08main plot even starts. Did we forget another classic opening scene? Let us know in the
28:22comments below. Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
28:33and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.