Favorite opening scenes to movies

Strong Bad
Strong Bad Posts: 4,278
edited January 2006 in Music & Movies
The Indiana Jones thread got me thinking. What are your top opening scenes to movies.

1. Star Wars: A New Hope (When the Star Destroyer flys in overhead, forget it!)
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indy going for the gold statue replacing it with the bag of sand)
3. Jaws (drunk chick takes a dip...you know the rest)
4. Patton (George C. Scott speech in front of the huge US flag)
5. Saving Private Ryan (beach landing)

Theres a great start. Let's go folks, lets hear them.


John
No excuses!
Post edited by Strong Bad on
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  • bpadget
    bpadget Posts: 65
    edited January 2006
    Blues Brothers
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited January 2006
    Wow. I can't even touch that list. Well done.

    The only other one that comes immediately to mind is the opening scene to Gladiator ("on my signal, unleash hell").

    Maybe the opening to the Tim Burton Batman.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • Skynut
    Skynut Posts: 2,967
    edited January 2006
    I do not remember the name of the movie but it started with a train wreck that was so believable that I just watched in awe.
    I saw it on the big screen and was totally impressed with the opening.

    I wish I could remember the movie so I could buy it.
    Skynut
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  • louhamilton
    louhamilton Posts: 209
    edited January 2006
    Skynut wrote:
    I do not remember the name of the movie but it started with a train wreck that was so believable that I just watched in awe.
    I saw it on the big screen and was totally impressed with the opening.

    I wish I could remember the movie so I could buy it.

    Was it "Unbreakable" with Bruce Willis?

    That is the only one I can think of where there was a train wreck early in the movie.

    -Lou
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  • Skynut
    Skynut Posts: 2,967
    edited January 2006
    Maybe it was, I will have to check if I have that one yet and if not I will watch it again.
    Skynut
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  • louhamilton
    louhamilton Posts: 209
    edited January 2006
    ****: Corvette car chase
    Top Gun: when the jets are taking off of the Aircraft Carrier
    Wedding Crashers: Scene 2 when they are crashing all the weddings
    Fast and Furious: when the black Civics are hi-jacking the semi

    -Lou
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  • Strong Bad
    Strong Bad Posts: 4,278
    edited January 2006
    Although not quite as classic as my above list, here are a few more:

    1. Matrix - The whole sequence, especially the "Trinity Leaping Kick" with camera pan around. Think how much that has been copied.

    2. Lord of the Rings: FOTR - I think every hardcore LOTR fan was on the edge of their seat praying it wouldn't bomb. PJ took care of that and set the tone with that awesome opening!


    Good call on the first Batman!


    John
    No excuses!
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited January 2006
    1. Star Wars: A New Hope (When the Star Destroyer flys in overhead, forget it!)
    By far the best opening in a film...ever!
    Was it "Unbreakable" with Bruce Willis?
    No, they never showed the train wreck in the film.

    I'm gonna have to get back to this, too many films playing in my head right now.
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited January 2006
    2fast 2furious - the opening car race is a great one. (and perhaps the best thing from this movie...)

    Most bond films have very good opening sequences.

    Unleash hell from Gladiator (already mentioned) is one of my favorites.

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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited January 2006
    Ok, I got me some...

    Alien - When they first board the alien craft and discover the dead pilot and pods.

    SPR - The beach landing

    Edward Scissorhands - As the older Kim sets the stage for the story leading up to the castle and Edward.

    Rules of Engagement - The opening gun fight.

    Armageddon - The opening asteroid destruction
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited January 2006
    A few I forgot:

    Toy Story 2: If that intro is not on every home theater demo disk - it should be.

    X2: Nightcrawlers assult on the white house. Just awesome.

    Blade: right after the opening shower scene in the meat plant when Blade first shows up.

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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2006
    2001: A Space Odyssey
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

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  • BIZILL
    BIZILL Posts: 5,432
    edited January 2006
    not the best opening, but still cool: constantine

    when the mexican national holds the spear of destiny in his hand and walks across road and the car smashes itself into him. that'll wake your **** up at reference levels!

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    bobman1235 wrote:
    I have no facts to back that up, but I never let facts get in the way of my arguments.
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  • millerman 3732
    millerman 3732 Posts: 1,488
    edited January 2006
    One of my favorites is the opening to The Rundown ,where the Rock is listening to Emerial about some mushrooms and then goes into the bar and kicks the whole football teams' **** , a little silly i know but I still enjoyed it

    also the openng of Cinderella Man when it goes from a picture of a fight into the live fight
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    edited January 2006
    Apocalypse Now - Martin Sheen drunk on the bed, "Saigon, ****, I'm still in Saigon" ....
    "this is the end... my only friend the end..."
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2006
    Laura Croft: Tomb Raider - While many think it is a take off of Raiders it is actually a homage to the openings of the Pink Panther movies where Clouseau took on Kato.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • Schris22
    Schris22 Posts: 983
    edited January 2006
    1.star wars episode three....calm...then go over a ship and BAM huge space battle. I saw this on an IMAX screen gigantic....immersive space battle...

    2. Transporter. Cool scene with the bank robbery


    well i'll think of some new ones later

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  • ninerbj
    ninerbj Posts: 870
    edited January 2006
    Swordfish...the bomb exploding and the steel balls in slow motion.
    "she had the body of Venus, with arms."
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2006
    Silverado

    Action right off the bat followed by that beautiful vista.
    More later,
    Tour...
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2006
    Skynut wrote:
    I do not remember the name of the movie but it started with a train wreck that was so believable that I just watched in awe.
    I saw it on the big screen and was totally impressed with the opening.

    I wish I could remember the movie so I could buy it.
    The Fugitive???
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited January 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    The Fugitive???

    That is a great train wreck scene. Not q uite the opening scene of the movie though.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • Skynut
    Skynut Posts: 2,967
    edited January 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    The Fugitive???


    That might be it.
    I thought it was in the beginning but I could be wrong.
    Skynut
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited January 2006
    Gladiator is my all time favorite...
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    Superman and the Intergalactic credits.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,535
    edited January 2006
    The Wild Bunch
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  • Maestro
    Maestro Posts: 92
    edited January 2006
    Master and Commander...total silence at the very beginning, then out of nowhere, BLAM! The cannon blasts from the enemy naval ship. Great stuff - enough to cause a reflex to throw the popcorn all over the furniture like my honey did as we were settling in to watch the DVD! I mean, half of the fresh buttered popcorn on the floor - way to go, babe! (Tee-he-he!)
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited January 2006
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited January 2006
    Can't remember the name but,, two guys sitting in a boat,fishing,, middle of the lake,perfect weather etc, then they get buzzed by an airplane ,right on top of them,,awesome,,I think it was about forrest firefighters or something like that.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,509
    edited January 2006
    george daniel wrote:
    Can't remember the name but,, two guys sitting in a boat,fishing,, middle of the lake,perfect weather etc, then they get buzzed by an airplane ,right on top of them,,awesome,,I think it was about forrest firefighters or something like that.

    Always.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited January 2006
    SCompRacer wrote:
    Always.
    Correctumundo--thanks :)
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