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What are the greatest beginnings in film?

107.141.181.199
Posted on June 29, 2020 at 08:00:24
BillH
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 I was watching parts of "Gladiator" on cable for the umpteenth time, and I keep coming back to that film as having the greatest beginning ever.

My top five are "Gladiator," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Rear Window," "Jurassic Park," and "The Great Santini."

How about yours?

 

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Bela Tarr's, "Damnation." nt, posted on June 29, 2020 at 08:14:41
tinear
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 f

 

The Player, 2001. Agree about, posted on June 29, 2020 at 09:20:08
oldmkvi
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 Rear Window, and Jurassic Park!

 

RE: some of my favorites...not necessarily greatest, posted on June 29, 2020 at 14:46:36
dean_martin
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Location: lower alabama
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 opening credits musical numbers in "my" film The Silencers.

motorcycle gang cruising "stonehenge" in the fog in Psychomania.

James Dean's opening trip in East of Eden.

opening car bombing scene from Touch of Evil.

the opening game show (the Rube Benedict Show) scene in Last of the Mobile Hot Shots

 

Those are good ones... I would add..., posted on June 29, 2020 at 20:23:36
TWB
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 The voice over opening of Sunset Boulevard, Jaws the first killing, Raiders Of The Lost Ark and this one which is not necessarily action packed, but sets the mood for the film to come. The cinematography, opening theme and direction are just beautiful. It reminds me a little of the opening of To Kill A Mockingbird which I also think is worthy....

 

"Is God in show business too?", posted on June 30, 2020 at 00:41:26
Chris from Lafayette
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  Since: February 6, 2012
 Greatest movie ever!








View YouTube Video

 

"Patton", posted on June 30, 2020 at 03:44:07
dwill123
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Posts: 2162
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Maybe not the greatest opening but definitely one of the most memorable.

 

"Star Wars, Ep IV: A New Hope.", posted on June 30, 2020 at 08:22:26
David S.
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 Nothing else like it, at the time....

 

+1..., posted on June 30, 2020 at 11:00:57
musetap
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 Plus the transition from that into the next scene with the Jerry Goldsmith music is extraordinary.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

Raiders of the Lost Ark, posted on July 1, 2020 at 01:50:06
RGA
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Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
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 First 15 minutes

Clip only goes to 10. Once Indy gets in the plane and the Pilot says "show a little backbone will ya" the audience roared.

 

"Sunset Blvd.:" definitely. One of the very, very few voiceovers that, posted on July 1, 2020 at 06:48:24
tinear
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 works. William Holden was a very good actor, now almost unknown. He was powerful in "Bridge on the River Kwai," also.

 

Plus 1 ^, posted on July 1, 2020 at 15:37:35
Road Warrior
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----------------------

"E Burres Stigano?"


 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on July 1, 2020 at 16:02:54
geoff
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 takes me back to my buddy and me cutting 8th grade class to see this.

 

RE: reminds me..., posted on July 1, 2020 at 16:20:43
dean_martin
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I need to upgrade

 

Nancy wrote that book..., posted on July 1, 2020 at 18:01:36
geoff
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 "Making It On Your Own"

 

I like the opening to Cool Hand Luke..., posted on July 1, 2020 at 20:26:06
dancingseamonkey
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View YouTube Video


nt



"Trying is the first step towards failure."
Homer Simpson

 

Miss that guy...//nt, posted on July 2, 2020 at 06:28:33
MaxwellP
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 Nt

 

RE: Nancy wrote that book..., posted on July 2, 2020 at 09:49:03
dean_martin
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Location: lower alabama
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 not familiar with that book.* I do have the '95 playboy she appeared in in her early 50s as well as most of her stuff with Lee Hazelwood and of course Wild Angels and Speedway on vhs.

*I suspect you might be joking ;)

 

Once Upon a Time in the West is right up there. nt, posted on July 2, 2020 at 21:57:59
PhilJ
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 ...

 

"Wall-E" "Up" "Saving Private Ryan" "Harold and Maude" "The Shining", posted on July 2, 2020 at 22:32:49
kSpace
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 Just sayin'

 

RE: +1 nt, posted on July 3, 2020 at 04:00:20
dean_martin
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Location: lower alabama
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 Nt

 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on July 3, 2020 at 15:57:36
dgaapc7
Audiophile

Posts: 363
Joined: August 16, 2013
 2001, of course.
Strangers on a Train
Charlie Chan in Reno
LowIQ

 

Agree, posted on July 4, 2020 at 16:48:02
grantv
Manufacturer

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 Literally in awe at the first viewing.

 

Stardust Memories, posted on July 5, 2020 at 03:51:22
dwill123
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Posts: 2162
Location: Philadelphia
Joined: September 7, 2003

This is a personal favorite of mine. I may be the only one but that's ok. I know it is a take on Federico Fellini's "8½" (which is an excellent opening also). This is one of my favorite Woody Allen movies.

 

That long tracking shot is SM is incredible..., posted on July 5, 2020 at 16:31:09
musetap
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 too bad he turned out to be such a shit.

I can't even look at him without thinking that anymore.

Very sad.


"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

Sam Fuller's 'The Naked Kiss', posted on July 7, 2020 at 11:07:12
Jay Buridan
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 Pretty much all his films start off 'in media res'

"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. "
― W.C. Fields

 

Sentimental pick: 'Thief' . . ., posted on July 9, 2020 at 20:47:56
Billy Wonka
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  Since: October 15, 2013
 Jimmy Caan and Tangerine Dream in the lead.








View YouTube Video

 

RE: Sentimental pick: 'Thief' . . ., posted on July 9, 2020 at 23:39:09
gwarejp3
Audiophile

Posts: 81
Location: Tokyo
Joined: August 18, 2017
 A great choice ( ! I had the opportunity to see this on the big screen a while back and it held up very well, also a fan of the soundtrack

James Caan, in an "Actors Studio" episode said the character he plays in Thief was the role closest to him simply being himself

G

 

"Touch of Evil:" that monster of a tracking shot justly is lauded by critics. nt, posted on July 13, 2020 at 18:58:18
tinear
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Posts: 65782
Location: Kansas City, KS
Joined: April 9, 2006
 d

 

RE: "Touch of Evil:" that monster of a tracking shot justly is lauded by critics. nt, posted on July 13, 2020 at 19:38:59
rivervalley817
 'that monster of a tracking shot'

Birdman ... and it never stops

with regards,

 

LOVE. I didn't know such material was legal over US cable, without a strategically-placed flower pot. nt, posted on July 13, 2020 at 19:51:26
jdaniel@jps.net
 .

 

+1, not to mention the movie is worth a look... nt, posted on July 20, 2020 at 09:54:37
PhilJ
Audiophile

Posts: 2826
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 ...

 

The Untouchables, Days of Heaven, posted on July 26, 2020 at 08:02:52
pbarach
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Location: Ohio
Joined: June 22, 2008
 First we have the Morricone score laying out the excitement and danger ahead, then we have Al Capone (de Niro) having a pleasant news conference when we know what's ahead...

Days of Heaven is a beautiful, understated movie with an affectless narration by a child who barely understands the events she narrates. It's all in the beginning:

 

A lot of good ones on this list. I would add "Pulp Fiction" to the list. -nt, posted on August 19, 2020 at 16:40:47
Raiderman
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Location: Silicon Valley, California
Joined: March 14, 2003

 

Touch of Evil, posted on August 25, 2020 at 15:36:54
HI FI BOB
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Location: NE. USA
Joined: December 9, 2004
 Wonderful tracking shot.

 

Godfather (nt, posted on August 25, 2020 at 18:05:06
Eldragon
 nt

 

Eraserhead, Under the Skin, No Country for Old Men nt, posted on August 26, 2020 at 04:23:24
geoffkait
 Nt

 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on August 30, 2020 at 10:43:36
halfnote
Audiophile

Posts: 2543
Location: Research Triangle, NC
Joined: December 6, 2004
 Have to include INGLORIOUS BASTERDS ...

The steadily increasing tension between the farmer, harboring Jews under his floor, and the Nazi "Jew Hunter" is almost unbearable ...

As the SS officer makes veiled references to his daughters and "fresh milk" ... and the farmer breaks down and reveals the location of the people he is protecting.

And incredible scene, which like to many of Tarantino's, reaches and unbearable pitch before and explosive resolution ...

Like the scene with Clarance and Drexel in TRUE ROMANCE ...

And the party in the basement bar, also in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS ...

And the Hollywood Diner scene from Pulp Fiction.

Whatever one may think of Taratino's work overall, he has to be given credit as one of the great scene architects in film history.

 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on August 30, 2020 at 11:11:29
rivervalley817
 'one of the great scene architects in film history'

of which style he neatly lifted from Sergio Leone; Tarantino admits this

all hail the spaghetti western!

with regards,

 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on August 30, 2020 at 11:33:05
halfnote
Audiophile

Posts: 2543
Location: Research Triangle, NC
Joined: December 6, 2004
 True! Point taken!

Serio Leone was also a great scene architect, and DID have a flare for building a scene, and building tension.

Though, I would have to admit that Tarantinome was influenced by Leone, he was not beholden to him.

Taratino's frame of reference is broader, and his characterizations were broader, and his dialogue more engaging. There is also a kind of ironically comical dimension to his scenes ... and his plots, overall, more imaginative.

Wouldn't you say?

 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on August 30, 2020 at 11:48:23
rivervalley817
 'and his dialogue more engaging'

well, they were spaghetti westerns after all, but yes I agree

Tarantino certainly wears many of his influences on his sleeve though

his Hitchcock like penchant for appearing in his own movies as well as the long moving shots into close-ups for instance

he is a modern maestro of synthesizing the hallmarks of good film making

that is undeniable

best regards,


 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on August 30, 2020 at 13:12:36
halfnote
Audiophile

Posts: 2543
Location: Research Triangle, NC
Joined: December 6, 2004
 And so, we two, redoubtable film connoiserus that we are, agree. ;)

One other thing that makes Tarantino special: his understanding of his actors' abilities and on-screen personae. He rescued Travola's career. And his resurrrection of Micheal Parks in KILL BILL was inspired -- not to mention David Carradine (sp?). Has Christoper Walken ever been better than in THE WATCH scene in PULP FICTION?

 

RE: What are the greatest beginnings in film?, posted on August 30, 2020 at 14:41:10
rivervalley817
 ' Has Christoper Walken ever been better than in ... ?'

yes, Joe Dirt!

kidding ... I think

I'd posit that Deer Hunter was top of form too

best regards,

 

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