best opening scene ever

[Paolo Tinari]

The corpse bride

 

[Joe G.]

I don't believe in "best" of course.

The opening of STRANGE DAYS was pretty gripping.

ROBOCOP 2 also had quite an opening, starting right where the first one ended.

PATTON was hard to look away from.

Many others. Don't know from "best."

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

not best but i quite like it

 

[Peter Osinski]

Billabong Odyssey.

that was a nice shot indeed but my problem with it is nothing in the entire rest of the film could compare to it

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Michael Powell's "A Matter of Life & Death" opens with the main character in a bomber on fire about to crash, with no parachute... while talking and falling in love with a woman on the other end of the radio. One of the strongest openings to a movie I've ever seen.

I've always loved the opening scene in "Excalibur"

 

[Brett Reynolds]

The Player had a cool opening shot as did Absolute Beginners which got a mention in the opening shot of The Player along with a lot of other cool opening shots from movies.

++1

 

[Clint Lealos]

Not for the faint of heart, but I loved the opening scene to "The Way of the Gun". If you are offended easily... please don't click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xsaMcw69D8

 

[Peter Strietmann]

I would have to go with Pink Flamingos. Simple yet poignant.

 

[Paul Harb]

Touch of Evil has to be up there

 

[Carlos Reyes]

Touch of Evil has to be up there

Definitely, such an amazing shot.

 

[Gary Paul Walker]

Serenity - I don't think I've ever seen a film that so clevery catered for both fans of the TV show AND people who had never heard of Firefly. The opening sequence tells everything about the backstory, the characters and the motivations without it being labourious.

 

[rod otaviano]

Seconds (1966)
The Trial (1962)
Blast of Silence (1961)
The Letter (1940)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
The Naked City (1948)

 

[danbrazda]

Tarsem's "The Fall".

What he said. For those of you who haven't seen it do so immediately.

 

[Justin R Goff]

The title card and character introduction to Magnolia was one of my favorites!

 

[paul schefz]

surprised nobody has mentioned "soi cuba"
incredible one take shot....
once upon a time in the west....
not an opening shot, but the opener to the third? part of "andrei rublov" another incredible shot that goes on forever...i just don't know how they (tarkovsky) did that....

 

[Ethan Cooper]

The opening of Close Encounters always keeps me around for the rest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tWJ9Ec2TC4

 

[Paul Harb]

Lord Of War

 

[Tehben Dean]

Some films Iv'e seen recently.
"Moonrise Kingdom" awesome opening sequence.
"Prometheus" Epic opening sequence.
"Pride and Prejudice" Very nice long opening shot.

 

[Paul Harb]

Inglorious Basterds, amazing scene

 

[rod bradley]

There is no best. Just as there is no greatest movie ever made. There are always a number. A number that lives and dies and changes. Rules of the Game will not be on this list. Nor will Bela Tarr more than likely with, werckmeister harmonies ( haven't read the whole thread, I'd hope to be pleasantly surprised).

But I agree, it is an amusing exercise that reveals more about the reporters and their knowledge of cinema literature and cultural scope and taste and age than it does about movies.

The best part, for me, is such questions, however unanswerable except by the abjectly opinionated, is that they reveal a kind of love for the medium we love.