What are some of your favourite opening scenes? and why?

[Duck]

Zombieland. (for whom the bell tolls doodut doodut tooosh)

Agreed! Was going to say the exact same thing. Glad to see everyone really enjoying The Lion Kings opening. I hadn't watched it since I was a kid so when the Blu ray came out I immediately picked it up. That opening scene gave me chills. One of my favorite movies of all time.

 

[highlander1]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIXNpePYzZU&feature=player_detailpage[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYuM2z90W3E&feature=player_detailpage[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnoHkG7j-Nk&feature=player_detailpage[/ame]
a few of my favorite's....

 

[The Entity]

The French film Intouchables has a great opening. It definitely sets the mood for the film and is a joy to watch!

 

[abake]

Here's some of my favorite opening scenes, mostly classics I'm afraid:

Clockwork Orange. The music, the use of colors, the long close-up of Alex and then the slow pull back to reveal the bar and Alex's droogs, ending with the line "make you ready for a bit of the old ultra violence"...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI-mDTdeKR8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI-mDTdeKR8[/ame]

Apocalypse Now. Just a perfect set-up for the nightmare that is about to be unleashed. The near-idillyc palms, the yellow smoke, the helicopters and then the napalm devastating everything, then the superimposition of Willard and the stone face...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4WJlLNIsyY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4WJlLNIsyY[/ame]

Blade Runner. What can I say? The haunting music, the simple text, the futuristic landscape, the flames shooting up reflected in Roy's eyes. Beautiful.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fu7jN2_2pE"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fu7jN2_2pE[/ame]

Enter the void. This, well, you'll just have to watch it. And yes, the movie is just like that.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPxgi-PiNFE"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPxgi-PiNFE[/ame]

 

[Johnny Utah]

Blade - nightclub scene
Saving Private Ryan
Star Trek 2009 - that attack on the Kelvin redefined Trek for me.

 

[Khev]

Nothing touches Star Wars and Raiders, though Fellowship of the Ring comes close.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Fellowship of the Ring was a fantastic opening, particularly the battle

 

[ZaCHw117]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fj4wOiDB2s[/ame]

 

[meth head]

Definitely agree with Inglorious Basterds, Clockwork Orange and TDK.

Gangs Of New York still remains one of my favourites. The beginning of End Of Watch is up there for me now

 

[ExMem-LarjaThwei]

Yeah the Fellowship opening battle sequence was amazing.


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu9s-rf_VTw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu9s-rf_VTw[/ame]

 

[King Darkness]

A lot of great ones already mentioned here, I'll throw the Matrix in there too. That had a fantastic opening that instantly grabbed your attention.

 

[Kamandi]

The Godfather Pt.2 - The sequel was bigger and had two stories it told side by side. The beginning of the film begins quietly with young Vito arriving in America and sets the tone of the film perfectly.

Akira - The opening motorcycle fight still sets the bar for best action scene in an animated film ever.

Raiders of the Lost Ark - nuff said.

Army of Darkness - "This is my boomstick!"

Favorite ending scene:
The Empire Strikes Back. When I was a kid that cliffhanger was brutal.

 

[greygoose]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Jaws.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I love Gattaca opening scene with Ethan Hawke's narration.

 

[Niltusk]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Jaws.

First page brotha!

 

[abake]

Couldn't find it on youtube, but Excalibur's opening has to be among the best.

 

[DiFabio]

Pretty much all the ones listed here. Can't argue with any of them really.

 

[Blackthornone]

The Lion King
Excalibur
Up
The Cannonball Run When the Countach appears and you hear that V12 with it driving through the desert at 100+ it's pure awesomeness.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyoMNPBVHFQ[/ame]


Heavy Metal

 

[karamazov80]

You whippersnappers always seem to forget the classics. This has to be on any self-respecting critic's top 5:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXkYTdm8BFA

 

[WurstCollector]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Lord of War (Nicolas Cage). The intro shows the audience how a bullet is manufactured, shipped, and then used via POV shots. It's not my favorite of all time, but it sure set the tone for the rest of the film. It was a pretty awesome sequence, and was executed perfectly IMO.