Top 5 Movie Openings

BY: Alex Hutchins

Creating eye-popping opening credits for films has become a fine art. In fact, why isn’t there an Academy award for best  title designs? Sometimes they’re the best part of the movie! Since we covered the breathtaking opening credits for television series, PROVOKR is taking a closer look at some our favorite opening credits for films as well. Turn down the lights and enjoy.

Skyfall (2012)

Daniel Craig’s third appearance as the famous agent 007 began with a bang with this elegantly produced opening credit sequence. Boasting an original song “Skyfall” by British all-star singer Adele, Skyfall’s opening is as memorable visually as it is musically.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

While not a credit sequence per se, this opening scene from the Coen Brothers’ 2013 indie film Inside Llewyn Davis holds a place on our list for its ability to grab our attention from the first second. It’s not every day that you find an entire performance of a song, let alone a folk song, in the confines of a feature film but that’s precisely what makes Oscar Isaac’s performance of “Hang Me, Oh Hang Me” so memorable. Add his beautiful yet melancholic vocals and you have a recipe for an iconic opening.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Another hallmark of a great opening scene is the presence of foreshadowing. Napoleon Dynamite’s quirky yet endearing intro on the surface seems like just a simple yet clever way to display credits. However, the choice of song, “We’re Going To Be Friends” by The White Stripes is particularly important to the plot of this comedy about unlikely friendships and teenage awkwardness in the heart of Idaho.

Lord of War (2005)

On top of foreshadowing, an effective method for capturing the viewer’s attention in the opening sequences is by challenging the audience from the get go. The introduction for this 2005 Nicolas Cage film is no different. Shot from the perspective of a bullet on its journey from factory to battlefield, the opening to Lord of War’s message about the arms trade is appropriately paired with the iconic Vietnam-era song “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield.

Baby Driver (2017)

In classic Edgar Wright fashion, the opening title sequence of Baby Driver is packed with visual and physical details that can easily go by unnoticed on a first viewing. Not only does leading man Ansel Elgort dance and talk to the beat of Bob & Earl’s “Harlem Shuffle,” but everything in the scene, including a police siren, is carefully set to the rhythm. Pair this attention to detail with tiny details like a storefront trumpet Elgort mimes playing and lyrics painted on street poles and you have a refreshing take on film intros that immediately leaves you wanting to know what happens next.