@@noahlasher9724 I hope you've at least seen one tenth of them to make such a statement, because when I consider all the films of Bergman alone, let alone those of Kieslowski, Hitchcock, Herzog, Lean and others, obviously it leaves very little room for some new kid on the block who is surfing the zeitgeist. Actually on rereading you're comment I realize you probably weren't making a statement about Tarantino - went through a mindwarp.
This is why I love Cinefix. You mention well-known movies by directors like Hitchcock and Scorsese, but still manage to include stuff most people haven't seen like Roeg, Tarr, and Kalatozov.
@@scramblingtheegggs3603 From my understanding its more like they are now backed/supported by IGN, similar to how companies like Machinima and Maker used to back content creators.
I'd say I am at least happy Inglorious Basterds got a mention, cause the tension is that scene is so palpable and Christoph Waltz has that insane likeability while playing a character that is so evil.
Also the sheer detail put into that scene without extra exposition given for it. The farmer washes up, but in wetting his face, helps hide if he were to start sweating. Hans Landa walks directly to the blue eyed daughter and while referencing the other daughters, doesn't face them when he enters. He stops the daughter to ask for milk but clearly is holding her wrist to feel her pulse and determine how scared/tense she is. Every other frame houses some great detail that can be gleaned from it.
The opening to that movie is good enough to be its own short film. And when Waltz subtly shifts from grinning to glaring at him right before he exposes everything, you can literally feel the temperature in the room drop. It’s sooooo good.
@@angrykeeper "He stops the daughter to ask for milk but clearly is holding her wrist to feel her pulse and determine how scared/tense she is." to be fair, if a bunch of nazi soldiers who are occupying my country showed up and i knew that they could rape or kill me without any repercussions, i would be scared shitless, regardless if my father was hiding any jews or not.
@@markwoollon I’m fine with not just having a populaRity contest. That being said, never picking universally loved movies shows how intentional it is and it’s just pretentious because of it.
@@Nnubbs I fully agree. Many of these picks were made for the sake of obscurity and it is obvious. Yes, we know, you guys "know" movies. It is akin to a student after they attend a Film Studies 101. Yes, Gina, we know you are an expert and you want to tell us about the white space as well as the dutch angle it was shot in.
@@Diabolicod not only that, think of the person that comes back from France and starts changing their pronunciation of certain words. It doesn’t show enlightenment. It’s more try hard than elevated.
When I saw Soy Cuba for the first time, I was so entranced that I wrote an essay about that exact moment. The way it goes from the first long take into the second up until the pool dive is absolutely masterful and gave me chills.
May I suggest the opening of Patton? It jumps off the screen, accomplishing the rare trick of transforming the audience into soldiers in Patton's army, while revealing both his brilliance, magnetism and his flaws. .
I love this isn't just a straight up top 10 list, so many movies are mentioned each of them feeling like a recommendation that I want to watch all of them.
I wish Apocalypse Now got more time on your list - The total destruction of the jungle, The Doors' ''The End' playing, Martin Sheen going ham, the fan transposing with the helicopter blades. For me that is the most iconic beginning for a film. Having said that, It's quite incredible how you categorize films into such concise groups. Love your videos.
I was hoping for a mention of the beginning of War Games. A frantic scene in a nuclear missile silo when an order comes in to send millions of people to their doom, the pressure from one of the airmen emotionally refusing to turn his launch key because he has doubts, versus a robotic airman that demands the other do his job as ordered while aiming a pistol at him. Whew. It's like being in a pressure cooker and it give me chills every time I see it.
I love that Cinefix focuses on cinema from all periods in time, and all locations from around the world! many great foreign films unlike anything seen before or since get overlooked in the mainstream, but im glad they get inclusions here! love the videos guys
I’m sad you didn’t mention Emperor’s New Groove for the flash forward openings. The juxtaposition between the peek at the middle of the story with a llama crying in a storm flashing back to an Emperor living a life as a spoiled brat makes you ask “what the heck happened?” Oldboy (original Korean version) had an amazing opening. Kind of starts like a flash forward opening and switches gears to a scene that hyper focused on the main character. Opening shows him as a fat drunk who gets into trouble but still has a deep rooted love for his daughter.
Agreed. It may not win any originality or art-house points, but Star Wars is the best opening to a movie, period. I don't even understand how it can be argued.
I swear to God, if the Great Beauty didn't make the cut, I riot Edit: the fact that not only you mentioned it, but that you chose Soy Cuba over it (in my opinion one of the only movies that comes close to the bombastic nature of Sorrentino's masterpiece) makes me very happy... here, take your like!
Do you know why I love these to 10 lists on this channel? Not to see whether I agree or disagree (tho I do, occasionally, have those opinions), but because the narration of the reasons why help me to view the scene, or the movie, in a whole new way, which just increases my love of movies. 💕💕 Thank you 😊
The opening of Collateral is one of the best opening scenes ever. Establishes exactly who Max is, what his goals in life are, what's holding him back, and introducing the catalyst in Vincent who will be the match to light his fire.
Collateral just popped into my head as well. I don't even know why, the opening is not as spectacular as many of the other entries, but as you said: It sets the tone and the stakes for the movie. Guy picks up a case at the airport and you know he means business.
I immediately thought of Collateral too. Something about the opening, and really the whole movie, has a floating, relaxing quality to it that I can't quite put my finger on
My favorite beginning is from “The Warriors”. From the epic music intercut with the main characters talking to each other asking questions introducing us to each one of the gang. Then when the credits end, the opening scene at the park and Cyrus gives his famous speech kicking off the events to follow. Just awesomeness all around. “Can you dig it?!”
Legit just rewatched rear window last night for the first time in years. Writing this before watching but hell, that beginning hooks its claws into you and it doesn't let go until that curtain drops. Hitchcock was a master and it sucks that most people of my generation have only ever seen Psycho and none of his filmography. The man was a master of cinema.
A beginning thats been stuck with me since I first watched it is the opening to No Country For Old Men, it’s absolutely terrifying (especially since theres no background music or sound effects) and also completely gripping at the same time
I really love Rear Window, both the movie and the written work. My English teacher had us work on it for our literature component and oh boy it never felt like homework
Amazing video! My picks: 10. Prologue - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 9. Flash Forward - Citizen Kane 8. Jump Right In - The Terminator 7. Already in Motion - Chungking Express 6. Verbal Opening - Inglourious Basterds 5. Character Introduction - Guardians of the Galaxy 4. Setting Introduction - The Lion King 3. Tonal Introduction - Drive My Car 2. Question Marks - Mulholland Drive 1. Poetry - 2001 A Space Odyssey
For characterization openings my vote goes to Glengarry Glen Ross -- we get to know almost EVERY nuance of the tension among the men in that room, even though Baldwin's character has the lion's share of the lines and really only serves as the messenger character in Campbell's Hero's Journey structure -- all the other men become unwilling heroes, not ready for their adventure, and we literally have NO ONE to root for... no protagonist. Establishing tone, setting, characterization, and some of the best dialogue in film -- Mamet is an inspiration.
My favorite movie beginning is from the first Pixar Cars film. It effectively sets the stage for the unique fantasy world. Intense racing. It has exposition dumps that unfold naturally with the story. "Real Gone" by Sheryl Crow is an awesome song. It is an excellent balance of drama and silliness. The personalities of Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King are established with actions more than dialogue. I could go on and on, but I can sum up my feelings in one word... ... ... ... ... KA'CHOW!!
The opening of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover is gripping and disturbing. It throws you head first into a hellish and grotesque underworld.
it was on the list as we were narrowing it down. it's wonderfully gross and effective, but i think it just didn't quiiiiiiite fit into any of our categories cleanly, so it slipped through. it's a crazy great movie though, for sure
I love that one of the absolute best channels on youtube not only got to keep their name in the transition, but it looks like the quality of the content hasn't changed a bit either. Very Happy about that, Cinefix, you guys are the best. I'd also like to throw out Guy Ritchie's "Snatch" having one of the best opening segments of all time.It not only introduces us to theme of the movie, but it does so in a style that remains throughout its runtime while also transitioning into a montage that shows all of the major players in this caper comedy.
"Rear window's" opening scene is one of the most iconic in cinema history. Actually its' importance was the reason that forced Universal pictures when they bought the rights of the movie from Paramount, not to cut it, despite the fact it said "Paramount". The whole movie is an allegory of the relationship between cinema and audience and the opening scene is meant to be theatrical. The curtain opens (literally and metaphorically) and we, the audience see the whole stage at once. Even the camera movement copies the most common eye movement a human has when scanning a place, from the centre to right and then clockwise (at some point the camera even goes back for a second very quickly, exactly like when we want to see something again). There are similar scenes and philosophical parallels like this one throughout the whole movie. "Rear window" received heavy criticism at the time it was released, mainly accusing it for not portraying New York accurately. Francois Truffaut himself had people telling him off for praising the movie and calling it a masterpiece, saying to him "you like the movie because you don't know New York", only to famously respond "Rear Window is not about New York. Is about cinema. And I do know cinema" 🙂
That caught me off guard as well. Speaking of Godard, Vivre sa vie has a beautiful opening, with the mug shots of Anna Karina and the music abruptly cutting out (properly Godardian).
I know you guys mention No Country for Old Men a lot, but man. Really surprised to not see the opening here. A gentle monologue ruminating on human depravity leading right into one of the most brutal murders in cinema. It tells you everything you need to know about the movie right away. And Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem both nail it. Probably my favorite opening scene of all time.
Once Upon a Time in the West is one of my all time favorite openings and character introductions. Amazing. I have shown the beginning to everyone I can get to sit and watch it.
My fav intro is watchmen, not the death of the comedian, the credits, I love the use of Dylan in the background and the montage we see does an incredible job of helping you with context that you might not know without reading the graphic novel.
Disappointed that The Dark Knight only earned a mention, to me that's one of the most iconic openings ever and perfectly sets up the movie and one of the most iconic villains ever.
@@sameerahmed-gx8js I also like the repetition of the phrase "just a matter of chance" at the end of each story - it adds something extra (especially if you consider the events that happen later in the movie).
I would like to say the opening 10 mins of the Road Warrior aka Mad Max 2 was always shocking and disturbing. The voice over "I remember a time of chaos, ruined dreams, this wasted land. But most of all I remember the Road Warrior; the man we called Max." It really sets the table.
@@IVUSER I was just watching Fury Road this morning on HBOMAX and it should have won the Oscar for best picture. While the opening to Fury Road is great especially since the voice over is Max himself I still go with the Road Warrior since it gives a more complete picture of what happened to the world, what they are fighting over and who is Max. If I was introducing this series to someone who had never seen it I would show the opening voice over up to when Wez pulled the arrow out of his arm then pick up with Fury Road were Max says my world is fire. Kinda like if I needed a Star Wars fix I would watch Empire Strikes Back and the rescue of Han from Jabba the Hutt and stop after Obi-wan tells Luke what happened to Anakin.
@@IVUSER I adore both Mad max 2 and 4 (and 1 and 3 all though they are the weaker 2 by a long way) You have to remember Fury Road, had a lot more money, time and technology behind it. Considering what Mad Max 2 had in regard to those things it punches well above it's weight and has stood the test of time.
I think 1: Tenet- the Opera Siege, 2: The Dark Knight- The bank heist 3:Inception-Dream in limbo info in safe Heist, 4:The Dark Knight Rises- Prisoner escape Plane seize turn into a kidnapping 5:Skyfall the train , 6:Spectre-Los de Muertos Parade and eliminating the target in the helicopter 7:Pulp Fiction-Diner Scene turned to Robbery 😅
Rear Window has more than a great beginning. Is has the greatest kiss in movie history, when Grace Kelly slowly moves in to give James Stewart a kiss in the dark. That scene alone is a master piece.
My favourite list: - Inception - Blade Runner - 2001: A Space Odyssey - Inglorious Bustards - Rear Window - Tenet - Room - Parasite - Incendies - The Social Network - A Clockwork Orange - Saving Private Ryan - The Dark Knight - Fight Club - Amelie - Persona - Goodfellas - Gone With The Wind - Pather Panchali - Princess Mononoke - Paprika - There Will Be Blood - Dunkirk - The Master - Train To Busan - A Separation - The Seventh Seal - Heat - Cabaret - Magnolia - The Wind Rises - Under The Skin - The Truman Show - Memento - V For Vendetta - La La Land - Three Colors Trilogy There's a lot. I haven't seen every movie. But, these are my all time favourite.
@@mikey7257 It has a deleted cricket game going on outside, interestingly. Personally that's one of my less favorite openings, although I love Craig. Living Daylights, Skyfall or the bank from World Is Not Enough might have my biased favorites, although I think World Is Not Enough's stands out for really stuffing in three scenes, and after the bank I think it loses a lot of tension. Octopussy's I also feel is a bit underlooked.
I love this channel!!! Everytime I watch it I have another 10-15 movies I have to add to my "Must Watch" list. It's the best cinema class I've ever taken.
Chloris leachman Running down the center of a road with traffic in the rain in the dark with almost nothing on, kiss me deadly 1955. Ralph Meeker nearly wrecks his car and takes her home. One of the best entry ways into a film noir. Once you see it you have to watch to the end no matter how muddled the plot
So glad for the love shown to La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty). This movie is not merely a hommage to Rome, but a poem stripped of any social conventions or pretentiousness on what it means to be human, while - like all great art - offering no answers but rather instilling a lasting, dream-like feeling of almost understanding that lingers as knowledge worthy of pursuit. Thank you, I hope someone was inspired by your video to watch this amazing movie and I'm thankful for the recent abundance of videos
I know that it doesn't happen often, but the open credits of Willy Wonka sets a really nice scene with the real candy making footage. It always made me want to go out and get some chocolate. It was such a good opening.
Absolutely love the opening of Driver, and glad it got at least a passing mention, but one of the openings I think is underrated is American Beauty. It fails in that it does a lot of telling rather than showing, but still sets everything in motion. So glad you guys are still doing these videos! I think I’ve watched every one of them at least 3 or 4 times. ❤️
Tarsem Singh's "The Fall" is my recommendation for the final slot in this video. It's probably my favourite beginning to a film. The sublime accompanying music of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Movement 2: Allegretto certainly enhances the scene.
@@Erock322 I also don't think it was a mistake, but it still seemed a weird choice of words - if you were to call it "Truffaut-esque" or some such term, or even "French New Wave", people (ie. people likely to be watching this channel to begin with) would have quite a good idea of what you were talking about, or as good an idea as they'd get from "Godardian" that Truffaut was deliberately taking cues from Godard, which it's never seemed to me he ever did (I don't think the two directors' styles are very similar at all).
I believe this is the first video I am seeing from CineFix. It just grabbed my attention and I was almost choice less, had to watch the entire video. It taught me in retrospect, something that I had never realized about the beginning of some of the movies I had watched. For e.g., 2001 A space Odyssey , Rear Window... Thanks.
Honestly surprised at no mention of Children of Men given how much you guys have praised it in the past. Also I would definitely consider The Place Beyond the Pines to be a great beginning as well.
might've left it out BECAUSE we've talked about it so much. We always try to pay attention to films we've covered plenty. there's always a bit of "yeah, but we just talked about that movie, so let's put something else here" that goes on making these lists
that's a good one, but i'd say Under the Red Hood tops it. Joker beating Robin to death and Batman finds out where he is too late to only have the building he's in explode and the dread and regret Bruce has.. sure it's from a comic book, but for those who haven't seen it, or read it, it's disturbing. and even for those who have, it's still disturbing. sure it cheats and doesn't try to make you have that personal attachment to the characters, but it's such an iconic character that the writers expect you to have a personal attachment developed already.
@@rometime9791 lol they are like interchangeable to me though. Under the Red Hood is phenomenal, but the way Up can give you a scenario where there is no dialogue at all yet have a vast understanding of the situation and how everyone can relate to it and breaks your heart, i don't think anything like that can be replicated. i really like the intro to A Silent Voice too. it's emotionally driven in a vastly different way.
The 2021 CineFix resurgence has already made my year
Same. I hope it lasts.
@@TotalllyUseless Let's hope IGN doesn't eat it up
we appreciate you!
Top Ten Film Movements of all Time
@@noahlasher9724 I hope you've at least seen one tenth of them to make such a statement, because when I consider all the films of Bergman alone, let alone those of Kieslowski, Hitchcock, Herzog, Lean and others, obviously it leaves very little room for some new kid on the block who is surfing the zeitgeist. Actually on rereading you're comment I realize you probably weren't making a statement about Tarantino - went through a mindwarp.
This is why I love Cinefix. You mention well-known movies by directors like Hitchcock and Scorsese, but still manage to include stuff most people haven't seen like Roeg, Tarr, and Kalatozov.
somebody should crochet "come for the hitchcock, stay for the tarr" onto a pillow
@@CineFix I feel honored to have actually got a response from my favorite film channel
They are not like Watchmojo.
'Black, all important movie start with balck screen"- the lego batman movie
me when balck
Thank you
I think you mean “all important movies start with Balki”, Larry’s cousin.
yessss
brilliant start
The opening of "city of God" is extraordinary
City of God is a great movie but it's a movie you only see once. Much like "Seven".
@@Jonteponte71 I've seen it several times. It's not a whodunit; knowing what would happen doesn't ruin watching the movie.
I’m really glad you guys didn’t fully change the name.
Did ign buy the channel
@@scramblingtheegggs3603 From my understanding its more like they are now backed/supported by IGN, similar to how companies like Machinima and Maker used to back content creators.
They will, one day, as they have mentioned in their other vid.
@@jeshellecerbito6697 I think they backpedaled on that due to fan feedback
@@scramblingtheegggs3603 yes, they bought it like a year or two ago
When my friend and I watched Narc in the theater, by ourselves, when Jason Patrick yells "Help!" my friend literally yelled "Help him!"
Hahaha
and did they? did they help him?!
I'd say I am at least happy Inglorious Basterds got a mention, cause the tension is that scene is so palpable and Christoph Waltz has that insane likeability while playing a character that is so evil.
Also the sheer detail put into that scene without extra exposition given for it. The farmer washes up, but in wetting his face, helps hide if he were to start sweating. Hans Landa walks directly to the blue eyed daughter and while referencing the other daughters, doesn't face them when he enters. He stops the daughter to ask for milk but clearly is holding her wrist to feel her pulse and determine how scared/tense she is. Every other frame houses some great detail that can be gleaned from it.
The opening to that movie is good enough to be its own short film. And when Waltz subtly shifts from grinning to glaring at him right before he exposes everything, you can literally feel the temperature in the room drop. It’s sooooo good.
Best Tarantino film
@@angrykeeper "He stops the daughter to ask for milk but clearly is holding her wrist to feel her pulse and determine how scared/tense she is."
to be fair, if a bunch of nazi soldiers who are occupying my country showed up and i knew that they could rape or kill me without any repercussions, i would be scared shitless, regardless if my father was hiding any jews or not.
But he was the good guy
I feel like the opening scene in The Incredibles is such a great example of character introduction, through the superhero interviews
Well, they aren’t going to put that on their list it’s not pretentious, foreign or B&W enough.
Also not what you would expect for an otherwise action packed superhero movie. Great flick.
@@rogerpattube Agreed. They usually pick some obscure movie I've never heard of. But that's what the comments are for.
they tend to snub cartoons no matter how good they are
I'll never forget the first time I saw the beginning of LOTR the Fellowship of the Ring in theaters. I knew I was in for something truly special.
Two Towers also has a great opening
I remember being surprised at how effective and good it was. Having been a fan of the book I feared the movie wouldn’t do it justice.
For real man
I can’t even explain how much I love this channel. It really feels like free film school
So glad these types of videos are back.
I feel like since this IGN name change, Cinefix has decided to choose even more obscure movies than before and I love it
I don’t love it if the intent is just to be obscure
@@markwoollon I’m fine with not just having a populaRity contest. That being said, never picking universally loved movies shows how intentional it is and it’s just pretentious because of it.
@@Nnubbs I fully agree. Many of these picks were made for the sake of obscurity and it is obvious. Yes, we know, you guys "know" movies. It is akin to a student after they attend a Film Studies 101. Yes, Gina, we know you are an expert and you want to tell us about the white space as well as the dutch angle it was shot in.
@@Diabolicod not only that, think of the person that comes back from France and starts changing their pronunciation of certain words. It doesn’t show enlightenment. It’s more try hard than elevated.
Please for the love of GOD tell me that lists will continue at this frequency...
Also PLEEEEEAAAAASSSEEEE return to your decade series
that is the plan
@@CineFix this is the way
When I saw Soy Cuba for the first time, I was so entranced that I wrote an essay about that exact moment. The way it goes from the first long take into the second up until the pool dive is absolutely masterful and gave me chills.
Did you notice the opening on the water is in infrared? Look at the trees.
One of my favourite opening scenes ever that never gets a mention is the out of context chat between thugs in 7 psychopaths
I was watching the video thinking about that scene
@@83Marque exactly. me too. We see the psychopath approaching and are still startled by the headshots.
Bram Stoker's Dracula from 1992 has an absolutely gorgeous beginning. Blood, love, war, blasphemy, brilliant.
May I suggest the opening of Patton? It jumps off the screen, accomplishing the rare trick of transforming the audience into soldiers in Patton's army, while revealing both his brilliance, magnetism and his flaws.
.
Good one
Great suggestion, I second that.
I third that.
The opening to Inglourious Bastards is a masterpiece in my opinion. The tension, the acting, the music, everything is just....brilliant.
It’s the first film I think about when it comes to the greatest opening scenes.
I agree, but the ending is a farce. The movie would have been much better if it was played straight and left out he foolishness.
Its the best opening scene in cinematic history
The beginning was almost too good. Was disappointed with the rest of the film after that but with a beginning that good how could you not be.
The opening is brilliant. Too bad Tarantino spoils the film by making it half a comedy.
CineFix + Clint Gage's Voice = ❤️
Clint Gage + Reading these comments = "hey thanks, bud!"
@@CineFix 😀😀
I love this isn't just a straight up top 10 list, so many movies are mentioned each of them feeling like a recommendation that I want to watch all of them.
I wish Apocalypse Now got more time on your list - The total destruction of the jungle, The Doors' ''The End' playing, Martin Sheen going ham, the fan transposing with the helicopter blades. For me that is the most iconic beginning for a film.
Having said that, It's quite incredible how you categorize films into such concise groups. Love your videos.
Yes
That was the first film I thought of when I saw the video.
I was hoping for a mention of the beginning of War Games. A frantic scene in a nuclear missile silo when an order comes in to send millions of people to their doom, the pressure from one of the airmen emotionally refusing to turn his launch key because he has doubts, versus a robotic airman that demands the other do his job as ordered while aiming a pistol at him. Whew. It's like being in a pressure cooker and it give me chills every time I see it.
"It appears that your baby has sustained some fractures while inside your uterus. His arms and his legs are broken."
What movie?
@@tylerm4405 unbreakable
Couldn't agree more. One of the best movies and uses of a mirror I've ever seen.
@@coreypena1542 Ah I knew the line sounded familiar, thanks
I love that Cinefix focuses on cinema from all periods in time, and all locations from around the world! many great foreign films unlike anything seen before or since get overlooked in the mainstream, but im glad they get inclusions here! love the videos guys
I’m sad you didn’t mention Emperor’s New Groove for the flash forward openings. The juxtaposition between the peek at the middle of the story with a llama crying in a storm flashing back to an Emperor living a life as a spoiled brat makes you ask “what the heck happened?”
Oldboy (original Korean version) had an amazing opening. Kind of starts like a flash forward opening and switches gears to a scene that hyper focused on the main character. Opening shows him as a fat drunk who gets into trouble but still has a deep rooted love for his daughter.
My absolute favourite movie channel on youtube! These lists never fail to amaze me. They’re super well made and are always enjoyable and informative!
I know it isn't very original but the beginning of Star Wars: A New Hope is probably the most iconic beginning for me.
No need to change the answer to a wrong one from a right one.
Absolutely
Agreed. It may not win any originality or art-house points, but Star Wars is the best opening to a movie, period. I don't even understand how it can be argued.
SO true!!!
Yeah, especially as a kid
I swear to God, if the Great Beauty didn't make the cut, I riot
Edit: the fact that not only you mentioned it, but that you chose Soy Cuba over it (in my opinion one of the only movies that comes close to the bombastic nature of Sorrentino's masterpiece) makes me very happy... here, take your like!
I really like the beginning of Sicario
Yes! One of my top favourite films.
As far as action openings go, I think the opening scene of Baby Driver is an absolute blast.
Bellbottoms
Hell yea
"I got a nosebleed."
Who got a nosebleed?
Who is the "I" here -- narrator Clint Gage or writer Billy Jackson?
Yes :)
narrator Clint. it might've been a coincidence, but i really don't think it was
Persona has my absolute favorite opening of all time, so happy to see it and Soy Cuba’s crazy camerawork getting love!!
The opening of The Revenant is perfect.
Probably the single best example of cinematography I've seen.
yessir
Yes
Two words : Mulholland Drive
Paying attention to and understanding the opening sequence reveals the key to the rest of the movie.
Thanks for the video - I see you haven't lost it, even though the name changed. And at least you kept CineFix.
Omitting Raiders of the Lost Ark really hurts this well done list.
Oh you know you are in for a majestic ride when you hear the casual intro soundtrack of cinefix.
Do you know why I love these to 10 lists on this channel? Not to see whether I agree or disagree (tho I do, occasionally, have those opinions), but because the narration of the reasons why help me to view the scene, or the movie, in a whole new way, which just increases my love of movies. 💕💕 Thank you 😊
The opening of Collateral is one of the best opening scenes ever. Establishes exactly who Max is, what his goals in life are, what's holding him back, and introducing the catalyst in Vincent who will be the match to light his fire.
A highly underrated movie.
Collateral just popped into my head as well. I don't even know why, the opening is not as spectacular as many of the other entries, but as you said: It sets the tone and the stakes for the movie. Guy picks up a case at the airport and you know he means business.
I immediately thought of Collateral too. Something about the opening, and really the whole movie, has a floating, relaxing quality to it that I can't quite put my finger on
That Michael Mnn can open a scene like no other!
My favorite beginning is from “The Warriors”. From the epic music intercut with the main characters talking to each other asking questions introducing us to each one of the gang. Then when the credits end, the opening scene at the park and Cyrus gives his famous speech kicking off the events to follow. Just awesomeness all around. “Can you dig it?!”
Gangs of Wassyepur opening is the most iconic opening in the Indian Film Industry IMO and one of the best opening overall.
Also one of our favorites!
Legit just rewatched rear window last night for the first time in years. Writing this before watching but hell, that beginning hooks its claws into you and it doesn't let go until that curtain drops. Hitchcock was a master and it sucks that most people of my generation have only ever seen Psycho and none of his filmography. The man was a master of cinema.
Best Hitchcock movie
A beginning thats been stuck with me since I first watched it is the opening to No Country For Old Men, it’s absolutely terrifying (especially since theres no background music or sound effects) and also completely gripping at the same time
It takes notes from the beginning of Once Upon a Time in the West.
I'm more in love with all the other mentions to each category over the actual picks. I have no idea or even heard of (most) the actual picks.
I really love Rear Window, both the movie and the written work. My English teacher had us work on it for our literature component and oh boy it never felt like homework
Amazing video! My picks:
10. Prologue - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
9. Flash Forward - Citizen Kane
8. Jump Right In - The Terminator
7. Already in Motion - Chungking Express
6. Verbal Opening - Inglourious Basterds
5. Character Introduction - Guardians of the Galaxy
4. Setting Introduction - The Lion King
3. Tonal Introduction - Drive My Car
2. Question Marks - Mulholland Drive
1. Poetry - 2001 A Space Odyssey
The mention of Stop Making Sense made me happy. Such a masterpiece
For characterization openings my vote goes to Glengarry Glen Ross -- we get to know almost EVERY nuance of the tension among the men in that room, even though Baldwin's character has the lion's share of the lines and really only serves as the messenger character in Campbell's Hero's Journey structure -- all the other men become unwilling heroes, not ready for their adventure, and we literally have NO ONE to root for... no protagonist. Establishing tone, setting, characterization, and some of the best dialogue in film -- Mamet is an inspiration.
My favorite movie beginning is from the first Pixar Cars film.
It effectively sets the stage for the unique fantasy world. Intense racing. It has exposition dumps that unfold naturally with the story. "Real Gone" by Sheryl Crow is an awesome song. It is an excellent balance of drama and silliness. The personalities of Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King are established with actions more than dialogue. I could go on and on, but I can sum up my feelings in one word...
...
...
...
...
KA'CHOW!!
The opening of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover is gripping and disturbing. It throws you head first into a hellish and grotesque underworld.
Should have gotten a mention
I watched that film this week, absolute mental stuff
it was on the list as we were narrowing it down. it's wonderfully gross and effective, but i think it just didn't quiiiiiiite fit into any of our categories cleanly, so it slipped through. it's a crazy great movie though, for sure
Cinefix going as good as ever
Fun fact: the piano player in 'Rear Window" is Ross Bagdasarian, the original "Dave Seville" and voice of The Chipmunks.
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to see this list.
I have always loved the opening sequence from Contact.
All this list did was show me that I am missing out on so much great cinema I feel like I’ll never get to see it all.
It is both daunting and exciting!
but you can try!
Lockdown was the best time
So true, gonna have to watch 95% percent of these now, at least try
I love that one of the absolute best channels on youtube not only got to keep their name in the transition, but it looks like the quality of the content hasn't changed a bit either. Very Happy about that, Cinefix, you guys are the best.
I'd also like to throw out Guy Ritchie's "Snatch" having one of the best opening segments of all time.It not only introduces us to theme of the movie, but it does so in a style that remains throughout its runtime while also transitioning into a montage that shows all of the major players in this caper comedy.
"Rear window's" opening scene is one of the most iconic in cinema history. Actually its' importance was the reason that forced Universal pictures when they bought the rights of the movie from Paramount, not to cut it, despite the fact it said "Paramount".
The whole movie is an allegory of the relationship between cinema and audience and the opening scene is meant to be theatrical. The curtain opens (literally and metaphorically) and we, the audience see the whole stage at once. Even the camera movement copies the most common eye movement a human has when scanning a place, from the centre to right and then clockwise (at some point the camera even goes back for a second very quickly, exactly like when we want to see something again).
There are similar scenes and philosophical parallels like this one throughout the whole movie.
"Rear window" received heavy criticism at the time it was released, mainly accusing it for not portraying New York accurately. Francois Truffaut himself had people telling him off for praising the movie and calling it a masterpiece, saying to him "you like the movie because you don't know New York", only to famously respond "Rear Window is not about New York. Is about cinema. And I do know cinema" 🙂
It helps to see stage musicals to get the opening concept of Rear Window.
The opening scene of Raising Arizona - amazing!
Not sure how Francois Truffaut would have felt with you calling the beginning of his JULES ET JIM “Godardian.”
That caught me off guard as well. Speaking of Godard, Vivre sa vie has a beautiful opening, with the mug shots of Anna Karina and the music abruptly cutting out (properly Godardian).
He was probably a cool enough guy to take it as a compliment (!?!?)
I know you guys mention No Country for Old Men a lot, but man. Really surprised to not see the opening here. A gentle monologue ruminating on human depravity leading right into one of the most brutal murders in cinema. It tells you everything you need to know about the movie right away. And Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem both nail it. Probably my favorite opening scene of all time.
I love that movie but the ones that would go in that category are better set
From the Top of my mind..
Touch of Evil
Once Upon a Time in the West
Inglorious Basterds
The Dark Knight
Lord of War
Inglorious basterds... Ah probably best ever
Lord of War has a great beginning, same with TDK and IB. I would also add Boogie Nights to that
Yes, they should have added honorable mentions.
Once Upon a Time in the West is one of my all time favorite openings and character introductions. Amazing. I have shown the beginning to everyone I can get to sit and watch it.
Touch of Evil was their pick for the best long opening shot in the video that this video is kind of a sequel to :)
My fav intro is watchmen, not the death of the comedian, the credits, I love the use of Dylan in the background and the montage we see does an incredible job of helping you with context that you might not know without reading the graphic novel.
The Dark Knight was the first movie that astounded me with an opening scene lol
I can’t believe it didn’t win its category
For me it was Truman's Show and then Dark Night
Dark Knight Rises has a great opening too
Youngsters
@@marlondx23 Try watching anything other than superhero/action movies for once.
Super Troopers. I'm not even remotely kidding. That opening 10 minutes KILLS.
The opening to “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” has always been one of my favorites. Especially when the title card hits.
Especially the haunting and mysterious red eyes in the dark jungle.
Disappointed that The Dark Knight only earned a mention, to me that's one of the most iconic openings ever and perfectly sets up the movie and one of the most iconic villains ever.
It's fine this way
Go ahead and tell me which movie that should have replaced on this list
For me, there is just something special about the opening to "Magnolia".
Specially the zoom in and jump cut.... The camera work is just brilliant in magnolia
@@sameerahmed-gx8js I also like the repetition of the phrase "just a matter of chance" at the end of each story - it adds something extra (especially if you consider the events that happen later in the movie).
If you like "Magnolia",
I suggest you check out
Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" (1993).
Something special about the whole film.
Best PTA film
I love the way your lists are written. It's like poetry.
I would like to say the opening 10 mins of the Road Warrior aka Mad Max 2 was always shocking and disturbing. The voice over "I remember a time of chaos, ruined dreams, this wasted land. But most of all I remember the Road Warrior; the man we called Max." It really sets the table.
I'd say Mad Max 4's opening is even better. In every single aspect it's better, not just the opening but the entire film
@@IVUSER I was just watching Fury Road this morning on HBOMAX and it should have won the Oscar for best picture. While the opening to Fury Road is great especially since the voice over is Max himself I still go with the Road Warrior since it gives a more complete picture of what happened to the world, what they are fighting over and who is Max. If I was introducing this series to someone who had never seen it I would show the opening voice over up to when Wez pulled the arrow out of his arm then pick up with Fury Road were Max says my world is fire. Kinda like if I needed a Star Wars fix I would watch Empire Strikes Back and the rescue of Han from Jabba the Hutt and stop after Obi-wan tells Luke what happened to Anakin.
@@IVUSER I adore both Mad max 2 and 4 (and 1 and 3 all though they are the weaker 2 by a long way) You have to remember Fury Road, had a lot more money, time and technology behind it. Considering what Mad Max 2 had in regard to those things it punches well above it's weight and has stood the test of time.
I think
1: Tenet- the Opera Siege,
2: The Dark Knight- The bank heist 3:Inception-Dream in limbo info in safe Heist,
4:The Dark Knight Rises- Prisoner escape Plane seize turn into a kidnapping
5:Skyfall the train ,
6:Spectre-Los de Muertos Parade and eliminating the target in the helicopter
7:Pulp Fiction-Diner Scene turned to Robbery 😅
Rear Window has more than a great beginning. Is has the greatest kiss in movie history, when Grace Kelly slowly moves in to give James Stewart a kiss in the dark. That scene alone is a master piece.
My favourite list:
- Inception
- Blade Runner
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Inglorious Bustards
- Rear Window
- Tenet
- Room
- Parasite
- Incendies
- The Social Network
- A Clockwork Orange
- Saving Private Ryan
- The Dark Knight
- Fight Club
- Amelie
- Persona
- Goodfellas
- Gone With The Wind
- Pather Panchali
- Princess Mononoke
- Paprika
- There Will Be Blood
- Dunkirk
- The Master
- Train To Busan
- A Separation
- The Seventh Seal
- Heat
- Cabaret
- Magnolia
- The Wind Rises
- Under The Skin
- The Truman Show
- Memento
- V For Vendetta
- La La Land
- Three Colors Trilogy
There's a lot. I haven't seen every movie. But, these are my all time favourite.
So, hollywood + some oldies
La La Land, yes (although the exuberant beginning promises a great escape, but ends with a dud, as the pair must end together, but don't).
Was expecting Bond to pick one up by sheer numbers. Happy they were mentioned.
The opening for casino royale (the daniel craig one) was fucking AWESOME
@@mikey7257 It has a deleted cricket game going on outside, interestingly. Personally that's one of my less favorite openings, although I love Craig. Living Daylights, Skyfall or the bank from World Is Not Enough might have my biased favorites, although I think World Is Not Enough's stands out for really stuffing in three scenes, and after the bank I think it loses a lot of tension. Octopussy's I also feel is a bit underlooked.
I love this channel!!! Everytime I watch it I have another 10-15 movies I have to add to my "Must Watch" list. It's the best cinema class I've ever taken.
I'm glad Arrival got a mention. I loved the themes of that movie showed from the intro.
Great film but so many plot holes.
@@TeddyRumble like?
My personal favourite is Dog Day Afternoon.
Simply shooting the dirty streets of mid 70s NYC to the sound of Amoreena by Elton John.
The Pre-title opening of "Raising Arizona" is one of my favorite openings to a film, and could be a phenomenal stand-alone short film in itself.
This is one of my favorite films.
Chloris leachman Running down the center of a road with traffic in the rain in the dark with almost nothing on, kiss me deadly 1955. Ralph Meeker nearly wrecks his car and takes her home. One of the best entry ways into a film noir. Once you see it you have to watch to the end no matter how muddled the plot
Thank you for talking about "Hou hsiao hsien".
He is one of the greatest contemporary directors. Sadly not enough people are knowing him ...
Cinefix made me appreciate movies so much more since I discovered it. I'm glad to see you guys posting often again.
Appreciate the mention of Hong Kong films. I'm not even a big fan of romance dramas but "In the Mood For Love" is a classic and deserved the mention.
I love that film. Saw it in film class.
Excellent film.
The very beginning of North By Northwesr has Bernard Herrmann's main musical theme literally emerging out of the MGM lion's roar.
Mission Impossible III had me hooked from the first line.
“We put an explosive charge in your head. Does that sound familiar?”
So glad for the love shown to La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty). This movie is not merely a hommage to Rome, but a poem stripped of any social conventions or pretentiousness on what it means to be human, while - like all great art - offering no answers but rather instilling a lasting, dream-like feeling of almost understanding that lingers as knowledge worthy of pursuit. Thank you, I hope someone was inspired by your video to watch this amazing movie and I'm thankful for the recent abundance of videos
I know that it doesn't happen often, but the open credits of Willy Wonka sets a really nice scene with the real candy making footage. It always made me want to go out and get some chocolate. It was such a good opening.
Excellent compilation: beautifully and intelligently narrated and assembled. Thank you!
The fact that 2 hungarian were featured warms my heart ❤️
Yes. 4 mentions of Hungarian movies altogether. Cool.
Absolutely love the opening of Driver, and glad it got at least a passing mention, but one of the openings I think is underrated is American Beauty. It fails in that it does a lot of telling rather than showing, but still sets everything in motion.
So glad you guys are still doing these videos! I think I’ve watched every one of them at least 3 or 4 times. ❤️
Tarsem Singh's "The Fall" is my recommendation for the final slot in this video. It's probably my favourite beginning to a film. The sublime accompanying music of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Movement 2: Allegretto certainly enhances the scene.
It doesn't matter if I agree or disagree with your picks. This video was stunning, and that's the whole point. Thank you.
"Jules et Jim is a pure Godardian energetic beginning..."
Who wants to break it to them?
It’s Truffaut baby...
That's a whoopsie daisies
I doubt they did that as a mistake, probably meant more of a style choice from Truffaut's good friend
To be Godardian isn't to be by Godard but like Godard's work.
@@Erock322 I also don't think it was a mistake, but it still seemed a weird choice of words - if you were to call it "Truffaut-esque" or some such term, or even "French New Wave", people (ie. people likely to be watching this channel to begin with) would have quite a good idea of what you were talking about, or as good an idea as they'd get from "Godardian" that Truffaut was deliberately taking cues from Godard, which it's never seemed to me he ever did (I don't think the two directors' styles are very similar at all).
The world is a better place with Cinefix and this videos narrator! For me Cinefix is your voice and your voice is Cinefix!
The opening sequence in UP is one of my favorites.
Another great list, keep it up guys. Best channel on RUclips.
Cine fix be like: We really love the sequences in all these famous movies, but we are giving the slot to this indy film you never watched
Or: "hey, liker of these movies, you'll really want to watch this one"
And you are complaining?
@@kostajovanovic3711 Nah. Just joking. Love this channel
I believe this is the first video I am seeing from CineFix. It just grabbed my attention and I was almost choice less, had to watch the entire video. It taught me in retrospect, something that I had never realized about the beginning of some of the movies I had watched. For e.g., 2001 A space Odyssey , Rear Window... Thanks.
Honestly surprised at no mention of Children of Men given how much you guys have praised it in the past. Also I would definitely consider The Place Beyond the Pines to be a great beginning as well.
might've left it out BECAUSE we've talked about it so much. We always try to pay attention to films we've covered plenty. there's always a bit of "yeah, but we just talked about that movie, so let's put something else here" that goes on making these lists
Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!
Up in my opinion has the greatest animated opening
that's a good one, but i'd say Under the Red Hood tops it. Joker beating Robin to death and Batman finds out where he is too late to only have the building he's in explode and the dread and regret Bruce has.. sure it's from a comic book, but for those who haven't seen it, or read it, it's disturbing. and even for those who have, it's still disturbing. sure it cheats and doesn't try to make you have that personal attachment to the characters, but it's such an iconic character that the writers expect you to have a personal attachment developed already.
@@trazz407 Damn I really want to disagree with you damn you
@@rometime9791 lol they are like interchangeable to me though. Under the Red Hood is phenomenal, but the way Up can give you a scenario where there is no dialogue at all yet have a vast understanding of the situation and how everyone can relate to it and breaks your heart, i don't think anything like that can be replicated. i really like the intro to A Silent Voice too. it's emotionally driven in a vastly different way.
I prefer WALL-E but Up is amazing too
W/o out a doubt. A tear jerker.
Extra bonus points for mentioning Cowboy Bebop. Which IMO had the best opening credits sequence of any film I’ve ever seen.