Cinema’s Top 10 Beginnings of All Time - A CineFix Movie List
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- First impressions are important anywhere you go, but especially at the movies. And for as wide and varied as film can be, every single movie ever made has a beginning. So how do filmmakers go about starting a movie? Where do they begin? For this CineFix Movie List, we're looking at Cinema's 10 Best Beginnings of All Time.
Some, like The Fellowship of the Ring or There Will Be Blood, offer a prologue to give the viewer context for what's to come, while others flash forward to start with, leaving you wondering how we ended up there, like Citizen Kane and rosebud or Fight Club and the narrator with a gun in his mouth. Some movies drop you in the middle of action that's already happening, like Saving Private Ryan's Omaha Beach or even Deadpool and his hilarious bullet riddled opening. The point is, a movies beginning can do any number of things, meet people, meet places, introduce themes or motifs, and how they go about it sets the tone for the entire movie that follows.
The Picks
0:24 - Prologue - Rear Window - dir. Alfred Hitchcock
2:04 - Flash Forward - Goodfellas - dir. Martin Scorsese
3:48 - Inciting Incident - Don't Look Now - dir. Nicholas Roeg
5:30 - In Media Res (Action) - Narc - dir. Joe Carnahan
7:36 - In Media Res (Non-Action) - Flowers of Shanghai - dir. Hao Hsiao-Hsien
9:28 - Introducing People - Son of Saul - dir. László Nemes
11:31 - Introducing Place - Soy Cuba - dir. Mikhail Kalatozov
13:42 - Thematic / Tonal - Werckmeister Harmonies - dir. Bela Tarr
15:48 - Mysterious - Persona - dir. Ingmar Bergman
18:16 - Poetic - Sans Soleil - dir. Chris Maker
This Movie List was written by Billy Jackson and edited by Chris Del Padre.
Be sure to subscribe to IGN Movies & TV for more CineFix Movie Lists, and more great film analysis like this!
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#IGN #Cinefix #Top10
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?!”
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.
Super Troopers. I'm not even remotely kidding. That opening 10 minutes KILLS.
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 (!?!?)
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.
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
Thanks for the video - I see you haven't lost it, even though the name changed. And at least you kept CineFix.
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
The opening to Menace II Society has one of the most riveting openings Ive ever seen. The actions in the beginning follow the main characters for the rest of the film. Like karma was stalking them. Great list!! I know you cant mention them all
"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).
I love these lists; I didn't even know that you could put movie beginnings in so many catagories.
The beginning sequence of Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell will always be poetry for me.
I propose a top of your favourite fictional characters of all time
This video is everything that made me fall in love with this channel in the first place.
My favorite is still the opening scene from Stalker (1979)
The Coens opening for the 1984 Blood Simple is beautiful, and, in a sense, it sets the mood for their entire ouvre. It would have been, at least, worth a mention here.
I am really happy with this list! Even though I haven’t seen most of the picks, I think they covered it really well with all the mentions.
Never heard of this channel before, but THIS is how to top 10 lists. Very well done! Subbed
Still probably my favorite channel for film study! I feel rushed at times, during your introduction of each style, but if you can handle that tiny bit of criticism (I know trend and hipness from others will defend you... doesn't mean I'm wrong though. Think about it.).. I'll go ahead and claim this channel as the best when it comes to recognition of things to look for in movies. It's an odd blend, not letting our minds settle on things that need time to play out, yet pointing out that very subject, but I still look for more. I don't go back to the other channels nearly as much.
One of my favorite openings was for Argo. The angry mob outside the Iranian embassy seemed just another demonstration until it wasn't.
Yes!! So intense & captivating!
The haircut montage and then to the Drill Sergeant's introduction in Full Metal Jacket is an great movie beginning.
Im surprised they left out The place beyond the pines. That opening really grabbed me
Yes!! I love that movie!!
Great list, although nothing beats the energy of Takashi Miike's "Dead or Alive" opening sequence, which sadly wasn't mentioned. If you are reading this, just go and look it yourself.
The character intro should have been either the start of Reservoir Dogs, or the Hans Landa intro in Inglourious Basterds. I'm sad that Saving Private Ryan didn't make it, too. That opening sequence is legendary.
Apocalypse Now has the best Opening Sequence ever. It's pure movie magic.
wowww......you guys outdid yourselves again!!
I think a great into was Tarsem Singh's The Fall (2006). It kinda falls awkwardly into the inciting incident and world building category so I totally understand why it wasn't mentioned, but I just thought I'd bring it up
Surprised American Beauty didn't get a mention somewhere. That opening scene is incredible
Lord of War opening always had a big impact on me.
Nice picks! Especially for Werckmeister Harmonies (also the intro of Persona, Saul fia and Soy Cuba are incredible)
Bruce Brown's 'On Any Sunday...' Best opening/ credits E V E R.
As a child, the opening of Poltergeist was eerie. I also like the brief opening shot of the dessert wind in Lorenzo's Oil, looking like sinewy veils. Amelie's opening was great as well.
I'm so glad you still produce the same quality you did before IGN
Man I love this channel
One of my favorites is the opening of Howard Hawk's "The Big Sleep." Marlowe, M. Vickers, Norris the Butler, and Old Man General Sternwood!
The fact that they mentioned Rubber (2010) lol... Ya know, the movie about the tire that rolls around exploding people's heads
those chairs tho
You know what’s interesting is that rear window’s premise would work as an indie game
I remember 15 years ago I started to watch Persona for the first time, streaming it on my computer. After few minutes in, I paused it, and said to myself "holy sh#!, that opening sequence is a brilliant work of art!" After that, I literally ran to watch it on my larger family TV screen knowing that this was too important to watch on a smaller one. I'm glad that CineFix saw what I saw and ranked it number two on this list.
When I was in school I went on a field trip to the Holocaust Museum. In place gave me chills and Nightmares. 🥶😱
My favorite is the opening narration by Ethan Hawk in Midnight Clear.
i've gotta admit, many of these films mentioned are news to me. best to seek them out and share the joy. my thoughts go to some of the more well-known classics. WEST SIDE STORY, for example, with the prologue dance in Manhattan pitting Jets and Sharks. still stunning work.
My two favourite openings of all time:
Harry Potter half blood Prince
LOTR The Two Towers
I missed these lists. Thank you
My personal fave is Drive (2011). It immediately throws you into the world of the Driver and is a complete thrill ride.
I feel like a very great beginning that should have gotten a shout out for "wtf am I about to watch?" but sets the tone so well is Satoshi Kon's "Paprika". But then again, it may not count much since it is a long opener and there's almost two of them.
can't have a cinefix video without Persona
i really liked the beginning of the reboot for star trek movie. the scene where the father rescues the crew as his wife gives birth is an excited start
Who else watches these a second or third time to write down the movies briefly mentioned in between? So I can go watch them as well.
I also always hope that my favourite movie of all time, the one that’s influenced my writing - Paris, Texas - pops up in any of these lists. So far just one.
needed my fix... thank you!
This channel is so amazing, I could listen/watch u guys list the top 10 shades of white to paint an all boys high school in Greenland....
HOWEVER...
Though this was 2 years ago, it's videos like THIS that make me remember why I always go "ooooooh yeah, CineFix, lemme watch this one in a few," whenever I get a notification.
Why?
Come on....
Could this list BE more pretentious, "Hoidy toidy," and dare I say, even POMPOUS???
I want to make a comment regarding "how many people actually have seen ALL these movies on this list," but im sure it's more than I'd expect.
So I'll just give one example--- which you all actually "teased" or gave your little honorable mentions treatment to just prior to naming the actual spot:
Inglorious Basterds.
Instead of that Asian dinner beginning movie?
Come on.
You know what you did.
And why.
I'm glad though, once again, it seems that this kind of shit has more often than not stayed here in the past when compared to more recent lists.
Did anyone bring up Blade yet? It has probably the best opening of any comic book movie (X2 is another great one) and it stands the test of time IMO.
baron prasil 1961, marketa lazarova 1967, cars, and Some like it hot, wherein the intro title -Chicago 1929 - becomes a point
I'd kind of say this no-budget film, The Honey Killer should be on the list! It's on Amazon Prime/iTunes. One of the most original openings I've seen.
The beginning of Irreversible is the most shocking I've ever seen
You mentioned most of my choices...then chose something else. Fair enough.
For character introductions I think Serenity rates a mention - in one long shot it establishes seven characters, the key points of their personalities and how they all relate to each other.
Great video
This video has nothing to do with the title's "top 10 beginnings". It was just a way to introduce films of merit that most of the general public has never seen. Just be honest rather than using clickbait.
openings - Contact & Touch Of Evil .
Category: *exists*
CineFix: And our top pick is some movie from the 60s!
Ikiru’s opening might be my favourite
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
'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.
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
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
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 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
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.
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
So glad these types of videos are back.
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.
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.
I can’t even explain how much I love this channel. It really feels like free film school
"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
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
"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
Two words : Mulholland Drive
Paying attention to and understanding the opening sequence reveals the key to the rest of the movie.
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.
Bram Stoker's Dracula from 1992 has an absolutely gorgeous beginning. Blood, love, war, blasphemy, brilliant.
I really like the beginning of Sicario
Yes! One of my top favourite films.
CineFix + Clint Gage's Voice = ❤️
Clint Gage + Reading these comments = "hey thanks, bud!"
@@CineFix 😀😀
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.
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 :)
Fun fact: the piano player in 'Rear Window" is Ross Bagdasarian, the original "Dave Seville" and voice of The Chipmunks.
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
As far as action openings go, I think the opening scene of Baby Driver is an absolute blast.
Bellbottoms
Hell yea
The opening of The Revenant is perfect.
Probably the single best example of cinematography I've seen.
yessir
Yes
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.
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.
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!
Cinefix going as good as ever
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
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
Once upon a time in the west is totally there in the top 10 beginnings of all time. I know these lists are categorised and consequently, somewhat messed up. But OUATIW opening scene is brilliant on so many levels.. not just opening but it's overall top 10 scenes of all time.
"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.