Best start to a film

[kalouk]

The Godfather.

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

I don't think a film has ever gripped me from the opening scenes quite like Saving Private Ryan did.

Captivating, jaw-dropping, utterly and hopelessly terrifying what those brave men went through.

 

[Plays By Sense Of Smell]

Flight. Foofing intense, that was.

 

[Bigg Bigg Blue]

Life of Brian

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Life of Brian

And Holy Grail is up there for worst endings.

 

[domalino]

Surprised no one else mentioned Inglorious Basterds yet, the whole glass of Nazi inspection/milk/under the floorboards thing.

I'd give another vote for Dark Knight which I always felt did a great job of getting you into the mood of the film instantly.

Trainspotting & Goodfellas have the classic start in the middle, then go back to the begining which are pretty good.

And Pulp Fiction + the opening credits another good Tarantino one.

 

[Bigg Bigg Blue]

And Holy Grail is up there for worst endings.

I agree

 

[york away to this!]

Has anyone mentioned Electric Blue 6 yet?

 

[Cotswold Knight]

The Italian Job
Driving a Lamborghini through the alps with a wonderful song playing

 

[jimmy blue shoes]

 

[BlueHammer85]

Think it was Terminator 2. Arnie going round shooting people taking their clothes. Great stuff

 

[jimharri]

 

[KS55]

That has the best character introduction, but it doesn't happen until about 30 minutes into the film.

Thanks for that. Old man's memory? I did read somewhere that that sequence was originally much longer, but the studio overruled Lean. I'm told the original version has been restored.

 

[chesterbells]

Once Upon A Time In The West

 

[Ban-jani]

Surprised no one else mentioned Inglorious Basterds yet, the whole glass of Nazi inspection/milk/under the floorboards thing.

This was half way down page 3-

Also Hans Landa in the opening scene of Inglorious Basterds.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Once Upon A Time In The West

It's not even a question, is it? Or put another way . . .

"Looks like this thread needs another page."

(Shaking head slowly) "It has four too many."

 

[chesterbells]

"Looks like this thread this thread needs another page."

(Shaking head slowly) "It has four too many."

Fonda, Bronson, Woody Strode, Cardinale, Robards, Elam and the rest, all masterminded by Leone, with Morricone’s magic, against a backdrop like that.... wotta film; it genuinely doesn’t get much better as an art form does it?

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Fonda, Bronson, Woody Strode, Cardinale, Robards, Elam and the rest, all masterminded by Leone, with Morricone’s magic, against a backdrop like that.... wotta film; it genuinely doesn’t get much better as an art form does it?

It's masterful. And I think The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is fantastic, with the music and visuals but to me that film rides on Eli Wallach -- Tuco is my favorite acting performance in any movie ever. But this opening is the absolute pinnacle of cinematic ass-kickery, and the film up there with any ensemble with all my favorite actors. I still like Clint better than Bronson but I can't see anyone other than Bronson in this role.

 

[chesterbells]

It's masterful. And I think The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is fantastic, with the music and visuals but to me that film rides on Eli Wallach -- Tuco is my favorite acting performance in any movie ever. But this opening is the absolute pinnacle of cinematic ass-kickery, and the film up there with any ensemble with all my favorite actors. I still like Clint better than Bronson but I can't see anyone other than Bronson in this role.

Well said pal. Hard to disagree with any of that.

Btw, did you enjoy Once Upon A Time In America as much?

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Well said pal. Hard to disagree with any of that.

Btw, did you enjoy Once Upon A Time In America as much?

No, I didn't. I liked the Westerns. For American "gangster-y" stuff I prefer Scorcese who spent his youth observing it.