"Do not start with a whimper, but with a bang."Not only a suggestion to any future girlfriends of mine, but also powerful advice to any filmmaker who wants to make a memorable impression on their audience.
It is thought that you make your first impression of a person within the first 30 seconds of meeting them. A firm handshake, a welcoming smile, or if they just flat out ignore you, you know what you're dealing with for the rest of the conversation.
The same can be said for films; a film usually tells you what experience to expect by it's opening sequence or credits, summing up the audience's expectations and also giving them a preview of the 89 minutes still to come.
An action film causes intrigue and should to be bombastic, loud and attention-grabbing! A drama delivers with purpose, sometimes being better when slow, methodical and exact. A comedy could involve some prat falls and custard pies, as long as it makes you laugh!
To show you what I feel are fantastic examples of intro sequences, I've thrown together a quick list, along with handy YouTube windows to show you...
THE LIFE OF PI
Ignoring the 20th Century Fox logo, just how beautiful and full of nature is that opening sequence?
The Life of Pi tells the story of one boy trapped on a boat lost at sea with a man-eating tiger.
Whilst that could have be depicted as a straight-out thriller, director Ang Lee decided to focus on Pi's relationship with nature as well as his own spiritual discovery through his ordeal.
So what better way of introducing the audience to these ideas then by showcasing the broad range of exotic and unique animals found in Pi's family zoo?
Backed by incredibly calming music by Mychael Danna, the tour around the other-worldly mixture of animals definitely has a spiritual edge to it and the soundtrack is a must for those who love a good chill-out.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011)
Could there be a more contrasting opening title sequence to The Life Of Pi?
The first of two David Fincher films in this short list, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo had a lot to live up to. It was trying to recreate the 'lightning in a bottle' experience that was the Millennium Trilogy of Swedish films starring Noomi Rapace as the titular Girl. In order to get peoples' attention, Fincher had to return to his music-video roots.
Powered by the punchy cover of 'The Immigrant Song' by Nine Inch Nails' front-man Trent Reznor, the two and a half minutes are filled with fast-paced drums, edgy scrapings of electronica and haunting vocals of Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) that would wake up even the heaviest of sleepers in that audience.
The whole intro depicts acts of violence and scenes of unease, all whilst being dripped in murky and pristine oil, previewing the dark and abusive world that the audience are about to be shown. Truly mesmerising and to some extent, the most memorable part of an otherwise forgettable film.
The first of two David Fincher films in this short list, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo had a lot to live up to. It was trying to recreate the 'lightning in a bottle' experience that was the Millennium Trilogy of Swedish films starring Noomi Rapace as the titular Girl. In order to get peoples' attention, Fincher had to return to his music-video roots.
Powered by the punchy cover of 'The Immigrant Song' by Nine Inch Nails' front-man Trent Reznor, the two and a half minutes are filled with fast-paced drums, edgy scrapings of electronica and haunting vocals of Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) that would wake up even the heaviest of sleepers in that audience.
The whole intro depicts acts of violence and scenes of unease, all whilst being dripped in murky and pristine oil, previewing the dark and abusive world that the audience are about to be shown. Truly mesmerising and to some extent, the most memorable part of an otherwise forgettable film.
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
The definition of kicking the film off with a bang and attempting to merge the realms of video games, graphic novels and films into one seamless intro.
I remember seeing this in the cinema, already having high expectations, and then as soon as the camera pulled away from Sex Bob-Omb as they began their opening track, and the lounge kept on going... And going... And going... I knew this was going to be a fun and surreal ride from start to finish.
The animated lighting bolts emerging off how awesome the band were, whilst Beck's music rang out was perfect for reminding me of comic book illustrations, plus the previous minute being filled with nerd-heavy dialogue just gave me such joy to behold.
On repeated viewings, the credit sequence also holds hidden references to the characters the actors portray, such as the background changing from pink to blue to green behind Mary Elizabeth Winstead's name, representing Ramona's hair changing colour throughout the film or the coffee ring stains behind Anna Kendrick;s name, as her character works in a Starbucks-style coffee-house. Little hints like that make the difference and show care and attention in the smallest of areas.
SE7EN
It's that man Fincher, and his trusty Trent Reznor back again.
For Se7en, director David Fincher thought it would be interesting to follow introducing the audience to the hero, played by Morgan Freeman, to introduce them to the villain, without them knowing it and show the meticulous process he follows to fulfil his master plan.
The result is a completely sinister and dark opening sequence that brings you down to the murky and sordid level of a serial killer, even with the choice of font for the actors' names. Painstakingly crafted to make you feel as uneasy as possible, the ungodly sounds that surround the actions on screen make chills run up my spine every time I hear it.
MEMENTO
It's no secret that I consider Memento to be one of my favourite films of all time, so it's no surprise that it's opening credit sequence is on my list.
However I cannot emphasise enough how poignant and touching this introduction is. Showing a Polaroid picture of a murder scene slowly fade away from existence all to a beautifully haunting score by David Julyan, only to reveal that the scene is being shown in reverse is the perfect way of preparing the audience for the film they are about to experience; nothing is as it seems and don't trust your first opinion.
This introduction is pivotal in the story-telling of the film, and the finale really has extra meaning and shock since this scene is what is used to start the dominoes falling and your entire opinion of these two characters is framed by what happens in this scene.
If you give Memento a go, I truly believe you will agree with me that this is definitely an opening scene you won't forget.
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Did I forget something? Do you have an opening sequence that you think tops these? Let me know in the comments below, as I am always looking for new favourites.
Until next time folks, thanks for reading!
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