# greatest entrances in movie history **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469 "2019-03-24T21:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/61 "2019-03-25T13:25:40Z")
Since the rules now allow aliens, what about the alien from Aliens? If that’s not a great entrance, what is? And Hannibal Lechter in Silence of the Lambs. Anthony Hopkins managed to convey evil just standing alone in a prison cell. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/62 "2019-03-25T13:41:19Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sorry, thought you were Robot Arm. You’d be surprised how often I hear that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/63 "2019-03-25T13:44:29Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > [Bowie as Tesla in The Prestige](https://youtu.be/PF76qlwWM8s) I came in to mention this one, which has to be one of the most impressive entrances. It’s probably based on pictures that Tesla had taken for publicity purposes: [https://www.google.com/search?biw=1440&bih=708&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=99qYXPyeNs60\_Ab92p\_4CA&q=Tesla+surrounded+by+electrical+discharge&oq=Tesla+surrounded+by+electrical+discharge&gs\_l=img.3...3834.7878..8114...0.0..0.85.1135.19......0....1..gws-wiz-img.kSu0mlaFl8U#imgrc=mC9FlywEC-b7WM:&spf=1553521437843](https://www.google.com/search?biw=1440&bih=708&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=99qYXPyeNs60_Ab92p_4CA&q=Tesla+surrounded+by+electrical+discharge&oq=Tesla+surrounded+by+electrical+discharge&gs_l=img.3...3834.7878..8114...0.0..0.85.1135.19......0....1..gws-wiz-img.kSu0mlaFl8U#imgrc=mC9FlywEC-b7WM:&spf=1553521437843) The thing is, those were double exposures, so he wasn’t really there where the discharges were. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/64 "2019-03-25T13:52:18Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sorry, thought you were Robot Arm. > [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > You’d be surprised how often I hear that. > > 😃 You really must learn how to take a compliment. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/65 "2019-03-25T13:54:19Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Barbara Stanwyck in _Double Indemnity_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D76YDNS1m00) > [@guestchaz](#): > > Pssst, hey, your Barbara Stanwyck link leads to the Maude Lebowski clip in your other post. > > I’d look up the clip I think you’re trying for, and post a link to help out, but my phone already ate 3 attempts to post a link of my own in this thread. Sorry, [fixed.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D76YDNS1m00) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/66 "2019-03-25T13:58:54Z")
Garbo in _Camille_. I always loved seeing this in a theater. There is opening text which contains an archaic use of gay. This causes a few titters and smiles in the audience. The quick cut is to a closeup of Garbo as the title character, filling the screen. There are always audible gasps. Few actresses were as beautiful as Garbo in closeup. And Charles Bronson in _Once Upon A Time In The West_ “Did you bring a horse for me?” “It looks like we’re… it looks like we’re shy one horse!” “You brought two too many.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/67 "2019-03-25T14:03:04Z")
in a lot of cases, the entrance is one where we’re teased with the appearance, and someone seeing the film for the first time might not appreciate why they’re making such a big deal about the entrance. 1.) George Lazenby as James Bond in _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service_ – Lazemby was the first guy to play Bond in the Eon movies after Sean Connery\* , so of _course_ they played with showing us his face 2.) Donald Pleasance as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in _You Only Live Twice_ . Blofeld’s face had been hidden in the previous Bond films, so people wondered what he was going to look like. They gave him a distinctive scar and a bald head. Mike Myers used it as the basis for his Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies, so it’s not as shocking as it once was 3.) Audrey Hepburn in _Robin and Marian_ – Audrey Hepburn hadn’t appeared in a movie in almost a decade before she was in this “mature” Robin Hood drama, which had an impressive cast (Sean Connery as Robin Hood, Robert Shaw as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Nicol Williamson as Little John), and people wondered what she looked like. The camera lingered before revealing her as still pretty damned glamorous. 4.) Boris Karloff as Frankenstein – One of the great reveals. The studio had kept the makeup under wraps – very literally > **[Under The Veil](https://frankensteinia.blogspot.com/2011/01/under-veil.html)** > > Makeup man Jack Pierce leads a veiled Boris Karloff around the lot during the simmering summer of 1931. They might be reporting for work... So people were curious what he would look like. Director James Whale – who had a tendency to throw faces at the audience in this film (look at how Elizabeth and Victor are first presented to the audience) played coy with the face of the monster. You first see him completely swaddled in bandages. Then later “Henry” Frankenstein and Prof. Waldmann discuss him, with the monster off-screen. Then the monster comes to the door, and Henry opens it, to reveal him facing the other way. S-l-o-w-l-y he turns around, then there are two swift jump cuts to give a close-up and a closer-up of that face, with its squared-off forehead, unnatural pallor, stitches and scars, heavy, half-closed eyelids, and the sunken-in cheeks\*. When you consider that all the advertising with the face wasn’t out yet, and that the iconic image of the monster still had not been spread around, this must have been an impressive entrance. \*Karloff took out a dental plate to help create that “sunken” look. \*we ignore Barry Nelson’s turn as Bond in the 1950s version of _Casino Royale_, and all the “Fake Bonds” in the non-Eon version of _Casino Royale_ in 1967 ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/68 "2019-03-25T15:02:13Z")
[Scarlet Johanson in _Lost In Translation_](https://youtu.be/hyOSuFBS7IA?t=15) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/69 "2019-03-25T15:08:57Z")
Rhett Butler standing at the bottom of the staircase as he watches Scarlett walk down. Standing there, and breaking into that enormous grin. Sets the tone for their entire story. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/70 "2019-03-25T15:42:09Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Each of the Beatles individually in _Yellow Submarine_. Their appearance at the beginning of A Hard Day’s Night is pretty iconic too–four guys being chased by a mob, a couple of them trip and fall, the lead guy looks back for a sec and then runs on, laughing. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/71 "2019-03-25T15:43:12Z")
When we first see Christian Bale’s shirtless body in _The Machinist._. There’s a murky scene before it where we see his face but you really can’t make him out too well. Then we see him in the stark light of the bathroom and that was so jarring to me I let out an audible gasp. In _The Ring_, when we first see Samara as she currently exists, people in the theater screamed their heads off. \*That \*was an entrance :eek: ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/72 "2019-03-25T16:32:38Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Sorry, [fixed.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D76YDNS1m00) WOW!!! My only exposure to Barbara Stanwyck was on Big Valley (I think that was the name) as a kid. I don’t remember her looking like THAT. Maybe I was just too young to appreciate her beauty. I nominate this for thread winner ---
**Author:** ![txjim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@txjim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txjim)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/73 "2019-03-25T20:11:34Z")
Orson Wells in _[The Third Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP1VPuXEMbg)_ ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/74 "2019-03-25T21:40:49Z")
Sean Young, as Rachel, in _Blade Runner_. In that eerie office with the reflected light flickering on the ceiling and the smoggy sunset glowing in through the windows. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/75 "2019-03-25T22:14:44Z")
Bette Davis - twice - in _Now, Voyager:_ First, her initial appearance as the frumpy daughter. Second, her appearance after her radiant transformation. And, of course, Bette in _Whatever Happened to Baby Jane._ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/76 "2019-03-25T22:59:19Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > 4.) Boris Karloff as Frankenstein – One of the great reveals. The studio had kept the makeup under wraps – very literally If we include Frankie, we can hardly neglect [_I am…DRAcula_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqr3yzr64V4), can we? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/77 "2019-03-25T23:23:53Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Their appearance at the beginning of A Hard Day’s Night is pretty iconic too–four guys being chased by a mob, a couple of them trip and fall, the lead guy looks back for a sec and then runs on, laughing. Ahem. Three fabs running. Paul appears from behind a newspaper over a minute later. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/78 "2019-03-26T00:00:57Z")
Screw all these. We’ve overlooked the greatest character entrance in movie history. Norman’s mother in Psycho. Not only that, but [Hitchcock pulled it off twice. In just 11 seconds!](https://youtu.be/xWHYmNrAFlI?t=57) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/79 "2019-03-26T00:02:45Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > If we include Frankie, we can hardly neglect [_I am…DRAcula_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqr3yzr64V4), can we? Do you know how many _decades_ it was until I realized Dracula walks **through** that gigantic spiderweb? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469/80 "2019-03-26T00:03:04Z")
WAYNE’S WORLD 2 has a gas-station attendant get asked for directions and reply without being terribly interesting. This prompts a response: _“Do we have to put up with this? I mean, can’t we get a better actor? I know it’s a small part, but I think we can do better than this.”_ The director of course steps in, swapping the guy out for Charlton Heston: already reminiscing, in full-on Oscar mode. “Gordon Street? Ah, yes, Gordon Street. I once knew a girl who lived on Gordon Street. Long time ago, when I was a young man…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-entrances-in-movie-history/831469.md?page=5)