# Most Bad Ass Opening Scenes to a Movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948 "2009-06-25T16:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/21 "2009-06-25T17:41:03Z")
It’s been a bit, **Freudian** , so yes, I’m sure you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/22 "2009-06-25T17:41:52Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Pulp Fiction. Love that opening scene. Ditto. The second “Miserlou” started I turned to my date and said “We are in for a helluva ride. Just you watch.” I would also third **Star Wars**. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/23 "2009-06-25T17:42:10Z")
Oldie: Touch of Evil’s 3 minute tracking shot…Altman’s tracking shot from The Player noted above even references it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/24 "2009-06-25T18:04:00Z")
I do not remember the name of the movie but it starred Gwynth Paltrow as the whiniest damsel-in-distress since Kate Capshaw. The movie opened with flying robots that shot lasers from their eyes. And then the rest of the movie came and wasted the best opening scene ever. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/25 "2009-06-25T18:09:47Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I do not remember the name of the movie but it starred Gwynth Paltrow as the whiniest damsel-in-distress since Kate Capshaw. The movie opened with flying robots that shot lasers from their eyes. > > And then the rest of the movie came and wasted the best opening scene ever. That wouldn’t be _Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow_? I like the movie, but it does have a fantastic opening, then it settles back into a standard action movie when it could have been more. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/26 "2009-06-25T18:20:55Z")
I always thought the opening theme and credits for G.I.Joe the movie was pretty cool. There was some good action, the song sounded like the one from the cartoon, but it was different and a little more intense. It rocked. The rest of the movie? Eh, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/27 "2009-06-25T18:24:04Z")
This thread should begin, end, and be filled to the top with _Saving Private Ryan_. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/28 "2009-06-25T18:24:27Z")
No mention of _The Godfather_? Of course, usually the opening scene is shorter than 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/29 "2009-06-25T18:27:24Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > It’s been a bit, **Freudian** , so yes, I’m sure you’re right. Yeah. I think the Little Green Bag opening is under the definition of cool openings. And I’ll second (third?) Pulp Fiction’s opening. Very nice. And I’ll add the opening of Clockwork Orange and Goodfellas. Great lead in and then the part where Henry Hill narrates, “For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/30 "2009-06-25T18:33:25Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > This thread should begin, end, and be filled to the top with _Saving Private Ryan_. You think the old man walking to the grave is the best opening scene ever? Because that is the opening scene, not the D-Day scene. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/31 "2009-06-25T18:36:32Z")
Well, the older Ryan’s [grandaughter](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615584/) _was_ pretty darn hot. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/32 "2009-06-25T18:38:03Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > You think the old man walking to the grave is the best opening scene ever? Because that is the opening scene, not the D-Day scene. Yeah, people _always_ forget that scene. It’s almost as if the power of the D-Day scene blots out what came before. ---
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/33 "2009-06-25T18:39:02Z")
Leon is a great one as well as the opening montage of Saving Private Ryan. Wasn’t the famous Sam Jackson scene from Pulp Fiction pretty near the beginning? I haven’t seen it in a few years so I can’t remember, but if that was in the beginning, then that. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/34 "2009-06-25T18:40:34Z")
> [@ProfessorX](#): > > Wasn’t the famous Sam Jackson scene from Pulp Fiction pretty near the beginning? I haven’t seen it in a few years so I can’t remember, but if that was in the beginning, then that. Chronologically near the beginning of the events but actually near the ending of the film. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/35 "2009-06-25T18:47:06Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > That wouldn’t be _Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow_? I like the movie, but it does have a fantastic opening, then it settles back into a standard action movie when it could have been more. Yes, that’s the one. I could not get passed Gwynth’s character being the whiniest, dumbest romantic interest ever. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/36 "2009-06-25T18:51:37Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > You think the old man walking to the grave is the best opening scene ever? Because that is the opening scene, not the D-Day scene. Bah. That was like a passing note. It set the flavor, but the real opening scene was the D-Day scene. _backpedal backpedal backpedal_ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/37 "2009-06-25T19:12:42Z")
Another vote for “Once Upon a Time in the West.” When the topic of memorable opening scenes comes up, this is always at the forefront of my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/38 "2009-06-25T19:13:49Z")
It wasn’t an opening scene but pretty close to the beginning – the train wreck in **The Fugitive.** I felt like I could have walked out of the theater at that point thinking I got my money’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/39 "2009-06-25T19:27:44Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Yes, that’s the one. I could not get passed Gwynth’s character being the whiniest, dumbest romantic interest ever. Especially when compared to her rival, Angelina Jolie. Agree that this was a good opening, and with Star Wars. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/40 "2009-06-25T19:31:05Z")
Kill Bill. …BLAM!:eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948.md?page=3)