# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/41 "2009-06-25T19:31:07Z")
Not a movie, but the cold opening of the Star Trek:TNG episode “Cause and Effect” is pretty memorable. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/42 "2009-06-25T19:44:36Z")
I’ll be the sixth to nominate the opening of **Once Upon a Time in the West**. Bronson was a brilliant casting choice, as were Elam, Strode and the guy who looked like a tweaker. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/43 "2009-06-25T20:31:24Z")
There’s an awful lot of action movies on here, which lends well to bad ass. But on the other hand, I think _Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail_’s opening is pretty bad ass. Think English fog, a King comes riding out of it… with a servant banging two coconuts together! If bad ass means revolutionary, if it means shocking the socks of the viewers, well, I think the python boys got it right! ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/44 "2009-06-25T20:59:58Z")
I didn’t mention **Saving Private Ryan** because as already mentioned, D-Day wasn’t the opening scene. I also didn’t mention **Pulp Fiction** or **Reservoir Dogs** because I couldn’t remember which scenes came very first. 😛 **Goodfellas’** opening was pretty meh to me. I don’t even remember the opening scene for **Star Wars**! :eek: The rest I’ll have to get to in the future. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/45 "2009-06-25T21:14:04Z")
I’ve always liked the opening scene in “Lethal Weapon II”. The car chase and explosions from right off the bat pull you in and keep you watching. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/46 "2009-06-25T21:17:25Z")
Tropic Thunder - the movie within the movie was a great start ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/47 "2009-06-25T21:18:02Z")
Heh … I read the thread title as “Most Bad Ass-Opening Scenes to a Movie” … . ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/48 "2009-06-25T21:21:25Z")
I was gonna mention Saving Private Ryan, but it’s true, the most memorable opening montage of the D-Day invasion is not, technically, the opening scene. #2 on my personal list would be the opening scene of the anime classic [Akira](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNGj-AjRQKI). I actually saw this for the first time in a movie theater, in full surround sound, and it blew me away. Never again would I equate anime = animation = something to watch on a little 19" 4:3 tube TV… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/49 "2009-06-25T21:23:34Z")
Another vote for **Star Wars**. First the rebel ship zips by, followed by the pursuing Imperial cruiser, then the battle and boarding sequence, with Darth Vader making his grand entrance. ---
**Author:** ![Staale\_Nordlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Staale\_Nordlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staale_Nordlie)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/50 "2009-06-25T21:38:47Z")
[The Matrix](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn0i0Co67sM) and [X-Men 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVdCkKxty4) are good. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/51 "2009-06-25T21:47:03Z")
I was going to say Once Upon a Time in the West and The Matrix (although I wasn’t totally sure Trinity kicking as was the opening scene.) Uh… the Google ad is for “Dead Body Clean up (Decomp/Homicide/Suicide)”… WTF? That’s weird shit. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/52 "2009-06-25T21:51:16Z")
Oh god how could I forget The Matrix? It’s one of my favorite movies! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/53 "2009-06-25T22:46:02Z")
**Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid**. The card game scene, where a player accuses Sundance of cheating. Strictly speaking, it isn’t the opening scene (Butch checking out the new bank at closing time). But it’s close. And it’s magnificent in every way - writing, cinematography and acting. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/54 "2009-06-25T23:27:47Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Heh … I read the thread title as “Most Bad Ass-Opening Scenes to a Movie” … . Goatse? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/55 "2009-06-25T23:28:12Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > The spaceship crashing in the beginning of **Pitch Black**. I came in to mention that one. Really well done. I third the opening of The Matrix, with Trinity versus the police and the introduction of Agent Smith. I can’t remember if it is the very first scene, but [Jessica Biel’s fight scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zti1AwWbrvs)at the beginning of Blade: Trinity is pretty bad ass. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/56 "2009-06-25T23:39:37Z")
I don’t know if it counts as a ‘bad-ass’ opening, but I’ve always loved the opening scene of [Contact](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGyq7d62oPQ). ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/57 "2009-06-26T00:31:52Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > I don’t know if it counts as a ‘bad-ass’ opening, but I’ve always loved the opening scene of [Contact](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGyq7d62oPQ). Definitely bad-ass. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/58 "2009-06-26T00:41:08Z")
If it hasn’t been mentioned yet: The remake from several years ago of **Dawn of the Dead**. It starts with Sarah Polley going home from work and sleeping peacefully, then waking up to a world of hell and zombies, including one that attacks her husband. Then she crashes her car into a tree and you hear Johnny Cash’s “When the man comes around” over a montage. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/59 "2009-06-26T00:47:30Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > The spaceship crashing in the beginning of **Pitch Black**. (I can’t see YouTube from here at work). I watched this again the other day. It’s a fun film, and the opening scene is great. My nomination: the opening of **Cube**. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/60 "2009-06-26T00:50:13Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > Definitely bad-ass. Quoted for tons of truth! I hadn’t seen that scene or movie at all. Thanks for posting the YouTube clip **GreedySmurf**. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948.md?page=4)