# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/101 "2009-06-27T17:50:45Z")
The new Star Trek with the battle scene and Kirk’s birth. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/102 "2009-06-27T17:51:54Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > **Trainspotting** has a great opening. “Choose life.” > > I’ll second the opening scene and credits from **Watchmen** , which would have been a far better received movie if not for the cult worship of the graphic novel and the constant blue penis overshadowing. Watchmen was received just fine. The critics hated it because it was a comic book that actually tried to tackle serious issues. But it made a bundle at the box office. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/103 "2009-06-27T18:58:32Z")
I’m not sure if it counts as credits or opening scene, but the first images in the Australian western _The Proposition_ are 19th century photographs of pioneer families with a little girl sweetly singing the hymn “There is Happy Land” in the background. The photographs start looking grimmer and grimmer (men holding guns, etc.) until you see photos of those same pioneers murdered and laid out in their beds, women and children included. Brr, creepy. ---
**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 27, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/104 "2009-06-27T19:13:34Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > You gonna do something, or just stand there and read? I’m sorry, I forgot you were there. You may go now. ---
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/105 "2009-06-27T19:36:19Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > N.B. I haven’t checked the thread for updates before posting this. > > The opening (high elevation etc.) chase of the reimagined Casino Royale certainly has to be considered bad ass. Do you perhaps mean “Quantum of Solace”? IIRC, the movie just starts in the middle of the car chase. Casino Royale starts with the back-story of how James Bond gets 00 status. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/106 "2009-06-27T19:53:56Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > I’m sorry, I forgot you were there. You may go now. I’m here,Huckleberry. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/107 "2009-06-27T20:29:14Z")
The opening scene to Scream actually was pretty terrifying. ---
**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:** [June 27, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/108 "2009-06-27T20:36:25Z")
The year is 1988. Animation is dead. Oh, sure, Disney is still cranking out stuff like _Oliver & Company_, and Saturday mornings are ruled by folks who make Hanna and Barbera look like Rembrandt, but the last great cartoons in the anarchic, Warner Brothers style have been in reruns for a generation. Then we go in to a dark theater and watch [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLNqtU-gYPc). **Who Framed Roger Rabbit** In the first four minutes are flying knives, bulging eyes, dizzying perspectives, vacuums, ovens, and various threats to a bunny’s existence. Then the director yells “cut!” and walks onto the set. Totally brilliant. ---
**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 27, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/109 "2009-06-27T21:20:43Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > I’m here,Huckleberry. Age quod agis. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/110 "2009-06-27T22:19:54Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Well, it’s kind of stretching the idea of a scene (it covers at least 8-14 months of time, but is all narrated by a single monologue) Not bad ass, but in a similar vein, the start of Serenity goes over the back ground to the series and then the main characters in a pretty slick way, letting everyone who didn’t see the series appreciate what’s going on. Bad ass? I’d like to add Mad Max for consideration. A magnificent car chase that would have done for the conclusion of other, lesser, movies. ETA; D’oh, how could I forget… > [@mswas](#): > > The new Star Trek with the battle scene and Kirk’s birth. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/111 "2009-06-27T23:19:45Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > This thread should begin, end, and be filled to the top with _Saving Private Ryan_. Agreeed ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_y1YL9C8Hfw/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/_y1YL9C8Hfw?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/112 "2009-06-28T06:45:44Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Age quod agis. Credat Iudaeus Apella, non ego. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/113 "2009-06-28T06:49:42Z")
Star Wars by far. Everything else is just arguing over 2nd place. ---
**Author:** ![BigShooter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigShooter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigShooter)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/114 "2009-06-28T17:19:16Z")
I don’t know if this has already been said, but the opening car chase from the **The Transporter** is pretty f-ing cool: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8XqwRc74bA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8XqwRc74bA) I also always liked the opening scene from **Contact** : [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQF-4uyD4Y](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQF-4uyD4Y) Very cool… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/115 "2009-06-28T17:27:25Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Watchmen was received just fine. The critics hated it because it was a comic book that actually tried to tackle serious issues. Huh-huh… huh-huh.. He said “tackle.” ---
**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 28, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/116 "2009-06-28T19:27:00Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Credat Iudaeus Apella, non ego. Iventus (sp?) stultorum, magister. **BigShooter** : Yeah that Transporter opener was pretty bad ass I must admit. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/117 "2009-07-02T06:45:40Z")
I have no idea how I forgot this scene! I suck at life for forgetting it. ☹ **[The sixties are over, man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWj3GLZoTUM)**. I don’t know how well known it is, but I know the movie as **Formula 51**. **[IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0227984/quotes)** has it as **The 51st State** , as does the YouTube clip. It’s a crazy and hilarious movie. Go watch it, now! ---
**Author:** ![Wheeljack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@Wheeljack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheeljack)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/118 "2009-07-02T15:10:08Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Not a movie, but the cold opening of the Star Trek:TNG episode “Cause and Effect” is pretty memorable. Yeah, no kidding. I almost called the TV station during that episode because I thought something must be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/119 "2009-07-02T16:22:51Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > You can’t mention Léon without mentioning **[this scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlbSDqa5DtU)**. All actors should strive to be more like Gary Oldman. Oh, yes. Gives me the willies watching it on the tiny screen; you can imagine how it affected me on the big screen. Just what was that capsule he bit down on before the festivities started? I’m guessing amyl nitrate but what do I know. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948/120 "2009-07-02T16:50:51Z")
I don’t think it was **[amyl nitrates](http://www.watton.org/drugsinfo/aboutnitrates.shtml)**. Apparently those are just inhaled. I had always thought he was on LSD. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-bad-ass-opening-scenes-to-a-movie/500948.md?page=7)