The movie opening-credit sequence has become a lost art; so many movies today, especially action blockbusters, are content to plunge directly into the action and wait until the end to show you who made the film. Now, Screengrab has compiled a list, complete with YouTube clips, of the 12 best opening-credit sequences ever. It’s a good selection of these mini-movies that expertly sets the tone for the feature that follows. A lot of credit buffs’ favorites are here, including the ones for Scorsese’s Raging Bull, Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch, and David Fincher’s Seven and Panic Room. Of course, you can’t talk about film credits without mentioning the genre’s master, Saul Bass, who revolutionized the opening credit sequence in the 1950s with his jazzy, fragmented-animation segments for such movies as The Man With the Golden Arm and Anatomy of a Murder. (Which gives me an excuse to embed this clip, which has been making the rounds this week, of what the Star Wars credits would have looked like had Bass designed them.)
Your turn, PopWatchers: What’s your favorite opening-credit sequence in a movie? Bonus points for providing clip URLs where your fellow readers can watch.
The one that most immediately comes to mind is Fight Club. Absolutely jarring, it perfectly set the tone for the movie.
Also, the rest of the movie was kinda lame, and I can’t remember if this was a true opening-credits sequence, but I thought the opening of the movie Contact (1997, with Jodie Foster) was fantastic.
In recent memory, Casino Royale comes to mind (except for that awful song…) and the Catch me if you can cartoon!!
The best I’ve ever seen is the opening sequence from Lord of War. Amazing!
Thank You For Not Smoking.
If you’ve never seen “The Kingdom” (Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner), rent it just for the opening credits. Cool graphics, innovative credits, and a solid history lesson all in one. Seriously, I finally understood the Middle East oil crisis better after these 3 minutes than anything from CNN or the newspaper.
Next installment: best CLOSING credits, like how adorable is that song Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger sing at the end of “Down with Love”?
Mrs. Taylor is right about “The Kingdom”. In my opinion, the opening credits are actually better than the movie.
As for one of my favorites that didn’t make the list: how could they not include the opening credits to “Casino”?!
Their list included Goldfinger, which I think is a great choice but I think that any of the James Bond movies could have a place on the list. They always get me geared up for the film and are very iconic.
Also, very good calls by Catherine and LJ on “Catch me…” and “Lord of War”, respectively. Two of my faves from the last 10 years.
I agree with Lauren on Fight Club.
Then there’s Men in Black. Cool stuff.
“Dog Day Afternoon”, hands down. And the song, Elton John’s “Amoreena,” is haunting.
to Mrs. Taylor: THAK YOU! I love love love Down with Love, have thought that the closing credits SHOULD have been the opening credits. They are awesome and contain no spoilers. I have to nominate the original Halloween http://youtube.com/watch?v=vhcPs-cS1No as well as Grease – it perfectly encaptures the 70s-view-of-the-50s of the fim. http://youtube.com/watch?v=vXGcPYD-R-Y
The Austin Powers credits. Man, Mike Meyer’s new film is going to get a huge penalty for high-sticking.
I just love the original superman movie with Christopher Reeve and I actually loved the opening sequence of the most recent Superman movie with Brandon Routh. The John Williams music is so amazing and the space visuals in both movies are mesmerizing.
I can’t believe the list did not include (and no one else has mentioned) CHARIOTS OF FIRE. The beach, the surf, the mist, the runners, and oh yeah, that classic score by Vangelis!
I’m a fan of the Dawn of the Dead remake with the Johnny Cash song.