It’s always important to make a good first impression, especially when it comes to movies. It’s particularly crucial in a film landscape dominated by streaming, where a viewer can back out of a movie at any point if it’s not attention-grabbing enough. A key way to get someone invested right from the start is by having great opening credits.
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As opening credits are less common than they used to be decades ago, the excellent ones stand out even more. There have been numerous Reddit posts asking about films that feature the best opening credits (such ashereandhere), and the following 10 films are some of the best examples from those. While the following are all generally good movies, it’s arguable that some peak with the opening credit sequences.
Watchmen(2009)
Backed byBob Dylan’siconic “The Times They Are a-Changin'“Zack Snyder’s2009 adaptation ofWatchmenlays out a great deal of backstory and critical information in a stylistic opening. Important events from the latter half of the 20th century that signified societal change are shown, but given this is an alternate timeline to our own, the times “change” in that way too. Viewers see things like the US winning the Vietnam War, and Nixon being elected for a third term as President.
It’s a great montage that the rest of the film can’t quite live up to. The slow-motion shots give the impression of seeing a comic book made photo-realistic, with minimal motion, and beyond looking and feeling distinct, the sequence achieves a great deal narratively. It’s certainly one of the best scenes from any Zack Snyder movie.
Se7en(1995)
An unsettling psychological thriller about a serial killer, and one ofDavid Fincher’sbest movies,Se7ensets the tone perfectly straight away. Disorientating, dark, and creepy, the opening credits let viewers know exactly what they’re in for without saying a word.
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Viewers are shown dimly lit sketches, photographs, and pages of what looks like messily-written diary entries. It’s hard to make sense of it all as it’s happening and only becomes a little clearer once the film’s over. But as a way to establish a distinctive look and feel right out of the gate,Se7ennails its opening credits.
Drive(2011)
WhileDrivetechnically opens with a tense, drawn-out sequence that culminates with an exciting car chase, the opening credits follow immediately after. They serve as a way to allow the audience to catch a breath, as well as to establish the film’s unique neon-filled style and throwback 80s aesthetics, particularly through the use of the influential song “Nightcall"byKavinsky.
While the rest of the film does a good job of continuing this sort of sleek, nostalgic, but also fresh take on the crime genre, it’s never quite as effective as the one-two punch ofDrive’sopening chase scene and credits. The first 10-15 minutes as a whole is a big part of whyNicolas Winding Refn’sfilm has become a classic.
Jackie Brown(1997)
Jackie Brownhas always been themost underrated film from Quentin Tarantino, and also features his best opening credits sequence. It’s simple but striking, withPam Grieras the title character, standing on a moving walkway, all the whileBobby Womack’s"Across 110th Street” plays in the background.
It suits the calm, cool, stylish tone of the film perfectly. The confidence and simplicity demonstrate how Tarantinowas maturing, that this film would be a more subdued affair than what came before, and that it wouldn’t sacrifice entertainment or style in the process.
Enter The Void(2009)
One ofGaspar Noe’smost extreme and controversial films (and that’s saying something)Enter The Voidconveys the abrasive and disturbing experience to come in a way that’s both aggressive and minimal.
While there’s no graphic or disturbing imagery on display (that comes later in the film), there is loud music, flashing lights, and titles that might cause your eyes to strain if you’re not prepared. It almost serves as a warning too, as if to tell anyone disturbed or shaken by the film’s opening minutes that they should maybe tap out to avoid the following film full of drugs, death, trauma, and existential despair.
Guardians of the Galaxy(2014)
James Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxyopening credits perfectly establish right away that this was going to be anew kind of Marvel movie. Indeed,Guardians of the Galaxyand the other MCU release from 2014 -Captain America: The Winter Soldier- were two well-needed shots in the arm that reassured audiences the franchise was capable of more variety than what had come before.
Right from the start, the tone is goofy and playful, serving as a great introduction to the world of the film and its protagonist, Starlord. Add to that the introduction of the classic 70s music that would define the series. It stands as one of the most simple and memorable opening credits of any MCU film.
Once Upon A Time In The West(1968)
Once Upon a Time in The Westis a contemplative, slow-paced, and consistently tense spaghetti western, and something like an elegy for both “the old west” and the western genre as a whole. It’s hard to imagine a better way to set up all that than the opening credits sequenceSergio Leonedirected here, with three shady men waiting at a deserted train station for the man they want to kill.
It takes guts to haveEnnio Morriconeconduct one of his best scores, not to use it in the opening credits, and have that choice work, but that’s what Leoneachieved here. While the rest of the film is fantastic, this is arguably its most iconic individual scene and is a great preview of how it feels to watch the rest of the epic western to come.
Zack Snyder’sArmy of The Deadis abig, messy, ambitious, and sometimes quite funzombie/heist film. However, far and away its best scene is the opening credits, which depicts Las Vegas being overrun by zombies in the early days of an outbreak, establishing why the city looks the way it does for the rest of the film.
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Many viewers wished this had been a bigger part of the film. The event in the opening credits is on a more epic scale of what’s to come, and a whole film about zombie hordes taking over Vegas may have been even more fun than the heist/survival film we got. Still, at least viewers have those amazing opening credits in all their stylized, gory, beautiful glory.
Mean Streets(1973)
NotMartin Scorsese’svery first movie inhis huge filmography, but the first to get him real attention,Mean Streetsis a confident and authentic crime-drama right from the start. As the opening credits begin, an old projector is shown playing what looks like home movies of the film’s characters, humanizing and making real these fictional people who are revealed to be less than perfect.
It shows Scorsese’slove of movies and givesMean Streetsan introspective and personal feel right away, and featuring the song “Be My Baby” byThe Ronettescertainly helps. Scorsesewould later use a similar technique inRaging Bull’shome video sequence to a similar emotional effect.
The Shining(1980)
It’s certainly not fair to callThe Shining’sopening credits the best scene in the film. It’s too iconic a horror film and is absolutely packed with classic sequences, all bolstered byStanley Kubrick’sprecise direction, great acting, and an unbearably terrifying atmosphere.
Yet that atmosphere is something that’s established in the film’s opening credits. The tiny car driving through the countryside as some unusual music plays should be beautiful and serene, but something feels very wrong, or even cursed right from the start. Its impact is subtle but potent and puts viewers in a sense of strange discomfort that will only become more and more unnerving asThe Shininggoes on.
