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You may remember last month we discussed the best opening title sequences from TV shows. That was fun! There are so many good ones, so many more than ten! So I thought it would be fun to do that again, but with opening MOVIE credits. These have to be even more special, I think, because it’s not like you see them every week. Unless you watch the movie every week, which I assume you do not. Generally you see them once or twice or however many times you watch the movie, and then they either stick with you because they are the besssssst or they don’t because they are the woooooorst. I’m basically a film/art critic first and then a blog writer/youtube clip gatherer second, is what I’m trying to say. So let’s talk about some of them that are THE BEST! I can hardly wait.
Blue Valentine
I love this title sequence! I thought Blue Valentine was a very good movie, not the best movie I’ve ever seen in my life but very good nonetheless, but something that really stuck out about it was how beautiful it LOOKED. Including and starring this title sequence. Great. Great job.
Dr. Strangelove
This is one that I know about mostly due to popular opinion. There are going to be a few like that on this list. Not that I’m not a Dr. Strangelove fan (which I’m not, really, but not that I dislike it in any way), but I’m aware that this title sequence exists and is very cool because lots of people are aware that it exists and is very cool. And it is very cool!
Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can is a great movie, I don’t care what you say. And this title sequence is perfect!
The Shining
The Shining is one of my all time favorite movies. I might be biased because of that. But, this is perfect so it probably doesn’t matter.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a movie that, to be honest, I haven’t even seen all of. I had a roommate once who owned it on DVD and we watched some of it once but, I don’t know, either we didn’t finish or I just don’t remember. Not to knock this movie at all, it could be the greatest movie of all time for all I know. I just DON’T know. But what I DO know is that this title sequence is amazing and done by Danny Yount, who we talked about last time, and who also did the title sequences for Six Feet Under, Pushing Daisies, Iron Man, etc. He’s great!
Vertigo
This is another popular opinion one for me. People talk about it when you bring up movie title sequences at every party, and they bring it up with good reason.
Flight Club
Hahah, YES! I feel slightly foolish including Fight Club but then on the other hand no I do not. It absolutely rules. How much are you ever going to know about yourself if you don’t love the opening credits to Fight Club, right? Classic quote.
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
I know this isn’t like the rest of the choices. It’s just words. But also. THE MUSIC! And also, just the plain words! And also THE BREAKFAST MACHINE THAT COMES AFTER THEM! I will not back down from this choice, this is a very good choice.
Delicatessen
I saw this movie in college and I have never seen it again, but I did remember the credits because LOOK AT THEM!
Seven
And with this we’ve met our mandatory weekly quota of Seven references, thank you and goodnight!
Now your turn! What do you think!
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Say what you will about the film itself, but the titles for Watchmen are insanely perfect.
http://vimeo.com/5430149
if only the film were just those first few minutes. Zach Snyder really is a great music video director.
I love that the very first scene is Owl Guy saving Bruce Wayne’s parents, effectively erasing Batman from the timeline (though the Batman and Robin posters on the wall are confusing.)
P.S. Owl Guy is what his friends called him. I think.
agreed – if the film ended after those credits i would not have asked for my money back.
I realize that Kelly is not a big sci-fi head, and that this is a cliche at this point and utterly predictable of me, but Star Wars has one of the truly awesome opening sequences of all time.
It was pretty great on its own, but I think overexposure and countless parodies have dulled the effect quite a bit.
Definitely. But I bet that kid from the Vader/Luke reaction video the other day practically wets his pants with excitement when it comes on.
Duh y’all: Troop Beverly Hills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNLwUxNOdiQ
Yikes. The animation was pretty cool, but I couldn’t get past that song.
It’s the Beach Boys! (nostalgia makes me love it)
Jaws. Under water, the camera taking the shark’s point of of view, and that music…
Troop Beverly Hills wuz robbed.
THANK YOU!
It’s always cookie time.
Bruce Willis stars in a movie called “Hostage.” It had an opening title sequence that kinda overwhelmed the rest of the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRu5CNv2fVE
I’ve also always enjoyed the Royal Tenenbaums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feDB5Co3398&feature=related
I checked this because I was thinking, “Catch Me If You Can” better be here or I will write off this whole list! Crisis averted. I can now enjoy the rest of the list.
Blues Brothers, no duhhhhhh.
What was that one Muppets movie? I can’t remember, one of the good ones anyway, but the whole opening title sequence, the Muppets were providing commentary. That was great!
Yes! The Great Muppet Caper! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru8mxxVcPFg
Do the Right Thing.
http://youtu.be/dyDWNT0TnZE
CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDAV_fUWGeY
Looked at the first nine entries. Thought “the tenth better be Seven or Imma start some shit in the comments”. it was Seven. I’m a happy lad.
Good list! Personally, on the Hitchcock side, I love the credits for North by Northwest.
Bum badabum bum badabum BUM BUM BUM!
I CAN HAZ VERTIGO ON BLU REY PLEEZ?
Ug, yes. I love my North by Northwest bluray, where are the rest of my Hitchcock films!?
North by Northwest looks SO GOOD on Blu Ray, like it was shot yesterday.
Still haven’t seen the movie, but I remember hearing a lot about Gasper Noe’s “Enter the Void” opening credits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPxgi-PiNFE
Looks like Kanye straight up ripped off this concept for “All of the Lights”
See the movie! You might love it or you might hate it, but you should see it!
It has a fantastic “climax”.
Paz de la Huerta is in that movie so you are taking that phrase into a whole new territory, That One.
It felt so long and repetitive at times and gave me a headache half-way through and bordered on ridiculous at every turn – but I really liked it.
It’s a movie completely sold out to being batshit crazy in every way – visually, conceptually… Noe doesn’t do subtlety, but he does grab you by the neck and drag you on a pseudo-philosophical trip through an acid soaked Tokyo. Which is pretty fun at times!
YES. So amazing.
Spider-Man 2′s were pretty great: http://youtu.be/iSDU2tu7rpk
American Psycho had a pretty good opening title sequence. It’s one of the only ones I can actually remember.
Along the vein of Watchmen, Zombieland, anyone?
I second this one.
Agreed. My FIRST thought when I saw this. Love that opening.
As with Pee-Wee, a lot of opening sequences with Danny Elfman doing the score are, by law, very good.
Enter The Void. http://youtu.be/dL0lNGXoP8E
Voido Darko
Dan Aykroyd’s Unplugged on UFOs
It’s also worth noting that the title card does not match the actual title of the movie.
The Player feels kind of artless looking at it right now (I hate Altman’s zooms, but they probably do what they’re supposed to do: remind everyone it’s a movie), but the dialogue is great and from a technical standpoint it’s superfun.
Zac Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead Remake’s titles on their own were better than any full length feature that year – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G2YAtFeVOM Johnny CASH!!!
Ooh yeah this sequence makes that song spooky to hear to this day.
PULP FICTION
Thank You For Smoking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcogRbNIbCs&feature=fvst
Vacancy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y17X8cdyrrA
Royal Tenenbaums
Enter The Void should DEFINITELY be here. I also enjoy the title sequence to the following movies. Luckily every one of the movies I thought of had been compiled on this excellent site dedicated specifically to credits sequences. They also do TV show credits. Here’s my selections:
American Splendor
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/03/31/american-splendor/
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (includes opening scene, but I’m specifically talking about the credits)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2011/01/03/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world/
Edward Scissorhands (better than Pee-Wee, but that’s obvious)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/12/26/edward-scissorhands/
Monty Python & The Holy Grail
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2009/09/14/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail/
Up In The Air
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2010/03/10/up-in-the-air/
Zombieland
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2010/04/05/zombieland/
Harold and Maude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3taMrJZ6p8&feature=fvst
Oh, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail!
Often imitated, never duplicated, Reservoir Dogs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzMpH9jjo4w
I just noticed there is a “Glen Beck” in Dr. Strangelove. Does that explain everything? That might explain everything.
No James Bond or Pink Panther movies? Those films have the epitome of title sequences I think. Of recent movies, I really like Panic Room’s titles. It was the first time I had seen the giant words hanging in the air thing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqIclb4qsJI
Those were actually the first one’s I thought of. The pink panther openings were some of my favorites.
Casino Royale’s opening credits are a blast. (As is the rest of the movie.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfc9GLxlhEw
The Third Man.
See:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4JpDUMXBqo
David Lynch’s Dune has a fantastic opening sequence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ7DkBFjLRI&feature=related
The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Admittedly things go downhill pretty fast after the Timewarp, but the intro is stellar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5MHNvOVl8Y
The Fall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhARR-zmTCE
Touch of Evil.
Do the Right Thing. “Introducing Rosie Perez” *I*’ll say!
http://youtu.be/gDgPeJBHuUM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDgPeJBHuUM&feature=related
has no one suggested Raging Bull, yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhwi8kk-dE
This is the best. There is no way around it.
Beetlejuice. The first time I saw it and realized it was a town model, my young mind was blown. Also, Danny Elfman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaCYL04Kd8g
Danny Elfman did do give us a lot of good openings. Oh and I thought of this (erm, NSFW)
Ah! Here? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px2peQrLCsk&feature=related
This is a really good idea for a thread. A great idea actually.
Can I say that I love the Funny Games opening credits without getting a shoe thrown at me?