best opening/closing sequence (1 Viewer)

[La La]

funnily enough, my favourite opener and closer happen to be in the same movie - The Mission.

which is probably my favourite movie of all time.

why I like the opener
cinematography-wise, the strength of this film lies on the back of the crucifixion scene at the beginning. the priest's expression is unyieldingly stoic - and i find that a little jarring but hugely effective. he just lies on that cross, unflinching, and the way he falls down the waterfall - the way his back arches and he and the cross almost become one with the water - it's quite possibly the finest thing captured on screen i think. incredibly breathtaking and very engaging.

why I like the closer
after the noise of gunfire and sight of people being systematically gunned down, in the wake of all teh fighting and death, the scene in which the Guarani children quietly get into the boat and slowly paddle away is so powerful - you think of the innocence of these few who survived and what they witnessed - what will happen to them in the jungle? i love it. beautiful way to tie up an incredible film I think.

anyway I was watching t for teh gazillionth time the other day and that's what got me thinking about really good openers and closers - i find it hard to get into a movie if the opening scene is on the weak side, and i feel like a good film hasn't been justified is it's not supported by a great closer.

this stuff is important, damnit!

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(on a completely different level, the opening 20 mins of full metal jacket are some of the best in cinema history too i think)

 

[flashback]

Saving Private Ryan had a fairly fucking amazing opening scene.
I saw it in some new cinema in Cork, that had a tricked out sound system. Mother of god. You just sort of went in, sat down, and fucking held on.

The opening scene in the first Matrix is impressive enough too. And Bladerunner... I dunno, the whole shit flying about, looking cool and dingy and huge.

 

[pete]

why I like the opener
cinematography-wise, the strength of this film lies on the back of the crucifixion scene at the beginning. the priest's expression is unyieldingly stoic - and i find that a little jarring but hugely effective. he just lies on that cross, unflinching, and the way he falls down the waterfall - the way his back arches and he and the cross almost become one with the water - it's quite possibly the finest thing captured on screen i think. incredibly breathtaking and very engaging.

the stuntman who did that is bronco mcloughlin, who also did all mrs doyle's stunts in father ted.

 

[La La]

the stuntman who did that is bronco mcloughlin, who also did all mrs doyle's stunts in father ted.

ha!

remember the rumour that the stuntman who did that scene died making it? was never sure if it was true.

god knows how they did it - must've been a tense moment on set......

 

[pete]

Best opener ever is the first few seconds of any star wars film. That logo + music = me aged 7 again.

Gets me every time.

 

[evil bandit]

The fisrt thing that sprung to mind when you mentioned intros was Star Wars. Other one of note are the 'Dawn of the Dead' remake, 'Irreversible' (or would that be classed as an opening?!?!?!?) Magnolia, Saving Private Ryan, Sunset Boulivard and Blade 2.

As for my favourite closings well that's gotta be 'The Empire Strikes Back' such a downer Han in carbonite, Luke losing a hand and finding out that Darth is his father. Other shouts go to Le Heine, Memento (or would that be classed as a begining?!?!?!?), Usual Suspects, Terminator 2, Shawshank Redemption, The Elephant Man and Das Experiment.

 

[Yurn!]

Best Opening - House 2: The Second Story

Best Closing - The Next Karate Kid.

 

[george mcfly]

best opening: An American Werewolf in London. i love the way it feels like the guys have stumbled into a Hammer Horror film when they walk into the bar and all the little hints at superstition and mythology. "stick to the roads lads..". it's just creepy

joint best closing scene: buffalo '66, any film that ends in a strip bar with YES playing is ok by me.

and
the closing scene of The Elephant Man with Adagio for strings playing in the background

 

[Wilbert]

Best Opening - Raising Arizona. So much happens before the credits even come in. Really hilarious and energetic filmmaking. When the cop asks Nathan Arizona what his sons pyjamas were like when he was kidnapped; "I don't know?!?!? They had yoda's 'n shit on them!"

Best Closing - Maybe Glengarry Glen Ross. The scene between Lemmon and Spacey is unbelievable.

 

[Thebeard]

Opening: Lost In Translatio-Scarlett Johanssons bottom.

Closing: Love Liza- Philip Seymore Hoffman walking down the road to Jim O' Rourkes Good Times. Sniff Sniff

 

[therealjohnny]

Opening: Lost In Translatio-Scarlett Johanssons bottom.

seminal

 

[M. Stratosphere]

Openingwise, for Credits it would be Ragging Bull or North by North West
opening scene would be Once Upon a Time in the West, the bit he catchs the fly in his gun is classic.

 

[Wilbert]

seminal

We have a winner!

 

[HMD]

my favorite ending is still the devils rejects
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_6Ks2fKNw0[/MEDIA]

 

[george mcfly]

my favorite ending is still the devils rejects
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_6Ks2fKNw0

yep, fucking amazing!

 

[RSJ]

Best opening: Super Troopers. Obvi!!

 

[george mcfly]

you need to check out the opening to this motherfucker

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The Stuntman

 

[P. Littbarski]

i always thought the closing scene of Monsters Ball, when Halle and Billy Bob are sitting on the porch was a very subtle yet powerful ending to a film..for some reason it really resonated with me and it's one of my favourite scenes form any film I have seen...i'm not sure what it is..the contented resignation of both characters maybe...that even though life has been pretty crap and complicated for both of them, that at least they have found a flicker of hope and empathy within each other...i dunno, i just thinks its an amazing ending to an excellent film.

 

[Wilbert]

i always thought the closing scene of Monsters Ball, when Halle and Billy Bob are sitting on the porch was a very subtle yet powerful ending to a film..for some reason it really resonated with me and it's one of my favourite scenes form any film I have seen...i'm not sure what it is..the contented resignation of both characters maybe...that even though life has been pretty crap and complicated for both of them, that at least they have found a flicker of hope and empathy within each other...i dunno, i just thinks its an amazing ending to an excellent film.

In a similar-ish vein, the ending of Big Night is just amazing.

 

[Wilbert]

Also, the opening scene of Jonathan Glazers movie Birth is just amazing. It is a long tracking scene where the camera is following a guy jogging through Central Park. It has been ripped off for some crappy ad recently.

The music is also great.


Thanks, La La!! This thread is all I can think of now!