The 1970s were a great decade for film, and some classics gripped their audience from the very first scene. Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Dario Argento and Steven Spielberg all produced some iconic moments before their stories really got going. There have been great opening scenes in hundreds of movies, but the 1970s may have produced more than the average decade.
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Opening scenes can set the atmosphere for a movie from the very first minute, as well as grabbing the audience’s attention. Some directors use this opportunity to introduce their main characters in interesting ways, like how The Godfather focuses on Vito Corleone, or how Enter the Dragon gives Bruce Lee a chance to show off his martial arts skills early on. A good opening scene can get an audience on board with a movie in an instant.
10 The Exorcist (1973)
Father Merrin’s Expedition Doesn’t Fit With The Rest Of The Exorcist
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9/10 10/10 The Exorcist
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*Availability in US Director William Friedkin Release Date December 26, 1973 Cast Max Von Sydow , Linda Blair , Lee J. Cobb , Ellen Burstyn , Jason Miller , Kitty Winn , Jack MacGowran
The Exorcist is known for its shocking scenes, but it starts off fairly slowly. The long build-up to Regan’s possession could feel a little tedious if not for the opening scene, which adds a layer of mystery to everything that happens in Washington D.C. The Exorcist opens thousands of miles from Washington, as Lankester Merrin takes part in an archaeological expedition in Iraq. He finds an occult talisman, shortly before he sees a vision of a beast.
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Throughout the long scenes that show Chris and Regan’s ordinary life in Washington, it’s hard to forget the initial shock of the opening scene. The mystery of how it relates to the main plot hangs over everything until Father Merrin finally makes a reappearance. The first scene builds up the legend of his character before he visits Chris and Regan, so he’s a perfect mentor for Father Karras.
9 Enter The Dragon (1973)
Bruce Lee Wastes No Time Showcasing His Skills
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10/10 Enter the Dragon
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*Availability in US Director Robert Clouse Release Date August 19, 1973 Cast Bruce Lee , John Saxon , Ahna Capri , Bob Wall , Shih Kien , Jim Kelly
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Released a few short weeks after his death, Enter the Dragon has become Bruce Lee’s most iconic movie. It shows the martial arts star at the peak of his powers, starting with the opening scene. Before the plot or the characters are made clear, Enter the Dragon shows Lee in one-on-one combat. This gives him a chance to show off his unbelievable skills, as well as his toned physique and his infectious swagger.
Enter the Dragon
‘s fight scenes often use wide shots and long takes to accentuate the techniques of the skilled martial artists on show.
Enter the Dragon‘s fight scenes often use wide shots and long takes to accentuate the techniques of the skilled martial artists on show. The opening fight isn’t just about delivering some hair-raising action, however. Since the scene serves as Lee’s introduction, it’s also a way to show his supreme confidence. Each time he sends his opponent to the ground, he stands above him as if he’s daring him to get back to his feet. Without saying a word, Lee reveals a lot about his character.
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8 Annie Hall (1977)
Woody Allen’s Comedy Breaks The Mold Immediately
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Annie Hall
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*Availability in US Director Woody Allen Release Date April 19, 1977 Cast Woody Allen , Diane Keaton , Tony Roberts , Carol Kane , Paul Simon , Shelley Duvall
Annie Hall has quite a jarring start for a comedy movie. It kicks things off with writer, director and star Woody Allen talking directly to the camera, as if he’s performing a stand-up routine. He’s in character as Alvy Singer, but since Alvy is also a middle-aged comedian with neurotic tendencies, it’s just like having Allen introduce his own movie with a few quick jokes about life and love.
It’s interesting that the first joke in
Annie Hall
is about how disappointing life is. This sets an unusual tone for a romcom.
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Allen’s narration continues throughout Annie Hall. By starting with such an eye-catching scene, it gives the whole movie the feel of an autobiographical stand-up routine. Strangely, this feels even more realistic than a standard comedy movie, simply because it acknowledges the artifice of the form. Allen was a successful stand-up before becoming a director. Wisdom dictates that comedians should start their act with their second strongest joke – saving the best until last – so it’s interesting that the first joke in Annie Hall is about how disappointing life is. This sets an unusual tone for a romcom.
7 Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Saturday Night Fever Is Much Darker Than Its Breezy Opening Scene Suggests
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8.8/10 Saturday Night Fever
Director John Badham Release Date December 16, 1977 Cast John Travolta , Karen Gorney , Barry Miller , Joseph Cali , Paul Pape , Donna Pescow , Bruce Ornstein , Val Bisoglio , Julie Bovasso
Saturday Night Fever was a huge box office success, and it helped to popularize disco music and culture. This starts with the very first scene, as the credits roll while Tony struts around Brooklyn to the sound of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. Simply by strolling along with a can of paint, stopping occasionally to check out women on the street or eat some pizza, Tony becomes an interesting character. It’s unclear where he’s going, why he has the paint, or why he exudes such confidence.
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Simply by strolling along with a can of paint, stopping occasionally to check out women on the street or eat some pizza, Tony becomes an interesting character.
John Travolta was nominated for an Academy Award for Saturday Night Fever. His dancing is one reason why, but he makes a case for himself starting with the opening scene. He manages to catch the eye and subtly raise a few questions. The camera mostly follows him from just below eye-level to accentuate his oversized confidence, but there are some other more unexpected shots thrown in to give the scene plenty of dynamism.
6 Suspiria (1977)
Argento Makes The Everyday Seem Overbearing
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Suspiria
Director Dario Argento Release Date August 12, 1977 Cast Jessica Harper , Stefania Casini , Flavio Bucci , Miguel Bosé , Barbara Magnolfi , Susanna Javicoli , Eva Axén , Alida Valli
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Dario Argento creates a tense, nervy atmosphere before anything truly frightening happens in Suspiria. He opens with a metallic clang and a harsh red light, but the interior shots in the airport are relatively serene. This gives way in fits and bursts, until the music kicks in and the driving rain traps Suzy Bannion. The drive to the academy reflects Suzy’s passage to a dark and supernatural world.
Argento manages to make banal situations seem terrifying throughout
Suspiria.
Argento manages to make banal situations seem terrifying throughout Suspiria. One of the earliest examples comes as Suzy leaves the airport. The close-up of the automatic door and the rapid, smooth movement produces the effect of a guillotine, contrasting the relative safety of the airport with the horrific reality of the life Suzy is about to step into. This creates a sense of dramatic irony, with the audience fearing for Suzy before she sees anything out of the ordinary.
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5 Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python Open With A Classic Back-And-Forth
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8/10 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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*Availability in US Director Terry Jones , Terry Gilliam Release Date May 25, 1975 Cast Michael Palin , John Cleese , Terry Jones , Graham Chapman , Terry Gilliam , Eric Idle
Like any of Monty Python’s movies, The Holy Grail doesn’t give newcomers a gentle welcome. Monty Python never water down their surreal style, so they tend to open their movies with a statement of intent that lets the audience know if they’re on board or not. The Holy Grail starts with the long-running visual gag of Arthur riding an invisible horse while his servant bangs a pair of coconuts together to make the sound of hooves crashing on the ground.
The idea is that wasting somebody’s time is hilarious, especially if that person is someone who’s paid to see a new Monty Python movie.
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Monty Python and the Holy Grail immediately draws attention to the visual joke with one of their trademark comedic exchanges. Monty Python’s dialogue-heavy sketches often use repetition, bathos and extreme, pedantic attention to detail. The core idea is that wasting somebody’s time is hilarious, especially if that person is someone who’s paid to see a new Monty Python movie. The conflicting attitudes of the two characters in the “swallow” sketch also underlines the way Monty Python makes fun of Arthurian legend, and all vaunted mythology by extension.
4 Apocalypse Now (1979)
Apocalypse Now Chooses The Perfect Song To Set The Mood
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10/10 10/10 Apocalypse Now
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*Availability in US Director Francis Ford Coppola Release Date August 15, 1979 Cast Marlon Brando , Martin Sheen , Robert Duvall , Frederic Forrest , Sam Bottoms , Laurence Fishburne
Francis Ford Coppola sets an uneasy tone at the start of Apocalypse Now with a dreamlike sequence that uses superimposing and slow-motion. The first shot shows some beautiful lush greenery, but it’s quickly consumed by smoke and fire. This is the perfect way to introduce the setting of the Vietnam War, but it can also be seen as an apt visual metaphor for the way that a human soul can be corrupted.
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The unsettling sequence is accompanied by “The End” by The Doors, which is a fantastic choice. Not only does the tone of the music provide an ominous backdrop, but the foreboding lyrics set the tone without being too on-the-nose. Coppola adds a few other touches to create the right atmosphere, like filming Captain Willard upside-down, and having the ceiling fan sync up with the noise of helicopter blades. Willard can’t escape the violence and chaos of the war, because it lives within his mind.
3 Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars Is Exciting From The First Minute
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10/10 29 8.7/10 Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
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*Availability in US Director George Lucas Release Date May 25, 1977 Cast Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Alec Guinness , David Prowse , James Earl Jones , Frank Oz , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , Peter Cushing
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The first Star Wars movie was an immediate sensation, and it grabs the audience’s attention from the very beginning. After the iconic crawl of text which quickly became a franchise mainstay, the camera pans down to reveal two spaceships in a dangerous pursuit. It has all the visual grandeur of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, but this scene is much faster, with frantic music and lasers being fired back and forth.
The opening chase provides some excitement before any of the characters even appear on screen.
The opening chase provides some excitement before any of the characters even appear on screen, and it sets the tone for the kind of swashbuckling sci-fi spectacle fans can expect. Once the scene moves inside the rebel ship, there is more action, as a group of storm troopers open fire on the rebel crew to make way for Darth Vader’s arrival. It’s the perfect introduction to such a formidable villain, but it also sets up an intriguing story.
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2 The Godfather (1972)
Don Corleone’s Introduction Sets The Tone Perfectly
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10/10 17 9.6/10 The Godfather
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*Availability in US Director Francis Ford Coppola Release Date March 24, 1972 Cast Marlon Brando , Diane Keaton , James Caan , Al Pacino , Robert Duvall
The cast of The Godfather is stacked full of incredible talent, including Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall, but Marlon Brando still manages to steal every scene he’s in. This starts with the very first scene, in which a man comes to Don Corleone on the day of his daughter’s wedding to ask for revenge against some men who abused his daughter. Thanks to Brando’s performance, what follows is an unforgettable character introduction.
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Brando is captivating as Don Corleone in his first scene, commanding the room with immense gravitas. Francis Ford Coppola uses a lot of long takes in the scene to keep the focus on his actors. There are also a few details which enhance the simple scene. For example, Coppola often hides Corleone’s eyes in shadow, creating an uncomfortable visage. Also, Corleone plays with a cat, showing a tender side while he exerts his power and discusses violent crime in such a casual manner.
1 Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg Opens Jaws With An Unforgettable Kill
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10/10 20 9.3/10 Jaws
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*Availability in US Director Steven Spielberg Release Date June 18, 1975 Cast Roy Scheider , Robert Shaw , Richard Dreyfuss , Lorraine Gary , Murray Hamilton , Carl Gottlieb
Some critics have described Jaws as a kind of slasher movie, and it’s clear to see why in the opening scene. Steven Spielberg starts Jaws off with a group of young people enjoying themselves by a bonfire on the beach, but two of the partygoers break off from the rest of the group and head toward the ocean. It’s then that John Williams’ iconic score kicks in, and Chrissie Watkins is dragged into the depths of the sea.
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The opening scene of Jaws uses POV shots from beneath Chrissie, so that the audience can see the danger closing in even before the shark is seen on camera. By choosing not to show the shark in this first attack, Spielberg makes the danger seem even more menacing, and possibly supernatural. Spielberg knows that the suggestion of the shark is more scary than the actual sight of it. Almost 50 years later, it still holds up as one of the director’s best scenes.
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