A lot of movies start with a bang by delivering unforgettable cold opens which sum up what they’re all about. This is something that’s most often associated with action movies, but there are also great examples from horror movies, crime thrillers, war movies and much more.
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A good cold open is designed to excite audiences and grab their attention from the very beginning, but they should also introduce some key details about the characters involved and tease some elements of the story. If a cold open can combine all these elements, it can be impossible to forget.
You are watching: 10 Movie Cold Opens That We’ll Remember Forever
10
Jaws (1975)
The First Attack Sets Up An Engrossing Thriller
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Jaws
PG-13
Adventure
Horror
Thriller
10/10
34
9/10
Release Date
June 18, 1975
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Runtime
124 minutes
Director
Steven Spielberg
Writers
Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, John Milius, Howard Sackler, Robert Shaw
Cast
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-
Roy Scheider
-
Robert Shaw
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Jaws was the highest-grossing movie of all time for a few years, and it helped invent the idea of the summer blockbuster. Its nerve-shredding appeal is evident from its very first scene, as Steven Spielberg wastes no time introducing the peril that lies beneath the waves. Jaws is loosely based on a true story, but Spielberg begins by making the shark seem like an unknowable monster.
The shark’s unseen presence in the cold open gives it an almost supernatural aura.
The low angles of the shark’s POV and the iconic, dread-inducing music both work to make the attack on Chrissie Watkins an attention-grabbing intro. Jaws takes its time to actually show the shark on screen, and its unseen presence in the cold open gives it an almost supernatural aura.
9
The Matrix (1999)
Trinity’s First Fight Demonstrates A Unique Style Of Action
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The Matrix
R
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi
9/10
75
9.2/10
Release Date
March 31, 1999
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Runtime
136 minutes
Director
Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Writers
Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Cast
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Keanu Reeves
-
Laurence Fishburne
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The Matrix shook up the sci-fi genre, and this begins with the opening scene. After the iconic green lines of code, The Matrix opens in the middle of a thrilling action featuring Trinity trying to escape from several Agents. Her flying crane kick gives a taste of The Matrix‘s revolutionary approach to action.
The Matrix uses its sci-fi premise to create some remarkable action scenes that push wire-fu into new territory. The stunts and dynamic choreography are complemented by the Wachowskis’ willingness to dip into their bag of tricks, with bullet-time sequences and whip pans adding even more excitement. The cold open sets the agenda while kicking the story into motion.
8
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Quentin Tarantino’s War Fantasy Begins With A Masterpiece Of Tension
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Inglourious Basterds
R
Drama
War
Adventure
8/10
12
8.8/10
Release Date
August 21, 2009
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Runtime
153 minutes
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Writers
Quentin Tarantino
Cast
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Brad Pitt
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Diane Kruger
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Inglourious Basterds is arguably Quentin Tarantino’s best movie. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that it ends with Lt. Aldo Raine proclaiming that he has just created his masterpiece. The opening scene is the first glimpse of brilliance, as it sets up the revenge plot while working on its own as a superbly-acted one-act drama.
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12
Hans Landa’s visit to the farmhouse displays a lot of what makes Tarantino such a special filmmaker. Of course, his fascinating dialogue is in full flow, often running counter to the seriousness of the situation. It’s also excruciatingly tense and masterfully crafted. Christoph Waltz’s performance is also worthy of praise.
7
The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan Introduces Batman’s Most Famous Enemy In Style
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The Dark Knight
PG-13
Drama
Action
Crime
Thriller
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Superhero
10/10
88
9.6/10
Release Date
July 16, 2008
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Runtime
152 minutes
Director
Christopher Nolan
Writers
Christopher Nolan, Bob Kane, Jonathan Nolan, David S. Goyer
Producers
Benjamin Melniker, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Kevin De La Noy, Michael Uslan
Cast
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-
Christian Bale
Bruce Wayne
-
Heath Ledger
Joker
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There are a few things which make The Dark Knight stand out as the best film in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is an obvious positive, and Nolan introduces him in style with a show-stopping cold open that demonstrates the Joker’s intelligence, ruthlessness and unhinged depravity.
The elaborate bank heist has the potential to be stretched out into an entire movie, but Nolan merely uses it as an intro for the Joker’s warped criminal philosophy. While the Dark Knight trilogy introduced plenty of crime tropes and conventions to the superhero genre, the cold open in The Dark Knight highlights that the Joker is not a common criminal by any means.
6
Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese’s Stylish Crime Saga Shows Henry’s Origins
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Goodfellas
R
Drama
Crime
10/10
27
9/10
Release Date
September 19, 1990
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Runtime
145 minutes
Director
Martin Scorsese
Writers
Martin Scorsese, Nicholas Pileggi
Producers
Barbara De Fina
Cast
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-
Ray Liotta
Henry Hill
-
Robert De Niro
James Conway
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Goodfellas is packed with memorable quotes, starting with the very first scene. Henry says “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster“, which creates a moment of incongruity with the grim scene of him and his associates pulling over on the highway to stab and shoot the man in the trunk of their car.
The cold open sets up an intriguing mystery, and it’s immensely satisfying to see this paying off later when Tommy’s unbridled rage rears its head. It’s also a great introduction to the fast-paced swagger of Martin Scorsese’s gangster classic. No amount of nonchalant chatter can mask the bleak violence of the three men, bathed in the harsh red light of the car’s tail lights.
5
X2: X-Men United (2003)
Nightcrawler’s Attack On The White House Is A Great Opener
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X2: X-Men United
PG-13
Adventure
Action
Sci-Fi
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Superhero
29
8.4/10
Release Date
April 27, 2003
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Runtime
133 minutes
Director
Bryan Singer
Writers
Dan Harris, David Hayter
Producers
Avi Arad, Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Stan Lee
Cast
See All
-
Hugh Jackman
Logan / Wolverine
-
Patrick Stewart
Professor Charles Xavier
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X2: X-Men United opens with one of the franchise’s most exciting action scenes, as Nightcrawler infiltrates the White House and leaves a path of destruction all the way to the Oval Office. It’s a great showcase of his unique powers, and Bryan Singer’s snappy direction works well with Nightcrawler’s teleportation.
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As well as providing the audience with an early shot of adrenaline, the cold open to X2 also teases the broader themes of the movie, since Nightcrawler leaves a knife with a message of mutant liberation on the president’s desk. It’s a mystery at this point why Nightcrawler is carrying out the attack, and the shock of this scene allows X-2 to then delve into some slower scenes that flesh out the characters.
4
Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade (1989)
Indy’s Origins Are Tied To His Legacy
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
pg-13
Adventure
Action
9/10
24
9.5/10
Release Date
May 24, 1989
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Runtime
127 Minutes
Director
Steven Spielberg
Writers
George Lucas, Philip Kaufman, Jeffrey Boam, Menno Meyjes
Producers
Arthur F. Repola, Frank Marshall, George Lucas
Cast
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-
Harrison Ford
Indiana Jones
-
Sean Connery
Professor Henry Jones
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade wraps the original trilogy up by having Indy literally ride off into the sunset with his friends. While this ending would be overly sentimental and unoriginal in many other movies, it feels earned in The Last Crusade, partly because the cold open presents a thematic link to the end.
The opening scene of a young Indy getting tangled up in his first dangerous adventure is like an Indiana Jones short film, with just as much nail-biting action and crowdpleasing humor. As well as being a great way of grabbing the audience’s attention, it also sets up the movie’s exploration of Indy’s life and legacy, and his peculiar relationship with his father.
3
Baby Driver (2017)
Edgar Wright’s Heist Thriller Starts With An Explosive Action Scene
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Baby Driver
R
Action
Comedy
Crime
9/10
8.5/10
Release Date
June 28, 2017
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Runtime
113 minutes
Director
Edgar Wright
Writers
Edgar Wright
Cast
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Jamie Foxx
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Jon Hamm
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Baby Driver is based on an idea that Edgar Wright first explored in a music video for an indie band many years earlier. The cold open demonstrates Wright’s evolution as a filmmaker in the intervening years. It also shows how much fun he can have with a much bigger budget, as he creates an unforgettable chase scene that introduces his protagonist.
Baby Driver‘s stylish soundtrack is vital to the story, since it shows how Baby disappears into his own private fantasy world. The cold open begins with sound before any images to illustrate this point, and the chase scene is accompanied by the freewheeling, zany fun of “Bellbottoms” by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. This makes the perfect soundtrack to an endlessly inventive chase scene.
2
Children Of Men (2006)
Alfonso Cuarón’s Thriller Starts With A Blend Of Action And Worldbuilding
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Children of Men
R
Action
Drama
Science Fiction
10/10
Release Date
January 5, 2007
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Runtime
109 minutes
Director
Alfonso Cuarón
Writers
David Arata, Hawk Ostby, Timothy J. Sexton, Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Fergus
Cast
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-
Julianne Moore
-
Clare-Hope Ashitey
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Children of Men may have been a commercial flop at the time, but it’s since been recognized as an influential and exciting sci-fi thriller. The cold open sums up a lot of what makes Children of Men so unique, as it combines some fascinating worldbuilding with Alfonso Cuarón’s flair for fast-paced action.
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The pacing of the opening scene is also admirable, as it bursts into life just as the audience is getting acquainted with the main character and the unusual world he inhabits. It’s an early indication of the kind of violence and instability that runs rampant, filmed in one long take like many of the film’s most exciting scenes.
1
Scream (1996)
Drew Barrymore Leaves A Lasting Impression
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Scream
R
Crime
Horror
Mystery
22
9/10
Release Date
December 20, 1996
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Runtime
111 minutes
Director
Wes Craven
Writers
Kevin Williamson
Sequel(s)
Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scream, Scream 6
Cast
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-
Drew Barrymore
-
Kevin Patrick Walls
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Scream is a satirical slasher that deconstructs the genre’s many excesses and quirks, often by having the characters make blatant references to them. However, it has to back this sarcastic angle up by proving that it can also be just as scary as the films it’s poking gentle fun at. The opening scene with Drew Barrymore is a tense and unpredictable sequence that states Scream‘s credentials.
It’s no wonder that cold open kills have become a tradition in the franchise ever since.
As well as providing an early scare to grab the audience’s attention, the cold open to Scream also helps to set up the central mystery of who Ghostface really is. It’s no wonder that cold open kills have become a tradition in the franchise ever since. While Scream 7 is still shrouded in mystery, fans will expect another great cold open.
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