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The Top Ten: Opening Shots of Films
From Westerns and films noir to space dramas: the first impressions that made movie history
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A lot of nominations for this one, but surprisingly few of them were single shots, which was my stipulation. The Sound of Music, for example, opens with a series of aerial shots of mountains cut together, culminating in the swoop down to Julie Andrews on the hillside, which cuts in turn to a mid-shot as she twirls. I’ve linked to YouTube clips from each title. In chronological order, then...
1. The Searchers, John Ford, 1956 (above). “John Ford loves a doorway,” said Adam Greves.
2. Touch of Evil, Orson Welles, 1958. The virtuoso one, a single three-minute shot, tracking backwards, introducing the characters and setting up the whole story. Nominated by Clive Davis, Joseph Owen and Guy Cudmore, who said: “There is a school of thought that this was the last of the great films noir.”
3. Barry Lyndon, Stanley Kubrick, 1975. A duel with pistols, seen from the distance. One duellist falls. Thanks to Bryan Blears.
4. Star Wars, George Lucas, 1977. Space, a spaceship, and a bigger spaceship that just keeps passing overhead. With great sound effects, even if there is no sound in space. “Obviously,” said Robertson Barley.
5. Apocalypse Now, 1979. Jungle. Helicopter. Flames. More helicopters (then, though this bit doesn’t count under my rules, fade to man in hotel room with fan). “By miles,” said Sam Freedman.
6. Rain Man, Barry Levinson, 1988. A Lamborghini sports car hanging from a crane appears to fly into the shot. Sorry, I can’t find who nominated this, but thank you.
7. The Player, Robert Altman, 1992. Eight-minute single shot tracking different characters talking about opening shots of movies. Jokingly self-referential, from Jon Hollis.
8. Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997. Camera swoops down on queue outside night club, follows a man in and tracks from character to character. Thanks to Adam Greves.
9. Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg, 1998. The cemetery scene, all one shot. Nominated by Dinah, who had the idea for this list.
10. Gravity, Alfonso Cuarón, 2013. Camera appears to be floating in space as shuttle approaches with astronauts working on it. Suggested by Simon James George.
An honourable mention for Andrew McKirgan, who nominated A Canterbury Tale, Powell and Pressburger, 1944: “The screen is totally black and only the characters’ voices are heard. They’re arriving at a station during an air-raid blackout.”
If you want more, there is a fine compilation of the opening shots of 35 films here.
Next week: More Moose Allain Jokes
Coming soon: Useless Words, such as guesstimate, listicle and neoliberal
The e-book of A Listellany: Miscellany of Very British Top Tens, From Politics to Pop is just £3.79. Your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, in the comments please, or to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk
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