Even the best movies have their problems, and even bad movies often have a few good elementsnto them. The opening scenes of a movie are important, and there are plenty of movies that mess up this crucial point but manage to get almost everything else right.RELATED: Modern Movies That Parody ’80s Action FilmsA number of films have gotten positive reviews from critics and are even famous for their influence on their respective genre, but many of them failed at the box office. This is partly because the opening scenes were so poorly done, but also it was because of bad marketing, shoddy editing, or the dreaded curse of studio interference. The following films aren’t easy to start watching, but they’re worth making it through the first few scenes.
7 Dark City (1998)
This neo-noir science fiction movie got lost in the many other neo-noir science fiction films of the time. Dark City was never a fan favorite, but it got positive reviews from critics and presently has a dedicated fan base to back up its cult status.
The introduction, however, is off-putting, to put it mildly. It’s unclear as to why the character with the most annoying voice was chosen for this role, which is a completely superfluous, boring, and pointless scene of exposition in the form of narration. This bit also feels tacked on, as if Kiefer Sutherland came back for some voice acting later because the studio execs didn’t have any faith in the audience’s intelligence.
6 The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)
Granted, this is easier for viewers who have a lot of patience, along with some appreciation for Ennio Morricone’s mesmerizing and immersive soundtrack. The whole movie is a slow burn anyway, and director Sergio Leone isn’t the type to pander to his audience. The opening scene of this movie, though makes it a bad choice for anyone new to Westerns, as it encompasses all the genre’s negative stereotypes.
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It’s combined with the credits, which is also annoying, but the long, slow, agonizing few minutes that are cut in all kinds of ways make it seem a lot longer. It introduces the three main characters in a series of scenes, still shots, and musical numbers that would never get past the cutting room floor in today’s production room.
5 Apocalypse Now (1979)
This movie is a legend on so many levels, and stories and documentaries of the production are as much of a chaotic nightmare as the one depicted in the opening scenes of the movie. The war scenes in this film are terrifying, but Apocalypse Now opens up with a jarring scene of psychological horror which consists of one man versus a hotel room. It sets the tone for the movie, provided the viewer can get through it.
Part of the footage for this difficult sequence was up-cycled from the cutting room floor to deliberately create a washed-out, grainy look to mimic a dream or intoxication. Speaking of which, Martin Sheen was drunk during this sequence, and watching him stumble and gyrate through a bloody night of post-traumatic stress is emotionally taxing on the viewer.
4 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
In keeping with the general horror and mayhem of war movies, Saving Private Ryan raises the bar to a dizzying level right from the start. The movie opens with one of the most gruesome and taxing battles of World War II: D-Day, when the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy. Throughout the sequence, the visuals are stunningly, sickeningly, perfectly realistic.
That’s the point, which is one of the reasons these opening scenes, although difficult, deserve respect. The very beginning, which starts in a cemetery, is already trying, but when the flashbacks start viewers find out how much worse it can get. The viewer has to get through them to understand how Captain John H. Miller was able to save Private Ryan.
3 Tropic Thunder (2008)
What movie could have a more visceral opening scene than a war movie? How about a parody of a war movie? Tropic Thunder is a meta-drama, so it starts out by tricking the viewer with parody commercials and parody previews that come before the opening scene, which opens like a real war movie.
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War movies always seem to raise the bar when it comes to gore, and this is no different. It’s obvious that Ben Stiller and his fellow comedians had way too much fun in this scene lampooning almost every kind of bloody, disgusting, and gag-worthy war-related injury ever seen in these first few minutes. The laughter, though, makes it easier to take.
2 Dune (1984)
Whether David Lynch’s Dune could be considered “good” is a matter of opinion, but the movie does enjoy a dedicated, almost cult-like fan-following that would make Paul Atreides proud. Considering the work that went into features like sets and costuming, it actually has some positive things going for it — as long as the viewer can get past the introduction.
Here again, viewers face the deadly curse of opening narration. It’s unnerving enough that the camera is right in Princess Irulan’s face, but her introductory speech is also strange, which makes it worse. She stops at a reasonable point and seems to fade out, but the “forgets” something and fades back in again, then continues to talk for too long before the setting changes to the throne room of her father. Things really go off the rails when the Navigator shows up in his tank.
1 The Dark Crystal (1982)
The Dark Crystal is another cult classic with a dedicated fan base. If this movie had been marketed properly, the opening scene might not have been so weird and shocking for audiences. It’s dark and foreboding, filled with dark clouds and lightning, showing viewers a barren hellscape and a twisted castle. Following some dark and scary narration is the scene of the Emperor’s death. Even for adults, it’s pretty shocking watch him screaming as his body falls apart — never mind for a kid.
Wait, didn’t someone say there were Muppets in this movie? Well, even though it did come from the mind of Jim Henson, there’s no Miss Piggy or Grover roaming the halls of the mighty Skeksis. It’s a brilliant film, with some of the best, most daring, and creative practical effects ever made, as long as the opening doesn’t ruin it before it even starts.
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