Where Credit is Due

This is a bit of a departure, but I thought it seemed like a fun idea. It often seems one of the most overlooked aspects of many movies is the opening credit sequence. Granted, this is not without merit, since lots of movies don't even have opening credits these days, and there are many times when I would even agree that this is the right call. Cold opens can be awesome, and having text rolling across the screen for four minutes would only slow things down and break an audience's catharsis within the world of the movie. But there are also times when such a sequence can add an incredible amount to the experience of watching a movie. There are even occasions when it can debatably surpass the quality of the following feature altogether.

If you watch movies from before the mid-70's or so, you've probably noticed that not only do the actors, director, and studio get name-checked in the title cards, but so does seemingly every other person who worked on the movie, from the gaffer to the banana boy. I'm not sure if this was some sort of contractual obligation with the Hollywood unions or if it was just custom, but it seems almost without fail to have been the case. As such, there were no post film credits, just a simple "The End," with maybe one screen showing the actors' names. In very early movies, from the 30's and 40's, these were handled pretty matter-of-factly with a simple set of name cards. Maybe the text font or some appropriate background tune would try and set the scene, but little else. During the 50's and 60's, filmmakers began to experiment a little more, apparently realizing that the credits could be utilized to much greater effect, even be a part of the picture itself; they could be a tool, not simply a duty. Just look at most Hitchcock movies, which use a combination of visuals and music to help perfectly build an eerie mood, or the highly stylized opening to any Bond film, a tradition so popular it continues through today.

Since the 70's, most directors and editors it seems have simply picked which method works best for their particular project. Maybe a mere title, maybe a full blown segment, maybe nothing at all. This freedom to choose, combined with omnipresent improvements in technology, has allowed for increasingly innovative and effective movie openings in recent years.

And so without further ado (and if you have half an hour to burn), I present my top ten opening credit sequences. If you don't watch any others, I'll hope you'll at least view #1. (Note: as I wanted to recognize movies that were able to actually incorporate the credits in a cool way, these are all scenes that actually include credits, not just my favorite ten movie openings, as the latter would probably include films, such as Children of Men or The Dark Knight, that have gripping intros, but no credits.)

Honorable Mentions:

Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)- Borderline whether it can be included as it doesn't have any actual credits other than a title card. But d*mn if this isn't one powerful way to jumpstart a movie. The narration and incredible vocal range, the heavy eternal introspection, the murder, the social issues, and that incredible editing splicing together Clopin and the Arch-Deacon with lighning. D*mn it's good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-XONxvdq4Y
(On a similar animated plane, The Prince of Egypt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_cVUc0O5Dk )

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966)- Showcasing some pretty creative visuals, a very snappy pace, and perhaps the most whistled song of all time in Ennio Morricone's title theme, makes for a pretty memorable introduction to the movie. (Sorry for making you actually click a link, but embedding was disabled for some of these videos) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1AdYN0GeHk

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)- I've only seen this movie once, but I've never forgotten the opening, what really makes it is how sarcastic and overly cheery the bride and bridesmaids appear. It's like a Family Guy joke, where they actually carry it out for a full three minutes. I also think it's kind of cool that it's a completely stand alone scene featuring people we never see again, it's only thematically related to the rest of the film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c74BSImG4xM

Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)- While not very impressed with the movie itself (though learning the origin of "Time Warp," previously only known to me through marching band, was a fun surprise), there's something really mesmerizing and enjoyable about the opening number: The floating mouth, the stark colors, the sort of creepy, yet very catchy song.



10. The Hobbit (1977)- Part of this is definitely nostalgia, as I've been watching this movie since I was about five, but I really do love this opening. Made for TV though it may be, between the folksy song and the traditional animation there's something that seems so classic about it, it's almost like a tapestry. It also gets major kudos for silently moving the story forward, showing Bilbo's apprehension at beginning this quest and leaving his life of calm and leisure.


9. The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)- If you are a long time follower of my writings, this may sound familiar. Curiously, this marks third time that this rather nondescript movie has been a subject of my blogging. I don't love the movie, but I guess it's just one of those largely unknown flicks that I like to talk about simply for the very reason that most people don't know about it. On the whole it's decent, but one of the things I like most about it is, you guessed it, the opening credits. Sadly this was the only film whose credits I couldn't locate on Youtube. This is the song that plays: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ElqKqvi4ffY

The accompanying animation is sort of akin to a Terry Gilliam Monty Python bit, if taken more seriously. It has tiny little clips from silent nickelodeon era films layered on top of all sorts of other images and ads from the 1910's, while the camera is quickly panning around from one to another. It both builds excitement with that song, and helps the viewer get a better feel for the often overlooked time these characters are living in. Pretty good stuff.

8. Do the Right Thing (1989)- There isn't much to it, but darn if it doesn't get your attention. Whatever Rosie Perez may lack in vocal aesthetics, she certainly makes up for in dancing ability, and Public Enemy's "Fight the Power," is about the most fitting song ever made for this scene and the greater movie. Plus kids, look, there really is a reason Flava Flav is famous!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U35MvblI4og

7. Inside Man (2006)- We move from the controversial low-budget movie that put Spike Lee on the map to what is probably his most mainstream one (and my personal favorite). This is a perfect example of how to combine a cold opening and a subsequent credit sequence. The Clive Owen bit fantastically builds curiosity, and then the fabulous use of a head-bopping Bollywood song during the credits just helps serve to get the audience even more excited. This is exactly what a good opening should do, get the viewer so pumped up that they cannot wait for the film to begin. And don't worry, the following movie doesn't disappoint.


6. Zombieland (2009)- Taking a cue from Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland also manages to make a movie that, despite an incredibly dark premise and just as much gore and as many vicious zombies as any true zombie movie, is actually a pretty light comedy. To cope, the characters take sort of an arcade game approach, blasting away at the undead and finding creative ways to kill them. But this is not a parody of zombie movies, it's a zombie movie that just happens to be a comedy, the peril is real. Nowhere is that dark side more apparent then in this impressive credit number showing assorted people fending off zombie attacks in slo-mo, and out of context it would be pretty hard to believe this was a movie starring Abigail Breslin and Jessie Eisenberg. (And though a simple technique, I always think it's cool when the text appears three-dimensionally, parallel to the features in the movie). As with My Best Friend's Wedding the characters here are all people we never see again, it's just one heckuva way to prepare us for the ride ahead. (Fair warning, this one really is extremely graphic)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AFnThY472c

5. Superbad (2007)- Simplicity is the key behind this sequence. It's nothing more than the psychedelically colored silhouettes of our stars, Michael Cera and Jonah Hill, busting a move to some funky rhythms. Someone told me they just had the two of them dance in front of a camera for half an hour until they could piece together enough good footage; looks like it worked, and at a minute long it doesn't overstay it's welcome. Even the first time I saw it in theaters, I remember this scene just put me in such a happy mood, and the movie allowed me to stay there for the next 90 minutes. So maybe this ranking is partially clouded by larger positive connotations, but I personally think it's a pretty groovy time.

4. High Noon (1952)- I saw that this movie was going to be on TV a few years ago and decided I'd give it a chance, though my expectations were fairly mild. As soon as this song began though, I was sucked in like a magnet. The following movie didn't fully live up to the awesome bar I set after the magnificent credit sequence, but that doesn't tarnish that scene itself. It's so masterfully executed, the utter lack of diegetic sound, the slow gathering of three bandits waiting for a train, watching them ride in across the plain, and most of all, the sorrowful haunting drawl of Tex Ritter. This song was stuck in my head for weeks afterward, and for a time I considered it one of my five favorite songs ever. The cool way that it basically outlines the plot of the movie is just icing on the cake. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKLvKZ6nIiA

3. The Fall (2006)- Everything about this one is so awesome that elaborating on each bit would take far too much time. So, in bullet format-- Gorgeous Cinematography. Perfect music selection: Beethoven's 7th. Wonderfully strange images that force the audience, in addition to marveling at the aural and visual beauty, to pique their curiosity and try and piece together just what in the world is going on. I infinitely regret that I didn't see this in a movie theater. Plus, for real, how great is Beethoven's 7th? I didn't realize myself til, within a three month span recently, I saw this, The King's Speech, which uses it to underscore the final speech, and in Knowing, where it is used to accompany (spoiler alert!) nothing less than the end of the freaking world.

2. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)- Much like with Superbad (what a comparison eh?), less is more here, much more. It's essentially a one man violin overture that just keeps getting better and better, and the choice of scenery is also impeccable. I don't know why silhouettes are so beautiful but they are, especially at sunset (or is it sunrise? Ohhhhhhhh, I get it now). When I watched this for the first time since childhood a couple years ago and this sequence began, for the first five seconds I feared it would grow tiresome, but three minutes later I didn't want it to end. How many times do you say that about the opening credits? Screw the movie, let's see more of this soloist!


1. Watchmen (2009)- And so we come to number one, what I believe is probably the best opening credit sequence ever made. "But good sir, how can you make such a claim, having seen but a fraction of the movies in existence?" Well of course I can't know for certain, but I do think that in all likelihood there has never been a better one made. As discussed, before the 70's there were few real contenders, and I've probably seen a good majority of the most lauded films from the time since then, and I don't think I've even seen another that's come that close, to be honest. How's that for build up?

Full disclosure, I have never read the fabled graphic novel upon which the movie Watchmen is based, so I'm not sure if that impacts my feelings about this scene opposed to someone who has. That said, I found the credits, detailing the history of this vigilante crime-fighting team, to be, in a word, flawless. To truly tell the story of what happened to each of the crime fighters between 1940, when the scene begins, and the mid 80's, where it ends, would likely have taken far too much time in a film already pushing its limits, and besides that would probably have required some kind of series of distracting and/or corny flashbacks.

So, recognizing that time was at a premium, yet not wanting to discard this valuable piece of the story altogether, director Zach Snyder decided to tell their stories in a five minute series of ten seconds scenes during the credits. In addition to telling the history of the characters, it also simultaneously and movingly showcases all the major events in American history, or an alternate version of that history should the Watchmen have really existed (In this way it's sort of similar to the opening of X-Men: Wolverine, another good bit that just missed this list, but unlike Wolverine the rest of this movie is actually halfway decent). All of this is set to the tune of Bob Dylan's woefully fitting masterpiece, "The Times They Are a-Changin'." The last part that really helps sell it is the cool cinematography and editing. Most scenes are in slow-motion, and most are silent except for some background murmurs or the occasional gunshot, while the camera slowly strafes across the image. Don't take my word for it though, turn off the lights, full-screen it, and see for yourself: http://vimeo.com/38649608

Now that I've said my piece, who has some suggestions, what would you add the list?