What makes a great opening sequence is a personal thing, of course, but when a movie grabs your attention from the opening frame, knocks you out of your seat or even grinds you into it, you tend to remember it very fondly.
There are the obvious choices: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Apocalypse Now. And the ones where the movie did not live up to the opening, like Saving Private Ryan.
And then there are those announce that the movie you're about to see is going to be something really special.
The list below is not meant to be definitive or exhaustive, just an example of a few of my favorites.
8 1/2
Blue Velvet
The perfect cinema metaphor, the king of allegorical opening sequences.
Underground
The Wild Bunch
Nostalghia
Once Upon a Time in the West
The Battle of Algiers
In a scant 2:30 minutes, Pontecorvo sets up the story. Without showing any violence, we know what the prisoner has gone through.
Touch of Evil
Unquestionably one of the most marvelous, intoxicating openings in cinema history.
Goodfellas
Dr. Strangelove
Full Metal Jacket
Tokyo Drifter
Raising Arizona
Turn to the right!
Pulp Fiction
Fargo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI_4wvBHkrw
Memento
The Hurt Locker
Trainspotting
Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?
There Will Be Blood
PT Anderson knows how to open a film.
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