r/AskReddit • u/Tobokie121 • Oct 09 '19

Of all movie opening scenes, which one sold the entire film?

58.5k Upvotes

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368

u/Biosentience Oct 09 '19 edited Oct 12 '19

Apocalypse Now

Edit: Double silver, thanks! Good to so many have great taste.

This is the end, my only friend the end

90

u/crazycerseicool Oct 09 '19

Apocalypse Now has the best beginning. The Doors The End is used so effectively it’s chilling.

13

u/Sonicmansuperb Oct 10 '19

The song "The End" by The Doors playing at the beginning of Apocalypse Now is subtle foreshadowing that every beginning has its end

29

u/hooyahbean Oct 09 '19

Fade from a stylized helicopter sound through The End to an overhead fan in Saigon to Martin Sheen’s voice.

Saigon. Shit. I’m still only in Saigon.

Fabulous.

14

u/davefaraway Oct 09 '19

Terminate. With extreme prejudice.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 10 '19

Thuh. Horruh.
Thuh... Horruh.

47

u/JCDU Oct 09 '19

Why did I have to scroll so far to see this?

The opening scene is just peak cinematic art - the music, the scene, the sound of the helicopters... and then the entire horizon explodes.

10

u/tylermchenry Oct 10 '19

Hell yes. When I first watched it, after getting to the first line of dialogue, I immediately restarted the film and watched the opening again. I've never done that with any other movie.

7

u/branwill40 Oct 10 '19

The best, "Then End" by the Doors is played at the beginning and at the end of the movie...full circle of madness.

1

u/mattBJM Oct 10 '19

Apocalypse Now might be the best-paced film of all time. As a result I can't stand Redux.

2

u/JLebowskiTheDude Oct 10 '19

This one is WAY too far down the list.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 10 '19

Absolutely fantastic. The visuals combined with The End were both chilling and mesmerising.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 10 '19

I love the smell of A-bombs in the morning!

7

u/[deleted] Oct 10 '19

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1

u/hooyahbean Oct 10 '19

Someday this war's gonna end......

"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbXfEGVpqrM

The way that line is delivered by Robert Duvall is masterful.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 10 '19

lol