MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > The Best Opening Credits

The Best Opening Credits

posted 7 years ago by R_Kane (15828)
39 replies | jump to latest

Opening credits in movies, and in TV shows, are a dying art. They once were a much-anticipated small show in themselves. The opening credits for the original Hawaii 5-0, or Have Gun, Will Travel, or Star Trek, or The Twilight Zone, or the Maurice Binder-designed credits for the early Bond films were part of the show! In today's ADD world, the credits are usually treated as necessary, but a nuisance, and are superimposed, sans compelling anthemic theme (today, more like Muzak) over the Act 1 action. What opening credits speak to you?

For me:

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. A re-imagining of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song that is much more heavy on the bass than the guitar, but nonetheless an anthem about Vikings for a story set in Sweden, with graphical accompaniment that's a combination of Hellraiser and Event Horizon. I love it.

Goldfinger. Best Bond theme song EVER! Shirley Bassey! Those brash trombones that hark back and tie into Monty Wolley's original Bond theme, plus those spectacular nude women whose best nude parts were denied to us.

Conan the Barbarian (the real one). "Let me tell you of the days of High Adventure!" then we segue into a Wagnerian soundtrack and images of the forging of The Sword.

How about for you?

[–] AngularTurnip (3337) 7 years ago

"Catch Me If You Can" has the best opening credits I have ever seen in the theater.

On the small screen I really like "Arrested Development"'s.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

Opening credits can be like a wonderful side dish accompanying an entree, can't they? Or perhaps an appetizer? Like a popover stuffed with sautéed Cepe musrooms and beef gravy next to your medium-rare Kobe T-Bone, or a crab Bisque before the T-bone, or Keith Richards playing rhythm guitar for The Stones on a live cut of Sympathy For The Devil.

[–] croft_alice (12180) 7 years ago

Stargate sg1 and antlantis
Crossing lines
Fringe
Csi new york

[–] db20db (17297) 7 years ago

I'm with you on the first two.

[–] db20db (17297) 7 years ago

I just rewatched In the Heat of the Night earlier today where the opening credits are matched with a collaboration between Quincy Jones and Ray Charles in the soundtrack. Both visual and auditory gold !

[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

That IS one tasty combination. Is that for the
movie or the television series, and please pardon my ignorance?

[–] db20db (17297) 7 years ago

The movie.

[–] somesunnyday (2078) 7 years ago

I've been trying to find that damn film so I can rewatch for ages now. Will have to buy a copy from the US

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

The scene in Steiger's home with Poitier is just so readily conceived & executed there. Two human beings talking about loneliness & marriage at it's most base levels. It's so painful to watch & yet so beautifully realized. When Matt Clark interrupts the scene I want to tell him to go away so these two can find their peace, but, alas, it is not meant to be.

It thrills the heart to know that a production team sat down, conceived this materiel & set it on celluloid for the ages.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 7 years ago

2001: A Space Odyssey, hands down! It is spectacular!

😎

[–] somesunnyday (2078) 7 years ago

Agree. It certainly is epic

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 7 years ago

Yes.

😎

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Psycho. The juxtaposition of the titles against Bernard Herrmann's shrieking score tell us immediately that something is amiss.

[–] Stratego (30585) 7 years ago

The Little Mermaid has beautiful animation during the opening credits.

I think Se7en's opening credits are pretty cool.

Beverly Hills 90210 has always been one of my favourite tv theme songs. I also love the Dallas and Dynasty ones. And 80s cartoon theme songs simply ruled!

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

Se7en was the first in my mind too, plus the music was NIN

[–] MissMargoChanning (6630) 7 years ago

I believe we had this sort of thread a while back. I'll give the same answer I gave then.....
My favorite in Television has to be Cheers! It is a good show.... not my all time favorite, but the theme song and the credits explain beautifully, just exactly what the show is about.

As for movies, there are a number of great themes and opening credits. You named a couple....

I love the opening credits of Breakfast at Tiffanys. The skyline of the city in the opening and that harmonica starting with Moon River with Audry Hepburn getting out of that cab? The whole thing drew me in when I saw it the first time.

This is PURE FLUFFFFFFF, but I love the opening credits to My Best Friend's Wedding. Watch it, and you'll see what I mean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdxyICArEzY

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

I've always been partial to the opening credits to "True Romance." The electric blue wordage coupled with the voice over by the Arquette girl, the visuals of a beat down Detroit, Michigan & that soundtrack tune they play there & at the end on the beach.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

True Romance is pretty much wonderful from start to finish. "You're gonna meet Captain Kirk?!" The scene with Hopper and Walken alone was enough to ensure its immortality. Not to mention a pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini. "You got heart, kid. I'll give you that!"

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Yes. It's clean & pure. Unfortunately Tarantino has not duplicated those qualities.

*The scene you referenced with Gandolfini & Arquette is powerful. To the point it is profoundly erotic.
*The inclusion of a the Elvis character is not self serving, nor made to look such. It's a flash of genius.
*It's Tom Sizemore's finest hour. He's straight & concise & wonderful. He almost gets there again in "Heat" & "Pvt. Ryan." but, not all the way like in "TR."
*The girl is child like there at Hopper's trailer (doing cartwheels), and yet she kisses the old man with a bent.
*Yes, the Hopper/Walken materiel. The sadness, the let down the viewer concedes as Hopper realizes he's going to be murdered & thus eggs Walken on so there is no further [imaginable] torture.

So much more, Kane.