The 10 Best 1970s Movie Opening Scenes We’ll Never Forget

The 1970s were a great decade for cinema, and some classics won over audiences from the first scene. Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Dario Argento, and Steven Spielberg produced some iconic moments before their stories really began. There have been great opening scenes in hundreds of films, but the 1970s may have produced more than the average decade.

Opening scenes can set the atmosphere of a film from the first minute, as well as grabbing the audience’s attention. Some directors take this opportunity to present their main characters in interesting ways, such as The godfather focuses on Vito Corleone, or as Enter the dragon gives Bruce Lee a chance to show off his martial arts skills early on. A good opening scene can draw an audience into a film in an instant.

10

The Exorcist (1973)

Father Merrin’s expedition doesn’t fit in with the rest of the exorcist

The Exorcist is known for its shocking scenes, but it starts off very slowly. The long lead-up to Regan’s inauguration might seem a little tedious if it weren’t for the opening scene, which adds a layer of mystery to everything that happens in Washington DC. The Exorcist opens thousands of miles from Washington, as Lankester Merrin participates in an archaeological expedition in Iraq. He finds a hidden talisman, just before he sees a vision of a wild beast.

Throughout the long scenes showing Chris and Regan’s everyday life in Washington, it’s hard to forget the initial shock of the opening scene.. The mystery of how this relates to the main plot hangs over everything until Father Merrin finally reappears. The first scene builds up his character’s legend before he visits Chris and Regan, so he’s a perfect mentor for Father Karras.

9

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Bruce Lee wastes no time showing off his skills

Released a few weeks after his death, Enter the dragon became Bruce Lee’s most iconic film. It shows the martial arts star at the height of his powers, starting with the opening scene. Before the plot or characters are clarified, Enter the dragon shows Lee in one-on-one combat. This gives him the chance to show off his unbelievable skills, as well as his toned physique and infectious swagger.

Enter the DragonFight scenes often use wide, long takes to accentuate the techniques of the skilled martial artists on display. The opening fight isn’t just about hair-raising action. As the scene serves as Lee’s introduction, it’s also a way to showcase his supreme confidence.. Every time he knocks his opponent to the ground, he stands above him as if daring him to get up. Without saying a word, Lee reveals a lot about his character.

8

Annie Hall (1977)

Woody Allen’s comedy breaks the mold immediately

Anne Hall has a rather shocking beginning for a comedy film. It all starts with writer, director and star Woody Allen speaking directly to the camera, as if he were performing a stand-up routine. He plays Alvy Singer, but since Alvy is also a middle-aged comedian with neurotic tendencies, it’s as if Allen is hosting his own movie with some quick jokes about life and love.

Allen’s narration continues throughout Anne Hall. Starting with such an attractive scene, gives the entire film the feel of an autobiographical stand-up routine. Strangely, this feels even more realistic than a standard comedy film, simply because it recognizes the artifice of the form. Allen was a successful stand-up before becoming a director. Wisdom dictates that comedians should begin their act with their second strongest joke – saving the best for last – so it’s interesting that the first joke of the Anne Hall It’s about how disappointing life is. This sets an unusual tone for a romantic comedy.

7

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Saturday Night Fever is much darker than its light-hearted opening scene suggests

Saturday Night Fever It was a huge box office success and helped popularize disco music and culture. This starts in the very first scene, as the credits roll while Tony parades through Brooklyn to the sound of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. By simply walking around with a can of paint, stopping every now and then to look at the women on the street, or eating a pizza, Tony becomes an interesting character. It’s unclear where he’s going, why he’s inked or why he exudes so much confidence.

John Travolta was nominated for an Oscar for Saturday Night Fever. His dancing is one of the reasons, but he defends himself starting with the opening scene. He manages to attract attention and subtly raise some questions. The camera follows him mainly just below eye level to accentuate his exaggerated confidence, but there are some other more unexpected shots to give the scene plenty of dynamism.

6

Suspiria (1977)

Argento makes everyday life seem authoritarian

Dario Argento creates a tense and nervous atmosphere before something really scary happens. Sigh. It opens with a metallic sound and a bright red light, but photos of the airport interior are relatively serene. This gives way in fits and starts, until the music starts and the torrential rain traps Suzy Bannion. The trip to the gym reflects Suzy’s passage into a dark and supernatural world.

Argento manages to make banal situations seem terrifying Sigh. One of the first examples occurs when Suzy leaves the airport. The close-up of the automatic door and the quick, smooth movement produce the effect of a guillotine, contrasting the relative safety of the airport with the horrific reality of the life Suzy is about to enter. This creates a sense of dramatic irony, with the audience fearing for Suzy before she sees something out of the ordinary.

5

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python opens with a classic back-and-forth

Like any Monty Python film, The Holy Grail does not give a kind welcome to newcomers. Monty Python never dilutes their surreal style, so they tend to open their films with a statement of intent that lets the audience know whether they agree or not. The Holy Grail begins with the long visual gag of Arthur riding an invisible horse while his servant bangs a pair of coconuts to make the sound of hooves hitting the ground.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail immediately draws attention to the visual joke with one of his trademark comedic exchanges. Monty Python’s dialogue-heavy sketches often use repetition, confusion, and extreme, pedantic attention to detail. The core idea is that wasting someone’s time is hilarious, especially if that person is someone who paid to see a new Monty Python movie. The conflicting attitudes of the two characters in the “to swallow” The sketch also underlines the way Monty Python pokes fun at the Arthurian legend and all vaunted mythology, by extension.

4

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Apocalypse now chooses the perfect song to set the mood

Francis Ford Coppola sets an uneasy tone at the beginning of Apocalypse now with a dreamlike sequence that uses superimposition and slow motion. The first photo shows beautiful lush vegetation, but it is quickly consumed by smoke and fire. This is the perfect way to present the setting of the Vietnam War, but it can also be seen as an apt visual metaphor for the way a human soul can be corrupted.

The disturbing sequence is accompanied by “The End” by The Doors, which is a fantastic choice. Not only does the tone of the song provide an ominous backdrop, but the foreboding lyrics set the tone without being too over the top. Coppola adds a few other touches to create the right atmosphere, like filming Captain Willard upside down and having the ceiling fan synchronize with the whine of the helicopter’s blades. Willard cannot escape the violence and chaos of war because it lives in his mind.

3

Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars is exciting from the first minute

The first Star Wars the film was an immediate sensation and captured the audience’s attention from the beginning. After the iconic text crawl that quickly became a franchise mainstay, the camera pans down to reveal two spaceships in a dangerous pursuit. It has all the visual grandeur of Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey, but this scene is much faster, with frantic music and lasers being fired back and forth.

The opening chase provides some excitement before any of the characters even appear on screen and sets the tone for the kind of sci-fi spectacle fans can expect. Once the scene moves inside the Rebel ship, there’s more action, as a group of storm troopers open fire on the Rebel crew to clear the way for Darth Vader’s arrival. It’s the perfect introduction to such a formidable villain, but it also makes for an intriguing story.

2

The Godfather (1972)

Don Corleone’s introduction sets the tone perfectly

The cast of The godfather is packed with incredible talent, including Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall, but Marlon Brando still manages to steal every scene he’s in. This starts with the first scene, in which a man goes to Don Corleone on his daughter’s wedding day to ask for revenge on some men who abused his daughter. Thanks to Brando’s performance, what follows is an unforgettable introduction to the character.

Brando is captivating as Don Corleone in his first scene, commanding the room with immense gravitas. Francis Ford Coppola uses many long takes in the scene to keep the focus on his actors. There are also some details that enhance the simple scene. For example, Coppola often hides Corleone’s eyes in shadow, creating an uncomfortable appearance. Additionally, Corleone plays with a cat, showing a tender side as he wields his power and discusses violent crimes in a casual manner.

1

Jaws (1975)

Steven Spielberg opens his jaws with an unforgettable death

Some critics described Jaws like some kind of horror film, and it becomes clear why in the opening scene. Steven Spielberg begins Jaws goes out with a group of young people having fun near a bonfire on the beach, but two of the partygoers get separated from the rest of the group and head towards the sea. It’s then that John Williams’ iconic soundtrack kicks in and Chrissie Watkins is dragged into the depths of the sea.

The opening scene of Jaws uses POV shots below Chrissie, so the audience can see the danger approaching before the shark is even seen on camera. By choosing not to show the shark in this first attack, Spielberg makes the danger seem even more ominous and possibly supernatural. Spielberg knows that the suggestion of the shark is scarier than the actual sight of it. Almost 50 years later, it is still considered one of the director’s best scenes.