When you watch a movie, do you pay attention to the opening titles? If you do, then you know I’m right in saying that they can be really awesome. If you don’t, then you should probably start. While at times opening titles can seem somewhat tedious and unnecessary, they can also be used as a great tool to both showcase creative techniques and set the tone of the film. In celebration of this underrated art, I decided to pick my top ten favorite opening title sequences.
A fun little sequence that’s kind of retro, and fits perfectly with the film itself.
9. Zombieland
People fleeing zombies in hilarious slow motion? Yes, please.
8. Pi
The fast, trippy, black and white shots of mathematical diagrams are cool enough on their own, but paired with Clint Mansell’s awesome score, they’re slightly mind-blowing.
7. Vertigo
A classic. There are actually a lot of Hitchcock films with great opening title sequences, but this is my favorite. It’s creepy and weird, and ahead of its time.
6. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Mysterious and quirky and kind of neo-noir – a nice little blend if I do say so myself.
5. Seven
Intense and creepy, with great attention to detail. Seriously, why can’t all title sequences have this much thought put into them?
4. Lola Rennt
A bit on the bizarre side, maybe, but it’s undeniably cool and unique. It’s just such a weird blend of techniques that you can’t help but like it.
3. Watchmen
Say what you will about the rest of the movie, but you’ve got to admit that the opening title sequence is pretty incredible. Set to some classic Dylan, it’s saddening, disturbing, and intriguing all at the same time. Plus, it’s filled so many great little details that it gets better each time you watch it. Girl-on-girl version of V-J Day in Times Square? Check. The Comedian assassinating JFK? Check. Andy Warhol making superhero art? Check. Ozymandias at Studio 54 (with David Bowie and the Village People in the background)? Check. And that’s just scratching the surface.
2. Reservoir Dogs
There’s a reason this scene is so iconic – it’s fucking awesome. Quentin Tarantino has a knack for choosing the perfect songs, and for making his actors look cool (often by putting them in awesome suits), and this is no exception.
1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
When I first saw this, I was speechless. It may not be as crazy or as detailed as some of the others on this list, but it just has some sort of undeniable sense of awesomeness about it. The harsh, gritty art, the gunshots, the typography – they’re all perfect. Still, what really makes these titles is the soundtrack, which is really one of the greatest of all time.
