Introduction/Initial research

Hello. We're Max & Hal.

Max's top 5
5. Me and You and Everyone We Know
4. Princess Mononoke
3. Barton Fink
2. Chinatown
1. Network

Hal's top 5 (*in no particular order*)
5. Reservoir Dogs
4. Lost in Translation
3. Stand By Me
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1. True Romance

As well as serving to introduce ourselves to the world we will soon take by storm we thought research into opening sequences of films which we could eventually consolidate would for now be integral for our brainstorming stage.

Having quite similar taste, the pair of us made a list of films with opening sequences that we particularly enjoyed or that stayed in our minds for whatever reason, but this notepad was pretty much an exercise in long-winditudinalality and so I took it upon myself to post my own personal High Fidelity-esque Top 5 opening sequences:

5: Touch of Evil (1958)
- http://www.youtube.com/embed/Yg8MqjoFvy4

One of the most revered and innovative tracking shots ever, Orson Welles' crime thriller has stood the test of time and over 50 years on this opening sequence still wows its viewers (well, me). It's just cool as.

4: 8½ (1963)
- http://www.youtube.com/embed/v1vPYKniKxU

Another critically acclaimed opening sequence, here Fellini shows us how silence can be utilised to contrast and accentuate the sounds of a man having a panic attack. This opening particularly influenced my ideas in the way silence can make a viewer feel uncomfortable rather than stumbled, keeping them on the edge instead of using scare chords to knock them off it.

3: A History of Violence (2005)
- http://www.youtube.com/embed/WokcHt5UQ-M

Again, a BIG(!) influence on my ideas, Cronenberg manages to keep your attention during this sequence despite extremely little being said/described or happening. This guy has been making crazy weird films almost 40 years now. I think there is some kind of bizarre correlation between being a successful director and having David as your first name. Will research.

2: Lord of War (2005)
- http://www.youtube.com/embed/VHn1zogeyO4

Was this the greatest film ever? No. Not by a long shot. But it is quite possibly Nick Cage's finest performance in recent years and this opening alone makes it well worth watching.

1: Magnolia (1999)
- http://www.youtube.com/embed/B94hOl1GoJw

I just think this is the bee's knees.

Honorable mention goes to Stranger than Fiction, A Serious Man, Amelie, Begotten (ewwww) and particularly Enter the Void for being really quite insane.