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Opening Title Sequences

As anyone knows, opening title sequences are an immensely important part of any film. Sometimes an opening title sequence can even make or break the public's perception of, or a critic's review of, a film.

Below I'll analyze five different excellent opening title sequences, all of which contribute to their respective stories in different and interesting ways.

James Bond - Dr. No

    Used in the first James Bond movie, this is an iconic title sequence of which some variation would be used twenty more times. It follows a man in a suit and hat being viewed walking through the barrel of a gun, before the man suddenly turns towards the camera and gun and shoots. Blood flows down the screen from top to bottom as the would-be assassin presumably dies. This showcases the theme of the movie, where there is certain to be some more bloodshed and violence, and being a spy movie, where lives are put in danger and people have to be hyper-vigilant, lest they are caught.

Vertigo

    Vertigo's opening title sequence is very interesting because it showcases that Vertigo will be more about what's inside a person's head rather than physical, real-world stuff. It zooms into a lady's eye, and match cuts to many complex patterns, making it clear that the film isn't going to be simple, but rather relatively complex, being more psychological in nature, and focusing on strange feelings. The red background of the eye also possibly shows distress within the individual.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

    This opening title sequence creates a whimsical, fantastical atmosphere perfectly suited towards a children's movie, as it displays the inner workings of Willy Wonka's grandiose chocolate factory. It shows us that the film will not be 100% realistic, and also shows us the scale of the massive chocolate factory which will be one of the focal points of the film.

Goodfellas

    Marked by a voiceover by the main character as he looks out his window towards the mafia members on the street, this opening makes it very clear what the subject of the movie will be and what the author's motivation is. It is a gangster movie, and he makes it very clear that his reasons for joining them are for a sense of community. Just before the voiceover, a graphic murder is shown of a man in the backseat of a car, presumably by the main character many years later, and hard swearing is used in the scene. This shows us that the movie will involve violence and is not suitable for all ages.

The Pink Panther (1963)

    The Pink Panther's opening title sequence creates a comedic tone that will mark the rest of the movie and makes it very clear that this movie will mainly be focused on the Pink Panther and will have lots of humorous moments. Two of these are marked in the opening title sequence as the Pink Panther is upset and a large trombone plays.


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