The 50 Greatest Opening Title Sequences of All Time

Giving some credit to the finest opening credits ever made.

35. “Reservoir Dogs” (1992)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Walking from a dumpy diner to a parked car has never looked so badass. Everything about “Reservoir Dogs”‘ titles is cool: the music — “Little Green Bag” by the George Baker Selection — the slo-mo swagger, the individual close-ups of each member of the cast, the fact that the word “ARE” flashes on the screen just before the title scrolls into view, suggesting these guys *are* reservoir dogs, whatever the hell those are (to this day, I still have no clue). The sequence is so thoroughly awesome it doesn’t need much more justification than that, but the context comes from the previous scene, where the gangsters settle their restaurant bill and discuss pop music. Quentin Tarantino’s Mr. Brown explains how Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” is “a metaphor for big dicks.” All those ramblers rambling down that back alley represent something of a metaphor for big dicks as well. It’s a grand tribute to machismo and a dramatic opening statement from a soon-to-be major filmmaker. Nice touch no one ever notices: just as Steven Wright’s radio DJ says the Sounds of the ’70s Weekend will “keep on truckin’” the Dogs walk into frame past a big blue truck. –MS

34. “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” (1964)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick

The brilliant opener to “Dr. Strangelove” is a deadpan depiction of airplane intercourse. A refueling tanker dips its wick into the small fighter plane below it, gently bouncing up and down as the strainingly romantic tune of “Try A Little Tenderness” plays over their union. A jittery and unprecedentedly huge font lists the credits in between the steel thrustings.This short piece nails the macho self-aggrandizement of the military industrial complex in under two minutes. Stanley Kubrick drafted Cuban-born graphic designer Pablo Ferro to craft this title sequence, and also endorsed his hand-drawn font that itself acts as a caricature of straight Hollywood text. Ferro had made his name in commercials with a quick cut style, but “Strangelove” launched a long career in film, including work on the title sequences for everything from “A Clockwork Orange” to “L.A. Confidential.” This might be his crowning achievement though, with the most elegant dick joke ever filmed. –RES

33. “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968)
Directed by Sergio Leone

This tour-de-force opening is one of the longest (over 14 minutes) and most galvanizing in film history. It all starts with the sound design, which is a complex layer of tweeting birds, creaking doors, cracking knuckles, and an endlessly squeaking windmill. With minimal dialogue, a trio of duster-clad outlaws descend on a desolate train station and shove the teller into a closet. When the door slams him into blackness, the “A film by Sergio Leone” card slides onscreen, the first of many credits that accompany the cowboys as they wait for… something. The sculptural face of Woody Strode glowers at the steady drip of water on his Stetson hat, while an unshaven, jaundiced-looking Jack Elam plays games with a persistent fly near the tracks. Once a train pulls in, and Ennio Morricone’s haunting harmonica theme sings through the speakers, it’s clear these hunters are doomed, and that another story is about to begin. –RES

Below is an excerpt. For the full opening to “Once Upon a Time in the West,” go to The Art of the Title.

32. “Life of Brian” (1979)
Directed by Terry Jones

Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” takes direct aim at faith, organized religion and true believers, so what better way to start than with a credit sequence that demolishes, literally, old-world totems? Terry Gilliam’s irreverently animated sequence is awash in classical Roman architecture and sculptures, all of which crumble and collapse while attempting to be constructed by faceless workers, a motif that subtly conveys the film’s overriding aim of cheeky biblical reconstruction. With a ridiculousness befitting a Python effort, the sequence offers up the titular Brian as a baby plummeting down a cavern, people being crushed beneath frontages, and a winged angel who, while ascending to Heaven, is burnt by the sun. The real coup de grace, however, is the scene’s grand theme song, which — with lyrics about the titular faux-holy man such as, “And he started to shave, and have one off the wrist, and want to see girls, and go out and get pissed” — encapsulates the entire endeavor’s impertinent absurdity. –NS

31. “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962)
Directed by Robert Mulligan

“He put us directly into the movie, right from the very first frame,” says director Robert Mulligan on the commentary track for “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The man he’s referring to is Stephen Frankfurt, who parlayed his job as an ad exec for the likes of Jell-O and Lay’s Potato Chips during the ‘60s and ‘70s into one of the most legendary careers in movie marketing Hollywood has ever seen, with the minimalist ad campaigns for films like “Alien” and “Rosemary’s Baby.” For “Mockingbird,” he was actually pursued by producer Alan J. Pakula because of his work with products aimed at children, since the goal was to get inside of the mind of the film’s two young heroes Jem and Scout. The brilliance of the sequence is that it accomplishes that without ever actually showing you those kids. Instead, the audience is treated to an assortment of children’s possessions found in a cigar box, like crayons, dolls, marbles and a harmonica. It’s a clever way of capturing a feeling of innocence that later becomes a plot point, since they’re the belongings of Boo Radley, the enigmatic character at the story’s center. These credits are the perfect tease for the film that follows, including the fact that you may need to have a Kleenex box nearby. –SS

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