Kevin's Watch

Cail wrote:Randal, with plenty of foul language, perfectly sums up my feelings towards the LoTR movies.

He was being too kind.

The opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark knocked my socks off. I was expecting adventure and got it all in 10 minutes. Booby traps, spiders, dead bodies, poison darts, rolling rocks, a jungle chase and a snake on a plane!

After that, I wondered how they could top it.

I also agree with Star Wars ('77 at 17 ) and The Two Towers. There are so many, but those 3 stand out.

IIW, good call on Indy!

Cagliostro wrote:
Rigel wrote:

I thought Fearless was that Jet Li movie about the martial arts teacher? Really enjoyable, disappointing historical accuracy, and nothing about a plane crash...


It is, actually, but I was referring to this movie from Peter Weir. It is one of my all-time favorite movies.


mine too. i love peter weir movies!

Agreed! one of my faves.. The last scene still makes me cry.

Also agree with Raiders and Star Wars (ep.4) .. THE best --- ever.

Another perfect beginning is 'Miller's Crossing'.

OH! And the opening shot of 'Touch of Evil'!!! Classic!

Cagliostro wrote:...because I agree that the opening of FOTR is impressive, and I STILL pop it in when I want to test a sound system as the sounds of Sauron going foooom is one of the best sound achievements I can think of. At least on a good sound system.

So I'm not the only one who does this...

for testing any new sound system I always pop in the pod-racer scene from ep. 1 .... not a great movie, but the variation of SOUND is fantastic. Lucasfilm sound people are almost always the best...

Hey, the guy did SOMETHING right, by giving the world THX

Renard wrote:
for testing any new sound system I always pop in the pod-racer scene from ep. 1 .... not a great movie, but the variation of SOUND is fantastic. Lucasfilm sound people are almost always the best...

Seems like the scene in AOTC above Geonosis would be another good scene to test sounds sytems....

OK, we just popped in Return of the King for background noise (we don't pay for cable, and get horrible reception over the air, so if we want something on we pop in a movie), and I have to say that Gollum's beginning knocks the socks off either of the other two films.

Fellowship's beginning was pretty much a "Middle Earth 101," along with a cartoonish battle with Sauron, while Two Towers was just an expansion of the same scene in Fellowship.

RotK, though, showed something directly relevant to the main characters, which hadn't already been shown in the movies (or directly in the books, either). In terms of Peter Jackson's "contributions" to the series, this has got to be the top.

Rigel wrote:OK, we just popped in Return of the King for background noise (we don't pay for cable, and get horrible reception over the air, so if we want something on we pop in a movie), and I have to say that Gollum's beginning knocks the socks off either of the other two films.

Fellowship's beginning was pretty much a "Middle Earth 101," along with a cartoonish battle with Sauron, while Two Towers was just an expansion of the same scene in Fellowship.

RotK, though, showed something directly relevant to the main characters, which hadn't already been shown in the movies (or directly in the books, either). In terms of Peter Jackson's "contributions" to the series, this has got to be the top.

As for as additions to the plot, I agree that this is the one that most contributes. But as for doing what a movie should do at the start, which is to kick up the wow factor and get people hopping up and down and excited about what is coming up, I think it is the least. Then again, I already knew Gollum's story, and I guess it would have more impact on those who didn't know and who love Gollum. It would definitely layer him if you didn't know about it. But for me, a strangulation is not as exciting as plunging off a cliff (well, edge of a bridge) and a battle between a wizard and big fiery demon-thingy was nothing I had seen before or since. I guess there is some mid-fall fighting in one of the later Matrix movies though...

I say with pride that I don't recall any dreamy "gay" looks between the hobbits in LOTR.

Dogma, The Big Lebowski

I'd have to say Saving Private Ryan really stands out to me.

I have to agree with Jaz.
That opening scene blew me away.

From what I remember about that scene, there were quite a few people blown away during it.
But I definitely agree; that was a pretty powerful opening. That and the scene where Adam Goldberg gets knifed.

The boar hunt from Ran is a strong contender for the most beautiful opening to a movie ever. This film also has probably the most striking battle scene ever put to celluloid.

The opening credits to Herzog's Nosferatu is perhaps one of the eeriest film openings.

Cagliostro wrote:That and the scene where Adam Goldberg gets knifed.

That's always one of the most difficult parts of the movie for me. In a morbid way, true cinema magic.

Rigel wrote:

Cagliostro wrote:That and the scene where Adam Goldberg gets knifed.

That's always one of the most difficult parts of the movie for me.

The difficult parts of that film for me are anytime there's an attempt at compelling drama...

But that knifing scene is very impactful. Almost anyone I've ever spoken to about the film mentions that sequence.

Renard wrote: Another perfect beginning is 'Miller's Crossing'.

That whole movie is perfect!

Anyway, what's about Die Hard With A Vengeance!

You know, the Die Hard movies have not aged well. We re-watched them in preparation for #4, and I found that they aren't nearly as good as I remember them.

On the other hand, Predator has aged extremely well. It just doesn't have a compelling opening scene