With so many knock-you-out-of-your-seat movie opening scenes digitally created through amazing special effects, it is difficult to come up with a 'best' list. Every generation will have their own favorites, and for older folks, those technological advances have nothing to do with the emotional and visual impact of their favorites.
The first film that stands out in my mind as the best opening movie scene I had ever seen begins with heavily orchestrated music and stunning mountain vistas. Suddenly, an attractive woman with short blondish hair and with the voice of an angel appears on the top of an alpine mountain singing "The Sound of Music." She dances and twirls amidst wildflowers on top of a mountain with spiked, snow-capped peaks in the distance. In about a minute of screen time, the director has not only captured his audience, but has them begging for more. I remember that for me, and my generation, it was a much talked about opening movie scene at the time.
Then there's another impressive favorite with a very different approach. The movie "Patton" opened with no music or unusual action to grab the viewer's attention. There's nothing very exciting about an old soldier walking to the top of a platform, then standing erect and looking formidable in front of a giant American flag. Yet the audience was mesmerized as the character, General George Patton, and played to Oscar winning brilliance by George C. Scott, began his moving speech. Although the term was coined many years later in another popular film, you could say that George "had us at hello."
Since then, Hollywood has become even more creative with the onset of modern computer technology that has very few limitations. If a screenwriter can create a thrilling movie opening on the page, others can create the special effects that turn words into 3-dimensional reality on the screen.
Hollywood space themed movies took a giant leap forward into reality with Stanley Kubrick's artistic masterpiece, "2001: A Space Odyssey." Who can forget the dawn of man opening with its memorable classical overture? This theme is still used frequently today when trying to create a similar atmosphere of wonder and adventure.
In the action genre, there is a series of movies with numerous trademark opening scene powerhouse punches like, "My name is Bond...James Bond." In fact, with each new film, the writers and directors appear to be trying to outdo the previous movie opening scenes with an even more exciting, grab-your-seat opening.
Bond fights the bad guys in airplanes and helicopters, managing to jump on to something handy in an always miraculous fashion, just before something else crashes. Or, more recently, our Bond is chasing the bad guy in a physical marathon through a construction site that, when finally over after several minutes, leaves the audience wide-eyed and breathless along with our hero. Audiences never seem to get enough of the man of action and the way he always opens his movies with a bang.
Other best movie openings ever of note would include many of Stephen Spielberg's now classic films like, "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," and his joint ventures with George Lucas in the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" series. Remember how you sat on the edge of your seat when our hero, Indiana Jones, snatched that precious stone off an ancient alter? Or, the roller coaster ride you felt as the giant boulder chased him through the tunnel and away to safety? I don't know about you, but I was breathless and cheering.
If you want an interesting and fun debate, just ask people what movies they think have had the best opening scenes ever. You may discover some movie titles that will make you want to rent them again just to see if you should expand your own list of favorites.