The opening credits of a film can be much more than just lists of names and titles. They often set the tone, atmosphere, and even subsequent narrative, making them an essential part of the cinematic experience.
In addition to examples of extreme creativity, some films feature opening credits that stand artistically on their own, transcending the work through their experimental curation. Inspired by this, we list the 10 best opening credits in cinema.
Headlines: the 10 best
The sequel to “Superman: The Movie” (1978) features an extremely ingenious approach to the opening credits. In “Superman II – The Adventure Continues” there is a brief summary of the main events of the previous film.
The sequel saves excerpts of scenes from the previous film, mixing them into the credits as the letters appear in space.
In addition to recapping and building anticipation, the credits also manage to create something artistically stimulating before the film begins.
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Quentin Tarantino made his debut in style with “Reservoir Dogs”. The opening credits scene already establishes the “cool” atmosphere of the film.
In it we see the main characters, dressed in suits and ties, walking in slow motion in a parking lot, while the song “Little Green Bag” by the group The George Baker Selection plays in the background.
The end credits sequence of this film is so iconic and successful that it spawned a new franchise that has perhaps become more famous than the film itself.
This comedy, directed by Blake Edwards and starring David Niven and Peter Sellers, features animated opening titles starring a pink panther. Alluding to a diamond appearing in the film, the animated character was originally only supposed to appear in the credits sequence.
However, it was such a success that the character took on a life of its own in a series of animated shorts for the cinema and in a TV series.
This musical comedy directed by Frank Tashlin has a rock ‘n’ roll theme and stars Tom Ewell and Jayne Mansfield. With a satirical look at the culture industry, the film has an irresistible metalinguistic verve, already evident in the opening credits.
Initially, actor Tom Ewell breaks the fourth wall to announce that the story will be about music. In a setting with floating musical instruments (in reference to the animated film “Fantasia”), he states that the film will be in Cinemascope and in color, although until then it was in black and white and with a small aspect ratio.
When he tries to continue his explanation, his voice is drowned out by the song “The Girl Can’t Help It” by Little Richard, and several couples begin dancing during the opening credits.
Spike Lee’s masterpiece “Do the Right Thing” is acclaimed for its urgent, explosive and precise interpretation of contemporary racial and social tensions.
And the film begins with impact right from the opening credits. To the tune of seminal hip-hop group Public Enemy’s classic “Fight The Power,” the credits show actress Rosie Perez dancing forcefully in front of Brooklyn-style houses under an alarming red light.
The funny comedy “Run, the police are coming!” satirizes crime movie clichés through absurdist humor and elaborate sight gags. And the film’s opening credits couldn’t help but incorporate all this nonsense.
Initially everything seems quite normal: the names of the cast appear above an image focused on the siren of a police car at full speed, engaged in a typical night patrol through the streets. However, suddenly, the situation becomes surreal, with the vehicle driving along sidewalks and entering the most absurd places possible.
The successful spy film series based on the 1960s television series of the same name and starring Tom Cruise began in 1996 at the hands of Brian De Palma.
The massive success has already begun with this film, which boasts one of the most iconic credits sequences of all time.
As the famous theme song plays, frames of the film’s main events appear enigmatically and thought-provokingly in a rapid montage, interspersed with images of a lit fuse.
One of the main films of the French New Wave, “Contempt”, is one of the numerous masterpieces of the brilliant Jean-Luc Godard. Critically acclaimed and influential for its innovations and experiments, the film also has an absolutely brilliant opening credits sequence.
In it, instead of the traditional signs informing about the names of the cast, the technical team and the producers involved, Godard himself announces everything. With his unmistakable voice he reads the film titles while there are no characters on the screen. Meanwhile we see a technical crew filming the actress Giorgia Moll, who is reading something while she walks.
Saul Bass was a renowned graphic designer known for his innovative work on film titles. He has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s greatest directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and Otto Preminger.
But we decided to include here his work on Preminger’s “The Man with the Golden Arm,” whose opening credits strikingly exemplify Bass’s minimalist, modernist style.
The opening credits of the films in the James Bond franchise are very famous and a copy could not be missing from the list.
They generally feature a highly stylized visual sequence, often featuring abstract images, animations, or silhouettes of women in sensual poses. Furthermore, they are accompanied by a theme song composed by renowned artists.
In “Só Se Vive Duas Vezes”, Nancy Sinatra performs one of 007’s most famous theme songs.
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Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
