OK, here’s a question. What’s the best first scene in any film ever?
I’m not going to be reckless enough to hazard a definitive answer. But I will stake a claim on behalf of Enduring Love – at least to put it in the Top Ten.
As in Ian McEwan’s original novel, the depiction of a freakish balloon accident, with death appearing out of a clear blue sky, is both horrible and breathtaking.
The rest of the film doesn’t remotely measure up to this impeccably directed opening sequence, but that’s only to be expected when said sequence is quite so stunning.
And how about the best start on the stage? Well Aeschylus’s Agamemnon has the most immediately powerful mood-setting first scene of any play before Hamlet. Verdi/Boito’s version of Othello and Wagner’s Rheingold should also get a look-in.
Which reminds me. Another one for the film list: Spaceballs. I’m only half joking.
Next week: best first episodes.
3 comments:
I was describing that first scene to my parents this very weekend. We were driving through the costwolds on a brilliantly sunny evening, turned a corner and there there around 10 hot air balloons dotted across the horizon. I then excited explanined the opening sequence to the film and the gory demise of the last man clinging to the balloon basket. After I'd finished they were both looking at me in stunned silence, with expressions that seemed to say 'do we look like we need to hear about a man's grisly death a) as a pre-cursor to our evening meal out and b) as we were discussing the possibility of taking a balloon trip?' I guess they ahd to be ther to understand...
On a slightly related note, Daniel Craig's use of vintage Dom Perignon as a proposal tool is impressive and means I now have unrealistic expactations!
I know it's a cliche in film admiring circles, but there are a few candidates for best scene ever in the Godfathers I and II.
One of my favourites is the scene towards the end of Godfather II when Tom Hagen persuades Frankie Pentangeli to kill himself on the understanding that his family will be looked after.
Best scene - well, a best scene - was from Goodfellas when Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) takes Karen (Lorraine Bracco) on a date to the Copacabana. In what is (or certainly appears to be) a single take the camera follows the couple into the club through the club via the kitchen to the accompaniment of "And He Kissed Me" by the Ronettes(?). The scene - more or less - ends when a breathless and admiring Karen asks Henry what he does for a living. He answers that he's "in construction". Wonderful stuff!
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