The opening scene of a movie is often considered the most important in a film, as it can determine how many viewers continue watching. While it’s rare for audiences to leave after the first scene itself, making an impactful statement with an impressive opening scene allows it to grab viewers’ attention and keep them invested in what’s to follow.
Films in the fantasy genre often have a very traditional expository opening scene, which introduces the audience to the world and its ᴀssociated lore. Fantasy movies that are way ahead of their time use unique variations of this stereotypical opening scene to subvert audience expectations. The charming subversion gets viewers hooked as their interest is piqued immediately.
Even when they use the expository scene, even an average fantasy movie is made almost great by the attention to detail in the lore description if it’s accompanied by memorable visuals and exciting character designs. The fantasy movies that we can’t live without don’t all subvert expectations, and that proves the strength of a well-made traditional opening scene.
10
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
While it’s not spelled out in the first scene before the credits, it is heavily implied that the golden trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione won’t be returning to Hogwarts at the start of the current school year in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. The trio’s actions set the tone for the dark times that follow.
Both Harry and Hermione leave their Muggle families, while it’s implied that Ron will travel far from his, too. However, it’s Hermione’s sacrifice that helps establish the harshness that the trio will face in the following days. She removes traces of herself from her parents’ lives and memories, erasing her existence, in one of the saddest scenes in the franchise.
9
The Mummy (1999)
A good expository opening scene, apart from introducing the lore that will drive the plot forward later in the movie, also gives viewers an initial glance at the world the film is set in. Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy is the best demonstration of this, as the glorious visuals of Ancient Egypt immediately grab viewers’ attention and create an exciting atmosphere.
ImH๏τep narrated The Mummy‘s original opening scene, but to avoid a plot hole, this was changed. The opening is instead narrated by Medjai warrior Ardeth Bay. The historical prologue tells viewers that the movie is a mix of horror and action genres. Making Ardeth Bay the narrator also facilitates his and the Medjai’s eventual introduction in the film’s present timeline.
8
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Nearly seven decades ago, Ingmar Bergman made a fantasy movie that changed the genre forever. The Seventh Seal has a simple premise – a Swedish knight on his way home from the Crusades challenges Death to a game of chess. He’ll be alive as long as the game goes on, and Death will let him live longer if he wins.
The sH๏τ of Bengt Ekerot, draped in black, introducing himself with the words “I am Death,” is one of the most iconic sH๏τs in fantasy film history. The opening scene introduces us to the barren Swedish countryside, plagued by the Black Death. As the two start their match, viewers await in anticipation for the outcome that determines the knight’s fate.
7
The Princess Bride (1987)
The Princess Bride is known for subverting some of the most popular tropes in the classic adventure fantasy genre. It is a self-aware take on the genre that challenges the typical characterization common to the princess archetype in such stories. The opening scene of the film sets up this self-aware tone with a scene that’s not in the original book.
The Princess Bride opens with a sick boy whose grandfather gifts him a book before reading it to him. This self-awareness tells viewers to expect the subsequent subversion of genre tropes. Moreover, the narration makes it feel like viewers are being read to, creating a sense of comfort that makes it one of the best feel-good movies of the 1980s.
6
How To Train Your Dragon (2010)
The brilliance of How To Train Your Dragon‘s opening scene lies in introducing not just the village of Berk and its fascinating dragons, but also the kind of person Hiccup is, and his perception in everyone’s eyes. In a few words and sH๏τs, the film tells us all we need to know about this interpretation of Viking culture as well.
The recently released live-action adaptation of How To Train Your Dragon has the same opening scene as the animated movie.
Hiccup’s dry sense of humor, his father’s disapproval of him, his hunger to prove himself, and his crush on Astrid are all depicted in a span of five minutes. The opening scene plunges viewers into the action, creating a pace that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the end, even as the film slows down quickly after.
5
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
The juxtaposition of a dark children’s fantasy world with the horrifying reality of society in Spain post-Civil War makes Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth one of the best scary fantasy movies. The apathy of her adults overwhelms the protagonist, Ofelia, who finds solace in her fantasy novel and the twisted imaginary world she discovers in her new home.
Using expository тιтle cards, the opening scene of Pan’s Labyrinth introduces the sociopolitical climate in Spain after its Civil War. A narration then introduces viewers to the fantasy world where Ofelia will spend most of the movie. The foreshadowing of Ofelia’s death, and the blending of the fantasy and real worlds are both achieved by the opening scene.
4
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy comprises fantasy movies that’ll make you fall in love with the genre because no other film has ever perfected the execution of adventure fantasy storytelling like the trilogy. The movies also serve as blueprints for book adaptations nearly 25 years later, and continue to be considered among the best fantasy films ever.
The Lord of the Rings, alongside The Godfather, is one of only two trilogies whose every film has been nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award.
The opening scene of The Fellowship of the Ring isn’t unique or subversive. It might be the most traditional opening scene ever, as it glosses over the history of Middle Earth and Sauron and the тιтular ring. However, it’s a remarkable achievement in storytelling, as it successfully captures the mᴀssive scale of the tale in just a few minutes’ time.
3
Princess Mononoke (1997)
One of the most aesthetically pleasing and unique animated movies ever, Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke is a classic tale of nature vs technology. It follows the тιтular princess’ valiant battle against humans’ efforts to expand their civilization by cutting down trees and encroaching on the forests she calls home. However, she doesn’t appear until nearly 20 minutes into the film.
The opening scene instead introduces another character who serves as the audience’s point of view throughout. It also introduces a disgruntled demon, whose presence alerts the locals in the village to a disturbance in the forest. With gorgeously lively animation, the opening scene is a fast-paced and intense action sequence similar to the other action scenes in the movie.
2
Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
No other comedy troupe has made comedies as ageless as the ones created by Monty Python’s Flying Circus. So, in keeping with the tone ᴀssociated with their work, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a brilliant parody of the Arthurian legend. Before the opening scene, their sense of humor lends itself to the quirky opening credits of the movie.
With Swedish-looking subтιтles, the credits sequence tells the nonsensical story of the writer’s sister being bitten by a moose before a flashing series of differently styled credit cards and a hilarious opening sH๏τ. King Arthur isn’t riding a horse, but is marching, and a man is following him, making the sound of cloven hooves with an instrument in his hand.
1
Shrek (2001)
One of the greatest needle drops in cinema history occurs in the opening scene of Shrek. After an introduction to a classic damsel-in-distress princess fairytale, we meet the тιтular Shrek, who was clearly reading the book in his outhouse. As he steps outside, Smash Mouth’s All-Star starts playing, and we immediately know all expectations will be subverted by the movie.
Not only does Shrek scoff at the story of true love’s first kiss, but he then proceeds to go through his disgusting morning routine in a scene that’s in complete contrast to the beautiful and dreamy tone of the fairy tale he was reading. Shrek tells us exactly what to expect with this hilarious and unique opening scene.