The opening credits are usually strung onto a bunch of establishing shots or simply tossed onto a blank, black screen in most movies; they’re just something that needs to happen at the beginning, and they’re usually strung onto a bunch of establishing shots or simply thrown onto a blank, black screen.
On the other hand, some filmmakers like to get creative with them, basing the cast and crew names on dazzling edits, atmospheric still photos, or jokes that are just as humorous as anything in the film.
Many of these opening titles have become famous, however, since they are foreign-language films, some are still neglected, even though they are just as innovative as the most well-known intros.
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1. Run Lola Run
Because there are so many varied concepts packed into a single opening sequence, the folks who worked on Run Lola Run may have been overly imaginative.
In each of the three different universes, Lola has 20 minutes to collect money to save her boyfriend’s life, and the opening titles are filled with bizarre images.
From the clay-looking animated clock to the sped-up imagery of passers-by to Lola racing through a dream-like hallway while punching the credit titles, the sequence features a wide range of creative styles.
It gets the audience’s blood pounding and gets them ready for the short but charming German-language film.
2. The Naked Gun
Every single shot in the best comedy movies is utilized, and The Naked Gun accomplishes the same, possibly better than any other comedy.
In any given scene, there are a plethora of visual gags, but the film’s opening titles are the most recognizable.
Audiences are taken on a tour to some wild locales using a camera mounted on the roof of a policeman cruiser, directly below a sliding police siren.
The automobile loses control and crashes onto the pavement, a car wash, a mansion, and even a rollercoaster. It’s silly but entertaining, and even though a remake has been in the works for years, we can’t imagine this sequence any other way.
3. Raging Bull
The opening credits scene in Raging Bull is one of the most elegant in cinema history. The great sweeping classical tune “Intermezzo” by Pietro Mascagni, the black and white cinematography, and the presence of Robert De Niro all combine to make one of the most breathtaking pictures ever made.
Jake (De Niro) is shown practicing in the corner of the ring as the title appears in the blood-red text. This foreshadows the entire film, as his toughest struggle is with himself.
The black and white make everything appear so sharp, which is strange considering the movie wasn’t always intended to be in black and white, but the decision was made to set it apart from Rocky.
4. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
David Fincher is the king of gothic filmmaking, which peaked with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, a dark and mentally demanding crime thriller.
Karen O’s rollicking interpretation of Led Zeppelin’s “The Immigrant Song” accompanies bizarre visuals of a female being made out of, and drowning in, some mystery metallic-looking liquid in the opening sequence.
During the cacophonous sequence, violence, technology, and sex all come into play, all of which are themes in the film, and they brilliantly depict the tone of the film.
5. Fargo
Fargo‘s opening credits sequence, like Raging Bull’s, is more atmospheric than anything else, and it conveys a sense of isolation in the town of Fargo, complete with snowstorms, considering that it’s a terrible winter film.
It appears to be a blank white screen with black credits at first—that is, until the distant headlights of a car gleam on the wintry roads. The three-minute still image is made even more painful by the sad violin-led music.
6. Dr Strangelove
Pablo Ferro edited the opening credits of Dr. Strangelove, and it contains his characteristic hand lettering.
Viewers may recognize the calligraphy because it was requested by so many other filmmakers and has appeared in many other films since then, including Stop Making Sense and American Heart.
Not only that, but the inscription appears in front of a B-52 that is being refueled in mid-flight, which was chosen for its oddly sexual appearance.
7. Enter The Void
Few people have seen Enter The Void, the controversial foreign language picture from controversial filmmaker Gasper Noe, yet it has special effects from The Matrix’s crew and is set in a neon-lit Tokyo.
And the startling opening credits properly established the tone.
The opening sequence is like an adrenaline rush, with names of actors and crew and production firms flashing by in milliseconds and colors and typefaces changing at the same time.
It’s a spectacle, and when LFO’s furious techno tune “Freak” kicks in midway through, it sets the tone for a psychedelic, dream-like journey through the film.
8. Catch Me If You Can
The introduction of Catch Me If You Can, one of the best cat and mouse movies ever created, plays out virtually the entire movie in only a few minutes with stick figures.
The graphic design is fantastic, with colors changing to match the movie’s globe-trotting scenery, and it’s a piece of art when matched with one of John Williams’ most underrated scores, which is almost jazzy.
The style is worthy of its film, and Spielberg must have admired it because he recreated the opening titles in The Adventures of Tintin nine years later.
9. Deadpool
The credits, being as fourth-wall-breaking as Deadpool is, tell it like it is. Instead of “Starring Ryan Reynolds,” it says “Starring God’s Perfect Idiot,” and it’s reportedly written by “the actual heroes,” which must have elicited a round of applause from any writers who first saw it, given writers are notoriously underappreciated.
The joke was maintained in the second film, and now that Deadpool 3 is in the works, it’ll almost certainly be done again.
10. Do The Right Thing
For a variety of reasons, Do The Right Thing was Spike Lee’s breakout film. It featured a powerful message, engaging characters, and a brilliant color palette, and the opening title sequence effectively set the tone.
Rosie Perez is seen dancing to Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” in front of various New York settings, almost like a fan-made music video.
Both the music and the dance are obnoxious, and it’s one of the reasons why it’s Spike Lee’s best film.
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