1. Apocalypse Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4WJlLNIsyY Though not staged with quite the same meticulous attention to detail, there's no denying that Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece Apocalypse Now boasts one of the most stunning opening shots ever put to film, and my own personal favourite. It all begins unassumingly, with Coppola's camera pointed straight at a cluster of trees in Vietnam. Soon enough, the signature synthesiser sound kicks in, mimicking the noise of helicopters circling the island, as the opening of The Doors' haunting classic "The End" kicks in. We see dust start to blow over the area as the helicopters land, and as Jim Morrison utters the immortal lyrics, "This is the end...", a gigantic series of explosions rock the trees, both beautiful and totally devastating. Once we've been left to meditate on the damage for a few moments, we then fade into Martin Sheen's face, and Apocalypse Now gets underway. Coppola's classic is a descent into pure Hell, and he makes that clear from near enough the very first frame. Brilliant. What's your favourite opening shot of all time? Let us know in the comments below.
Shaun Munro
Contributor
Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.
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