10 Most Harrowing Opening Scenes In Horror Movies
7. Midsommar (2018)
Writer-director Ari Aster's critically adored Midsommar sees unhappy couple Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reyner) travel to a remote community in Sweden with some friends to witness their rarely seen midsummer ceremonies.
Despite the picturesque landscape, it's not long before the group to witness a selection of strange and sadistic rituals which they themselves become unwilling participants in. It's a grizzly yet cathartic cinematic experience that balances the beautiful with the brutal as it explores Dani and Christian's turbulent relationship.
Aster wastes no time establishing the bleak tone in the opening scene.
Beginning with serene shots of a snowy forest coloured with angelic vocals, Midsommar opens on a tranquil note. A ringing phone abruptly shatters the peace, however, as the film cuts to the darkened interior of a home.
Dani leaves a concerned voicemail to her parents about a disturbing email she received from her sister as we see her parents lying in bed. But something is deeply wrong here. Dani's uncontrollable wails soon confirm the worst: her sister has killed herself and her parents in a murder suicide.
Seeing the grim reality of the scene is unpleasant enough. But it's Florence Pugh's gut-wrenching performance which sets the tone for what's to come.