10 Movie Openings You're Not Supposed To Understand

David Lowery's stunning fantasy epic The Green Knight is a relatively faithful adaptation of the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, yet it's also a deeply dreamlike piece of work in its own right which begs interpretation and few easy answers.

This is doubly true if you've never read the poem, given that the film starts with the unforgettable sight of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) sitting on a throne in King Arthur's Great Hall as a crown descends upon his head and his noggin sets violently aflame.

This sight comes complete with poetic narration which, spoken in period-appropriate Middle English, might not make immediate sense to those not familiar with that style of language.

This is then followed by an equally bizarre sequence in which we're repeatedly shown instances of a goose bothering a goat - because why the hell not? - before we're finally introduced to a slumbering Gawain in earnest.

Ultimately beyond assuring audiences that this won't be your typical Arthurian tale, and that Gawain isn't your garden variety "hero," this opening is really intended more as a mood-setter than a concrete piece of storytelling, conveying the dominant aesthetic, tone, and pace that will define the entire movie.

It is, through and through, a movie that begs analysis and repeat viewing, yet also one easily enjoyed as a wild sensory ride even if you don't fully understand it - and Lowery seemingly designed it precisely this way.