10 Movies That Peaked In Their Opening Scene

1. Touch Of Evil

The Movie

And we'll conclude our list with an oldie (but a goodie) - Orson Welles' terrifically entertaining 1958 film noir Touch of Evil.

An insidiously grim tale of murder and corruption transpiring on the U.S.-Mexico border, Welles' film stars himself and Charlton Heston as two cops on opposite sides of the border investigating a car bomb explosion.

Heston being "browned up" to play a Mexican is undeniably embarrassing by contemporary standards, but the devilishly bleak storytelling and Welles' compulsively repulsive performance coincide perfectly with some of his best direction ever. It's not quite an overall all-timer for Welles, but not far off.

The Opening Scene

Touch of Evil is most fondly remembered for its jaw-dropping 3.5-minute opening sequence, which transpires over a single unbroken take as a bomb is placed inside a car, the car is driven across the U.S. border, and it consequently explodes.

For 1958 it may have been revolutionary, yet even today, it demonstrates a filmmaker in full mastery of their craft, taking an urgent ticking clock scenario and mining every last possible drop of suspense out of it.

The remainder of the movie is plenty entertaining, for sure, but it never again feels this unique, technically accomplished or efficient in its storytelling.