20 Greatest Opening Lines In Movie History

15. The Seventh Seal

"Who are you?" "I am Death." Five little words. That's all it takes. This brief exchange is chilling in its simplicity -- a cold voice saying "I am death," seems to possess the finality of death itself. This marks the beginning of the battle between a medieval knight and the physical embodiment of death in the midst of the Black Plague. It establishes the inherent confrontation and the adversarial nature of the relationship between the two characters, which is further explored in their game of chess with the highest stakes imaginable.
Contributor
Contributor

Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.