20 Greatest Opening Movie Scenes Of All Time

3. Jaws

When Jaws released in 1975, it didn't just invent the modern day blockbuster. Steven Spielberg's seminal horror ended up spawning a whole new formula, one that used misdirection and other trickery to build suspense rather than by showing off the monster right from the very get-go.

The film's opening sequence is a testament to that, with the shark in question lying beneath the waves and out of shot for the majority of its first attack.

Further still, by placing the camera underneath the victim (a young teenage called Chrissie), Spielberg tapped into primal fears pertaining to the ocean, and how although the beach is a favourite pastime for plenty of tourists, no one can truly sense what's lying beneath the waves.

And, for the most part, Jaws did live up to the tagline that its sequels would go on to spawn. People were afraid to go back in the water, and while the animatronic shark (affectionally called Bruce by the crew) might look less convincing today, there's no denying that those moments where it was out of view made for Jaws' most terrifying - and impactful - moments.