1. Se7en
Talk about matching the mood of the movie. David Finchers Se7en is often credited with reigniting interest in the Hollywood credit sequence, the film itself is an engaging insight into the psychotic mind and the limits to which even the best of people can be pushed too, before they break. In these opening credits we are given a clear look at the movies killer, John Doe and the beginning of his process. With the appropriately creepy use of a remixed versions of Nine Inch Nails Closer it is clear what tone the rest of this film will follow and though its possible that I was the only one that felt this way- upon seeing the credits for the first time- I believed that there could be no happy ending. This was the level at which it started and the level that it would probably end at. The sequence itself starts with John Doe shaving off the prints on his fingers, which would be a paid off in an excellent way later in the movie. We then see the rest of John Doss preparation, as he writes in his notebooks and looks through various disturbing photos. As all this is happening and the killer continues with his sick plans the credits themselves flash up on screen, appearing almost as if they have been scribbled by John Doe into his notebook, as the music carries on in the background. Like the movie that follows it the opening credits to Se7en are not a fun experience, they are disturbing and haunting, but more than anything they are memorable. Of course it should never be forgotten just how influential the sequence has been since its 1995 release and with good reason. This is how you mirror the tone and style that the movie is going for, this is how you create remarkably memorable credits without subtracting from the rest of the movie. I know a lot of people who would happily watch the opening credits of Watchmen and stop watching- I dont know of anyone that would do that with Se7en- once you see the credits you have to watch it until the end. So there it is my list of awesome opening credits. I am not the second coming of Roger Ebert and as such I dont claim to have seen every film ever made, so if there is something you would like to have seen on the list then feel free to let me know in the comments.