Opening shots are underrated. I can almost guarantee that your favorite film has an opening shot that gives huge insight into the film's themes, character conflicts, or plot points. Let's look at four indepth examples to see just how revealing opening shots are.
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Movie openings shown, in order of their appearance:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Superbad (2007)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Jaws (1975)
Whiplash (2014)
Dan in Real Life (2007)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Matrix (1999)
Silver Linings Playbook(2012)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Fargo (1996)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Raging Bull (1980)