# What's your favourite opening title-sequence music to a film?



## adg21 (Feb 21, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIlqatMQSgI it's impossible to think this movie could be anything less than a masterpiece based on the opening music


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## Dave Connor (Feb 21, 2011)

I think this is it hands down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjb-CUPjGYU


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## lux (Feb 21, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14vTrFyHO94


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## adg21 (Feb 22, 2011)

lux @ Tue Feb 22 said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14vTrFyHO94


That doesn't count! amazing titles though.


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## jlb (Feb 22, 2011)

Top Gun :D 

jlb


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## Jem7 (Feb 22, 2011)

Star Wars main theme


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## PasiP (Feb 22, 2011)

The Batman Theme by Danny Elfman.


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## Andrew Christie (Feb 22, 2011)

Superman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yvd9ipv9o8


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## George Caplan (Feb 22, 2011)

that one of spartacus is great and havent heard that for a while. i havent the knowledge of film titles but one i always remember is this one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-WYm9nl32Q


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## TheUnfinished (Feb 22, 2011)

I remember thinking that the opening music to the first Lord of the Rings film set the tone pretty wonderfully.

(Off topic: Just how bad was Shore's King Kong score that it got unceremoniously dumped like that?).

Matt


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## BoulderBrow (Feb 22, 2011)

Goonies - Dave Grusin


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## EthanStoller (Feb 22, 2011)

I like the opening of _Catch Me If You Can_ a great deal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLDyrun_Cc


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## Guy Bacos (Feb 22, 2011)

2001 A Space Odyssey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWnmCu3U09w


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## cc64 (Feb 22, 2011)

All-time Favorite

Couldn't find the visuals though...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqOfl2w9Vqk

Claude


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## noiseboyuk (Feb 22, 2011)

This isn't the exact same cue even (deviates at 1'18), and it doesn't fit the picture right either (they've slipped it forward), but the correct movie version of this still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWkpBQ92 ... re=related

For whatever reason, this movie had a huge impact on me, and what a start. Just title cards and 1 slo mo landscape shot. Fantastic, and Zimmer-haters be damned, all of you.


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## johan25 (Feb 22, 2011)

The Ninth Gate:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDl0GkTAWgw


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## Pzy-Clone (Feb 22, 2011)

Lynch+Bowie offcourse , pure magic!


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## Pietro (Feb 22, 2011)

Oh yeah, "Catch me if you can" is amongst my all time favorites.

But also this :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReekrCJfeUU&feature=fvst

1:30 - aaaaaahhhhh...

- Piotr


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## Hannesdm (Feb 22, 2011)

I really love this one, makes me feel happy every time I hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hff329Wi0P0


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## Patrick de Caumette (Feb 22, 2011)

Vertigo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz46qS38 ... re=related


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## Reegs (Feb 22, 2011)

Men In Black 


Elfman creates such cool fusion scores.


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## karmastudio (Feb 23, 2011)

I'm surprised nobody mentioned this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3HV6jzMIYo


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## rayinstirling (Feb 23, 2011)

Who could forget this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83OZrRle_eE


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## Pietro (Feb 23, 2011)

This one is unforgetable too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WyOAqaTcOA

- Piotr


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## bwherry (Feb 23, 2011)

Might not be my favorite, but when I think of main title sequences I always think of this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f5ykkGJvMU
(Spider-Man, for those hesitant to click)

Brian


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## SvK (Feb 23, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQrCI6cOFw

1991 Cape Fear (bernstein doing herrmann also the SAUL BASS visuals are impeccable)...Pure ART.

followed by Vertigo, then Kilar's 9th Gate ...

SvK


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## Christian Marcussen (Feb 23, 2011)

Patrick de Caumette @ Tue Feb 22 said:


> Vertigo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz46qS38 ... re=related



Finally! 

Other good ones are obviously anything by Williams and Herrmann. James Newton Howard's Signs is also pretty sweet.


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## givemenoughrope (Feb 23, 2011)

I don't know how no one has said The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. 

I love Vertigo and NXNW. Ninth Gate is also great. 

Other favorites are Shadow of the Vampire (two pieces of music going on, amazing music) and Machine Gun McCain by Ennio Morricone, the only time I've been in a theatre (New Beverly) and heard people cheer loudly at the composer's name. 

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index.jsp?cid=202855

My new favorite is the opening of Animal Kingdom. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY525VgIJqU

Zombie 2 i also great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Gquf_Pc-0

The Taking of Pelham 123:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-WYm9nl32Q


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## Patrick de Caumette (Feb 23, 2011)

The taking of Pelham 123 is just fantastic. 12 tone over funk: yeah baby!


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## poseur (Feb 23, 2011)

*"no country for old men"*, for sure.

dt


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## Dave Connor (Feb 23, 2011)

For those who have said Herrmann couldn't write beautiful tunes here is my favorite title of his (which happens to be his personal favorite.) His genius is everywhere of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Y1DX5fzic

Should mention it's followed by another favorite, Elmer Bernstein's To Kill A Mocking Bird.


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## givemenoughrope (Feb 23, 2011)

poseur @ Wed Feb 23 said:


> *"no country for old men"*, for sure.
> 
> dt



I was actually going to say I love the opening of the Big Lebowski, but maybe that doesn't count. Still beautiful and amazing though.


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## noiseboyuk (Feb 24, 2011)

Just to say this is a GREAT thread. Love the diversity of suggestions - pitting North by Northwest against Seven, and they're both excellent. Quite a few I'd never seen before too... I've gotten bored of Superhero films, but those Watchmen titles are fantastic, eh?

One more classic opener into the ring:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD5N-x-F ... re=related


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## bryla (Feb 24, 2011)

jlb @ Tue Feb 22 said:


> Top Gun :D
> 
> jlb


Top Gear!

Kidding... I really can't say right now


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## snowleopard (Mar 3, 2011)

Another vote for Superman. Both the awesomeness of the titles themselves, and Williams during his absolute peak.

Wasn't it Panic Room that was inspired by North by Northwest? Yes, just looked it up. 

North by Northwest: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIlqatMQSgI

Panic Room:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqIclb4qsJI

Unless you're strictly talking about themes. 
Here's Se7en. Pretty cool on it's own: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY


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## MichaelJM (Mar 4, 2011)

Some great ones here. 

Really have to mention this one. Excellent opening; perfect music.
The Lion King, Circle of Life by Elton John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX07j9SDFcc

Call me crazy, but I love Jerry Goldsmith's opening credit theme to Star Trek: First Contact. Title sequence is boring, but it does create a mood and the music stands well enough on it's own. Here's a link to just the music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgUc7sIYTCY


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## David Story (Mar 4, 2011)

Thanks to Luca, Andrew, George, RiffWraith, Ethan, and Patrick, for wonderful links. 

How about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1KXoXtACUk

Tremendous synergistic impact, even on a laptop.

I will go with Superman for music, Watchmen for visuals. 

All time favorite combination of image and music in a title:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80o5OaEI ... re=related


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## noiseboyuk (Mar 4, 2011)

David Story @ Fri Mar 04 said:


> How about this:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1KXoXtACUk



...and a timely reminder that however good the opening, it ideally should be followed by a watchable movie! (still even more disappointed by the Matrix sequels than Star Wars ones...)


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## rpaillot (Mar 5, 2011)

MichaelJM @ Fri Mar 04 said:


> Some great ones here.
> 
> Really have to mention this one. Excellent opening; perfect music.
> The Lion King, Circle of Life by Elton John
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX07j9SDFcc



And arranged by Hans Zimmer


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## David Story (Mar 5, 2011)

noiseboyuk @ Fri Mar 04 said:


> David Story @ Fri Mar 04 said:
> 
> 
> > How about this:
> ...



Hmm, several people watched it:
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=matrixreloaded.htm






How about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86znnjhYrq4


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## noiseboyuk (Mar 5, 2011)

That reminds me... wasn't the opening to Tarzan pretty darn good as well, even with Phil "I quit and sorry for my entire career" Collins? (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sh ... sorry.html)


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## david robinson (Mar 5, 2011)

hi,
easy,
"Once Upon a Time in the West."
j.


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## arnau (Mar 5, 2011)

I know it's not the best but at least is the opening of my first feature, The Valdemar's legacy so...Big Gothic music...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Y69Kf4xeE&feature=related

Hope you like it!

Best,
Arnau


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## Revson (Mar 7, 2011)

Bullitt, Lalo Schifrin.


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## EnTaroAdun (Mar 7, 2011)

There are so many ... like this one:
GHOST IN THE SHELL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYPHswIyzA

(And +1 for Lion King ... one of the best openings ever made.)


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## JohnG (Mar 7, 2011)

poseur @ 23rd February 2011 said:


> *"no country for old men"*, for sure.
> 
> dt



Now THAT is minimal scoring: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kqoJevTIIQ


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## JohnG (Mar 7, 2011)

arnau @ 5th March 2011 said:


> I know it's not the best but at least is the opening of my first feature, The Valdemar's legacy so...Big Gothic music...
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Y69Kf4xeE&feature=related
> 
> Hope you like it!
> ...



very nice Arnau!


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## Ashermusic (Mar 8, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86znnjhYrq4

Makes me smile every time.


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## lux (Mar 8, 2011)

i remember Tootsie had some nice opening titles too. I only found Dave Grusin's track. I'm actually about to add Dave to the less mentioned score composers thread, as i like his works a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtJMSs0IziU


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