Last week, I posted this question: What are the best opening scenes in movie history?
I was having this discussion with a writer the other day. So many fantastic opening scenes of all sorts. Some of them bombastic, some subtle, some of them funny, some brutal, all of them great. Tough to write, too, because it’s not only about being entertaining, it’s also about introducing the story universe and key characters, setting the mood and so forth.
And while we’re at it, let’s analyze the scenes as to why they’re so stellar, and hopefully get some takeaway as far as our own writing goes.
The list of suggestions was so great, I thought it would be a good idea to post some of them over the next week or two because here is the reality: A great opening scene or sequence can go a long way in how a reader perceives your script. In other words, they can be pivotal to the success of your screenplay.
Yesterday we featured the opening sequence from Once Upon a Time in the West. Marc Omeyer had these comments:
No surprise why Q.Tarantino mentions Sergio Leone as major influence. This opening seems in his logic close to the opening of Pulp fiction : take time to install the set up that others normally cut. PF is all about dialogue, here there’s none. It’s a silent opening of an opera. The function of the scene could be “harmonica comes, shoots well, wants Franck”. But as in PF, Sergio Leone installs his own iron hand upon a powerful and economic narrative.
So as a natural follow-up, here is the opening scene from Pulp Fiction. Why is it so powerful? Why does it work so well? What screenwriting lessons can we learn from it?
Tomorrow: Another great movie opening.
NOTE: If you haven’t checked out Teddy Pasternak’s analysis of yesterday’s opening sequence, be sure to do it here. Great stuff.
From the very opening, we’re subjected to intrigue via dialogue. “It” is used several times before we know what “it” is.
Even more so, the dialogue implies danger. We don’t know what “it” is, other than he believes it’s too risky.
Throw in the fact that we’re coming into the middle of the conversation and our minds are immediately engaged… What is “it”?
When “Garcon” shows up and asks if she can get anyone more coffee, we see how they react to someone outside their circle, so to speak, Honey Bunny putting on a mask of polite sweetness (though we don’t know it’s a mask yet).
At this point, we still don’t know what “it” is, but from the perceived characterizations our mind is left to work with in less than a minute’s worth of film, a robbery is probably the last thing on our minds. In fact, it’s not on our minds at all… and QT knows this, because suddenly, it becomes clear via more dialogue that is precisely what these two are going to attempt. Robbing banks is so cliched anyway, you know?
But wait… that’s not all! In addition to the fine dialogue, QT throws in how the characters “are”. Honey Bunny is sweet, sort of like her name. She’s calm and cool whereas Pumpkin looks a bit more irritable and animated.
There’s some backstory given in the scene, suggesting Honey Bunny has some intelligence (takes the customer’s wallets) along with her soft side (doesn’t want anyone to get killed).
Of course, this is all pillow talk as they decide to go for it after rationalizing the benefits of robbing a restaurant. Here, Honey Bunny’s actions serve as a complete contradiction to what we’ve just witnessed as she grabs the gun and yells ” Any one of you fucking pigs move and I’ll execute every mother fucking last one of you!”.
Talk about turning a scene on its head! She’s all about the artificial sweetener, that’s for sure.
What’s really great about this scene is that it sticks with you… and it has to for the ending to work! We won’t see these characters or this setting for another two hours. Yet when we do return we’re right back in the moment. We remember that Honeybunny and Pumpkin don’t actually want to kill anyone and they’re coming up against two hit men.
Not only is it a masterclass in creating intrigue and memorability but it also sets up the style and tone of the rest of the movie. We know we’re gonna se a lot of talking and a lot of cliche’s twisted and played with.