Opening Sequence: “Once Upon a Time in the West”

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.

Today let’s kick things off with a movie that was suggested by three GITS readers: Teddy Pasternak, David Proenza, and jmclarkejr22: The 1968 movie co-written by Sergio Leone [along with Sergio Donati].

Check out this opening sequence. Why is it so powerful? Why does it work so well? What screenwriting lessons can we learn from it?

Tomorrow: Another great movie opening.

UPDATE: Be sure to check out Teddy Pasternak’s masterful analysis of this sequence in comments. He really breaks down the fine art of visual storytelling as exhibited in the opening to this film.

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