That’s how you make an entrance.
Movies can be made or broken with opening scenes and sometimes it’s a song that can not only make it great, but leave a lasting memory.
The sun coming up in the opening scene of “2001: A Space Odyssey” or Dustin Hoffman moping through an airport are both made iconic thanks to the music featured in the background.
Here’s a look at the best opening scenes made even greater by the tracks that support them.
“2001: A Space Odyssey”
Stanley Kubrick’s epic “2001: A Space Odyssey” is considered one of the greatest and most influential movies made, with a mesmerizing opening scene.
Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra” blares as the sun comes up over the Earth in a view from space while the opening titles were shown. It’s a loud in-your-face opening that gets people hooked the second they see it.
“Saturday Night Fever”
John Travolta made walking through the streets of New York cool instead of being terrifying in the opening shot of “Saturday Night Fever.”
Tony Manero strolls down the street with a bucket of paint and a slice of pizza along to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.”
The “Stayin’ Alive” opening set the tone for what was to come, making for an iconic movie with an even more memorable soundtrack.
“The Lion King”
“The Lion King” started by visually and audibly wow-ing viewers right off the bat.
“Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!” the first line of “The Circle of Life” is shouted while the sun starts to rise over the horizon.
The combination of all the animals start to gather and head towards Pride Rock to celebrate the birth of the king’s son with the track blaring, leaves the audience knowing their in for a classic.
“The Graduate”
“Hello darkness my old friend.”
“The Graduate” is an all-time classic, complete with a soundtrack that is just as good.
Simon and Garfunkel had music featured in the film, including their hits “Mrs. Robinson” and “The Sound of Silence,” which kicked off the film in the opening scene.
When Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) solemnly walks around the airport trying to figure out what to do after college, “The Sound of Silence” plays while the opening credits scroll.
Ben’s answer is to eventually get in a love triangle with a girl you like and her mother.
“Goldfinger”
James Bond movies are known for their iconic opening scenes and artistic title sequences. One their best, even after 53 years, is “Goldfinger.”
After he destroys a drug laboratory and kills a bad in a bathtub with a heat lamp in a “shocking” death, it was time for the opening credits.
Shirley Bassey belts out the song “Goldfinger,” in what remains one of the best Bond themes, as clips from the movie are projected onto a women who is painted gold. Visually it’s one of the best opening in the franchise that’s teamed with an even more memorable song.
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
Expectations were low for “Guardians of the Galaxy” when it was first released, but the opening scene let viewers know they were in for one of Marvel’s best films yet.
After a brief dramatic scene of a young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is abducted by space pirates following the death of his mother, the movie jumps ahead 26 years to present day.
Quill is roaming the planet Morag when he pulls out his cassette player, pops his head phones in and starts dancing around to Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love.” He splashes in puddles, punts creatures and uses one as a microphone to lip sync into.
The scene set the stage for a movie that was loaded with fun and an even better soundtrack.
