A good opening scene sets the tone and establishes the world of the movie to follow in just a few short minutes or less. This can be a daunting task for science fiction films, as they often take place in strange, new worlds that need to be set up carefully in order to be convincing to the audience.
The 1980s gave cinema fans many of the greatest science fiction films ever made, and most of those classics make their greatness clear from the first few frames. Although there are countless iconic openers in the pantheon of ‘80s sci-fi, we’ve counted down the top 11 best in the following list.
11 Escape from New York (1981)
Escape from New York was a career-defining movie for both director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell, and the sci-fi action classic remains as one of their best-ever contributions to cinema. The film takes place during the then-future year of 1997 after a 400% increase in crime pushes the United States government to turn the island of Manhattan into one big maximum security prison. Russell stars as a former soldier-turned criminal, Snake Plissken, who is tasked with rescuing the president from the prison island after Air Force One is hijacked.
A big part of what makes this movie so memorable is its intricately detailed dystopian setting, which is brilliantly set-up within the first minute of the picture. As the iconic synth score kicks in, a series of simple, colorful graphics are displayed with accompanying narration that efficiently explains the intriguing premise. It then cuts to outside the walls of the prison, where the ridiculously cool Plissken is briefed on his mission. It’s almost impossible not to be hooked right away, as Plissken gears up and prepares to defy the narrator’s ominous warning of “the rules are simple: once you go in, you don’t come out.”
The extremely underrated sequel to the legendary 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2010: The Year We Make Contact is a wonderful work of cerebral science fiction about a team of American and Russian scientists on a mission to recover the lost Discovery vessel from the first film’s Jupiter mission.
The movie confidently announces itself with a quick wrap-up of the first film via stills and text with accompanying foreboding music, before cutting to black and hitting the audience with one of 2001 author Arthur C. Clarke’s most mystifying lines of dialogue: “My God, it’s full of stars!” In less than two minutes, director Peter Hyams has brought his audience up to speed and established the central question of the film – where is David Bowman, the sole survivor of the mission in the original movie? Richard Straus’ memorable “Also sprach Zarathustra” begins to play as the opening titles are displayed, calling to mind the original film, but as soon as the first new images fade onto the screen, it is clear that 2010 has substance and style all of its own.
9 Aliens (1986)
Aliens is James Cameron’s action-packed sequel to the original terror-in-space classic, Alien, and one of those rare movies in which nearly every scene is remarkable. Naturally, the opening scene is one such remarkable scene, as it subtly reminds the audience of the events of the previous film while also establishing that there has been a massive (57 years!) time jump while Ripley has been frozen in stasis. Right from the get-go, as the salvage team scans Ripley’s foggy space shuttle with their blue-laser-emitting device, it is evident that the movie to follow will be loaded with amazing visuals and nail-biting suspense.
8 Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future isn’t just one of the best sci-fi flicks of the ‘80s, but an iconic classic that could top anyone’s list of the best movies ever made. It may not be a cerebral, serious sci-fi thought-provoker like some of the others on this list, but it is an exceptionally well-crafted and satisfying movie all the same. The film’s great opener perfectly introduces the tone, world, and protagonist all in one fell swoop. In one long tracking shot, the audience sees a workshop loaded with strange contraptions, followed by the first glimpses of our hero, Marty, who we learn is an aspiring rock star before his face is even revealed. What’s more, the comedic tone of the movie is made obvious as soon as Marty is blown away by a booming, comically-large guitar amplifier.
7 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Considered by many to be the best movie in the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back is a good contender for the greatest sequel of all time, as well as a fantastic stand-alone sci-fi movie in its own right. As with the first Star Wars film, the movie begins with John Williams’ masterful score and the legendary yellow scrolling text, which sets the scene. If any member of the audience manages to avoid being hooked by the scrolling text, the next scene is guaranteed to do it, as it immediately plummets to the surface of the ice planet Hoth where a spooky probe droid scans the horizon.
Through impressive stop-motion special effects, we then see Luke Skywalker riding across the snow-swept frontier on an alien creature’s back. Skywalker is then attacked by a large and terrifying creature and dragged away, which announces the darker and more mysterious tone of the sequel.
6 Blade Runner (1982)
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is famous for its incredibly detailed atmosphere and pitch-perfect world-building. The movie’s opening scene is a great example of this, as it goes all out in presenting its futuristic Los Angeles setting in all its smoggy, neon-lit, and rust-covered glory. After panning across the captivating skyline and introducing the melodic sounds of Vangelis’ soundtrack, the movie moves the audience into a room in the pyramid-like capitol building where an interrogation of an android is occurring. Things get intense quickly, and the film’s dark yet meditative tone is made abundantly clear.
5 RoboCop (1987)
RoboCop is a sci-fi action masterpiece that’s beloved for its satirical tone and biting social commentary, which elevates it beyond the usual ‘80s shoot ‘em ups. Right from the start, the film’s dystopian Detroit setting and critique of American culture are established, as it launches into an in-universe newscast full of ironic jokes and subtle exposition. In just a few short minutes, the film announces exactly what it’s going to be, and introduces a unique premise that simply couldn’t be broached any better.
4 The Thing (1982)
The Thing is one of John Carpenter’s greatest and most important films, and quite possibly the scariest film of the 1980s. As one might expect from the horror master, the suspense is palpable from the outset of the movie, though the intro scene is carefully designed to not let anyone in on the secret of the movie’s shape-shifting monster. Instead, it drops the audience directly in the middle of a hectic chase between a Norwegian helicopter crew and a runaway sled dog. This strange head-scratcher of an opening works because of the creepy music that accompanies it; Ennio Morricone’s simplistic yet blood-curdling score creates a mysterious and dread-filled air that is undeniably intoxicating.
3 Repo Man (1984)
Repo Man is an irreverent sci-fi dark comedy about an average slacker who joins up with a team of weirdo repossession agents who are hot on the trail of a Chevy Malibu with a mysterious cargo that may be from outer space. The opening scene does a terrific job of establishing both the off-kilter tone and the premise of the movie, as it depicts the owner of the Malibu driving it down the desolate freeway in a sweaty panic.
If that’s not enough to pique one’s interest, the next few moments will be, as a cop pulls over the Malibu and insists on having a look inside the trunk. He opens it, much to the reluctance of the car’s owner, and is instantly vaporized by whatever otherworldly, green-glowing presence resides within.
2 Akira (1988)
Akira is one of the greatest animated sci-fi flicks ever made. As Screen Rant describes it, “Katsuhiro Otomo's great storytelling skills are displayed in Akira, a complex story that transcends other works of science fiction. This anime movie has deep characters who explore real-world realities, such as excessive military power, making the production a key Japanese animated film.” What’s more, the film has an introductory scene that makes a helluva statement; in the first few seconds, a bomb goes off which levels Tokyo in an instant and in absolute silence.
We’re then transported to the desolate future – “31 years after World War III” – and dropped into the hellish city of Neo-Tokyo, where vicious biker gangs prowl the streets.
1 The Terminator (1984)
One of James Cameron’s finest films, The Terminator is a sci-fi masterpiece that hasn’t lost an iota of its greatness since its first release in 1984. As Collider explains, “While initial reactions to the sci-fi action movie were somewhat mixed, it has stood the test of time and remains one of the most original and effective movies of its kind.” Indeed, the movie’s originality is made obvious right from the beginning, as it immediately throws its audience into the war-torn hellscape of Los Angeles 2029. With explosions, brittle skulls, and purple lasers aplenty, this intro is one of the most memorable in all science fiction.
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