At its very best, fantasy is one of the most enchanting and immersive genres of storytelling in any format. Whether it offers an escapist adventure or a scorching social parable, the license it gives audiences to completely indulge in a story world’s presentation is bolstered by an awe-inspiring sense of wonder, an imaginative brilliance that can engulf with striking immediacy.
Many of the genre’s best pictures are a testament to precisely this quality, executing their exposition and world-building elements with a dazzling air of excitement and possibility. Ranging from animated fairy tales to dark and dramatic drama, monumental epics, and even a few decades-old classics, these fantasy films are astonishing masterpieces that captivate from their opening passages to ensure viewers are ensnared and entertained from the outset.
10
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)
Vikings fighting dragons is an incredible idea at any time, let alone as the opening scene of one of the best animated movies (and franchises) this century. Balancing the sense of action spectacle with plenty of inspired cartoonish comedy, wonderfully eccentric character design, and a sharp focus on establishing the key elements of the narrative world, How to Train Your Dragon immerses viewers of all ages from its opening minutes.
The feud between the Vikings and dragons is realized with the perfect amount of animosity and heart, while Hiccup’s (Jay Baruchel) goals, motivations, and obstacles are all presented with tremendous efficiency and intrigue. Complemented by John Powell’s magnificent score and a ravishing visual display, the opening sequence of How to Train Your Dragon is a flawless introduction to the tone and style of the fantasy world that engages viewers of all ages from the outset.
9
‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
The story-within-a-story framing device is used frequently in fantasy, imbuing narratives with an introspective commentary on the art form while also heightening the mystique and wonder of the tale’s more fantastical elements. Few films do this as brilliantly as The Princess Bride, which opens with an old man reading a book to his sick grandson, embedding him in the magical kingdom of Florin and the love story of Westley (Cary Elwes) and Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright).
Playful, inviting, and imbuing the movie with a certain silliness that stands as one of its greatest strengths, The Princess Bride’s opening 10 minutes are a masterclass in establishing tone and immersing the audience. It isn’t necessarily an explosive start, but it is hypnotic and genuinely enchanting all the same, operating with a sweet sincerity and a comical cleverness that viewers of all ages can enjoy, and setting a perfect platform for what is one of the greatest fantasy movies of all time.
8
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
Truly a perfect fantasy movie from start to finish, Pan’s Labyrinth is enshrined as a breathtaking masterpiece of the genre and a quintessential highlight of international cinema in the 21st century. Its opening shot alone is a brilliant concoction of foreboding, entrancing, and ominous intrigue, as, accentuated by the film’s gorgeous lullaby tune, it shows young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) lying bloodied on the ground. The striking image gives way to narration detailing a long-lost princess of the Underworld, which then drifts into Ofelia’s arrival at her and her mother’s new home in the woods.
Infused with wafting hints at the dark fantasy splendor to come, Pan’s Labyrinth’s opening sequence strikes an enthralling balance between indulging in otherworldly wonder and exhibiting the real-world dangers that Ofelia must face. It is a faultless introduction to the bleak fairy-tale world of Guillermo del Toro’s creation, exuding an ensnaring beauty and an underlying malevolence from the outset.
7
‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004)
Studio Ghibli has stood as a major force in animated cinema for several decades now, with its focus on both visual decadence and storytelling craft presenting plenty of enthralling stories of fantasy wonder and emotional impact. Standing as one of the studio’s many collaborations with Hayao Miyazaki, Howl’s Moving Castle is an enchanting masterpiece that engulfs viewers in its world of rich fantasy allure and spellbinding visual beauty from its first moments.
Imbued by an aesthetic that is unforgettably unique, the film’s first 10 minutes embody the story’s inspired brilliance and fantasy creativity while still leaving plenty of mystery, development, and thematic significance to be unearthed. It juggles the sheer awe of fantasy magic against a piercing commentary on war and Joe Hisaishi‘s stunning score, making for the outright best opening sequence of any of Studio Ghibli’s forays into fantasy.
6
‘Ugetsu’ (1953)
A dark cautionary tale of greed and ambition, Ugetsu is a hauntingly eerie period fantasy from Japan that follows two self-interested peasants who try to profit from a war, a decision that leads to calamity for them and their families. Its atmosphere of suspense and dread is set from its opening moments as it depicts one of the peasants arguing with his wife as he sets out to sell his wares before the fighting begins.
The gravitas of the initial conflict between the two characters is elevated beautifully by director Kenji Mizoguchi’s use of elegant long takes, seamless panning shots, and deep focus, all of which conjure an enchanting sense of precision filmmaking and grounded reality. Also highlighting the dark desires and dynamics between the characters, the opening of Ugetsuintroduces audiences to an old world of desperation and aspirations that, while doomed to fail, flaunts a relatable air of resonance all the same.
5
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
Few things hold the same ensnaring power as a musical number in any form of film, a truism that The Nightmare Before Christmas exploits to marvelous effect in its magnificently macabre medley that introduces viewers to the spooky wonder of “Halloweentown”. A hypnotic marriage of stop-motion animation, creativity, and the ghastly allure of Gothic horror, the sequence brims with a pulsating sense of twisted, energetic fervor that embraces its ghoulish fiends with a sense of bravado and offbeat warmth.
Written by Danny Elfman, the “This Is Halloween” song is one of the most infectiously fun tunes animated cinema has ever spawned, while the film’s ability to establish the tone and style of its story, setting, and characters is as exceptional as it is unique. Given its story is somewhat unconventional—the ghostly inhabitants of Halloweentown are inspired by the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), to overtake Christmas celebrations—the opening sequence wins plenty of levity and love from the audience. The Nightmare Before Christmas, of course, has endured as an all-time classic of holiday entertainment, and its iconic status is largely cemented in its opening sequence.
4
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)
Whatever the fantasy dramas of Old Hollywood lacked in sheer production possibility and filmmaking prowess, they more than made up for it with simplicity, elegance, and astounding narrative charm. While it might be the finale of It’s a Wonderful Life that is best known for flaunting these endearing qualities, the film’s entirety is laced with an infectious, uplifting warmth, including its opening moments.
Prayers abound from the people of Bedford Falls concerning the well-being of George Bailey (James Stewart). Their concern is soon vindicated as a conversation between angels—adorably realized as glistening stars in the night sky—confirms that Bailey is contemplating suicide, with the wingless angel Clarence (Henry Travers) being tasked with reflecting on George’s life to learn how best to save him. It’s quaint, cute, and inviting, touching on the drama of the film while exhibiting its beating heart in a manner that is entirely inviting and defining of its enduring standing as a universally adored Christmas classic.
3
‘The Seventh Seal’ (1957)
Enchanting from its first moments, The Seventh Seal stands as Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s most defining masterpiece, a historical fantasy that uses its most sensationalist elements to comment on ideas of faith, morality, religion, and death. The opening sequence establishes the story’s focal points incredibly well, showcasing knight Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) as he returns from the Crusades to find his homeland decimated by the plague. Also, establishing the stakes of the chess game Block enters against Death (Benkt Ekerot), The Seventh Seal is phenomenal at introducing the full breadth of its narrative and ideological might with efficiency.
Far more than just a feat of storytelling sharpness, however, The Seventh Seal also makes an immediate impression with its striking use of black-and-white photography and unique yet compelling framing. Realizing a world on the brink of succumbing to fear and death, the introduction immerses viewers in all the philosophical grappling it has to offer while setting up the stakes magnificently. Flaunting some of the most iconic shots in cinematic history, The Seventh Seal’s opening 10 minutes stand among the greatest sequences in international cinema.
2
‘Shrek’ (2001)
A surprise hit of DreamWorks animation, Shrek is an enduring triumph of fantasy adventure and family comedy, owing to its skewering lampooning of fairy tale fables. It sets the scene magnificently with its inspired and subversive opening sequence, which begins with a reading of a generic fairy tale story, presenting an illusion of tradition and structure that is then gloriously shattered as All Star’s “Smash Mouth” complements Shrek’s (Mike Myers) hilariously grotesque morning routine.
From mud baths and swamp farts to raiding villagers being scared off in the dead of night, the first 10 minutes of Shrek excel at deconstructing fairy tale storytelling while establishing the humor and bite that define the rest of the movie. It truly stands as one of the most iconic sequences of any movie so far this century that not only introduced audiences to a whole new interpretation of tall fantasy tales, but also to one of the most beloved characters of 21st-century cinema.
1
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
While exposition dumps can be a treacherous way to open a movie, having Cate Blanchett serve as narrator while mesmerizing snapshots of great wars and magical rings flow certainly makes the approach far more enticing. And enticing it is, with the opening of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring completely entrenching viewers in the setting of Middle-earth and laying the platform of the realms and kingdoms that wield power.
Immediately cutting to the quiet charms of The Shire to introduce the hero hobbits and Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellen), and occupying an air of warmth and whimsical wonder in the process, the picture enthralls audiences with both sweeping scale and immersive emotional heft. It stands as a flawless opening to a perfect trilogy, a humble and grounding beginning to an epic of breathtaking proportions, and the most delightful, captivating immersion into the grandest fantasy world ever put to screen.
