Billy Wilder said grab the audience by the throat and never let go. That’s why Point Of Entry is so important. That’s why page 1 of your script is so important. Never mind that you might be in the hands of a tired and bored reader who is looking at the clock thinking about beating LA traffic home, who has no intention of recommending your movie. Some things you can’t control. But some you can…like writing a great opening to your movie. Grab ’em by the throat…immediately…page 1.
Here are some great movie openings that did just that…
*Note: Apologies again for the squashed formatting. These cut and pastes from online PDF’s have a life of their own.
PATTON
Ten-hut!
Be seated.
Now, I want you to remember…
…that no bastard ever won a war…
…by dying for his country.
He won it…
…by making the other poor dumb
bastard die for his country.
Men…
…all this stuff you’ve heard
about America not wanting to fight…
…wanting to stay out of the war…
…is a lot of horse dung.
Americans…
…traditionally love to fight.
All real Americans love
the sting of battle.
When you were kids…
…you all admired
the champion marble shooter…
…the fastest runner, big-league
ball players, the toughest boxers.
Americans love a winner…
…and will not tolerate a loser.
Americans play to win all the time.
I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell
for a man who lost and laughed.
That’s why Americans have never lost
and will never lose a war…
…because the very thought
of losing…
…is hateful to Americans.
RESERVOIR DOGS
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
FROM THE BLACK WE HEAR–
MARK (V.O.)
Did you know there are more people with
genius IQ’s living in China than there
are people of any kind living in the
United States?
ERICA (V.O.)
That can’t possibly be true.
MARK (V.O.)
It is.
ERICA (V.O.)
What would account for that?
MARK (V.O.)
Well, first, an awful lot of people live
in China. But here’s my question:
FADE IN:
INT. CAMPUS BAR – NIGHT
MARK ZUCKERBERG is a sweet looking 19 year old whose lack of
any physically intimidating attributes masks a very
complicated and dangerous anger. He has trouble making eye
contact and sometimes it’s hard to tell if he’s talking to you
or to himself.
ERICA, also 19, is Mark’s date. She has a girl-next-door face
that makes her easy to fall for. At this point in the
conversation she already knows that she’d rather not be there
