PT Best opening sequence of the PT?

The OT films' opening scenes get all of the praise and recognition, and rightly so in many cases, but I've always thought that the beginnings of each of the prequels were quite well done also. From Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in action on the TF ship, to the Padme decoy bombing, to the Battle of Coruscant, which of the prequels had your favourite opening scenes?

Might as well start my first thread here!

 

I though Revenge of the Sith's opening was perfect when I first saw it.

 

I've gotta go with ROTS. The pounding drums and the camera moving downwards revealing the Battle of Coruscant was just awesome. One of the best battle scenes in the entire saga, IMO. The entire rescue of Palpatine scene was pretty good as well.

 

I would have preferred more dogfighting than the silliness with the buzz droids, but the opening to RotS also gets me right in the mood.

 

They're all decent, but nothing beats the viscerality of ROTS' opening, in my opinion.

Still remember being awed -- even scared -- when those drums started and that megalithic space cruiser loomed large on the screen.

I also remember how freakishly detailed and clear that thing looked on the big screen. Loses all of its punch at home.

But I think TPM probably has the coolest opening sequence. Does that make sense?

A serene start with pacing in a conference room and some eminently beautiful advice: "Be mindful of the Living Force, my young padawan..." The epic roar of that Republic ship exploding, seeing Jedi snap to attention and gassed, then watching those blades light up abstractly in the smoke as they mop battle droids, doing their stuff...

Qui-Gon cutting into the blast door as the Force Theme blares loud, lanky aliens with goofy accents freaking out, battling deadly robots with bubble shields to a stand-still, and speeding off in a blur; then dropping through vents, all cat-like, a moment later, completely unharmed... DAMN!

The icing on the cake being the way the resplendent image of Queen Amidala ripples onto that viewscreen, just moments after the conclusion of that glorious manga-like action opener. Too cool for words. Except these ones: "Beware, Viceroy..."

And while AOTC has a very mellow start, albeit with a brusque explosion (another starship quickly lost to evil), and even an early death that affects one of the main characters, it slowly winds itself up to a startlingly memorable night-time air chase: possibly the coolest blend of action and character dynamics (I won't say development) in the entire series. Very bluesy; even down to the improv shown by its young protagonist.

But, yeah, ROTS.

 

AotC is the best because it gives you insight into Padme's character, wheras TPM and RotS are basically action scenes. RotS is better than TPM though.

 

Tpm For me. That just screamed star wars is back when obiwan and quigon took off there hoods. When I saw it in the theater it go a standing ovation there and when we see the lightsabers ignite in the mist of the poison gas.

 

TPM has my favourite opening sequence, but RotS has the best opening shot.

 

The opening of AOTC, where the camera pans up instead of down is wonderful.

 

That's an awesome touch that conveys a lot of meaning.

AOTC is an exquisitely symbolic movie.

 

I'm going to have to go with the popular choose: ROTS. That opening shot with drums beating always gives me the chills.

 

ROTS no contest.

 

The opening sequence in TPM is my favorite opening in the entire saga, and my favorite part of the entire PT. It's an amazing opening, absolutely perfect. Love it, love it, love it.

 

RotS, hands down. It followed the philosophy of ANH's opening sequence by throwing you right into the action, rather than using it for exposition. As soon as those drums start beating, you know something big is coming. It's a shame they left that part out of the soundtrack.

 

I'd say ROTS, the Battle of Coruscant is my favorite space battle. Though TPM and AOTC are pretty good too.

 

Battle of Coruscant is my favourite opening of the PT.

 

Came here to make this exact post!

 

Attack of the Clones

Original, mysterious, haunting. Also Colin Hanks!

 

It's close... very close. All three possess mysterious qualities that intrigue me to this day. They capture my undivided attention every time I watch.

Honestly, I like to let my preference fluctuate according to mood. However, if I'm being forced to make a definitive selection, RotS takes the prize.

 

ROTS is the Bomb. The Mother of all starts. In the theatre it was simply surreal and tense. I could sense everyone was riveted. Who else also but John Williams could perfectly meld the sound with the situation on screen. Loved, Loved Loved it!


MJ

 

Colin Hanks? Is this about his daughter and more Star Wars' stuff for girls?

 

Having lived through the hype, there was nothing as exhilarating as Revenge of the Sith's opening battle onscreen. While it defied traditional Star Wars pacing, I'll forgive it for all it delivered. Definitely a finale if I ever saw one. Second place is Phantom Menace.

 

That camera moving downward thing, gave me a rush and sudden jolt of severe acrophobia. Dizzying but Majestic nonetheless! Everything seemed strangely lull as if there was a ceasefire, until that moment, then SURPRISE...we see barrage of lights, sounds, explosions, a blitz of activity and volatility.
MJ

 

Me being me, Attack of the Clones.

Not that I don't admire the trilogy's clear shift overall. The Phantom Menace commences unassumingly with businesslike manner directly into the plot—all formalities and cool customer Jedi Knights; Qui-Gon in particular seems no more phased after the fighting starts than when he's first just sitting there drinking some coffee, chillin'. Revenge of the Sith by comparison flips everything, less a conventional intro (even by Star Wars standards) than it is a grand, cinematic banzai. That initial battle-drumming is almost tribal, while everything that follows plays as a geographical stream of consciousness: cockpits, the hangar bay, elevator shafts, the observation platform, more elevator shafts, corridors, the command bridge, the planet surface runway ...all of it paced together so relentlessly, it's frankly absurd, even comical. I totally get why fans champion it.

But I'm more about mood. The trilogy's middle installment favors hypnosis with Coruscant's soothing orbital traffic and spiraling liquid starship reflections that give way to vapor. Whenever revisiting the movies, I always do so in order and the first thing that strikes me every time, no matter how many rewatches, is the transition from Episode I's brochure filmic texture to the videographic gossamer that right away defines the in-camera space and movement of Episode II; that infamous "soap opera" effect. Even the mise-en-scène direction indulges this quality. Especially on the landing platform, there is something distinctly stagey in how Typho and Padme (in disguise) first step out of their vehicles and walk into center frame, hitting their marks and exchanging glances in a vaguely rehearsed manner. The whole scene feels like visualized radio theater, more pulpy and B-serialized than ever before.

Also, Natalie Portman is rather fetching in her Nubian starfighter pilot uniform.