Lately I’ve been researching different credit sequences, especially in the thriller genre. Opening credits set the tone for a movie, and some of the best ones pull the audience right into the story before it even begins. One that really stuck with me is the opening of Se7en (1995). I mentioned this one in my last blog because it is the perfect opening to a thriller movie. I love how eerie and unsettling it is, the quick cuts, the scratchy handwritten text, and the creepy close-ups of disturbing images. It’s not just credits, it’s a whole experience that makes you feel uneasy before you even meet the characters or the plot of the story. After watching it, I knew I wanted to find more openings like this to study for my own project. So, I went on a hunt for thriller credit sequences, I asked friends and family to see their favorites and here are three that stood out to me:
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
This opening completely caught me off guard. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens with an intense, almost nightmarish sequence that looks like something straight out of a dark, twisted dream. It’s a collage of black, liquid-like figures melting, and breaking apart. Hands reaching, faces screaming, and mechanical pieces falling apart. The entire thing is fast, aggressive, and almost overwhelming. Credits themselves emerge from the chaos, blending into the visuals like they’re part of the nightmare. What I love about this sequence is how it doesn’t tell you exactly what’s happening, but it makes you feel the themes of the film: violence, trauma, revenge. It’s bold, unsettling, and unforgettable.
2. Zodiac (2007) –
Unlike The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Zodiac takes a much more subtle but equally eerie approach to its opening credits. It is in the late ‘60s, the sequence starts with a quiet, seemingly normal view of a suburban neighborhood on the Fourth of July. But instead of feeling warm or nostalgic, there’s this weird vibe, like something bad is about to happen. The credits appear in a simple, vintage-style font, reflecting the time period, but they slowly fade in and out in a way that almost makes them feel ghostly. Then, as we follow a couple driving to a secluded area, the suspense keeps building. The slow pacing, the long takes, and the eerie silence all work together to make the audience uncomfortable before the Zodiac killer even appears. I love how this opening doesn’t need flashy editing or loud music to create tension, it relies purely on atmosphere.
3. Cape Fear (1991) –
This movie opening immediately caught my attention because it feels like an old-school thriller but with a darker, more dramatic touch. Cape Fear opens with a mix of shadowy water reflections and extreme close-ups of an eye, creating an eerie, distorted effect. The color palette is deep reds and blacks, making everything feel intense and dangerous. The music especially creates a suspenseful feel, making it clear that something sinister is lurking beneath the surface. The credits appear in a bold, sharp font, standing out against the dark visuals. What I love about this sequence is how it feels both cinematic and unsettling at the same time, like the movie is warning us that we’re about to witness something disturbing.
How This Inspires My Own Project:
Watching these openings made me think a lot about how I want to introduce my own film. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo showed me how powerful abstract visuals can be in setting the tone, while Zodiac reminded me that sometimes, slow and eerie pacing can be just as effective as fast cuts. Cape Fear made me think about how color, music, and font choices can completely shift the mood of a film before it even starts. Now, I’m thinking about how I can apply these ideas to my own opening. Do I want it to be unsettling like Cape Fear? Or slow and eerie like Zodiac? Maybe even a mix of both? I still have a lot to figure out, but I love diving into all these different styles and seeing what works best. I’ll keep researching and experimenting, and hopefully, I can create a credit sequence that pulls the audience in just like these did.
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