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The most significant moment in a film is arguably its ending . One could debate that the orgasm is the most crucial moment — it ’s the peak of the movie , and if done correctly , it pays off all the chronicle train of thought in a satisfying way — but the finish is the last affair the audience sees before they leave the theater ( unless they ’re watching a Marvel movie andthere ’s a post - credits scene on the manner ) . The second most of import moment , if it is n’t the climax , is the opening scene , which has to set the tone and snarf viewers into the story .
Opening prospect and endings spiel very other than in comedy than in movies of any other genre . The opening has to establish the motion picture ’s comic sensibility as well as its secret plan , while the ending has to act as the punchline to the movie ’s cardinal joke .
Opening Scene: Team America: World Police
Trey Parker and Matt Stone ’s intention withTeam America : World Policewas to make a Michael Bay natural action thriller withThunderbirds - style puppets , with plentitude of satire of the Bush presidency and U.S. strange insurance policy along the direction .
The opening action mechanism tantrum go steady the titular squad arriving in Paris to kill some terrorists — and marionettes apart , it play exactly like a Bayhem actioner . They accidentally blow up the Eiffel Tower , which then falls onto the Arc de Triomphe .
Ending: Dr. Strangelove
Not many clowning end with the death of all life story on Earth . But at the ending of Stanley Kubrick ’s masterful political satireDr . Strangelove , that ’s exactly what happens .
Using Vera Lynn ’s “ We ’ll Meet Again ” on the soundtrack over a serial of devastating nuclear explosions was a stroke of ironic genius ( reportedly advise by Spike Milligan ) , highlighting how World War II - era optimism had become obsolete in the WMD years .
Opening Scene: Pineapple Express
In the opening pitch-black - and - white setting of the Seth Rogen / James Franco lapidator comedyPineapple Express , the U.S. regime is examine newly discovered weed — or “ Item 9 ” — in a occult clandestine science laboratory .
A psychometric test subject played by Bill Hader is given a joint and observed by scientist . They question him and after he questions their confidence and method , the government decides to criminalize Item 9 and shoot down Hader bushed .
Ending: Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks satirized the vociferous mythmaking of the western genre with his spot - on parodyBlazing Saddles , shout attention to the ugly racial context that ’s often ignored by westerns . In the third act , this deconstruction goes to the next tier as it plays on the artifice of cinema as a whole .
The net fight continues over onto the next soundstage , espouse by the the studio cafeteria , and then onto the street of Los Angeles . Sheriff Bart and the Waco Kid go to the picture show to see how the movie they ’re in goal . They chivalrously mount off into the sundown , jump off their horses … and slip into a gondola .
Opening Scene: Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino insist that his movies are dramatic play and not comedies , but they all have a great sense of humor , and in the case of the writer - conductor ’s soph featurePulp Fiction , it feels like a full - blown tar - black comedy .
The opening prospect establish Tarantino ’s unique tone — combining old - timey crime stories with the visuals of an urban spaghetti western — with a diner robbery attach to by Dick Dale ’s “ Misirlou . ”
Ending: The Italian Job
The net view of the classic 1969 crime caperThe Italian Jobisone of the most renowned ambiguous endings in film history . After the heist goes off without a hitch , the gang disguises themselves as a coach full of football game fan in the Alps .
The movie ends with a cliffhanger in the literal sense as their bus gets stuck teetering on the edge of a cliff and the amber is sliding toward the doors . Michael Caine delivers the iconic final line : “ Hang on a minute , lads , I ’ve got a great theme . ”
Opening Scene: Manhattan
The opening montage of Woody Allen’sManhattanis a virtually - perfect film move . Over black - and - white shots of New York , the lead character ’s voiceover narration tries to write the opening paragraph of a novel about a adult male who screw the city .
This is beautifully paired with the sounds of George Gershwin ’s “ Rhapsody in Blue . ” There are no laughs in this chronological sequence , but it sets the stage perfectly .
Ending: Some Like It Hot
Hailed as one of the greatest movies of all time and one of the principal reasons why the restrictive Hays Code was abolished , Some Like It Hotends with the perfect punchline . Jerry , dress as a womanhood call “ Daphne , ” has hitch the eye of Osgood , who wants to get hitched with him .
He frantically lists off reasons why Osgood ca n’t get hitched with him , but none of them seem to nark him , so Jerry finally take off his wig and state , “ I ’m a valet de chambre ! ” But even that does n’t faze Osgood , who merely says , “ Well , nobody ’s perfect . ”
Opening Scene: The Big Lebowski
From “ Tumbling Tumbleweeds ” on the soundtrack to the L.A. sensible horizon at night toSam Elliott ’s voiceover narrative , the opening of the Coens’The Big Lebowskiperfectly introduce moviegoer tothe peculiar world of their lapidator noir .
The Dude buys some Milk River to make White Russians and returns home , where some hired goons dunk him in his own toilet in a face of mistaken identity . And so , this carefree pothead isswept up in a Chandleresque mystery plot .
Ending: Monty Python’s Life Of Brian
Afterthe hilariously anticlimactic terminate ofMonty Python and the Holy Grail , the Pythons managed to top themselves with an even more spectacular final conniption in their follow - up film , Life of Brian . Brian is mistaken for the Logos of God and hoist up on a crossing to be crucified . All the support role come and go without helping him down and it looks inevitable that he ’s go to be killed .
And then , a fellow prisoner played by Eric Idlebreaks into a delightfully whimsical melodic numberthat ’s applicable in almost any situation , include crucifixion : “ Always Look on the Bright Side of Life . ”
NEXT : Monty Python : 5 Reasons Why Holy Grail Is Their Best Film ( & 5 Why Life Of Brian is A Close Second )