The 10 Best Opening Credits in Film History

The article argues that film opening credits can do more than list names: they can establish a film’s style and mood, introduce its characters and themes, and contribute to its storytelling. It presents ten sequences as examples of how directors and designers have turned a routine part of a film into a memorable creative feature.

The selections span genres including spy films, crime thrillers, superhero blockbusters and dramas. Among the examples described are *Goldfinger*, whose 1964 credits paired Shirley Bassey’s theme with projected film images on gold-painted Margaret Nolan, and *Drive*, which uses neon-lit Los Angeles visuals and Kavinsky’s “Nightcall” to set a lonely, nocturnal mood. The article also highlights *Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery* for its colourful, energetic tribute to 1960s spy cinema.