Welcome to the fourth edition of "Into the Fray". It's been two years since the last one on Batman, more specifically how the character was portrayed by certain actors. So, as is a common occurrence since I revived this blog, here is the rundown of what "Into the Fray" is. I take four contenders for a topic that have been picked by certain criteria and then score them against each other with another set of criteria, often with some overlap between the two. The purpose is to declare a winner based on an equitable measure. To get a better idea, please click here for the one on sequels, here for the one on (unplanned) trilogies, and here for the aforementioned one on Batman.

Into the Fray: Opening Scene

What does one want from a movie's opening scene? Purely from an artistic standpoint and also to me, it is much like the first chapter of a book or the introductory bars of a song. It's the hook, and to a point, it should establish direction for the remainder of the work. Since it is a similar medium, it has energy comparable, for better or worse, to the pilot episode of a television series. I ended up with several contenders in mind but settled on the original four when I developed the idea for this edition. "Opening scene" may be a bit of a misnomer, as I am considering the length of the opening to be until there is an obvious change and/or the plot moves forth. For each, I will name the scene and identify the film followed by a brief description. Grading criteria are as follows: introduction of main characters- how many and how well are primary protagonists and/or antagonists presented; contribution to story- how much does the scene add to the narrative; audience hook- how intriguing is the opening; and matching tone- how well does the introduction match the rest of the film. Into the fray!

Hovitos Temple / Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): This iconic scene has the eponymous character of the franchise going into the fictional Hovitos temple to retrieve a golden idol while avoiding and escaping ancient traps. It has been referenced and parodied multiple times, particularly the rolling boulder sequence. It is the perfect introduction to the Indiana Jones films in general but also partially serves as to why Raiders is the best of them. Characters: Since every other film and other type of release contains his name, it is only fitting that the audience is immediately introduced to Indiana Jones as the ultimate archaeologist-adventurer complete with a slow reveal of his recognizable emblems including fedora, leather bomber jacket, bullwhip, and even his ophidiophobia. Before the end, we are also briefly acquainted with Belloq, the film's primary antagonist and rival of Indiana. Still, other major roles including Marion, Toht, and Sallah, are not seen for the first time until later. 4/5. Story: Aside from establishing the rivalry between Jones and Belloq, the opening scene has nothing to do with the primary narrative of retrieving the lost Ark of the Covenant and keeping it out of the hands of the Nazis. 2/5. Hook: In the prologue, multiple traits of Indiana Jones are revealed including his awareness and his (mostly) suave coolness under pressure. As it is clearly the end of one adventure, one must want to know what one from beginning to end is like, and of course, Raiders begins to deliver immediately following this opening scene. 5/5. Tone: From the aforementioned slow reveal of Indiana Jones' appearance to his use of the bullwhip to disarming a would-be assassin to the journey through the booby-trapped temple to the boulder chase to his eventual escape via sea plane with the last-second disclosure of his fear of snakes, the introduction manages to pack in a lot of what would come to define a good Indiana Jones film (and other media). 5/5. Overall Score: 4/5.

This Is Halloween (Town) / The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): Including the brief narration ahead of it, the first number of The Nightmare Before Christmas consists of some exposition, which is one of the common purposes of an opening number. In my opinion, it is the song with more theatrical presentation than any of the others, not that any are lacking. (To note: I almost eliminated musical films as contenders, but there is a bit more to the opening scene than just the song. I carefully selected criteria so that the musical format has no merit on its own.) Characters: With This Is Halloween being sung by many of the citizens of Halloween Town, the audience is introduced to much of the cast, though most are minor. All three main characters, Jack Skellington, Sally, and Oogie Boogie are seen, but detail is only given about Jack. In addition to these three, the main supporting role, Mayor, is also introduced. The scene ends with Jack sneaking away from the celebration and sharing his dissatisfaction with his place in everything. 5/5. Story: Between the brief narration, what happens in Halloween Town throughout the song and immediately following, and Jack's discontentment as he walks out of town, the remainder of the film builds from these matters. 5/5. Hook: Catchy song aside, most of the intrigue to this point is the visuals. However, with knowing Jack Skellington is the town's king (from the lyrics of This Is Halloween) his emotional status certainly has its own level of interest. 3/5. Tone: Nightmare very much keeps the opening dark humor and atmosphere throughout, though by the end credits, it has added the warmth of a Christmas film. The other songs stay within the realm of the basic musical makeup of This Is Halloween, which becomes an added aspect that could go either way with a musical film. 5/5. Overall Score: 4.5/5.

Bank Heist / The Dark Knight (2008): Members of a team carry out various tasks to rob a bank until their parts are complete, and then each is eliminated by another. It is revealed that the bank is in fact owned by the mafia. The leader of the team, the Joker, ends up the last man standing and evades capture in a stolen school bus, timed to be in traffic with legitimate buses. Characters: Taking advantage of the fact that it is a sequel to a film that already introduced the titular character and three other main ones, the opening sequence contains one and only one main character, the Joker. As anyone who has seen The Dark Knight soon finds out, his presence is more than enough for the opening. 4/5. Story: The bank heist is in fact a major plot point, as it leads to at least a couple of others including a sequence that Batman retrieves the criminals' accountant from Hong Kong, as he is will not be legally extradited and is required to build a case against the mob bosses. The heist itself pressures the mafia leaders to collect their money together, which works into being a part of the Joker's plans. 5/5. Hook: There is such a beautiful pattern to the sequence as a rule, a bit ironic considering the Joker is an agent of chaos. There are subtleties to the scene, so it has to be watched multiple times to fully appreciate. But the main thing is Heath Ledger's Joker is a force in every scene, one must wonder how the heist fits in overall and how will Bale's Batman react. 5/5. Tone: As I have stated in the previous edition, "Into the Fray: Sequels", The Dark Knight does not waste a minute. Part of how it does this is a consistent rooted-in-realism style of storytelling throughout. Also stated prior, it continues this from Batman Begins, so the opening scene not only stays true in itself, but also to other films in the trilogy. 5/5. Overall Score: 4.75/5.

Carl & Ellie / Up (2009): The film begins with ten-year-old Carl meeting Ellie and bonding over their shared Charles Muntz fandom and general love for exploring. Immediately following, there is a montage of their married life, lack of ability to have children, plans to travel instead, leading to the Ellie passing before they can do so. Characters: Three of the main characters are introduced during this sequence. I am counting Ellie, because her memory is ever present as Carl carries on without her. 5/5. Story: Coupled with the desperation that is established shortly after the introduction, Ellie's desires to travel are the catalyst for Carl's balloon-house journey to South America. Carl speaks to her as he and Russell go along through every challenge. 5/5. Hook: Pixar has solid track record of emotionally connecting to its films' audiences. If I'm guessing, those who have seen Up would cite it as a prime example of being wrecked in the first ten or so minutes. Because of that, one is instantly endeared to Carl as a character and wants to know what's next for him. 5/5. Tone: The opening's mix of joy, disappointment, and sorrow is a blueprint for the rest of the film. Fortunately, it's never quite the same level of sadness again, though. 5/5. Overall Score: 5/5.

Conclusion: The winner for best opening scene is... Carl & Ellie from Up! It introduces two of the four main characters, plus another whose presence is felt throughout despite her passing, its contents contribute to the overall story, it hooks the audience mostly by captivating us with Carl, and it sets a tone that is mostly maintained throughout. Yet another close contest, the runners-up in order of rank are The Dark Knight, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Another thing becoming tradition is to explain what this "Into the Fray" is not. It certainly does not indicate the most iconic opening, as that would likely go to Raiders or possibly Jaws, which was among the potential contenders. It does not indicate the best film, either, as each of these are among my all-time favorites. One thing that strikes me is that each of these is a cold opening, which tells me each of the filmmakers believed in their respective introductory scenes and they were right to do so. It is worth noting that four genres of film are represented here, meaning a strong opening is important to a great film.

Next up... Something special for my 50th post!