NFT: Best on-screen introduction for a character in film?

Wild Bill from Tombstone

Javier Bardem from No Country for Old Men

In comment 15287524 Daniel in Kentucky said:

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Top 3 villain in cinema history. Link - ( New Window )

LOL..I was typing this and looking up his characters name when you made your post

…tumble weed rolling slow tempo which sets up the dramatic intro.

Mitchum in Cape Fear
Brando in The Godfather

Tyrion Lannister in GoT

Beatrix "The Bride" Kiddo - Kill Bill

I’ll go with ‘The Rock’ ... Ed Harris, Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery all had outstanding individual intros.

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In comment 15287416 theking said:

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In Once Upon A Time in The West. Seeing Henry Fonda who was always a good guy, suddenly be a villain and shoot a child in the face was something else.

Harmonica's introduction was no slouch either. The setup to his introduction alone took like 10 minutes!

Silence of the Lambs

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...and you're welcome. :)

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In comment 15287469 Jimmy Googs said:

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as well...

Scared the crap out of me as a kid. Still does!

But Harold (Bud Court) and his mother (Vivian Pickles) in Harold and Maude. You just see partial glimpses of a young man in a suit in a richly appointed room, hand putting on a record, sleeve and arm carefully lighting a candelabra, writing something and pinning it on, then you follow shoes as they step down a step, up onto a stool where both feet plant, then they step off and dangle. You realize he’s hanged himself and then you see him in full there.

An older woman comes in, possible his mother, sees him and walks calmly to the phone. You assume she’s dialing 911. She instead talks to her assistant about rescheduling an appointment as if nothing is wrong.

It sets the tone perfectly.

In comment 15287469 Jimmy Googs said:

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as well...

Lots of good suggestions on this thread, but I think you nailed it!

As Fred Fenster in "The Usual Suspects" in the running from the cops scene.

in From Dusk Till Dawn.

No words. She was unfuckingbelievable.

Gary Oldman in True Romance

In comment 15287658 Bricktop said:

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in From Dusk Till Dawn. No words. She was unfuckingbelievable.

Those are words.

The one I use: boner.

In comment 15287676 Route 9 said:

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In comment 15287658 Bricktop said: Quote: in From Dusk Till Dawn. No words. She was unfuckingbelievable. Those are words. The one I use: boner.

I just watched it again. It moved.

Uma Thurman as Botticelli's Venus in "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen"

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

In comment 15287682 81_Great_Dane said:

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Uma Thurman as Botticelli's Venus in "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Agree with Sean Young in Blade Runner. She was something else when she was younger. Rutger Hauer as Roy and Daryl Hannah as Pris were really great character intros as well. Masterpiece of a film.

Was Jesus.
I can't figure out how to post a gif on my phone, but that image of that purple freak licking the bowling ball in slo-mo is just haunting.

in "Jaws".

Robert Shaw in Jaws, Michael Douglas in Wall Street and Norton in Primal Fear are the ones that stood out to me.

Paul Sorvino in Goodfellas was another one. When he walks out of the door and just glares at everyone and goes back inside without saying a word.

In comment 15287451 BigBlue89 said:

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Such a small part but an amazing scene https://youtu.be/czOpDN8Knr4?t=80

I missed this one when I first read the thread. This was an epic one. We joke around in my office all the time about taking the AIDA approach in business meetings. “I drove here in an $80,000 BMW tonight, that’s my name!”

Also probably even better yet, Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia

in Chinatown, choosing the cheaper whiskey.

In comment 15287719 PwndPapi said:

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In comment 15287682 81_Great_Dane said: Quote: Uma Thurman as Botticelli's Venus in "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Agree with Sean Young in Blade Runner. She was something else when she was younger. Rutger Hauer as Roy and Daryl Hannah as Pris were really great character intros as well. Masterpiece of a film.

Agreed, and the sequel is pretty damn good too!

Rhett Butler. Vader. The Joker in The Dark Knight. Nicholson in The Departed...'I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.'

In comment 15287991 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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Rhett Butler. Vader. The Joker in The Dark Knight. Nicholson in The Departed...'I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.'

I liked present day Nicholson showing up at the bar and sitting next to Leo. God damm that was so good with the obvious unease of the two women talking when they saw him walk in the room and suddenly just stopped gossiping.

I just love that damn movie so much. It's so sad too that that is one of (maybe?) Five films I went to the movies to go see within the last 20 years, and really liked.

Route 9, Jack was great in that movie.

'One of us had to die. With me, it tends to be the other guy.'

In comment 15287525 Milton said:

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from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Sundance Kid intro - ( New Window )

I thought for sure you would have gone with Harry Lime in The Third Man.

In comment 15287360 RobCrossRiver56 said:

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That scene is one of my favorite scenes in all of film. Absolutely gripping and incredibly well acted.

In The Matrix.

No talking, that black latex outfit, running on the walls, taking out the cops and that 360 hang in the air kick.

Opening perfection.

as well.

And Michael Myers.

Classics.

Curtiz turned it into an iconic character intro.
First shot of Bogey in Casablanca - ( New Window )

Christoph Waltz was just terrifyingly amazing. He stole the movie as Hans Landa.

But, there was one more entry in that movie deserving of mention: Eli Roth as Sgt. Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz.

His introduction in the woods was filled with tension and then boom! Teddy fuckin’ Williams knocks it outta the pahk! Fenway park on its feet for Teddy fuckin’ ballgame! He went yard on that one onto Landsdowne Street. Fuck you!

*gunshot*
Link - ( New Window )

The fog, the intense music, the sound of an approaching horse, the King appearing on his steed, the coconuts.

What could be better?

In comment 15288020 Chris in Philly said:

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In comment 15287525 Milton said: Quote: from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Sundance Kid intro - ( New Window ) I thought for sure you would have gone with Harry Lime in The Third Man.

Good one! But the other one that came to mind right away was Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard.

In comment 15287525 Milton said:

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from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Sundance Kid intro - ( New Window )

This is the one I thought of too.

from "the Jerk". Don't think his opening intro is politically correct in 2021. Funny, but easily taken out of context.

I'll add John Wayne in "Stagecoach."

Rita Hayworth in "Gilda."

Humphrey Bogart in "The Petrified Forest."

Rex Harrison in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir."

Julie Andrews in "Mary Poppins."

but sticking with that film; the Bear Jew, aka Sgt. Donny Donowitz had a great introduction. The bat swinging in the tunnel, not knowing who was going to come out.

Although not necessarily an intro since he had appeared in the opening, I always like the pullback during the argument between Mr Pink and Mr White to show Mr Blonde listening to their argument. Didnt take much dialog to realize that the character was something of a maniac:)

Pootie Tang was born in a small town outside of Gary, Indiana. That town is called Chi-Ca-Go.

In comment 15287729 Bricktop said:

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I just signed back in just to respond to this thread after realizing my answe was definitley The Jesus, and I see I’ve been beaten to the punch.

It’s amazing - the outfit, the licking, Los Lobos’ Hote California… perfect.

Two Coen brothers movies in this list I just realized.