In horror, it’s certainly no secret that a large collection of movies have their overall fear factor ripped away due to a lazy, unappealing opening scene. However, a delectable handful of movies within the horror umbrella boast eye-popping opening credits scenes that keep viewers intrigued and refrained from searching for an alternative — and fans are happy to share which film sits as the cream of the crop.
Over on the r/horror subreddit, user u/jdpm1991 kickstarted the conversation by maintaining their opinion that the opening credits scene from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining undoubtedly takes the cake as the best in the colossal horror genre. The scene in question features various overhead shots of Jack Torrance driving to the Overlook Hotel, where he was set to serve as the hotel’s winter caretaker.
With a topic this inviting, fellow Reddit commenters immediately flocked to the thread in herds, with a plethora of opening credits enthusiasts happily agreeing with the OP and applauding Kubrick’s vision.
One user mentioned how “iconic” the film actually is, and even brought forward an interesting theory that the shot is meant to convey the POV of the spirit following the Torrance family to the hotel. Wild.
Another user simply stated the film’s impeccable opening credits scene is due to the director himself, Stanley Kubrick.
Another user mentioned that both the movie’s spine-tingling score and iconic opening shot live rent free in their head at all times.
With iconic opening scenes like Scream (1996) and Ghost Ship (2002), being named the absolute best in horror definitely isn’t an easy feat to accomplish. Nevertheless, over forty years after The Shining’s original release, horror fans are still praising its authenticity and valuable contribution to the genre as a whole.
