Top 10 Character Introduction Scenes in Movies

Talk about making a quick impression. Quint, a veteran shark hunter, isn’t one for taking nonsense – in fact, his first act during a frenzied town meeting is to scrape his fingers down a chalkboard, turning heads and ushering in silence. From there, the scene is something of a restrained character study; Quint doesn’t yell or complain, he simply makes a reasonable case for why he should be the one to kill the film’s titular beast. And his departure is as respectable as it is curt.

If the goal was to frighten the shit out of us, then this scene succeeded. Early on in “Full Metal Jacket,” as a fresh batch of U.S. Marines arrive for basic training on Parris Island, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman takes the opportunity to harden up the recruits. His aggressive approach needs to be seen to be believed; he doles out embarrassing nicknames, punches Private Joker in the gut, and even chokes a soldier for smirking. Hartman is, in a nutshell, the quintessential military man – for better or worse.

As much as we enjoy Darth Vader’s march aboard the Tantive IV, Captain Solo’s introduction felt a bit more dynamic. It begins with a bargain – Han talks to our hero Luke Skywalker and his mentor Obi-Wan into spending thousands of credits, in exchange for a ticket off the current planet. However, the defining sequence is Solo’s subsequent encounter with the bounty hunter Greedo. We get to see both the smooth-talking gentleman and the hardened smuggler in Han’s character, culminating in one of his most iconic moments. P.S. Han shot first!

Is anyone else feeling goose bumps on their skin? We sense audiences had a similar reaction to FBI recruit Clarice Starling’s first encounter with the criminal mastermind Hannibal Lecter, a seemingly restrained man who slowly reveals himself to be something far more sinister. Everything from the close-ups on the actors’ faces to the long pauses in the dialogue adds to the unease, fitting with the idea that Lecter is far from a common crook. He’s a force of pure evil who’s always one step ahead. Not that knowing that makes things better.

It’s a simple setup – the eccentric Willy Wonka stumbles out of his factory, only to duck and roll in a masterful flourish, thus reassuring everyone of his whimsical charm. However, what’s not immediately apparent is the subtle contempt and sarcasm with which Wonka greets each of the five Golden Ticket winners. He may seem pleasant and carefree, but the scene illustrates something deeper about his character: his loss of faith in people. As a result, we rarely know if he’s sincere, crazy, putting these children to the test, or all of the above.

Go in with style, this scene seems to say. Our lead couple Janet and Brad, seeking help with a flat tire, enters a castle hosting an annual Transylvanian Convention. Put off by the odd trappings and disoriented party-goers, the couple moves to leave – and comes face-to-face with Doctor Frank-N-Furter himself. The musical number that follows, “Sweet Transvestite,” walks a fine line between being absurd and being amusing. It certainly helps that Frank is played by Tim Curry, who distinguishes himself as the Sir Laurence Olivier of hamming it up.

Christoph Waltz has a knack for playing calculating characters. Though he marvelously brought bounty hunter Dr. King Shultz to life in “Django Unchained,” it is Waltz’ work in “Inglourious Basterds” that began his rise to stardom. The film’s first chapter introduces us to Hans Landa, an SS colonel seeking runaway Jewish refugees. As Landa interrogates a simple farmer for information, we’re led to believe the colonel is a fair but particular man – and then Landa switches gears into ruthless killer territory, bluntly making his intent clear. Well played, sir; well played.

Batman throttling criminals in 1989, Bane decimating a CIA plane in 2012 – Batman films sure like their dramatic entrances. But none reaches the tense and unpredictable highs captured in “The Dark Knight,” especially since our first encounter with The Joker also serves as the movie’s opening hook. It begins with a bank robbery, which starts to unravel as the clown mask-wearing criminals involved systematically turn on one another. Then we get the reveal: The Joker was among the robbers, counting on their downfall. Is it too late to run away screaming?

There is beauty in subtlety. Such is the case for Vito Corleone, an aged and tired head of a long-lived mafia family. On the day of his daughter Connie’s wedding, Corleone is visited by Amerigo Bonasera – who asks him to put out a hit on the abusers of his own daughter. The entire scene is pivotal to understanding Don Corleone, both as the pragmatic head of a criminal enterprise and as a human being who recognizes the love of family. It’s beautifully handled, a testament to everyone involved.

Before we introduce our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Col. Walter E. Kurtz
“Apocalypse Now” (1979)
- Travis Bickle
“Taxi Driver” (1976)
- Jigsaw
“Saw” (2004)
- Raoul Silva
“Skyfall” (2012)
- Nick Fury
“Iron Man” (2008)

There’s nothing quite like a bit of mystery in our introductions. “Dr. No” chooses to take its time in revealing its lead character’s face, instead establishing the haughty attitude of all those present in this scene’s poker game. So when the camera reveals our well-groomed hero – James Bond – and the now-iconic tune starts playing, we get the sense that the character is the epitome of class and sophistication. The point gets driven home with Bond’s gentlemanly flirting with socialite Sylvia Trench. Even when Bond exits the scene, we can’t get enough.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite introduction scene for a movie character? For more character-centric Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.