Epic Character Introductions That Will Never Be Beat

One of the most memorable things about a movie character is how they're introduced to the
viewer, and how the film lets the viewer know who they are and why they matter.
With that in mind, here are some of the best character introductions in the history of
film.
Vito Corleone
Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 masterpiece The Godfather opens with Amerigo Bonasera telling
a complicated story that leads to an account of his daughter's brutal assault at the hands
of two men.
It's clear he's talking to someone highly respected and very dangerous, and as the shot
grows wider, we’re introduced to this mysterious man from behind.
When Bonasera gets up to whisper in Don Corleone's ear, we understand exactly what kind of justice
he seeks.
“That I cannot do.”
Corleone doesn't betray any emotion in response to what he's been asked, but takes Bonasera
to task nonetheless.
We meet him as the Godfather, a man so powerful he literally decides who lives and who dies.
Hannibal Lecter
When FBI trainee Clarice Starling enters the dungeon-like hallway that leads to Hannibal
Lecter's cell, viewers have already heard about the brutal, cannibalistic serial killer
she's on her way to meet.
Starling sees a succession of horrifying men in the cells along the way.
So, after all this setup, it's something of a surprise when Lecter finally comes into
view.
His cell is clean and has art hanging on the walls.
“Doctor, my name is Clarice Starling.
May I speak with you?"
"You're one of Jack Crawford's, aren't you?"
"I am, Yes.”
Even as he's being friendly to Clarice, there's something unnerving about him.
He's being polite, but he's also testing her in every moment.
It's not that Hannibal Lecter isn't a monster, it's just that he's an extraordinarily civilized
one.
Batman
Tim Burton's 1989 version of Batman begins with a scene that suggests the character's
well-known origin, as a boy and his parents are accosted by hoodlums in the back alleys
of Gotham City.
These aren't the Waynes, however, and they survive the mugging.
The two criminals find a nearby perch and start sorting through their spoils, while
discussing recent sightings of a batlike figure attacking criminals.
As they talk, the recognizable silhouette of Batman descends behind them before the
Dark Knight easily kicks their butts.
“Don't kill me man!"
"I'm not going to kill you, I want you to do me a favor.
I want you to tell all your friends about me."
"WHAT ARE YOU?"
"I’m Batman.”
Darth Vader
A brigade of white-armored stormtroopers breach the rebel spaceship Tantive IV first, engaging
in a shootout that leaves many rebels dead and the ship filled with smoke.
With the rebels on the run, the stormtroopers stand at attention as Darth Vader enters the
scene.
It's immediately clear: Vader is extremely powerful, and he doesn't do the grunt work.
The nature of Darth Vader's power will become clear in later scenes, but for now it's enough
that he's very big, very scary, and in charge.
Quint
Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic Jaws is a movie about a deadly shark.
But it's also a movie about a town in crisis, selfishly searching for a solution to keep
their tourism industry alive.
This comes to a head in a scene where all the town leaders are meeting and everyone
is talking at once.
Robert Shaw’s Quint enters Jaws very late, but this scene quickly makes clear what sort
of man he is.
He's extremely competent, and he knows it, but he's also disinterested in polite social
norms.
He's not the guy anyone wants to work with, but he's the guy who can catch a giant shark.
"$10,000 for me by myself.
For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing."
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Epic Character Introductions That Will Never Be Beat

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