Directed by Hitchcock in 1958, Vertigo, his masterpiece and one of the greatest thrillers of all time, starts in a straightforward manner, with a rooftop chase by two cops.

The movie begins with a handheld foot chase through a poor, low-income housing, with lighting that’s subdued and subtle.

Voice-over narration has proven very popular in movies’ beginnings, due to the multiple functions it could serve.

This 9-minute chase scene (12 minutes if the credits are included) is one of several thrilling movies that begin with a heist scene. 

The true opening of this film is a monologue by the great and eccentric Nicholas Cage, standing in a street full of bullets.