Sergio Leone's 1968 classic Western, Once Upon a Time in the West, has been named the greatest movie opening of all time by Parade magazine in a ranking published on July 1, 2026.
The film's opening sequence runs 11 minutes and features Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson.
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It relies on atmospheric suspense, silence, and patient storytelling rather than modern visual effects or rapid editing.
Parade described the scene as potentially sounding boring to describe, as it plays out slowly with credits rolling and characters waiting at a train station.
The outlet noted it is tense and oddly funny, with a great payoff when Bronson's character arrives.
The dialogue-light opening includes lingering close-ups, a creaking windmill, and natural soundscapes before Ennio Morricone's score begins.
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It has heavily influenced modern filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Christopher Nolan.
Modern Westerns Find New Life on Streaming
Meanwhile, Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is gaining traction as a cult classic on streaming platforms like HBO Max, Netflix, and Prime Video, according to Collider.
The three-hour epic debuted in June 2024 but struggled at the box office, earning only $34 million against a $50 million budget.
Warner Bros.
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subsequently pulled its completed second chapter from the release calendar, leaving the future of Costner's planned four-part saga uncertain.
