17 Years Later, This 20-Minute Opener Is Still Better Than Every World War II Movie Since

Tension built at the farm

Tarantino’s opening places dairy farmer Perrier LaPadite in a strained exchange with Colonel Hans Landa. The remote farm, the house’s increasingly confining rooms and LaPadite’s three daughters all contribute to the pressure.

The scene unfolds through a multilingual interrogation and a measured camera. When it reveals Shosanna Dreyfus and her family hiding beneath the kitchen floorboards, the danger becomes clear.

Waltz shapes the threat

Christoph Waltz’s portrayal gives Landa an unpredictable edge. The colonel uses courtesy and mild absurdity to put others at ease while asserting control. Landa eventually lets Shosanna escape, but the account describes his choice as private amusement rather than remorse. Waltz makes the character’s shifts from civility to menace appear effortless.

A lasting opening sequence

The first 11 unbroken minutes establish the film’s central figures and themes, including its heroine, villain and story of vengeance. The opening also sets the tone for the film’s revisionist history.

The article acknowledges that other World War II films can surpass Inglourious Basterds on objective and subjective grounds. Still, it argues that few openings match this sequence’s force, recalling Shosanna’s flight through the grass and Landa’s sudden change in expression.