Trainspotting

Unlike a lot of opening sequences, there is only one credit during that of Trainspotting. After the singular credit of the production company, the sequence instantly begins with fast, upbeat music in sync with the movement of two men running away from policemen. Within the first couple of seconds, this immediately gives the audience an idea of what the story line of the film could possibly be.

The fast paced music is up-keeping with the running of the characters and follows through as the story splits into two simultaneous events of a friendly football match, and the main character, Renton, inhaling a joint in his run down apartment. These events are brought together when Ewan Mcgregor's character falls to the ground simultaneously in both stories, as he is knocked over by a football in the football match, and takes a long drag from his joint in his apartment.

The introduction to the characters in Trainspotting is unusual in the fact that the character's name is displayed as the film is paused at each character, identifying who they are. Some of these names, such as Sick Boy and Spud, give the audience an idea of the type of people they are going to be.

Meanwhile, alongside all of this and in sync with the music, is the voiceover of main character Renton, talking about what certain people choose in life and the fact that he was not going to choose life for reasons that he didn't need because he had heroin. This is effective because it draws together the events and gives clues as to what is going to happen in the film.