Watch Why First And Final Frames Are So Important In Epic Movie Mash-Up

The world's greatest filmmakers tell their stories from the very first frame in their movies to the very last. Need proof? Just watch the amazing supercut below, and you'll notice just how many brilliant films have beginnings and endings that work in stunning tandem.

This video, titled bluntly "First and Final Frames," was created by Vimeo user Jacob T. Swinney, and it's an impressive edit that highlights the brilliant work of filmmakers from every era, including John Ford, Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino and many more. It's amazing to watch just how many movies have perfectly poetic beginnings and endings.

So what are some of the highlights? One of the earliest in the video comes from a film that was only released just last year: David Fincher's Gone Girl. The mirrored beginning and ending here isn't exactly subtle in framing, but what's lurking behind Rosamund Pike's eyes completely changes the context.

Gone GIrl

My next favorite is featured from Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk Love. This is a movie all about a man rejecting his loneliness and finding love, and it's illustrated perfectly here.

Punch Drunk Love

And then there's the visual magic of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, which juxtaposes "sunrise" with the giant space baby:

2001

I've always found that part of the fun in watching these kinds of videos is simply naming as many of the movies as you can - and I imagine that many of you are the same way. If you've already made your guesses, head over to Page Two to check them against the full list of films, which the editor was kind enough to provide.

The Tree of LifeThe MasterBrokeback MountainNo Country for Old MenHerBlue ValentineBirdmanBlack SwanGone GirlKill Bill Vol. 2Punch-Drunk LoveSilver Linings PlaybookTaxi DriverShutter IslandChildren of MenWe Need to Talk About KevinFunny Games (2007)Fight Club12 Years a SlaveThere Will be BloodThe Godfather Part IIShameNever Let Me GoThe RoadHungerRaging BullCabaretBefore SunriseNebraskaFrankCast AwaySomewhereMelancholiaMorvern CallarTake this WaltzBuriedLord of WarCape Fear12 MonkeysThe World According to GarpSaving Private RyanPoetrySolaris (1972)Dr. StrangeloveThe Astronaut FarmerThe PianoInceptionBoyhoodWhiplashCloud AtlasUnder the Skin2001: A Space OdysseyGravityThe SearchersThe Usual Suspects

Eric Eisenberg
Assistant Managing Editor

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.