American Gangster: Opening

AG has a great opening. Four scenes:
1. A gas & bullets scene. Short and powerful. Introduces the subject. Is in the film but not in my early draft script, a good addition.
2. Thanksgiving scene. Also short and powerful. Develops character, balances the dramatic impact of the first scene.
3. The death of Bumpy. Mixes up the tempo by being longer and slower. Also foreshadows plot and theme elements like, "What right do they have to cut out the middle man?" and "There's no one in charge."
4. The funeral of Bumpy. More character and plot.

Additional points about the opening:
- It establishes Frank as the main character.
- It gives a great first impression of the main character. "A character's entrance should be indicative of the character's traits. First impression of a character is most important." (Terry Rossio)
- The mix of short scenes vs long, fast vs slow, gives texture to the story. You don't want all scenes to be the same length or tempo.