Manhattan & 9 Other Iconic Establishing Shots (& Their Best-Known Uses In Movies)

An establishing shot is a shot in a movie that sets up the following events and gives the audience an idea of where the scene takes place. As most establishing shots in movies are generic shots of houses or other buildings, the ones that get creative really stick out.

The best-establishing shots don’t just establish a location, but they also capture the tone of the film and accurately represent the narrative theme of the movie. Whether it’s a landscape of the Middle East that shows us just how small human beings really are or a panoramic view of a futuristic skyline that pushed the boundaries of special effects, these are the most iconic establishing shots of all time.

10 Citizen Kane (1941)

There’s a reason why this movie is one of Martin Scorsese’s favorite films of all time. The very first establishing shot in Citizen Kane, the one that opens the movie, could be the first-ever great lesson in filmmaking, as the film was the first full-length movie to be held in such high regard as a work of art.

The establishing shot perfectly captures the tone of the film, as it’s mysterious, eerie, and distant. What’s even better is that the shot fades into a closer shot of the mansion, and then an even closer shot, and with each close-up, the light in the mansion remains in the same place the whole time, being the only source of light in the dark fog.

9 Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

Though it could be argued that this is more of a wide shot than an establishing shot, as it sees the characters of Once Upon A Time In America passing by, it’s still the opening shot of a scene, and it’s one of the most iconic frames of a film in the history of cinema.

Even if there are very few audiences remember from the 3+ hour gangster epic, the incredible shot of a typical Manhattan street, with the steam rising from the grates and the Manhattan Bridge in the distance, is definitely ingrained in their memories. The shot is so iconic that even people who haven’t seen the movie know it, as it’s so embedded in pop culture. Since the movie’s release, the spot has become a popular place for tourists, as they try to replicate the shot.

8 Manhattan (1979)

Manhattan is a love letter to the very place it’s named after, and the very opening shot of the movie perfectly captures that, being a beautiful black and white shot of the city’s skyline. What follows are many more marvelous black and white shots of the city, from construction workers to high-street stores to city slickers.

With the narration of Isaac trying to write the opening chapter of his book about a man in love with New York, he describes exactly what the audience sees on-screen in eloquent detail. And it’s one of the most iconic opening scenes ever made.

7 There Will Be Blood (2007)

The very beginning of There Will Be Blood opens with this establishing shot of the mountains, which foreshadows the behemoth trek that Daniel Plainview would have to crawl after injuring himself in a mine when digging for gold.

Though Plainview turns completely evil and does some truly despicable things throughout the movie, there’s no denying his will to succeed. These mountains are the first time we see the depths that the character is willing to go through to triumph, and it only gets worse from here.

6 Blade Runner (1982)

Though it might be one of the classic sci-fi movies that are arguably overrated, there’s no denying how remarkable Blade Runner looks. What the movie might lack in pacing, it more than makes up for in its visual style. There isn’t just one incredible establishing shot of the futuristic landscapes, but many. However, the most iconic shot of them is all is one of the women on the giant TV screen.

Though the shot is focusing on Deckard’s flying car in the foreground, the huge advertisement in the background is impossible to ignore. Blade Runner 2049 expands upon this too, as the advertisements featuring women become holographic, interactive, and just as big.

5 The Exorcist (1973)

Being another shot that could arguably be considered either a wide shot or an establishing shot, it’s the single most well-known frame from any horror movie ever.

As The Exorcist is one of the horror movies from the 70s that has aged well, a lot of that is thanks to the incredible cinematography, as few other horror movies from that era even gave the mise-en-scene of the films a second glance. The shot of a silhouetted Father Merrin standing beneath the street light in front of the house is haunting, and knowing what happens when he enters the house, his gaze upon the building before he walks forward is poignant.

4 Metropolis (1927)

Being the movie poster that hangs in almost every film student’s dorm room, Metropolis achieved what Blade Runner did almost 50 years beforehand, as it’s set in a futuristic dystopia full of fascinating visual effects.

The movie lives by its name, as the bustling metropolis found in the movie is stunning, and the very establishing shot the movie is most known for is what takes up the very poster in all those dorm rooms. Though the movie has been criticized for its simplistic narrative and communist message, it is still considered one of the greatest films of all time due to how visually stunning it was for its time.

3 The Godfather Part II (1974)

The Godfather Part II is one of the few Oscar-winning sequels, but it isn’t just a sequel, as it’s somewhat of a prequel too. As half of the film chronicles the origins of Vito Corleone, which dates all the way back to when he was just a boy in 1901, the opening shot is an almost panoramic vista of Corleone, Sicily.

The view is quite the contrast to Vito’s small dark office that opened the first Godfather movie. As the shot is of Vito’s father’s funeral, it’s a testament to how great and timeless the film is, as the outfits are so accurate of the time and the scenery is so detailed.

2 The Shining (1980)

The Shining is one of the most talked-about movies of all time, mostly because of its ambiguity and the fact that there are so many interesting fan theories about the movie, many of which are regarding the Overlook hotel itself.

What is so great about the establishing shot of the hotel is just how haunting it looks, as it’s surrounded by snow and could just as easily be seen as a cozy lodge, there’s something about the shot that makes it feel like hell itself. The yellow Volkswagen Beetle parked in the middle just goes to show the scope of the hotel and how desolate the place is.

1 Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)

Being one of the best movies with the longest runtimes, there isn’t a single second that’s wasted in Lawrence of Arabia, and though a lot of the time is spent on single shots that linger on the scenery, it’s still as breathtaking today as it was almost 60 years ago.

Though there are many establishing shots in the 3.5-hour movie, the best comes when the shot focuses on the gigantic sand dunes that go on for miles, and just looking at it will make viewers want to drink a gallon of water. No other shot in a movie has ever made audiences feel so inconsequential and microscopic.