International WWTBAM Opening Comparison

[TruelyMostWanted]

Hey guys! i just created this thread to discuss a thing or 2 with you. Since RegisFan made his comment to the new Dutch Opening (see [NL] BankGiro Miljonairs? thread) and i didnt want to go off-topic there, i'll start this discussion here.

Its so true that thesedays there are quite a bunch of different wwtbam openings around the world. Or in general over time quite a bunch of different ones were developed, designed and broadcasted.

Now today i'll give you short list of these below. I wont show duplicates of like the Rave Opening, since its basically Rave.
However i'll give you a list of different opening themes. If you have one that i've forgotten, let me know.
Also vote for your top3 openings in the poll

UK Classic 1998:






UK 2004 "Tunnel" Opening


(UK) "Rave" Opening (No matter which country / no matter if Non-clocked/clocked - doesnt matter its basically the same)


UK 20th Anniversary - Today: ("20th Anniversary" Text replaced with "Millionaire" since 2019)


Germany/Netherlands/Hungary (1999):


Germany(2000-2008) [Taken from the DVD Game]


Germany(2008-Today)


Austria(2008-Today) [basically the german 2000-2008 but in a more modernized design]



Netherlands
(old openings)
(0:31 - their own individual opening
1:01 - a simply / more cartoony / prototype version of the tunnel opening)


Netherlands (2019):



USA (basically for every version on primetime + syndication their own one)
1999 - Classic Primetime
2000-2002 - Long Opening
2002 - Syndication
2004 - Super Millionaire 

2005 - 2008 Opening
2008-2010 Clock Opening
2009 - 10th Anniversary Opening
2010-2015 Shuffle Opening
2015-2018 Shuffle Opening, while format beeing back at Classic
2018-2019 Season17 Opening

All can be found here (starting at 2:08)



Australia (1999-2004):


Australia (2004-2006):


(Australia)Millionaire Hot Seat - 1 (2009)

(just as comparison here)

(Australia) Millionaire Hot Seat - 2 (modernized version)



(Belgium) Hot Seat - Mixed with Rave Opening:



So with that overview..
Out of these, which 3 do you like the most?

[trevor]

You forgot the 2001 UK opening. Also did you know the old German and Austrian open was used in Portugal?

[hadouken85]

I voted in the poll, but if I can also post a comment, then...
Here comes my top 3:
1.UK Classic 1998. Why not? This is the one that started it all, and the one that made Millionaire a phenomenon back then.
The public, attracted by the Millionaire logo with the music playing. It fits the show perfectly!
2.Netherlands 2019. They did a great job making an unique opening instead of following the common Rave style. I prefer this to the common Rave one!
3.International/Rave. If not for the Dutch one, this opening would've ranked second. Not as good as the classic one indeed, but still good in its own way. And it's (probably) the second most recognized opening.

Now, the least favorite:
1.Belgium Hot Seat. It's basically the shortened Rave opening, but with the Hot Seat music. Not fitting at all!(And the format itself sucks, although I kinda like the Belgian set and the new Australian graphics.)
2.USA Shuffle. One word:Disappointing...
3.UK 2018-present. This one simply seems too simple, and it's definitely not my taste.

(And I notice that the UK 2001-2004 opening is missing.)

[TruelyMostWanted]

Well the UK 2001 opening was basically just a modernisation of the classic 1998 opening.
Basically its the same theme, except a few brighter colors and perspectives of the logo construction used.

And yes i know that the german one was used in Portugal (all 3 are Endemol Productions )

[trevor]

Also how do you know if the Austrian version updated its intro in 2008?

[FinalAnswer19]

I think RegisFan and I are in agreement, the Australian openings are some of the best! I would LOVE to get my hands on a clear copy of those opening themes

[RegisFan]

FinalAnswer19, I agree wholeheartedly! The intro with the contestants literally “running” through a physical incarnation of the game is the most unique WWTBAM intro. I still really wish we had a clean copy of the music from that sequence.

[Victor]

The 1999 Australian intro is another great Australian intro. The music sounds slightly different (more punchy).

[dragon3989]

I've always loved the 2005ish AUS intro very unique but the generic rave I've always loved and found the music extremely catchy

[trevor]

I like the 2008 German intro.

[Deleted]

1 - UK 2004-2007, it was a very nice soft-rebranding of the logo and the CGI intro takes the cake, the effects, the lighting and the construction of the logo from start to finish, I like it a lot.

2 - UK 1998-2001, 2001-2004, it's the zombie apocalypse again! But not really, they are just soulless people staring onto the logo's construction, looks more alienated, but it was a good introduction to Millioniare nonetheless with the dramatic.

3 - UK 2018-Present, it's like 'New Super Mario Bros.', back to the basics with unique twists along the way, Mario which means regular platforming but with moves taken from the 3D Games, Millionaire which means back to 15 questions, 3 and a half lifelines if you can call Jeremy as a lifeline and a settable second safety net as this intro is like a reflection of it, going back to the basic where it all started, well, kinda, as it shows the logo constructing itself once again, sort of like the 2004-2007 intro or to a extent the 1998/2001 intro, but it's more basic than we would remember that it would be, it's a bit stripped down but hey, I liked it with the 2004 and the 1998/2001 intros.

Also a bit of a personal thought..

I kinda wished all of countries that has WWTBAM? after 2008 at some point didn't made their openings to the common Rave international as it once introduced in 2007.

It would be really nice if all of many different countries has different intros, yes I know that Germany and the Netherlands has theirs, I'm talking about the ones that has pretty much have the Rave International ones, who basically got the intro fit to the currency, amounts, lifelines or sometimes logos for them. Hell, they could done the common intros with a different style could work for instance, Nepal's Millionaire, atleast they had some effort put in them, to differentiate themselves from the original source.

But it's a format that is pretty much interchangable between different countries, so it was pretty much expected to see Rave international intro as a template as their basis for the countries' Millionaire format, but hey, a business' a business for Sony.

[Pyciek]

For me the best intro is Australian used in 2004-2006. I very like rock motif that it has. Music is also great, I'd love to see it in other versions of WWTBAM. The intro perfectly shows how hard the way through the maze is for contestant. It is very unique. As for 2004, effect used there are great. 


2nd place - UK 1998. I just like it very much. As hadouken85 said it fits the show perfectly. I really like that "zombie" people motif just starring at the logo.  A very interesting thing for me is that "moving" man that appears almost at the end of intro. I was always wondering how is he moving and why it appears in almost every recreation of this intro in other countries (for example Hong Kong:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=msgiks7ek_0 - 14 second). If you don't know who am i talking about, here he is:




3 - International Rave Intro. Why? It is very energetic, it looks good and it is still graphically updated - you can see it in new versions, such as CVEM (Chi Vuol Essere Millionario) or Legyen Ön is milliomos (Hungary). 

Comparsion (2019 vs 2017): 

[TruelyMostWanted]

To Add Some Special Openings of WWTBAM Around The World..
I think the most unusual openings that currenty exist are the latest 2 from India.
"Kaun Banega Crorepati" using the Argumented Reality (AR) where they put Virtual Stuff in the real set.

Season 10: (Season 2018)
putting the logo on the ground of the set


Season 11 (Starting August 18, 2019)
> Literally a Blockbuster/Cinematic with re-orchestered tune
(video gets replaced with a 720p/1080p video as soon as the episode is available)

Opinions about these 2?
Which else do you know that are quite unusal/special?

[omran.dk]

For me, the intro and the music must be linked and not mix, for example the intro of 1998 with the music of 2007 does not fit at all but if we replaced the latter by that of 1999 then it is perfect.

By the way, my top 3 WWTBAM intros are:
1: 1998-2001. the best without hesitation, that's how I fell a fan of this mechanic, when I was little I was such a fan of this credits that I constantly watch on YouTube hahah
1a: other versions of this intro from 98. homage to the countries which wanted to imitate this timeless intro instead of using them

2: Japanese intro 2000. for me this is one of the best intro in WWTBAM history, almost as well as intro 98, what shocked me was to see the real intro I thought the Japanese production didn't have one but seeing that, I tell myself that a mix between effect 98 and putting the host in the credits makes it even more dramatic and to have added sound effects to the music from 99

3: Portuguese intro 2000-2005. so it's not very well known but I find that putting the music of 99 on the German credits is more dramatic than the main theme. And it is the Portuguese production that made this perfect blend

To end my opinion on the credits and music of the game, if there is not the word "rave" in my list it is quite simply that I hate these rave versions I find that it removes the suspense, the tension, the stress and the effect that can get to this game. Without it there is more the DNA of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. And that will be my last word!