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Poll

Which Bond film features the best pre-title sequence?

From Russia with Love
1 (12.5%)
Goldfinger
0 (0%)
Thunderball
0 (0%)
You Only Live Twice
0 (0%)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
0 (0%)
Diamonds are Forever
0 (0%)
Live and Let Die
0 (0%)
The Man with the Golden Gun
2 (25%)
The Spy Who Loved Me
0 (0%)
Moonraker
0 (0%)
For Your Eyes Only
0 (0%)
Octopussy
0 (0%)
A View to a Kill
0 (0%)
The Living Daylights
0 (0%)
Licence to Kill
0 (0%)
GoldenEye
3 (37.5%)
Tomorrow Never Dies
0 (0%)
The World is Not Enough
2 (25%)
Die Another Day
0 (0%)
Casino Royale
0 (0%)
Quantum of Solace
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 8

Author Topic: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence  (Read 3235 times)

Corndog

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James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« on: November 07, 2011, 07:08:09 PM »
The pre-title sequence is another Bond staple, so which film does it best?

From Russia with Love - Rehearsal for Murder

Goldfinger - Break In, Bomb & Go

Thunderball - Black Widow

You Only Live Twice - Dead on the Job (not on youtube)

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Beach Rescue

Diamonds are Forever - Where is Blofeld?

Live and Let Die - Funeral for Two

The Man with the Golden Gun - Deadly Game (not on youtube)

The Spy Who Loved Me - Deep Sea Hijacking/ Ski Chase

Moonraker - Sharp 'Chuting

For Your Eyes Only - "A pleasant fright."

Octopussy - Military Maneuver/ Adios Amigos

A View to a Kill - Ski Daze

The Living Daylights - Training Trouble (not on youtube)

Licence to Kill - Aborted Union/Drug Busters

GoldenEye - Calling Arkangel

Tomorrow Never Dies - One Man Task Force

The World is Not Enough - Slain in Spain/Blazing Boat Chase

Die Another Day - Like a Hovercraft on Fire

Casino Royale - Earning a 00

Quantum of Solace - "Time to get out."
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

smirnoff

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Re: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2011, 07:28:48 PM »
Casino Royale and The World Is Not Enough I love, but I'll go for the 11 minute masterpiece that is Goldeneye. The thought of being a Bond fan and the drought since Licence to Kill... imagine the shivers you'd get! What a way to bring Bond into next decade!

Corndog

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Re: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2011, 09:27:47 PM »
There are definitely some good ones, but I like the wacky maze showdown of The Man with the Golden Gun. A tough choice with the likes of GoldenEye, The World is Not Enough, Casino Royale, From Russia with Love and the Living Daylights also being in contention.
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1SO

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Re: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2011, 10:38:03 PM »
Two of the better Bond moments of Brosnan's, if not Bond's career in the series occur right here in the opening sequence. The first when he jumps out of the window with a string attached to a downed goon. And that is a great shot too, so cool. After that scene, there is a second thrilling adventure as we are swept back to MI6 in London and King gets murdered by a bomb, so 007 must pursue the assassin. An awesome chase scene on boats then takes place on the River Thames as 007 hijacks Q's retirement fishing boat, which is decked out with all the necessary accouterments. The second moment occurs when Bond must dive like a submarine in his tiny speedboat and whilst underwater, he staritens his tie a-la the Goldeneye tank chase scene.

I'm going to rewatch these and rank them, but I've already said my peace about the opening of The World is Not Enough which delivers a double whammy of action, plus is very connected to the main plot.

edgar00

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Re: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2011, 10:40:44 AM »
Goldeneye, for the insane stunt work, the performances, the introduction of the new Bond and how it plays into the overall plot of the film.

That being said, I get shivers down my spin every single time I watch the opening to CR, when Bond, in that filthy bathroom, picks up his gun, spins around and shoots in direction of the audience (which also reveals to us a gunbarrel!) and then the first chores to 'You Know my Name' rip through the speakers. Welcome, Mr. Bond.
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1SO

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Re: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2011, 02:29:53 PM »
1. The World is Not Enough - Slain in Spain/Blazing Boat Chase
2. GoldenEye - Calling Arkangel
3. Goldfinger - Break In, Bomb & Go
4. Live and Let Die - Funeral for Two
5. Casino Royale - Earning a 00

6. The Living Daylights - Training Trouble (not on youtube)
7. Tomorrow Never Dies - One Man Task Force
8. Octopussy - Military Maneuver/ Adios Amigos
9. For Your Eyes Only - "A pleasant fright."
10. Moonraker - Sharp 'Chuting
11. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Beach Rescue
12. Thunderball - Black Widow
13. From Russia with Love - Rehearsal for Murder

14. Die Another Day - Like a Hovercraft on Fire
15. The Man with the Golden Gun - Deadly Game
16. The Spy Who Loved Me - Deep Sea Hijacking/Ski Chase
17. Quantum of Solace - "Time to get out."

18. Licence to Kill - Aborted Union/Drug Busters
19. A View to a Kill - Ski Daze
20. Diamonds are Forever - Where is Blofeld?



BTW, rewatching The Spy Who Loved Me's opening I have to say this, as egregious as it is adding The Beach Boys song to A View to a Kill, the score during the ski sequence of Spy sounds like a mash up of the Bond theme and The Bee Gee's "You Should Be Dancing". And for the 3 minutes before "California Girls" ruins everything, that ski sequence is pretty cool.

It was fun rewatching a bunch of these.
As you can see, i really like the joke of the double funeral in Live and Let Die, complete with a change of music. Excellent deadpan comedy.
The opening to Living Daylights is a blast, but Licence to Kill looks like cheap 80's B-movie shlock.
Diamonds Are Forever comes closest to looking like Austin Powers. The "Where is Blofeld?" schtick feels like a TV ad. I expect a shot of  Bond drinking Blofeld Cola.

StudentOFilm

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Re: James Bond 007: Opening Sequence
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2011, 05:17:43 PM »
Went with The World is Not Enough as my favorite.

In no particulary order other than color...

Goldfinger
Thunderball
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker
The Living Daylights
License to Kill
Goldeneye
Tomorrow Never Dies
The World is Not Enough
Die Another Day
Quantum of Solace


From Russia with Love
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The Man with the Golden Gun
For Your Eyes Only
Octopussy
Casino Royale


You Only Live Twice
Diamonds are Forever
Live and Let Die
A View to a Kill


For me, a lot of these are looking at each one in comparison to the others.
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