Amph 60+ Years of James Bond 007

I have been a fan of James Bond since 1999, when 10 year old me first watched The World Is Not Enough. I also read a few of the novels and being a war buff about all things WWII, I often wondered if they would do prequel movies based around Bond's wartime service in Naval Intelligence.

 

I think that would fall dangerously into Anthology territory because there would be too much temptation to do a "Bond through the years" series of films where they amount to a "007s greatest hits" series of mashup films once he becomes a 00 Agent.

 

He's from Quenbeyan, like Mark Webber. Both have incredibly strong jaws. That should tell you something.

Also two Quenbeyan teens are having sex. What do they use for protection?

A: The bus stop.

 

Also you know how they go to exotic locales for Bond films? Melbourne would be great for that. "A hook turn... what the devil is this?"

They won't. DebonaireNerd touched on one of the points, but it's also that they're generally going forwards in time and not backwards, and they rebooted Bond's background with Casino Royale. He earned his special forces stripes in the Special Boat Services, but that's about the extent of the naval background. The only time his rank of Commander is mentioned that I can recall, since Casino Royale, is in Skyfall when you see M's obit for him.

 

I for one would love to see 007 at the Portsea polo.

 

I have to disagree re: "Man with the Golden Gun". It has Christopher Lee, thus there is something good there.

 

But...

 

Sorry, but I can't agree that this overrules the presence of Christopher Lee. And I think the later dinner scene between Scaramanga and Bond is one of my favorite scenes in the series.

I respect your opinion, though.

 

I'd love to see DC's Bond in his Navel uniform for Bond 25 but I'm not sure how I would feel about a young Bond prequel.

Lee's performance is delightful IMO. I think I prefer it to Dooku.

Boy oh boy this is fun.

 

We are solely talking about pre-title sequences though, remember?

 

True, but I still can't completely dismiss that particular opening sequence, even though it certainly does have problems.

 

My pre-credits rankings aren't that different from Ender's, so I'll just list my five favorites:

1. Casino Royale - A five minute masterpiece. The greatest franchise-ablution in cinematic history. Goodbye Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, and good riddance.
2. Quantum of Solace - I love everything about this. The opening zoom-in (informing us of the film's intimate nature), the euphoric chaos of the car chase, the delicious capper of Bond's wrecked car limping towards its destination...bliss. Just bliss.
3. From Russia With Love - Setting aside the mask nonsense (why not just frame the prey in shadow?), it's a masterfully edited corker of tension--like everything that follows. A hell of a way to build up an antagonist.
4. Skyfall - Perfect. And it's always a pleasure to see Bond pitted against a competent, single adversary rather than an army.
5. Thunderball - I absolutely love the fight between Bond and the agent--simultaneously feral and farce. Sadly, the effect is diluted by the jetpack-escape, a foretaste of the imbecility of YOLT and DAF.


Note: I'm indifferent to the adored Spy Who Loved Me opening. Between the indignities of Roger Moore, his banana suit and the disco 007 theme, I find myself waxing nostalgic for the incomparably superior OHMSS ski-sequences.

 

When it comes to the pre-credits scenes, my favorites are all of the Craig movies. grd4 did a great job describing the appeal of those for CR, QoS, and Skyfall. And even though Spectre has issues (including a couple within the pre-credits scene), I really like its pre-credits scene anyway. The Day of the Dead setting... Bond, who is licensed to kill, wearing a skeleton mask... that long tracking shot... I even like the helicopter fight. And the couch gag gets mentioned a lot, and I see the point, but it's not a big deal for me.

 

pre-title sequences , best :

Spy Who Loved Me , it still makes me hold my breath , and seeing the ski almost tear the parachute - omg .

Goldfinger - this was the moment where you can just tell Bond had become a true icon and cue that music !

OHMSS - there's something so classy about the photography and the music here , Bond had returned to quality after the shoddy YOLT

Casino Royale - lean , mean and a definite mission statement

A View to a Kill , this is an stonishing sequence full of thrills ( joking , joking , its truly awful)

Living Daylights - terrific stuff , looks really dangerous and a smart get-out .

Goldeneye - well it's like a mini-movie in itself .

same with Tomorrow Never Dies , World is not Enough and Die Another Day and Spectre , all great fun but rather too long to be a pre-title sequence .

.

 

Let's just talk about how this Bond is also this Bond:



The way his face smashes through that table at one point...

and how that is the natural successor to this Bond:



The couch gag doesn't work because Craig's Bond should have landed next to it. He's not Roger Moore. Trying to be mediocre has no merit for him.

 

OK, those are good points.

 

Craig does have easily some of the best openings though. Spectre is a miss in that bunch, I think, because its tonally inconsistent. But I mean, Casino Royale's moody opening with the dual Czech and Pakistani locations; Quantum's high stakes car chase, and Skyfall's train chase all just deliver - on their own, as part of the wider film, and as part of the film's narrative.

 

The opening tracking shot in Spectre is sublime, but is promptly tarnished by the fiery proceedings thereafter, in which Bond decimates an entire building and engages in a helicopter duel whilst hovering above a pool of civilians.

Note to Bond producers: I go to these movies hoping for intelligently-written escapism, not unintentional representations of U.S. foreign policy.

 

Hey! We agree more often than not, just not on LTK and QoS...

 

I suppose it is easier to simply hold the same mainstream views every time but I would have to strongly disagree. Just because I've seen all the films doesn't make me an authoritarian leader on the subject least of all here.
The couch gag doesn't work for me because the gag and DC are not funny. I never thought it was that impressive running though some drywall either or the QOS rope dance thing.
What was up with that lame black and white scene of Bond at the start of CR and the gun barrel belongs at the start of the film.
SF's PTS is alright but then they decide to have Moneypenny shot Bond and fall a 1000 feet then some how survive.
SP also has a great start to their PTS but they should have covered up DC's face the whole time.
GE now that is a PTS. Great Bond for that matter. Long live Brosnan!

 

Your wrongness on two of the best films is a massive mark against you though.

 

Yes, but I've never seen a Bourne film, so that's a net-positive in your eyes...

 

What on earth makes those the best films in the series I wonder...

 

Well, I'll try this:

5 Stars:
Skyfall
Casino Royale

4.5
Quantum of Solace
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
4
Goldeneye
Goldfinger
Licence to Kill

3.5
Dr. No
The World is Not Enough
Never Say Never Again
The Living Daylights
The Spy Who Loved Me

3
Spectre
From Russia With Love

2.5
Octopussy
Tomorrow Never Dies
For Your Eyes Only

2
Die Another Day
Thunderball

Total Arsefests (0-1.5)
You Only Live Twice
Live and Let Die
The Man With the Golden Gun
A View to a Kill
Moonraker
Diamonds are Forever

Ugh this was way too difficult.