Greatest Bond Pre Credits ever!!!!!!!!

Neville James

I was thinking the other day about the evoloution of the 'Bond Pre Credit' sequence.
I guess it was from watching CR. The Pre-Credit sequence seemed to have so much more impact because it was so short. Then I thought about FRWL and how that was short and had a great impact too. Then I thought about the sequences that were for me a let down...
Thunderball (patchy)
Diamonds Are Forever (bad overdubbing)
A View To A Kill (Beach boys anyone?)

Below I have listed my favourite Pre Credit Sequences for their impact and 'tone setting' mood for the rest of the film.

1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service. (Fantastic Fight, the DBS, and one of the best lines in Bondage - 'This never happened to the other fellow...'
2. Goldeneye. (Brosnan apears after jumping off a 600ft Dam and becomes the Bond we have all longed for for years, then screws it up in the next 3 pictures)
3. The Spy Who Loved Me (that ski jump and Union Jack)
4. Live And Let Die (no Bond in pre-credits)
5. Casino Royale (Black and White, Craig as cool as you like, and the 'From Russia With Love esq fight scene in the bathroom.

These are just my humble thoughts, it would be interesting to hear others.

walther p99

haha i partially agree with u on the GE PTS,but it really wasnt Brosnans fault he got stuck with those scripts

howardm

For your eyes only - the helicopter in the wheel chair - class
Roger parachuting off the cliff with the union jack flag is of course classic
I also like Octopussy with the clown (006) getting knifed by the knife throwers - pity about the rest of the film
I'm a moore fan by the way

JennyFlexFan

AVTAK would be a marvelous PTS without the Beach Boys song.

Harry Palmer

I think there are a number of PTS threads open here and there. So this may sound a little like I'm repeating myself:
For me the best two PTS are hands down, TLD (perfect combination of spectacular scenery, exciting action and musical score) and CR (the black and white was indeed classy, and the montage of the two kills very skilfully done; also you really have the sense of a momentous beginning)

I think AVTAK is an okay PTS. Yes, the beach-boys are a bit silly, and we could have done without them so easily. But even with that embarrassing moment, it remains an entertaining action sequence.

For me the worst two PTS by far are FYEO and TMWTGG. Embarrassingly stupid. Pity, because FYEO is one of my favourites.

RJJB

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but for me Goldfinger had the best PTS. It was the first glimpse I ever had of Bond and it remains unsurpassed just based on its overall purpose to me. It had humor (white tux under the diving suit and the line "Shocking...."), plenty of action with the fight with Capungo,and a good looking Bond girl. Not having a clear idea who this guy James Bond was, I learned a lot in the brief PTS.

As for the worst, I have to name Live and Let Die, simply because it does not feature James Bond. Here it is, the first movie with a new lead actor, and he isn't even featured in the PTS. In fact the first time we see him in the body of movie, the character is asleep. No high marks for that introduction.

DEFIANT 74205

For me, it's a tie between Goldfinger and Thunderball. Both are violent, and both have had some memorable lines. Although if I had to choose one, Goldfinger probably edges out as the best, if only just. The way he calmly smokes a cigarette when the bomb went off and everyone else was running around in panic says to me that this Bond doesn't stress about anything, he just goes about his job the way he knows best. Then he goes and gets his girl ... then fights off another villain, before saying that famous line: "Shocking ... Positively Shocking!"

Neville James

You know I forgot about Goldfinger. You are right my friend, let us look at everything in that PTS. The dinner jacket under the dry suit (white in the tropics) the 'bomb exploding while lighting cigarette and looking at the Rolex Sub with the nato strap', the dancer getting it in the head from the Mexican, the bath/electric heater, and the imortal line 'Shocking...'

Come to think of it, don't know why I left it off the list???
Also watched TLD today, forgot about the other 00's looking like Roger and George (nice touch). And Christ Dalton looked good in this film!
Where did it all go wrong in LTK?

Alex

Another vote for GF here. Suprise suprise. It's the perfect transition, Bond's immortal line, closing the door, then the double punch of Bassey and Barry's famous theme.

Prince Kamal Khan

1960s: TB
1970s: TSWLM
1980s: TLD
1990s: TND
2000s: CR

I think TLD and TB are my 2 faves.

stumac7

For me:

1. TND
2. TSWLM
3. OP
4. GF
5. GE

clum

my vote also goes to Goldfinger
the dinner jacket under the dry suit is one of my favorite Bond moments

the one thing that always bugs me about the Goldfinger PTS is that Bond painstakingly squeezes the explosive out of it's black tube. i don't even think that would work.

just jam the detonator in and get on with it, already! )

John Drake

The best for me has to be TSWLM. That moment of silence just before the parachute is opened still sends a shiver down my spine.

TonyDP

For me it's a tossup between TSWLM and Thunderball.

TB is practically a miniature adventure unto itself and has everything: a great setup, Bond punching "Mrs." Boutier, one of the most brutal fights in the films, and an absolutely audacious escape.

TSWLM in another great self-contained adventure; it has a great if brief ski chase, the breathtaking ski jump and Sue Vanner in a fur coat and nothing else.

They're also paced really well and don't overstay their welcome like some other epic but way too long PTS's such as OP, TND and TWINE.

Neville James

TonyDP wrote:

For me it's a tossup between TSWLM and Thunderball.

TB is practically a miniature adventure unto itself and has everything: a great setup, Bond punching "Mrs." Boutier, one of the most brutal fights in the films, and an absolutely audacious escape.

TSWLM in another great self-contained adventure; it has a great if brief ski chase, the breathtaking ski jump and Sue Vanner in a fur coat and nothing else.

They're also paced really well and don't overstay their welcome like some other epic but way too long PTS's such as OP, TND and TWINE.

I agree, TWINE does overstay it's welcome. I think it is the longest PTS in history, multiple locations etc...
I think it would have been better if they had just cut to the titles after Bond jumps from the window, then began the film with the MI6/Riverboat sequence. This to my mind would be similar to CR with the crane fight action as first scene.

Barbel

Neville James wrote:

I think it would have been better if they had just cut to the titles after Bond jumps from the window, then began the film with the MI6/Riverboat sequence.

That was in fact the original intention, but it was felt that the window escape didn't pack enough punch.

Neville James

Barbel wrote:

Neville James wrote:

I think it would have been better if they had just cut to the titles after Bond jumps from the window, then began the film with the MI6/Riverboat sequence.

That was in fact the original intention, but it was felt that the window escape didn't pack enough punch.

I didn't know that. Thanks Barbel.
Still think they should have cut there though...
I loved the scene in the Swiss Banker's office, very much like older Bond films, (office even looked like the one with the safe in OHMSS).
Let's hope the producers have stopped trying to 'outdo' the last picture with CR, and make 22 a similar, short PTS.
However a Bond film with no PTS would not be a good idea IMO!

Willie Garvin

Much as I admire the elegance, suspense and wonderful simplicity in the pretitle sequence of From Russia With Love,the "greatest"(or at least the most influential) PTS belongs to Goldfinger--everything's there,and in just the right amounts.This minimovie set the style for nearly all of the precredit sequences for the 007 films that followed.

Johnny Danger

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Moonraker: Bond is thrown off a plane without a parachute, freefalls until he catches up with the pilot, and they fight for the parachute in midair. I remember that scene taking my breath away when I saw it on the big screen. Unfortunately, the scene went downhill after Bond acquired the 'chute. Jaws comes after him, but Bond escapes by pulling the ripchord. Jaws survives plummeting to his death by landing on a circus tent. Sure.

MR was my least favorite Bond flic but perhaps my favorite pre-credit sequence. I'd choose GF, OHMSS and TLD as next favorites.

TonyDP

Johnny Danger wrote:

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Moonraker: Bond is thrown off a plane without a parachute, freefalls until he catches up with the pilot, and they fight for the parachute in midair. I remember that scene taking my breath away when I saw it on the big screen. Unfortunately, the scene went downhill after Bond acquired the 'chute. Jaws comes after him, but Bond escapes by pulling the ripchord. Jaws survives plummeting to his death by landing on a circus tent. Sure.

MR was my least favorite Bond flic but perhaps my favorite pre-credit sequence. I'd choose GF, OHMSS and TLD as next favorites.

Moonraker was a great PTS but they just took it a little too far. I also could have done without the scene of Jaws flapping his arms like a bird and falling into the tent, not to mention the annoying accompanying music. It might have been better to end it when Jaws pulls the ripcord and floats away with the shocked look on his face.

Alex

Willie Garvin wrote:

Much as I admire the elegance, suspense and wonderful simplicity in the pretitle sequence of From Russia With Love,the "greatest"(or at least the most influential) PTS belongs to Goldfinger--everything's there,and in just the right amounts.This minimovie set the style for nearly all of the precredit sequences for the 007 films that followed.

Absolutely. A minimovie is a wonderful way to describe it.

stumac7

Have just rewatched the pre-credits for TWINE and have to agree that it should have ended as bond leaves the bank. As for the MR start, the part with Jaws flappiong his arms is cringably bad.

Neville James

stumac7 wrote:

Have just rewatched the pre-credits for TWINE and have to agree that it should have ended as bond leaves the bank. As for the MR start, the part with Jaws flappiong his arme is cringable bad.

I'm sure some whizzkid with today's computer software could splice together this. Bringing in the opening titles after the bank scene then cutting to the MI6 exterior shot.
Would be nice to see on You Tube or the like...

Gassy Man

All of the Connery Bond PTS work for me, with “Goldfinger” leading the pack. “The Living Daylights” is pretty good, too, as is the opening of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” whose crisp photography and the luscious Diana Rigg in the dress Jennifer Lopez copied make up for Peter Hunt’s bizarre and basically annoying fascination with the quick zoom. Moore’s films generally relied too much on stunt men for my tastes.

At the bottom of the list is “Goldeneye.” Everything from Bond in the crapper to the joy of having to watch some stunt man run across a dam to the awful special effects. Oddly enough, though, the other Brosnan film PTS are pretty good – generally better than the rest of the movies.

Gassy Man

All of the Connery Bond PTS work for me, with “Goldfinger” leading the pack. “The Living Daylights” is pretty good, too, as is the opening of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” whose crisp photography and the luscious Diana Rigg in the dress Jennifer Lopez copied make up for Peter Hunt’s bizarre and basically annoying fascination with the quick zoom. Moore’s films generally relied too much on stunt men for my tastes.

At the bottom of the list is “Goldeneye.” Everything from Bond in the crapper to the joy of having to watch some stunt man run across a dam to the awful special effects. Oddly enough, though, the other Brosnan film PTS are pretty good – generally better than the rest of the movies.

darenhat

Gassy Man wrote:

At the bottom of the list is “Goldeneye.” Everything from Bond in the crapper to the joy of having to watch some stunt man run across a dam to the awful special effects.

I find it rather curious that both of Martin Campbell's Bond films begin in the 'crapper'.

Gassy Man

darenhat wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

At the bottom of the list is “Goldeneye.” Everything from Bond in the crapper to the joy of having to watch some stunt man run across a dam to the awful special effects.

I find it rather curious that both of Martin Campbell's Bond films begin in the 'crapper'.

I've noticed that, too . . . I'm not sure if it's a fetish, an attempt to make things "grittier," an oblique sense of humor, or just a coincidence.

2nd blind mouse

DAF - Excellent sequel to OHMSS. Bond brutalizing 3 seemingly random people to get to the most annoying version of Blofeld, then "killing" him in a way and with an ending line that I wish the climax of the film could rival. Ended by a great leadin to the title song, the white cat screeching into the haunting intro of Diamonds are Forever.
TMWTGG - Christopher Lee is an excellent actor and the golden gun is such a cool weapon, watching them hunt down their first victim was an awesome sequence. Scaramanga's island and "fun"house are beautiful and so (to a lesser extent) is Maud Adams.
OP - Not so much the actual PTS, which was a good air battle in a craft that I hear actually could work, but more the part after the title song. One of the creepiest moments in Bond cinema, knife-throwers after a clown, which comes crashing through the window and into some rich guys' party. WTF?

and all of the Brosnans were pretty good.

Napoleon Plural

Curiosly, 2nd blind mouse, you omit your own part in a classic opening scene (though not strictly a pts)... fine stuff.

I agree that the DAF intro is terrific, I saw it recently. Connery's comic timing is superb. Even when the cat arrives, and he turns to look at it, it's all totally natural... and then the theme arrives. It's all very atmospheric.

Later it was all about topping the previous stunt. In this way, the TWINE intro, if stopped at the banker's office, was a bit lame. This could have been easily forseen, and solved by having a chase scene across some rooftops as the camera pans back for a stunning panoramic view of Hong Kong or some more appealing locale...

3rbrown

Here are my top 3:

1) Casino Royale - James Becomes Bond!
The start of Bond as we know it and in black and white fantastic
Dryden: Your file shows no kills but to become a double 0 it takes...
Bond: Two

2) The Spy Who Loved Me - What a stunt!
Great skiing that ends in a truely fantastic stunt with a Union Jack (God save the queen!)
Cabin Girl: But James I need you
Bond: So does England

3) Goldeneye - Great opening
A great stunt to open it but a stupid stunt to finish. Good action but why couldn't Bean be Bond
Bond: I'm alone
Trevelyan: Aren't we all