71 replies to this topic

[Daddy Bond]

I have one word to describe Quantum's PTS...WOW!

I thought it was phenomenal the first time I saw it in the theater, but it now stands head and shoulders as my personal favorite Bond PTS of all time (inching out the fantastic TLD PTS with Dalton).

Just about each of the Bond actor's has one of my favorite PTS sequences (IMHO)...
For Connery - it's GF
For Moore - it's TSWLM
For Dalton - it's TLD
For Brosnan - it's TND
For Craig - it's QOS...

But my favorite PTS of all time is QOS (followed by the TLD and next the TSWLM PTS).

One thing about Quantum's pre-title is that it just keeps getting better and better each time I watch it. I know for many, the PTS was a bit of a frustration, because of the rapid edits - and I can understand why. For others, we saw it as pure genius! Admitedly, however, even for those of us who enjoyed the PTS, there were brief moments where the action moved so quickly it was almost too quick (almost).

HOWEVER, seeing as I have perhaps hundreds of full screen high res clips from the Bond movies saved to my computer - I find myself coming back again and again to rewatch QOS's pretitle. I watch it (now) probably more often than any other Bond clip on my computer (and I think I have just about every major scene from each of the Bond movies uploaded to my computer). I'm sure everyone who knows me can guess WHICH scenes I don't have saved. Anyway, I digress...

What I discover with the QOS pretitle sequence is that I enjoy it more each time I see it. It just keeps getting better and better (each time I watch it). Whereas at first, I almost missed the door coming off the Aston, now, it's as plain as day. Now, each frame is a stroke of pure editing genius.

Here are some things that make the PTS awesome...
1. The very start - black screen with music...
2. Then...the camera starts to move across the water as the music slowly builds...
3. Interspersed with brief cuts (dark closeups of the Aston)...awesome! Followed by the chase cars...more close ups...Craig's eyes...removing the safety...then...
4. bang...right into the middle of the chase...
5. Bond barely avoids rear ending the truck...swerving just in time...then wham..
6. Door is caught on the truck...Bond struggles...whips the car around...pops the door off (notice the change in sound as he's spinning around and hits the wall)...then...
7. the music picks up as they exit the tunnel...
8. the bone crunching head on as one of the baddies bites the dust...
9. Bond swerves left down the tunnel (surprising the audience and the bad guys)...
10. ...some chase shots...
11. the low rumble of the Aston as it heads through another tunnel...
12. through the quarry...
13. the police slam into the builing after being shot...
14. tumbling a fraction of an inch in front of Bond
15. more chase...Bond reaches for his gun, can't quite get it the first time...
16. ...watch out...tractor...Bond takes advantage of the split second separation...
17. gun fire...
18. the music stops...
19 wham...the bad guys car plows through the guard rail as it goes airborn (the silence as the engine races)...then
20. crunch...it hits the rocks below...

then...cue cool Bond theme...cut to Sienna Italy and pan up...

the doors open to a tunnel as Bond drives in (classic Bond theme)...

Bond gets out...opens the trunk...and coolly says, "It's time to get out"...freeze frame...

the guitar from the titles start...

Wow! How can you not like this PTS?

Anyone else find it just keeps getting better and better? Let's hear it for the QOS PTS!

[JimmyBond]

It's still one of my favorites, it has one of the best "build up to action" moments in a Bond film. I still love the way the sound is almost mute in the beginning until the sound of the Aston's engines pierce the silence and we're thrown into the chase.

[Daddy Bond]

It's still one of my favorites, it has one of the best "build up to action" moments in a Bond film. I still love the way the sound is almost mute in the beginning until the sound of the Aston's engines pierce the silence and we're thrown into the chase.

Absolutely! That fits with my #4 above... Excellent...

[sharpshooter]

I find myself coming back again and again to rewatch QOS's pretitle.

You are not alone. It’s the best action scene in the film, helped by one of Arnold’s best compositions. If I could watch only one section of QoS, this would probably be it.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Frankly, the PTS is stunning. I wish the action scenes of the film were of this standard.

[Bryce (003)]

Agreed. It did kick off the film well. I liked QoS from the first time and it's one of the films that grows on you IMO.

I've done an edit of it with CR and it is the basic percfect five act 007 epic. It was more for myself, but all it took was a few snips and runs just under four hours. Dammit though, it works.

Killer car chase though.

As an Aston dealer once told me: "Drive it like you stole it."

[The Shark]

It's the exact opposite with me. The more I watch it, the more I grow to despise. I actually quite liked it when I first saw it on the silver screen back in November.

Now it's a horrendously scripted, poorly acted, shoddily edited, drab, somewhat pretentious, cluster**** of a film.

Ranked - 21/22.

It makes a fun drinking game though.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

It's fair to say the PTS was nothing like what I expected, but I agree its a terrific opener and very well edited IMO.

[Lachesis]

No quite the contrary in fact. 22nd of 22 for the film for me now, though the pts in isolation is probably 18th of 22 mainly because it features an Aston Martin.

[Mr. Somerset]

I, too prefer the pre-title sequence of Q0S to CR. Very Bondian, and I like the shorter length, reminiscent of the early films. Only thing missing is the iconic image known as the gunbarrel.

[Double-0-7]

On the big screen (and for my first viewing it was a VERY BIG screen) I did not like it. Sensory overload with all the jump cuts going on.

Once I got it onto my 52" LCD though, it was a whole different ballgame! Seeing everything easily at once makes the editing seem like it is designed to build excitement, not cause blindness. So now I enjoy watching it and relish Bond opening the trunk to see how Mr White endured the trip.

[Professor Dent]

I agree with Double-0-7 in that the scene works a little better on the smaller screen. On the editing, the part where the Aston is in the tunnel & it gets stuck on the truck has a few moments that could linger a bit longer on the screen. The rest of it works perfectly for me. The right amount of tension builds throughout the scene until the final action scene where Bond shoots the other car. The arrival in Sienna & drive through the tunnel is like a nice relaxing drive after the storm. Time To Get Out has become one of my favorite cues & adds to the tension that builds on screen. Also, knowing that Craig's close-ups were filmed back at Pinewood make this even more impressive. His shots blend in seamlessly with those shot in Italy. A tip of my hat to the effects crew for making this work so well.

[Forward Look]

The only issue I have with this sequence is at the very beginning, although it may be my own DVD versus when I saw it in the theater. I would have had the screen fade up gradually from black to the camera moving over water, and then once that has been established, have the camera slowly pan up towards the approaching coast line with the tunnel in view. David Arnold's music works excellent here as is without much change. The rest of the sequence works well as is, although I would like to have seen a few extra seconds of footage to find out where the Italian national police SUV winds up after it barely misses Bond's Aston, and where the villain's Alfa winds up after it goes off the bridge. Apart from that, this is one of the better chase scenes in a Bond film, combining elements I've seen before from other car chases and still managing to look original. Teriffic chase and Arnold at his musical best. Now, let's see if it can be fitted into the gun barrel.

[Onyx2626]

It's great when you don't have time to watch the whole film.

Moving across the water so fast with that music is breathtaking (the Aston spin with no sound is my favorite part).

I wish I hadn't read Bryce's quote: "Drive it like you stole it." That is priceless.

[captnash2]

you're not wrong.

love watching it on my blu ray with the DTS sound blasting from the speakers.

can't wait for the blu ray UE to come out.

[MattofSteel]

It's terrific. Edits were jarringly short during some of the action the first time I saw the film (and it really did feel like it went by in 2 minutes), but ultimately, it just serves to make the thing that much more re-watchable.

Funny how we give the film so much flack for editing in parts, and yet that opening 60 second or so buildup really is masterful.

[David_M]

It gets "better" for me because I am gradually figuring out what is going on: how many cars are involved, where they are in relation to Bond's car, what their eventual fates are, how Bond survives a head-on collision with a truck (turns out it wasn't him! Aha!) and so on.

With the miracle of the "pause" and "still-step" buttons, I've unearthed a quite well-planned and orchestrated stunt piece hidden under those confusing edits. So yes, I like it better now. (The frustrating thing is, in most cases just a few extra fractions of a second, even a few extra frames, would have been enough to keep it understandable).

When I have about 8 hours free to apply the same treatment to the rest of the action scenes, I have high hopes for the film.

[Judo chop]

The build up across the lake into the cataclysmic crash makes it the best opening seconds in Bond. If it isn’t… well, at the very least I can say we’ve never had anything like it.

Like just about everything in QOS, I can imagine a version in exactly the same spirit of what we got, but slightly better. I don’t think we got to see enough car chase, to be honest. Like, actual CARS CHASING. It’s odd, but the few moments where the camera backs off and breathes for a spell – such as during the fishtail spins on the white gravel - the cars seem to be moving rather casually. Not like pulling into your driveway casual, but, the energy does seem to relax a bit, as if we were watching the stuntmen in rehearsal as opposed to “GO TIME”.

But the bookend moments, the build-up and the entry into Siena, are spot on. Glorious! And of course Craig makes everything Bond does look very difficult, and thus very cool.

[Mr. Somerset]

This thread makes me in the mood to watch QoS again. I enjoyed it immensely in the theatre opening night, and loved the PTS. The film itself reminds me of the Connery era.

[gibraltarmonkey]

I love it too. Would just like to figer out the anchor and the inflatable bit now

[Eric Stromberg]

On the big screen (and for my first viewing it was a VERY BIG screen) I did not like it. Sensory overload with all the jump cuts going on.

I had a similar experience in the theater. Then about a month ago I rewatched QoS and a few major scenes jumped out at me. I just felt like I was appreciating the director's choices more than on previous viewings. The PTS was most prominent among those major scenes. The slow crescendo of doom music and zooming aerial approach was a thrilling way to start.

I really wish there were some long shots, though, so I could appreciate the car chase action more. I don't suppose that fits in with the director's intent to make a film like a bullet, however.

Edited by Eric Stromberg, 20 March 2010 - 12:09 AM.

[Qboat]

I love it too. Would just like to figer out the anchor and the inflatable bit now

me too my b/f has told me what happened, but it just don't compute lol

[gibraltarmonkey]

Whats his theory?

[bonds_walther]

It's one of my favourite parts of QOS, that's for sure. Is it the best PTS? Well, it's up there with GF and GE for me.

[jamie00007]

re: the anchor - Way I see it Bond attaches to the anchor from his boat to the other boat, then accelerates quickly, the other boat (which isnt under power at that time and thus dead in the water) dislodges from Bond's boat, the anchor catches and pulls the front of it under the water and flips it over. It works. Only thing thats a bit of a problem is that Bond's boat shouldnt be powerful enough to do that, but eh, its a Bond movie.

[Guy Haines]

I, too prefer the pre-title sequence of Q0S to CR. Very Bondian, and I like the shorter length, reminiscent of the early films. Only thing missing is the iconic image known as the gunbarrel.

I agree with you concerning the gunbarrel. I thought the way it was incorporated into the black and white opening of CR was quite clever, but I could see no reason not to revert to the traditional opening for the QoS PTS. Having it at the end of the film made no sense to me at all.

Also, watching CR on the TV last night, what struck me about the two main chase sequences, in Africa and Miami Airport, was that every so often the camera pulled back so you could gage where Bond and the other characters were in relation. This was missing from some of the action shots in QoS, and is most likely one reason why some amongst the cinema audience were bewildered at the rapidly cut action on screen.

That said, the car chase does work much better after two or three viewings, and on the smaller screen.

[jamie00007]

The way the gunbarrel was done imo was to give the illusion that we are starting mid-story, a direct continuation from where CR left off. Bang, straight into the middle of the action. Rather than using it at the start which would kind of be like stating that this is a new story. Having it at the end means the two movies and one story are bookended by it.

[Safari Suit]

T'was still very naff

[Skudor]

It may not be my favourite PTS, but it's up there with the best. The start is stunning and I love the way it throws you straight into a high intensity chase. The editing also brings a wonderful sense of Bond's inner turmoil. Taken together it's both very new and fresh and very Bond.

Also in its favour is the short lenght. Beats some of the more Brosnan drags.

[JimmyBond]

Too true. When I heard they were going to be filming a high speed car chase I was worried they'd let excess take over and the PTS would end up being the length of one of the Brosnan films. I'm so glad it wasn't, in fact the teaser for QoS barely clocks in longer than the one for Casino Royale.