796 replies to this topic

[SecretAgentFan]

How could one make it modern and yet classic?

- Not the techno sound-music
- Not the 3D barrel or bullet.
- creating something new from the CR scene, stylized and scored with lots of brass?

[univex]

I´m thinking they´ll go for low key classic Bond. Sort of like QOS but without the post-barrel title effects and slower. My dream gunbarrel of course would be a Deakins-thought out real gun barrel shot, with some cool and real lighting, and a new, full brass, James Bond theme by Newman.

[Miles Miservy]

So you can imagine my surprise when the sequence was abandoned until the very end of CR and all but missing in QOS. I hope whomever's doing Pinder's old job remembers that's one of the things that makes a Bond movie a Bond movie.

You mean this Pinder?



C'mon, the guy hasn't been in a Bond film since '65. Give him a rest.

Sorry..
Maurice Binder

...my kingdom for a typo.

[Syndicate]

I think we ALL want the gunbarrel at the very beginning...

That really saids it all to the point. Now all we need to do is just hope they do and have blood look like blood not jam.

[Professor Dent]

It needs to be back at the beginning of the movie. I can understand why they did what they did in CR but, for QOS, I seem to remember Forster putting it at the end because he wanted to be different. For whatever reason, it didn't work for me. I'd be happy with something like this:

[JCRendle]

Rewatching the QoS gunbarrel, I don't think it needs to be changed much. I've tweeked it in Windows movie maker, slowing the walk and the blood, and adding the TNDs gunbarrel theme :-

[Kristian]

I don't particularly care what they do with the gunbarrel sequence. If it's there, fine. If it's somewhere else, that's fine as well. They could completely remove it and I don't think I'd particularly care either. The only things that I really require from a Bond film are a solid story and the James Bond character.

Bravo, T.... My sentiments exactly. A properly placed gunbarrel sequence will not matter one way or another if we are dealing with a inferior Bond flicks.... Solid story, solid characters, great villain, compelling action, complex bond girls, a breathtaking Bond. Those are key. Gunbarrel is just decoration, IMHO....

[AMC Hornet]

That's what people said about NSNA.

Oh wait, no it isn't...

[Constane80]

It was at end of the PTS in Casino Royale

[Syndicate]

The gunbarrel really needs to be back at the begining not at the end of the PTS or at the end. Slowing it down is some what is needed also like what JCRendel said. What is also needed is to look at the Gunbarrels from Thunderball, The Livining Daylight and Tomorrow Never Dies and learn from what works.

[S K Y F A L L]

I never noticed this before but all of Brosnans gun barrels are the same one from GE, aren't they?

[Single-O-Seven]

I never noticed this before but all of Brosnans gun barrels are the same one from GE, aren't they?

Yes, they are. In the commentary for DAD, Brosnan mentions this, and says that for the next film he'd like to re-shoot the gunbarrel sequence. And they did re-shoot it! Just not with him.

[DaveBond21]

Yes, I would love to see it back at the start, where it belongs

:-)

[Jake007]

First post on here in a while:

I also miss the gunbarrel at the beginning. It was nice to see Craig do a real one at he end of QoS. Next one would be interesting if done Bob Simmons-style.

[The Dove]

I think we can all safely assume that the gunbarrel will be back at the beginning of film..I for one, CAN'T wait to see how it'll look.. I'm also trying to picture the reaction of first-time-seeing-a-Bond-film-in-the-theater fans... Goldeneye was my first Bond in the theater and seeing that gunbarrel up on the big screen was just the coolest thing for me!

[thecasinoroyale]

I'll never forget seeing my first cinema Bond, 'Tomorrow Never Dies' back in 1997 and that gunbarrel was just...amazing. Pure James Bond - the thumping, spine tingling music, the simple black and white, the blood red coming down...simply fantastic for a first time Bond fan!

I hope 'Skyfall' treats others to the might of a true James Bond film opening, and it will set the scene for 2 hours that this is Bond with a capital B!

[S K Y F A L L]

I've always though of the gun barrel as a production company logo at the begining of a film and like a countdown to the big show.


EDIT:

Heres a thought, maybe they will do something like the gun barrel at the begining of the Blu Ray trailer. Probably not though but could be fun right?

Edited by S K Y F A L L, 09 May 2012 - 09:57 PM.

[DaveBond21]

I remember very clearly the disappointment I felt at the gunbarrel sequence during opening night of CR. I was SURE that they would go back to normal during QoS, but they did not. The lack of the gunbarrel to start that film really set a disappointing tone for me personally, and I still haven't gotten over it yet. The gunbarrel must return at the beginning of Skyfall. IMO, it is the most iconic sequence in all cinema, it sets the tone for the film, and sets Bond movies apart from other films (among many other factors of course).

If George Lucas were to release another Star Wars movie and discarded the theme song and rolling credit intro, you better believe Star Wars fans would put a bounty on his head. There are some film traditions that should not be messed with, and none more so than the gunbarrel sequence. I think Broccoli and Wilson know that, and will return the gunbarrel to where it belongs in Skyfall. The reboot is over, let's return to the classic Bond style.

Excellent post. I agree with you 100%.

Of course, one day someone will remake all the Star Wars movies and I can tell you now, they won't start with scrolling writing.


-

[thecasinoroyale]

I agree also KBOX, a very good point well made. The gunbarrel, no matter what we say about it, does set the tone straight away that THIS is James Bond, back on our screens! If it's not there, it's already missing a vital 007 ingredient straight away.



God, imagine that day when someone does decide to 'remake' Star Wars. Scary!!

[201050]

I'd like to see it at the beginning now. I was fine with it where it was in Casino Royale, but it seems almost an afterthought in Quantum. I disliked Quantum while I was in the theater, so placement of the gunbarrel at that point didn't matter. If I had liked the film, maybe the end placement would have been ok.

Anyway, it seems like we're getting a more traditional Bond film this time (no more non-00 status and no continuation of the previous film), so going back to the beginning placement seems correct. That said, quality of story and cinematography are a million times more important to me that where the 15 seconds or so of the gun barrel sequence is placed.

[MajorB]

I never noticed this before but all of Brosnans gun barrels are the same one from GE, aren't they?

Yes, they are. In the commentary for DAD, Brosnan mentions this, and says that for the next film he'd like to re-shoot the gunbarrel sequence. And they did re-shoot it! Just not with him.

Except for CR/QoS, the only time a single actor has done more than one gunbarrel is when they've switched to widescreen--for Connery in TB and Moore in TSWLM. I didn't mind the QoS version too much except for the speed. I wonder if Arnold had recorded the Bond theme before the gunbarrel was shot, and Craig's walk had to be artifically sped up to match the timing.

As several have already said, given all the traditionalism associated with this film, and its presence in the teaser poster, I'll be pretty amazed if the gunbarrel isn't at the beginning this time.

[Double-0-Seven]

I never noticed this before but all of Brosnans gun barrels are the same one from GE, aren't they?

Yes, they are. In the commentary for DAD, Brosnan mentions this, and says that for the next film he'd like to re-shoot the gunbarrel sequence. And they did re-shoot it! Just not with him.

Except for CR/QoS, the only time a single actor has done more than one gunbarrel is when they've switched to widescreen--for Connery in TB and Moore in TSWLM. I didn't mind the QoS version too much except for the speed. I wonder if Arnold had recorded the Bond theme before the gunbarrel was shot, and Craig's walk had to be artifically sped up to match the timing.

As several have already said, given all the traditionalism associated with this film, and its presence in the teaser poster, I'll be pretty amazed if the gunbarrel isn't at the beginning this time.

I do believe that Craig's walk was sped up for pacing reasons. Typically Arnold would slow the Bond theme to match the gun barrel sequences perfectly. The arrangement of the theme for the end credits in Quantum is more or less the same arrangement that he used for Casino Royale's credits. Being that it's more up-tempo, I really believe that putting the gun barrel sequence at the end was a last minute decision and Craig's walk was sped up to match the more up-tempo theme. That's how it looks to me anyways.

On another note, I can't believe it's been 10 years since we last had a properly placed gun barrel. 13 years since the one without a CGI bullet. How time flies.

The main reason I want it at the beginning of Skyfall is because nothing beats sitting in that darkened theatre and waiting for the music to start along with those white dots.

This will also be the first time we see the gun barrel directly after the Columbia Pictures logo. Now, in Quantum, the Columbia fanfare didn't play, instead opting for the beginning of Arnold's track for the opening. If the fanfare is played before Skyfall, I think we'll know for sure that the next 15 seconds to follow is indeed the gun barrel sequence.

[AMC Hornet]

The Columbia logo has a fanfare?

I don't think I've ever heard it.

[JCRendle]

The Columbia logo has a fanfare?

I don't think I've ever heard it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=R9qnKZgAoTE

[PPK_19]

The Columbia logo has a fanfare?

I don't think I've ever heard it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=R9qnKZgAoTE

It's not really a fanfare though is it...

[JCRendle]

I think Fanfare is just used as "Studio Logo music" without being an actual fanfare, like Fox or Universal.

[AMC Hornet]

Thanks, Jace.

I've seen plenty of Columbia movies where the fanfare has been replaced with music introducing the film proper (e.g.: Murderer's Row).

It's not as distinctive as 20th C Fox or TriStar, so it's no wonder I couldn't call it to mind.

Play it or don't, as long as it's followed by a burst of a certain Barry/Norman composition when it introduces Skyfall.

[Anticitizen]

I remember very clearly the disappointment I felt at the gunbarrel sequence during opening night of CR.

Oh, come on, that was the best one! I loved the way they incorporated it into the scene.

As for Quantum, I think the movie was better off without it. I think the opening scene of Quantum was the best in the film - the low shot flying over water, with soft, deep strings building up volume as we zoomed into the tunnel and all hell breaks loose with the car chase. I think having the gunbarrel with the Bond theme would have killed that tension that the shot cultivated.

Honestly, though, I couldn't care less whether it's at the beginning, end, or absent entirely. I'm sure it will be in there somehow, but I'm more concerned about watching a movie than cliches.

Edited by Anticitizen, 01 June 2012 - 11:35 PM.

[Double-0-Seven]

Thanks, Jace.

I've seen plenty of Columbia movies where the fanfare has been replaced with music introducing the film proper (e.g.: Murderer's Row).

It's not as distinctive as 20th C Fox or TriStar, so it's no wonder I couldn't call it to mind.

Play it or don't, as long as it's followed by a burst of a certain Barry/Norman composition when it introduces Skyfall.

Yes, perhaps "fanfare" isn't the proper word but it seems to be commonly associated with logo music, as JC pointed out.

You're right, Columbia movies often replace it, so I was just trying to say that if we do hear the Columbia fanfare then the gun barrel most certainly will follow as I doubt they'd start the gun barrel music over the Columbia logo. Just a little excitement builder to sit there, await the logo to finish, and finally, the first proper gun barrel in ten years.

[B5Erik]

I'd prefer a classic style gunbarrel at the very beginning. It's just one of those things that says, "This is a JAMES BOND movie!" ("Yes, you're in the right theater...)

It IS a lot like the company logo in a lot of ways. Bond is bigger than the studio to a certain degree.

I don't mind updating the music a little (not a lot, but a little to give it a contemporary feel), but put the gunbarrel back at the very beginning and bring back that classic element. Tie the movies together that way.