31 replies to this topic

[goldengun]

7 films - which of the films has your favourite beginning?

For me the best beginning (if not for the entire series) is the one from Moonraker. That is one eye-popping stunt!! I remember seeing it for the first time, and thinking holy **** - Bond is dead this time.

But Bond doesn't freak out, always working on the best solution when faced with a serious problem. Always looking for a solution - never freaking out!

TSWLM is good with that fantastic ski jump - I also like the AVTAK. WIth Bond saying to the blonde girl "Call me James, it's 5 days until Alaska" - and then kicks in the guitar to the intro for Duran Duran's number 1 theme song.

What's yours?

[DanMan]

For me, it has to be TSWLM. FOr some reason I love the cheesy music.

[DLibrasnow]

For me it's a close tie between TSWLM and AVTAK. I too like the cheesy music in TSWLM and the whole setup of AVTAK with Moore skiing to a great John Barry soundtrack.

I also loved the idea of that sub disguised as an iceberg, and who wouldn't want to spend five days to Alaska with that beautiful blonde

[homerjbond]

I also like the pre-title to Octopussy with the Acrojet...

[fulgentius]

I'd have to say TSWLM and Octopussy. Moonraker's teaser is great but it ends too silly; AVTAK would have been perfect were it not for the Beach Boy joke

[Carver]

Its a tough call, but I would have to say TSWLM. Its just that ski jump, the chase, and of course, the yellow ski suit!. Still, I do like MR, but as said before, its ending is way to silly, but the stunt is one of the best ever in cinematic history IMO. AVTAK is not too bad, I'm onot overly exited, but the Beach Boys make it all better;). Another good one is FYEO, a touching intro into the movie from Bond visiting Tracy's grave, and coming within inches of death once again.

[RITZ]

Moonraker - amazing aerial stunt. I saw a documentary and apparantly it took 83 practice runs! End result is great. (Moore's face in the wind, hahahahah)

[Adam]

Moore pre-titles are my favorites...

1. The Spy Who Loved Me: The awesomeness of the stunt never gets old. I also like the Bond '77 theme, and the trickery involving Xxx's identity is creative as well
2. Moonraker: They knew they were going to have a tough time topping TSWLM, and they did it...who cares if Jaws' stunt double is obviously a stunt double...it's still an amazing stunt. I also like the score
3. For Your Eyes Only: Slap in the face to Kevin McClory
4. Octopussy: Definitely creative, with Bond using the enemy's missile to destroy the base in which he was supposed to destroy in the first place...plus, see my signature
5. A View to a Kill: Love the music (even the California Girls thing has grown on me), and the skiing is great. I also love Moore's huge ladies sunglasses.
6. The Man with the Golden Gun: Not terribly exciting, but Maud Adams is in it, and the Capone joke is cute...
7. Live and Let Die: Snorefest

[DLibrasnow]

I didn't like the silly way the MR preetitles sequence ended.
At the time it came out I hated the Beach Boys bit at the beginning of AVTAK, but it has grown on me.

[walther ppk]

Oh my god how can anyone not say TSWLM !!!

That is a classic and class example of how bond should be done.

TSWLM Gets my vote

[JimmyBond]

Put me down for Moonraker. When I first saw this one I was blown away by the stuntwork. Although the Ski Jump in TSWLM is less erratic, I still like the MR teaser better.

[Jriv71]

1-Definitely Moonraker. Best ever. Adam is right on the money. Tough to top TSWLM, but they did.
2-TSWLM.
3-FYEO. I loved him going to the gravesite. Loved it. Loved it.
4-TMWTGG. Just enough like the FRWL teaser to make you think the villain is out to get Bond.
5-Octopussy. Loved Roger Moore with a pørn mustache.
6-AVTAK. I'm not sure Adam's right about the ladies sunglasses...wasn't he wearing the ones that old people wear after cataract surgery? How fitting.
7-Live and Let Sleep. ZZZZZzzzzzzz............

[MovieManOO7]

Live and Let Die was by far the most exciting, suspenseful, and enjoyable teaser of all the Bond films. You guys must insane not to vote it #1? So TSWLM me had an epic leap off a cliff - so what?! LALD had a real-life snake that looked fake! You can't top that!


















I'm only kidding. Lol.

Here are my real picks:

1. The Spy Who Loved Me
2. Octopussy
3. Moonraker
4. For Your Eyes Only
5. A View to a Kill
6. The Man with the Golden Gun
7. Live and Let Die

[rafterman]

I love Maud in the MWTGG teaser, but seriously what is with those first two teasers, they're boring and there's no Bond, the best is any from SWLM on...

[DLibrasnow]

Evidently TSWLM raised the bar for the pretitles sequence, so it seems only natural that the first two teasers are at the bottom of most peoples lists.

[kevrichardson]

The ski sequence in TSWLM , The freefall opening to Moonraker is great even with "Jaws". Plus the music by Barry is just perfect. The Opening to OP is very good. The Siberian scene from AVTAK , minus the Beach Boys music , is wonderful.

[BONDFINESSE 007]

moonraker was just a great thought up concept and they pulled it off very well, i think it is the best opening of all rogers bond films

[Dmitri Mishkin]

At this moment, I'll have to go with Moonraker for 3 reasons: 1) It's concise, 2) It's breathtaking and 3) It opens a Bond movie beautifully.

It doesn't consume time with story and or dialogue; one or two words with the "stewardess" and whoops, James Bond is in free-fall without a parachute. For once, I genuinely asked, What to do? -- the man's plummeting to his death, and he has nothing at his disposal.

I didn't have an answer, but Bond did

[rafterman]

I know the wanted no Roger in the pretitles of LALD to introduce him in a new way, but why his absence in MWTGG? somehow at this point the pretitles stopped being a mini adventure, a spectacle, but then they came back with a vengeance in SWLM...

[goldengun]

Rafterman - very good points about Moore's first 3 movies.

I also have wondered about TMWTGG pre-title sequence. No Bond there - just Scaramanga. But I guess we should remember, even the title of the movie and theme song are about the villian - and not about Bond.

Maybe - that's why they excluded Moore from the pre-title?

ALso - does anyone know what happened to the wax figure of Roger Moore? Who eventually kept it?

Was it destroyed along with every other model from the movie?

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by goldengun
Rafterman - very good points about Moore's first 3 movies.

I also have wondered about TMWTGG pre-title sequence.  No Bond there - just Scaramanga.  But I guess we should remember, even the title of the movie and theme song are about the villian - and not about Bond.
Maybe - that's why they excluded Moore from the pre-title?
Also - does anyone know what happened to the wax figure of Roger Moore?  Who eventually kept it.
Was it destroyed along with every other model from the movie?

I enjoyed the pre-title sequence to TMWTGG . Set the mood for the entire film. I am surprise that people have a "problem" with the film .Given that it usually takes a "New Bond " 3 shots to get it right. I wonder how much a film like TMWTGG would cost today.

[ChandlerBing]

The pre-titles for A View To A Kill gives hope to elderly men everywhere. They can ski! They can dodge bullets! They can make out with girls young enough to be their grand-daughters!

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by ChandlerBing
The pre-titles for A View To A Kill gives hope to elderly men everywhere.  They can ski!  They can dodge bullets!  They can make out with girls young enough to be their grand-daughters!

Bravo !!!! That basically sums up the Moore years. You can add NSNA< too the list.

[4 Ur Eyez Only]

I would say.. not just stunt but the whole thing..

octopussy

[mattbowyer]

all moore's openings are awesome...TMWTGG has the best final appearance of the bond statue

The Spy Who Loved Me just edges out Moonraker entirely for one moment where its a long shot of Bond skiing away from SPECTRE and Hamlisch's string version of the theme comes into play and at that point you know this is going to be a big bond picture...

I always hate Bill Conti's score but his cue when Bond disables the helicopter in For Your Eyes Only creates such a rousing end to that brilliant sequence...

Octopussy..."fill her up please"....oh i love roger

As with the whole film the A View to A Kill opening strikes a bad cord with me, probably cause i feel its too obviously Roger's stunt double throughout...though I love the opening helicopter shot, beach boys and the sub.

[mattbowyer]

correction...they aren't SPECTRE in TSWLM but (honestly) whenever I'm skiing I pretend I'm evading SPECTRE assassins so it just comes automatically (makes you ski awesomely too)

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by mattbowyer
correction...they aren't SPECTRE in TSWLM but (honestly) whenever I'm skiing I pretend I'm evading SPECTRE assassins so it just comes automatically (makes you ski awesomely too)

They are Russian asassins after Bond . The"Blonde Bimbo" in the log cabin on the mountain . In forms them(the Russian) that Bond is leaving. I guess that thinking that they are "Russians" would have the same effect. Do you hum the "James Bond theme" or the "ski Chase" from OHMSS.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by kevrichardson
They are Russian asassins after Bond . The"Blonde Bimbo" in the log cabin on the mountain . In forms them(the Russian) that Bond is leaving. I guess that thinking that they are "Russians" would have the same effect. Do you hum the "James Bond theme" or the "ski Chase" from OHMSS.

I think the "Ski Chase" piece from OHMSS is my single favoriter piece of music from the series. That, and the Serra stuff from the opening of GE (although much of the rest of GE is naff)

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

I think the "Ski Chase" piece from OHMSS is my single favoriter piece of music from the series. That, and the Serra stuff from the opening of GE (although much of the rest of GE is naff)

It's a great piece of music alright , i have a soft spot for the "007 theme" . It has not been use that much . And i feel that many underrate it. It has been in "FRWL ,"TB" , "YOLT" , "DAF" , and finally "Moonraker" in 1979 . I read rumors that David Arnold was to use it in DAD . And was very disappointed that it did not happen.

[Tehuti 004]

I find the start of LALD very amusing, and when I first watched it, I was laughing quite a bit. The bit with the snake it just strange, and then you have the scene with M and the Italian bird, although, that is after the theme song.