32 replies to this topic

[DLibrasnow]

During the crew audio commentary for For Your Eyes Only producer Micheal G. Wilson comments that (during the making of TWINE) they went back and looked at the scenes from For Your Eyes Only in Italy to remind themselves of how to do a snow and ski action sequence.

Obviously they failed because the sequence in TWINE is dull, bland, flat and disjointed.

But there have been a number of great snow bound action sequences in the following movies:

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
The Spy Who Loved Me
For Your Eyes Only
A View to a Kill
The Living Daylights

Of these five movies with good snow bound action, which has the best....I think I would have to go with For Your Eyes Only

[Bond111]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
During the crew audio commentary for For Your Eyes Only producer Micheal G. Wilson comments that (during the making of TWINE) they went back and looked at the scenes from For Your Eyes Only in Italy to remind themselves of how to do a snow and ski action sequence.

Hmmmm, they must have been watching while blindfolded.

I always enjoy (well almost always) a James Bond ski chase sequence. They are all pretty good, but I would have to say my favorite are the spectacular ones in OHMSS, although FYEO comes pretty close. I think the FYEO sequences are more action packed, but I really like the OHMSS ones better.

[SamuelKevlar]

Well, I don't have any particular problem with the TWINE ski sequence (although it isn't anywhere near the best), but I would have to say my favourite is the one in FYEO, with the cello chase in TLD coming a close second.

[ray t]

for me a bond ski sequence is made or broken by the accompanying score. as a result i would have to rate as number 1:

OHMSS

take away the score and i'd rate...

...FYEO and TWINE as the most ambitious

i love the AVTAC pre-titles piece as well in combination with the score but am slightly let down by the beach boys cue

if barry had scored FYEO, perhaps it could have surpassed the OHMSS ski sequence.

[Righty007]

My favorite is The Spy Who Loved Me. It has great music (Bond 77) and cool stunts.

[bribond]

I agree that they are all pretty good. OHMSS was the best for me for its rawness. There was a real sense of urgency in that one, that Bond HAS to get away which is underlined by Blofeld joining the chase. The nighttime scenes, the score, the suspense when he fights with the guy on the cliff, it's my favorite Bond action scene of all.

FYEO works prettywell too, except for the way he avoids getting shot when going down the ramp. I was watching to see what he'd think of but the film copped out by giving him another attacker on the ramp (thus blocking the sniper's point of view). For the most part though, the scene is pretty exciting.

TWINE is well done too, and I especially liked the finale with Bond and Electra in the bubble and Electra getting the claustrophobia attack. What I did not like in that scene was the editing, which did not establish the geography of the mountain well. It also could have been a little longer.

TSPLM and AVTAK had good scenes too, obviously the Beach Boys cue was a bit nuts but it was funny enough in the theatre.

[CommanderBond]

i loved the chase in OHMSS and TSWLM those are my favorites

[Qwerty]

The Spy Who Loved Me, the first time I rented it from the store and saw that ski action with that jazzy cool music (Bond 77), it instantly became my favorite Bond film of all, and it still is!

[DanMan]

Always loved the FYEO ski chase. Love the soundtrack and the editing. TWINE would be close behind though.

[kevrichardson]

Best Snow & Ski Scene . For me On Her Majesty Secret Service . Frankly anything after that attempts recreate that magic . Similiar statements can be made regarding any underwaters scenes . Which recall ThunderBall .

[Doubleshot]

The ski chase in On Her Majesty's Secret Service is probably my favorite in the series so far. It's so intense and driving.. suspenseful.

[BONDFINESSE 007]

i would say the very best has to be ohmss then the world is not enough, although fyeo was damn good to

[Double-Oh-Zero]

I'd have to go with TSWLM and OHMSS as my favourite ski/snow scenes. I haven't watched FYEO in ages, but I do recall that one being exceptional, as well.

[Moore Not Less]

The ski chase in The Spy Who Loved Me is my favourite. It's beautifully filmed, it's great to watch and the Bond 77 theme makes it great to listen to aswell.

There are two moments that I really love. The first is when Bond turns around, ski's backwards and shoots Sergi Borzov with one of his ski poles. The second is that great moment where Bond ski's off the top of the mountain (apparently to his death) and there is this wonderful silence before the unfurling of the Union Jack parachute.

[DLibrasnow]

Are you people nuts?? The TWINE sequence is pathetic in its execution...its an interesting concept but really executed terribly...

[Bond111]

I'll have to go with DLibrasnow on this one. The ski scene had a lot of potential, but in the end it turned out horribly. I remember seeing the trailers for TWINE and seeing part of the ski footage. I was really excited that there was going to be another legendary Bond ski scene, but when I saw the whole thing I was disappointed.

[bribond]

There's no getting around the fact that the TWINE ski scene it didn't work wonderfully but I thought it was okay. The bookends, Bond skiing down the beautiful slope with Elektra and the finale with the two of them in the jacket bubble were very well done. I think the score for the ski chase didn't help. Although I generally like David Arnold's work that piece was not up there.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by bond111
I'll have to go with DLibrasnow on this one. The ski scene had a lot of potential, but in the end it turned out horribly. I remember seeing the trailers for TWINE and seeing part of the ski footage. I was really excited that there was going to be another legendary Bond ski scene, but when I saw the whole thing I was disappointed.

I was also really excited when I saw there would be a snow sequence in TWINE, and I thought it had clever ideas, but it was flawed in its execution and it didn't work...

[kevrichardson]

DLibrasnow please give me a example of what would be an exciting ski scene for a Bond film . Frankly the FYEO ski scene does nothing for me . So i am at a lost as to why Wilson and Co , would look at it . Is this a contiunation of OHMSS as the bastard child of EON .

[jwheels]

It's a tie between OHMSS, and FYEO. While OHMSS is more realistic, the chase is great, and I love the avalance, FYEO has more action. TWINE is good, but could have been better. TLD is not long enough, unless you count the car with ski's. Ditto for TSWLM, not long enough. I like the AVTAK scene, it's fun, and not ment to be taken seriously.

[Moore Not Less]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow


I was also really excited when I saw there would be a snow sequence in TWINE, and I thought it had clever ideas, but it was flawed in its execution and it didn't work...

I agree with you, DLibrasnow. Whichever way I look at this sequence it is flawed and makes no sense.

[ChandlerBing]

Best snow scene? Al Pacino in Scarface with all of that cocaine.

[Tanger]

OHMSS and FYEO are the two best. TSWLM deserves and honourable mention for the ski-jump finale too. AVTAK is fun times too.

[DLibrasnow]

I think OHMSS is right up there with FYEO as the best snow and ski sequence and although TSWLM and AVTAK are really fun, they are a bit too short.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Moore Not Less


I agree with you, DLibrasnow. Whichever way I look at this sequence it is flawed and makes no sense.

It's lackluster....really bland and it lacks drive....Everything about that sequence is flawed, the editing, the music, the pacing and the direction. The acting by Brosnan and Marceau are both serviceable and use of the parahawks was an interesting concept, but the TWINE sequence must be considered the weakest snow and ski sequence in any Bond movie.

It simply lacks punch like a lot of the second unit stuff does lately.

They needed to bring Willy Bogner out of retirement so he could have helped it out.

[Simon]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
During the crew audio commentary for For Your Eyes Only producer Micheal G. Wilson comments that (during the making of TWINE) they went back and looked at the scenes from For Your Eyes Only in Italy to remind themselves of how to do a snow and ski action sequence.

Obviously they failed because the sequence in TWINE is dull, bland, flat and disjointed.

Well, when they saw it, I hope they enjoyed it as you're right, they certainly didn't learn from it for TWINE.

And how they should have learnt from it should have been an easy exercise.

1. Pick up the phone.
2. Dial Willy Bogners outfit (If still going in some form or other)
3. Negotiate a deal for the sequence.

If point 2 was not possible due to retirements, then look for another snow specıalıst.

Ain't difficult.

But then they hired Apted, poor fellow, so they obviously weren't going to go down any correct paths on that film.

The best snow scene, FYEO.

[bribond]

Apted didn't do much on the ski scene. It was pretty much all Vic Armstrong and that team.




"Electra, look in my eyes!"

[zencat]

While I really love the snow chase/action in FYEO (I'm in such a mood to watch this movie), I think "the best" for me in OHMSS. It just has a level of tension that sets it apart, and the music is amazing. While FYEO has spectacle and fun, OHMSS has edge and bite and that makes it #1 in my book.

[DLibrasnow]

It's notable that Pierce Brosnan was teased mercilessly during the filming of the snow sequence in TWINE because he simply could not master the sport of skiing. Sophie Marceau (an excellent skiier apparently) had a lot of fun at Brosnan's expense...

There is however a lot more wrong with the The World is not Enough sequence than simply the inability of one of the lead actors to ski.

I agree with you Simon, they should have hired Willy Bogner to do the sequence.

[Simon]

Originally posted by bribond
Apted didn't do much on the ski scene.  It was pretty much all Vic Armstrong and that team.

I was comparing the bad decision-making surrounding the ski sequence with that of hiring Apted.

I realise that Apted was not directly responsible for the Billy Smarts Circus on ice that was the ski scene - although as it is the job of the 2nd Unit / Action director to marry his work to that of the 1st Unit director, one could wonder just where the root cause for this mess lay.

But now I'm thinking "cause and effect", I have to blame the producers. They wanted someone who could direct women.

Hmm. If I was making a period-love-drama with one 30-second fisticuffs altercation, would I hire Michael Bay for the entire film? You get the drift.