15 replies to this topic

[Sensualist]

Sensualist and friends are going to be hitting the slopes at one of the finest skiing destinations on the Eastern side of North America in mid December.

The location? Mont Tremblant in Quebec where the action on the slopes is surpassed only by the wild "apres-ski" parties attended by some truly delicious young local French-Canadian 'talent'.

The impending trip put me in mind of the epic moonlight chase down Piz Gloria in the fantastic OHMSS.

In my opinion, THAT ski chase is THE GREATEST non-motorised action set piece in the James Bond series.

Bond has no gadgets. Just a pair of skis and poles and his single-minded determination to escape Blofeld's stronghold and inform London of the mad genius' plans to potentially decimate the world's agricultural economy.

John Barry's score is absolutely rousing. The editing is taut and lightning paced. The darkness and moonlight provide an epic and majestic backdrop. Willy Bogner's camera work is completely mesmerizing. And there is sense of complete danger with James Bond fighting for every inch of his life and with every ounce of energy left in him.

Great scene. James on one ski, weaving in and out of the pine trees while his enemies try to cut him down with machine gun fire is simply unforgetable!

What do you think is the greatest NON-MOTORISED action set piece in the canon?

(Honourable mention goes to the terrific free-fall 'flight' and fight for the parachute in the Moonraker pre-titles. Sensualist found it to be a mind-blowingly unforgetable and sensory experience on the big screen back in the summer of 1979.)

[Doubleshot]

I'll have to agree with you Sensualist - the moonlight ski escape from Piz Gloria in On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the most exciting non-motorised set piece in the entire series. I may even go out on a limb and call it the best action set piece in the series alone! I have always enjoyed this terrific and gripping chase - and everything is working for it; the editing, John Barry's score, the dark, moonlit photography. Much as I love Brosnan's films and Vic Armstrong's action set pieces, nothing since OHMSS itself has even come close to this masterpiece of an action sequence.

As a runner up, I'd have to go with the Bob Simmons rough-houses from the early Bond films such as the Orient Express fight with Bond and Red Grant in From Russia With Love or pre-titles fight in Goldfinger. I'd also throw in that heart-racing, hard-hitting fight between Bond and Trevelyn at the end of GoldenEye.

[Johnboy007]

perhaps the dam jump, but i agree OHMSS does have the best non motorized set piece

[doublenoughtspy]

I agree Sensualist. It is the best.

My brother nit-picks and doesn't like the fact that night shooting and day shooting are combined.

If you look for it, it is a bit annoying - but I point out that when flares are used - they can turn night into day as far as light is concerned.

I know filming on skis can be dangerous, and adding night to that mix makes it even worse.

The scene never fails to get my heart racing.

[Sensualist]

Originally posted by Doubleshot
As a runner up, I'd have to go with the Bob Simmons rough-houses from the early Bond films such as the Orient Express fight with Bond and Red Grant in From Russia With Love ..... I'd also throw in that heart-racing, hard-hitting fight between Bond and Trevelyn at the end of GoldenEye.

Doubleshot, I agree with you. You have pointed out the two GREATEST fights in the canon. That Orient Express fight is so brutal that when ABC used to air FRWL in the mid-to-late 70's they used to edit-out bits here and there.

And that fight at the top of the dish in GoldenEye is taut, exciting and, as you put it, "heart-racing". Fantastic stuff.

Excellent runner-up choice, Doubleshot! (By the way, are you a big Sooner fan?)

[Sensualist]

Originally posted by johnboy007
perhaps the dam jump, but i agree OHMSS does have the best non motorized set piece

Johnboy, you should have been at my cinema on that opening night in 1995. The crowd was gasping in awe. It was mind-blowing on the giant screen.

James Bond was back! And in a BIG way!

[Johnboy007]

"I know filming on skis can be dangerous, and adding night to that mix makes it even worse"

Im fairly sure that most of that wasnt shot at night. It always appeared that they would film in daylight, and just underdevelop the film, because some of the background lighting, never seemed quite right.

[Qwerty]

Yes, the ski sequence combined with Barry's nonstop thrilling music all adds up to an excellent sequence!

[DLibrasnow]

I am in agreement with many on this thread that the skiing scene in OHMSS is a particular favorite of mine. In fact I love the entire Swiss part of that movie.

[Doubleshot]

Originally posted by Sensualist
Excellent runner-up choice, Doubleshot! (By the way, are you a big Sooner fan?)

I am sort of into Sooner football, Sensualist. Doing pretty good about now, aren't we? :-)

[Sensualist]

Sensualist just got back from living life to the max during a sensory weekend at the greatest ski resort in the Eastern half of the Americas.

The Province of Quebec in Eastern Canada has been likened to Alpine Europe within North America and the French colonial heritage, the language, culture and architecture of places like Montreal, Quebec City and the top class ski resort of Mont Tremblant indicate precisely why such a comparison is made.

Sensualist can safely say that there is nothing like being at the very edge of control while hurtling down a slope with your skis not only perpindicular to the mountain but even partly pointing up the piste rather than the downward direction your going.

It is truly a tremendous rush being at the very apex of losing control but not actually doing so. I could not help but hum John Barry's fantastic OHMSS theme during such moments of acute exhileration. And yes, there were some wipe-outs but nothing a steamy out-door hot tub at days end followed by some truly exotic clubing past midnight didn't cure.

If any of you ever get a chance to go skiing, I highly recommend taking the opportunity to do so. If it's good enough for James Bond and Ian Fleming then, well, you get the idea.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Doubleshot
I'll have to agree with you Sensualist - the moonlight ski escape from Piz Gloria in On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the most exciting non-motorised set piece in the entire series.  

Isn't that about the only non motorised set piece??

FRWL was set on a train.

[DanMan]

I'd say the sword fight between Bond and Graves, followed closely by Bond vs. Alec in GE.

[Sensualist]

Originally posted by Simon


Isn't that about the only non motorised set piece??

EVERY James Bond epic has non-motorized "action" set pieces. You name the movie and i'll point them out.

Some of the greatest ones include:

Aqua-para/Spectre Underwater Mayhem, Thunderball
Ninja Attack on Volcano Rocket Base, YOLT
Ski Jump, TSWLM pretitles
Freefall Fight, Moonraker pretitles
Meteora Ascent, FYEO
Bungie Jump, GoldenEye
Halo Jump, TND
Bank Escape, TWINE pretitles
Blades Fight, DAD

[Simon]

You win.

[Mr. Kidd]

Originally posted by Qwerty
Yes, the ski sequence combined with Barry's nonstop thrilling music all adds up to an excellent sequence!

Well said! I've seen this sequence so many times and still
I get caught up in the heightened tension of the chase. Barry's
swirling strings and swelling brass make it even more so! When
Lazenby makes the quip about "he had lots of guts" after his
pursuer is chopped up in the blades of the snow blower, it is
genuine comic relief.