43 replies to this topic

[Turn]

The tank scene always resembled an outtake from The Blues Brothers to me. It's like they sat around wondering what type of transport that hadn't been used in a Bond chase yet, somebody suggested a tank and they were off from there.

It's one of the many things that make GE a frustrating experience for me as it tries to work on several different levels but doesn't really hit the marks, which is rather like the entire Brosnan era as a whole.

[DaveBond21]

I agree with you. The audience I saw this with in '95 reacted more positively to this entire sequence than anything else in the movie (even the jump from the dam). Yes the fact that Bond is technically putting innocent people (and the police) in danger in a scene that is mostly played for laughs irritates some fans and I can understand why but after Dalton's tenure (like it or not) this scene perhaps more than any other in the film symbolised the return of the James Bond the GENERAL public(irrespective of country) had watched for so many years either at the cinema or tv played by Connery/Moore. Bond vs bad guys with an ever so OTT edge displayed.

Me too. Everyone in the cinema loved this scene back in 1995. Mind you, they laughed when Bond "flew" from his motorbike into the plane during the PTS!!

[dinovelvet]

It's one of the many things that make GE a frustrating experience for me as it tries to work on several different levels but doesn't really hit the marks, which is rather like the entire Brosnan era as a whole.

Bingo...the tank scene wants to have its cake and eat it too, it wants to be a thrilling action scene as well as a hilarious comedy scene, and ends up being neither. And yes, this may be a metaphor for the entire Brosnan era, too

It isn't like it can't be done - the boat chase in LALD and the car chase in TMWTGG both had genuine laughs and genuine thrills, mostly thanks to Rog's light touch. The 'tie straightening' bit seemed like an obvious attempt to do something Roger Moore-like, but comes off as too staged, smug, and 'knowing'.

[tdalton]

The single worst scene in the movie for me. And the shattering disruption of the lovely Sera score by the Bond theme here and now is a crud reveal, imo, of the filmmaker's compromised values. As if to say: hey, yeah, we've got a new Bond...a new visual style...a new director...new this and new that...but we're no dummies, here it is: generic tank chase with crowd-pleasing
Muzak!

I agree about tossing out Serra's beautiful arrangement for this sequence. Do you suppose it would play better for you if they had retained Serra's composition?

You know, Jimmy, it may have played better. The chase seemed over-long to me and, most likely, it was padded to accomodate the theme song. Yea, come to think of it, if the tank chase had been lean and mean--like the bulldozer scene in CR--it might have captivated me.

Agree about the length, it's always been a scene that's always moved a tad slow, I think it has to do with the music, to bring this back up. The arrangement of the Bond theme that they gives us is a rather generic (and slow) version of the Bond theme, that probably went a long way to slow the whole affair down.

Could have done without Bond adjusting his tie bit as well

Agreed with everything said above. I have always been very fond of Eric Serra's score for GoldenEye, and it does feel a bit awkward having his music thrown out in favor of the Bond theme in this scene. As said above, much of the scene feels as though it's being drawn out in order to accomodate the theme, which makes for a very boring sequence, overall, and one that detracts significantly from the film.

Also, had Bond just used the tank to bust through the brick wall and then abandoned it for a car (or done something that had greatly limited his time in the tank), then the scene may have played much better, but as it stands in the film, it's just too long and really just isn't all that exciting.

[JimmyBond]

I think an exciting car chase through the backlot...oops, I mean through St. Petersberg could have been a really thrilling chase.

[marktmurphy]

The 'tie straightening' bit seemed like an obvious attempt to do something Roger Moore-like, but comes off as too staged, smug, and 'knowing'.

Yeah; agree with that. Was a bit forced. Not as bad as the underwater one in TWINE though; he may as well have winked at the camera!

[Stephen Spotswood]

That chase scene with the tank killed the Brosnan series for me. It reminded me waaay to much of Roger Moore careening around a town in a fire truck, I think in AVTAK.

I was like, hey, Bond is supposed to be a SECRET agent, not one who's face is in plain sight in the middle of some Muscovite square.


The best chase scenes for me was in OHMSS with skis and later bob-sleds in the snow.

[JimmyBond]

The 'tie straightening' bit seemed like an obvious attempt to do something Roger Moore-like, but comes off as too staged, smug, and 'knowing'.

Yeah; agree with that. Was a bit forced. Not as bad as the underwater one in TWINE though; he may as well have winked at the camera!

That also ruins a perfectly good stunt. Brosnan in the boat actually dives under water for a bit and then resurfaces, that's pretty neat, yet you can't tell by seeing the sequence in the movie. Looks like a lot of smoke and mirrors, if you know what I mean.

[DaveBond21]

I also love the look on Natalya's face at one point during the chase. She is looking at Bond in the tank and she is thinking "Wow, wouldn't mind a piece of that!"

[Harmsway]

The tank scene always resembled an outtake from The Blues Brothers to me. It's like they sat around wondering what type of transport that hadn't been used in a Bond chase yet, somebody suggested a tank and they were off from there.

It's one of the many things that make GE a frustrating experience for me as it tries to work on several different levels but doesn't really hit the marks, which is rather like the entire Brosnan era as a whole.

Entirely agreed.

Agreed with everything said above. I have always been very fond of Eric Serra's score for GoldenEye, and it does feel a bit awkward having his music thrown out in favor of the Bond theme in this scene. As said above, much of the scene feels as though it's being drawn out in order to accomodate the theme, which makes for a very boring sequence, overall, and one that detracts significantly from the film.

It perhaps feels that way, but the new more "Bondian" music was actually written to match the action on film. The scene wasn't re-edited to fit the new score (this is apparent since Serra's score still matches the on-screen action practically beat-for-beat).

Personally, I think Serra's music for this scene is rather awkward. It might work on its own, but when you put it against the film, it feels really clunky as accompaniment. Here's a video that restores it to the scene so you can judge for yourselves:

[Mister E]

The GE tank chase was gimmick that only wows you only once when it bursts on to the scene. In general, Tanks are not very interesting vechicles to use for chases. They are big and cumbersome and don't make for an exciting persuit. I will say one positive thing about it, at least we had a break from Serra's awful score.

Edited by Mister E, 03 June 2008 - 12:27 AM.

[Mr. Blofeld]

That chase scene with the tank killed the Brosnan series for me. It reminded me waaay to much of Roger Moore careening around a town in a fire truck, I think in AVTAK.

I was like, hey, Bond is supposed to be a SECRET agent, not one who's face is in plain sight in the middle of some Muscovite square.

Exactly. I remember people arguing that Bond would have been fired after the embassy mishap in Casino Royale, but had the tank chase in GoldenEye actually happened, Bond would have been completely disowned by MI6 and locked in jail by the Russians for killing innocent policemen and soldiers, destroying passing vehicles, and demolishing most of St. Petersburg.

[marktmurphy]

Personally, I think Serra's music for this scene is rather awkward. It might work on its own, but when you put it against the film, it feels really clunky as accompaniment. Here's a video that restores it to the scene so you can judge for yourselves:

Yeah, not sure if they perhaps edited it slightly after he wrote that, but he does rather lose the big comedy moment of the statue on the tank. I really like the way the movie version just has the Bond theme going crazy as the visuals go pretty mental along with them- it's just funny.

(And actually, I think the Bond theme's usuage here is pretty much in the same vein as the much derided Beach Boys song at the beginning of AVTAK; they're both bits of comedy music used to show how over the top it all is and how cool Bond is being)

[DR76]

Actually, I enjoyed the foot chase in the Ministry of Defence building in GOLDENEYE. But once Natalya was captured and Bond climbed into that tank, the thrill was gone.