51 replies to this topic

[00Twelve]

Laz, hands down.

Agree love Craig's CR stance, but I'm gonna go Lazenby with this one. Followed by Goldeneye.

Word.

[robcope]

I've been reading this site for a long time, and this subject has caused me to create an account to post. The gunbarrel originally turned me on to James Bond, and I'm a little disappointed the Craig movies (including Skyfall) have taken a different approach to them. I think the gunbarrel sets the tone for the movie, or confirms it's just another repetitive Roger Moore movie (no offense).

1) OHMSS

The synthesized use of the Bond theme, and Lazenby's ability to pull off the one-knee make this easily the best. Connery tries and unfortunately fails to pull off the athletic shot. The Bond theme is spot on for Lazenby's Bond: unique, deep, and exciting. It's also the only reason I bought the "This Never Happened to the Other Fellow" track on the soundtrack.

2) For Your Eyes Only

Once again, the music makes it. Moore's gunbarrels, to me, are pretty boring. Can you tell the difference between Moonraker, Octopussy, and A View to a Kill? Most probably can't. This one communicates pretty clearly, "We're going in a very different direction after Moonraker!" Thanks.

3) License to Kill

A haunting, dark Bond movie needs a haunting, dark gunbarrel. It once again communicates what the movie is going to be about. This one says, "This Bond movie is going to scare you!"

4) Tomorrow Never Dies

One word: smooth. Brosnan's pace and turn, the music, and even the blood pouring down is smooth. Unfortunately, it also sums up Brosnan's Bond: just a little too clean.

5) Casino Royale

If you've ever wondered, "Who is Bond shooting at anyway," you got your answer: some nasty dude in a bathroom. I remember sitting in the theater and seeing the black-and-white pre-title come up, and I was immediately angry. Four year absence, and no gunbarrel?! Then he turned and shot, and it all made sense! So THAT'S how it all happened!

[00 Brosnan]

I've always liked Brosnan's gunbarrel sequence the most, particularly in Tomorrow Never Dies. The rolling CGI barrel just looks so much cooler than the "moving picture" version used previously. His walk screams confident and cool with a quick, straight up turn and fire.

For Your Eyes Only is another one that stands out to me.

[Brett Sinclair]

1. For your eyes only
2. Licence to kill
3. On her majesty's secret service
4. Tomorrow never dies

[Joey Bond]

Having seen Brosnan's films first, I always thought his predecessors' gun barrel design looked a bit old and cheap compared to Brosnan's. Posture-wise I liked Brosnan and Connery the most, so I'll have to go with Brosnan (without the CGI bullet).

[Kelly Smith]

This one. I have always thought Lazenby nailed it.

Edited by Kelly Smith, 01 November 2012 - 04:27 AM.

[sharpshooter]

I agree, Lazenby’s swagger and kneel down pose is my favourite of the series. Visually pleasing, distinctive and makes sense tactically. Haven’t seen the Skyfall barrel, but I do like what Craig has done with his poses in CR and QoS. Very strong and forceful. Especially the spin and shoot nature of CR’s bathroom sequence, which really is one of a kind.

[Golddragon71]

This one. I have always thought Lazenby nailed it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORM-zh8sGoM&feature=related

^This^
My personal favorite

I really don't see why this is such a huge problem for the current powers that be. I mean, we're not talking about re-inventing the wheel. I understood it in Casino Royale because he was "Becoming Bond" but now He IS Bond and he should have at least two things (If nothing else is kept or translated over from the original series) The Bond Theme and the Binder Barrel. seeing those in the beginning of the film tell me I'm at a James Bond Film.

Edited by Golddragon71, 07 November 2012 - 03:33 PM.

[thecasinoroyale]

Have to say Craig did bloody well in 'Casino Royale' from his starting position to spin so fast and nail the shot dead centre of the camera in a solid pose.

Takes a lot of skill to do that I reckon and probably taken for granted.

[QuantumOfRoyale]

Brosnan. I don't give him much, but I'll give him this.

No slow-mo stride, no cute little striking a pose, none of that nonsense.

He walks. He turns. He shoots.

Like a boss.

[The Shark]

Brosnan walked like a flagpole. Bob Simmons did it the best.

[Peckinpah1976]

Agree with you re Brosnan but I've never liked Simmons 'hop-jump-swing'; looked very uncouth, as did Lazenby's kneeling and bad poise. Despite not liking his films very much the Moore ones tended to be the best IMO and although Dalton performed it well I've never liked the changes to the Bond theme on the LTK one - that sudden sting as the dots first crossed the screen is what ordinarily made the gunbarrel for me and it's absence here sticks out like a sore thumb.

[David_M]

I can honestly say that in my 40 years as a fan I never gave this subject much thought, but as it seems to interest so many people here I just watched a YouTube compilation of all the gunbarrels and here's my take:

Simmons is probably the worst. He "telegraphs" the whole thing by taking little "baby steps" until he reaches his mark and then hops and spins to fire. Anyway it's the least spontaneous or "natural-looking" of the lot.

Connery does better, but he too is obviously going for a specific mark because there's an odd half-step just before he stops and turns.

Lazenby makes it look entirely natural and spontaneous. He's just strolling along and BAM, decides to shoot you. All his movements are smooth.

Roger, in LALD and MWTGG, has a good walk, but he's the only one who MISSES! (LOL). His gun goes off as he's bringing it up and it's still down and to our right. Only after he fires does he get it straight-on to the viewer. For TSWLM and beyond he corrects this and takes the time to aim, assuming what for me is the most attractive final pose of all of them. However he takes longer to get the shot off than anyone else, which might have proved fatal to him in real life.

Dalton, like Laz, is natural and smooth, though for whatever reason I never liked the pose he ends up in. Feet too far apart? Jacket billowing out? I don't know, it just doesn't look that great to me.

Brosnan's...eh, okay. Pretty much my opinion of him all around. Craig's spin and fire, and final pose, in CR are fantastic, but...come on, he's in a restroom! So, 5-point deduction. (I almost said he had "natural movements" too, but again, he's in a restroom, so I thought better of it).

As noted, it often comes down to the music. LTK and TSWLM have an urgency that works, while OP, for one, is practically narcoleptic.

[00 Brosnan]

Update after seeing SkyFall:

I still prefer Brosnan's rolling CGI barrel, the TND version would probably be my favorite.

Spoiler

Craig though has redeemed himself with the SF gunbarrel after QoS's series worst. In the SF version he walks slow, with confidence and has a much better turn and shoot pose. The barrel rolls (unlike QoS's "moving picture" style barrel). Wish they would have gone with the "classic" barrel though.

Brosnan.

No slow-mo stride, no cute little striking a pose, none of that nonsense.

He walks. He turns. He shoots.

Like a boss.

My thoughts exactly.

Edited by 00 Brosnan, 16 November 2012 - 08:55 PM.

[thecasinoroyale]

...all 6 of them!

[IcedCamaro]

^^^ I could watch that over and over and never tire

[Animal Clans]

Licence To Kill - The music, look and feel of it is all there. Perfect 10 if you ask me.

For Your Eyes Only's gunbarrel is very well done as well, I mean... THAT COWBELL! (no sarcasm either)

I also love the gunbarrel for GoldenEye, classy, but with a more modernistic/and updated touch to it.

You nailed my top three! Though I'd put GoldenEye's ahead of FYEO.

Rating the gunbarrels seems like there's not much to rate except for the music. The individual turn-and-shoot routines are individual, but all work well (though I always Brosnan's was best).

LTK's says to me "Strap in, we've got no time to waste, we're already off and running."

GE's is just nice and cold. Sounds awesome.

FYEO, for such a very down-to-earth Bond film, it's got possibly the most rockin' gunbarrel music of them all.

[PierceConneryMoore]

Interesting topic!

Worst ones:

5.OP/TLD:I have these 2 as a tie because they basically sound the same. They're both kinda plain & unmemorable. It's only a question of whether you prefer Roger Moore or Timothy Dalton in your gunbarrel.

4.FRWL:Of the Bob Simmons gunbarrels, this is sandwiched between DN, which was special for being the first & GF which has mojo. This one is the middle child that sounds as old as it really is.

3.AVTAK:This sounds like an even less interesting version of the gunbarrels for OP & TLD. Enough said.

2.TMWTGG:Compared with the funky opening to LALD, this one is just dull. The whole score is the worst of John Barry's Bond scores & this is just another example of that.

1.QOS:The whole way they did this gunbarrel was just wrong. Part of it is that the movie itself doesn't feel like a Bond film & throwing the gunbarrel in at the end is just a way of reminding the audience it's a Bond movie. By that time, it's pointless & the execution is lousy. Daniel Craig's walk doesn't seem natural & the way he turns is the same. Then to fade out showing the film's title while seeing he walks away is just ridiculous. A truly disappointing end to a disappointing Bond film.

Best ones:

5.TSWLM:While it may not work for some, it works great for me, The tempo of the music starts out with a kind of "Is that who I think it is?" sound. Then Roger Moore comes out as the first actor with a tuxedo and when he shoots, the tempo changes answering the previous question with a resounding "Yes." Classic gunbarrel.

4.GE:For the start of the first Bond film in 6 years, the techno-style works for a new era of Bond films. It's strong with the newly-designed gunbarrel being the best & most distinctive looking of them all & Brosnan's walk & pose the best. But the theme also has a nice fading out at the end going nicely with the idea of this being the make or break Bond film. It's almost like a cautious wait-and-see sound to see if the movie will work and audiences will accept this new Bond film. I think we all know what the verdict was.

3.CR:I was upset when the movie started & it was something other than the moving dots. The opening scene in black & white was quite different from anything I'd seen in a Bond movie. When the villain points his gun, Bond turns for the shot and the blood moves down coloring the film up. While all the previous gunbarrels were things that are necessary to begin a Bond film just for the sake of being there, here it is a real meaning in how it establishes Craig's Bond as a Double-O. It also leads in to a fantastic opening titles by Daniel Kleinman and a great theme song by Chris Cornell. Done wrong, it would've pissed off many Bond fans, but they get it just right here.

2.LTK:Even though the film is a bit polarizing, the gunbarrel is a great intro. The opening notes sound similar in a way to a heartbeat than as Dalton enters turns in a fast drumbeat that sets up for a dramatic Bond theme. When Dalton fires, it doesn't disappoint. The theme is resounding & dramatic setting up the film. Dalton has a fine walk & stance. It's hard to doubt that it's the best gunbarrel when you pop LTK in the DVD player, but it also falls short to...........

1.FYEO:I took my time in picking the list of best gunbarrels, but the duo of FYEO & LTK were easy picks for #1 & #2. Why is FYEO the best gunbarrel? The opening music is the most powerful of the series. It's dramatic, powerful, pulse pounding & just a great start to the movie. It isn't just another gunbarrel like many of them, this is the ultimate gunbarrel. It's not only great, but it's one of the single best renditions of the Bond theme I've ever heard, even it it's only 20 seconds. If every future Bond film just copied the gunbarrel music here, I wouldn't have a problem with that.

Regarding Skyfall's gunbarrel, I've decided not to rank it yet as I've seen it only once. I will say it's handled much better than QOS & as someone who wanted it at the beginning, they at least make it up with the film's opening shot in a way. What I predicted before Adele was announced was that they would do something similar to the opening of DN with a gunbarrel leading in to a Newman-scored Bond theme. But I was wrong & I don't mind that.

[00Jaws]

The LTK is one of the worst ones imo.

That gunbarrel in specific has probably the least Bond feel to it. Plus the music is just dull.

[Golddragon71]

Someday........Just. some. day. I wish they'd get the lyrics from Monty Norman's original Song "Born Under a Bad Sign" and use that as the theme to a Bond film

[Double-0-Seven]

I actually think On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of the worst. Not Lazenby's fault, but because of how the barrel moves a little too fast and leaves poor George walking on the spot for a second before he turns and shoots. I just think it looks funny. The one for The Spy Who Loved Me also suffers from a poor editing decision. I hate how the music literally changes once Bond shoots, in the middle of a measure no less. Apparently Hamlisch was forced into that decision. His original cue was something like Bond 77.

[cory47]

For me, the gunbarrel sequences of all the 1960's Bond films are the best. They're the ones I first saw at the theater when I was growing up so they will always hold fond memories. Always filled me with excitement and anticipation for the film to come! I really liked the gunbarrels for Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, and OHMSS.