32 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

Everybody knows that every Bond film has the famous gunbarrel scene in the beginning. I recently watched OHMSS for the first time and I noticed that Lazenby kneels when he shoots in the sequence. The other four Bond's stand. I personally do not like it. Does anyone know why he kneels? And what are your thoughts about this?

[freemo]

Not sure why he kneeled. I don't really like it that much either, but from memory a few people here do like it, even wanted Broz to do it for DAD, so each to their own I suppose. It certainly made Lazenby's GB intro unique anyway.

[Doubleshot]

It's certainly unique - and for that, I like it. It is a bit errorneous, however - Lazenby hasn't stopped walking by the time the scope is done moving across the screen, which always bothers the anal fan that I happen to be. After the rather uninteresting gunbarrel in which Connery nearly falls over as he fires the gun, this was a welcome change.

[Daltonitus]

It's very unique, but the crouch, the hat, the fact the barrel stops before Lazenby - they all make it a pretty poor gun barrel really.

Dalton and Brosnan have the best gunbarrels, except that DAD one...wtf were they thinking...

[SirMiles83]

I rather liked Lazenby's gun-barrel sequence. I like it mostly because it is unique. The only gun-barrel sequences I didn't like were when they kept using Roger Moore's bell-bottom gun barrel sequence well into the 80's.

[1q2w3e4r]

yeah that one was a downer.

[MovieManOO7]

Another thing one may notice that's unique about Lazenby's gunbarrel is that the blood pouring down the screen ERASES Lazenby! Perhaps it was forshadowing his career as Bond???

[JimmyBond]

I like it. It emphasizes OHMSS more action oriented approach to the series. I mean, Connery's Bond was never involved in an action sequence quite like the assualt on Piz Gloria*

*Ok, we had the Volcano lair, but Connery was more of a spectator whlie the ninjas attacked.

[mattbowyer]

Just a question righty007, as a reasonably long standing member of cbn how is it that you've only seen OHMSS recently for the first time?!

I guess I just assume everyone here would have seen all the films?? Hell I guess I havent' read all the books.

[kevrichardson]

The reason is George Lazenby was following Connery/Simmoms GunBarrel sequence . So it had to be different . Remember he is the first non -Connery Bond .

[Righty007]

Originally posted by mattbowyer
Just a question righty007, as a reasonably long standing member of cbn how is it that you've only seen OHMSS recently for the first time?!

I guess I just assume everyone here would have seen all the films?? Hell I guess I havent' read all the books.

I'am not a "reasonable long standing member" because I just joined this March. The reason I just saw OHMSS for the first time is because I'm a fairly new Bond fan, becoming one in 2001. Now in 2003 I have seen every Bond movie except NSNA (1983) because it's not official. I haven't read all the books too.

[Doubleshot]

Just because Never Say Never Again is an unofficial Bond entry doesn't mean you should skip it completely.

[rogermoore007]

It was like George was trying to pull off Connery's gunbarrel sequence, in which Connery had a hat and crouched when he shot, but George went down just a bit too far

[Righty007]

I just figured out why he may have kneeled! I think it was because he was going to get married in the movie. When a man proposes he kneels. What do you guys think about this?

[rogermoore007]

Originally posted by Righty007
I just figured out why he may have kneeled! I think it was because he was going to get married in the movie. When the man proposes he kneels. What do you guys think about this?

That's very good thinking Righty007--its also very possible

[Daltonitus]

That's a good idea. But I think the kneel is just Lazenbys style.

See when he goes through the door with the knife ready to throw. He could stand but assumes a combat crouch or sorts, prolly trying to put some realism into Bond rather than a stuntman walking a few steps and jumping around like a fool.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Doubleshot
Just because Never Say Never Again is an unofficial Bond entry doesn't mean you should skip it completely.

I agree with you on this point. I was surprised recently when a long standing member (even a staff member) of CBn told me they had yet to see NSNA all the way through. It ranks (for me) as one of Connery's best 007 movies.
In NSNA we have a wondefully flamboyant villain in Klaus Maria Brandeur, a delicously evil femme fatale played with relish by Barbara Carrera, Rowan Atkinson takes a funny comic turn as Nigel Small Fawcett (Bond telling him to take full advantage of all the natural cover), Pat Roach takes a break from fighting Indiana Jones to battle 007 at Shrublands (a great joke at the end of that sequence) and some of the most Bondian one liners in the series.

Largo: So, do you lose as graciously as you win?
Bond: I wouldn't know, I've never lost.

Add to that the fact that Sean Connery looks great. The opening sequence at the terrorist/guerilla camp is incredible, with Sean doing some of the best fighting of his career - hell he even head butts one guy!! I thought he looked a lot better than 12 years earlier in DAF!
Plus, I kinda like Kim Basinger as Domino and I thought Algy was a fun twist on old Q, especially that one liner.

Algy: Now that you're back on the case I hope we are going to get some good old gratuitous sex and voilence.
Bond: Me too!

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by Daltonitus
That's a good idea. But I think the kneel is just Lazenbys style.

See when he goes through the door with the knife ready to throw. He could stand but assumes a combat crouch or sorts, prolly trying to put some realism into Bond rather than a stuntman walking a few steps and jumping around like a fool.

Yes, when I was in the miltary we were always taught to kneel when firing a shot from a pistol because it makes you a smaller target.

[[dark]]

Whilst a sub-par Bond at best, Never Say Never Again has some of the best dialogue in the series.

Glad there are others who think that too.

[Kronsteen]

George Lazenbys gun-barrel is the best in the series. I find it very elegant with Lazenby wearing a hat and kneeling. Great! Masterpiece!

[BondNumber7]

Lazenby's gun barrell is one of my favorites with a wonderful score to accompany it and he seems energetic. From watching his gun barrell, you can see Lazenby's going to be great in fight scenes.

[_JW_]

I liked OHMSS gunbarrel intro. It was a change of pace after the Connery intros. It let us know that we have a new man taking up the role of Bond. Pierce Brosnan has a pretty good one, but who here thinks he should do a new one for the next Bond? It's clearly obvious that he looks older now, plus his hair is a little shorter now.

Still it could be worse. (See: Roger Moore's bellbottoms above)

[BondNumber7]

I was watching You Only Live Twice this evening and I swear Connery lost his balance during the gunbarrel. If you look at his feet you can see him stumble and practically tripping.

[Dunph]

The best part of Lazenby's gunbarrel has to be the way the scanning dots suddenly stop to remind the viewers who produces the film, I feel this would have been a better homage to use in Die Another Day rather than the 3d bullet, but, i suppose, each to his own.

And I do like it when Lazenby crouches, it makes his gunbarrel different, though I don't understand why the blood erased him altogether, perhaps the filmmakers were trying to get the message across that "this is a new Bond; different. Get used to it."

[minchjp]

I thought it was preaty shotty (no pun intended), i likes DAD the best, mainly because of the music and the new bulet always sounds great in DTS surround sound!

[Irma Bunt]

Lazenby's gunbarrell sequence is very classy, and as mentioned probably the most effective if he would be really firing a shot (and avoiding a return shot).

[Stuart]

Lazenby's isn't my favorite, but I do appreciate the fact that it's different.

[gkgyver]

Maybe he was kneeling under the burden of James Bond, exactly like in the movie itself

[Donovan]

The fact that Bond occasionally crouches is established in the series when Bond opens the bedroom door in "Dr. No" or shoots a Bulgar in "From Russia With Love".

If making Lazenby kneel for the gunbarrel shot was due to anyone's belief that they should immediately differentiate actors, it's a strange decision considering the rest of the film bends over backwards reinforcing the fact that this is the same charater seen in five previous films.

[Fawn]

I'm inclined to believe that Laz did indeed kneel as a foreshadowing of his proposal to Tracy; though he also kneeled when he threw the knife into Draco's calendar, so who knows?

Just a question righty007, as a reasonably long standing member of cbn how is it that you've only seen OHMSS recently for the first time?!

I guess I just assume everyone here would have seen all the films?? Hell I guess I havent' read all the books.

Some of us have other things to do in our lives than buy and watch Bond movies, darlin'.