The silliest sequence in a Bond movie EVER??

mrbain007

Which scene has made you go "oh please!!" more than any other?

I think for me the windsurfing sequence in DAD has to rank up there somewhere. Also I'd include the rocket pack in Thunderball (was great at the time but looks rather dated now)

Ricardo C.

Die Another Day.

That's it. Just Die Another Day.

bigzilcho

What makes me go "Oh, please!" is having to read another post asking us to focus on the worst aspects of Bond? I don't mean to be a Blofeld-like tyrant, but haven't we had ENOUGH of these posts? Or is it just me making the observation that AJB has too much negative criticism and not enough celebration. A little less of the former and more of the latter, if you please.

And secondly, MrBain, with all due respect, your reason to dismiss the jet-pack in TB (the fact it was great once but now is dated) also makes me respond with another "oh please!".

That kind of dismissal of the past , because it is "dated", has always seemed to me the to be the laziest type of critical appraisal. By the very law of physics even a movie released last year is "dated".

If you thought the jet-pack was silly, stand by that statement. "Great at the time but looks dated now" is a wanting-to-eat-your-cake comment. A movie doesn't lose its "greatness' because time passes. It is OF its time.

(Sorry, I have to finish writing my essay on why the movies of Ray Harryhausen are "dated" because the FX (a marvel at the time) look "silly" compared to today's CGI).

Does the jet-pack sequence still excite and thrill? You bet it does, and that's not just me talking. It worked in 1965, it works now.

Silliest? I can think of a dozen silly moments that were NOT "great once but looks dated now." They were silly in 1967 or 1974 or 1985 and they are still silly now.

If, in your opinion, the jet-pack was great in 1965, then it should STILL be great now.

Cool is cool. Forever.

And Bondian cool NEVER has a shelf-life.



"Every well-dressed man should have one."
"Yes, very practical"

RJJB

Kanaga's death on LALD is still the silliest sequence in a Bond movie. It belongs in a cartoon. The only thing the scene was lacking was the label Acme Shark Repellent stamped on the side of the bullet. Kanaga's inflation and rising to the ceiling was physically impossible. Even in the days when I watched Roger Moore movies, I found this scene to be so stupid that it ruined the entire movie for me. Up until that point, I was enjoying it. Hell, I was younger then.

thesecretagent

There's plenty in Moonraker: Being met by the gauchos/cowboys and riding to the soundtrack of the Magnificent Seven makes me cringe every time it's on tv. Also Jaws and the dwarf woman falling in love at first site. PLEASE! Tarzan call in Octopussy along with Barbera Woodhouse's SITTTTT!

The Villain

Slightly different to the ones mentioned but one scene that I found silly was Trevelyan jumping down onto antenna from ladder.

I know there had to be final showdown between 006/007 but he just needed to go back up ladder and leave Bond for eternity. )

I am kidding but really that to me was a no brainer.

mrbain007

bigzilcho wrote:

What makes me go "Oh, please!" is having to read another post asking us to focus on the worst aspects of Bond? I don't mean to be a Blofeld-like tyrant, but haven't we had ENOUGH of these posts? Or is it just me making the observation that AJB has too much negative criticism and not enough celebration. A little less of the former and more of the latter, if you please.

And secondly, MrBain, with all due respect, your reason to dismiss the jet-pack in TB (the fact it was great once but now is dated) also makes me respond with another "oh please!".

That kind of dismissal of the past , because it is "dated", has always seemed to me the to be the laziest type of critical appraisal. By the very law of physics even a movie released last year is "dated".

If you thought the jet-pack was silly, stand by that statement. "Great at the time but looks dated now" is a wanting-to-eat-your-cake comment. A movie doesn't lose its "greatness' because time passes. It is OF its time.

(Sorry, I have to finish writing my essay on why the movies of Ray Harryhausen are "dated" because the FX (a marvel at the time) look "silly" compared to today's CGI).

Does the jet-pack sequence still excite and thrill? You bet it does, and that's not just me talking. It worked in 1965, it works now.

Silliest? I can think of a dozen silly moments that were NOT "great once but looks dated now." They were silly in 1967 or 1974 or 1985 and they are still silly now.

If, in your opinion, the jet-pack was great in 1965, then it should STILL be great now.

Cool is cool. Forever.

And Bondian cool NEVER has a shelf-life.



"Every well-dressed man should have one."
"Yes, very practical"

Hi bigzilcho

It wasn't my intention to sneer at the Bond films, just to have a bit of fun and provoce a discussion. Like you, I love my Bond (I wouldn't be on here otherwise) but there is a certain element of "silliness" in some of the films (as there was in the books) and I'm sure some of the surviving staff on the older films would admit to this now. However, I never said the films weren't meant to be fun.

In regard to the rocket pack, what I meant was that it just seems gimikey, almost like a TV ad saying: "Hey kids, look at James Bond's brand new rocket pack". A certain amount of "silliness" is ok. Its just that sometimes, it was taken a little too far.

I always enjoy posting "your top...." as they trigger a wide range of answers.

Paperbill

When Moore tells the Tiger to "Sit" in op

Napoleon Plural

I had a barney with someone over on mi6.co.uk about films being dated, it wasn't you under another name Bigzilcho? Some stuff dates better than others imo, I agree the jet pack looks silly now whereas the Aston Martin DB5 doesn't, it the difference between classic and not.

Come off it, there are loads of things that looked cool once but don't now. Not too many in the Bond films I grant you, but still a few.

Blackleiter

That is the first sequence that came to mind for me, too! Also, the whole Sheriff J.W. Pepper sequence in The Man With The Golden Gun.

Paperbill wrote:

When Moore tells the Tiger to "Sit" in op

Hardyboy

Someone already mentioned Dolly pulling Jaws out of the wreckage, which I think is the silliest sequence ever. So here's #2 on my list: the sudden appearance of the Beach Boys' "California Girls" as Bond ski-surfs away in AVTAK. Shudder. . .

jetsetwilly

The car being split into pieces in AVTAK. It's nonsensical and ruins an otherwise decent action sequence. Also, Remy Julienne's wig is dreadful.

Ricardo C.

jetsetwilly wrote:

The car being split into pieces in AVTAK. It's nonsensical and ruins an otherwise decent action sequence. Also, Remy Julienne's wig is dreadful.

Yeah it was pretty dumb. It's like they were desperate to add a gimmick to make the chase seem interesting.


Another dumb moment in the Moore era was in For Your Eyes Only when Bond used a umbrella to float down to the ground. They are dumber moments but really...

mrbain007

I've just thought of another 1. Well, this one is actually a character...

2 words: "Sheriff Pepper"

mrbain007

Ricardo C. wrote:

jetsetwilly wrote:

The car being split into pieces in AVTAK. It's nonsensical and ruins an otherwise decent action sequence. Also, Remy Julienne's wig is dreadful.

Another dumb moment in the Moore era was in For Your Eyes Only when Bond used a umbrella to float down to the ground. They are dumber moments but really...

I thought that moment was pretty mild compared to some of the others

mrbain007

mrbain007 wrote:

I've just thought of another 1. Well, this one is actually a character...

2 words: "Sheriff Pepper"

Damm! Just seen that someone's beat me 2 it

MANDY1

thesecretagent wrote:

There's plenty in Moonraker: Being met by the gauchos/cowboys and riding to the soundtrack of the Magnificent Seven makes me cringe every time it's on tv. Also Jaws and the dwarf woman falling in love at first site. PLEASE! Tarzan call in Octopussy along with Barbera Woodhouse's SITTTTT!

The whole Tarzan jungle sequence in OP is one of the silliest ever.

LOO7K OUT

I'm going to have to say Connery going Japanese in YOLT.

Thunderpussy

In TMWTGG, Bond being left behind as his Two schoolgirl helpers drive of in the car, I can't help but think if you went to all the trouble of releasing someone you'd make sure to get them in the escape Car.

Ricardo C.

mrbain007 wrote:

Ricardo C. wrote:

jetsetwilly wrote:

The car being split into pieces in AVTAK. It's nonsensical and ruins an otherwise decent action sequence. Also, Remy Julienne's wig is dreadful.

Another dumb moment in the Moore era was in For Your Eyes Only when Bond used a umbrella to float down to the ground. They are dumber moments but really...

I thought that moment was pretty mild compared to some of the others

I know. I admitted that. I just get a little annoyed when I see logic applied to cartoons in film.

Blackleiter

Definitely Connery's silliest moment! Almost ruined one of my favorite Bond films! (Almost!)

LOO7K OUT wrote:

I'm going to have to say Connery going Japanese in YOLT.

Ricardo C.

Speaking of "cartoon logic", what about the death of Scarpine and Dr. Mortner in A View To A Kill ? The two idiots fumble over a lit stick of dynamite and then it explodes killing them both. 8-)

Mister Greene

The whole "space walking" stuff they did in MoonRaker that was ridiculous. Too bad because the book was great

j.blades

^ Yea its a real shame.

SpectreBlofeld

Diamonds are Forever has its share. The moon-buggy chase was weird as hell and seemed like it belonged in another film. Then there's the car that enters the alley driving on its right two wheels, and exits, somehow, on the left two wheels... 8-)

Alex

A rig pops a wheelie in LTK.

Ricardo C.

Alex wrote:

A rig pops a wheelie in LTK.

I think that is rather conservative compared to what this series has featured.

boothroyd13

I'll agree with having "California Girls" in A View to a Kill as one of the silliest Bond movie moments (and playing a cover by a group called Gidea Park instead of the actual Beach Boys just made it 10 times worse!).

Most of my silliest moments have already been mentioned (Kananga blowing up, DAD windsurfing), but one moment that sticks out in my mind is when Stacy Sutton hits the thug over the head with the vase of her grandfather's ashes (uttering "Sorry, Grandad") which is only moments after Bond is careful not to tip it over!

Ricardo C.

And really why "California Girls ?". Bond is snowboarding in that scene.

I think another silly scene was adding that slide whistle sound effect for that car stunt in Golden Gun. What a way to ruin a great stunt.

Alex

Ricardo C. wrote:

Alex wrote:

A rig pops a wheelie in LTK.

I think that is rather conservative compared to what this series has featured.

True, but an otherwise somber down to earth picture, a semi suddenly defying the laws of gravity makes me say, "Oh, please!" Now a more light hearted entry like say OP or AVTAK, I am able to relax my brain from these matters.

ics

The Roger Moore - Johnny Weissmuller in OP – hate it !!!