Favorite Fight Sequence

ZorinIndustries

James Bond has encountered many villains in hand-to-hand combat. What is your favorite 007 fight sequence?

Hardyboy

Bond and Red Grant in the Orient Express car. . .fast, brilliantly edited, and damned brutal!

ZorinIndustries

I have to agree with you on that one. Always has been my favorite. What stands out to me is how well it was choreographed and how John Barry decided to leave it alone. No music to distract from the fight itself. This was the best sequence, hands down.

zaphod

Agreed. Other contenders; Bond & Franks in DAF, Bond vs 006 in GE.

ZorinIndustries

Great choices zaphod. I also believe that the stairwell fight in CR was absolutely incredible.

Hardyboy

Actually, my close runner-up would be Bond's fight with Jacques Boivard (aka "The Widow") in Thunderball. Bond fighting a man in drag would be played for laughs a decade later; but here it's tough stuff. Peter Hunt's slam-bang editing is on the level of the Bond/Grant fight, and I love the way everything in the room is made use of--tapestry, furnishings, and (ouch!) the fireplace poker. Great stuff!

ZorinIndustries

Hardyboy my favorite part of that fight sequence is definitely the score by John Barry. I believe "Chateau Flight" was the name of the track used and it's an incredible composition. So far, every fight named on this forum topic have all been spectacular!

Donald Grant

Hardyboy wrote:

Bond and Red Grant in the Orient Express car. . .fast, brilliantly edited, and damned brutal!

I second that as well as the Thunderball pre-credit fight sequence. I also have to add to that the Casino Royale stairwell fight sequence. Pretty brutal and Bond takes a bit of a beating too. I like it and the aftermath where Bond cleans himself up and has a stiff drink. Delicious!

DG

zaphod

ZorinIndustries wrote:

Great choices zaphod. I also believe that the stairwell fight in CR was absolutely incredible.

Yes that was very good. Also like the YOLT office fight with Sumo guy, and who can forget Bond vs Oddjob? perhaps not a great fight in itself as Bond was clearly unable to beat such a monster, but superb in the use of his ingenuity and intelligence to trick him to go for the hat...

thesecretagent

Connery's seem to be the most popular.
They certainly seem the most realistic and believable to me.

Sir Hillary Bray

My top five:

1) Bond and Grant - FRWL
Not only the best fight in the Bond series, but arguably one of the greatest hand-to-hand combat scenes in film history. The tight space of the Pullman car and the brilliant editing make it stand above all others by a fair distance. I have probably watched it 100+ times, and I still cannot tell the difference between the Connery/Shaw and Simmons/Leech parts. Kudos to ZorinIndustries for noting the lack of music - agree completely.

2) Bond and "Sumo Guy" - YOLT
The fight in Osato's office lasts less than a minute, but it's action-packed and well-choreographed. My favorite part is when Bond uses the sofa as a weapon and flips the strongman with it. I also like the exaggerated noise of everything in the scene, even footsteps. Finally, the little bits of humor, like Bond in the silly black-and-white shoes and his swig of disgusting Siamese vodka afterward. Bonus trivia - the actor playing the bad guy is the grandfather of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

3) Necros and Blaydens Staff - TLD
Rare among good fight scenes in that it doesn't include Bond. I just think this is the best choreographed fight in the entire Bond series. The whole thing plays out like a ballet, no doubt helped in part by the fact that Andreas Wisniewski was in fact a ballet dancer. Great camera work, too. I know many people can't stand Necros, but for me this sequence caps off his fabulous one-man takedown of an entire safehouse to steal Koskov.

4) Bond and Oddjob - GF
When Bond is physically overmatched, he needs to use his wits, and nowhere does he do it better than here. Each time I watch, there's always that feeling of "how is he going to defeat this guy?" The cartoonish nature of Oddjob (gold ingots bouncing off him like tennis balls), the atmospherics (bomb ticking down, locked vault, all the ominous humming) and of course the sparks-filled climax make this a classic.

5) Bond and Che Che - OHMSS
Unlike the PTS fight, in which Lazenby swings with a wildly exaggerated motion, Peter Hunt shot this one in tight enough quarters that Lazenby's shortcomings are not apparent. The fight is quick, brutal and realistic - and you have to love any fight in which our hero is wearing a tux!

Napoleon Plural

Good stuff, I didn't know that about The Rock.

Did you know that Oddjob is the great uncle of Cheryl Cole?

Anyway, I'd also add in the DAF elevator fight, also silent until it kicks up a gear, then Barry comes in full force. I like the Lazenby knocking seven bells out of a fellow in that Swiss hut (surprised that joke didn't get used, just as well though), mind you, his fights did get a tad repetitive.

The DAF fight is a homage or rip-off of the scene in that Newman Hitchcock film where it's harder to kill a bloke than they imagine.

Blackleiter

Glad to see some love for the Bond vs Sumo wrestler fight in YOLT. That has always been a favorite of mine, too (right behind the Bond vs Grant fight sequence).

Sir Hillary Bray wrote:

My top five:

1) Bond and Grant - FRWL
Not only the best fight in the Bond series, but arguably one of the greatest hand-to-hand combat scenes in film history. The tight space of the Pullman car and the brilliant editing make it stand above all others by a fair distance. I have probably watched it 100+ times, and I still cannot tell the difference between the Connery/Shaw and Simmons/Leech parts. Kudos to ZorinIndustries for noting the lack of music - agree completely.

2) Bond and "Sumo Guy" - YOLT
The fight in Osato's office lasts less than a minute, but it's action-packed and well-choreographed. My favorite part is when Bond uses the sofa as a weapon and flips the strongman with it. I also like the exaggerated noise of everything in the scene, even footsteps. Finally, the little bits of humor, like Bond in the silly black-and-white shoes and his swig of disgusting Siamese vodka afterward. Bonus trivia - the actor playing the bad guy is the grandfather of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

3) Necros and Blaydens Staff - TLD
Rare among good fight scenes in that it doesn't include Bond. I just think this is the best choreographed fight in the entire Bond series. The whole thing plays out like a ballet, no doubt helped in part by the fact that Andreas Wisniewski was in fact a ballet dancer. Great camera work, too. I know many people can't stand Necros, but for me this sequence caps off his fabulous one-man takedown of an entire safehouse to steal Koskov.

4) Bond and Oddjob - GF
When Bond is physically overmatched, he needs to use his wits, and nowhere does he do it better than here. Each time I watch, there's always that feeling of "how is he going to defeat this guy?" The cartoonish nature of Oddjob (gold ingots bouncing off him like tennis balls), the atmospherics (bomb ticking down, locked vault, all the ominous humming) and of course the sparks-filled climax make this a classic.

5) Bond and Che Che - OHMSS
Unlike the PTS fight, in which Lazenby swings with a wildly exaggerated motion, Peter Hunt shot this one in tight enough quarters that Lazenby's shortcomings are not apparent. The fight is quick, brutal and realistic - and you have to love any fight in which our hero is wearing a tux!

Thunderpussy

all great fights, some of my favourites in no order.

Bond and Grant, FRWL
Bond and Trevelyan, Goldeneye
Bond and Sumo, YOLT

zaphod

Hardyboy wrote:

Actually, my close runner-up would be Bond's fight with Jacques Boivard (aka "The Widow") in Thunderball. Bond fighting a man in drag would be played for laughs a decade later; but here it's tough stuff. Peter Hunt's slam-bang editing is on the level of the Bond/Grant fight, and I love the way everything in the room is made use of--tapestry, furnishings, and (ouch!) the fireplace poker. Great stuff!

Good catch, I had forgotten that one but is superb. Whats becoming clear is just how many good ones there are. For example I have also always liked the Lazenby hotel fight.

zaphod

wot, not a single entry for the 'Jolly Roger' ? if I had a gun pointed at my head and had to choose one...no I tried really i did but just couldnt

Thunderpussy

The only Moore fight that comes to my mind is with Tee Hee on the train in LALD, Not up to the FRWL fight but that's about it. Most of the others don't stand out as with his tenure the big stunts took over.

bigzilcho

No question about it, Roger was the weakest of the Bonds in the fighting department, but he still had some dust-ups that are worthy additions to the series.

Bond vs Sandor in TSWLM is an entertaining punch-up with a perfect ending."What a helpful chap."

Bond vs Chang in MR is a exciting fight in an exotic location. Bonus points for the moment Bond checks his pocket to see the vial in perfect condition.

There are a couple of fights in OP in which Roger moves as well as he ever has during his tenure.

However, the greatest Roger fight is the one against the three goons in the dressing room in TMWTGG. Connery, the Laz and Craig need not worry, but this is the most convincing punch-up of Roger's tenure.


"Where's Fakesh?"
"With the pharoahs."

ZorinIndustries

Oh by the way, nobody has mentioned the fight between Tracy and the guard in the skyroom of Piz Gloria! Not necessarily the best fight of all, but it was very entertaining to see a woman for a change!

Sir Hillary Bray

ZorinIndustries wrote:

Oh by the way, nobody has mentioned the fight between Tracy and the guard in the skyroom of Piz Gloria! Not necessarily the best fight of all, but it was very entertaining to see a woman for a change!

Sorry, but I can't agree here. OHMSS is my favorite Bond film by a mile, but this sequence is one of its most cringeworthy parts. In a movie that strives for realism, having the fragile Tracy beat up the massive Gunther is just silly.

ZorinIndustries

Sir Hillary Bray wrote:

ZorinIndustries wrote:

Oh by the way, nobody has mentioned the fight between Tracy and the guard in the skyroom of Piz Gloria! Not necessarily the best fight of all, but it was very entertaining to see a woman for a change!

Sorry, but I can't agree here. OHMSS is my favorite Bond film by a mile, but this sequence is one of its most cringeworthy parts. In a movie that strives for realism, having the fragile Tracy beat up the massive Gunther is just silly.

Hahaha that's what makes it so enjoyable! I understand 100% what you're saying, but I never rule this fight out as being extremely ridiculous.

Mister Greene

another vote for FRWL Bond vs Grant great fight.

DanielCraig007

DanielCraig- PTS bathroom fight in CR.
Dark, gritty, realistic and in grainy black and white.

thesecretagent

DanielCraig007 wrote:

DanielCraig- PTS bathroom fight in CR.
Dark, gritty, realistic and in grainy black and white.

Not a huge fan of this scene myself. Not as good as the stairwell fight, that's for sure. I don't like the way they charge through the cubicles as if they were made of polystyrene and even though Bond wasn't a seasoned killer at this stage he would have been taught some skills and would then have known a little about the "rule of 3" and that drowning the guy was not going to be a quick answer to the situation.

Napoleon Plural

True, but I do like the atmosphere of the scene and the music, oddly different to the rest of the movie. Makes you wonder how Craig's 'unchatty' Bond conveyed this to the bloke though, who sits there with a regretful look on his face as he hears of his contact's death.

WordsAndDreams

Lots of great mentions, I agree with most of them. But just to pick something different, I'll say that i always enjoy the fight between Bond and Xenia in the pool room. Not really a great fight technically or anything, but it's fun to watch and mixes things up a little bit from the usual thugs that bond fights with.

SilentSpy

Probably the final Thunderball hydrofoil fight. I still remember seeing this when I was young and basically thinking that Bond was fighting the whole crew. Although, now I can see that it's only three or four guys. The whole scene is so chaotic and fast. The build up to the scene from the beginning of the film helps too.

ZorinIndustries

WordsAndDreams wrote:

But just to pick something different, I'll say that i always enjoy the fight between Bond and Xenia in the pool room.

Hahaha i think that most guys enjoy this fight sequence

GaddGeneGadd

How about the rooftop scene in YOLT, Bond only took out 762 screaming Japanese villains LOL
But seriously Bond/Grant. Also like Bond/Odd Job because he has to out think him to beat him. Just one interesting note, there was one villain Bond never could beat, JAWS. He had to turn him into a good guy in the end. But then again ANYBODY who can fall out of a jet liner with out a parachute AND live is pretty much indestructible. And Yeah I love that Xena fight TOO. Also at the end of DAF Bond put a new meaning into the term flaming henchman.

ZorinIndustries

GaddGeneGadd wrote:

How about the rooftop scene in YOLT, Bond only took out 762 screaming Japanese villains LOL

I actually liked the dock scene in this film. This fight may have been a bit ridiculous as to how Bond took out so many villains hahaha but there were two things i appreciated about this sequence:

1) John Barry's Score - It helped set the tone of the fight and it was a great way to re-use the title song's melody. It grabs my attention and it really emphasizes that Bond feeling to it all.
2) Aerial Filming - Greatest way to capture the fight and figure out just how many baddies Bond had to deal with.

Believe it or not, this was one of my favorite sequences in YOLT and it's usually the first to come to mind when I think of the film.

Blackleiter

I quite enjoyed that scene as well. YOLT is probably my favorite Bond film because of enjoyably ridiculous scenes like that one. Not the best Bond film (that would be Goldfinger for me), but the one I enjoy the most.

ZorinIndustries wrote:

GaddGeneGadd wrote:

How about the rooftop scene in YOLT, Bond only took out 762 screaming Japanese villains LOL

I actually liked the dock scene in this film. This fight may have been a bit ridiculous as to how Bond took out so many villains hahaha but there were two things i appreciated about this sequence:

1) John Barry's Score - It helped set the tone of the fight and it was a great way to re-use the title song's melody. It grabs my attention and it really emphasizes that Bond feeling to it all.
2) Aerial Filming - Greatest way to capture the fight and figure out just how many baddies Bond had to deal with.

Believe it or not, this was one of my favorite sequences in YOLT and it's usually the first to come to mind when I think of the film.