Like the movie they're fine but just don't have a key idea that makes them stick in the memory. They just sort of wash over you with some Bondy poses, pictures of men with guns, sandy women... it's old hat. Title sequences should make you sit up and pay attention, not make you think that you've seen it all before.
Yep, I just found them a mess to be honest. I didn't see any class, and to be honest any meaning of "faceless women that Bond has slept with" or "Bond being on his own" is neither here nor there, it's all going to be down to whether they worked for you or not. I'm pretty sure that 95% of the bums-on-seats are not sitting there going "Ooooh, isn't it clever how they've mixed in Bond's character development with these clever titles" 8-)
SeanConnery007The Bond Archive - London, EngPosts: 169MI6 Agent
not been thrilled with the title sequence. But now I think it's because I don't like the song. (I don’t hate it, just don’t like all of it.)
I just did an experiment.
I watched the title sequence using the YouTube link from a post above. I turned down the sound on the YouTube clip and played Goldfinger over the titles instead. I found I enjoyed it immensely more.
I too dislike the title sequence and the song and tried exactly the same think as you.
However instead of Goldfinger, I used Robbie Williams 'KarmaKiller' - which worked surprisingly well.
I recommend listening to 'KarmaKiller' its extremely Bondian.
(Robbie is someone who should really have done a Bond theme in his prime.)
Up until now, I really hadn't seen anything from MK12 that registered Bond-like. All the other work they had done was very text-heavy and restrained to either 2D or rigid 3D format. I gave a strong sigh of relief when there was a great deal of twisting and perspective change in the QOS titles.
I still prefer Kleinman's work though and hope to see it again in the 007 universe.
I thought the titles were great -- retro and contemporary at the same time, with just the right amount of drama. The song has a "The Man with the Golden Gun" vibe, and the graphics evoke "You Only Live Twice." You can even see traces of a gunbarrel sequence in Bond outlined by the sun at the beginning and the twisting of the sand from the bullet at the end of the sequence, reinforcing the idea that while this isn't quite the Bond we're used to, he is almost there. All that's reinforced by the "traveling dot" that introduces the typography, itself a welcome break from the 80s-ish looking fonts. Now, having said all that, I think the "Casino Royale" title sequence is my favorite since the Connery era, but this one works pretty well.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I'm pretty sure that 95% of the bums-on-seats are not sitting there going "Ooooh, isn't it clever how they've mixed in Bond's character development with these clever titles" 8-)
I guess it's not the first time I've been among the 5%---or less---of something. They worked for me: the desert, the faceless women, Bond searching, seemingly looking for someone to kill...and Bond falling (which I thought was very telling, and not because of the plane/bailout sequence; I interpreted this as a visualization of despair, a lack of control). But most of all it was the bullet on a flat trajectory---a metaphor for Bond, and perhaps the film itself.
I think MK12 was there for Forster, though, and I fully anticipate (hope) that Danny Kleinmann will be back for #23 and beyond.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'm still at a loss for understanding why Danny Klieman was not brought back, he has been uniformly good with the titles. That said, I was not moved to love or to hate the titles. It was nice to see the girls come back (which had been lacking in the beautiful CR titles), but there was nothing all that special about it.
In the end, it's largely immaterial to me. The titles, while enjoyable, seldom determine whether a Bond film will be good or not.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,749Chief of Staff
and to be honest any meaning of "faceless women that Bond has slept with" or "Bond being on his own" is neither here nor there, it's all going to be down to whether they worked for you or not.
Wel...they worked for me...and, of course you are right..it's down to the individual...you just need to sleep with more 'faceless women' )
Put me in the minority of those who do not like the title sequence. I never thought Kleinman was all that great, but I want him back for Bond 23. This one did fine as far as the theme of the film goes with the desert, isolation and all that stuff, but the animation is what ruined it for me. Even with the naked ladies back it was just not the same. It was too trendy and gimmicky. I hated how they changed the font which is in my opinion as traditional as the James Bond Theme. Perhaps the crappy song that played during it hurt my enjoyment of it, but I doubt that.
Kleiman needs to come back. I though he did a fantastic job with CR's titles. Those were his best since GE. I though his titles for TND and TWINE were horrible. He is inconsistent, but when is he is good he is great! I hope in Bond 23 he can give us another classic one.
Ultimately, we all must come to realize that we will never have another title sequence designer like Maurice Binder ever again. He was truly a pioneer in his field. Kleinman has been the only half-way decent successor and they need to stick with him, especially over some group that the small-time director always works with. It's not like Forster/MK12 are DeNiro/Scorsese!
Comments
I too dislike the title sequence and the song and tried exactly the same think as you.
However instead of Goldfinger, I used Robbie Williams 'KarmaKiller' - which worked surprisingly well.
I recommend listening to 'KarmaKiller' its extremely Bondian.
(Robbie is someone who should really have done a Bond theme in his prime.)
I still prefer Kleinman's work though and hope to see it again in the 007 universe.
I guess it's not the first time I've been among the 5%---or less---of something. They worked for me: the desert, the faceless women, Bond searching, seemingly looking for someone to kill...and Bond falling (which I thought was very telling, and not because of the plane/bailout sequence; I interpreted this as a visualization of despair, a lack of control). But most of all it was the bullet on a flat trajectory---a metaphor for Bond, and perhaps the film itself.
I think MK12 was there for Forster, though, and I fully anticipate (hope) that Danny Kleinmann will be back for #23 and beyond.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
In the end, it's largely immaterial to me. The titles, while enjoyable, seldom determine whether a Bond film will be good or not.
Wel...they worked for me...and, of course you are right..it's down to the individual...you just need to sleep with more 'faceless women'
Kleiman needs to come back. I though he did a fantastic job with CR's titles. Those were his best since GE. I though his titles for TND and TWINE were horrible. He is inconsistent, but when is he is good he is great! I hope in Bond 23 he can give us another classic one.
Ultimately, we all must come to realize that we will never have another title sequence designer like Maurice Binder ever again. He was truly a pioneer in his field. Kleinman has been the only half-way decent successor and they need to stick with him, especially over some group that the small-time director always works with. It's not like Forster/MK12 are DeNiro/Scorsese!