Bond's darkest moments (pre - Craig)
MilleniumForce
LondonPosts: 1,214MI6 Agent
CR is widely regarded as the start of the gritty and dark Bond, but are there moments before that are just as dark, or even darker, than the stuff in Craig's films? Here are some of the darkest moments pre 2006 that I can think of.
- Fiona's death - Whilst the idea - Bond using a woman as a shield - wasn't surprising for Connery, what makes this pretty dark is the fact it's played for laughs - Bond's line and his slight chuckle is pretty dark and cold.
- Andrea's death - It's not too dark - we don't even see her get killed - but it's pretty creepy to see her sitting there as Bond talks, before its revealed that she is dead. Especially as Scaramanga revealing that she is dead is simply thrown away - it's a pretty grim death, especially without actually seeing the kill.
- Woman eaten by shark - Ok, I can't for the life of me think of her name, but the woman eaten by sharks at the start of TSWLM is made dark with the addition of the traditional music, really setting up Stromberg as quite an OTT villain (which he really didn't live up to).
- Corine's death - Despite being in what is ultimately the silliest film in the series until DAD, this moment is easily the darkest Bond ever got before LTK.
- Car kick - An unusual one, as this wouldn't have been seen as too dark for a Bond villain. But the fact it's Bond himself really makes this moment more character defining, and turns Moore into Fleming's Bond for a few seconds.
- Vijay's death - We don't even see this one either, but it really creates a dark atmosphere even without anything graphic.
- Sir Godfery's death - There's a lot of build up for this death. But it still packs a punch when he dies - especially considering he's one of the most likeable characters in the series.
- Every death in LTK - basically every death in LTK is pretty grim. And it's great - not only does it provide darkness that Bond needed, but it also sets up Sanchez as a dangerous villain. Despite what people say, this is the darkest Bond has ever got, even darker than anything in the Craig films.
- Fiona's death - Whilst the idea - Bond using a woman as a shield - wasn't surprising for Connery, what makes this pretty dark is the fact it's played for laughs - Bond's line and his slight chuckle is pretty dark and cold.
- Andrea's death - It's not too dark - we don't even see her get killed - but it's pretty creepy to see her sitting there as Bond talks, before its revealed that she is dead. Especially as Scaramanga revealing that she is dead is simply thrown away - it's a pretty grim death, especially without actually seeing the kill.
- Woman eaten by shark - Ok, I can't for the life of me think of her name, but the woman eaten by sharks at the start of TSWLM is made dark with the addition of the traditional music, really setting up Stromberg as quite an OTT villain (which he really didn't live up to).
- Corine's death - Despite being in what is ultimately the silliest film in the series until DAD, this moment is easily the darkest Bond ever got before LTK.
- Car kick - An unusual one, as this wouldn't have been seen as too dark for a Bond villain. But the fact it's Bond himself really makes this moment more character defining, and turns Moore into Fleming's Bond for a few seconds.
- Vijay's death - We don't even see this one either, but it really creates a dark atmosphere even without anything graphic.
- Sir Godfery's death - There's a lot of build up for this death. But it still packs a punch when he dies - especially considering he's one of the most likeable characters in the series.
- Every death in LTK - basically every death in LTK is pretty grim. And it's great - not only does it provide darkness that Bond needed, but it also sets up Sanchez as a dangerous villain. Despite what people say, this is the darkest Bond has ever got, even darker than anything in the Craig films.
1.LTK 2.AVTAK 3.OP 4.FYEO 5.TND 6.LALD 7.GE 8.GF 9.TSWLM 10.SPECTRE 11.SF 12.MR 13.YOLT 14.TLD 15.CR (06) 16.TMWTGG 17.TB 18.FRWL 19.TWINE 20.OHMSS 21.DAF 22.DAD 23.QoS 24.NSNA 25.DN 26.CR (67)
Comments
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
I have to agree about Corinne's death being the darkest in Bond before LTK. She's a character you get to know, and being a very innocent person the frightening death makes it even worse. The laboratory death in MR is also quite frightening, especially because Bond unintentionally caused it, just like he's the reason Corinne was terminated. Even Jill's death in GF is quite dark, in comparison to the rest of the film due to the way it's directed along with John Barry's music. The gassed gangsters, by comparison, have an emotionally neutral death.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Must have seemed like early Tarantino movies.
Because Bond knew Dent had no bullets left - therefore he was no longer a threat to Bond, but he killed him anyway and even shot him in the back.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
OHMSS had some of the more disturbing mook deaths in the franchise and fitted into Lazenby's smirking psycho Bond when he smashed a henchmen off a cliff top and another goon got chewed up in a snow clearing machine.
Moore Bond's most ruthless actions was flicking his tie a struggling henchman was desperately clinging on to avoid plunging five stories and casually kicking a hitman trapped in a car off a cliff.
Good point.
"Better make that two."
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
I was more weirder out and disgusted when the Walken Uzi'd down scores of employees.
AVTAK has a lot of dark moments;
Tibbett's death
Mine massacre
KGB agent death at the oil well.
Aubergine's death
A surprisingly dark film, given it's Roger as Bond. Think he's said that this is his least favourite film, because of its dark tone.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
I wonder what ever happened to those evil hounds...
Bond: Pierce Brosnan Villain: Hugo Drax Girl: Pam Bouvier
Higgins is looking after them for us:
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
There's probably an agency for evil villains to hire bloodthirsty guard dogs.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
^ That right there is why I think it is one of the best Bond films. It is for sure a dark film, preparing us for the Dalton era straight after. The death of the KGB agent at Zorin's oil station was always tough to watch. It is incredibly dark, and this may be disagreed on but I found that scene more dark than Krest's death in LTK.
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
Many other deaths fit within the context of what's going on, or made light of - "What a helpful chap".
"Better make that two."
The one you mentioned in QOS just made Daniel Craig out to be a ruthless killer for no particular reason. Whereas with Timothy Dalton in LTK, he doesn't actually kill someone physically really, and lets the villain take care of that.
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
I found the KGB agent's death at the oil well easier to watch than Krest's death. The KGB agent's death was over in a flash, whereas Krest's death was drawn out.
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan