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The Opera Scene - silent action sequence - like or loath ? (QOS)

24

Comments

  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    I loved the whole opera scene and I agree it is the best scene of the movie. Yes, it is a bit artsy, but I will take this over an overlong action sequence that gets comedic (like the sword fight in DAD).
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Great scene, no need for the TSWLM reference at the end though.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,231
    I agree that its the best scene of the film however I still can't get past the notion that Guy Haines' bodyguard ended up chasing Bond as if he was one of Greene's men?
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Great scene, no need for the TSWLM reference at the end though.

    Which TSWLM reference at the end?
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Ludovico wrote:
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Great scene, no need for the TSWLM reference at the end though.

    Which TSWLM reference at the end?

    Him throwing the goon off the roof. Reminded me of the bit in TSWLM where he kills Sandor in Egypt.

    Might not have been intentional though.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,229
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Ludovico wrote:
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Great scene, no need for the TSWLM reference at the end though.

    Which TSWLM reference at the end?

    Him throwing the goon off the roof. Reminded me of the bit in TSWLM where he kills Sandor in Egypt.

    Might not have been intentional though.

    I don't think it was, I didn't notice it anyway, because the execution was so different. The characters too.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    Great scene, great movie despite its flaws.
  • jackdaggerjackdagger
    Posts: 498
    I love this scene, although I am bothered a bit that the Tosca clips are out of order. It's just one of those things that once you see, you can't unsee.
  • 00130013
    Posts: 1,817
    It's a great scene, from start to finish. The best thing in it is Mr White quietly putting away his headphone, that shows he's smarter than the other guys in Quantum.
    I like the TSWLM nod... it looks as it was intended.
    Tosca by the way is a great opera and because of QOS I later buyed the complete recording and I love it.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    Like or loathe? I would have to pick loathe. The opera scene did nothing for me. As for the surrounding shenanigans, I thought they were a lot of nonsense.

    No, i'm not a fan of the Opera scene, or QOS for that matter. QOS comes straight out of the Bourne handbook, and if I didn't watch it again, I wouldn't loose sleep.
  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    edited March 2013 Posts: 3,494
    MajorDSmythe wrote:
    Like or loathe? I would have to pick loathe. The opera scene did nothing for me. As for the surrounding shenanigans, I thought they were a lot of nonsense.

    No, i'm not a fan of the Opera scene, or QOS for that matter. QOS comes straight out of the Bourne handbook, and if I didn't watch it again, I wouldn't loose sleep.

    @ Major- (:| Too predictable. You really need some new material Major.

    For the rest, the opera scene is one of the best scenes in QOS and if there were a top 50 best Bond moments list, it would be incomplete without it. Arnold's mixing of his music with Tosca is genius. Spying, elegantly dressed people everywhere, a great shootout, so many things to love. If you don't get it, you don't know what the term Bondian means.

  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:
    MajorDSmythe wrote:
    Like or loathe? I would have to pick loathe. The opera scene did nothing for me. As for the surrounding shenanigans, I thought they were a lot of nonsense.

    No, i'm not a fan of the Opera scene, or QOS for that matter. QOS comes straight out of the Bourne handbook, and if I didn't watch it again, I wouldn't loose sleep.

    @ Major- (:| Too predictable. You really need some new material Major.

    For the rest, the opera scene is one of the best scenes in QOS and if there were a top 50 best Bond moments list, it would be incomplete without it. Arnold's mixing of his music with Tosca is genius. Spying, elegantly dressed people everywhere, a great shootout, so many things to love. If you don't get it, you don't know what the term Bondian means.

    So many great Bondian moments in QoS.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited March 2013 Posts: 28,694
    0013 wrote:
    It's a great scene, from start to finish. The best thing in it is Mr White quietly putting away his headphone, that shows he's smarter than the other guys in Quantum.
    I like the TSWLM nod... it looks as it was intended.
    Tosca by the way is a great opera and because of QOS I later buyed the complete recording and I love it.

    Exactly. And the fact that White has the good sense to stay seated while all the rest of Quantum get up and exit the place. I love the shot where we see White sitting and Bond walks up the steps past him in the foreground; one of Forster's best shots in the film for me. What comes after is just brilliant. Bond descends the stairs and meets face to face across the room to Greene and his men as the music blares. The ensuing chaos played out in near silence is powerful and the shots cutting faster and faster reflect the great emergency and ferocity of Bond's escape. A wonderful scene all in all on the whole, where Forster showed he could really direct a compelling sequence of shots and help do some interesting things with the music to accompany his visuals. Hats off to all involved.
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    It's such a "great" scene only because the rest of the movie is so shite.

    Having said that, I do quite like it until the silent action bit.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    I was watching this Bond release only a few days ago and then switched off around this point. It's actually a decent sequence, if a little bizarre and questionable, but Craig makes it work. I've read write-ups on the opera scenes and how absurd it truly is, but guess I need to watch again. I saw the Sandor reference, and think it was purely unintentional. The villain falls onto the hood of a car, survives the impact, but then gets shot by one of Greene's henchmen. Once again, will need to view again sometime soon
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Baltimore_007 wrote:
    I was watching this Bond release only a few days ago and then switched off around this point. It's actually a decent sequence, if a little bizarre and questionable, but Craig makes it work. I've read write-ups on the opera scenes and how absurd it truly is, but guess I need to watch again. I saw the Sandor reference, and think it was purely unintentional. The villain falls onto the hood of a car, survives the impact, but then gets shot by one of Greene's henchmen. Once again, will need to view again sometime soon

    I am glad to read that you purchased it. Maybe this means you are on the road to examining it once more with fresher eyes?
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    You could well be on to something. Said so before, if only they had slowed everything down a bit, it would of been so much more enjoyable. Camille Montes is one of the best looking Bond girls of recent years. Of course Kurylenko isn't Bolivian, but she gave a very believable performance. I'll get round to watching where I left off in the very near future when time permits itself
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I think re the 'TSWLM' nod at the end of the opera chase,it was just simply written into the script,i dont think its a nod at TSWLM at all,why would it be ?

    Just because Bond killed someone else the same way before,doesnt mean he can't kill them the same way again.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited July 2014 Posts: 11,189
    It's ok, but I don't think its as good as some people on here make it out to be. I was watching The Untouchables on DVD this last Sunday. The scene with Malone dying intercut with Capone at the opera is more effective IMO.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    LeSamourai wrote: »
    By far one of the best sequences in any Bond film, and one of my favorite action scenes period.

    Very much agreed, I love it!
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    I'm going to throw the cat amongst the pigeons:

    I prefer the tank chase in Goldeneye
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 2014 Posts: 18,343
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I'm going to throw the cat amongst the pigeons:

    I prefer the tank chase in Goldeneye

    I don't rate that one at all - General Ourumov should be the one in the tank chasing Bond and Natalya in the car, not the other way around! Not even remotely Bondian in nature in my view.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    thelivingroyale wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote:
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Great scene, no need for the TSWLM reference at the end though.

    Which TSWLM reference at the end?

    Him throwing the goon off the roof. Reminded me of the bit in TSWLM where he kills Sandor in Egypt.

    Might not have been intentional though.

    Agreed on that - that was what I immediately thought of too on first seeing QoS in the cinema.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I'm going to throw the cat amongst the pigeons:

    I prefer the tank chase in Goldeneye

    I don't rate that one at all - General Ourumov should be the one in the tank chasing Bond and Natalya in the car, not the other way around! Not even remotely Bondian in nature in my view.

    After watching GE the other day,i have to agree with you...it wasnt exactly 'secret agent' stuff,and in the middle of St Petersburg as well !!!

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I'm going to throw the cat amongst the pigeons:

    I prefer the tank chase in Goldeneye

    I don't rate that one at all - General Ourumov should be the one in the tank chasing Bond and Natalya in the car, not the other way around! Not even remotely Bondian in nature in my view.

    After watching GE the other day,i have to agree with you...it wasnt exactly 'secret agent' stuff,and in the middle of St Petersburg as well !!!

    Yes, as much as I like GoldenEye it is a very flawed film in places, especially in terms of characterisation and motivation but I intend to expand on that theme in a future blog article.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited July 2014 Posts: 11,189
    I take your points, but I find it a more entertaining, more impressive action sequence.

    I also prefer the tank chase to the PTS of QoS, which I again find pretty average. The first shot is good but I don't exactly feel Bond's peril in the way I think we were supposed to. It's just rapidly edited machine-gun fire and cars smashing into eachother.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 2014 Posts: 18,343
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I take your points, but I find it a more entertaining sequence.

    Yes, we all like different things as Bond fans, and we all respect each other here (mostly!). That's the beauty of discussing Bond. It would be rather dull if we all agreed on everything! :)
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited July 2014 Posts: 11,189
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I take your points, but I find it a more entertaining sequence.

    Yes, we all like different things as Bond fans, and we all respect each other here (mostly!). That's the beauty of discussing Bond. It would be rather dull if we all agreed on everything! :)

    Yeah, I think the best action sequence of QoS incidently is probably the rooftop chase and the fight between Bond and Mitchell. That's the only one I genuinely find quite tense despite the frantic editing.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Hahaha again we all differ,as i dont find Bond v Mitchell particularly tense,or the rooftop chase ,and i love QoS PTS !!
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Ha its strange. I'm thinking mainly thinking of the fight they have after they fall through the skylight and the struggle the two have to grab the gun.

    Regarding the opera sequence, as I said earlier in the tread I prefer the opening shots to the fight itself.
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