What is your favourite/least favourite Pre-Title-Sequence?

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  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    It's a bit like For Your Eyes Only in that regard. There we have three oprnings. The original PTS, the attack on the St. George's and the murder of Malina's parents. The later could even surge into the titles, with the close up of Bouquet's eyes.
  • Out of all the Pre-Title Sequence The Spy Who Loved Me has to be the best, i also like Goldfinger's and OHMSS but over all it has to be TSPWL :)>-
  • Posts: 4,762
    Samuel001 wrote:
    It's a bit like For Your Eyes Only in that regard. There we have three oprnings. The original PTS, the attack on the St. George's and the murder of Malina's parents. The later could even surge into the titles, with the close up of Bouquet's eyes.

    I believe that's what was originally intended, for Melina's horrified eyes to surge into the title song, having her parents' murder as the pre-title sequence, but from what I understand, someone realized that it was the tenth anniversary of DAF and wanted to bring back Blofeld to kill him off. It might have looked like a nice idea at first, but what a terrible way to end one of the greatest villains in movie history.
  • Posts: 5,745
    Samuel001 wrote:
    It's a bit like For Your Eyes Only in that regard. There we have three oprnings. The original PTS, the attack on the St. George's and the murder of Malina's parents. The later could even surge into the titles, with the close up of Bouquet's eyes.

    My favorite shot of the entire Moore era, btw.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited August 2012 Posts: 13,355
    Now you mention it @00Beast, that that was meant to happen that way, it would have made for a far better start to the film and once again, no Bond in the PTS.

    Yes, you've got that love that shot of Bouquet's eyes. One of the best in a long time, for the series, maybe since On Her Majesty's Secret Service have we not scene anything as good, though Moonraker was great looking too.
  • Posts: 1,146
    I just wish that Goldeneye opening had better visual effects. I didn't buy most of those shots at all. I would have just stayed outside and let the plane scrape the snow at the bottom and leave it at that.
  • Posts: 5,745
    Interesting to know if Skyfall's PTS has changed any opinions?
  • JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Interesting to know if Skyfall's PTS has changed any opinions?

    It isn't my favourite but I did really enjoy it. My PTS top 5 would probably now go something like

    1) TLD

    2) TWINE

    3) LTK

    4) SF

    5) GE
  • Posts: 11,189
    I know this is going to sound bad but I do quite like the DAD pre-title sequence. It gets a bit too noisy once the hovercraft chase starts but up until then it's quite compelling:

    "Its pathetic! You British still believe you have the right to police the world...but...you will not live to see the day...old Korea is ruled by the North"

    "Then you and I have something in common!!"
  • Casino Royale is my favorite, followed in no particular order by TSWLM, GF, TLD, FRWL, FYEO and Skyfall.

    The rest kind of all fall into a group of good sequences, but they don't particularly stand out.
  • BAIN123 wrote:
    I know this is going to sound bad but I do quite like the DAD pre-title sequence. It gets a bit too noisy once the hovercraft chase starts but up until then it's quite compelling:

    "Its pathetic! You British still believe you have the right to police the world...but...you will not live to see the day...old Korea is ruled by the North"

    "Then you and I have something in common!!"

    I really like it too. My favourite bit is when Moon unleashes on the punch bag and then he unzips it, and a guy falls out.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    DAD is actually one of the best, but my favourite is TLD, followed by TND, TWINE & GE.
  • Posts: 4,762
    Brosnan's pre-title sequences easily outshine all others. They're so chock-full of delicious action, complete with plenty of machine-gun fire, explosions, the works! Those four definitely make up the best, really. Special points to GoldenEye and The World is not Enough. Those two are absolutely legendary!
  • edited January 2013 Posts: 546
    My Top 10

    1.Goldeneye
    2.From Russia With Love
    3.Thunderball
    4.Goldfinger
    5.The Living Daylights
    6.Die Another Day
    7.The Spy Who Loved Me
    8.Quantum of Sloace
    9.The World is Not Enough
    10.OHMSS

    Decent Pre-Title Sequences-

    1.License to Kill
    2.The Man With the Golden Gun
    3.For Your Eyes Only
    4.Live And Let Die
  • LicencedToKilt69007LicencedToKilt69007 Belgium, Wallonia
    Posts: 523
    60's ones :

    - Goldfinger (N°2)
    - FRWL (N°11)
    - OHMSS (N°3)

    70's :

    - TSWLM (N°4)
    - Moonraker (N°9)

    80's :

    - FYEO (N°5)
    - Octopussy (N°8)
    - TLD (N°7)

    90's :

    - GoldenEye/TWINE (absolute N°1s)
    - TND (N°10)

    00's :

    - DAD (N°6)
    - CR (N°12)

    2012 : Skyfall (N°12 ex-aequo)
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited December 2012 Posts: 4,512
    1995-2008 Skyfall Update
    Twine
    Goldeneye
    TMND
    Skyfall
    DAD
    QOS
    CR
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 2,722
    All of the Craig ones are brilliant - SF is especially good.

    TLD is excellent and GE mirrors it with Bond dressed in black, face obscured at the beginning.

    Top 5:
    CR
    SF
    TLD
    GE
    OHMSS
  • Posts: 2,081
    Casino Royale. The first time I saw it I was just grinning through the credits, thrilled to bits, thinking "oh my, this will be goooood" - and it was... I also left the cinema with a huge grin on my face. A couple of weeks ago when I watched CR I had to watch PTS 3 times before continuing with the rest of the movie. I still love it to bits. It's different, beautiful, stylish, atmospheric, perfectly acted (the way they say their lines, mmmm), and perfectly edited (thank goodness for cutting out the bit seen in extras - interesting to see, but the PTS is better without it). The CR PTS is pure cinematic perfection.
  • Posts: 501
    Top 5 in any order:
    The Spy Who Loved Me
    Octopussy
    Skyfall
    Goldeneye
    Casino Royale
  • Posts: 1,107
    1.The World is Not Enough: This film boasts the longest pre-title sequence of them all. Clocking in at over twenty minutes, the mini-movie ably sets up the action for the remainder of the film. We see Bond retrieve some funds from dubious Swiss bankers, while fighting off assailants both known and unknown. Then the film cuts back to MI6 headquarters in London. A friend of M's is killed right there in the building and Bond pursues the same woman who was with the bankers. A dramatic chase down the Thames is the pinnacle of the sequence. Bond's boat, appropriately outfitted by Q Branch, does everything a Bond boat should. Of course, in the end, Bond's quarry blows herself up in a hot air balloon over the Millineum Dome, causing Bond to fall....right into the beginning titles. Good stuff. In fact, the best twenty minutes of the film.



    2.For your eyes only : It's the epitome of all things Bond. James visits his wife's gravesite; a helicopter picks him up for an assignment and turns out to be controlled by his arch nemesis, who remains nameless in this film due to copyright infringements. Still the stereotyped, bald, wheelchair bound, cat-petting super villain is a force to be reckoned with. He steers the helicopter by remote control, toying with Bond before he tries to kill him. This gives Bond just enough time to turn the tables on his enemy, take control of the helicopter, lift the clichéd bad guy up by his chair and dump him into an industrial smoke stack. Daring at the time with stunts that still amaze and thrill.


    3.Octopussy: Roger Moore may have been well over fifty when he made his sixth Bond, but that doesn't mean the film suffered for it. In fact, six must be his lucky number, as the film showcases one heck of a pre-title sequence. 007 has to outwit the entire Cuban army, destroy their latest military equipment, and make it back to safe territory, all the while flying a tiny Acrostar Mini Jet. The Moore era had its fair share of good "mini-movies," but this one stands out as the one to match.

    4.The Living Daylights: Timothy Dalton is introduced in fine style in this entry. Gilbraltar, which had not been featured in the series before, is the setting for the game of cat-and-mouse between three 00 agents and a deadly assasin who is picking them off one-by-one. What makes this sequence particularly note-worthy is the fact that Dalton did most of his own stunts during the scenes where Bond is lying on top of the jeep being driven by the assassin as he makes his escape down the rock. No more Roger Moore in front of a blue screen, thank you very much. Of course, where would Bond be without beautiful women? So naturally there is one waiting for him after he dispatches the killer. Cool.
  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,119
    My TOP 10:

    01) The Living Daylights: Still timeless piece of action that is especially enjoyable with the great music.
    02) Moonraker: In those days a completely new filming experience; in the air. And it's still timeless. It also looks realistic and I hope we see something similar in future Craig films.
    03) The World Is Not Enough: I remember the premiere of TWINE because of this fantastic opener. The nice thing is....it went on and on! No end. That makes it thrilling.
    04) Skyfall: Truly amazing, but also deadly serious pre credits sequence. The screaming of the people....policemen killed at random. I was on the edge of my seat.
    05) On Her Majesty's Secret Service: The best of the 1960's. Almost Jason Bourne/Daniel Craig like fighting sequences. Lovely.
    06) For Your Eyes Only: When Bill Conti's Bond theme kicks in, it gets so good. Lovely to see Roger Moore sighing a big relief.
    07) Quantum Of Solace: Like so many Bond films the pre credits sequence is great but the rest of the movie is less good. Especially with QOS this is the case. Tense, but way too short car chase.
    08) The Spy Who Loved Me: Great jump. But that's basically 'it'. I understand in those days, in 1977, it was a fantastic opener. But not exactly timeless anymore.
    09) Licence To Kill: Do we know that Christopher Nolan actually 'stole' this entire sequence for 'The Dark Knight Rises'? Anyway, nice funny stunt opener.
    10) Tomorrow Never Dies: Great opener. Original idea, making a 'plane chase'. It more or less worked. Especially with Arnold's Bond theme.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    The Updated Rankings:

    TWINE
    CR
    TSWLM
    TND
    TLD
    DAD
    SF
    OP
    LTK
    GF
    GE
    TB
    OHMSS
    YOLT
    FRWL
    QOS
    AVTAK
    FYEO
    DAF
    MR
    TMWTGG
    LALD
  • TLD has to be the best. I love it when the PTS is like a mini Bond movie and TLD does that, it could be a stand alone short film, but it also sets up the rest of the film nicely.

    TWINE is a close runner up.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,159
    Please include least favourite PTS here as well. Thank you!
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    edited January 2013 Posts: 2,722
    DarthDimi wrote:
    Please include least favourite PTS here as well. Thank you!

    Thanks for the organising Darth.

    My least favourite PTS would be Live And Let Die. No Bond and collection of fairly ordinary murders. Second worst is A View To A Kill - a poor remake of TSWLM with awful Beach Boys music interlude.
  • Posts: 183
    My personal favourite is Skyfall. It has me grinning ear to ear the whole way through it. I like the way action is combined with suspense, and the way Mendes builds the sequence is fantastic, gradually upping the tension. The contrasts are very visually stimulating too, such as:

    • the dark hallway at beginning and bright daylight outside,
    • the nice weather in Turkey and the rain in London,
    • the differing modes of travel (Bond on foot, in car, on motorcycle and on train),
    • the busy city and the countryside.

    I also love the way near the end of the sequence when Eve says "agent down" the sound of the rain grows, it encourages we the audience to ponder with M the significance and consequence of what has just happened, and yet the loud sound of the rain also seamlessly blends into the next sound of water flowing which in turn leads to the perfect moment for the title song to start-I just think things like this show superb film making.

    I also felt the whole sequence was Mendes shoving 2 fingers up to those who thought there wouldn't be much action or that he couldn't "do" action.

    Then there is some great stunt work, the cuff check, some nice quips (eg "just changing carriages") and Bond actually gets hit and hurt and then "killed" making it very different to nearly all the other pre title sequences.

    And these are just SOME of the reasons I love it and it's my favourite!

    Least favourite is trickier, I'd probably plump for something like You Only Live Twice.
  • AliAli
    Posts: 319
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Nobody else likes the QoS pre-title? I happen to love the quick cuts at the beginning b/w the lake and the car; a sort of contast b/w natural beauty and man made beauty. And then BAM, one of the best car chases in a movie in forever (even though ALOT don't like it for whatever reason) and then it ends with a smooth "Its time to get out" accompanied by the perfect smirk. Too bad that trash of a song followed, (not to mention a relatively forgettable Bond movie).


    I love it, but I'm a petrolhead. Whoever edited the sound, to go from the menacing string and then, suddenly, stop them and only have the glorious Aston V12 ripping through the gears was a genius. For that, alone, it's my favourite.
  • My favourite is still TLD with TWINE a close second. My least favourite is probably LALD.
  • Posts: 5,745
    Ali wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Nobody else likes the QoS pre-title? I happen to love the quick cuts at the beginning b/w the lake and the car; a sort of contast b/w natural beauty and man made beauty. And then BAM, one of the best car chases in a movie in forever (even though ALOT don't like it for whatever reason) and then it ends with a smooth "Its time to get out" accompanied by the perfect smirk. Too bad that trash of a song followed, (not to mention a relatively forgettable Bond movie).


    I love it, but I'm a petrolhead. Whoever edited the sound, to go from the menacing string and then, suddenly, stop them and only have the glorious Aston V12 ripping through the gears was a genius. For that, alone, it's my favourite.

    You can credit Arnold for that!
  • Posts: 183
    Ali wrote:
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Nobody else likes the QoS pre-title? I happen to love the quick cuts at the beginning b/w the lake and the car; a sort of contast b/w natural beauty and man made beauty. And then BAM, one of the best car chases in a movie in forever (even though ALOT don't like it for whatever reason) and then it ends with a smooth "Its time to get out" accompanied by the perfect smirk. Too bad that trash of a song followed, (not to mention a relatively forgettable Bond movie).


    I love it, but I'm a petrolhead. Whoever edited the sound, to go from the menacing string and then, suddenly, stop them and only have the glorious Aston V12 ripping through the gears was a genius. For that, alone, it's my favourite.

    The QoS pre title sequence is for me let down by the visual editing/directing of the car chase. It looks like a very exciting chase but doesn't make me excited because of the "jumpy" nature of it that makes it hard to see well enough to enjoy as much as I feel I should!

    Agree that it's a fantastic chase, but I just don't "feel" its a fantastic chase if you know what I mean.

    I do also love however the zooming in over the lake with the accompanying music with the flashes of Bond himself, and the roar of the engine is beautiful!
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