The James Bond Films Rated From Worst To Best (Top 10)

Posted on 1 november 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

Continuation of:

The James Bond Films Rated From Worst To Best (24-11)

10. Never Say Never Again (1983)
Director: Irvin Kershner
Written by: Jack Whittingham (story), Kevin McClory (story), Ian Flemming (story), Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay)
Cast: Sean Connery (James Bond), Kim Basinger (Domino Petachi), Klaus Maria Brandauer (Maximilian Largo), Barbara Carrera (Fatima Blush), Max von Sydow (Ernst Stavro Blofeld)

Bond goes to a health centre to eliminate his ’free radicals’ on orders of the new M (played by Edward Fox). Here he stumbles on a SPECTRE plot. The evildoers manage to steal two nuclear weapons and demand money from the Western governments to return them. This only unofficial Bond film (not produced by EON Productions that owns the series) was basically made because of remake rights owned by screenwriter Kevin McClory relating to THUNDERBALL. The title of the movie is allegedly based on what Connery told his wife about playing Bond again. At the time this movie came out, the official Bond movie OCTOPUSSY was also released starring Connery’s friend Roger Moore. The films did equally well at the box office. So how is this unofficial part? Pretty good actually. It takes getting used to all these unknown actors playing familiar characters, but Connery is great as always in the lead role. The supporting cast is also a major plus; a terrific Bond girl (Kim Basinger), villain (Klaus Maria Brandauer) and – pretty rare in the Bond series – a femme fatale, wonderfully played by Barbara Carrera. NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN basically has everything you could ask of a Bond movie: the perfect location (Bahamas’), pretty girls, naughty villains, dangerous creatures (sharks) and plenty of humour and suspense. Therefore too bad Connery’s final word is ‘Never’ as he winks to the audience.

Best moment: Bond and villain Largo play a modern computerized version of Risk called ‘world domination’. Whenever you lose, the controls give you electric shocks.

9. Skyfall (2012)
Director: Sam Mendes
Written by: Neal Purvis (written by), Robert Wade (written by), John Logan (written by)
Cast: Daniel Craig (James Bond), Judi Dench (M), Javier Bardem (Silva), Ralph Fiennes (Gareth Mallory), Naomie Harris (Eve)

Bond’s 50 anniversary movie is a real blast. Audiences loved it and SKYFALL became the highest-grossing film in the Bond series. This time our favourite spy is going after a cyber-terrorist who is keen on discrediting M for something she did in the past. Much of the movie appropriately takes place in London, where MI6’s headquarter is located. The film sees the return of two recurring characters to the series after an absence of two films: Q, played by Ben Whishaw, and Eve Moneypenny, played by Naomie Harris. SKYFALL is the first Bond movie to show us more of the origin of the James Bond character, as he returns to his parents’ home in Scotland for a final showdown with bad guy Silva (Javier Bardem). Judi Dench has more screen time in this film alone than Desmond Llewelyn had in his 17 films as Q, making her portrayal of M the most common character in the series after Bond himself.

Best moment: Bond meeting the new Q at MI6’s headquarters, a very young computer Wizard. ‘You still have spots’, Bond sneers. Then Q hands him his equipment: a gun and a radio. ‘Not exactly Christmas is it?’, remarks 007. Q: ‘What were you expecting: an exploding pen? We don’t really go for that anymore. Please return the equipment in one piece.’ Brave new world.

8. Dr. No (1962)
Director: Terence Young
Written by: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Johanna Harwood (screenplay), Berkely Mather (screenplay), Ian Flemming (novel)
Cast: Sean Connery (James Bond), Ursula Andress (Honey Rider), Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No), Jack Lord (Felix Leiter), Bernard Lee (M)

The first ever Bond movie is a suave and engaging spy story. Everything is still fresh and original. Bond gets his hands on his trademark gun, the Walther PPK. We also witness his first flirtation with Miss Moneypenny and see him make his first kill (a disarmed man even, James Bond is a killer. That is clearly established here). It is a true delight, to see Bond take on his challenging assignment in such a professional manner. This was chosen to be the inaugural film in the James Bond series as the plot of the source novel is the most straightforward. It has only one major location (Jamaica) and only one big special effects set piece (Dr. No’s nuclear missile basis). The plot contains the highest level of mystery of the Flemming novels. Bond still really functions as detective here, working on a big case and putting all the pieces together. Connery is superb in his first turn as 007, Andress is a delightful Bond-girl and Wiseman makes a decent baddie as metal-handed Dr. No. All in all, a terrific start of the Bond legend.

Best moment: The scene in which Bond gets a night time visit from a deadly spider – a gift from Dr. No – is very tense.

Never Say Never Again

Skyfall

Dr. No

7. Casino Royale (2006)
Director: Martin Campbell
Written by: Neal Purvis (screenplay), Robert Wade (screenplay), Paul Haggis (screenplay), Ian Flemming (novel)
Cast: Daniel Craig (James Bond), Eva Green (Vesper Lynd), Mads Mikkelsen (Le Chiffre), Judi Dench (M), Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter)

Terrific reboot of the Bond series. Director Martin Campbell, who already gave us the first real modern Bond GOLDENEYE in 1995, introduces us to a fresh new 007, played by the superb Daniel Craig. On his first mission ever, Bond unravels a plan by banker and terrorist financier Le Chiffre to destroy a prototype Skyfleet airliner and crash the company’s stock prices. Bond prevents the attack. Left with a huge loss and under pressure to recoup his terrorist clients’ money, Le Chiffre sets up a high-stakes poker tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. Hoping that a defeat would force Le Chiffre to aid the British government in exchange for protection from his creditors, MI6 enters Bond into the tournament. Then Bond meets British treasury agent Vesper Lynd, played by the stunning Eva Green, and quickly falls in love… From start to finish, CASINO ROYALE is truly awesome. It is full of clever references like bond winning an Aston Martin. It also contains a number of unforgettable 007 moments, like the Madagascar Foot Chase. Dear producers, keep ‘m coming like this one.

Best moment: Well, this is CASINO ROYALE, the poker tournament – including a cardiac arrest / poisoning and a deadly staircase fight – is a real blast!

6. From Russia with Love (1963)
Director: Terence Young
Written by: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Johanna Harwood (adaptation), Ian Flemming (novel)
Cast: Sean Connery (James Bond), Daniela Bianchi (Tatiana Romanova), Pedro Armendáriz (Kerim Bey). Lotte Lenya (Rosa Klebb), Robert Shaw (Donald Grant)

The best Bond film according to many. Sinister villains from SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) want to steal a special cipher machine from the Russians that can decrypt secret messages. They also want revenge on Bond for killing their operative Dr. No in the previous instalment. James is in terrific shape. He is making love in his first scene and snogging another girl in his last. The whole adventure in between is tense, sexy and exciting. It is the cat and mouse game between Bond and SPECTRE’s killer Donald Grant that captivates most. Interesting trivia: The opening scene where James Bond’s doppelganger is stalked and killed by Grant was originally written to appear later in the film. However, editor Peter R. Hunt figured it would work better as a teaser at the start of the movie, thus instigating the now-traditional pre-credits sequence.

Best moment: One of the final action scenes in which Bond is attacked by a helicopter can match the legendary airplane attack in field in Hitchcock’s NORTH BY NORTHWEST.

5. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Director: John Glen
Written by: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Michael G. Wilson (screenplay), Ian Flemming (stories)
Cast: Roger Moore (James Bond), Carole Bouquet (Melina Havelock), Topol (Milos Colombo), Lynn-Holly Johnson (Bibi Dahl), Julian Glover (Kristatos)

After two ‘rescue the world’ missions in MOONRAKER and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, the producers felt it was time again for a more regular spy mission without all the high-tech and gadgets. Bond goes after the ATAC – an Automatic Targeting Attack Communicator that uses an ultra low frequency to order submarines to launch missiles. The device is stolen in Greece and Bond is to find out by whom. He soon meets the gorgeous Melina who is after the same people as James for the murder of her parents. Together, they make a passionate team as they travel from Madrid to Switzerland to finally Greece. This could be the most romantic Bond film as the chemistry between the two leads is heartfelt. Director John Glen, who had previously edited and acted as second-unit director on a number of Bond films, makes this the second best Roger Moore entry with a good story, tension and dynamic action.

Best moment: James climbing a very steep mountain to get to villain Kristatos’ hide-out has Hitchcock-like tension.

Casino Royale

From Russia with Love

For Your Eyes Only

4. GoldenEye (1995)
Director: Martin Campbell
Written by: Jeffrey Caine (screenplay), Bruce Feirstein (screenplay), Michael France (story), Ian Flemming (characters)
Cast: Pierce Brosnan (James Bond), Sean Bean (Alec Trevelyan), Izabella Scorupco (Natalya Simonova), Famke Janssen (Xenia Onatopp), Joe Don Baker (Jack Wade)

After a seven year hiatus due to legal issues, Bond is back with a vengeance in GOLDENEYE. There have been a lot of changes, and they all turned out surprisingly well. Brosnan makes an excellent 007, and he gets support from a strong supporting cast. On the good side, we have Judi Dench and Joe Don Baker as terrific additions. On the evil side, Famke Janssen and Sean Bean make lasting impressions. The story revolves around the powerful GoldenEye satellite weapons that can create electromagnetic pulses. The baddies in GOLDENEYE want to use it to cause a global financial meltdown. GOLDENEYE has all the elements that make Bond movies such awesome experiences. The locations are stunning and the action sequences and effects are truly remarkable in GOLDENEYE. For instance, the opening 220 meter bungee jump at Archangel, Russia – shot at the Verzasca Dam in Switzerland – was voted the best movie stunt of all time in a 2002 Sky Movies poll, and set a record for the highest bungee jump off a fixed structure. Then there is the tank-chase through St. Petersburg that raises the bar for destructive chases. All in all, GOLDENEYE confirms that Bond, without a doubt, still has a place in modern times.

Best moment: Judi Dench does such a showstealer in her briefing of James that it surpasses all the other great moments in the film. ‘I think you’re a sexist, misogynist dinosaur. A relic of the Cold War, whose boyish charms, though wasted on me, obviously appealed to that young woman I sent out to evaluate you.’ Brilliant casting.

3. Licence to Kill (1989)
Director: John Glen
Written by: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Michael G. Wilson (screenplay), Ian Flemming (characters)
Cast: Timothy Dalton (James Bond), Carey Lowell (Pam Bouvier), Robert Davi (Franz Sanchez), Talisa Soto (Lupe Lamora), Anthony Zerbe (Milton Krest)

Bond loses his licence to kill when he chooses to go on a private vendetta against a drug lord who tortured his CIA-buddy Felix Leiter and killed his wife. Second and final Bond-film starring Timothy Dalton as 007. The previous one, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, was still quite humorous because the script was originally written with Roger Moore in mind. LICENCE TO KILL, on the other hand, was written tailor made for Dalton’s more solemn take on the role. Therefore, this is the most dark and violent entry in the series. It is also one of the best. LICENCE TO KILL features some of the most ambitious stunts and action sequences of any Bond movie. After the release of the film, legal wrangling over control of the series and the James Bond character resulted in a six-year long delay in production of the next Bond film (GOLDENEYE) which resulted in Dalton deciding not to return. It is also the final Bond film for actors Robert Brown (M) and Caroline Bliss (Moneypenny), screenwriter Richard Maibaum (he died in 1991), title designer Maurice Binder (he also died in 1991), director John Glen, and producer Albert R. Broccoli, although he would later act as a consulting producer for GOLDENEYE before his death.

Best moment: Many, but the final chase in the mountains is unforgettable.

2. Goldfinger (1964)
Director: Guy Hamilton
Written by: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Paul Dehn (screenplay), Ian Flemming (novel)
Cast: Sean Connery (James Bond), Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore), Gert Frobe (Auric Goldfinger), Shirley Eaton (Jill Masterson), Tania Mallet (Tilly Masterson)

‘Everything he touches turns to excitement’, states the tagline on the USA-poster. Well it’s true. GOLDFINGER is the terrific third entry in the Bond series and the second to have the main villain’s name as title. GOLDFINGER is daring in scale and ambitious in plot. No longer is James merely doing detective work, he has to prevent a mass slaughter and economic catastrophe. The girls, the villains, Connery… they all run like a Swiss clockwork in a movie that entertains and thrills throughout its running time. Visually, the film is great (the girl covered in gold scene for example is magnificent) and the beautiful ‘Goldfinger’ theme music supports the exciting action. This is also the first Bond movie that features lot’s of gadgets and high tech stuff, which was appreciated by the fans. In short; a near perfect Bond experience!

Best moment: Bond nearly getting castrated by an industrial laser in Goldfinger’s foundry is terrifying.

GoldenEye

Licence to Kill

Goldfinger

1. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Written by: Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Christopher Wood (screenplay), Ian Flemming (characters)
Cast: Roger Moore (James Bond), Barbara Bach (Major Anya Amasova / Agent XXX), Curt Jurgens (Karl Stromberg), Richard Kiel (Jaws), Caroline Munro (Naomi)

This one has it all; terrific locations (Austria, Egypt, Sardinia), dynamic action, sinister villains and an intriguing save the world plot. Bond teams up with his beautiful Russian counterpart Anya Amasova and together they must discover the location of a submarine tracking device and stop whoever is using it. From the first to the last minute, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME thrills and entertains. Nobody does it better indeed. This entry was also creator Ian Flemming’s favourite, together with GOLDFINGER and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.

Best moment: Difficult, but the introduction to central villain Stromberg is superb. His ‘house’ is the jawdropping sea city Atlantis where we witness him feeding his secretary to the sharks, assassinating two other accomplices and assigning the terrible killer Jaws.

The Spy Who Loved Me

Read also:

James Bond: 10 Best Title Sequence

James Bond: 10 Greatest Villains

James Bond: 10 Most Memorable Deaths (Caused by Bond’s Adversaries)

James Bond: 10 Most Memorable Deaths (Caused by Bond’s Adversaries)

Posted on 22 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

10. Strawberry Fields
Film: QUANTUM OF SOLACE
Killer: Quantum
Quote: ‘You might like to tell her your theory about there being no oil. Her lungs are full of it’ [M]

Why Memorable? Another tragic death of one of Bond’s girlfriends. She is found drenched in oil in a hotel room, simply for being an employee of MI6. If Bond wasn’t yet driven by revenge for the death of his love Vesper, now he surely is.

9. Kronsteen
Film: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Killer: Morzeny (Blofeld’s man)
Quote: ‘12 seconds. One day we must invent a faster working venom’ [Blofeld]

Why Memorable? Chess player Kronsteen was a secret operative for SPECTRE (Number 5). He was in charge with cooking up strategies for committing thefts and other wicked crimes. But in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, his plan to steal a cipher machine from the Russians failed thanks to James Bond. And failure at SPECTRE is not tolerated! Blofeld therefore has Kronsteen killed with a special pointy shoe. Autch!!

8. Japanese Businessman
Film: A VIEW TO A KILL
Killer: May Day
Quote: ‘This way…’ [May Day]

Why Memorable? This hapless business guy is released from baddie Max Zorin’s blimp into the San Francisco Bay for refusing to cooperate with Zorin’s evil plans for Silicon Valley. It is freaky that the airship has a door and staircase made specifically for this purpose. It would then be almost a shame not to use it, which is no problem in Max Zorin’s case. He seems to enjoy killing more than anything else in the world. ‘So, anyone else want to drop out?’ Zorin asks the other business men. No response.

7. Stromberg’s Secretary
Film: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
Killer: Stromberg
Quote: ‘It was you who betrayed me. You had access to all the information. And now you will pay the penalty’ [Karl Stromberg]

Why Memorable? ‘Someone has attempted to sell the plans of our tracking project to competing world powers.’ When you hear a villain utter these words, you know someone is about to seriously get it. The beauty about this scene is that you think that Professor Markovitz and Dr. Bechmann are screwed until Stromberg pushes a button dropping his secretary through the elevator floor into a shark basin. Markovitz and Bechmann gaze in horror as the shark starts eating her. Then they have to take the elevator themselves . . .

6. M
Film: SKYFALL
Killer: Silva
Quote: ‘Free both of us with the same bullet’ [Silva]

Why Memorable? M is surely the greatest regular character besides Bond since Judi Dench took the role in GOLDENEYE, so her death seven movies later feels like a major blow. She dies right in James’ arms, but not after telling him; ‘I did get one thing right.’ Get out the handkerchiefs now. Even Bond sheds a tear…

5. Milton Krest
Film: LICENCE TO KILL
Killer: Franz Sanchez
Quote: ‘You’re right it’s not your money. It’s mine…’ [Franz Sanchez]

Why Memorable? Milton Krest becomes a victim in 007’s quest to exact vengeance on drug dealer Sanchez for torturing his friend Felix and murdering his wife Della. Thanks to insinuations from Bond, Sanchez suspects that Krest tried to have him assassinated. Then his goons find his own stolen money in Krest his decompression chamber (planted there by Bond). A furious Sanchez kicks Krest inside the decompression chamber and gradually turns the pressure valve to an extreme level, before hacking the vent with an axe. The rapid decompression causes Krest his head to expand and then violently explode, splattering the porthole window with blood. Gruesome, but also funny for those with a stomach for this kind of violence.

4. Admiral Chuch Farrel
Film: GOLDENEYE
Killer: Xenia Onatopp
Quote: ‘Lyubeemyets’ [Xenia Onatopp]

Why Memorable? What the admiral though was just wild sex, turned out a little too wild. He is killed by suffocation by Xenia Onatopp’s thighs. A very impressive performance by Xenia, who even casually steals an access pass out of his jacket while doing the strangling.

3. Vesper Lynd
Film: CASINO ROYALE
Killer: Quantum
Quote: ‘I’m sorry James’ [Vesper Lynd]

Why Memorable? It appears though as Bond’s true love Vesper betrayed him by stealing a large sum of money, but she actually helped him. The organisation behind the whole plot in CASINO ROYALE blackmailed her to deliver the money in exchange for saving Bond’s life. Bond kills the men and tries to rescue Vesper, but she locks herself in an iron-frame lift and allows herself to drown as the building sinks. A very sad ending for this lovely girl, which reminds us of the death of Bond’s new wife Tracy in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE. Speaking of which…

2. Tracy
Film: ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE
Killer: Irma Bunt
Quote: ‘We have all the time in the world’ [James Bond]

Why Memorable? Perhaps the most tragic death in the entire series. After finally finding stability and a future with James, Tracy gets shot in her car right after their wedding. When a policeman stops over to check it out, Bond tells him: ‘It’s all right. She’s having a rest. We’ll be going on soon. There’s no hurry you see? We have all the time in the world.’ By now, half the audience is crying like Miss Moneypenny was at the wedding.

1. Jill Masterson
Film: GOLDFINGER
Killer: Oddjob
Quote: ‘Felix, get over here right away. The girl is dead. No, Jill Masterson. She’s covered in paint. Gold paint’ [James Bond]

Why Memorable? Jill Masterson sure messed with the wrong guy. No not Bond, well also. But Auric Goldfinger, the man with the Midas touch, is a whole different story. Jill failed to help him win a rigged game of poker due to interference from Bond. His revenge makes for one of the most memorable scenes in the entire James Bond series. After making love, James is knocked out by Goldfinger’s henchman Oddjob. When he comes to, he finds Jill covered in gold paint!

James Bond: 10 Best Title Sequences

James Bond: 10 Finest Bond Girls

James Bond: 10 Best Title Sequences

Posted on 4 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

10. The Man with the Golden Gun
Song: ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’
Artist: Lulu (performer) and John Barry (composer)
Golden guns and bullets and beautiful (naked) dames make for a very cool opening sequence, even though the opening song by Scottish singer Lulu is somewhat forgettable. The theme tune is considered by critics to be among the weakest of Barry’s contributions to the series. He agrees himself. ‘It’s the one I hate most… it just never happened for me.’

9. Tomorrow Never Dies
Song: ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’
Artist: Sheryl Crow (writer and performer) and Mitchell Froom (writer and producer)

Bond really enters the digital age with TOMORROW NEVER DIES. The title scene represents that transition perfectly with the usual images of guns and girls morphed into digital transformations. It has a relaxed pace, features a melodic song by Sheryl Crow and perfectly fits the media theme of the instalment.

8. Moonraker
Song: ‘Moonraker’
Artist: Shirley Bassey (performer) and John Barry (composer)
High velocity, blue moons, the earth seen from space, lunar experience, dames flying… The Moonraker title sequence features the third and final Bond-song performed by Shirley Bassey (following GOLDFINGER and DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER). Very pleasant title sequence that feels a bit like floating in outer space…

7. Licence to Kill
Song: ‘Licence to Kill’
Artist: Gladys Knight (performer) and Michael Kamen (composer)
John Barry was not available at the time of production for LICENCE TO KILL, so Michael Kamen (LETHAL WEAPON, DIE HARD) got the composing job. The song, performed by Gladys Knight, became one of the finest and most popular title songs of the series. It remains a classic song to this day, really beautiful. The title design is the last one by Maurice Binder. He died in 1991.

6. Dr. No
Song: ‘The James Bond Theme’
Artist: Monty Norman (writer) and John Barry (composer)
The first ever title sequence is a pretty basic, but colourful and atmospheric animation sequence. What really makes it work is the exciting and cool surf rock style guitar riff. This ‘James Bond theme’ would return in every Bond flick. Since this is the first time the theme music is used, a position in this list is obligatory.

5. Casino Royale
Song: ‘You Know My Name’
Artist: Chris Cornell (writer and performer) and David Arnold (writer and composer)
‘You know my name.’ Yes, we do. The CASINO ROYALE animation is a stunning piece of art work. In designing the credit sequence, designer Daniel Kleinman was inspired by the cover of the 1953 British first edition of CASINO ROYALE, which featured Ian Fleming’s original design of a playing card bordered by eight red hearts dripping with blood. The scene ends with Bond’s double 0 status being confirmed. New Bond Daniel Craig walks up to the camera, slowly revealing his face. Yes, this is Bond allright.

4. GoldenEye
Song: ‘GoldenEye’
Artist: Tina Turner (performer), Bono & The Edge (writers) and Nellee Hooper (composer)
Tina Turner’s GoldenEye is one of the coolest opening songs ever. It rightly became one of the highest-charting hit singles of Turner’s career in the UK and Europe. The images of the credit sequence mostly revolve around the destruction of the old USSR, one of the main themes of GOLDENEYE. It also has a gun popping out of a girl’s mouth; a combination of the two most frequently used elements in Bond title sequences. Fantastic first design job by Daniel Kleinman, who succeeded Maurice Binder who had died in 1991.

3. You Only Live Twice
Song: ‘You Only Live Twice’
Artist: Nancy Sinatra (performer) and John Barry (composer)
Bitter sweet Asian style credit sequence featuring one of the most beautiful James Bond title songs. Nancy Sinatra sings a song that could easily be her fathers; romantic and spellbinding. Maurice Binder created another visually impressive intro featuring volcanos, Japanese hand fans and off course pretty Asian girls. We like.

2. Goldfinger
Song: ‘Goldfinger’
Artist: Shirley Bassey (performer) and John Barry (composer)
Beautiful golden images combines with the greatest James Bond title song hands down. Shirley Bassey’s vocals give us goose bumps every time. Interestingly, the theme was almost taken out of the film because of its producer’s (Harry Saltzman) opinion. He hated it, saying ‘That’s the worst fucking song I’ve ever heard in my fucking life’. Luckily, there was no time to record another song, so the theme song stayed. During the opening, we get to see many clips of the movie we are about to see moulded in golden shapes. It has the same effect gold does; it makes us greedy for more. Great job!

1. Skyfall
Song: ‘Skyfall’
Artist: Adele (writer and performer) and Paul Epworth (writer and producer)
‘This is the end…’ A fascinating play of shadows and dark underwater worlds, and tokens of death… Designer Daniel Kleinman’s best so far. And Adele’s title song really has the classic sound to it. An unparalleled beauty of a credit sequence.

Read also:

James Bond: Top 10 Vehicles

James Bond: 10 Greatest Licensed Kills

The James Bond Films Rated From Worst To Best (Top 10)

James Bond: 10 Best Pre-Credit Scenes

Posted on 2 oktober 2015 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

In anticipation of SPECTRE, FilmDungeon.com editor Jeppe Kleyngeld lists his favourite things about the James Bond series in 12 unique features. Enjoy!

The 10 Best Pre-Credit Scenes

10. Die Another Day

Multi-dollar action sequence in North Korea, featuring terrific hovercrafts and high-tech weaponry. In his last performance as Bond, Brosnan comes surfing in on this high stakes assassination mission. The images have a very bleak colour, fitting and stylish for the North Korean setting. Most of the action consists of a hovercraft chase through a damp North Korean forest.

9. Licence to Kill

Felix Leiter’s wedding is rudely interrupted by the DEA. They are after a South American drug lord who is currently on the Bahamas’ and they enlist CIA-agent Leiter to catch him. Bond goes along for the ride, but ‘strictly as an observer’. Yeah right. It is too much to explain all that happens next, but it’s very good stuff. It ends in a brilliant stunt, namely a DEA helicopter that plucks Sanchez’s plane straight out of the sky. Leiter and Bond still make it to the wedding in time by parachute.

8. Octopussy

007 becomes a one man army in this adrenaline fuelled start of OCTOPUSSY. He pretends to be Colonel Luis Toro in order to enter a heavily armed enemy base in Cuba to place a bomb. But he is caught, so he has to go with Plan B. That involves attacking the base with a micro airplane, being chased by a heat seeking missile and using that to blow up the main hangar (where the enemy’s secret weapons are stored). Off course he also snugs a girl during all of this. That is how you fulfil your objectives in style.

7. Thunderball

James attends the funeral of Colonel Jacques Bouvar, an operative from SPECTRE (Number 6). On his coffin are the initials JB and Bond remarks that he would have liked killing Bouvar himself for murdering two of his colleagues. Later, Bond goes to the château of Bouvar where he identifies his foe disguised as his own widow. A spectacular fight ensues in which no piece of furniture is left unused. After Bond killed Bouvar with a fire poke, he makes a spectacular escape using a jetpack and his Aston Martin DB5. Very cool sequence that sucks you right into the movie.

6. For Your Eyes Only

It took a while, but James finally gets his revenge on his arch enemy Ernst Stravro Blofeld for murdering his wife Teresa in ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE. This credit sequence has no direct link with the story in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, but does fit the central ‘revenge’ theme. Bond is called away while visiting his deceased wife’s grave. As he approaches Blofeld’s hide-out, the controls of his chopper are taken over by the old SPECTRE leader. After Blofeld has toyed with him for a while, Bond manages to take back control of the chopper again, scoops up Blofeld and drops him in a factory chimney. ‘Mr. Bond’, he pleads, ‘We can do a deal. I’ll buy you a delicatessen. In stainless steal.’

5. Casino Royale

This back-to-the-beginning entry in the series opens with a grainy black and white sequence in which Bond earns his Double 0-status. We learn it takes two kills to become a Double 0. The first one is a real die hard kill in a men’s room. But the second one is considerably easier. Nice to meet you, Mr. Bond.

4. Skyfall

SKYFALL opens with a massive pursuit through Turkey. Bond needs to get his hands on a stolen list with identities of secret agents. He chases the bad guy on foot, by car, by bike and by train. With trademark humour (‘just changing carriages’) and plenty of demolition. The perfect opening for Bond’s 50th anniversary movie.

3. You Only Live Twice

It begins with the brutal space jacking of Jupiter 16, an American spacecraft. With the cold war going on, the Americans are quick to accuse the Russians, but her Majesty’s government does not agree. Their sources say the enemy’s spacecraft has landed in Japan, so all secret intelligence should look in that direction. ‘Our man in Hong Kong is on it right now’, says a British official. Cut to James Bond making love to a Chinese girl. Soon after, Bond is executed off screen and the police finds his dead body. Surely, James can not be dead? Very suspenseful opening of the fifth official Bond movie.

2. The Spy Who Loved Me

A submarine hijacking, a terrific skiing purchase, the classic British flag escape… This is how you start a Bond movie. The action is also a set-up for the plot, unlike the usual standalone pre-credit scenes. Bond kills a Russian agent who happens to be the lover of a female Russian spy (the gorgeous Triple X) who James will very soon meet…

1. GoldenEye

It is a breath-taking moment, when James bungee jumps of a massive dam in Russia. After that comes the toilet joke (‘beg your pardon, forgot to knock’), the first we see of Pierce Brosnan’s humorous take on 007. After that it is action time with Bond and colleague 006, who are assigned to destroy a chemical weapons factory. After 006 gets killed by General Ouromov, Bond makes a very narrow escape by pulling an unbelievable airplane stunt. Spectacular opening in every way.