Like all James Bond movies I see in the theater (save No Time To Die, of course), I walked out of my first viewing of Die Another Day amped up and declared it the best James Bond movie of all time. I was excited to see it again! And although DAD’s luster surely faded with subsequent viewings and definitely over the years compared to the other movies, as always, there are some bright spots in the movie. Gustav Graves’ introduction is one of them.
As Bond jets to the UK and is served a first-class vodka martini (by Roger Moore’s real-life daughter, FYI) and the Clash’s “London Calling” blares, we are thrust into the ostentatiousness that is the villain, Gustav Graves. Although the movie decays with subsequent revelations of his DNA-altered identity as Colonel Moon, poor acting by Halle Berry and many eyeroll moments, Graves’ intro scene feels like its from a different caliber Bond movie. His entrance (the Union Jack parachute an obvious nod to The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)) and cocky demeanor are spot on for a megalomaniacal Bond villain, and comes off as suave and in control, but definitely annoying and not self-aware. These days, I can’t help but see a bit of Elon Musk in Gustav Graves, unfortunately.
In Goldfinger (1964), Sean Connery’s Bond wakes up airborne and in a tranquillizer dart-induced haze. I love how an out-of-focus woman’s face comes into focus as if the movie audience recovers from Bond’s point of view.
Pussy Galore’s named introduction still elicits a guffaw reaction in me even to this day, and I’d imagine a theater-going audience would have audibly laughed at Bond’s “I must be dreaming” quip. Short scenes and exchanges like this from early Bond movies stand the test of time and fans can only hope future Bond movies are filled with gems like these.
Quantum Of Solace (2008) is generally not the preferred Daniel Craig James Bond movie. I would tend to agree that (aside from the blasphemous No Time To Die) it’s one of Craig’s weakest overall performances as 007. But as with any James Bond movie, there are always bright spots!
Without question, Quantum‘s opening sequence car chase is one of these bright spots. The first 30 seconds of my theater experience watching this opening sequence on an IMAX screen with a packed audience is one of my most memorable James Bond theater experiences. I had goosebumps it was so awesome!
This polarizing scene from Octopussy (1983) starts out lighthearted but ends with high tension as an undercover James Bond disguises himself as a circus clown to defuse a nuclear bomb. All in all, it is by far the dorkiest look of Roger Moore’s Bond, but looking past his costume and apparent masterful makeup artistry, I’m not sure there is a more defining “James Bond saves the world” scene in all of the movies.
Sure, Bond has defused many a bomb in his time, and even another nuclear one in Goldfinger (1964) albeit without a large audience like Bond has here. And yes, maybe they could’ve dressed Bond in something more flattering (a ringmaster with a top-hat, perhaps?), but the buildup for this scene and how an obstinate American general eventually tells everyone in the audience to shut up and let the absurdly dressed clown Bond defuse the bomb makes it all the more climactic. You can feel the tension! And I also think (to a degree) Bond’s look of desperation is made even more urgent because of his clownface makeup!
I won’t get over Bond’s look in this scene any time soon (and I wish at the end of the scene he would’ve just kept his red nose on for the full effect or took it off entirely, rather than having it hang awkwardly on his neck), but I also won’t let it take away from it significance amongst other times in the series when Bond heroically saves the world. Not many other scenes can top this one in that regard!
1. Roger Moore’s clown costume in Octopussy (1983) takes the cake…the ultimate dorkiest Bond moment!
