Feature

Spectre: Top 12 Opening Sequences

Published

11 years ago

October 27, 2015

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Spectre is out now so as part of Tripwire’s celebration of all things Bond, here’s our Top 12 Opening Pre-Credit Sequences. The pre-credits sequences set the tone for the whole film and sometimes they are actually better realised than what follows…

Diamonds Are Forever
A great opener where we see that Blofeld (Charles Grey) has been trying to wreak havoc around the world with a series of clones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG-oWR59aEM
The Living Daylights
Timothy Dalton is in Gibraltar on a training exercise that goes horribly wrong but there is a physicality and excitement here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCs9THK0pSo
Thunderball
The opening fight is exciting although arguably it is the best thing about the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuTUTbXPf48
Casino Royale
Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond opens with a noirish fist fight that shows that Craig’s Bond means business and he isn’t afraid to kill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OTSW4DRcx0
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
A moody opener where we see Lazenby’s Bond rescue future wife Tracy (Diana Rigg) on the beach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdtUNk-AgF0
From Russia With Love
An understated opener where we see the evil Grant (Robert Shaw) training to kill James Bond. The first pre-credits sequence in Bond movie history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4I6zb9kd1Y
Goldeneye
It starts with Pierce Brosnan making a 750 foot high bungee jump at the top of a dam and ends with him pursuing a plane on just a motorcycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSvuHSqqGSw
Skyfall
Craig chases his opponents through the streets of Istanbul and ends with him falling seemingly to his doom. Mendes set out his stall for the rest of the film here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuf_k97dBIg
Goldfinger
Sean Connery makes his entrance from underwater, with a mallard on his head. He then changes into a white dinner suit and his romantic interlude with the lady he meets is interrupted by a man who tries to kill him. All the necessary ingredients are here for a great pre-credits opening sequence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CTpzLphy5Q
You Only Live Twice
This opener set in outer space with a US spacecraft stolen by Blofeld (Donald Pleasance) is still effective, as it still looks impressive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-qLYBiMNGA
Live and Let Die
Moore’s first outing as James Bond begins in the UN and then moves to New Orleans first to a funeral and then to a voodoo ritual.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEfJbO2nKmI
Man With The Golden Gun
We are introduced to assassin Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) in this brilliant opening scene where we see just how deadly he is in an environment he controls totally. Scaramanga was one of the best Bond villains ever created.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DtrveteokY