clips

James Bond (Daniel Craig) can barely watch as he brutally and slowly kills Edmund Slate (Neil Jackson) in Quantum Of Solace (2008)

Bled out

Quantum Of Solace (2008) boasts one of the most brutal deaths at the hand of James Bond (Daniel Craig).

After tracking would-be assassin Edmund Slate (Neil Jackson) to Haiti, Bond visits Slate’s hotel room only to instantly jump into a fight to the death. Slate meets his end when Bond mercilessly stabs him in the neck (likely in the jugular vein) and his leg (likely in the femoral artery) only to let him bleed out on the floor.

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James Bond (Daniel Craig) seduces Strawbery Fields (Gemma Arterton) in Quantum Of Solace (2008)

Do you know how angry I am at myself?

Agent Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton) from Quantum Of Solace (2008) is underrated. Not only is she sexy, I was initially sold on her insistence that she wasn’t going to fall into James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) clutches. But alas, as we see in this scene, she even surprised herself in her collapse at the hands of Bond’s charm. There was definitely something about her short, red hair, fair skin and overcoat that was seriously attractive.

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The start of the space fight in Moonraker (1979)

Open the cargo doors

The Bond movie franchise’s response to the space-based Star Wars phenomenon of the late 1970’s comes in the form of Moonraker (1979). And this fight scene perfectly encapsulates the movie’s attempt at inserting some James Bond action into the vast bleakness of space.

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James Bond (Timothy Dalton) begrudgingly packs Kara Milovy (Maryam D'Abo)'s cello into his Aston Martin in The Living Daylights (1987)

Why didn’t you learn the violin?

I’ve always loved Bond’s great cello case escape trick from The Living Daylights (1987). Although it would’ve been neat to hear Bond (Timothy Dalton) explain the game plan to Kara Milovy (Maryam d’Abo) in this scene (how did they time it so perfectly with the passing tram?), I overall enjoyed how it was filmed and how we the audience are let in on the ruse.

I particularly enjoy the surveyor’s satisfied face and gentle head nod when he witnesses Bond get into his car, only to have his day ruined when he realizes the “person” in the phone booth is an empty cello case clothed with a hat and coat.

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James Bond (Roger Moore) in a San Francisco fire truck in A View To A Kill (1985)

Raise the bridge?

Although the fire engine chase in A View To A Kill (1985) is over-the-top and a bit eye-roll inducing, I did enjoy when the sleepy bridge operator attempts to stop James Bond (Roger Moore) and Stacy Sutton (Tanya Roberts) in their tracks.

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James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) with his virtual reality training exercise glasses in Die Another Day (2002)

Check the replay

This training scene from Die Another Day (2002) was pretty sweet. Not often do we get insight into 007’s training regimen, but here the audience is immersed in it perfectly. I remember thinking this was a dream sequence when I saw it in the theater, and aside from the jarring image of a dead Moneypenny at her desk with a gunshot wound to the head, I knew it was a farce when Bond’s bullet hit M’s hostage-taker’s arm and did no damage.

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James Bond (George Lazenby) returns to his suite only to face hand-to-hand combat in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Gate crasher

Ouch! This stunt had to have hurt George Lazenby at the start of this fight sequence from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Maybe a concussion? Whiplash?

After Bond returns to his suite 423 to see Tracy, he quickly finds himself in the middle of a fight and expertly jumps right in. Although the fight is a bit clunky and has that 1960’s sped-up feel (I guess they did that for effect back in those days), I do like the end where the defeated henchman shows signs of life but quickly gives back up and passes out. The decor and post -filled pony walls in this scene are an eyesore, like a lot of the visuals from this time period and movie, and I’m afraid the “gate crasher” quip falls a bit flat.

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James Bond (Sean Connery) shows some restraint in Goldfinger (1964)

Discipline, 007. Discipline.

It’s surprising to see James Bond (Sean Connery) show some level-headedness in Goldfinger (1964) when Tilly Masterson (Tania Mallet) honks and aggressively passes him on the roadway. Just as 007 is about to floor it and throw into high gear, his better angels overcome the temptation and he keeps his focus on the task at hand: tracking Goldfinger. It’s a rare occurrence to see Bond show such restraint, and refer to himself as 007 in the third person, for that matter.

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The (hilarious) effects of the space-based laser weapon from Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Nuclear supremacy

This cut sequence from Diamonds Are Forever (1971) showing the power of Blofeld’s space laser is absolutely hilarious. Adding to the camp of the movie, this seemingly quickly put together, crude sequence looks to be more of an inspiration for an Austin Powers movie rather than a flex of a Bond villain’s power.

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Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) cancels his $20 million transaction in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Their funeral was at sea

Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) shows his ruthlessness in this scene from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Although short, I enjoy it because it shows a side of Stromberg that he technically could have avoided revealing.

He didn’t need to be the one to push the button to blow up the helicopter with Professor Markowitz and Dr. Beckman. His minions could’ve done it. He didn’t need to see the video of it either, but he chose to.

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