"Gore" in Bond films (blood, saliva, intestines, all you can think of!!)

edited September 2015 in Bond Movies Posts: 11,119
I was asking this question myself last Friday when my friend and I were watching "Skyfall". There are quite a few scenes that could evoke feelings like "ieeeeuwww, disgusting!". Now, I know Bond films will never turn into the next "Final Destination" franchise. And equally, we will never see a spy split in half with perfect precision ("Kingsman: The Secret Service") in future Bond films.

Still, there is quite a big list of some scenes that you can indicate is slightly "gore-ish". Scenes that could evoke some disgust or that could female audiences perhaps say this: "Was this blood splatter really necessary??". Here's a short list:

--> "DN": Jones killing/foaming himself with cyanide
--> "FRWL": The witch-like death scream of Rosa Klebb
--> "TB": Largo's henchmen throw Quist to the sharks, leaving a pool of red blood
--> "YOLT": Blofeld throwing Helga Brand to the piranhas (death screams)
--> "OHMSS": Blofeld's skiing henchman falling into a snow-plough, leaving a trail of blood and minced meat
--> "DAF": 2nd Blofeld being shot by a mountaineering pin, creating a final "death shock" on his body
--> "TMWTGG": Scaramanga leaving gulping big bullit holes on both Rodney and Gibson
--> "TSWLM": Jaws eating raw shark meat, leaving a trail of blood / biting Fekkesh in his neck
--> "OP": Dead bodies of the Indian twins, hanging in an abattoir
--> "AVTAK": KGB-agent Klotkoff being pulverized by a oil pump screw, leaving lots of blood and death screams
--> "LTK": Milton Krest's exploding head and seeing the bone and flesh of Leiter's leg when it gets bitten off
--> "TND": Carver's henchman being pulverized by a newspaper printing machine, leaving lots of "printed blood"
--> "DAD": Zao being split in half by ornaments of the ice palace, leavinf lots of blood
--> "CR": Seeing Solange's dead body in a state of decay
--> "QOS": Picture of a severely mutilated dead body, with stitched eye sockets (on a picture)
--> "SF": Silva exposing his mutilated jaw, by taking his prothesis out, leaving lots of saliva

Personally, I like these kinds of "mild gore", as they always show that Bond is not fighting some cheeky, cheesy Dr Evil or any other harmless guy. It shows that Bond is dealing with real dangers. I especially like the "gore" in "OHMSS". Yes, Bond creates quite a bit of humour by ushering the line: "He had loads of guts!". Still, if he skied one meter to the right, it could have been him that was the "guts".

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Comments

  • Posts: 11,119
    Anyone?
  • OnlyManWhoCanOnlyManWhoCan Greater London
    Posts: 202
    I recently saw OHMSS on the big screen and the audience roared with laughter at the 'He had a lot of guts!' line - I think we all like a bit of grue sometimes.

    I think you've hit the nail on head, really. The Bond films should not be over-the-top gore-fests but I think you can't go too far in the other direction either. There needs to be real risk of harm on display so that Bond has something to fear.

    You've also created a pretty conclusive list and I'm struggling to think of other moments on the series that are a little bit gory. I guess the scene where Dario falls into the cocaine pulveriser is pretty damn nasty!
  • Posts: 11,119
    Birdleson wrote: »
    To me the killing of Edmund Slate by Bond in QUANTUM OF SOLACE is by far the most disturbing scene in a Bond film. I actually get squeamish (I have a phobia about arteries and pumping blood, even typing this is making me tense). That is the only scene in a Bond film that I had to look away from (and maybe the Tsunami-skiing).

    Ufff, I actually forgot about that scene. That's indeed quite a disturbing one.
  • "Switch the bloody machine off!!!" My personal favorite. Hope we get something like that or the snow plough in SPECTRE. I have to admit that I also find myself captivated by these unusual and or gory death scenes for various villains. The "sucked into a jet turbine" bit never gets old for me.
  • Posts: 11,119
    "Switch the bloody machine off!!!" My personal favorite. Hope we get something like that or the snow plough in SPECTRE. I have to admit that I also find myself captivated by these unusual and or gory death scenes for various villains. The "sucked into a jet turbine" bit never gets old for me.

    Or do you remember how Mr Kil's hand got chopped off by a laser, and then Jinx simply picked up the cut-off hand and used it for the vingerprint ID scanner :-P.

    I personally think it would be great to re-do the scene from "LALD", where Tee Hee almost chops off Bond's little finger. What IF that's done for real with a henchman from S.P.E.C.T.R.E.? That we can actually the little finger being cut off. It's a bit Martin Scorcese-esque, but why not?

  • edited March 2015 Posts: 48

    Check back Nov, 6th 2015.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    edited March 2015 Posts: 2,629

    I personally think it would be great to re-do the scene from "LALD", where Tee Hee almost chops off Bond's little finger. What IF that's done for real with a henchman from S.P.E.C.T.R.E.? That we can actually the little finger being cut off. It's a bit Martin Scorcese-esque, but why not?

    Come on now. You know Dan can't function without his little finger.
  • Birdleson wrote: »
    Let's stop there. Even that is more than I want to know about Hinx. This keeps happening. There is supposed to be one thread for all of those that read the script and want to talk about it.

    I understand what you mean and I apologize if I inadvertently spoiled anything. Not my intention there. I never outright said I read the script though. I'd say it's a fact that taking one look at Bautista, one could say he's gonna pretty brutal baddie one way or another. Again I apologize.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Let's stop there. Even that is more than I want to know about Hinx. This keeps happening. There is supposed to be one thread for all of those that read the script and want to talk about it.

    What the hack are you talking about. If you take any wishes for spoilers, than you're not reading properly. NOTHING has been spoiled so far in this topic. Absolutely nothing. I was just stating a nice idea, and someone reacted on it by giving the premiere date. I think you're seeing ghosts.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Ahhh ok. I'm sorry :-)
  • edited June 2015 Posts: 11,119
    Someone posted an article on Reddit that breaks down the TV spot frame by frame. The article included a still that may show just how brutal Mr. Hinx truly is. For those that are avoiding in depth analysis of the TV spot, I'll put it in spoiler tags.
    Notice the coloring on Hinx's thumb. It appears to be covered in blood. Some are speculating Hinx gouged out his victim's eyes before snapping his neck. We could possibly be getting that brute of a henchman that many of us wanted after all.

    7D5gpZs.jpg

    Thanks for posting this @Seven_Point_Six_Five :-). I think it deserves a mention in this topic.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2015 Posts: 23,883
    Certainly, LTK was quite gory for 1989, which may have impacted its success at the box office. Apart from the aforementioned Milton Krest exploding head & Felix shark attack, there was also the Dario bone crusher death, Heller's spike death, Della lying on the bed (with her eyes open and the suggestion of rape) and the inference that Lupe's lover was going to get his heart cut out! It all just seemed so real! Only QoS came close.

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  • Posts: 11,119
    Yeah, that amount of gore was quite.....a lot. I think LTK really ranks top spot as the most gory Bond film ever. Don't forget how you can actually see Felix Leiter's chopped of upper leg. Even his bare leg bone pins out.

    It makes chopping out an eye by Hinx slightly less gory. But I also think the amount of gore should be carefully edited. I think it's one of the reasons why fans like me got a slight turn-off with QOS. Don't forget, it didn't outgross CR.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2015 Posts: 23,883
    Agreed @Gustav_Graves. I though LTK was too much for 1989 for mass appeal. QoS was ok for 2008 imho, but I'm sure some (especially the ladies) may have found it too much as well, particularly after the relatively tame (in terms of gore) CR.

    It's a fine line with Bond, given its mass appeal to both sexes.

    I think they should always have an uncut version, and put that out on the Blu, to satisfy us gore lovers.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    edited June 2015 Posts: 11,139
    Reynard getting impaled in TWINE

    latest?cb=20130203234317

    Elliot Carver's death scene

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  • aaron819aaron819 Switzerland
    Posts: 1,208
    This new scene with Hinx from the TV spot, looks like it will make the list for SPECTRE:

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  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,804
    The Mr Slate stabbing in QoS is one of the more gory and realistic scenes in the Bond film canon. It's actually quite difficult to watch which was probably the intention.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    The Mr Slate stabbing in QoS is one of the more gory and realistic scenes in the Bond film canon. It's actually quite difficult to watch which was probably the intention.

    I think in all honesty that such gore should foremost be executed by the villain...or henchman. Then it'll be much more accepted by the public. Bond in LTK and QOS was simple way too....vengeful for people's taste. A reckless instrument, loose cannon.
  • Personally I tend to like the "gory" deaths, "He had lots of guts", "switch the bloody machine off!", although yeah LTK is overkill, the version with Leiter's stump and Krest's exploding head was/is the "R-rated" cut. Implied gore can be just as effective, like Klotkoff in AVTAK, you don't see the gory bits but you know what's happening when you see the impeller controls.

    Another example would be Carlos in CR, if you've read the novel you should know the graphic details of what probably happened while all we see is a shot of Craig's face as the bomb goes off. I would say Slate's demise was not so much "gory" but it is perhaps the most brutal and methodical killing of a henchmen in a Bond film, very coldblooded.

    That said I don't want another full on LTK, just one or two memorable and creative demises done tastefully are what I like and hopefully it looks like SPECTRE will deliver on that.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    That said I don't want another full on LTK, just one or two memorable and creative demises done tastefully are what I like and hopefully it looks like SPECTRE will deliver on that.

    The Hinx slap above looks to be just what the doctor ordered.
  • bondjames wrote: »
    That said I don't want another full on LTK, just one or two memorable and creative demises done tastefully are what I like and hopefully it looks like SPECTRE will deliver on that.

    The Hinx slap above looks to be just what the doctor ordered.

    Indeed. Just the right prescription with possibly a surprise. I'm still hoping we get a little bit more guts in there too haha. From the TV spot it looks like lots of action with planes and helicopters, flying machines can be very dangerous to ones health.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    The Mr Slate stabbing in QoS is one of the more gory and realistic scenes in the Bond film canon. It's actually quite difficult to watch which was probably the intention.

    I think in all honesty that such gore should foremost be executed by the villain...or henchman. Then it'll be much more accepted by the public. Bond in LTK and QOS was simple way too....vengeful for people's taste. A reckless instrument, loose cannon.

    I disagree. It's a reminder that Bond's primary function is that of an assassin. One of the great Craig moments.

    Well, let him use his Walther then to kill more "cleanly". Bond isn't Vin Diesel.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Don t forget, Bond gets spat in the face twice. By Miss Taro and Dario. It almost rhymes.
  • Posts: 2,341
    I always felt that Bond handled the violence and gore with great taste. LTK is often called violent and bloody but even for the time it was very very mild when you compare it to
    Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Predator, Steven Seagall's films and a slew of other late eighties films. The deaths were gruesome but handled with great class and taste.

    If I had to focus on one or two I would say Mr. Kil's death in DAD and the decision to mutilating his corpse was kinda gory.
  • TreefingersTreefingers Isthmus City, Republic of Isthmus
    edited June 2015 Posts: 191
    Not quite a gory scene but I rememner watching The World is not Enough at the cinema back in the day, the scene near the end when Elektra has Bond tied down and while revealing her scheme she removes her earing to reveal she had cut her own ear off...I was like WTAFT!!! Really, my stoach turned a little (just a few degrees though, not even a half turn...)

    I enjoy all these gruesome flourishes as they add colour (pun intended) to an adventure. A director I admire for this is Paul Verhoeven, he always knows how to add a little extra violence/T&A whilst remaining tasteful (IMO)

    By the way why hasn't this man been approached for helming an entry in the series yet?! He would be wonderful!!
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2015 Posts: 23,883
    A director I admire for this is Paul Verhoeven, he always knows how to add a little extra violence/T&A whils remaining tasteful (IMO)

    I love Verhoeven. The invisible night excursions by Bacon's character Sebastian in Hollow Man come to mind, in terms of those little gratuitous (and agreeably teenage) flourishes he is known for...
  • Posts: 11,119
    Not quite a gory scene but I rememner watching The World is not Enough at the cinema back in the day, the scene near the end when Elektra has Bond tied down and while revealing her scheme she removes her earing to reveal she had cut her own ear off...I was like WTAFT!!! Really, my stoach turned a little (just a few degrees though, not even a half turn...)

    I enjoy all these gruesome flourishes as they add colour (pun intended) to an adventure. A director I admire for this is Paul Verhoeven, he always knows how to add a little extra violence/T&A whilst remaining tasteful (IMO)

    By the way why hasn't this man been approached for helming an entry in the series yet?! He would be wonderful!!

    I loved Elektra's gory, mutilated ear. But such a scene was done even better in SF when Silva took out his jaw prothesis. Man....and then all that saliva leaking wildy :-P.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Silva did reveal his deformity in quite a grandiose fashion. In front of Dame Judi, no less. That's kinda like spitting on Her Majesty.
  • TokolosheTokoloshe Under your bed
    Posts: 2,667
    I really wish all threads that contain spoilers were marked as such. Just started to read this thread and wished I hadn't.
  • edited July 2015 Posts: 11,119
    Birdleson wrote: »
    It was more like showing her what his being loyal to her, and her betrayal of him, cost him. That was what turned him. She did just give him up cold-heartedly.

    After analyzing the trailer, I must say that Hinx to me looks like an effing menacing scary henchman. And I don't know if I'm right, but does Hinx prefer killing people in this typical way? Popping out an eye, as a means of getting a better grip on the yet-to-be-snapped head/skull?? It's like.....all I ever dreamt off :-O! And then look at the guy who's being -most likely- killed by Hinx. It looks pretty much horrific to see a human with an empty eye socket:

    i0KIV9.jpg
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