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Controversial opinions about Bond films

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  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited September 29 Posts: 15,397
    The hat line is great. It does three things: cut through the tension; attempt to change the subject; and give Bond a reason to make a break for the exit!
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 2,245
    There are Bond actresses who are indispensable to their films, and others whose contributions one has to work at to recall.
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan
    Posts: 846
    “This never happened to the other fellow” is one of my favourite lines.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,850
    I think David Arnold is a great Bond composer, but his climax cues are a bit too eclectic for me. A tad too many ideas added to them I think, they can be very chaotic and that makes for a somewhat difficult listening experience. They work for the films in question, though listening to the scores on their own, it sometimes just too noisy and all over the place.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,977
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    I think David Arnold is a great Bond composer, but his climax cues are a bit too eclectic for me. A tad too many ideas added to them I think, they can be very chaotic and that makes for a somewhat difficult listening experience. They work for the films in question, though listening to the scores on their own, it sometimes just too noisy and all over the place.

    I concur. Take TWINE for example. I don't know what the hell is going on in that film's climax. Not even Raymond Benson, who wrote the novelization, did. Something about something being done with something else and a reactor about to go boom. And Christmas lights. And stuff. Meanwhile, Arnold's score fires needles into my eardrums, and it's only making matters worse. I'm exaggerating, of course, but the loud, chaotic outbursts of the score are a distraction on top of a strange climactic fight. I love what Arnold has done, but some bits were "off".
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 5,198
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    I think David Arnold is a great Bond composer, but his climax cues are a bit too eclectic for me. A tad too many ideas added to them I think, they can be very chaotic and that makes for a somewhat difficult listening experience. They work for the films in question, though listening to the scores on their own, it sometimes just too noisy and all over the place.

    I can get that David Arnold could be unique in his scores, for better or worse. However, my controversial opinion with him is that from 2:50 to 5:05 is one of my favorite Bond music tracks. It feels like for me the end of hanging out with friends, but the friendships have become stronger.

  • LeighBurneLeighBurne
    Posts: 113
    Arnold’s score for TND is one of the best in the whole series imo, and I’m not sure that’s such a controversial opinion.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited October 13 Posts: 6,104
    Not a huge Arnold fan (nor someone who listens to Bond scores on their own that much in general really) but I like TND for its score. I do wish some of the title song’s motifs had made their way in there (love that bass/string motif that builds up - in fact I find it one of the most memorable Bond songs for it).

    I’m sure I’ve said this before, but it’s relevant - a controversial opinion I have is that Surrender by kd Lang is a bit rubbish and it’s for the best it was never used as TND’s main song. In fact I’d have scrapped it from the movie altogether. To me it sounds very close to being a knock off of a Bond song you’d find in a parody and there’s something oddly flat about it. Lang is a good singer though, but I’ll never get the appeal of that song.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 13 Posts: 19,358
    I like the melody of the verse as used throughout the score, I think that's a really good tune and works well (it's great in Backseat Driver) but I agree the song is just a pastiche really and it's for the best they didn't use it. I tend to think TWINE is actually slightly worse, a really quite dreary melody making one of the dullest and least memorable Bond songs.
    I do enjoy the TND score though, it's lots of fun. The LaLaLand release is worth getting, especially for stuff like the unused version of Backseat Pilot which is great.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 6,104
    mtm wrote: »
    I like the melody of the verse as used throughout the score, I think that's a really good tune and works well (it's great in Backseat Driver) but I agree the song is just a pastiche really and it's for the best they didn't use it. I tend to think TWINE is actually slightly worse, a really quite dreary melody making one of the dullest and least memorable Bond songs.

    I actually enjoy TWINE! I’d take it over NTTD and Writing’s on the Wall (it at least builds up and feels more punchy, at least in my opinion).
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 19,358
    Well yeah, WOTW is a given ( :D ), but I don't dislike NTTD, I think it fits well and is a good song. TWINE just has that meander-y chorus which kind of sounds like it's being made up as it's being played and doesn't have any drama for me.

    NTTD is notable, I think, for being the first main Bond song which is actually written lyrically for the point in the movie it appears. Maybe All The Time In The World might be the first?
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 6,104
    mtm wrote: »
    Well yeah, WOTW is a given ( :D ), but I don't dislike NTTD, I think it fits well and is a good song. TWINE just has that meander-y chorus which kind of sounds like it's being made up as it's being played and doesn't have any drama for me.

    Fair enough. My issue with NTTD is I always forget how it goes no matter how many times I hear it. But it might just not be to my taste.
    mtm wrote: »
    NTTD is notable, I think, for being the first main Bond song which is actually written lyrically for the point in the movie it appears. Maybe All The Time In The World might be the first?

    Obviously it’d be Three Blind Mice of course! 😉 No idea, but that’s an interesting thought.
  • DEKE_RIVERSDEKE_RIVERS
    Posts: 2,458
    To me, Arnold always seemed like a poor man's John Barry, but I guess that's why they hired him.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 7,010
    mtm wrote: »
    Well yeah, WOTW is a given ( :D ), but I don't dislike NTTD, I think it fits well and is a good song. TWINE just has that meander-y chorus which kind of sounds like it's being made up as it's being played and doesn't have any drama for me.

    NTTD is notable, I think, for being the first main Bond song which is actually written lyrically for the point in the movie it appears. Maybe All The Time In The World might be the first?

    You Only Live Twice? Diamonds Are Forever?
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 2,245
    Of the five Craig films, the only one that stays with me musically is CR. For me, poor man's Barry it is.
  • FrankXavierFrankXavier
    edited 1:00am Posts: 748
    I guess I do have a controversial opinion too, in the sense that I AM a fan of Arnold, but I prefer Serra's GoldenEye score certainly over TND, the Natalya melody just sticks with me, and in fact I prefer Arnold's work in TWINE.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 7,010
    Agreed. I think Serra is more innovative, and that TWINE is Arnold's best score until the two Craig films.
  • DEKE_RIVERSDEKE_RIVERS
    edited 7:35am Posts: 2,458
    I have no problem with GE's soundtrack but I guess a lot of Serra's work wasn't included in the film. So I understand why he wasn't rehired.
  • LeighBurneLeighBurne
    Posts: 113
    As far as scores goes, I guess my most controversial opinion would be that while Barry is the undisputed king of the Bond franchise, most of my favourite scores are actually ones he didn’t do.
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