Top 10 James Bond Gunbarrels

[Dark Raven]

Continuing the top 10 themed lists, what are your favourite Bond gunbarrels?

In case you need refreshing, here is a compilation:



This is not about how much you like the movie, but which gunbarrels you think are the best, including music orchestration, pose, general filming etc.


1. Goldfinger - this had the stunt man Bob Simmons standing in for Connery - why it gets top billing is because it has the classic pose but also a great orchestration of the theme too. I don't think there's too much difference between this and FRWL, but the orchestration is slightly better here.

2. Dr No - this is the very first gunbarrel with the classic pose, again with Simmons standing in, but there's no theme music. It only kicks in once he has shot.

3. Thunderball - this is the first of the actual Connery gunbarrels - Connery has a cool walk, but is a bit wobbly when he finally spins around. His pose doesn't seem too stable. But the orchestration of the theme is great. Probably the best of the actual Connery gunbarrels.

4. The Man with the Golden Gun - I'd say this is Moore's best gunbarrel. He has a cool pose (he grips his arm to steady it when he shoots) and the orchestration is good.

5. Moonraker - Moore has a different pose here. It's the first of the new Moore poses where he grips his wrist to shoot. The orchestration is better here than subsequent Moore films which are either slightly too fast or too slow. This one is the right speed. There's not too much difference between this and Octopussy, but some of Octopussy sounds a bit laboured.

6. The Living Daylights - this might have the best orchestration for a gunbarrel. The pose is quite dynamic too, but I would've preferred he adopted the pose he used in the movie poster with one arm out instead of down by his side.

7. Spectre. I don't like this movie, but of all the Craig gunbarrels, it has the best orchestration and the best pose. Skyfall's, although similar, is a little stiff. In Quantum of Solace he is walking way too fast as if he's late for work but then just token shoots someone.

8. Casino Royale. This one makes it by sheer novelty, showing the origin of the gunbarrel as an in-sequence event in the film. But I can't put it any higher because it simply lacks some of the elements of the others.

9. On Her Majesty's Secret Service. This one isn't bad, and it's an unusual kneeling pose, but Lazenby looks like he's walking on a travelator at an airport.

10. Tomorrow Never Dies. This barely makes the list, but it has a decent traditional orchestration. It's lacking the fanfare though. I don't really like Brosnan's stiff pose when he shoots.

Honorary mentions go to FRWL, Octopussy, FYEO (a bit of a funky one), LTK (a bit of a Spanish flavour).

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Overall and mostly for the music, my favorite is FYEO. I love that Bill Conti rendition of the theme (and the score for FYEO in general is maybe my favorite in the entire series and perfectly captures Bond in the 80s).

The best pose though belongs to Timothy Dalton. Nearly perfect.

I agree that Spectre has by far the best of Craig's. QoS is probably the worst. Craig's body language just seems to give off the attitude of "Let's get this over with."

5. Moonraker - Moore has a different pose here. It's the first of the new Moore poses where he grips his wrist to shoot.

That would actually be TSWLM. They had to reshoot it since TSWLM changed back to the wider aspect ratio after LALD and TMWTGG.

 

[Dark Raven]

I would say that if Dalton had his left arm out more like in the poster, then TLD would easily be the best gunbarrel all round for pose and music.

I think with the arm out it looks more dynamic.

Brosnan has the worst pose of all. It's really stiff and too upright.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Brosnan's is one of the lesser ones, but I still like it better than Craig's QOS one that was already mentioned and Connery looking like he was about to fall over.