![]() But now we do, so just forget Quantum and go with Spectre.” – Fred Dekker, Monster Squad director and longtime Bond fan ![]() So what were they saying, ‘You know this Quantum secret organization we’re doing? We’ve actually been calling it Spectre amongst ourselves, but we couldn’t tell you, because we didn’t own the rights. “They’d already brought in something new with Quantum. What could possibly top that opening? Oh, nothing, just the first official appearance of Bond’s most iconic nemesis since 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, and this time around he’s played by Christoph Waltz doing his Christoph Waltz thing. Small problem with that: once the Day of the Dead sequence ends and Sam Smith’s strained vocals kick into “Writing’s on the Wall,” the film has another 135 minutes of time to fill. Even with all that experience, Spectre’s opening was the coolest thing he’d ever done. “Working on the Day of the Dead section of the film was one of the most exciting things I have done in my career, ever,” shared production designer Dennis Gassner, a 1991 Oscar winner for Bugsy and veteran of big-budget spectacles like The Golden Compass, Blade Runner: 2049, and all three Craig Bond movies post- Casino Royale. Wilson said, “Though we have worked on the James Bond films for more than 35 years, Barbara and I both felt that the opening sequence to Spectre was something magnificent to behold.” If the goal was to top Skyfall, Spectre certainly makes a compelling opening argument. The result of actual footage shot near the Presidential Palace, second unit work accomplished over a nearby airport, and a healthy dose of CGI. When the costume falls away, Bond – sporting his signature tuxedo and gun combo – leaves poor Sigman hanging and exits out the window, allowing Mendes the kind of invisible cut he would later use so judiciously in 1917. Similarly, if you were to put together a ranking of best individual scenes in James Bond history Spectre’s opening sequence would have to be high up there.įilmed in Mexico City with 1,500 extras and coordination from the government police and local army, the opening finds Bond in the middle of a Day of the Dead ceremony, hidden under a skull mask and escorted off the streets up to a lush hotel room by a stunning Stephanie Sigman, all presented in one unbroken take. Moonraker, for example, is an extreme exercise in late 70s camp, but it’s opening aerial sequence still possesses the how’d-they-do-that power to astound today. Long after the exact rigmarole of who betrayed who and what exactly Bond was after fades from memory, you happily recall that hilarious quip, insane stunt, crazy gadget, stunning girl, or particularly eye-rolling double entendre. It has been said that James Bond fans don’t really remember individual movies – they remember moments. But that didn’t stop them from delivering an all-time great opener. Suddenly, behind the scenes arguments were public, the script’s Star Trek Into Darkness-style reveal about the villain’s identity was spoiled, and no one seemed happy. Somewhat ironic for a franchise all about government secrets, Spectre’s script leaked online when North Korea hacked Sony’s emails. Oh, also, spoiler – Blofeld has been behind everything this entire time, and he’s actually Bond’s older foster brother! White (Jesper Christensen, last seen in Quantum of Solace). ![]() Once that was done, the screenwriters got to plotting a Skyfall follow-up in which Bond goes rogue – his new usual – and follows the trail of an assassin from Mexico City to Rome where he infiltrates an evil organization no one had ever heard of and eventually falls in love with the daughter (Lea Seydoux) of one of his old enemies – Mr. So, a plan was set into motion to, well, first twist Mendes’ arm into returning. By the film’s end, Daniel Craig’s Bond finally had his own M (Ralph Fiennes as the boss), Q (Ben Whishaw as the gadgets expert), and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris as the Gal Friday) and seemed set to launch into a classic 007 adventure.Īs such, why not bring back Bond’s own Moriarty? After decades of legal fights, Eon finally owned the rights to the franchise’s most iconic villain (Blofeld) and evil spy agency, SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion (SPECTRE). Sam Mendes – a new director to the franchise but longtime fan – had arrived just in time for Bond’s 50th anniversary and was gifted with a cracking script, instant-classic villain, and a killer Adele song. ![]() If based solely on the non-inflation-adjusted box office, the franchise had never gone any higher than Skyfall. The Bond franchise’s high water marks tend to be followed by grave disappointments. ![]()
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