The James Bond The franchise has become one of the most iconic movie series of all time. From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, each actor to play 007 brought their own unique brand of glamor to the character, allowing the franchise to constantly reinvent itself. Along with the ever-changing actors, James Bond is a franchise (and indeed a character) defined by his commitment to death-defying stunts.
Some of these stunts have truly cemented themselves in cinematic history for several different reasons. Is this the Bond franchise consistently set new recordsOr even make stupid film-making mistakes that make it into the final cut, each of these stunts has been loved by audiences for generations. While modern technology has helped CGI progress rapidly, the Bond franchise is renowned for its commitment to practical effects wherever possible, and that includes its incredible stunt work.
10
Mustang Alley
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Sean Connery’s final outing as 007 came in Diamonds are foreverWhen he embarks on one final mission to foil Blofeld’s plan to destroy Washington DC with a space-based laser. One of the most iconic moments of the movie is when Bond is fleeing from the police in a Ford Mustang in Las Vegas. Approaching a narrow alley, he asks his passenger to move to one side, and he steers the car through the alley on only two wheels in a game of precarious balance.
Diamonds are forever Try to explain the mistake with an in-car shot that appears to flip the car, but it does little to overcome the error.
The stunt, achieved entirely through practical effects and the work of real-life stunt drivers, became iconic not only for Bond’s ability to balance a car on two wheels, but for the critical mistake that occurs after the stunt is done. The Mustang enters the alley on its right-hand wheels and leaves on its left. Diamonds are forever Try to explain the mistake with an in-car shot that appears to flip the car, but it does little to overcome the error. Ultimately, this mistake is what makes the Mustang Alley stunt such an iconic and enthralling part of Bond’s history of stunt work.
9
Cable car action
Moonraker (1979)
MoonrakerStarring Roger Moore in his fourth outing as Bond, the spy investigates the disappearance of a space shuttle, a mission that eventually takes him to outer space. however, MoonrakerThe best trick happens on the groundIn Rio de Janeiro to be exact. Set against the backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain, Bond battles the towering Jaws (Richard Kiel) in a dramatic action sequence on a moving cable car hundreds of feet above the ground.
While some of the more action-intensive moments were shot on the ground at Pinewood Studios, much of the wide-angle footage was filmed on location in Rio. The cable cars are all real, with stunt men and coordinators having to work at the dizzying heights seen in the film to perfect the sequence. Vertigo-inducing heights, gritty action, and an incredible set piece, while Moonraker is known for some wild momentsbe Cable car action is the true epitome of how to perform a truly incredible James Bond stunt.
8
Crocodile bridge
Live and Let Die (1973)
Roger Moore’s first outing as James Bond came in Live and let dieWhere Bond is thrust into a world of gangsters and voodoo magic as he attempts to overthrow an international drug organization. Live and let die Also includes one of the most incredible stunts in the entire franchise. When Bond is trapped on a small island surrounded by crocodiles, he uses his quick thinking to lure the crocodiles into forming a makeshift bridge, before running gracefully across them.
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what makes Live and let dieThe landmark trick so iconic is the fact that real crocodiles were used while filming. Although the stunt was performed by stuntman and crocodile expert Ross Kananga, that does not make it any less impressive. This is probably one of the most dangerous stunts ever performed in the Bond franchise, with one wrong move that could lead to a nasty encounter with the crocodiles.
7
Aston Martin barrel roll
Casino Royale (2006)
There was a lot riding on the shoulders of Daniel Craig’s first appearance as 007 in Casino RoyaleHow the franchise tried to reinvent itself for a modern audience. The movie certainly succeeded in this regard, helped a lot by one of the most unforgettable moments in the series. During a high-speed car chase, Bond drives an Aston Martin DBS, swerves violently to avoid hitting the tied-up Vesper (Eva Green), and ends up flipping the car several times as it barrels down a hill.
In total, the DBS flipped a whopping seven times before eventually stopping, making the stunt full of action, but also the product of meticulous planning and coordination.
The stunt itself was 100% real, with the team using a gas-powered cannon to launch the Aston Martin into the road, all with a stunt driver inside. However, what really makes the barrel roll stand out is the fact that it was awarded a Guinness World Record for most cannon-powered rolls of a car in history. In total, the DBS flipped a whopping seven times before eventually stopping, making the stunt full of action, but also the product of meticulous planning and coordination.
6
Motorbike Rooftop Chase
Skyfall (2012)
Skyfall is often regarded as one of the best Bond movies made, and part of its success can surely be attributed to its incredible action sequences. Of these, the most iconic comes at the beginning of SkyfallWhere Bond pursues mercenary Patrice (Ola Rapace) across the rooftops of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. Sounds simple enough, until one realizes that the chase happens with both characters on motorbikes.
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The stunt team had to use specially modified bikes in order to handle the rough terrain of the rooftops and the extremely tight spaces of the bazaar itself. Extra suspension and modified tires gave the bikes more grip, and the rooftops were reinforced to support the weight. While some CGI was used, the efforts of the stunt drivers and the production team in creating such a feat of heart-stopping action earned SkyfallS motorbike chase a place on the list.
5
Dam Bungee Jump
GoldenEye (1995)
After a six-year hiatus, Bond returned (as Pierce Brosnan) with a bang in 1995 GoldenEye. It was a much anticipated return for 007, with audiences expecting big things. They are certainly not disappointed. one of GoldenEye‘s opening scenes sees Bond running along a dam, securing himself with a bungee cord, before leaping off into the abyss.
It’s a masterclass in how to pull off a Bond stunt – there are no explosions, no chases, just James Bond, a bungee cord and a jump.
The stunt is incredible, primarily because it introduced the world to the new era of 007, and just set the tone for Brosnan’s tenure as the spy. However, the execution of the stunt also earns it some flowers, with the entire sequence being shot on location at the Verzaska Dam in Switzerland. It’s a masterclass in how to pull off a Bond stunt – there are no explosions, no chases, just James Bond, a bungee cord and a jump. It’s simple, but it’s perfect.
4
Great action
Casino Royale (2006)
Casino Royale is a movie that is full of incredible stunts, such as the Aston Martin barrel roll, but none come as close to stunt perfection as the crane action. The sequence, set on a building site in Madagascar, sees Bond chasing down a bomb maker. The chase eventually leads the two to clash on a massive crane, hundreds of feet in the air. It’s heart-pumping action like this that made Casino Royale Such a good opening movie for Daniel Craig’s iteration of Bond.
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The stunt team worked with parkour experts to make the sequence as authentic as possible. Indeed, the man Bond is chasing, Mollaca, was portrayed by French free runner Sébastien Foucan, a man who was able to advise how best to execute the scene. Craig said that Casino RoyaleHis crane fight was the most challenging stunt of his time as Bond, due to the actor’s fear of heights and the precision involved in navigating the cranes at such a dizzying height.
3
Record-breaking explosion
specter (2015)
Spectre Proved to be one of the most unique entries in the Bond franchiseSee 007 face the ghosts of his past, as well as a contemporary reimagining of his arch-enemy, Blofeld (Christoph Waltz). in one of SpectreThe most memorable scenes, Blofeld’s base in the desert is destroyed by Bond, who watches from afar as it is engulfed in a fiery explosion. For those who think this scene was achieved with CGI, think again.
Spectre’s explosion also had to be shot in a single take, making the destruction of Blofeld’s base even more impressive to watch.
SpectreThe massive explosion was actually achieved largely with practical effects, namely 24 charges of explosives and nearly 8,000 liters of fuel. The stunt would also set a Guinness World Record for being the largest movie explosion ever, truly cementing its place as one of the most ambitious and well-executed Bond scenes of all time. spectrumHis explosion also had to be shot in a single take, making the destruction of Blofeld’s base all the more impressive to watch.
2
Skiing off a cliff
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
One of the most beloved stunts, not only in James Bond, but in cinematic history, occurs in The spy who loved me. Roger Moore’s third outing as Bond also saw the spy embark on potentially the most ambitious stunt of the entire franchise. In a moment of timeless trick magic, Bond skis to the edge of a cliff before jumping off. It looks like all is lost, before the spy deploys his iconic Union Jack parachute and safely finishes the descent.
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The trick is done by Professional skier and stuntman Rick SylvesterWho jumps from Mount Asgard in Canada for this particular trick. At a cost of $500,000, this seemingly simple maneuver became the most expensive movie stunt in movie history at the time. From the ski jump, to the moment when Bond is suspended in the air, to the breath of relief when his parachute is deployed, everything about the stunt in The spy who loved me is pure action movie gold.
1
The Corkscrew Hornet Jump
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
The man with the golden gun is one of the most beloved Bond stories ever. Moore reprises his role as 007, taking on the iconic villain Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), whose solid gold weapon lends his name to the movie’s title. In one of 007’s most iconic scenes of all time, Bond is chasing Scaramanga in his AMC Hornet and has to cross a broken bridge. With a leap of faith, and a corny sound effect to go with it, Bond is able to make the Hornet perform a perfect corkscrew spin before landing safely on the other side of the river.
The mathematical precision involved in this stunt is unlike anything seen in the Bond series before or since, with the car having to hit the ramp at exactly 48 miles per hour to execute the corkscrew effectively.
In a time before CGI was capable of such a feat, the Hornet corkscrew was done entirely practically, with The help of stunt driver Lauren “Bumps” Willert. The mathematical precision involved in this stunt is unlike anything seen in the Bond series before or since, with the car having to hit the ramp at exactly 48 miles per hour to execute the corkscrew effectively.
The accuracy, the danger, and the stakes involved all combine to make The man with the golden guns corkscrew jump the greatest James Bond stunt of all time. It may be corny, and relatively small in scale, but that doesn’t take anything away from the ambition and precision of such a feat in the James Bond Movie.