Bond Chase Scenes

Films
#1

Like Bond fights, there have been many chases in the film series and Never Say Never Again over the years. Chases can take many forms: Bond chasing someone or being chased; they can take place on foot, in motor vehicles, in the air, on or in the water, or on ice or snow. Every film has at least one good chase in it. But which ones are the best? Or the most creative? Or even overrated or underrated? Or simply the worst?

What constitutes a chase is someone running/driving/flying/skiing/swimming et al after someone and the person being chased knows they are being chased and are trying to get away. So following/tailing someone is not a chase. Also, a gunfight that involves stalking or running after someone to a different location is not a chase. That’s just part of a gunfight.

My opinion for best chases:

SEAN CONNERY: Bond chased by 4 SPECTRE Helicopter Pilots in aerial chase (You Only Live Twice)
GEORGE LAZENBY: Bond chased by Blofeld and SPECTRE Skiers in snow chase (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service)
ROGER MOORE: Bond and Melina chased by Gonzales’ Thugs in car chase (For Your Eyes Only)
TIMOTHY DALTON: Bond chases Sanchez, Truman-Lodge, and Sanchez’s Drivers in tanker truck chase (Licence To Kill)
PIERCE BROSNAN: Bond chases Giulietta in boat chase (The World Is Not Enough)
DANIEL CRAIG: Bond chases Mollaka in foot chase (Casino Royale)

And my top pick is Bond chases Mollaka in foot chase in Casino Royale. It perfectly sums up James Bond. It’s finesse vs. physical. It’s quick-thinking and adapting to the environment. It’s going full bore after your objective, throwing caution to the wind. And ultimately, fulfilling the mission and leaving the viewer both shaken and stirred.

2 Likes
#2

Here are some of the best chases in the series:

SEAN CONNERY:

  1. Bond chased by No’s Hearse Driver & 3 “Blind” Assassins in car chase (DN)
  2. Bond chased by SPECTRE Helicopter Pilot & Grenade Thrower in foot/helicopter chase (FRWL)
  3. Bond & Tatiana chased by Morzeny & SPECTRE Thugs in boat chase (FRWL)
  4. Bond & Tilly chased by Oddjob & Goldfinger’s Thugs in car chase on back roads (G)
  5. Bond chased by Goldfinger’s Thugs in car chase inside compound (G)
  6. Bond chased by Fiona, Vargas, Janni, & Largo’s Thugs in foot chase (T)
  7. Bond chases Aki in foot chase (YOLT)
  8. Aki & Bond chased by Osato’s Thugs in car chase (YOLT)
  9. Bond chased by Osato’s Thugs in foot chase (YOLT)
  10. Bond chased by 4 SPECTRE Helicopter Pilots in aerial chase (YOLT)
  11. Bond chased by White Techtronics Guards in moon buggy/car chase (DAF)
  12. Bond & Tiffany chased by Las Vegas Sheriff & Deputies in car chase (DAF)
  13. Bond chased by sharks in swimming chase (NSNA)
  14. Bond chases Fatima in motorcycle/car chase (NSNA)
  15. Bond chases Fatima while chased by Fatima’s Thugs in motorcycle/car chase (NSNA)
  16. Bond & Domino chased by Arabs in horse/foot chase (NSNA)

GEORGE LAZENBY:

  1. Bond chased by Blofeld & SPECTRE Thugs in ski chase (OHMSS)
  2. Tracy & Bond chased by Bunt & SPECTRE Thugs in car chase (OHMSS)
  3. Bond & Tracy chased by Blofeld & SPECTRE Thugs in ski chase (OHMSS)
  4. Bond chases Blofeld in foot then bobsled chase (OHMSS)

ROGER MOORE:

  1. Bond & Solitaire chased by San Monique Cops in bus/car & motorcycle chase (LALD)
  2. Bond & Bell chased by Kananga’s Thugs in grounded plane/car chase (LALD)
  3. Bond chased by Adam & Kananga’s Thugs in boat chase (LALD)
  4. Bond & Pepper chase Scaramanga, Nack, & Mary in car chase (TMWTGG)
  5. Bond chased by Borzov & Russian Agents in ski chase (TSWLM)
  6. Bond & Anya chased by Stromberg’s Motorcycle Assassin then Jaws & Jaws’ Pals then Naomi in car/motorcyle then car then helicopter chase (TSWLM)
  7. Bond & Anya chased by Stromberg’s Atlantis Guards in underwater chase (TSWLM)
  8. Bond chased by Jaws in skydiving chase (M)
  9. Bond chased by Drax’s Thugs in gondola/boat chase (M)
  10. Bond chased by Jaws & Drax’s Thugs in boat chase (M)
  11. Bond & Melina chased by Gonzales’ Thugs in foot then car chase (FYEO)
  12. Bond chased by Kriegler & Locque’s Thugs in ski/motorcycle chase (FYEO)
  13. Bond chased by missile in jet/missile chase (O)
  14. Bond chased by Gobinda & 5 Gobinda’s Thugs in tuk-tuk then foot chase (O)
  15. Bond chased/hunted by Khan, Gobinda, & Khan’s Thugs in foot chase/manhunt (O)
  16. Bond chased by West German Police then American Military Police in car then foot chase (O)
  17. Bond chased by Russian Soldiers in snow chase (AVTAK)
  18. Bond chases May in foot then car/skydiving chase (AVTAK)
  19. Bond & Stacey chased by San Francisco Cops in fire engine/car chase (AVTAK)

TIMOTHY DALTON:

  1. Bond & Kara chased by Czech Police & Soldiers in car then snow chase (TLD)
  2. Bond chased by Tangier Cops in foot chase (TLD)
  3. Bond chased by Krest’s Frogmen & Thugs in swimming then waterskiing/boat chase (LTK)
  4. Bond chases Sanchez, Truman-Lodge, & Sanchez’ Drivers in tanker truck chase (LTK)

PIERCE BROSNAN:

  1. Bond chases Ouromov, Natalya, & Ouromov’s Driver & is chased by St. Petersburg Cops & Russian Soldiers in tank/car chase (G/E)
  2. Bond chased by Trevelyan in foot chase (G/E)
  3. Bond & MiG Co-Pilot chased by MiG Pilot in jet chase (TND)
  4. Bond chased by Carver’s CMGN Security Guards in foot chase (TND)
  5. Bond chased by Carver’s CMGN Security Guards in car chase (TND)
  6. Bond & Wai chased by Carver’s Thugs in motorcycle/car & helicopter chase (TND)
  7. Bond chases Giulietta in boat chase (TWINE)
  8. Bond chased by Elektra’s Thugs in ski/parahawk chase (TWINE)
  9. Bond chases Elektra in foot chase (TWINE)
  10. Bond chases Moon & North Korean Soldiers in hovercraft chase (DAD)
  11. Bond chased by Moon/Graves’ Thugs then Icarus beam in foot then sled/solar weapon chase (DAD)
  12. Bond chased by Zao in car chase (DAD)

DANIEL CRAIG:

  1. Bond chases Mollaka in foot chase (CR)
  2. Bond chases Le Chiffe, Kratt, Valenka, Le Chiffre’s Thugs, & Vesper in car chase (CR)
  3. Bond chased by White’s Thugs & Italian Cops in car chase (QOS)
  4. Bond chases Mitchell in foot chase (QOS)
  5. Bond & Camille chased by Medrano’s Thugs in boat chase (QOS)
  6. Bond & Camille chased by Bolivian Marchetti Pilot in aerial chase (QOS)
  7. Bond chases Greene in foot chase (QOS)
  8. Bond & Moneypenny chase Patrice in car then motorcycle then foot chase (Sk)
  9. Bond chases Silva in foot chase (Sk)
  10. Bond chases Sciarra in foot chase (Sp)
  11. Bond chased by Hinx in car chase (Sp)
  12. Bond chases Hinx, Hinx’s Pals, & Madeleine in plane/car chase (Sp)

OTHER:

  1. Corinne chased by Drax’s 2 Doberman pinschers in foot chase (M)
  2. Mischka & Grischka chase 009 in foot chase (O)
1 Like
#3

Great lists. To pick from Double’s Oh’s original post, I’ll say, on a very straightforward “thrills-per-minute” basis, it’s hard to top it (though I’m old enough to remember LALD’s boat chase which enjoyed “iconic” status for many years. But picking a winner out of them, however…

My first instinct was to go with the parkour sequence - the first 20 mins of CR (including Kleinmenn’s terrific credits) were vital in establishing DC - more so than the opening of any other actor’s tenure (SC excepted of course). It makes it the most “important” chase for me.

But the best - I’m going with LTK. Glen - a director I’ve taken my fair share of shots over the years here - is at his very best. The stunts are first-rate, TD outstanding, the humour never detracting from the danger. And it’s the climax of the film which I think put’s it under extra pressure to deliver. It must thrill as well as delivering the dramatic denouement.

I remember reading somewhere how proud Glen was of the whole sequence, and it’s a fitting end to his time in the chair, and to be fair, “old” EON.

2 Likes
#4

I agree. That is a great chase and it’s in my favorite film! It’s in my top three and it’s arguably the best climax to any Bond film.

1 Like
#5

First: thanks so much for these lists Double-OhAgent

I look at these two as one diptych chase: it starts with Bond in the moon buggy, then switches to him riding a motorbike (hinge moment), and finishes with him driving a red Mustang. The chase moves from a lunar/desert terrain to the streets of Las Vegas–from abstract to materialist.

Question: is DAF the only film with one chase sequence (albeit an extended one)?

Other favorites:

Watching this sequence always makes me happy.

So wonderful except for that slide whistle.

My favorite of the Moore Bond chase sequences.

I just re-watched the film the other day, and I was both pleased and dissatisfied by this scene. The sequence sometimes feels like a successful cross between a Craig Bond chase and a Moore Bond chase, and at other times like an unsuccessful Frankenstein-hybrid of the two.

Yes, I know all the objections. It still pleases me when I watch it.

1 Like
#6

You’re welcome. I’m having fun doing it.

As for the Bond chased by Hinx car chase, I watched that the other day and I don’t think it’s as bad as it’s made out to be. I know some aren’t wild about the phone call with Moneypenny, which is used for information and comical purposes. I’m okay with it. What bothers me a more is that I do think there should be more vehicles involved than just a slow driver and a truck to get in the way of Bond. It is like 3 am, but there should be a few more cars on the road which would help ratchet up the suspense of the chase. But other than that, it is still a pretty good chase though not one of the very best.

2 Likes
#7

I would have loved to have seen the chase across the roof tops of London, that was cut from OHMSS

3 Likes
#8

So am I. I actually think it adds to the sequence. In a way, the phone call replaces the other cars which you miss (and which I had never thought about until your comment). Maybe the sequence is as much of a “race” as it is a “chase.”

#9

Me too. It would have been great to see George Lazenby’s athleticism further highlighted in that scene.

I can understand why they didn’t use it, but I think it would have been worth keeping.

2 Likes
#10

Have you ever noticed that, when Bond does the chasing, he almost never catches his quarry?

2 Likes
#11

No, I never did. Interesting to think about. Thanks.

#12

It’s also got one of the most imaginative fighting moves, as @stromberg pointed out:

image

2 Likes
#13

Foucan can give many a lecture on how that’s done…

Buying Jump London is cheaper.

#14

I love the CR foot chase, and the TWINE boat chase, and always will.

I have a soft spot for:-

  • FYEO Citroen chase in Spain
  • YOLT thugs chasing Bond, shot from above (great tracking shot)
  • TLD Gibraltar car chase
  • TSWLM car, motorbike and sidecar and helicopter chase
  • Octopussy car chase
1 Like
#15

I like many of these sequences, but this is my top three:

  • Bond escapes Piz Gloria (OHMSS)
  • Tanker truck chase (LTK)
  • Bond chases Mollaka (CR)
2 Likes
#16

How many films are we on to now? 24? 25? (I’ve been at this Bond thing so long I’ve forgotten!!) - but this moment, along with Barry’s music (sampled by Lionrock…can’t remember the album…) is one of single greatest shots in the whole series.

3 Likes
#17

The music in that particular scene elevates the cinematography to the point I don’t know if that amazing shot would pack the same punch without it.

2 Likes
#18

Always taken the position that EON made a hash of the Blofeld trilogy - out of order, 3 different actors, no real thought to the series’ arch-nemesis. Fortunately, Barry didn’t get the “memo” - it’s hard to top those 3 soundtracks in a row.

3 Likes