007

So, was Moonraker the last time we hear 007 the tune? Also, what were the movies it was used in in order starting with FRWL?

Thanks

It would be From Russia With Love (twice -the Lektor stealing scene and gunfight at the gypsy camp), Thunderball (Street Chase and Underwater Mayhem), You Only Live Twice (Little Nellie), Diamonds Are Forever (To Hell with Blofeld) and finally, Moonraker.

It is the grand adventure theme that practically cries out to return. It's a damn shame that it is so relatively unknown among general audiences. I think Barry wanted to try to make a theme wholly his own that really nailed the quality of the classical adventure stories that even by the 1960's had practically died out. In interviews JB said he saw all the classic adventure films time and again in the cinema because IIRC his father either worked in distribution or ran a theater.

It's been 39 years since it has last been used. Once we get the series back to being the Bond series it will be about time the 007 theme returns.

I can never decide which version is best-the FRWL rendering is the original and has the exotic flavor of that film's score, but the TB rendering is in the full on epic mode and its usage in several reissue trailers is iconic.

I'm convinced that Barry hoped that '007' would overtake the James Bond Theme as the franchise's signature tune, since Monty Norman always got sole credit for their collaboration (as Norman was the musical director of Dr. No). But, since Barry went on to do eleven subsequent scores, I think he got the last laugh.

AMC Hornet wrote:

I'm convinced that Barry hoped that '007' would overtake the James Bond Theme as the franchise's signature tune, since Monty Norman always got sole credit for their collaboration (as Norman was the musical director of Dr. No). But, since Barry went on to do eleven subsequent scores, I think he got the last laugh.

Maybe, but he didn't use it in six other scores so I don't know if that could be entirely true. 

I sometimes imagine it to be a 007 vs SPECTRE theme, but it pops up in MR and doesn't in OHMSS so who knows. 

I'd like to see it return, but if it didn't during the Brosnan age, I doubt it will in Craig's era and beyond. It's too colourful. An Arnold rendition could have worked over one of the chase sequences in TND or DAD I imagine.

I always understood that what with the bruhaha over the James Bond Theme, JB created the 007 Theme to avoid any such copyright/ownership issues. For whatever reason he used it sparingly...it might've fitted in OHMSS at the Battle of Piz Gloria and Octopussy during the train chase perhaps...but who knows.

Using it sparingly makes it so enjoyable I think. Should Newman/Arnold A.N.Other uses it now it would be interesting.

I was going to do as a Battle of the Bonds, and I dare-say actually there's a previous thread but recent listens to albums got me thinking. Always dangerous, Hilly, but the 007 Theme.

From FRWL to Moonraker, Barry managed to keep this theme fresh, there are subtle differences say between YOLT and DAF or even non-Bond releases. It's not on par with the Bond theme but then it doesn't need to be. It's as exciting as it. There was talk of it perhaps returning for Craig -no. I don't want to sound like it's more Craig/Arnold bashing but it's a theme wholly designed by Barry for Barry. Yes, it should've been in OHMSS (I think either at Piz Gloria or maybe even the car chase/race) but even when it appeared in Moore's film, it didn't quite fit. It's a theme not just for Bond but Connery's Bond and the sixties at that.

So...

From Russia With Love- 007 Takes The Lektor (not on album, at the Gyspy Camp Fight)
Thunderball- "Street Chase" -{portions}, "Finding the Plane/Underwater Ballet/Bond with Spectre", "Underwater Mayhem/Death of Largo/End Titles" {portions} (not in film but on album, "007")
You Only Live Twice- Little Nellie
Diamonds Are Forever- To Hell With Blofeld
Moonraker- Bond Arrives in Rio/Boat Chase

Also crops up on the likes of the John Barry Themependium (sounding like firecrackers) and The Music of John Barry Definitive Collection etc.

Fantastic theme.

(and there is a thread...a few below this...Oh blind Hilly) Now, er, merged

I think the 007 theme over Bond's raid on Piz Gloria would have been the perfect spot, instead of the original version of the Bond theme (however cool it is to see Lazenby sliding on the ice to the iconic guitar riff).

It wouldn't fit for Craig's Bond. I'd have faith in Arnold to provide an updated version to suit today, but it's still to colourful for the Craig era (sorry Blunty). Though maybe somewhere in SF could have worked it in, 50th anniversary and all...

Mmm .. seems that it was felt that it didn't fit for Moore's 3 after Moonraker, both of Dalton's and all 4 of Brosnan's either.

I only mentioned it because Hilly said there's talk about it returning for Craig.

I think a reworked version could fit post-MR. Just like MR's version is string-heavy compared the brassier 60s version, an 80s/90s/modern version may have worked.

I'm thinking the bike chase or when the Royal Navy turn up in TND. I'd have preferred the 007 theme instead of Beach Boys in AVTAK. Maybe a subdued version of it while Bond stalked and fought Patrice in SF in Shanghai could have worked.

That was actually a Beach Boys cover in View, by a band called Gidea Park. Rights obtainment difficulties or cost-cutting ... who knows?

I don't think it's slated for a Craig film, only some people on this forum suggested maybe it should've been in Skyfall when the film was gearing up.

though Blunty, I can but imagine had it been used by JB for Daylights, it would have been accompanied by that 80s sound Barry employed for the film.

Using the 007 Theme for VTAK's PTS would've been inspired though perhaps for the fire engine chase...?

You're right BI, just that 'Beach Boys cover' never seems to quite roll off the tongue.

I agree re: the 007 Theme in Daylights. Hopefully using that 80s sound to rework it. Maybe in the Afghanistan shootout? Or the quieter moment of the song as Bond and Kara escape outside the prison cell?

Maybe the fire chase... Could have given it a little more danger.

It could've worked well in Daylights during the Aston-based action sequence ... that said, there's not much wrong with 'Ice Chase'.

Trouble with Ice Chase, much as I like it, is that half of it cropped up earlier in Exercise at Gibraltar. Much like how the danger sound in DAF crops up first in the PTS music (Gunbarrel/Manhunt) then again Peter Franks and again with Bond Meets Bambi and Thumper. Nothing wrong with it, just sometimes the recycling can make it too samey.

Never bothered me, the reuse of the Gibraltar/Ice chase music. Probably because it's so good. The biggest one for me used to be Octopussy's action cues being reused, but I've really come to love that soundtrack lately.

If it's in the same movie, I don't mind. In fact in most cases, I really like it.

The lack of using the 007 theme is the biggest crime musically that the series has ever committed. It's Barry's ode to classic adventure films of his youth, particularly his favorite GUNGA DIN, and while it doesn't exactly fit the original vibrant trend setting tone of the films it is a bombastic musical approximation of Bond himself doing the impossible.

It is INSANE to think it hasn't been used since 1979, but no one outside of Barry could do it right I would think. Adventure films no longer exist and certainly there isn't anyone around who knows how to score one.

It is also the one epic piece of music the series has ever had, and there are no more epic moments to be had in what they produce.

The issue with the track is that it's unashamedly patriotic, captures the adventure element of Bond, and usually accompanies a celebration of sorts. Impossible for Craig.

I think it should have played over the Piz Gloria raid, but I'd also suggest for the modern Bond movies (if you count the 90s as modern), I think it playing over Stamper's death and the navy's calls to Bond and Wai Lin would have been perfect. Though I really do love Wai Lin's theme popping up there.

Listening to the various versions, I figure Hell With Blofeld is probably the better, though each is unique in their way, such as Little Nellie.

Love it, always thought it would sit well in a western

Blunt Instrument wrote:

That was actually a Beach Boys cover in View, by a band called Gidea Park. Rights obtainment difficulties or cost-cutting ... who knows?

Funnily, David Lee Roth had released a cover of that song that very same year. You think they would have used his cover given its popularity, but he probably would have been more expensive than Gidea Park.

As for the 007 in the Craig era, I think SPECTRE could have worked with it in its sequences as they're much tonally lighter than in Craig's previous films, especially with Craig Bond at his most self assured. I can easily hear it work with moments like Bond smiling at Hinx from the plane.



That said, I found this clip of LTK with the 007 theme and really dig it, even though I think having the chase not feature any music was actually a good choice by Glen and Kamen.

It is a good think. Could imagine the twist Kamen could've given it. As you say though, the chase works well enough without music in places.

The 007 theme in LTK doesn't fit at all.

I think the last chance of hearing it would have been with TND. Imagine the 007 Theme blasting as the Royal Navy arrive to slow Carver's stealth ship while Bond sabotages it from the inside.

Would have been more memorable than whatever David Arnold was doing.

If 007 was to be used at all in Brosnan's era, either the boat chase in TWINE or hovercraft chase in DAD.

With Arnold's appropriate use of techno-mix.