Your Three Favorite Bizarre Bond Moments

As many of you know, one of my favorite features of the Fleming novels that has more or less been maintained in the films, is the bizarre element, or what I've christened the "benign bizarre." Below are what I consider to be the best of these moments in the films. Please mention your favorites.

1. Bond Clouted, Sees Strange Images: Love the scene in OHMSS where Bond is surprised by Bunt in bed, takes a wallop upside the head, Barry's Twilight Zone-style music kicks in, and Bond begins seeing things in a semi-conscious, dreamlike state. The red angel Christmas ornament, which looks rather demonic, is a great touch.

2. DAF Segue from PTS to Credits: DAF is the most bizarre of all Bond films and the best example of this comes immediately after Bond says "Welcome to Hell, Blofeld." Blofeld's white cat, wearing a diamond-studded collar, and superimposed against a black blackground, utters an unearthly screech and immediately thereafter the mesmerizing title track kicks in. Ingenious.

3. "It's going to be a beeeutiful day!": LALD is downright weird and spooky in spots, and it doesn't get much weirder than Baron Samedi playing a flute and stating, "It's going to be a beeeutiful day. A beeeutiful day! Aaah ha ha ha!" as Bond and Rosie trot past him.

Would Bond being momentarily startled upon waking in Sanchez' house by that hideous statue/ornament/THING fall into this category? I kinda like that moment.

Absolutely, BI. In fact, that might be No.4 on my list.

1. The double-take parrot in Moonraker.

2. Bond doing the Tarzan call in Octopussy.

3. Bond surfing to California Girls in the AVTAK pretitle.

I've always loved that segue from the DAF pts into the 'mesmerizing title track".

The cat's unearthly screech is very apropos considering cats are traditionally guardians of the underworld, at least according to John Cox in his excellent essay, The Sexual Subtext of 007, in which among other topics he likens YOLT as James Bond going to hell, or James Bond's death and journey through purgatory, with Blofeld cast as the devil (who else would live in a volcano) ordering men to commit evil deeds while stroking a cat.

Blofeld's cats always had a sinister quality.

Bizarre...

...the bar fight in LTK. Totally out of place.

Favorite bizarre moments...

There's some striking, eerie imagery as Bond makes his way through the 'graveyard of statues' in GE, although I guess the 'benign' aspect goes out the window when Alec appears.

I particularly like Serra's scoring in that sequence, BI. Definitely a touch of the bizarre.

From GE, there's also the mimes in Monte Carlo, and the dream-like sequence in the Orthodox church. Both of course helped by Serra's score.

What about Hai Fat's garden at night in TMWTGG? That's pretty damn weird.

Are you talking about the sequence in which the sumo "statues" come to life, Bond puts the squeeze on one's nutz, and NickNack almost impales Bond? If so, yeah, pretty dam' weird.

Yikes, Favourite you mean. Sorry.

All those mentioned above, yes, absolutely bizarre and I love them.

Bond swallowing bullet in TMWGG, love the scene. The look on Moore's face.

1. "We can do a deal... I'll buy you a delicatessen.... in stainless steel!!!!" (FYEO)
2. California Girls coming on during PTS (AVTAK)
3. Chinaman running around on fire from Blofeld's lazer.... utterly bizarre effects, yet hilarious thus brilliant (DAF)

Very honourable mentions: The pigeon, "Dracula" and "Bond in space", all from the mighty MR.

I'm three favourite bizarre Bond moments? Thanks much! :face:

One that comes immediately to mind is Bond's cremation in DAF. Especially the ending when the goons suddenly pop the lid and get on Bond's case. That's best bizarre shit, bro.

My fave's probably the winking fish. I just dont get why everybody else seems to hate it.

colly wrote:

My fave's probably the winking fish. I just dont get why everybody else seems to hate it.

It's not the most obvious choice of Bond film to end with a literal 'wink to the audience', I think it's fair to say.

I've always liked the winking fish. Then again, there's very little about LTK I don't like.

My three favourites are the same as yours Khan except for the order



1. DAF transition from welcome to hell Blofeld to demonic cat screech to haunting title song. That whole sequence still knocks me out of my chair.



2. Tee Hee beeautiful day



3. Lazenby psychedelic journey.





If I can think of others I will add but for now those fit the bill nicely. Nothing beats # 1 though.