Welcome back to another James Bond top 10.
A series as long running as Bond is bound to reference itself from time to time,
especially one that is a bit tongue in cheek,
with a fanbase who like to play spot the in-joke.
‘Don’t you know, iguana’s are a girl’s best friend.’
Broadly speaking these references fall into two categories;
those that are acknowledging continuity,
recalling events of a previous film;
and those which break the fourth wall to wink at the audience and say,
do you see what we did there?
And we start with the most famous and least well-judged of them all.
“That never happened to the other fellow”
In his first line George Lazenby, who should have been establishing himself in the role,
reminds us of the ‘other fella’.
'Same old James. Oh! Only more so.'
And if that wasn’t enough to totally undermine the poor man,
we then go straight into the Best of Connery credit sequence.
And they bring it up again later,
this is better handled, in isolation it would have been fine,
but line it up with the opening and it’s honestly hard to believe this wasn’t done by someone actively sabotaging the film.
'Sorry Maam'
The Brosnan films, and particularly the last two,
really played with in-references.
‘Diamonds are for everyone’
They sure are. We’ll come to the good ones, but here’s one from The World is Not Enough that didn’t work
and for exactly the opposite reason to the opening of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
That was too obvious, this…
I’ve been reliably informed that the pin-ups on the walls here are former Bond girls,
but unless you go through frame by frame how would know?
Now, I don’t actually want to see Bond girls on the wall there because that’s a reference too far,
but if you can’t see it, then you’re just doing it to be able to say you did it.
Why bother?
That said, credit to the film for it’s title being one of the best in-references.
'Have a look this, arms of Sir Thomas Bond, great motto eh? The world is not enough’
'I could have given you the world.'
'The world is not enough’
‘Foolish sentiment’
‘Family motto’
If the opening of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was Lazenby’s folly
then the ending is his lasting legacy as Bond and what remains the franchise’s most touching scene.
With the exception of Daniel Craig,
who is playing a younger Bond (despite being older),
and was anyway given enough emotional baggage to fill a hollowed out volcano,
every other actor playing the role has relished the opportunity to do a bit of dramatic acting
by acknowledging that scar on Bond’s soul;
Roger Moore,
‘Many lady friends, but married only once, wife killed...’
'Alright, you made your point.'
'Your sensitive Mr Bond.'
'About some things yes.'
Timothy Dalton,
‘He was married once but it was a long time ago.’
and Pierce Brosnan.
‘Have you ever lost a loved one Mr Bond?’
'M sent me because we belive your life may be in danger.'
But we’ve given this spot to the opening of For Your Eyes Only
. Moore was often deprecating about his own acting, but his stoic yet heartbroken expression here is genuinely moving.
It’s often been pointed out that Q gives Bond exactly what he needs to complete a mission
and these gadgets then disappear, sometimes literally.
even if they would be useful in subsequent films.
'Moneypenny, ask thr equipment office to come in please.'
But in the early years, before anyone could have guessed at how long the series might run,
they actually deal with the issue.
Q Branch has put together a smart bit of luggage for us.
In From Russia with Love, Bond has a black attache case with knives and exploding talcum powder within,
and in the next film, Goldfinger,
‘black attache case damaged when examined, so sorry.’
That’s why he can’t use it.
At the other end of the in-reference spectrum is of course Die Another Day,
celebrating 40 years and… how many films?
'This will be your 20th I believe.'
With a film that even Pierce Brosnan disliked.
The most obvious, and satisfying, of the many in-jokes is the laboratory of Q’s replacement R
crammed with gadgets from old adventures.
And when Bond goes underwater later in the film
he uses the breathing device from Connery’s Thunderball.
'The problem with company cars is they come with trackers.'
But our favourite gadget-based in-reference is this moment from Skyfall.
'Its not very comfortable is it.'
'Are you going to complain the whole way.'
Calling back to Goldfinger and Bond’s most iconic car.
‘Ejector seat, you’re joking.’
Die Another Day didn’t stop at gadgets in its attempt to riff on classic Bond moments.
This time it’s the bad guy who gets to wear the Union Jack parachute, and of course.
Referencing Ursula Andress’s memorable entrance,
something the franchise would return to once more, with a new twist.
Who wore it best?
Die Another Day also features some less obvious in-references,
including one for the die-hard fans.
Brosnan is looking at A Field Guide to Birds of the West Indies,
written by James Bond.
reportedly where Flemming found the name for his character.
but this isn’t the only film to pay tribute to the writer and the character’s literary origins.
“Property of a Lady”
The Property of a Lady was the title of a Bond short story by Fleming,
elements of which were introduced into Octopussy.
'There are quite a few ladies here.'
For a while The Property of a Lady was to be Timothy Dalton’s third Bond film,
though it would have featured a completely new plot,
elements of which found their way into Goldeneye after Pierce Brosnan took over the role.
Goldeneye itself was the name of an operation Flemming was involved with
during his time in British naval intelligence.
and later the name his chose for his estate in Jamacia.
Music has always been a key feature of Bond films,
from the epic drum and brass scores of John Barry
to whatever the hell Madonna was playing.
#Sigmond Freud, Analyse this.#
They are themes that get into your head, tunes you can whistle.
#Whistling Goldfinger#
And, arguably, the greatest Bond theme of all is Monty Norman’s signature tune,
the most recognisable letitmotif in cinema,
and it would have to be for you to be able to recognise it played in bullet ricochets.
It is there, if you listen, lets try again.
Frankly I prefer the less subtle version,
even if it causes a few raised eyebrows.
#Bond theme#
Maybe a wink to the audience too far but when it comes to winking at the audeince...
'That's a charming tune.'
nobody does it better.
#Spy Who Loved Me theme played on keypad.#
What you really want from an in-reference is something that won’t take the casual viewer out of the story,
but will allow the seasoned fan to nod knowingly and feel superior.
'Think I had a hat when I came in.'
Little callbacks that you’d need to have seen the films multiple times to spot.
Like the fact, the Russian Moneypenny is called Rubelvitch, or...
‘I’ll be there in an hour...'
'You're old case sounds interesting James.'
'Make that an hour and a half.'
‘I’ll report in an hour’
‘Won’t you join me’
‘Better make that 2’.
Timothy Dalton establishing himself the superior agent in at least one area.
As I think we’ve demonstrated, our favourite in-references are the ones in the new films that recall the old,
not because they’re clever or because they add anything,
but because they suggest that the people who made this are fans, just like we are.
But, it’s a fine line to walk.
We’re not looking for jokes, just an acknowledgement of the history – the mythology.
The portrait of Bernard Lee in The World is Not Enough.
The return of classic characters...
‘Ernst Stavro Blofeld’
‘Catchy name’
and their pets.
‘Hello pussy’
Casino Royale was an origin story,
Bond Begins, and was actually pretty restrained about playing on the cliches,
rightly focusing on the story, and winking at the audience only occasionally
‘Vodka Martini’
‘Shaken or stirred?’
‘Do I look like I give a damn?’ But it opens with what may be the finest in-reference of them all,
because it gives insight into Bond
This is Bond’s first kill, and it means that, in all those other gun barrel openings through the years,
Bond is re-enacting that seminal moment of his life.
It’s an in-reference that makes all those other openings into back references.
That’s clever.
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What are your favourite movie back references or in-jokes, from Bond or other film franchises?
Tell us in the comments below.