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TheJames Bondfranchise is known for its venture into the world of espionage and extravagant stunts. The dangerous stunts are among several reasons why the franchise has spanned over 60 years and 25 installments. It’s one of the longest-running franchises in cinematic history, and as time has passed, many practical stunts have become more and more ambitious. As each film is released, the world waits in anticipation to see what stunt will outshine the others, creating pressure for the creatives to outdo the film’s predecessors.
All stunt work requires a considerable amount of risk-taking, but the risks taken in 007’s world are on another level. Like any other film set, there’s a team of professionals that execute the stunts in accordance with safety standards. However, there’s always a chance that something could go wrong despite the diligence of the trained professionals. There are several stunts to recognize as boundary-pushing, but the corkscrew jump inThe Man With the Golden Gunis a ground-breaking practical stunt that remains ingrained in the minds of cinephiles. The long-running franchise has displayed an unrivaled level of artistry and craftsmanship that other films merely echo, as no other movie can exceed the lasting legacy of James Bond in cinema.
The Man with the Golden Gun
The First Vehicular Corkscrew Jump in James Bond
The franchise is known for its advanced practical stunts and has earned a reputation for them,but the Corkscrew jump sequence in the 1974 filmThe Man With the Golden Gunmade cinematic history for being the first of its kind to be shot on film. The spectacular scene sees Bond (Moore) in pursuit of Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) in Bangkok, Thailand. Bond steals a red AMC Hornet to catch up with the villain. Thescene includes a cameofrom Sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James) fromLive and Let Die(1973), who’s in the car 007 steals.
The pair find themselves on the opposite side of the river, which compels the special agent to reverse and accelerate the car up the ramp, allowing the vehicle to spin 360 degrees in the air before making a safe landing on the other side of the river. A stunt like this could’ve resulted in life-threatening injuries, but the stunt team’s efforts to create a safe space and follow protocolsmanaged to execute the scenewithout any injuries to the stunt driver and anyone else involved on that set.
How the James Bond Stunt Sequence Came to Be
Cinema andfans of theJames Bondfranchisehave stunt driver Joie Chitwood and designer Raymond McHenry to thank for this ambitious scene. Chitwood, who also worked onLive and Let Die,sent the idea to Guy Hamilton, the director, which stemmed from a photograph of a car performing the same action.The design and choreography of the stunt required meticulous strategizing and coordination to achieve what it achieved in the film. Dubbed the Astro Spiral Jump, there was a mathematical and technological science behind it and specialists were called in to ensure the stunt was possible and accomplished successfully, at no one’s expense.
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The Calspan Corporation in New York was acquired to provide the mathematical and computerized calculations that the sequence demanded. They came to the conclusion that the vehicle was to be precisely balanced in order for the stunt driver and wheel to be in the middle. The car also needed to hit the curved ramp at a precise 48 miles per hour. Without this exactness, stunt driver Loren “Bumps” Willert would’ve been gravely injured. The stunt was performed on the 35th day of production and Willert was dressed in all black and positioned in between dummies for Bond and Pepper, and shockingly enough, thescene was done in one take.
A Legendary Piece of Cinematic History
The scene made cinematic history and has the privilege of being the first of its kind. TheJames Bondfranchise is legendary for its iconic titular character, villains, plotlines, and stunts. Actors both covet and feartaking on the role of 007because of the demands that come with the role and the legacy they have to live up to. The franchise has a loyal fanbase that spans 60 years and counting. The fans own memorabilia and visit iconic set locations and museums that are associated with the films.
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The British National Motor Museum, for example, is home to the AMC Hornet from the Corkscrew jump sequence in the 1974 film. With a legacy spanning six decades, fans have endless possibilities of seeing the iconic memorabilia firsthand and absorbing cinematic history. As new generations areintroduced to James Bond, they also have the opportunity to bear witness to the legendary franchise.The Man With the Golden Gunis available to rent onPrime Video,Apple TV, andGoogle Play.
