MI6 compiles a comprehensive analysis of the 22 James Bond title sequences by by Maurice Binder, Robert Brownjohn, Daniel Kleinman and MK12...

James Bond Title Sequences

23rd December 2009

The James Bond films have set movie-making standards for action, adventure and have often been the first to pioneer new and fantastic film techniques. From the pre-title sequence, to the gun barrel icon and lavish main title sequence, almost Bond film to date opens with the signature which film-goers have come to associate with James Bond. Bond veteranMaurice Binder set the standards of the Bond title sequence and the legacy was continued by Robert Brownjohn and in the '90s and today, Daniel Kleinman and MK12 have contributed to the aesthetics of Bond's title sequences. MI6 compiles a list of the 22, and counting, titles and their designers - complete with notes on style, series firsts, and title trivia.

1962
Dr. No
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
The James Bond Theme
Title Artist:
John Barry Orchestra
  1962
From Russia With Love
Designed By:
Robert Brownjohn & Trevor Bond
Title Song:
From Russia With Love
Title Artist:
Matt Munro
Notes
Featuring colourful spheres, flashing in time to the famous James Bond Theme, this is the only credit sequence not preceded by a pre-titles sequence. The only sequence in which the gun barrel intro does not feature the Bond theme.
Notes
Credit text is colourfully projected onto the midriff of a belly dancing beauty. Reds and oranges dominate this sequence. Binder is busy on "The Mouse and the Moon", so Robert Brownjohn is invited to step in to his shoes.

1964
Goldfinger
Designed By:
Robert Brownjohn
Title Song:
Goldfinger
Title Artist:
Shirley Bassey
  1965
Thunderball
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
Thunderball
Title Artist:
Tom Jones

Notes
Footage from the third Bond film is projected onto a gold-painted female figure. Like "From Russia With Love", the credits are also brightly projected on the body.
Notes
Maurice Binder returns to design the "Thunderball" credits. This fourth sequence has an underwater flavour mixing sea-blue tones with the red of bloodied waters. Scantily clad diving girls are thrown into the mix.

1967
You Only Live Twice
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
You Only Live Twice
Title Artist:
Nancy Sinatra
  1965
OHMSS
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
We Have All The Time In The World
Title Artist:
Louis Armstrong

Notes
Red fiery volcanoes feature in the titles of "You Only Live Twice". Binder continues the tradition of semi-naked female silhouettes performing various acrobatic stunts - a theme that would remain with the Bond credits through to modern times.
Notes
Clocks are shown ticking backwards and archive footage of the past 5 films rolls backwards through an hourglass - in the hopes of indicating George Lazenby's 007 is still the same character filmgoers know and love. Sea-blues feature in the OHMSS colour palette.

1971
Diamonds Are Forever
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
Diamonds Are Forever
Title Artist:
Shirley Bassey
  1973
Live And Let Die
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
Live And Let Die
Title Artist:
Paul McCartney & Wings
Notes
Black and white are dominant within the "Diamonds Are Forever" title. Blofeld's signature white cat with diamond encrusted collar is present and characters and dancing girls are projected onto the facets of the diamond.
Notes
Flames and sculls are common during the "Live and Let Die" credit sequence. One of the first title sequences to show the faces of the title girls captured on-screen.

1974
The Man With The Golden Gun
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
The Man With The Golden Gun
Title Artist:
Lu Lu
  1977
The Spy Who Loved Me
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
Nobody Does It Better
Title Artist:
Carley Simon
Notes
Colours of red and black, with imagery and icons of woman brandishing guns feature in this credit sequence.
Notes
"The Spy Who Loved Me" titles are dominated by blue tones, marching girls, the Union Jack, and for the first time, James Bond himself - in the guise of Roger Moore.

1979
Moonraker
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
Moonraker
Title Artist:
Shirley Bassey
  1981
For Your Eyes Only
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
For Your Eyes Only
Title Artist:
Sheena Easton
Notes
Circus girls tumble from the skies while Bond parachutes through this sequence in a continuation of the pre-titles sequence. Moody blues and mauves are a backdrop for acrobatic girls and an outer-worldly feeling.
Notes
The only credit sequence to feature its title-song artist, Sheena Easton. Within this  "For Your Eyes Only" title sequence, colours and images are of sea-blue tones.

1983
Octopussy
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
An All Time High
Title Artist:
Rita Coolidge
  1985
A View To A Kill
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
A View To A Kill
Title Artist:
Duran Duran
Notes
The Octopussy title sequence is appropriately laden with Bondian beauties. The Octopussy “tattoo is laser-projected onto the scantily clad girls' bodies.
Notes
The "A View To A Kill" titles are dominated by fluorescent tattoos on glamorous girls as well as laser guns, skiing, dancing girls with ribbons and '80s buffoon hairstyles. Probably the most dated look of the series.

1987
The Living Daylights
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
The Living Daylights
Title Artist:
A-ha
  1989
Licence To Kill
Designed By:
Maurice Binder
Title Song:
Licence To Kill
Title Artist:
Gladys Knight

Notes
A classic Binder titles sequence - complete with girls brandishing guns and and performing acrobatics.
Notes
"Licence To Kill" marks Binder's 15th James Bond credit, and sadly his last. A memorable young lady brandishing a camera opens the sequence.

1995
GoldenEye
Designed By:
Daniel Kleinman
Title Song:
GoldenEye
Title Artist:
Tina Turner
  1997
Tomorrow Never Dies
Designed By:
Daniel Kleinman
Title Song:
Tomorrow Never Dies
Title Artist:
Sheryl Crow

Notes
Daniel Kleinman opts for the digital approach. Girls and guns still feature, but motion-capture technology is applied to digitally render the GoldenEye title sequence. The East/West cold war conflict creeps into the "GoldenEye" title with hammer and sickle iconography.
Notes
The "Tomorrow Never Dies" title sequence taps into the digital and mass-media theme of its plot. Kleinman incorporates glass, oil and computer chip patterns into the title sequence. For the first time a different artist is credited with the closing-credits design: General Screen Enterprises.

1999
The World Is Not Enough
Designed By:
Daniel Kleinman
Title Song:
The World Is Not Enough
Title Artist:
Garbage
  2002
Die Another Day
Designed By:
Daniel Kleinman
Title Song:
Die Another Day
Title Artist:
Madonna
Notes
James Bond falls straight from the Millennium Dome into this grimy title sequence. "The World Is Not Enough" embodies the oil themes of the plot to produce a stark, predominantly black and white title sequence.
Notes
For the first time in the history of the series, the Die Another Day title sequence extends the plot and pretitles - featuring icy montages of 007's torture sequence. Bond and the villains appear in the sequence in live action along with CGI scorpions.

2006
Casino Royale
Designed By:
Daniel Kleinman
Title Song:
You Know My Name
Title Artist:
Chris Cornell
  2008
Quantum of Solace
Designed By:
MK12
Title Song:
Another Way To Die
Title Artist:
Jack White & Alicia Keys
Notes
Bond does battle in vector, as his fights in the movie are replicated. For the first time in a long run of pictures, the title sequence does not contain the signature silhouetted models, instead Kleinman adopts the gambling theme to create a stunning sequence that includes Bond and Vesper. The credits also signify James Bond's promotion to "Agent 007".

Notes
MK12 is brought onto the production by director Marc Forster and the designers take a leaf out of the explosive finale with themes of desert and dust. The Bond girls make a subtle comeback this picture but images of Daniel Craig as 007 are still prominent.