Summary

• The James Bond films have a reputation for their ambitious stunts, which have led to numerous advancements in action cinema and a continual pressure to top themselves.
• The franchise takes risks in order to deliver a compelling cinematic experience, even though most stunts are executed with safety standards in mind. However, things can always go wrong.
• The Bond films have broken records with stunts such as a record-breaking explosion, the first vehicular corkscrew jump captured on film, and the highest bungee jump off a fixed structure.

The James Bond films are known for their ambitious practical stunts, some of which were extremely dangerous for those involved. The James Bond series is one of the longest-running film franchises ever, second only to Godzilla. Across more than 60 years and 25 installments, the series has made numerous advancements in action cinema with its ambitious and inventive stunts. Beginning in earnest with the Roger Moore Bond films, every entry has boasted at least one practically captured blockbuster set piece. What’s more, as the films continue, there is mounting pressure for the franchise to top itself.

The level of budget and artistry on display in the Bond films, combined with this constant desire to employ the most impressive stunt yet, has seen the franchise take considerable risks. While the vast majority of Bond stunts are executed by trained professionals and facilitated by diligent safety standards, things can always go wrong. It’s fascinating to see the degree to which the Bond productions were willing to push the envelope –breaking records and attempting unprecedented maneuvers– all for the sake of delivering a compelling cinematic experience.

10 Crane Jump – Casino Royale

Casino Royale loudly proclaims the Daniel Craig James Bond era with the dynamic freerunning opening chase which sees Bond chase a bomber up a crane more than 60 feet above the ground. Craig himself found the scene challenging due to a fear of heights, but the most daunting feat was the leap from one crane to another. The jump was performed by professional freerunner Sébastien Foucan, and while most other stunt performers were secured with heavy rigs and harnesses, Foucan recalled “I only had one tiny wire ing me” (via HCM)

9 Record-Breaking Explosion – Spectre

The James Bond franchise’s continuous efforts to top itself resulted in another record-breaking stunt with Spectre. In the scene which sees Blofeld’s meteor crater base engulfed by an explosion, a record was set for the biggest film explosion ever. The blast was overseen by Spectre’s special effects supervisor, Chris Corbould, and involved the detonation of over 8,000 liters of kerosene and 33 kg of powder explosives. The explosion lasted for 7.5 seconds and had the effect of over 68 tonnes of TNT (via Reuters).

8 Airborne Corkscrew – The Man With The Golden Gun

The James Bond franchise made cinematic history in The Man with The Golden Gun with the first ever vehicular corkscrew jump captured on film. The chase sequence sees Moore’s Bond accelerate his AMC Hornet up a specially designed corkscrew ramp, allowing the vehicle to turn 360 degrees along its axis before landing safely on the other side of the river. Needless to say, the ambitious stunt could have gone very wrong for stunt driver Loren “Bumps” Willert, but the vehicle landed safely. The historic stunt car can now be found in the British National Motor Museum.

7 Rooftop Motorcycle Chase – Skyfall

Skyfall’s thrilling, beautifully captured action sequences make it one of the most rewatchable Bond films. The movie begins on a strong note with its Istanbul opening action sequence, which sees Bond chase an assassin over the rooftops of the city's iconic bazaar on a motorbike. The sequence was shot practically, with two experienced stunt riders speeding over the rooftops with minimal protective gear. The production placed purpose-built plastic tiles over the real ones to ensure the ancient structures weren’t damaged in the sequence (via Hurriyet Daily News).

6 Bungee Jump Off A Dam – Goldeneye

Goldeneye’s opening saw a record-breaking stunt with the 722-foot jump off Switzerland’s Verzasca dam. The stunt, executed by legendary British stuntman Wayne Michaels, broke the record for the highest bungee jump off a fixed structure. The shot took 2 weeks to prep but was captured in just one take. According to Empire, Michaels successfully pulled out the grappling gun moments before ing out due to the momentum. The historic stunt is so popular that there’s now an entire industry in the area that caters to tourists wishing to replicate Bond’s bungee jump.

5 Speedboat Jump – Live And Let Die

The speedboat chase in Live and Let Die was the Bond franchise’s first record-breaking stunt. In the sequence, which sees Roger Moore’s James Bond pursued via speedboat by henchmen, Bond’s speedboat soars through the air for a record 120 feet, clearing a road before safely landing on the other side. The sequence also features not one, but two extended speedboat ground runs. The first sees Bond ruin a wedding and the second sees the boat clear yet another road, coming within a few feet of a speeding police car. The practically shot sequence remains one of cinema’s best boat chases.

4 Most Car Rolls Ever – Casino Royale

Yet another record-breaking stunt was executed by the James Bond series during the production of Casino Royale. When Bond swerves to avoid Vesper Lynd tied up in the middle of the road, his Aston Marin barrel rolls a staggering seven times, all with a stunt driver inside. What’s more impressive, the Bond team hadn’t even planned on breaking the record. According to Esquire, the stunt team was struggling to make the surprisingly sturdy Aston Martin DBS roll, no matter how high they made the ramp. Ultimately, the car was fitted with a pressurized gas cannon, which gave the filmmakers the result they were looking for and then some.

3 Bobsled Chase – For Your Eyes Only

The most materially dangerous James Bond stunt can be seen in For Your Eyes Only. A chase sequence involving Bond fleeing some Russian assassins features the use of bobsled tracks. The high speed of the stunt combined with a particularly dangerous turn on the bobsled track resulted in tragedy when the bobsled was derailed, leading to the untimely death of Bond stuntman Paolo Rigon. The resort where the stunt was filmed would later remove the hazardous turn. Fortunately, no other stunt person has ever lost their life in a James Bond film.

2 Skiing Off A Cliff – The Spy Who Loved Me

The James Bond films captured one of their most enduring moments with the iconic Spy Who Loved Me ski jump stunt. In a thrilling ski chase, Bond skis off the side of a mountain, soaring through the air before deploying a Union Jack parachute at the last possible moment. The Bond producers had seen stuntman Rick Sylvester perform a similar jump in a whiskey ad, so tracked him down to replicate it in Bond. The stunt saw Sylvester launch himself off the face of Canada’s Mount Asgard and was filmed in only one take, although only one of the three cameras mounted for the shot managed to capture it.

1 Crocodile Run – Live And Let Die

The Bond franchise’s most dangerous stunt was not scripted. The Live and Let Die production had come to a crocodile farm in Jamaica owned by rancher Ross Kananga, who suggested a stunt in which James Bond runs across the backs of the crocodiles to reach a boat. The production enlisted Kananga, who was not a trained stunt person, to do it. The reckless stunt took 5 takes to get right, with the crocodiles becoming more agitated upon each attempt. Kananga ended up needing 193 stiches to his leg and face (via Joe). In recognition of his achievement, the film’s villain, Dr. Kananga, was named after him.

Sources: HCM, Reuters, Hurriyet Daily News, Empire, Esquire, Joe