Uncovering the Most Outlandish James Bond Scene Starring Roger Moore - Not Set in Space

Moonraker is famously known as the most outlandish James Bond movie, as it takes 007 into space. However, the movie's most ridiculous moment actually happens before it ventures beyond Earth's atmosphere. The end credits of The Spy Who Loved Me promised, "James Bond will return in For Your Eyes Only." But due to the unexpected success of Star Wars, the Bond producers decided to delay For Your Eyes Only and instead released Moonraker.

Following the massive success of Star Wars, Hollywood began to set more films in space. Movies like Alien, Flash Gordon, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Battle Beyond the Stars all tried to capitalize on the space trend. Even the Bond franchise joined in on the action. During the Roger Moore era, James Bond films were known for their comedic tone, but Moonraker took it to a new level by sending 007 into space. While Moonraker is filled with absurd sci-fi moments, its silliest moment actually occurs on Earth.

A Pigeon Does A Double Take After Seeing Bond In A Hovering Gondola In Moonraker

James Bond on a gondola in Moonraker - A Pigeon Does A Double Take After Seeing Bond In A Hovering Gondola In Moonraker

From the G-force scene to the climactic laser battle amongst the stars, Bond’s adventure in space is full of ridiculous moments. But Moonraker has its fair share of silly moments set on Earth, too. In the opening scene, Bond is thrown out of a plane and survives with ease. Jaws chews through the cable of a ski lift, Moore’s performance devolves into self-parody, and the movie is filled with blatant product placement. As absurd as these moments are, the most ridiculous moment in Moonraker is when a pigeon does a double take.

Bond’s investigation into Hugo Drax takes him to Venice, where he gets into a gondola chase. When the chase moves out of the water and onto the street, Bond reveals that his gondola is a hovercraft and drives it up over the curb onto the street. Upon seeing this, a pigeon does a double take. Moore’s Bond movies are known for being cartoonish, but this scene could’ve actually been ripped straight from a cartoon. As a whole, Moonraker isn’t as bad as people say, but it is pretty preposterous.

How Moonraker Pulled Off The Pigeon's Double Take

A pigeon does a double take in Moonraker - How Moonraker Pulled Off The Pigeon's Double Take

If Moonraker were to be made today, the pigeon's double take would likely be achieved using CGI. However, director Lewis Gilbert created his intergalactic James Bond adventure in a time before CGI. So, how did he manage to capture this absurd shot? Instead of attempting to train a pigeon to perform a double take (a task that even some human actors find challenging), Gilbert simply filmed the pigeon turning its head and then cleverly edited the footage to create a loop that gave the illusion of a double take. This same editing technique can also be observed in Star Wars, where a Tusken Raider is seen waving his gaffi stick.

Editor's P/S:

The article delves into the ridiculousness of "Moonraker," particularly the scene where a pigeon does a double take at Bond's hovering gondola. While the movie is known for its over-the-top sci-fi moments in space, this Earth-bound scene stands out as the most absurd. The fact that the double take was achieved through clever editing rather than CGI adds to its charm.

Overall, the article serves as a reminder that even in the most outlandish of movies, there can be moments of pure silliness that make the experience all the more memorable. It also highlights the ingenuity of filmmakers who were able to create such moments before the advent of advanced visual effects technology.