Every Bond Movie Pre-Title Scene Ranked - Worst To Best

In lieu of taking the chance to introduce Roger Moore’s Bond with a thrilling action set-piece in his debut, Live and Let Die opts not to include him in the pre-title sequence at all.

Instead, the opening scene sets the stage by presenting the colourful murders of three different MI6 agents in New York, New Orleans and the fictional Caribbean nation of San Monique. While the deaths in themselves (including an agent unwittingly attending his own funeral) are unique and elaborate, it’s a departure from what fans had come to expect from these opening segments.

It’s a missed opportunity in failing to give Moore’s iteration of the character a proper introduction, and indeed, the lack of 007’s presence in the sequence lowers the stakes significantly. We’re left with every passing moment to wonder when our hero James Bond will arrive to save the day, but he never does.

The sequence creates a confusing and unsettling vibe, with the singular threat not immediately clear, but ultimately misses the mark as the opening to what eventually unfolds as an iconic 007 adventure.

Best moment: A quick stabbing transforms a downbeat New Orleans funeral march into a rambunctious parade. “Whose funeral is it?” “Yours!” This is the definition of going out in style.