Die Another Day Title Sequence

Stats

Title sequence created by Daniel Kleinman

'Die Another Day' performed by Madonna, written by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai

Featured in Die Another Day (2002)

Visuals

Die Another Day starts off with the familiar gunbarrel, but for one film only when Bond shoots, a CGI bullet is seen coming towards the viewer. This is totally pointless, but perhaps unintentionally acting as a warning of the extensive use of CG effects to be seen later in the film. When the title sequence appears, Daniel Kleinman does the hat trick and creates yet another stunning ensemble of striking images.

As a further extension from briefly carrying on the pre-title sequence in The World Is Not Enough, Kleinman takes it one step further in Die Another Day by making the whole sequence an extension of the film. The torture Bond has to go through at the hands of the North Koreans during his 14 month incarceration is played out, accompanied by icy female forms.

In definitely one of the darker, more striking of the title sequences seen since Live And Let Die, Bond's torture with scorpions continues seen through the refraction of a diamond. Female forms made of fire then dance and combine with, and overlay on top of, live action shots. Lightning sparks eject more fiery forms that then proceed to do battle with their icy counterparts, cleverly showing more of the unfolding story in water droplets as they melt. Bond continues to suffer before the eyes of his captor appear, ending the sequence.

Theme

While The World Is Not Enough performed by Garbage » was a successful song being liked by many fans, it surprisingly wasn't so much so commercially. Consequently producers looked for a big name artist for the 40th anniversary Bond film, eventually deciding on Madonna to sing the Die Another Day title theme ».

An electroclash number featuring lots of synth, stuttered and distorted editing on Madonna's voice, filled with techo beats and electronic swirls, this was a departure from any kind of Bond theme heard in the past. Fans and critics reviews were strongly divided. Some praised Madonna's interpretation of the lyrics, exploring the inner battle between good and evil (more so portrayed in her music video), and that the theme was modern, original and exciting. However on the other side, it was viewed as an auto-tuned, glitchy mess with no sense of urgency, style or elegance that was nonsensical, painful to the ears and frankly wasn't even a proper song.

Equally splitting the two views, the theme was nominated (though didn't win) for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, as well as a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song in 2002. The song was very popular in the US spending 11 weeks at number one on the 'Hot 100 singles' chart. In the UK, the song entered the chart at number three, before dropping to number 12 the next week, and then continuing its downward decent for the next 16 weeks.

Lyrics

I'm gonna wake up, yes and no. I'm gonna kiss some part of. I'm gonna keep this secret. I'm gonna close my body now.

I guess, die another day. I guess, die another day. I guess, die another day. I guess, die another day. I guess I'll die another day, (another day). I guess I'll die another day, (another day). I guess I'll die another day (another day). I guess I'll die another day. Sigmund Freud.

Analyze this. Analyze this. Analyze this (this, this, this). I'm gonna break the cycle. I'm gonna shake up the system. I'm gonna destroy my ego. I'm gonna close my body now.

I think I'll find another way. There's so much more to know. I guess I'll die another day. It's not my time to go. For every sin, I'll have to pay. I've come to work, I've come to play. I think I'll find another way. It's not my time to go.

I'm gonna avoid the cliché. I'm gonna suspend my senses. I'm gonna delay my pleasure. I'm gonna close my body now.

I guess, die another day. I guess I'll die another day. I guess, die another day. I guess I'll die another day

I think I'll find another way. There's so much more to know. I guess I'll die another day. It's not my time to go.

[I need to lay down.]

I guess, die another day. I guess I'll die another day. [I guess, die another day. I guess I'll die another day.]

Another day. Another day. Another day. Another day. Another day. [Another day. Another day.]

[ ] Not heard in the title sequence. §