Continuity mistake: During the circus train scene, the lighting changes inconsistently, alternating randomly between bright sunlight and overcast skies.
Continuity mistake: When Kamal spots Bond outside the carriage, he sneaks out and shoots at him. In the wide shot, there's a large bush visible behind Bond in the field - but in the next immediate shot, the bush has completely disappeared.
Continuity mistake: When Bond climbs out through the car roof before jumping onto the train, the sun visor is up. However, just before the empty car crashes into the train, the visor is suddenly down.
Revealing mistake: When the plane comes out of the horse box you can see that the undercarriage is fixed and that the wheels cannot retract like they do in the next scene. This version of the plane is the same one at the petrol station where the controls are the same as a motorbike with handlebars and a throttle, steering was done using the front wheel.
Audio problem: In the opening scene, Bianca says to Bond, "They moved the flight up to this afternoon", but her mouth does not match what she is saying.
Revealing mistake: When Bond throws the baddie on the bed of steel spikes, the spikes bend revealing they're made of rubber (despite a crunch and a yell of pain being heard).
Continuity mistake: When Bond escapes from the train and drives away the number and position of the bullet holes changes between shots.
Revealing mistake: When Bond is driving on two wheels, the stuntman behind the wheel is very noticeable, mainly because of his toupee.
Revealing mistake: On top of the plane, Gobinda's stunt is noticeable because he has less of a beard.
Other mistake: The opening scene is at a military airbase which is hosting an equestrian event near the hanger that Bond blows up, and what an explosion that is, but all the civilians are more interested looking at Bond flying off instead of reacting to the massive explosion that just happened nearby.
Revealing mistake: When Grischka pins Bond to the cabin door with his knives, he takes out a knife and attempts to kill Bond for killing his twin brother. Bond then opens the cabin door and then kills Grischka by opening the cabin door and throwing a knife into his stomach. If you watch carefully, you can see the cabin door begin to open before Bond pulls the cabin handle down.
Continuity mistake: During the pre-credits sequence, Bond pulls the ripcords on the parachutes of the two guards who are in the truck with him and the guard on the right is holding a rifle in his right hand, but when he is flying in the air in the next shot, the rifle has gone.
Continuity mistake: When Bond is fighting Gobinda on the roof of the train carriage, Grischka appears and you can see from behind he puts his left hand on the roof, but when the camera angle changes in the next shot, Grischka now has his right hand on the roof.
Factual error: When Bond is fighting with Glenda on the wagon roof, shortly before passing a tunnel, which is supposed to be already in West Germany, a communist slogan is visible on the tunnel entry, stating 'Our contribution to a positive balance: daily fulfillment of the plan'. Not something that would be on the west side.
Continuity mistake: Bond arrives in West Berlin to travel to Karl-Marx-Stadt. The Mercedes stops just before Checkpoint Charlie and the other guy gets out of the car. One can see the license plate - which appears to be genuine German (DIN font and spacing etc). When the "same" car later arrives at the Circus the plates are obviously props. The font is off and the plates are obviously fake.
Revealing mistake: When Bond falls off the train the scenery switches from outdoor filming to an obvious film set.
Continuity mistake: When Bond is pinned to the wooden door by the knives we see each knife cut his shirt, trapping him to the door, but when he opens the door and grabs the knife with his left hand, his left arm is now completely free, with no holes or rips on his sleeve.
Continuity mistake: When Bond is beside the train going through the station there is nothing on the left, but as the train leaves a platform has appeared, and an engine shed and a brick bridge This was filmed back at the main station because of the double track set up.
Continuity mistake: When the train passes the signal box and the points get changed you can see the train in in the background and it is halfway past the station. When the Mercedes passes the train, it's still halfway past the station, and when the Mercedes catches it up again it's no further along. The train is moving at a constant speed the whole time.
Visible crew/equipment: When General Orloff first catches the train up, the reflection of the camara helicopter can be seen in the car's windows.
Answer: It wasn't meant to be related at all. It was just an action sequence to start off the film as Bond completes a previous assignment before a segue into the familiar 007 opening theme and a new song. I recall there were some other earlier Bond films that also used this formula. After the opening bit, the story starts as Bond meets with "M" for a new mission, then a briefing with "Q" about the latest spy gadgets. There was also the obligatory flirtatious banter between Bond and Miss Moneypenny.
raywest ★
I see what you mean. I'm thinking of those films where the opening scene has some link to the main plot (e.g. The Spy Who Loved Me), but Moonraker is like this one, it starts off (spectacularly) with Bond at the end of a previous assignment.