New Wave Outpost Forum

As the 50th anniversary of Dr. No passed this week and the next movie Skyfall due in a couple weeks. I thought I'd throw out a thread on this. What are your top 7 James Bond films of all time and why? I've been a huge fan of the Bond films ever since I can remember so this list shifts somewhat the older I get:

1. You Only Live Twice. IMO Connery's best outing as Bond and all the parts of the legend of the films were at their apogee here: Gadgets, girls, "shaken, not stirred", Gigantic fortress for Dr. Evil....er Blofeld.
2. The Spy Who Loved Me. Moore's best bond film with my dream car (Lotus), action to beat the band, the introduction of Jaws, and a gadget that went from awe inspiring in the film into many people's garages (Jet-ski)
3. Dr. No. Great locations (and one of these days I WILL stay at Goldeneye in Jamaica), with a much colder Bond and of course Ursula Andress
4. Moonraker. Yes go ahead laugh--this is usually at the bottom of the critics' lists, but for me the over the top gadgets, Jaws being redeemable, and the laser shoot out in the end make this a great popcorn movie
5. Goldeneye. Again with the more "cold" bond and Brosnan in his best turn as 007. If only he had stopped there
6. On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Yes another film at the bottom of most critics' list and yes Lazenby was a terrrible actor in this outing. But I loved Diana Rigg as Tracy, and it showed, that even 007 could find "Mrs Right". Her death in the end was the most touching scene in all the films.
7. Casino Royale. Gave Bond his balls back and more. Plus, c'mon, Eva Green!!

So that's mine (today anyway) how about your list??

Looking forward to the release of Skyfall. At the end of the month, an exhibition "50 Years of Bond Style" starts a 3 month run here in Toronto. A bunch of props, outfits, etc. and they'll also be having screenings of Bond films at the Bell Lightbox theatre. I'll definately be taking that in.

My list of favourites:

1 From Russia With Love - Connery as Bond, Robert Shaw as Red Grant. Great story (I'll be saying that a number of times), it works.

2 You Only Live Twice - The first Bond film I remember seeing. Was about 5 years old, parents took sis and me with them to the drive-in. All I remember from that time was the girl dropping to the pirahnnas(sp) and the attack on the base in the volcano. It was playing with LeMans. Story on this is great.

3 On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Lazenby was not a good Bond, but there's Diana Rigg and the story on this one is top notch.

4 Dr No - Story, setting, Ursula Andress.

5 Casino Royale - Loved the return to the "gritty" Bond.

6 The Spy Who Loved Me - Moore's best outing as Bond.

7 Live and Let Die - Again, for me, it's the story on this one. Jane Seymour as Solitaire, helped too.

I liked Timothy Dalton as Bond, again a grittier Bond, stories just lacking, to crack this list. Brosnan was too much like Moore as Bond, the stories during his run were weaker. GoldenEye was the best of his outings, would sit at number 8 on my list.

OK I'll play. Don't know all the movies but here are my notes.

1. Goldfinger. Best Bond (Connery), best car (DB5), best Bond-girl name (Pussy Galore), best theme song. Also boasts the most memorable exchange between Bond and the villain: "Do you expect me to talk?" "No, Mr Bond, I expect you to die!" Essentially set the template for all future Bond movies to try to live up to.
2. From Russia With Love. It actually functions as a pretty good movie whether it's a Bond flick or not. And Daniela Bianchi is gorgeous.
3. OHMSS, as I recall, is pretty good. Haven't seen it in a long time. But it definitely has a good soundtrack (I have it on vinyl), and points for boasting a DB car as well as Joanna Lumley.
4. YOLT is okay as a Bond-series entry... just wanted to say I always liked the sequence where the spacecraft gets swallowed whole mid-flight, and John Barry's composition for this bit is awesome.
Not a huge fan of the Moore-era movies, but TSWLM (yep, major points for that Lotus), FYEO and Octopussy are decent.
Of the Dalton-era movies, The Living Daylights was pretty good while License to Kill was a turkey.
The Brosnan-era movies are the pits. In a way Brosnan is perfect for the role but unfortunately it's the smirking, smug kind. And they amped up the promotional tie-ins, eg with BMW (no Aston??) and Heineken.
Casino Royale is pretty good, certainly a good reboot after the Brosnan era, and Craig is good in the role. And yes, Eva Green certainly doesn't hurt. Quantum of Solace was okay.

GoldenEye is my favourite. Casino Royale is second.

Brosnan did some lousy Bonds, but it wasn't his fault. He wanted to do a less camp Bond, but was overruled. Halle Berry and Denise Richards are easily the two worst Bond girls ever.

[quote][i]Originally posted by Parrothead[/i]
<br>they'll also be having screenings of Bond films at the Bell Lightbox theatre. I'll definitely be taking that in.

[/quote]

Not a Bond fan at all, and I hate driving in to Toronto...but, I foresee a few trips in to take my movie buff son for this.

[quote][i]Originally posted by wherewereuin82[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Parrothead[/i]
<br>they'll also be having screenings of Bond films at the Bell Lightbox theatre. I'll definitely be taking that in.

[/quote]

Not a Bond fan at all, and I hate driving in to Toronto...but, I foresee a few trips in to take my movie buff son for this.
[/quote]

Go for it: you only live twice after all

Sugoi !!!

[quote][i]

... and I hate driving in to Toronto...
[/quote][/i]

Just do what the locals do...close your eyes.

[quote][i]

... and I hate driving in to Toronto...
[/quote]

Just do what the locals do...close your eyes.

[quote][i]Originally posted by eight6[/i]
<br>[quote][i]

... and I hate driving in to Toronto...
[/quote][/i]

Just do what the locals do...close your eyes.
[/quote]


I usually do..........and that's driving on the barren 407!!!

The James Bond series is probably the only film franchise I give a damn about, but I'm something of a champion for the ones people tend to hate:

001. Goldfinger - Hands down the quintessential Bond film. The perfect balance of thrills and lunacy.
002. From Russia With Love - An honest to goodness spy story with a credible romance (a rarity in the series)
003. Dr. No - It' proto-Bond in a way but it's fun to watch an older style of filmmaking morph into a newer style and clearly Eon Production hit the jackpot with their first Bond girl!
004. Never Say Never Again - The non-Bond "Bond" and the film everyone hates. It has a lot of problems (the biggest one it being a remake of "Thunderball) but Connery IS Bond and seeing him play the role one last time makes up for everything.
005. The Living Daylights - Timothy Dalton is almost up there with Lazenby in terms of being forgotten but this film was a change for the better and Dalton is a bad-ass.
006. License To Kill - Dalton's even more of bad-ass in this one, another film 007 hate. If Dalton has a weakness it' that he can't pull off comedy. Luckily there's very little of it in this grim film.
007. The Man With The Golden Gun - Yeah, I know it's ridiculous but the Roger Moore era was known for going overboard with humor. This one is all-out camp but not in a tasteless way like in Moonraker. I call this the Roger Corman-like B-movie Bond.

While I grew to like Pierce Brosnan as Bond, I never felt he was in a particularly good Bond film. They just seemed mediocre. Daniel Craig's Casino Royale was great but the follow-up was a turkey and besides, it seems like an entirely different film series now. It's almost like the Bond films series as I knew it ended with Die Another Day.

If anyone's interested, I just interviewed Caroline Munro who was in The Spy Who Loved Me. Tanya Roberts from A View To A Kill should be on with me soon:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mwW6pAtwWLw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[i]> Daniel Craig's Casino Royale was great but the follow-up was a turkey and besides, it seems like an entirely different film series now. It's almost like the Bond films series as I knew it ended with Die Another Day.[/i]

Don't worry, they'll probably reboot again, as is the trend these days [:p].