Is 'For Your Eyes Only' the most boring James Bond film?

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  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    edited November 2014 Posts: 1,731
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    FYEO really is one sexy movie in my opinion! The locations are beautiful, and the use of them is brilliant! Its probably one of the best films in the series in terms of locations and how they are used, and it makes me wan't to go there asap.

    Agreed. If all Bondfilms made as good use of their settings as FYEO then I'd be a happy man.

    Sadly, all too often the locations are poorly used and quite nondescript. The Brosnan-era productions were the worst offenders here, his 'locations' could really have been anywhere in their respective continent, they just had no local flavour.

    FYEO is very strong on local flavour.

  • AceHole wrote: »
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    FYEO really is one sexy movie in my opinion! The locations are beautiful, and the use of them is brilliant! Its probably one of the best films in the series in terms of locations and how they are used, and it makes me wan't to go there asap.

    Agreed. If all Bondfilms made as good use of their settings as FYEO then I'd be a happy man.

    Sadly, all too often the locations are poorly used and quite nondescript. The Brosnan-era productions were the worst offenders here, his 'locations' could really have been anywhere in their respective continent, they just had no local flavour.

    FYEO is very strong on local flavour.

    Honesty compels me to admit that I didn't write these lines. What I wrote was, that I agree with every single word in this post.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    FYEO is for me easily the best Bond made between OHMSS and CR. It has some of the most exciting scenes in the entire franchise. Especially the climbing scene stands out as something else.Only the cargo net scene in TLD comes close.
  • Posts: 533
    If you think FYEO is a boring Bond film, you're entitled to your opinion. Personally, it's one of my favorites in the franchise.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    FYEO is a great Bond film. The only change I would have is to please have Barry do the music. What a masterpiece that could have been!

    Bibi, as others have mentioned, served a good purpose. And she is supposed to be a bit annoying and silly. She highlights Kristatos as a creep. She did not, and does not, bother me.

    Carole is one of my favorite Bond girls - so beautiful and a great, driven, feisty character.

    The locations are amazing! Lovely, stunning, memorable.

    Roger is at his finest, all around, charming and confident, looks great, and he has some wonderful darker moments, fine acting.

    A warm, superbly played ally in Colombo.

    It is a refreshingly different Bond film (oh especially coming after MR!!) in several ways. It is and will remain one of my favorites.

    Re the poster: it was controversial, but that is a model (not Carole) with the legs that go on forever and Bond pictured in the distance between them.
  • Posts: 2,402
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    Me too.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Murdock wrote: »
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    Me too.
    You guys are harsh. :))

    It's all worth it for the Fort Knox stuff IMO.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    Me too.
    You guys are harsh. :))

    It's all worth it for the Fort Knox stuff IMO.

    It's kinda like Death Proof, everything is boring except that final car chase and Kurt Russell crying like a baby. :)>-
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Murdock wrote: »
    It's kinda like Death Proof, everything is boring except that final car chase and Kurt Russell crying like a baby. :)>-
    All right, GF is a bit slow. It's no LTK.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    It's kinda like Death Proof, everything is boring except that final car chase and Kurt Russell crying like a baby. :)>-
    All right, GF is a bit slow. It's no LTK.

    It's more than a bit slow. It features Bond being captured through a good chunk of the movie and for that time he's not doing much other than winking at Koreans. Doesn't make for great action or drama.
  • edited December 2014 Posts: 2,189
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    TLD tries to copy the gadgeted car of GF with that forced winter chase, and once that's over, the film is worthless until the plane fight, and that isn't even a tenth of the final that the Fort Knox showdown is. Not to mention all the classic stuff we get in Goldfinger like:
    Pre Title Sequence
    "Shocking!"
    spanking Dink
    Jill Masterson painted gold
    The first real scene between Bond and Q
    Bond sticking it to Goldfinger in Golf
    Oddjob taking off the head of the statue with his hat
    the original tricked-out DB5
    the lazer scene
    "No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!"
    Pussy Galore
    Goldfinger's briefing
    gassing the gangsters
    Goldfinger explaining his plan to Bond one on one
    "Goodbye Mr. Bond"
    the gold vault fight
    stopping a bomb with "007" seconds to go

    These things would go on to define the rest of the Bond franchise. What did TLD give us? Osama Bin Laden?
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    What did TLD give us? Osama Bin Laden?
    A spanking is in order for YOU, Mr. Dink!
    :))
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    TLD tries to copy the gadgeted car of GF with that forced winter chase, and once that's over, the film is worthless until the plane fight, and that isn't even a tenth of the final that the Fort Knox showdown is. Not to mention all the classic stuff we get in Goldfinger like:
    Pre Title Sequence
    "Shocking!"
    spanking Dink
    Jill Masterson painted gold
    The first real scene between Bond and Q
    Bond sticking it to Goldfinger in Golf
    Oddjob taking off the head of the statue with his hat
    the original tricked-out DB5
    the lazer scene
    "No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!"
    Pussy Galore
    Goldfinger's briefing
    gassing the gangsters
    Goldfinger explaining his plan to Bond one on one
    "Goodbye Mr. Bond"
    the gold vault fight
    stopping a bomb with "007" seconds to go

    These things would go on to define the rest of the Bond franchise. What did TLD give us? Osama Bin Laden?

    I can't wait to see @StirredNotShaken's response. ;)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Murdock wrote: »
    I can't wait to see @StirredNotShaken's response. ;)
    Like a balloon popping.... :-O
  • Murdock wrote: »
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    TLD tries to copy the gadgeted car of GF with that forced winter chase, and once that's over, the film is worthless until the plane fight, and that isn't even a tenth of the final that the Fort Knox showdown is. Not to mention all the classic stuff we get in Goldfinger like:
    Pre Title Sequence
    "Shocking!"
    spanking Dink
    Jill Masterson painted gold
    The first real scene between Bond and Q
    Bond sticking it to Goldfinger in Golf
    Oddjob taking off the head of the statue with his hat
    the original tricked-out DB5
    the lazer scene
    "No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!"
    Pussy Galore
    Goldfinger's briefing
    gassing the gangsters
    Goldfinger explaining his plan to Bond one on one
    "Goodbye Mr. Bond"
    the gold vault fight
    stopping a bomb with "007" seconds to go

    These things would go on to define the rest of the Bond franchise. What did TLD give us? Osama Bin Laden?

    I can't wait to see @StirredNotShaken's response. ;)

    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Murdock wrote: »
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    TLD tries to copy the gadgeted car of GF with that forced winter chase, and once that's over, the film is worthless until the plane fight, and that isn't even a tenth of the final that the Fort Knox showdown is. Not to mention all the classic stuff we get in Goldfinger like:
    Pre Title Sequence
    "Shocking!"
    spanking Dink
    Jill Masterson painted gold
    The first real scene between Bond and Q
    Bond sticking it to Goldfinger in Golf
    Oddjob taking off the head of the statue with his hat
    the original tricked-out DB5
    the lazer scene
    "No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!"
    Pussy Galore
    Goldfinger's briefing
    gassing the gangsters
    Goldfinger explaining his plan to Bond one on one
    "Goodbye Mr. Bond"
    the gold vault fight
    stopping a bomb with "007" seconds to go

    These things would go on to define the rest of the Bond franchise. What did TLD give us? Osama Bin Laden?

    I can't wait to see @StirredNotShaken's response. ;)

    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD

    That's your opinion.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD
    An objective analysis reveals that the supreme strength of Connery's performance along with certain iconic inventions alone are not enough to overcome its weak plot. TND has similar problems and strengths. At best, they are equal. Except that the Necros net fight combined with the ultimate Barry score tip the scales a bit in TLD's favour. This is an opinion, of course.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    chrisisall wrote: »
    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD
    An objective analysis reveals that the supreme strength of Connery's performance along with certain iconic inventions alone are not enough to overcome its weak plot. TND has similar problems and strengths. At best, they are equal. Except that the Necros net fight combined with the ultimate Barry score tip the scales a bit in TLD's favour. This is an opinion, of course.

    TLD I'm sorry is just a cheap looking boring dull film ...embarrassing at times like Bond shooting at the gun shield eight times ...why didnt he just shoot him in the leg so we could go home?

    Needed a decent director do lead Dalton to a performance that worked.

    Luckily Glen was at least trying with FYEO ...I liked it but it is sloppy and clumsy at times. Needed/deserved a better director.

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Oh my, you and I saw two different films called The Living Daylights. For sure.
    It is in my top 10; a wonderful film with a great Bond.

    And as for FYEO, I have had my say. :)
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    I'll go as far as to say TLD is my current top Bond film. Sure it's marred by unncecessary "comidic" moments when it's supposed to be a serious spy thriller, but the Afghan showdown is far better than the GF one. All Bond and Oddjob do is throw things at each other and push each other into the wall instead of uh, actual fighting like Bond vs Grant?!!
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Most boring has to be TB, unless we count the Brosnan films?
  • edited December 2014 Posts: 2,402
    Murdock wrote: »
    For me, TLD is a snorefest! Timmy has a way of putting me to sleep...

    Funny. Goldfinger bores me to tears.

    TLD tries to copy the gadgeted car of GF with that forced winter chase, and once that's over, the film is worthless until the plane fight, and that isn't even a tenth of the final that the Fort Knox showdown is. Not to mention all the classic stuff we get in Goldfinger like:
    Pre Title Sequence
    "Shocking!"
    spanking Dink
    Jill Masterson painted gold
    The first real scene between Bond and Q
    Bond sticking it to Goldfinger in Golf
    Oddjob taking off the head of the statue with his hat
    the original tricked-out DB5
    the lazer scene
    "No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!"
    Pussy Galore
    Goldfinger's briefing
    gassing the gangsters
    Goldfinger explaining his plan to Bond one on one
    "Goodbye Mr. Bond"
    the gold vault fight
    stopping a bomb with "007" seconds to go

    These things would go on to define the rest of the Bond franchise. What did TLD give us? Osama Bin Laden?

    I can't wait to see @StirredNotShaken's response. ;)

    Here's my response. Goldfinger is incompetent. It is, at best, a "middling" film by the averages of the Bond series. The Fort Knox showdown isn't even that good! There's so much filler like the goon getting crushed by the vault door, Oddjob throwing whatshisface over the railing, the nearly 20 seconds spent showing the soldiers being sprayed... not to mention the fact that there is NO WAY the bomb disposal guy got down those stairs fast enough. the only part of Fort Knox that is as good as people try to pass it off as, is the fight between Bond and Oddjob.

    These are the parts of Goldfinger that I think are phenomenal:

    - The PTS
    - The theme song and titles
    - Bond cheating Goldfinger at cards
    - Bond finding Jill dead (only that 5 second shot; Jill Masterton is a TERRIBLE Bond girl and everything else with her is tedious)
    - "I'm able to carry out this assignment in the spirit you suggest" which is Connery's best interaction with Bernard Lee
    - Q Branch
    - Oddjob decapitating a statue
    - The use of the ejector seat
    - The laser table
    - "I must be dreaming"
    - Bond's fight with Oddjob

    That makes for what... ten minutes of the movie? Maybe fifteen? Meanwhile, in between that you have...

    - Dink
    - The worst Felix Leiter, certainly the most boring one
    - A ridiculously long golf game
    - Goldfinger buying fruit
    - The whole double blowout nonsense and Tilly Masterton in general
    - A ridiculously long and horribly edited car chase
    - Bond captured for ten minutes in a cell, and for the rest of the film in some form of captivity
    - That fucking scene with the mobsters, good god. "WUTZ WIT DAT TRICK POOL TAYBULL!" "WHYZ DA FLOOAH MOOOOVING?!?!?!"
    - The elaborate four minute death of Mr. Solo (seriously?)
    - EVERYTHING that happens in Kentucky, down to the worst piece of score John Barry ever wrote
    - All the above tedious Fort Knox b.s.
    - The entire plane sequence at the end, a master class in awful cinema right down to the cherry on top of Goldfinger being sucked out of the plane; I've seen better special effects in silent films

    It's boring. Sometimes it's even painful. Connery changed his performance of Bond here which also pisses me off. I'll be back with my TLD defense later; I need to sleep.
  • chrisisall wrote: »
    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD
    An objective analysis reveals that the supreme strength of Connery's performance along with certain iconic inventions alone are not enough to overcome its weak plot. TND has similar problems and strengths. At best, they are equal. Except that the Necros net fight combined with the ultimate Barry score tip the scales a bit in TLD's favour. This is an opinion, of course.

    An even more objective analysis tells us that GF made Bond eternal,while TLD by the non hardcore fans is perceived as quite boring (and to be honest. From the moment the film hits Afghanistan it is. Apart from the plane fight of course).
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited December 2014 Posts: 12,480
    An even more objective analysis (that would be mine) tells us that though Goldfinger gave us several iconic moments (see @StirredNotShaken's list), the majority of the film is less than stellar and it is not filled with suspense or edge of seat excitement. While TLD by the non hardcore fans is looked upon fondly, and that would be far more than you seem to think Mr. Helm, it seems that some of them missed the kind of Bond that was Roger's simply because that is what they were used to for so many years. And to be honest, from the moment Dalton turns towards the camera in the PTS until the final moments of champagne with Kara, there isn't a boring, cheap looking, or incredibly stupid cheesy bit in the entire film.


    All of which belongs on a Dalton thread. :)
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Yes I am talking about those films. My rankings do move around a bit. I have TLD at #8 and Goldfinger either 10 or 11 (back and forth with LALD). I rate Dr. No higher than Goldfinger (it's my #9).

    All just personal choices, dear chap. :)
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD
    An objective analysis reveals that the supreme strength of Connery's performance along with certain iconic inventions alone are not enough to overcome its weak plot. TND has similar problems and strengths. At best, they are equal. Except that the Necros net fight combined with the ultimate Barry score tip the scales a bit in TLD's favour. This is an opinion, of course.

    An even more objective analysis tells us that GF made Bond eternal,while TLD by the non hardcore fans is perceived as quite boring (and to be honest. From the moment the film hits Afghanistan it is. Apart from the plane fight of course).





    You can be a hard core fan and have gripes against TLD. As much as I have gripes against Dalton's performance and Glen's direction I still stuck by Bond during that time when Bond wasn't cool at all and at the lowest point in the series ...audiences just had higher standards .. and no not because serious ..but just boring ... there is a difference.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    As much as I have gripes against Dalton's performance and Glen's direction I still stuck by Bond during that time when Bond wasn't cool at all and at the lowest point in the series ...audiences just had higher standards ..

    daft
    adjective
    informal

    silly; foolish.

    synonyms: absurd, preposterous, ridiculous, ludicrous, farcical, laughable
  • Posts: 2,402
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    It doesn't matter what he or anyone says! GF > TLD
    An objective analysis reveals that the supreme strength of Connery's performance along with certain iconic inventions alone are not enough to overcome its weak plot. TND has similar problems and strengths. At best, they are equal. Except that the Necros net fight combined with the ultimate Barry score tip the scales a bit in TLD's favour. This is an opinion, of course.

    An even more objective analysis tells us that GF made Bond eternal,while TLD by the non hardcore fans is perceived as quite boring (and to be honest. From the moment the film hits Afghanistan it is. Apart from the plane fight of course).

    You can be a hard core fan and have gripes against TLD. As much as I have gripes against Dalton's performance and Glen's direction I still stuck by Bond during that time when Bond wasn't cool at all and at the lowest point in the series ...audiences just had higher standards .. and no not because serious ..but just boring ... there is a difference.

    Really? A lower point than Bond surfing on a bloody tsunami?
  • Posts: 1,146
    Both films are fun, but GF is one of the iconic films in the development of the series, and in the genre of spy films as well.
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