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it's not frustrating in the least, it's puzzling the most, back in 2006 everybody was relieved Craig worked as Bond but it was the movie itself that resonated with the audience.
At least from where I'm standing.
The successor of Craig will not have a more difficult job than Dalton or Brosnan had. Craig did nothing "special" to the franchise other than be another good Bond actor.
To put him on this high pedestal is a bit amusing. Were it not for the insane success of SF there wouldn't even be anything at all for the history books except that his first was the best by far. He is no different than Brosnan in that regard.
Anyway, I know he is a Saint around here, so I will be a good boy and just shut up.
However, there's no question that he had a superb supporting cast firing on all cylinders in CR, most notably Mads, Giancarlo & of course the legendary Eva. When one has such talent to spar with, one's performance will be helped. Even Brosnan looked excellent opposite his magnificent & super charismatic supporting cast in GE.
Having said that, good though DC has been, I don't believe he is irreplaceable. Not by a long shot. I was a Bond fan long before Daniel Craig came along, and I will be one long after he leaves the role, whenever that may be. His films have been good, but I've seen better from this franchise, and I'm sure I'll see better going forward as well.
The Bond films reflect the talent, character & personality of their lead actor to a large extent.
----
The Connery era was macho and strong in an alpha male manner.
The Moore era was jovial, light hearted and suave.
The Dalton era was serious and lower key. Interesting but a bit dour & theatre like.
The Brosnan era was good box office, but increasingly tv generic, pedestrian and American.
The Craig era has been moody and deep, but lavish and extravagant as well.
----
The direction EON, MGM and Sony (or whoever) chooses to go next should determine who they cast next. Whoever they go with will reflect the tone of the Bond films for the next decade or so.
Even though I grew up in the Moore era (and did, and still do, enjoy them), my father certainly educated these early years, and I was resigned to the fact that, although I could enjoy whoever plays James Bond, there would, in my eyes, only be one real Bond, James Bond. Sean Connery was king in my eyes.
That changed in '06.
And now I, for the first time, am concerned with who will replace Craig. He had done what all the other 007s could never come close to: relieving Sir Sean of his throne.
I understand that this is all my opinion, but thought I'd take the time, @Bond, to explain I've been a fan for a long time, I've seen the changing of the guard, and I've enjoyed what the others have brought to the role.
But none of these actors were game-changers for me. Dalton could have been, but for me, unfortunately, I loathed his melodrama theatrics and his lack of charisma. He had the right idea intellectually, and could be stunning in certain scenes. He just failed at consistent execution.
I'm sure BB will find a suitable actor. I just wonder, having seen how long it took to get something interesting after Connery left, am I in for another long wait to see someone as fresh as DC has been.
My fingers are crossed, but, the names bandied about so far have left my gut in knots. I'm not asking for another DC (because there is no other, as is the case with Connery and Moore), but Hiddles leaves me cold, Turner bores me and seems to have the charisma of an okay TV star; I know nothing of Jaime Bell except the little I have seen of him ("little" being the operative word)...
I don't agree with it though as Connery and Dalton for me personally are the blueprint of how it should be done. And since knowing the novels only DALTON comes close to Fleming's vision in my opinion.
All 6 actors have brought something unique to the role. Ranking them is a difficult, controversial and maybe useless as ranking the films.
Being a Dalton/Brosnan generation guy, I want someone like Aidan Turner to replace Craig who looks the part. It's not that difficult playing Bond. Acting talent is relative and only Connery (imho) is truly a great actor of the 6.
So I don't worry at all about actor No 007. I just wish it will not be someone like Jamie Bell.
I can see that the Craig era has left a deep positive imprint on you, and it will probably be difficult to fully embrace the next actor in the role as a result, no matter who they cast - at least initially.
I hope that Babs and the EON crew will do Bond justice and cast someone interesting and charismatic in the role. Someone who can embody the best of Bondian attributes and still be successful in continuing to grow the fandom of this beloved series, like Craig has done.
I have faith that when the changeover does eventually come, they will do us proud.
As has so often been noted, more men have walked the moon than played this part. I love OHMSS (definitely in my top three or four), but GL was kind of goofy in the role, and, if he did stay on, I think the series would have been sunk.
RM, for all his faults in light-hearted fair, had tons of charm and charisma, and used that to eventually save the franchise (his first couple left the franchise on shaky ground).
I don't believe just "looking the part" cuts it.
can't agree with that, I even think OHMSS wouldn't have worked that well with Connery.
@peter
sure, only looking the part doesn't cut it, but it is an important part.
Some older folks never warmed to Brosnan and Craig brought them back "something" whatever that may be.
So yes, Craig will be difficult to replace for some.
But the history has shown that Bond can survive and even be successful no matter who plays the part.
Even when the BO was the lowest (LTK) it still did make a healthy profit.
So relax, if someone gets announced you can't imagine being Bond (let's just say for the fun of it Aidan Turner) wait and go and see the movie.
In 2005 half the world, well all the world really screamed in pain after Craig got announced. After CR most of the people were relieved and many even loved Craig from the get go.
It'll happen again. Chances are, depending on who's next, it'll be a home run from the beginning as it was with Brosnan.
But then it could be Jamie Bell.......aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh......... :))
Six actors have played this part over a 50 year period, but you think any old so and so can breeze in and play the part? ok....
People like Connery and Craig are actors of such calibre they certainly make it look easy. Though i guarantee you none of the actors find it easy playing the Bond role.
@bondjason, I say that loving GL in OHMSS. That was a very special film and worked. I just don't know how you start to tailor-make the films after, to an actor who really wasn't an actor. OHMSS worked because of the story and the leaders behind the scenes (namely Hunt and crew); but after that, what would a GL era look like? I can't even guess.
It is my believe that if Lazenby had stayed on the following movie would have been a unprecedented gritty brutal revenge story with Bond single-handedly bringing Blofeld down.
It probably would have written movie history beyond the Bond franchise.
Agree 100% ..why Lazenby never hunted down that agent and beat the shit out of him i will never know !!
@bondjason: sure, but how to tailor-make something for the GL era. For example: Sean was alpha male, but suave and dark ("I think he got the point"), and this was evident in his films... The opposite, Moore, who was charming and deft in comedy, and, after a shaky start, they embraced this about his James Bond and it was used to great effect for his films.
But GL truly did feel like the "kite dancing in the wind"; Hunter would tell him where to stand and how to re/act (through assistants, since it sounded like Hunt had no time for his star and his behaviour on set), but GL exuded nothing natural (except for throwing fists).
Apart from the obvious revenge angle/story, I have no idea what the GL era would look like to what or how they would tailor make to his strengths since he seemed like such a blank canvas (as an actor).
All right, I'm checking out for a while. Too much loopiness in here for me.
I know that Turners name has become something of a punchline around here, but I have been convinced that he should be the next Bond since And Then There Were None.
And since I am going to see two Dutch buddies in a bit for some great Mexican dinner at this Dia de los Muertos, I simply don't have enough time tonight :-).
I advise you all to watch TB in the fourth week of @Creasy47 's Bondathon instead. And -if you can- do it in sync! Try to 'sync-watch' the film during this Halloween weekend :-). Makes it extra more fun.
It's true that I never bought that line and found it odd. Not sure if it was Dalton's delivery or just that it's weird as a one-liner. I don't think it would have been funny if Moore delivered it either.
Start Countdown: The ruthless BOTTOM 5:
#26 placed Bond Film, 000 POINTS --> "CASINO ROYALE" (1967, non-EON film)
#25 placed Bond Film, 006 POINTS --> "NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN" (1983, non-EON film)
#24 placed Bond Film, 025 POINTS --> "DIE ANOTHER DAY" (2002)
#23 placed Bond Film, 049 POINTS --> "THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN" (1974)
#22 placed Bond Film, 049 POINTS --> "A VIEW TO A KILL" (1985)
Start of TOP 21, the really average ones:
#21 placed Bond Film, 060 POINTS --> "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" (1971)
#20 placed Bond Film, 080 POINTS --> "TOMORROW NEVER DIES" (1997)
#19 placed Bond Film, 095 POINTS --> "MOONRAKER" (1979)
#18 placed Bond Film, 109 POINTS --> "YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE" (1967)
#17 placed Bond Film, 135 POINTS --> "THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH" (1999)
#16 placed Bond Film, 146 POINTS --> "LIVE AND LET DIE" (1973)[/color]
Start of TOP 15, the OK ones:
#15 placed Bond Film, 157 POINTS --> "QUANTUM OF SOLACE" (2008)
#14 placed Bond Film, 196 POINTS --> "OCTOPUSSY" (1983)
#13 placed Bond Film, 211 POINTS --> "FOR YOUR EYES ONLY" (1981)
#12 placed Bond Film, 217 POINTS --> "SPECTRE" (2015)
#11 placed Bond Film, 275 POINTS --> "LICENCE TO KILL" (1989)[/color]
Start of TOP 10, the good ones:
#10 placed Bond Film, 304 POINTS --> "THUNDERBALL" (1965)
#09 placed Bond Film, 345 POINTS --> "THE SPY WHO LOVED ME" (1977)
#08 placed Bond Film, 350 POINTS --> "GOLDENEYE" (1995)
#07 placed Bond Film, 372 POINTS --> "DOCTOR NO" (1962)
#06 placed Bond Film, 408 POINTS --> "THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS" (1987)
Start of the TOP 5, the true cinematic Bond-masterpieces!:
419 POINTS, 5th PLACE --> The James Bond Film "SKYFALL" (2012)
562 POINTS, 4th PLACE --> The James Bond Film "GOLDFINGER" (1964)
738 POINTS, BRONZE MEDAL --> The James Bond Film "FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE" (1963)
782 POINTS, SILVER MEDAL ---> The James Bond Film "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE" (1963)
866 POINTS, GOLD MEDAL ----> The James Bond Film "CASINO ROYALE" (2006)
Here's the full points breakdown:
And here an color graph overview of the total times each film got awarded points from an individual voter, including the total times a film got awarded 8, 10 and 12-pointers:
Lastly, here's the full comparison between this contest and @w2bond 's general Bond Ranking Topic:
And another comparison with a similar contest I executed last year on the IMDB James Bond forum (full of movie fans, who aren't necessarily Bond fans):
And what do movie critics, newspapers and entertainment outlets say?:
Some key findings:
►► No matter if you're a die-hard MI6-forummember or a more generic movie nerd, "CASINO ROYALE" seems to be quite unbeatable. Even the 'classics' like "FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE", "GOLDFINGER" and "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE" seems to struggle against the 2006 masterpiece.
►► Overall, both movie critics and MI6-forummembers see "SPECTRE" as an above average Bond film, that, for now, keeps beating "QUANTUM OF SOLACE". It's now also a fierce competitor of the Moore films "FOR YOUR EYES ONLY" and "OCTOPUSSY".
►► "THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS" and "SKYFALL" in essence are sharing 5th place, especially when compared to @w2bond 's rankings. Still, "SKYFALL" manages to win from other classics like "DOCTOR NO", "THE SPY WHO LOVED ME" and "THUNDERBALL".
►► We love Sir Roger Moore. It's still the greatest living Bond ambassador. Yet, even his best films, like "FOR YOUR EYES ONLY" and "THE SPY WHO LOVED ME", struggle to get close to the TOP 5 of Best Bond Films.
►► Brosnan's best film "GOLDENEYE" is no match for Craig's two best films "CASINO ROYALE" and "SKYFALL".
►► Yet Brosnan's 3rd outing as James Bond in "THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH" gets some new love in this contest. It managed to win from "TOMORROW NEVER DIES" and "DIE ANOTHER DAY".
►► Are Connery's best films slowly becoming a bit 'too old' for some people? Especially for the youngest Bond fans? Hence no Connery film is in the TOP 2?
It's been a fun thread @Gustav_Graves
Well done!
It was fun while it lasted, thanks Gustav.
I'll add my own observations
- Goldfinger is by far the most popular with the general public and critics (non Bond fans)
- OHMSS, TLD and OP are viewed less favorably by the general public
I completely agree with this. However, I will say that my 12 year old daughters favourite movie (and it's been like this since she was 10) is OHMSS. She has great taste does my daughter ;;) . But, yes, I completely agree with your comment.
Inherited from her father no doubt :)
Though it was a great shock to see FRWL beat out of the 2nd spot, it, OHMSS and CR are more than worthy of being the top of the top.
It's great to see a film like OHMSS that had a bad history review wise in the franchise rise to being such a big placer in fan rankings across many boards. It makes me wish Peter Hunt got the chance to direct more films in the series, after all the great work he put in to get there during his ground-breaking work with Young and his crew. In just one film he cemented himself in the top rung of Bond directors, and his time in the editing bay taught him the importance of pacing, sound design, framing of action and just what elements played best when juxtaposed against each other, especially in Bond films. He was the perfect person to direct a Bond film in a post-Young landscape, and it's a shame all we got was OHMSS under his tutelage, because his best work could have been yet to come.
Just imagine Hunt returning to the director's seat for a revenge-styled Bond film starring Lazenby right after OHMSS hit. It makes me salivate just thinking of it.