NEW 2021 UPDATES ON 'Quick Big Mi6 Bond Ranking Game': JOIN IN, FOLKS!

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  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,487
    @ProfJoeButcher Good point.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited April 2021 Posts: 7,162
    Ok amigos, not long before we can dive into the top 10, but we still have one entry to reveal before we can.

    STARRING
    Roger Moore as James Bond 007

    WITH
    Jane Seymour, Yaphet Kotto, Geoffrey Holder & Julius W. Harris

    LIVE AND LET DIE

    MUSIC BY George Martin
    DIRECTED BY Guy Hamilton

    MV5BODA1YWMxMTUtMjE3Yi00ODVmLWI2MWMtODRhM2JmNmQxYzQ2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzgyODA1NzQ@._V1_.jpg

    LALD turned out to be the favourite of one participant, providing it with one gold medal. It also managed to secure three 5th spots. In addition it received nine more top 10 placements and five top 15's.

    Not much to report on the other end of the spectrum, with one 24th and one 21st spot, giving it two bottom 5 endings.

    LALD collected 154 points in total.

    That's the same amount as LTK, so technically they both ended up 11th. In an attempt to differentiate them, I looked at the amount of 1st and last places, but that was tied too, so I went for most top 10 placements, which LALD won.

    I admit that's rather arbitrary, but I had to go with something here. I prefer to look at it as a shared 11th place anyway.
  • Posts: 7,520
    Ironic that, GoldenGun, since LTK uses elements from the novel of LALD!! I have Rogers debut at 9, my second favourite after OP. Always an enjoyable watch, it has strong set pieces (the opening briefing with M, the Crocodile farm, bus chase, first meet with Solitaire,Kananga reveals his plan, TeeHee train fight, boat chase) and a memorable set of villains!
    One of the best theme songs too, it will always be a favourite Bond movie of mine!
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,487
    I hoped it would find the way in the top 10. I love LALD (apart from Rosie) and the boat chase is full of great stunts and jokes. One of my favourite movie scenes in general. And a film with snakes, crocs and sharks is another reason to love it. I miss the wild animals in the newer entries.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,343
    I miss the wild animals in the newer entries.

    Komodo Dragons are cooooool!
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited April 2021 Posts: 14,619
    Awesome film, saw this one near the beginning of my discovery of Bond and have loved it ever since. Very rich in colour, culture and musically too. A sterling start for Roger.

    Yeah, I miss the animal threats. Hoping Bond encounters a centipede in Jamaica in NTTD.
  • Slazenger7Slazenger7 Gothenburg, Sweden
    Posts: 1,344
    #9th place. Definitely a favorite of mine. I love the flirts with blaxploitation films and that early 70’s feel. I love the George Martin score as well, best non-Barry score. And Maccas theme song is probably my favorite of the series.
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    Awwww c'mon guys give Rog a break, look, he’s devastated!!! Number 5 on my list, I’ve never grown tired of watching this film, it’s a fun filled romp from start to finish. @GoldenGun are you SURE you’ve not made a mistake with the counting of Thunderball? :)

    Octopussy_James-Bond_Roger-Moore_Clown1.jpg
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,219
    I'll be honest: I think LALD has two of the most beautiful Bond girls in the entire series: Jane Seymour and cutie Madeline Smith.

    And yes, there are good moments in the film. But overall, it's a silly movie. I had it at #18. Moore is okay but not cemented in the role yet. The boat chases are pretty cool, but other action scenes in the film are few and dull. The climax is... well, barely there. (I don't mind something a bit smaller than the big battles of TSWLM or YOLT, but this is Bond, Kananga, one shark and a gas pellet.) Also, that investigation into the death of those three agents really didn't amount to much, now did it? I think the film has potential; I love Kananga's organisation with spies and thugs everywhere. I love Kananga's entourage, including Tee-Hee and Whisper. Yaphett is an energetic villain too. But LALD barely transcends a TV production; it lacks a certain cinematic feel for me.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited April 2021 Posts: 7,162
    @Mathis1 It is indeed, I never really understand why LTK is often described as non-Bondian since there is so much Fleming in there. I'd even say it's one of the most Bondian ones.

    @Max_The_Parrot Sorry my feathered friend, TB has quite a few admirors actually ;).

    Now concerning LALD. I used to appreciate it less than I do now, but it still isn't a top entry for me.

    That being said, I love Tee Hee, Baron Samedi and Miss Caruso. Rog is great in it too, I like the Martin score, as well as the title sequence and there is also some fine stunt work to behold. Oh and the dialogue is good, Hedison is an excellent Felix and I quite enjoy Pepper going utterly bonkers too.

    As I've said before, it's telling that even an entry I don't consider a favourite has so much that I enjoy about it.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Pretty much as expected. I was the one who had it in 24th place, making me its smallest fan. I love the New York taxi scene and the alligator stunt, but not much else.

    In the tournament LALD and LTK were also tied in their match-up, but in the final results list LALD managed 11th and LTK ended on 13th, with FYEO in between.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,162
    Interesting that LALD-FYEO-LTK end up 11th-13th on both occasions.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    I actually had it at 11th so it's the second time (along with DAD) that my personal ranking matched the group's.

    It will be interesting to see how the rest fall in place.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,162
    Tomorrow we'll be diving into our top 10. These are the candidates:

    - Dr. No
    - From Russia with Love
    - Goldfinger
    - Thunderball
    - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    - The Spy Who Loved Me
    - The Living Daylights
    - GoldenEye
    - Casino Royale
    - Skyfall

    The ranking so far:
    11. Live and Let Die / Licence to Kill
    13. For Your Eyes Only
    14. Quantum of Solace
    15. Octopussy
    16. Moonraker
    17. You Only Live Twice
    18. Tomorrow Never Dies
    19. The Man with the Golden Gun
    20. The World Is Not Enough
    21. A View to a Kill
    22. Spectre
    23. Diamonds Are Forever
    24. Die Another Day
    25. Never Say Never Again
  • As @Mathis pointed out, how appropriate Live and Let Die and Licence to Kill should have pulled a draw with both incorporating many elements of the same novel and David Hedison's portrayal of Felix in both.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,335
    Dwayne wrote: »
    I had LTK at number 15, so I regard it a little less favorably than most of you.

    In its’ favor is a great performance by Dalton and Kamen’s score is one of the best IMO. That said, I found some of the violence somewhat gratuitous (*), and the less said about Talisa Soto’s “Lupe” the better. While I can certainly appreciate LTK, it is rarely the Bond movie that I insert in the DVD player on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

    That said, I think that a major factor in the film’s poor box office (US) was LTK misfortune to be released in a summer that brought us: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (5/24), “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” (6/9), “Ghostbusters II” (6/16), “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” (6/23), and…oh yes…”Batman” (6/23) followed by “Lethal Weapon 2” (7/7). Poor LTK just got lost. Every other summer (since 1977) had seen the release of a Bond movie and I think that general audiences may have simply taken 007 for granted.

    I’ve often wondered how the Dalton era would have played out if EON had taken “a year off” and done more to hype Dalton.

    ** “…well it was never made for six and seven-year olds…” - says me in my best Dalton voice!!!

    Poor Dalton had the spectre of Brosnan and Connery hanging over him in the summer of '89!
  • Here's my prediction for the rest of the list:

    10. Thunderball
    9. The Living Daylights
    8. Dr. No
    7. GoldenEye
    6. The Spy Who Loved Me
    5. Skyfall
    4. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
    3. From Russia With Love
    2. Goldfinger
    1. Casino Royale

    I feel fairly certain DN, TB, and TLD will be the next three in some order. Then TSWLM, GE, and SF will fall into the middle ground in some order as beloved but maybe not too universally beloved wild cards. Then FRWL, GF, OHMSS, and CR will round out the top four in some order.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I have six of those ten in my own top ten.
  • Too bad LALD didn't crack the Top Ten!
    It's my numero uno, loved it since I first laid eyes on the VHS in a video store. My dad introduced me to the Connery Bond films growing up but LALD was always special to me! Great original score from George Martin, stellar cast in the villains (RIP Yaphet Kotto), Jane Seymour was (is) a beautiful Bond girl. Love the voodoo theme incorpated into the plot. No, the film isn't timeless and is definitely dated in the early 70's, but the charm has not worn away!
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,179
    LALD is my second favourite Moore, after TSWLM, because it feels a little more serious than later offerings and because Roger looks at his peak physically.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited April 2021 Posts: 7,162
    It's top ten time! Let's have a look who ended up at Number 10:

    STARRING
    Sean Connery as James Bond 007

    WITH
    Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi & Rik Van Nutter

    THUNDERBALL

    MUSIC BY John Barry
    DIRECTED BY Terence Young

    thunderball_R1970s_original_film_art_5000x.jpg?v=1569087120

    No-one picked TB as their favourite entry, but two members did award it the bronze medal. It also claimed one 4th and one 5th spot. Ten more top 10 spots were secured as well.

    TB ended up in five more top 15's, but also turned up in two bottom 5's. Its worst score was 24th.

    In total TB collected 157 points.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    edited April 2021 Posts: 4,487
    I ranked it low, #21. It's the only movie apart from SP that bores me in some scenes. Connery is great, the women are VERY attractive, the SP meeting is fantastic and I like the PTS fight and the shark pool, too. And some dialogues are also top.
    Despite all these good points, the film doesn't excite me as much as most of the others.
  • Slazenger7Slazenger7 Gothenburg, Sweden
    edited April 2021 Posts: 1,344
    I was one of the members who put Thunderball at #3. It’s a movie that has grown on me steadily over the years and I now consider it one of the finest in the series. The PTS is a little weak but other than that there’s not much to complain about.
    It may be Sean Connerys best performance, the dialogue is fast, funny and very well delivered. The plot is belivable and perfectly balanced. Claudine Auger as Domino makes up my favorite Bond girl. Largo is a very memorable villain. So is Fiona Volpe as the quintessential femme fatale. The soundtrack, theme song and title sequence is top notch.
    The carribean setting is gorgeous and I love the under water sequences. It’s Bond mania at its peak, riding on the success of Goldfinger. Everything is done with extremely big confidence, the series have never felt as relevant as right here, very 1965 and just very very good.
  • Max_The_ParrotMax_The_Parrot ATAC to St Cyril’s
    Posts: 2,426
    Next to the bottom for me. Like @goldenswissroyale there are individual scenes that are memorable, and I enjoy finding out more about the structure of SPECTRE but I don’t get any excitement from the film at all. Unfortunately for me I’m often bored, and if I’m honest I enjoy watching NSNA instead. Still, congrats on making the Top 10.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    edited April 2021 Posts: 8,223
    My #7 film. Everything I love about the series presented in a classy, stylish and epic way. Never agreed with the criticisms of it, though I do understand them. A wonderful adventure with a prime Connery leading the line.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,152
    Birdleson wrote: »
    #8 for me. Best dialogue, best Femme Fatale.

    Great minds think alike. I also have TB at #8
    It’s a great film that literally has everything and the kitchen sink. GF is big. TB goes bigger!
    Connery I feel is at his peak uber cool, great script, beautiful girls and an array of great villains.
    Easily a top ten entry.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,619
    #5 here. The Shrublands and Palmyra scenes are highlights. Always enjoyed the underwater moments too. Dialogue is top notch.
  • LALD was my #8, and my favorite of Moore’s film. It’s horror undertones make it a unique entry, and I love its huge ensemble of memorable villains. I like the bit of edge the first two Moore films have, and it kicks off his tenure with a ton of excellent action sequences. It’s one of the best paced Bond films in my opinion.

    #11 for me. It used to be my least favorite Connery film besides NSNA, but my most recent watch was a total 180. I even liked the underwater battle (which must have been a nightmare to coordinate). I just love the Bahamas vibe and the movie feels like a great midpoint between the more low key intrigue of the first two movies and the crazier epics to follow. I could see Thunderball continuing to rise with even more viewings.
  • Posts: 7,520
    TB is number 8 for me! I can understand the criticisms. It is too long, but agree it has great dialogue, Connery is on peak form, Claudine is delicious, Lsrgo is a strong villain and it has my favourite end battle sequence!
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,335
    This is exactly where I had TB, at #10. I think *all* of the '60s Bonds should be in the top ten.
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