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Comments
Yeah, that axe scene, he was almost bottling up his anger and just went all-out in that.
I enjoy both Koskov and Greene in their respective films. I think Koskov does pull off the whole pretend ally thing better than Kristatos does. He's fun when he's on screen and only needed a grander sendoff/confrontation with Bond to really cement his place. Greene drips slime better than any of them. As others have pointed out, his standoff with Bond in the opera house lobby while Puccini thunders over the sound system is one of the defining shots of the series. There are other more colorful and more memorable villains I ranked higher, but no complaints here.
Kristatos is, of course, a more straightfaced version of the down-to-earth bad guy. I love the fact there is nothing outlandish about his plans, he is just an earthly example of evil that manifests itself out of banality, if that makes sense.
Regarding the axe fight, which I also love, I think it's great how Greene stays relatively composed for the entire film up to that point and then he just becomes completely unhinged. Bond was a mere pest before, he was confident he would beat him, and then after the last setback all the anger and frustration just explodes out of him. It's a powerful moment.
CURD JÜRGENS
as Karl Stromberg
in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
Another villain for which it was hard to find some film artwork, I had to go with something else instead.
Stromberg collected three top 10’s: one 5th place, one 6th place and one 9th place. Five more top 15’s were acquired.
On the other end of the spectrum, there were six bottom 5’s to be noted. Four of those were 23rd places, two were penultimate spots.
In total Karl Stromberg collected 90 points.
If I would also count the setting, he would deserve a higher ranking. His first scene is awesome, his demise a bit uncreative.
That's about as far as I go with him too. 23 for me as well.
He's boring, he seems bored himself, and he's just going through the motions of being a supervillain. He's got a big plan, but it doesn't really make sense, and he doesn't seem that invested in it. He takes Anya with him despite not suggesting an ounce of sexuality about him, because that's what villains do.
He really just sits and stands around a lot, and I think we see him eating at least twice. He never really loses his temper. I don't even really care for his intro scene, though I get why people do. I mean, we've just seen that he doesn't mind killing people in his headquarters, so why waste a helicopter (and begin the process of transferring money) for no reason? I know it's a silly movie and these things happen, but dumb behavior that's strictly for the benefit of the audience is kind of a pet peeve of mine....
Anyway, I always find his “why do we wish to conquer space” line humorous in light of one of his other roles…..
While Drax comes off as more of a space Hitler with irrational reams of a perfect race, Stromberg seems like he really, really hates people. The guy is downright evil and despicable. His death scene is also fantastic, one of Moore's best (and most underrated) kills. Both actors expertly sell how much these two characters really dislike each other.
I think that's it. When you learn that he was originally going to be Blofeld, it all makes sense. Stromberg is just filling in.
And what about his mentioned webbed fingers? I always thought his fingers looked normal to me?
Oh yes, the webbed fingers, yes he does have them, that is a good moment, when Naomi tells Bond that Stromberg prefers not to shake hands, Bond, of course puts his hand out deliberately to shake it!
I do wish they had better displayed his webbed fingers because they were a great idea for a supervillain with a mania for all things aquatic. We see them briefly a couple of times, but they're never the camera's focus. I think we get our best glimpse of them when he points at one of the underwater viewing portals when meeting with Bond for the first time.
Your point about Anya is interesting. It really doesn't make sense to take her with him. What is his aim there?
Fair point about the wasted helicopter. However, I love this scene and I'm happy that they did this dumb behaviour...Bond movies wouldn't be much fun otherwise. I wonder what you say about Goldfinger's behaviour in Kentucky at his farm?
Sure thing! Like I said, I wish we had gotten just one or two shots where you could really see he had hands like the Gill-man. Not a gratuitous close-up insert, but something integral to the scene. Perhaps there could have been a close-up of Stromberg's webbed hand caressing Anya's cheek when she's tied up or a low angle of him dining where we see his webbed hand fully in the frame clutching his cup. Just a couple instances of this would have sold the idea and made his grotesquerie a more fully apparent and memorable trait.
JONATHAN PRYCE
as Elliott Carver
in TOMORROW NEVER DIES
Elliott collected three top 10’s: one 6th place, one 7th place and one 8th place. Six more top 15’s were noted. All of those were either 12th or 13th places (three of each).
At the other end, there were six bottom 5’s, with a 25th spot, his lowest finish, on three occasions.
Elliott Carver received 93 points in total. He’s our final contestant to finish with a tally South of the 100-point mark.