WHICH are the less important Bond films?

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  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited February 2012 Posts: 6,277
    This thread seems to have, perhaps predictably, become posters naming their most disliked Bond films. Surely, any film that launches a new Bond MUST almost by its definition be an 'important Bond film': it is attempting to prove, each time, that James Bond can adapt to a new era, and the character can live on and the series thrive while slightly re-inventing itself. So I can't imagine that Dr No, OHMSS, LALD, TLD, GE or Casino Royale should appear here.

    In my opinion, The Spy Who Loved Me being named is mind-blowing, considering it helped re-launch Bondmania on a massive scale in 1977. You might hate the film but, my goodness, it had a huge impact on the series.

    You make a good point. The importance of GF, TB, TSWLM, and GE to the canon cannot be denied. Each launched or re-launched Bond into the stratosphere. And even the worst films of, say, Brosnan, played a role in keeping the series alive.

    In a sense, OHMSS (despite being my favorite), TMWTGG, and LTK are the most damaging because they almost killed the series. (Throw in QoS and there's a hint of a "sophomore slump.")

    What makes CR so special is that it ended on a downbeat note yet was still wildly successful and acclaimed. CR finally delivered on the promise of OHMSS and LTK.
  • Posts: 562
    Here's my very short list of the ones that could have been better. However, I can't say they're any less important than any other...

    - DAD
    - MR
    - AVTAK
    - DAF
    - TWINE
  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    edited February 2012 Posts: 1,329
    This thread seems to have, perhaps predictably, become posters naming their most disliked Bond films. Surely, any film that launches a new Bond MUST almost by its definition be an 'important Bond film': it is attempting to prove, each time, that James Bond can adapt to a new era, and the character can live on and the series thrive while slightly re-inventing itself. So I can't imagine that Dr No, OHMSS, LALD, TLD, GE or Casino Royale should appear here.

    In my opinion, The Spy Who Loved Me being named is mind-blowing, considering it helped re-launch Bondmania on a massive scale in 1977. You might hate the film but, my goodness, it had a huge impact on the series. [/quote




    Mate this whole thread started off as a reference to an episode of I'm Alan partridge, I'd get the link up but dont know how on my mobile, I suggest typing in (Alan partridge James bond ) into YouTube, then you'll realise why the spy who loved me was mentioned, not because anyone feels it is less important or dislikes it because at the end of the day, who dosen't like watching roger Moore necking with Fiona fullerton?
  • Posts: 562
    I'd prefer to neck with Fiona Fullerton myself rather than watch Roger do it...
  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    Posts: 1,329
    Agent005 wrote:
    I'd prefer to neck with Fiona Fullerton myself rather than watch Roger do it...
    Haha still? I bet she's dead old? Lol
  • Yes, I know the Alan Partridge reference very well. Hence my Forum Name. Dear old Alan even had a picture of Roger Moore (along with 'Jet' from 'Gladiators') on his bedroom table, and modelled his fashion sense on Rog c1979.

  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    Posts: 1,329
    Yes, I know the Alan Partridge reference very well. Hence my Forum Name. Dear old Alan even had a picture of Roger Moore (along with 'Jet' from 'Gladiators') on his bedroom table, and modelled his fashion sense on Rog c1979.

    haha
    "I like that one where the laser beam goes up his jaffas"

  • Posts: 4,619
    Diamonds Are Forever
    The Man with the Golden Gun
    Octopussy
    A View to a Kill
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    The World Is Not Enough
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Agent005 wrote:
    I'd prefer to neck with Fiona Fullerton myself rather than watch Roger do it...

    I find it rather surprising that Partridge would make such a mistake as this when reffering to TSWLM.

    Is it Coogans writing to blame or is Alan just genuinely confused? Also when running through his Bond video running order I'm pretty sure he misses one out or gets them in the wrong order.

    Off the top of my head doesn it go something like 'Raker, Eyes Only, Pussy, Daylights oh batter my arse I've forgotten TSWLM.'

    After the Fullerton mistake and then missing it out all together it just seems AP has a downer on AVTAK.

    Despite all the classic Bond stuff in that episode, I have to say my favourite bit is Alan drumming along to The Return of the Saint in the graveyard.
  • Agent005 wrote:
    I'd prefer to neck with Fiona Fullerton myself rather than watch Roger do it...

    I find it rather surprising that Partridge would make such a mistake as this when reffering to TSWLM.

    Is it Coogans writing to blame or is Alan just genuinely confused? Also when running through his Bond video running order I'm pretty sure he misses one out or gets them in the wrong order.

    Off the top of my head doesn it go something like 'Raker, Eyes Only, Pussy, Daylights oh batter my arse I've forgotten TSWLM.'

    After the Fullerton mistake and then missing it out all together it just seems AP has a downer on AVTAK.

    Despite all the classic Bond stuff in that episode, I have to say my favourite bit is Alan drumming along to The Return of the Saint in the graveyard.

    "STOP GETTING BOND WRONG"

    ironic that the bond referencing is faultless apart from that clanger...

    far better than having to grit your teeth thru any typical tabloid bond piece which ALWAYS seen to GET BOND WRONG! :S
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Every film has importance for the series a whole but as for the ones I dislike, Die Another Day gets the top spot.
  • edited February 2012 Posts: 401
    @Benny Imagine if you will if any of our homes were ablaze and you had to scoop up as many Bond films as you could to rescue in quick time which ones would you leave behind, that's one way of looking at it.
    If you put it like that, I would leave Live and Let Die, Moonraker, A View to a Kill, Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace.
    Also when running through his Bond video running order I'm pretty sure he misses one out or gets them in the wrong order.
    He misses OHMSS when going through his Bondathon schedule with Sonja. He also calls Blofeld "Ernest Stavros Blofeld" when smashing up the cereal boxes.
    Despite all the classic Bond stuff in that episode, I have to say my favourite bit is Alan drumming along to The Return of the Saint in the graveyard.
    This is probably my favorite moment; http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pMb7eFdxZnU#t=661s

    Also, is it just me, or did Michael not really need to be in the second series?
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Dr_Metz wrote:
    He misses OHMSS when going through his Bondathon schedule with Sonja. He also calls Blofeld "Ernest Stavros Blofeld" when smashing up the cereal boxes.

    Also, is it just me, or did Michael not really need to be in the second series?

    Although if you watch the Christopher Lee face off with Brydon in the Trip it seems like Coogan knows his Bond so I'm inclined to think that Ernest Stavros was intentional to show Partridge up to be a buffoon. Either that or the BBC were scared of Mcclory and didnt want to risk it!

    I thought the entire 2nd series was a bit of a step down from series 1 (with the Bond episode and the one with Dan probably the only ones to reach the heights of the first series) but still a fair bit better than Mid Morning Matters. Although MMM (WAP) is still way above most of the crap the BBC serve up.

    Got the Partridge biog on audiobook which isnt bad but what we're all waiting for is another proper series. Come on Steve youre never going to crack America so just give us some more Partridge.

  • Posts: 4,762
    I'd say that Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and Moonraker are the least important Bond movies. Sure, those are my least favorites, but whatever, I don't find them to be top of the list. My most important Bond movies are GoldenEye, From Russia with Love, and License to Kill.
  • edited March 2012 Posts: 1,497
    I think a lot of folks are mis-understanding the point of this thread. Most important/Least Important shouldn't reflect your personal taste (there are plenty of thread for that). It has to do with how significant the film was and what it did for the series. DN was important because it was the first, GF and TB were important because they launched Bondmania, CR was important because it was reboot that won over critics and fans...see what I mean?

    Least Important:

    You Only Live Twice-There was not much more the franchise could do after the successes of DN-->TB. YOLT, while I love it, didn't push the series forward, just retreaded well trodden grounds.

    The Man With the Golden Gun-Another Bond film I have a soft spot for, but it is not important, because it didn't add anything from the previous film. LALD was Moore's first so it was significant. TSWLM brought life back to the series. TMWGG is just another Bond film in the grand scheme.

    A View to a Kill-Once again, a Bond film that doesn't add anything to the equation: a by the numbers Bond film (but don't get me wrong, I love a by the numbers Bond film!)

    Tomorrow Never Dies/TWINE: Both middle of the road Brosnan Bond faire, that again, didn't bring anything new to the table. I'm not including Die Another Day, because it was afterall a box-office smash

    That's it! All the other Bond films have either something unique about them, marked a significant change or development for the series, or were critical to the success of the series.

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Anyone who said TSWLM is an idiot.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    RC7 wrote:
    Anyone who said TSWLM is an idiot.

    Well aren't we hoity toity. Opinions are opinions, and on FORUMs you're bound to run into hundreds of them. Get used to it my compadre.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    RC7 wrote:
    Anyone who said TSWLM is an idiot.

    Well aren't we hoity toity. Opinions are opinions, and on FORUMs you're bound to run into hundreds of them. Get used to it my compadre.

    I'm just giving my opinion, compadre.

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    I'm quite surprised that so few see the true value of YOLT. Cinematic and TV history is scattered with loving tributes to the Bond franchise and 90% of the time it is YOLT which is earmarked. How can a film so well remembered and loved by the public be considered unimportant to the overall standing of the series?
    It staggers me.

    Generally I would say all the 60s were important as the series found its feet. DAF is also important if only because it was the franchise and Connery's final goodbye.

    My list would start with TMWTGG. A Bond film with very little new to offer. It was rushed and it shows.

    After this Cubby found a new direction which established itself through the 80s, until my second choice
    AVTAK. Another film with little to offer that the other Moore Bonds hadn't already offered.

    I'm sorry but the franchise was damaged by LTK. Nothing wrong with a hard edged Bond film, but it needed a better director and a more charismatic star to give it the life it so desperately needed. It's an interesting experiment but it ultimately fails. It doesn't feel like a Bond film (unlike TLD).

    On to Brosnan, I don't agree about TND. The director really tried a few tricks with a thin script, offering several nods to better days. It wasn't a great film but it was a heroic failure and much of it is at least terrific fun.

    TWINE, (like LTK ) tried something different, but exactly how different was that? OHMSS was romantic and tragic, so that wasn't new. Dalton had already tried to give is a thoughtful Bond, so nothing new in Brosnan's performance. Much of the action was uninspiring.

    DAD no matter wat stands as the big anniversary film and has a place in the history of the franchise and it's too early to assess QOS, soo my choices are

    TMWTGG
    AVTAK
    LTK
    TWINE
  • Posts: 297
    I'm going with an unpopular one and say DN here. In my view the series could have started just as well with FRWL, all the elements being present in that one. DN is a fine film but the series developed away from that with each subsequent entry. I don't think the series would look much different if DN had never been.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,159
    Losing TWINE and DAD, possibly even TND, would hurt me least. All the other ones, however, I love too much. It hurts me to find DAF and even AVTAK in many lists. DAF may not be the cleverest Bond, but it's a heart-warming one. This film is like a girl who isn't the smartest in the room, but charming nonetheless. As for AVTAK - yeah I have issues with this film, but Roger's entertaining performance, Tanya Robert's great looks and John Barry's wonderful score are close to my heart.
  • edited March 2012 Posts: 1,497
    NicNac wrote:
    I'm quite surprised that so few see the true value of YOLT. Cinematic and TV history is scattered with loving tributes to the Bond franchise and 90% of the time it is YOLT which is earmarked. How can a film so well remembered and loved by the public be considered unimportant to the overall standing of the series?
    It staggers me.

    You know Nic you're right, I hadn't thought of that. Considering the influence on Austin Powers alone, the massive volcano laire that was used in The Simpsons. YOLT is quite possibly the most inflential Bond in pop culture.
    NicNac wrote:
    On to Brosnan, I don't agree about TND. The director really tried a few tricks with a thin script, offering several nods to better days. It wasn't a great film but it was a heroic failure and much of it is at least terrific fun.

    I still can't agree with this. A few director tricks can't rise the film above the heap. Plus nods to better days had been done in virtually all the Bond films prior to it. Maybe the media mogul idea was new, but hardly made the film anymore important to the series. More gadgets, more gimmicks, nothing new.
    DarthDimi wrote:
    DAF may not be the cleverest Bond, but it's a heart-warming one. This film is like a girl who isn't the smartest in the room, but charming nonetheless.

    Absolutely, say what you will about DAF, but there is no denying it had some influence. The space laser has been referenced in films to come including even future Bond films. It also introduced Tom M. to Bond and to the movies in general. There is iconography in the film too: especially the cherry red mustang zipping down Fremont St. Vegas. Plus that theme song...which one Steven Spielberg has said is the greatest theme song he has ever heard, and which has been covered by The Arctic Monkeys and sampled by Kanye West.
  • It's not in Ian Fleming's James Bond franchise, but Never Say Never Again & Casino Royale. (1967)
  • Posts: 1,098
    In no particular order:-

    QOS
    AVTAK
    DAD
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