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I definitely like JW more than the AVTAK guy, but I wouldn't want him back in 1985. My favorite sheriff is actually the guy from DAF. That movie is full of inspired casting. I don't know if that fellow was a non-actor, a bad actor, or a very clever actor, but his low-energy line readings slay me every time. "There goes that son-of-a-bitchin' saboteur!" and the whole thing with Larry. "I think Larry got him. Attaboy, Larry." I could do with another helping of that guy.
The strength of my nostalgia for GE keeps it at my #1 spot, but it's also my favorite for what I believe to be many merits: a really cool soundtrack, fantastic villains, engaging action scenes, a fairly interesting plot, and a fine Brosnan performance. LTK is also in my Top 5, though, so I certainly agree that it's a more deserving entry than many believe. I also agree that if it'd had a "culture" surrounding it like GE did with the video game, there'd be more praise for it. It really is a shame LTK didn't achieve what it could have, being such a unique Bond adventure.
For me money, Goldeneye not only redefined Bond films for the modern day, it’s also one of the very best action films ever made in my view. It’s so hard hitting, atmospheric, and edgy. It’s unlike anything that’s come before it really. It’s the only Bond film that really gets my adrenaline rushing in ways that other films in the series really don’t, including the Connery and Craig films. It’s perfectly cast, I mean everyone is giving it 100% in the movie, both in front of, and behind the camera. Eric Sierra’s score is perhaps my only issue with it, but I don’t have as much of an issue as others do because it’s part of what makes the film so engaging and moody. I don’t think it’s as silly as Die Another Day at all. If you put both films side to side, there is a stark difference between the two, and it shows.
Plus for all the criticism lodged at Brosnan sometimes, he hits the ground running as soon as he walks onto the screen in the Gunbarrel. He nailed his take on Bond on his first go in my opinion, which says something considering Connery, Moore, and Craig really took a few films to hit their stride. I know there are people who insist that this film was written with Dalton in mind, and that might be true. But while I certainly love Dalton’s Bond, there was no way in hell this film was going to be green lit with him in it, and I don’t think he would’ve matched the energy, wit and charisma that Pierce brings.
In fact, I think I’m at a stage in my life where I prefer Pierce to the other Bond actors for the most part. He’s slightly more elegant and sophisticated than Connery. He has the vulnerability of Lazenby, only he can convey it better on screen than Laz could’ve. He’s more serious than Moore but still knew how to be funny and affable. He isn’t as serious or brooding as Dalton or Craig, but still could be a force of nature not to be reckoned with if you cross him. Brosnan’s always referred to as Jack of all trades, king of none. I reject that statement. Brosnan is just Bond to me, and perhaps the greatest in my view.
Is Goldeneye #1 in my opinion? I don’t know it’s always competing with FRWL, and OHMSS. But it’s certainly up there.
It's not a perfect film but it's always been a favourite ever since the mid 90s. Pierce may be awkward at times but his performance has more good than bad in my view. He also has some good chemistry with Izabella (their bedroom scene and that little pillow tussle always makes me smile).
I'll be hated for this but I've always thought the Serra score added to the cold war atmosphere.
Casino Royale saw Martin Campbell up his game even more.
I agree mostly, except I think Goldeneye slightly edges Casino Royale for me personally. Casino lacks the atmosphere and edgy tone that makes Goldeneye so unique.
The violence however is never far away and packs a punch without being overly graphic or grisly (ala LTK).
Yeah Casino Royale is much more polished in its scripting and filmmaking. In fact I’m glad you pointed out how vibrant the film is in scenes. It’s such a wonderfully shot film. It’s so hard to compare the two films for me because they both sit in top 5, they’re both largely regarded as the best entries for their respective actors, and both made by the same man. My nostalgia for Casino Royale is equally powerful because that was the first Bond film I saw in theaters when I was 9. I honestly think my Dad was blindsided taking me in to see Casino Royale. He must’ve thought it was going to be like one of the Roger Moore films, and thought CR would’ve been age appropriate for me.
Yeah I think so. I don’t think he really hits his stride until Skyfall honestly. He seems much more comfortable in that film versus in Casino Royale and QOS, even if I think CR is the better film. It’s not a put down on him either, it took Connery and Moore a few films to really craft their portrayals to perfection. I was just pointing out that in comparison to the other actors, Brosnan seems to hit the ground running with ease.
He's certainly given a lot more to play in his debut than any of the other actors.
With regard to Brosnan, he admitted that he was very nervous when filming early scenes and it sometimes shows.
...there's also the slight problem of Des reading his lines offscreen.
It's very obvious Desmond is reading his cue cards in GOLDENEYE. I much prefer the Q scene in TND. Flows much better and displays a more natural chemistry between Pierce and Desmomd. Also, Q looks great in his vibrant red Avis blazer.
Agreed. Yeah, this was a fresh take on the character and we were lucky to have an actress of Dench's caliber, which I think gives the character more sympathy than she deserves. But that added habit of always putting Bond down or not giving him her full support when it was often Bond having to deal with the fallout of M's mistakes made the character's actions even more annoying. I was glad when she was replaced.
Agreed.
I agree that SF would have been a good 'final' Bond film... if there had been a film or two between QOS and SF. The 'old man Bond' mood has always struck me as awkward so soon after two 'Bond begins' films. It's as if we somehow missed an entire career. The final scene in QOS suggests that James Bond is finally ready to be '007'. Then, a few years later, the unshaven beard, ridiculing of Q's youth, and Mallory's harsh words suggest that Bond is ready to retire. I suffered nearly the same whiplash in theatres that Bond did when he was blown off the train by Moneypenny. ;-)
Yeah I sympathise with the argument and maybe bc I played Blood Stone back in the day but I think Mallory's line 'it's a young man's game' does just enough work to justify and it helps that Skyfall is built around the tension of tradition vs modernity and is just a good movie full stop.
Skyfall obviously looking back now as the middle entry is the fulcrum point of the Craig era. You can look at it as the end of a trilogy, 'Bond begins' as it were but taken with SP and NTTD it's the start of that trilogy of a more settled Bond, the man 'out of time'.
I'm rambling but for me, apart from Spectre I wouldn't change much about the Craig era.
The Bond-M she should have had was best shown in TND. She openly supported Bond doings his job, even saying don’t launch the missile while Bond was on the ground. Then, in their car briefing, she says here’s your job, do it your way (mostly, without her criticizing him), just get it done. And to think, this all happened while she was being criticized by her superiors. If Purvis and Wade were writing, this would be a subplot. Once they started writing and Judi Dench won her Oscar, the character became almost unbearably hypocritical. Thanks for rigging the Oscars that year, Harvey Weinstein. It seemed that the Gareth Mallory M almost had this happen in NTTD. It’s getting as tiresome as Bond leaving MI6. Hopefully, Ralph Fiennes can become Sir Miles as M, and the relationship between Bond and M can become one of mutual respect. Kingsley Amis would be criticizing EON nonstop for this Bond-M relationship. He hated M, that’s why he was kidnapped in Colonel Sun. Judi Dench’s M was the Grandpa Joe (from Willy Wonka 1971) of the Bond series. In some ways, Judi Dench was just as bad of being spoiled by Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli as Daniel Craig was.