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Comments
LALD still top, and DAD in last place looks good from here. I'd put Skyfall in at #7 though, and push FRWL out of it's place
1. Skyfall - The perfect 21st century Bond film, the gritty Bond that Craig has down perfectly in a film with all of the classic elements, apart from proper gadgets I suppose. The return of Q and to a lesser extent Moneypenny are also welcome. Best villain, best girl and the return of the best car! Craig's performance in this is arguably the best portrayal of Bond yet.
2. GoldenEye - Great characters and an interesting story, I may be a little biased to this one because of the game though! The cast are perfect for the film and the stunts are awesome. I love Natalya and Xenya and Sean Bean, as always, is awesome. Robbie Coltrane is even in this film and Judy Dench debuts well as M.
3. Goldfinger - Set the tone for all Bonds to come, cool gadgets, great charaters and a brilliantly bonkers story. Everybody knows how brilliant this film is!
4. The Living Daylights - Dalton pushes Connery close for me, he's a great Bond and this is a fantastic film with a good story and lots of interesting characters. This also has one of my favourite stunts in Bond, the Jeep and the plane! Only slight negative is the main villain who is quite forgettable, JDB is much better as an ally in GoldenEye.
5. Casino Royale - I loved the edge Craig brought to Bond in this film, it's probably the best of the Fleming novels and this adaptation is pretty spot on. Great cast as well and that opening scene is my favourite from all films.
6. Dr. No - I love the characters, the story, the scenes in Dr. No's underwater base, his death and Connery is brilliant, totally nails the character first time. Oh and there's the small matter of Honey too....
7. From Russia With Love - I'm glad that we've got all the classic Bond elements from Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved Me, but Bond is a spy first and foremost and this is the classic spy caper. The action scenes are good and the characters are brilliant.
8. Licence to Kill - I really like it when Bond shows a more dangerous side to his character and the loyalty he shows to Felix makes him even more endearing than ever. Dalton again nails it. I wish he had stuck around a little longer and given us at least one more film. Imagine him in GoldenEye, that would have been perfect.
9. Diamonds Are Forever - I've said I like the grittier films so this is a bit of a contradiction, but I love this film. It's not so much the story that I like, more the locations and the characters, apart from Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd of course, they're just creepy!
10. Live and Let Die - I'm not the biggest Moore fan but he did do a couple of belters, this being the best. I love the characters in this and Moore brings his own humourous slant on the character from the offset, his dialogue with M at the start is a particular favourite of mine. Only negative is the lack of Q.
11. You Only Live Twice - If you can ignore the whole 'make Bond Japanese' thing, then this is a cracker. I think Connery is at his funniest here and I really like the baddies. Tiger is one of my favourite allies too.
12. The Spy Who Loved Me - Another one of Moore's good uns. Jaws. The Lotus. The underwater base. Triple X. So much to like about this film. Great characters and locations, an awesome car, a Bond girl with her own agenda also makes for a nice change of pace.
13. OHMSS - If Connery had done this film, it would have been arguably the best. Lazenby is really awkward and his lines that were dubbed over are painfully obvious. The story is great and some of the stunts are fantastic. This one has the best Blofeld, I love Diana Rigg and Lazenby's fight scenes are awesome too to be fair to him.
14. Thunderball - I think Connery is at his best in this film but the film itself isn't great, it seems to go on forever. I love the first 2/3 of the film but it really tails off towards the end. The underwater scenes are pretty cool for their time but there are just too many of them and the ending is criminally anti-climactic. Domino is pretty tasty though.
15. Quantum of Solace - If Thunderball was guilty of dragging on too long then this is the opposite, it is seemingly over before anything happens. I like Craig in it and the girl is pretty cool, but the baddy is awfully dull. The car chase is awesome though.
16. The Man With The Golden Gun - Very, very cheesey but good fun. Again this is seemingly a film where relatively nothing happens but when it does it is crazy enough to keep you interested. Christopher Lee is awesome and the car stunt over the river would have been perfect where it not for the slide whistle and JW Pepper.
17. The World Is Not Enough - This could have been awesome but a lot of the scenes were in the wrong place, surely the ending had to be him killing Electra? Denise Richards is badly cast and her character and name are just annoying. Robert Carlye is pretty cool though, but they could have made more of his inability to feel pain.
18. For Your Eyes Only - Cut out the start and the ending and this would be a great film. The Blofeld helicopter thing is cheese on a stick and Thatcher talking to a parrot is just painful, it really doesn't fit in with a more grittier spy film. The ice skating girl is pretty annoying but apart from that all of the characters are pretty good. I love Melina's character, even though I think the actress who plays her is a bit plain.
19. Tomorrow Never Dies - An interesting idea for a villian but badly executed, he doesn't really do anything except type. Wai Lin is pretty cool but makes Bond look a bit stupid on a few occasions. I don't like Paris at all, such a pointless character. Dr Kaufman in brilliant though and I love the remote control car scene.
20. Moonraker - It is all going well until they get to space, then it all tails off badly and Jaws turning good at the end is just silly. The baddy is pretty good, he's totally emotionless and gives off a really cold evil vibe.
21. Octopussy - I quite like the character Octopussy, Kamal Khan is pretty good and some of the scenes in India are quite beautiful but it plods along for too long and then Bond dresses up as a clown.
22. A View To A Kill - Zorin is one evil dude but as awesome as his character is, it isn't enough to save this film. There are some pretty iconic scenes in this film and it is reasonably enjoyable but Moore looks too old, Mayday is cringeworthy and despite her obvious plus points the Bond girl is just an awful character terribly acted.
23. Die Another Day - Too far. Halle Berry and Madonna are enough to ruin this film alone but the overuse of CGI is obvious and the far fetched storyline is out of place in a 21st century Bond. It's a great shame because the start of the film and Bond's capture was great and could have led to so much more.
Category 4 - The Also Rans
22. A View to a Kill - 5.2
This movie is near unwatchable. Moore is too old and going through the motions as Bond. Plot is not good and the acting (especially the Bond girl) is awful. Christopher Walken's campy Max is the only semi decent point and that's stretching it.
21. Die Another Day - 5.3
Futuristic, CGI Bond? No thank you. Way too much emphasis on gadgets and flash. No substance here really. Film gets worse as it goes along and Halle Barry really doesn't fit the role of Bond girl.
20. Moonraker - 5.6
Space does not suit Bond. Bad plot. We'll leave it at that. Moore is not really on point and the Bond girl is pretty blah. It's lovable, campy nature is all that makes it better than the previous two.
19.Tomorrow Never Dies - 6.1
What a huge let down after the very good Goldeneye. Any semblance of plot is obscured by non-stop action. There is little time to set anything up because there is always an explosion around the corner. Brosnan less charming than GE.
18. The World is Not Enough - 6.2
Pretty similar to TMD. A lot of action. A lot of gadgets. But no memorable villain and Brosnan is on autopilot. Plot is run of the mill and forgettable. Like TMD, the decent action sequences rank it higher than 20-22.
17. Quantum of Solace - 6.3
This movie was a MAJOR disappointment after the great Casino Royale. Craig is awful as Bond because he's SO downtrodden. I understand he's avenging Vesper but the doom and gloom doesn't make for a fun movie. Also camera work is terribly shaky. Villain is more than forgettable. Saved from futility by a few genuinely emotional moments and a believable plot.
16. License to Kill - 6.4
Dalton's second turn as 007 is slightly less impressive than his first. The revenge plot is decent but too one dimensional and feels like an episode of a TV show more than a Bond movie. There are some nice tense moments here and Sanchez as the villain is more than competent.
15. Octopussy - 6.5
This is a very campy movie. It's an alright watch if you are in the right mood. Very light hearted. However, it's a bit too hokey to be rated higher than it is and Moore is getting too old and unbelievable in the role of Bond. Good fun here though.
Category 2 - Passable Entries
14. Living Daylights - 6.6
A nice change of pace from the duldrums of AVTAK. Dalton is quite competent as Bond and the plot is good for a spy movie. However, I like my Bond movies with a little bit more humor and lightheartedness. I would describe this movie as "decent" all the way around.
13. You Only Live Twice - 7.2
Connery is really getting bored and it shows. Does he even make a facial expression. Lazy lackluster plot also. Coming off Thunderball this was a huge let down for sure. Still solid enough to not be a turkey as there are some nice dramatic moments. If Connery tried and the plot was more believable it could have been so much better. Alas.....Why did he stop trying? He was SO good in the first couple films.
12. Live and Let Die -6.8
Roger Moore steps in to the role of Bond in a good but not great caper. Moore suits the part well and the villains are somewhat memorable. The movie is brought down by its one dimensional plot and way over reliance on blaxploitation and pandering to what was popular in that era.
11. Diamonds are Forever - 7.0
Sean Connery is back. Hurray! Well not exactly. This Connery is literally sleepwalking and cliche-ing it to the bank. However, movie has a good vibe about it, a classic "feel" and good scenery. It's just that the acting is not very good, believable, or interesting. They could have thrown out the two female assassins, the gay hitmen, and replaced the Bond girl and maybe they would have had something here. And maybe if Connery actually tried more than 50%........
11. For Your Eyes Only - 7.1
This is a good spy movie that could have been better with a more interesting villain and a shortened script. It's a little too slow at points as if trying to go completely opposite direction of Moonraker. I think they should have met in the middle. This is still a nice little movie that a small rewrite could have enhanced.
Category 2 - The Solid Contenders
10. Skyfall - 7.7
Let's start with this. The movie is WAY WAY WAY overrated. That's out of the way. I liked it but didn't love it. Again Craig is too downtrodden for me and what's up with his lack of guile, skill, and charm? He's James Bond for god's sake. And the plot revolves around M way too much for my tastes. I know they wanted to give Judi Dench a good write off but this is a little too much. I enjoyed the nods to the nostalgia here with the Aston Martin, etc. Made it truly feel like a Bond movie even if Craig dampers that feel. I also LOVED the first half hour of the movie especially the opening. It was slowly downhill from here. The villain was a bit overrated and underutilized also.
9. The Man with the Golden Gun - 7.8
I did really enjoy this movie despite it's obvious flaws. Its weaknesses lie in its basic plot, reliance on kung fu, and overall corniness (and Mary Goodnight's dimwittedness) It does have some very strong merits. Christopher Lee is SUPERB as Scaramanga and the villain is like 50% of what makes a good Bond movie IMO. He really carries it. Moore is great as Bond here also. The chemistry and rivalry of those two carry the picture and make it quite an enjoyable watch me thinks.
8. Goldfinger - 8.1
This is another quite overrated Bond movie. Very good entry but not (as many claim) the best film of the series. Its downfall is that, to me, Auric Goldfinger is a very dull, one dimensional villain. His henchman has 5 times the menace and he's a midget. That's a problem. It's other major weakness is that the plot is very basic and has little intrigue. Bond does very little actual spying here. Instead, he spends like half the movie kidnapped and unable to do much. Some of the scenes are filmed nicely and I love the "classic" feel here. All the cliched Bond luxuries are here but the plot really lets the movie down in its simplicity. Pussy Galore is also a bit overrated and bland.
7. Dr. No - 8.3
Obviously where it all started. This movie is solid. I want to rank it higher but just can't bring myself to do so. There just isn't enough happening to warrant that. I like build up in movies but this one is just a bit tedious to be GRIPPING entertainment. Connery is very good as Bond and Dr. No is a very interesting villain. Honey Ryder is a good Bond girl. If this one added some intrigue to the plot, sped up the proceedings, and maybe had some more actual spy work being done, it easily could have made the top 5 or even 3. Great start to the series here though.
6. Thunderball - 8.7
Classic Connery all the way. He has his perfected smirk going and charm at 100%. Love the exotic locale. Love the pacing of the film, especially the first half. Domino is a beautiful Bond girl. The villain has passable menace. Aestetically this movie really has it all going for it. What holds it back you say? It's the last 45 minutes or so. The underwater stuff is very very very tedious and really holds the viewer hostage. You can't even tell what's happening at some points. The plot could have been better after an excellent start to the film.
Category 4 - The Elite Bond films
5. Goldeneye - 9.0
Enter Pierce Brosnan. In this movie he is a perfect Bond. Right there with early Connery. That wouldn't last. But here he exudes all the charm and skills necessary for the job. The villain is more than competent. The Bond girls are luscious and beautiful. The plot is very good. The movie really really holds your attention well. It's just slightly held back by the over the top 90's blockbuster glitz to be at the VERY top end of the rankings. Quite impressive though.
4. On her Majesties Secret Service - 9.1
George Lazenby in as Bond and I don't mind him one bit. Very solid in the role. But he neither makes nor breaks this movie. The lush Swiss alps make an excellent setting. The story is quite well done, if a little corny with the allergy patients. The pacing of the movie is EXCELLENT in this one. Just the right mix of build up and action. The love story with Diana Rigg and Bond is compelling and really humanizes the role for a change (although I wouldn't want him falling in love in every flick). This is great film making at work. Blofeld is a good boss but a little bit underutilized here.
3. The Spy who Loved Me -9.3
This is by FAR Roger Moore's best 007 adventure. I really enjoyed Barbara Bach's spy character even if the acting isn't perfect. I know chemistry when I see it and Moore and Bach have it. Roger really brings his A game here. What really makes this film superb though is the menace of Jaws as a villain. The tension and pacing is very well done. The locales are exotic. There is a good deal of spying and espionage going on. A real winner of a movie in my book.
2. Casino Royale - 9.4
Just barely ahead of TSWLM and OHMSS ( I waffled a bit between these three as they are all fantastic.) In the end I think CR is just too good of a story that hooks you into caring for the characters. Vesper Lynd could be the best most believable Bond girl. There is great tension here and you are always on the edge of your seat. Love the poker scenes. If number one wasn't nearly perfect, Casino Royale would be the best Bond movie ever. The only SLIGHT drawback is that the villain could have been more charismatic.
1. From Russia with Love - 9.6
This is almost perfect. More intrigue/espionage/spying than any Bond movie. The pacing is great. The villains are awesome. The Bond girl is beautiful and acts quite well. Overall the story is what carries the day though. This is what a spy drama should be like/about. The movie is purely substance over style. The only minor (and I mean minor) improvement that could be made is to add just a smidgen more of style/exotic locales but that is nitpicking at its finest. FRWL is the perfect secret agent spy delight!
23. Diamonds Are Forever
Sean Connery adds to lot of presence to a decidedly lightweight cast. Jill St. John is a delight; she brings dignity to the role of Tiffany Case, where none should exist.
From the first moments of this film, it seems the director has lost interest in the film, merely “that will do, on to the next scene” ethos, that undermines the entire film. Sloppy is the word I’m looking for. Also the Guy Hamilton trio of Bond movies seems to be devoid of any tension, any danger. Perhaps the absence of Peter Hunt has something to do with this; he filled, particularly the action scenes, with a certain dynamic energy.
Still, there are good things to Diamonds, namely the John Barry score; the tacky, gaudy nature of Las Vegas contrasts nicely with Bond's world, and Tom Mankiewicz serves up some sizzling one liners.
Diamonds succeeds as an entertaining comic strip Bond adventure, but a Bond film should aim to be much more than that.
6
22. The Man With The Golden Gun
Andrea Anders is a stand out character, truly tragic. She also allows Moore to show a nasty side to his persona, which is coupled with a good fight scene in Saida's dressing room. Indeed Moore is good value here, building upon his performance from LALD. His scenes with the legendary Chris Lee are well, simply put, erm, legendary. True Bondian classics.
A pity the rest of the film rarely reaches those heights; the humour gets very silly at times while Hip and Goodnight are damned inept. Furthermore locking the latter in a closet, while Bond gets groiny, is unforgivable.
6
21. Die Another Day
I studied the chapter scenes and something is clear; half the film is great, and the other half, not so great; i.e. when Bond goes rouge, top notch, and when he’s back in the bosom of MI6… meh. Still Brosnan is on fine form here, it’s a pity that he went out a whimper. Brosnan was a damned fine Bond, whose tenure was undermined by too heavy an accent on action, and scripts that seemed to purposefully self destruct with an abundance of not very good boner gags.
6.5
20. A View To A Kill
A schizophrenic film; youthful, dynamic pairing of Zorin and Mayday vs. the aged forces of MI6; inventive action scenes (steeplechase, City Hall) vs. seventies spectacle (Paris chase, Fire truck escape); forward thinking plot vs. 70’s overt humour; well written characters, unfortunately portrayed by weak actors; Moore’s easy going charm vs. cut- throat 80’s business ethos. It’s like the producers wanted to give Roger Moore a spectacular send off, but the film can’t make up its mind whether go with seventies excess vs. eighties characters/conservative style.
It’s an unfitting way to say goodbye to Sir Rog; I always get a lump in my throat when the end titles come up, it really is the end of an era. Roger Moore provided a steady hand, when the films were at their most inconsistent.
However there is plenty to enjoy in AVTAK; namely Barry's score, the performances from Walken, Fullerton and Macnee, the whole climax and having an intuitive Bond doing a nice bit of espionage, keeping in tone with the previous Glen efforts.
7
19. Live and Let Die
Very understated entrance for Roger Moore. Very good cast, especially the heavies, ( “You’re entering Harlem, baby!”), ingenious plot; cunning in its simplicity, and some delicious lines. I would have given it a 8, but….. Sheriff bloody Pepper.
7.5
18. Moonraker
Moore is on fire here, and it also benefits from some typical Barry and Adam contributions. I particular admire the cinematography and the locations, framed beautifully by Jean Tournier. I also must confess to really liking Bond and Holly hunting down the space globes in the films climax. The idea of Bond going into space has never really bothered me, but the laser battle just left me cold. Still, we got to hear John Barry at his celestial, ethereal best.
7.5
17. You Only Live Twice
Truly epic. Fleming said “go beyond with is probable, but never the impossible”, I always try to judge the Bond’s film plot by this mantra. However… it was the space race, it was the 60’s, a time when people were not so cynical… and I let myself be swept up in the sheer genius of Adam and Barry.
8
16. Quantum of Solace
I like the bleak ambience of the film; it makes it unique, also digging the cinematography and set design. Forster delivers a very slick film, where the drawbacks are the much maligned hyper-editing. Other than that is a very effective, 70’s style thriller. The cast is especially good and the production design is top notch as well.
A quick comment on the political overtones; I like ‘em. Helps make the film seem more plausible and credible. The speech from the Foreign Minister is a great little scene which explains the stance of the British and Americans. “Right and wrong doesn’t even come into it.” The world is not as black and white as Bond would like it.
8
15. GoldenEye
A greatest hits Bond film that launched our venerable hero into the nineties. There really is a lot to enjoy with this one, namely a superb primary cast and a very strong script.
Indeed this script helps anchor GoldenEye’s more fantastical elements, allowing for some rare moments of introspection. The script also cleverly asks Bond to validate himself in the post cold war era, something he achieves with aplomb.
There are a few quibbles; some of the action scenes need trimming, while Boris gets far too much screentime, especially for such an annoying and superfluous character.
8
14. For Your Eyes Only
In many ways this film is the spiritual successor to OHMSS. Which is why I love it. After the spectacle of the seventies, this film marks a refreshing change of pace, where emphasis is placed on characters, and on having Bond rely on his wits.
For me this makes the film eminently more satisfying. Bond becomes key to the plot; rather than being the catalyst around which action rotates; Bond is proactive in propelling the story along.
Moore is particularly satisfying, his performance now undercut with a steely determination.
What isn't so good however, are the comedic hangovers which bookend the film, and dent its appeal ever so slightly.
Which brings me on to Bibi Dahl. She used to be a cute little irritant. Now she has evolved into a cute little character who, despite admittedly being somewhat out of place in a Bond film, at least establishes a little humanity for Bond and Kristatos.
8.5
13. Octopussy
The action is inventive, locales stunning, the screenplay is intriguing and it has great cast; Moore, especially has some fine moments, defusing the bomb, squaring up to Orlov, the death of Vijay; very touching and sombre. Plus Moore has a great chemistry with Maud Adams. Silly humour infiltrations into a few scenes, the Tarzan yell, for example, but the overall theme from For Your Eyes Only is retained.
8.5
12. Tomorrow Never Dies
A neat updating of You Only Live Twice’s plot, and with recent events, so topical. Sleek, sophisticated and thrilling. The accent is on high tech sleek thrills, and the film delivers it in spades. Kudos must go to Spottiswoode, who betrays his background as a film editor delivering a taut and pacy film. A quick word for Mr Brosnan, who, builds upon his good work in GoldenEye, with a more composed and confident performance as Bond.
8.5
11. Goldfinger
Of the first four Connery films this is my least favourite. Why? Compared to its brothers it lacks that slightly callous and hard edge. Then again it hits a sublime balance between the world of Fleming and the cinematic Bond.
While Goldfinger may represent an artistic turning point for the series, it took its cue from Fleming's novel which, for me at least, is his most laid back and expansive. In the novel we get an iconic set of characters brought straight to the screen, not to mention Bond's first spy car and an extra emphasis on the hardware.
Of course the way the film utilises these is really the difference between the cinematic and literary Bond's, but the spirit of Fleming's writing is retained, even if the context has been altered.
Some things grate in this film; the over use of back projection makes the film seem overly cheap, while both the dialogue and acting in the Hood's convention is dire.
Still we get a superb Bond/M exchange, golden roles fleshed out by some great casting and Barry and Adam get into their stride. I adore the 60’s Bond movies because of these two geniuses.
9
10. The Spy Who Loved Me
I had a smile plastered on my face the whole time I was watching this movie, from the death-defying jump to the climatic battle, I enjoyed Spy like never before. Sure it’s too implausible at times, but it also has a fair bit of introspection that balances out the fantasy. Moore establishes his legend in this film; not just in terms of his Bondian performance but also his stature as a leading man.
9
9. Dr. No
Simply classic, iconic Bond. Young used to say, about DN success, that it was all “Connery, Connery, and Connery”. I think he’s being too modest; Young, and indeed, Hunt and Adam all contributed massively to the earlier Bond movies. Although Connery is immense as James Bond, 007, naturally.
9
8. Skyfall
Great cast, great script and story, great direction and great cinematography, plus superb main titles design by Daniel Kleinman. However, the plot from when Silva gets captured, is a bit dodgy, to say the least.
9
7. Thunderball
A perfect Bond adventure, featuring Sean Connery at his most virile best. All the elements work; the plotting, sets, action, music, tension, violence, sex and the quips. I’ve complained before about the hijack of the Vulcan, saying it’s too slow and Young’s direction is anal, but not this time. It is an epic film, and Young is trying to tell us a story, I got caught up with the story like never before. It’s only on for two hours, that’s time to be spent with Bond, so what’s the rush? I just let the film wash over me, savouring Thunderball’s magnificent “epicness”.
9.5
6. The Living Daylights
Superb Mr Bond, superb!
This ranks as one of the very best Bond films. Glen’s direction is assured while it also features probably the best cinematography of his tenure. The screenplay is as intelligent and complex as any in the series. Barry’s score serves as a fitting swansong to this great man. The film is filled with a real sense of Fleming, yet all the cinematic hallmarks are here, and executed brilliantly and originally. And I haven’t even mentioned Tim Dalton, who’s the closest we ever got to Fleming’s 007.
9.5
5. The World Is Not Enough
Pierce Brosnan excels as Bond turning in an elegantly lethal performance. Backing him up are the supreme and fascinating double act of Sophie Marceau and Robert Carlyle; Elektra is dead inside and Renard is dead, physically. You feel pity for Renard. He realises Elektra is playing him, but he does not mind; he goes even so far as sacrificing his remaining days to see her happy.
Marceau is smouldering and sensual, and for me, she shares a genuine chemistry with Brosnan. Elektra is an angel with a wing down, or so Bond thinks. Bond thinks he has found Tracy, but he finds Blofeld. Some people complain about the “quip”, “I never miss”, but I view it as an admittance of Bond’s heartbreaking choices, that Bond has to make.
The more emotional nature of the script allows for some unintentional melodrama. (Primarily the scene between Bond and M in Scotland and the scene where Bond confronts Elektra. I like drama in my Bond films, but when it’s subtle)
Casting a cheerleader as a nuclear physicist was either very naïve or very cynical. Richards dies when she has to share the screen with Marceau.
However, the overall premise is inspired and all the Bondian attributes abound and in novel fashion.
9.5
4. Licence To Kill
Timothy Dalton again excelling as Bond, although this time we don’t see Fleming’s consummate professional, but a more animalistic interpretation, where Bond loses his sheen of sophistication, exposing the blunt instrument beneath. For most of the movie Bond fights with his heart, the personal nature of the story clouding his judgement, making his aim sloppy. It is only once Bond learns about the stinger missiles is he finally able to treat his vendetta as a mission, and he finally gains control of the situation. Superb again, Mr Dalton, superb.
9.5
3. Casino Royale
The most visceral performance ever to be seen in a James Bond movie, Craig makes the role of 007 dangerous, sexy and charismatic, and breaths new life into the character, which has been in the public consciousness for nearly 50 years.
What else is there to enjoy about CR, well; an excellent cast, superb main titles, and the accompanying main title theme, sumptuous cinematography and great music, plus Martin Campbell's direction is brisk, bruising and very effective. And it's from a great adaptation from a great book.
The only thing I can reproach this film with, is the scene where Bond breaks into M's apartment. Fleming's 007 would never have been so disrespectful, and as Bond is a military man, he wouldn't have lasted long in the military.
9.5
2. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Once you get over the shock of George Lazenby as Bond, he gives one of the most underrated performances. Ever. Lazenby is the most natural Bond; sure he looks out of his depth early on, but as the film goes on, he settles in to the role, and by and end of it, I was rooting for his Bond; he made me care. Lazenby is the Human Bond.
Other than Lazenby, everyone is on form here; from John Barry to Diana Rigg, this is a sublime experience.
10
1. From Russia With Love
This is a very cool movie, very sixties chic. For me Connery may well have delivered the greatest Bondian performance; suave, professional, poised, decisive, charming, virile and ruthless. Need I mention the brilliant writing, the superb translation from book to screen, towering performances from the greatest ensemble cast in any Bond film etc etc etc. Intrigue, romance, action and suspense, plus intelligence and craft in the way the whole package was assembled.
The climatic battle aboard The Orient Express is superb and very tense. Young and Hunt bring us a master class of directing and editing. One of the best fight scenes, ever; it’s so brutal, really evoking Fleming’s novel. It’s been building to this for the entire movie. Bond, so decisive and authoritative usually, is played as a mere pawn, and Grant has executed the plan brilliantly. Grant is the most realistic and frightening Bond villain’s ever. He’s more than a match for 007, and only Bond’s quick thinking and resourcefulness saves the day.
10
2- Casino Royale 2006 Because its classical
3-Live And Let Die 1973 Because I don't know its just very good
4- The Living Daylights 1987 I love Necros
5-Tomorrow Never Dies 1997 My first film
6-Licence To Kill 1989 Lots of gory
7-Diamonds Are Forever 1971 The return of king Sean!
8-On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1969 Action packed , Blofeld and he gets married
9-Octopussy 1983 Its set in Germany and I love the chase and the knife throwing twins.
10-A View To A Kill 1985 Set in the USA and a mad villain.
11-Goldeneye 1995 Not as good as TND
12-The World Is Not Enough 1999 Bores me a bit towards the end.
13-Goldfinger 1964 Retro
14-Dr. No 1962 The first and not as good as detail
15-Quantum Of Solace 2008 You don't see the whole point of the film towards the end.
16- From Russia With Love 1963 You don't see the main villain till the end and Grant dies too early.
17-For Your Eyes Only 1981 77-81 were a few bad Bond years for me.
18-Die Another Day 2002 Too fake and fantasy.
19-The Spy Who Loved Me 1977 The Egypt bit bores me.
20-The Man With The Golden Gun 1974 Just boring.
21-Moonraker 1979 Sci-fi is not my thing.
22-Thunderball 1965 Underwater for some of it is not my thing but the return of the DB5 keeps it up.
23- You Only Live Twice 1967 Its set in Japan and Japan bores me good when he meets Blofeld and Henderson but the rest is just bad
Complete and Detailed Bond Movie Ranking.
That's just a list @hullcityfan you've added no detail at all. I suggest you edit your post to include why you rank the films this way.
#24 MR
Nice music, great locations, but Jaw's cartoon antics ruined it for me.
#23 AVTAK
Not much really wrong with this one except that Moore had become just a tad too old...
#22 NSNA
Great to see Connery again, but this film is a mess.
#21 FYEO
Again, not much wrong apart from the silly PTS, Conti's bad score & Thatcher talking to a parrot. But Bibi should have been excised from the shooting script.
#20 DAF
What style! Not much more than that, but Connery was having fun & Barry delivered one of his best scores.
#19 DAD
What a mess... but in it is Brosnan holding it together for me, and Arnold too, with his score. Lots of gold in this mountain of muck IMO.
#18 SF
Solid movie, but Craig's haircut & the Home Alone ending just hurt me.
#17 TSWLM
One word: Fun. Big Bond, small score by Hamlish.
#16 OHMSS
Overrated, but entertaining- people say that YOLT began the slide into OTT, but this film had its own 60's intensity, Batman.
#15 GF
One person's classic is another person's *meh*; lots of great moments don't add up to perfection for me- Barry's score lulls many into thinking this is greater than it is IMO.
#14 FRWL
Fine small Bond movie. No frills, no fat, just novel perfection. Slow in parts.
#13 OP
The circus of Bond films; something for everyone & hugely entertaining!
#12 TMWTGG
The strangeness of this flick is very cool IMO, I really dig it, man. ajb007/lol
#11 LALD
Great intro to Rog as Bond, Solitaire rocks, surprisingly excellent non-Barry score. Love the final shot.
#10 CR
Lean, mean Bond Machine!
#9 QOS
Even LEANER, MEANER Bond machine!
#8 DN
Perfect (however limited in budget) intro to our hero here, love the girl, love the villain. Very Fleming.
#7 GE
An overrated flick, it's great, but not THAT great. Lots of OTT moments & characters, but 006 vs. 007 makes the movie for me.
#6 YOLT
Connery was bored, blah blah blah, so what? This was THE OTT Bond movie!! And Connery was mostly great in it anyway.
#5 TWINE
Dark Pierce. Flawed but fascinating.
#4 TB
The best of Connery, the height of suave style, the most plainly physically amazing Bond girl.
#3 TND
Bond in pain, Bond revenging, dark and at the same time wondrously OTT and funny, another this has it all Bond!
#2 LTK
Did I say 'dark'? This is Bond unleashed.
#1 TLD
Fleming's Bond to near perfection.
23 Die Another Day
Halfway decent opening before descending into too much CGI, too little care for story, crummy one liners, and Jinx, maybe the worst character in the entire Bond movie series.
Awful film.
22 Moonraker
Some decent action scenes here and there. The rest is dull, bland and cheesier than Wisconsin.
21 A View To A Kill
Terrible Bond girl, ridiculous villain and iffy script and one of the worse PTS ever. No thanks.
20 Octopussy
Boooring. Well, except for the PTS and the plane sequence at the end. Otherwise? Pass.
19 The Man With The Golden Gun
Dull seems to be the recurring theme with Moore's Bond movies, sad to say. Another weak Bond girl helps bring it down.
18 For Your Eyes Only
It's okay. Good action bits here and there, but it's a little forgettable.
17 Tomorrow Never Dies
Disappointing follow-up to the very good GE. Weak villain and little to no chemistry between Brosnan and Yeoh.
16 The World Is Not Enough
Very good villainess in Electra, completely wasted opportunity with Renard. Some good spots, some rough.
15 The Spy Who Loved Me
A tad overrated, but still it's pretty good I guess. Fun action scenes abound.
14 Live And Let Die
The best Roger Moore Bond movie. Lotsa fun though sometimes a little ludicrous.
13 Diamonds Are Forever
Connery yawns his way through it, worst Blofeld ever and sometimes the movie's silliness level feels more up Moore's alley, but hey I like Tiffany Case and I like some of the action scenes.
12 License To Kill
Not as strong as TLD, but still damn good. Dark and nasty. Dalton kicks ass all around.
11 Goldeneye
A strong entry in the series and the movie that helped make me a Bond fan back in '95.
10 You Only Live Twice
A tad underrated. Not prime Connery like the first four but it's still really good. Love that volcano set so goddamn much.
9 Quantum of Solace
Not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be, but it is Craig's weakest one so far, I'll admit that. Really cool action scenes all over the place, a great Bond girl and it's Daniel Craig still kicking ass and taking names, whaddya want?
8 The Living Daylights
Getting better every time I see it, it seems. Dalton is awesome, the story and script are tight and the action scenes are tremendous. An unearthed gem for me for sure.
7 Skyfall
Amazing movie, that's all there is too it. Now if only Severine lived a little longer...
6 Goldfinger
A stone cold classic, like all the first four Bond movies. Connery at his zenith.
5 On Her Majesty's Secret Service
My father once told me years ago, long before I saw OHMSS, that it was a mediocre film and that Lazenby was pretty bad as Bond. It was then a wonderful experience to finally see that he was 100% incorrect on all accounts. Fantastic film, beautifully shot, well-written and with some of the best action scenes ever. Lazenby is great and oh yeah, Tracy? Best. Bond girl. Ever.
4 Casino Royale
I can't get enough of this movie. I watch it all the time. Since 2006 I knew it was the best Bond movie ever since the 1960s. Daniel Craig is the 2nd best Bond ever and he's spectacular. The direction, acting, writing, hell EVERYTHING is solid and Eva Green as Vesper Lynd will go down as one of the best Bond girls ever. Amazing movie.
3 From Russia With Love
Quintessential Bond, before there were too many gadgets and not enough cool spy stuff. This one's got it all. And Tatiana might be the most beautiful Bond girl ever.
2 Dr. No
Started off the whole film series with a bang, almost literally. Fantastic villain, great villain lair and one iconic Bond girl. What more could you want?
1 Thunderball
My favorite Bond movie since I was 15. Cool underwater scenes, amazing John Barry score, beautiful Domino, not to mention Fiona Volpe, the best villainess in the whole series. Connery still seems to be having fun and the Bahamas setting is the best. This is the movie that made me want to be James Bond.
#22 Quantum of Solace – Very weak and confusing movie with little life and humor and an unexplained attempted rape scene at the end the movie that never left any connection with any other Bond movie. Never really resolved and of the issues from Casino Royale. Strawberry Fields was the latest woman to lack any screen relevance. Another tired chase scene through a construction site. Good Dave Arnold soundtrack.
#21 Die Another Day – Promising PTS that becomes a train wreck for Brosnan in the form of an invisible car, tsunamis, DNA lab, and a wasted effort from the beautiful Rosemond Pike and Halle Barry. Nuff said. Horrible soundtrack without awful title song.
#20 Tomorrow Never Dies – Promising PTS that turns into another tired movie involving a crazy megalomaniac in the Rupert Murdock/Bill Gates mode that wants to start a war between China and the UK, for some reason I cannot care to remember. Teri Hatcher and Brosnan had great chemistry. Odd slow motion action scene during the sinking of the Devonshire. The movie had Gerald Butler who was rumored to be in the race for Bond.
#19 The World is Not Enough – A little more creative than the previous Bond entry but the story is buried in an avalanche of the tired action scenes worn dialogue. Very odd scene with a cigar and Moneypenny. Robbie Coltrane gave a good performance as Zukovsky, Renard was a comic book character. I thought the series was dead after I saw this. Very disappointing. Good soundtrack. Desmond Llewellyn final film, RIP.
#18 Casino Royale – Daniel Craig’s first movie as Bond and his very first mission to the Texas Hold’em Capital of the world Montenegro (Tito is rolling over in his grave) and what happens - he falls in love, has an existential crisis and quits only to find out he has been duped by Vesper. Too many long chase scenes and a silly collapse of a building at the end. Looks great book cased between DAD and QoS.
#17 Goldeneye – The inventible conflict between two 00 agents in the former Soviet Union marks the return of Bond with a plot involving a space based weapon. Seemed too much like a graphic novel. So-so soundtrack. Ballbusting M and a Pansexual Onatop mark the feminist revolution in the Bond movie.
#16 Live and Let Die – Roger Moore’s first that attempted to deal with the controversial novel of the same title. The movie to me comes off as too campy to really like. I thought Moore’s first outing was pretty good. The story never really held my interest. Poor soundtrack, but great title song. Jane Seymour, as always is beautiful.
#15 Diamond are Forever – Connery returns to seek revenge on Blofeld from a movie he was not it. The plot is a bit campy and the villains and Gangsters do not come across as being dangerous and serious. Connery looks old for 40.
#14 Licence to Kill – Another movie in which EON promised to return to the roots of Fleming. However, the movie was overly violent in the vein as Friday the 13th where no person could die in the same manner and lack the sophistication to be a true Bond film. Horrible dialog including when Bond asks if there are laws against what happened to Felix and Della. Della kissing every guy at her wedding gets a little weird. The movie reflected the general film culture of the late 80s with a more emphasis on realistic crime and violence such as Die Hard and Lethal Weapon and comes off as a Miami Vice full feature.
#13 A View to a Kill – Christopher Walken and Grace Jones become the first Post Modern Sexual Villains that include a Nazi war criminal and genetics. The movie hums along okay. The only problem is the Goldfinger like plot to destroy Silicon Valley with a subtle Cold War plot. Very solid acting from Walken and Moore, but Moore should have had retired earlier and the plot is worn. Great Barry soundtrack. There is really nothing wrong with the movie other the rapidly aging Moore and I believe people started to get Bond-fatigued.
#12 The Man with The Golden Gun – Solid performances from Christopher Lee and Roger Moore, and Maude Adams. Pepper makes a return, along with another worn out car chase. Mary Goodnight is made a bimbo instead of the novel sweetheart. The plot takes place in Asia probably because the previous movie took place in the Caribbean.
#11 Dr No – Good beginning to the franchise. Eunice Gayson is still one of my favorite Bond girls. Very odd outbursts from Connery-Bond throughout the movie. Movie is dated.
#10 You Only Live Twice – Connery’s role a 007 appears to be wearing on him in this movie. The only time he shows any enthusiasm is when he raids Sato’s liquor cabinet. Again the plot takes a backseat to the action and set for a 1960s movie. Still a very well made film with a wonderful soundtrack.
#9 Moonraker – Cubby’s tribute to Star Wars. Despite its grand and unrealistic plot, Moore gives a good performance as Bond in the Fleming tradition. Would have preferred a real Moonraker, too silly with Dolly and Jaws. Great summer movie when Bond films came out during the summer. Great Barry soundtrack. I wanted to join a US Space Force after I saw the movie in the Theatre.
#8 The Spy Who Loved Me – Just like Moonraker, despite its grand and unrealistic plot, Moore gives a good performance as Bond in the Fleming tradition. Would have preferred a real TSWLM. First Bond movie I saw the movie in the Theatre. Barbara Bach is stunning in the movie as Triple-X. The Jaws indestructible act got too tired.
#7 Goldfinger – It is still a good movie after seeing it a hundred times. Goldfinger’s perversion did not translate well to 1960s cinema. Great Barry soundtrack. The gangsters in the movie really seemed to be dangerous unlike DAF.
#6 Thunderball – It is still a good movie after seeing it a hundred times. Connery started to show boredom. A head of its time in dealing with nuclear terrorism. Great Barry soundtrack.
#5 The Living Daylights – Great script for the first 45 minutes, then started to go downhill with the lasers on the car. Whitaker was a weak villain and I did not like the Afghanistan backstory. The tone was very flemingesque, showed a strong and in control Bond that has left the building in 2013. Robert Brown was a weak M. Carried over to LTK. Very good acting among everyone and a well made movie with great soundtrack.
#4 Octopussy – Should have been Moore’s final film. Somewhat confusing plot that somehow became Frederick Forsythe Fourth Protocol, would have been better had it not been for the campy tennis chase through Delhi and Tarzan scream. I am not sure why and how Vijay became a fixture in the movie. The minor campy scenes started to add up, but the movie was still pretty good. Very flemingesque. Great soundtrack including an underrated title song from Bab’s pal Rita Coolidge. The movie could have been cut down a bit. It is interesting that there was a minor India meme in the film business in the early 80s. (Gandhi, A Passage to India, IJ and the Temple of Doom).
#3 On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – Very good Bond movie based very close to the novel. Great Barry Soundtrack. Credible performance from my favorite and literary Bond George Lazenby.
#2 For Your Eyes Only – Nearly perfect James Bond that has an unsatisfactory PTS and a so-so soundtrack. Sir Rog was probably too old. The plot is probably the best coming from a film that had to be put together with the pen of Richard Maibaum. A mixture of the literary On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, For Your Eyes Only, Goldfinger, Risico, and Live and Let Die with a realistic spy story and just right amount of humor and a very flemingesque Bond as only Sir Rog could give. The movie is par with the movies of early 1980s in tone, but is hard to see 31 years later. Faux Maggie still leaves me smiling after 31 years. Bibi Dahl and Melina Havelock come off as modern women, both strong and beautiful and sexually independent and a very lovely Cassandra Harris, RIP.
#1 From Russia With Love – The Best Bond movie from probably the Best bond novel. Possibly a little dated, but still the best. The only problem is the evil in both Krebb and Grant did not perfectly translate to the film. Music and scenery are great. I wish the producers would revisit this story in a modern sense.
Slow, dull and cheap looking film. For me, Brit Ekland is the worst ever Bond girl as the klutzy Mary Goodnight. Lulu performs one of my least favourite Bond songs aswell. To be honest, i only ever watch this one when i'm counting down to going to the cinema to see the latest Bond film, and so, i watch them all in sequence, a Bond film per night, before going to see the new one..
22 - Die Another Day -
Halle Berry is also one of my least favourite Bond girl's, and again, the title song doesn't do it for me either. As for the film itself, it has far too much CGI, poor villains and Rosamund Pike, as pretty as she is, isnt a patch on the old school bad bond girls. Very fake settings, and i never felt for a moment that we were being taken to Iceland. The whole thing felt like we were inside a film studio..
21 - A View to a Kill -
Christopher Walken and Grace Jones are about the only interesting things about this one for me...
20 - Moonraker -
Lovley locations, beautiful Barry music score, and Corrine Clery running for her life are the only things i enjoy about this film..
19 - Diamonds Are Forever -
One of the best scores, and Connery being in it, but thats about it..
18 - Octopussy -
I much prefer Maud Adams here than in TMWTGG. I like the knife throwing twins aswell. Nice locations..
17 - Tomorrow Never Dies -
OTT villain, a little bit too much action, although i quite like Michelle Yaoh..
16 - Live and Let Die -
I've never really got into this one. I've never truly felt like its a 'real' Bond film. Everytime i watch it, the first half of the movie feels more like its a 1970's detective film rather than a Bond movie. It picks up in the second half, and has more of a Bond feel...and i like the song..
15 - Quantum of Solice -
I'm not a lover of shaky camera work and quick edditing. I like to see everything without being frightened to blink. I also like a Bond film to feel epic. Bond films these days usually have a running time of 2 hours plus, so QoS is not long enough for me. I like to get into my films and go on a long adventure..I dont like 'Another Way to Die' either. On the plus side, i do like Olga Kurylenko as Camille. I thought she made a good and very different type of Bond girl, and blink and you miss her 'Fields' was also good with what little screen time she had. A very weak villain though..
14 - The World is Not Enough -
The positives - A great Bond song performed by Garbage. I think that Sophie Marceau was a beautiful Bond villainess as Elektra and Renard was a good villain. On the negative side, Denise Richards would definately give Brit Ekland a run for her money as one of the worst ever Bond girls. A dreadful actress and totally unconvincing in her role..
13 - Dr No -
Not my favourite of Connery's, but it was the very first film, times were different back then and they didnt have the equipment that they have these days. I'm happy with it simply because it launched such an amazing series and has become such a big part of my life. It still remains a classic for the iconic beach scene where Ursulla Andress emerges from the sea as the first leading Bond girl..
12 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service -
Lazenby did a fine job in his one and only outing as Bond. Diana Rigg was wonderful as lovley Tracy. Very touching moments at the end of the film, and 'We have all the time in the world' still gives me goosebumps everytime i hear that beautiful song..
11 - Goldeneye -
My favourite of Brosnan's 4, but Famke Janssen steals it for me as a great throwback to the bad Bond girls of the golden era. Izabella Scorupco is also good as the very beautiful Natalya.
10 - The Spy Who Loved Me -
I never really enjoyed Roger Moore in his first two outings, but i like him in this one a lot more. A good film, good locations and a classic Bond song from Carly Simon..
9 - You Only Live Twice -
My favourite Bond song of the entire series. Aki/Akiko Wakabayashi is still one of my lovliest and cutest Bond Girls..
8 - For Your Eyes Only -
Lovley locations and Sheena Easton's theme song is one of my favourite Bond songs, plenty of action, and a slightly more serious Roger in this one..
7 - Thunderball -
Worth watching for Connery being on top form and the beautiful Luciana Paluzzi alone...Fiona Volpe is my favourite bad bond girl of them all. Make that my favourite Bond girl, period..
6 - Casino Royale -
Great debut for Craig, and one of the best ever pre title sequences. Beautiful haunting score throughout the film and a very good song..
5 - Skyfall -
In my top 5, and another that i tend to watch more frequently than others. Terrific Bond song, excellent villain, Craig is just as good if not better than he was in Casino Royale. I fell in love with Berenice Marlohe as the tragic Severine, and was totally gutted to discover that she didnt have as much screen time as i had wished and hoped for - especially after seeing so many stills of her which sadly ended up on the cutting room floor. She has that classic Bond girl look about her. Also great to see the return of Q and Moneypenny, and that final scene is getting me thinking that the next one will be a very classic Bond film..
4 - The Living Daylights -
A brilliant debut for Timothy Dalton. I think he was amazing. Great script, very classic feel to the film. Dalton showed how good he can be at being a tough Bond, who was equally at ease in his romantic scenes. He had that brooding classic personality in both of his films. I wish he had done at least one more..
3 - Licence to Kill -
I love everything about this film. Dalton's 2nd and last outing unfortunately. Pam/Carey Lowell is one of my favourite ever Bond girls - fiesty, and she looked every inch the part in the elevator scene, unzipping her dress to give Bond her gun..Talissa Soto may not have been the best actress in the world, but she was very easy on the eye as Lupe. Very violent, dark, plenty of gory deaths and action packed but with a terrific story of revenge. The chemistry between Timothy Dalton and Carey Lowell as Pam is simply lovley and natural, especially during thier romantic scenes. The end song - 'If you asked me to' performed by Patti Labelle is one of my favourite bond songs, and Sanchez was a great and very memorable villain..
2 - Goldfinger -
Another classic. Gert Frobe as Goldfinger was one of the best villains, and Harold Sakata as Oddjob remains one of the most iconic henchmen of the entrire series..Honor Blackman was also very good as Pussy Galore. Lovley Shirley Eaton and Tania Mallet also did a fine job in thier small roles as secondary Bond girls. Shirley Bassey's title song is one of the all time great classic Bond themes, and a great score throughout the film. The score works particularly well during 'Operation Grand Slam', where Pussy Galore's flying circus are spraying everybody at Fort Knox. Excellent film i can watch over and over..
1 - From Russia with Love -
A classic Bond film. Connery plays his role to perfection. Daniella Bianchi makes a very good Bond girl, and one of my favourites as the beautiful Tatiana Romanova. Great villains with Lotte Lenya as the evil and creepy Rosa Klebb gives a fantastic performance, and for me, one of the most memorable villains of them all. Robert Shaw is one of my favourite henchmen of the series, and the fight he has with Bond on the train was very believable and exciting..The film oozes class, in a 'Hitchcock' sort of way. 10/10 a real classic..
I enjoy watching CR and SF back to back, i love them both (for different reasons)..
Yes, i've done that too :-)
SF and QOS bottom of the pile? CR worse than all the Moores, GE, DAF and YOLT?
Utter insanity.
Its pretty clear you dont really know what you are talking about both in terms of Bond and making coherent arguments with comments such as:
SF - 'without any appreciable and relevant Fleming material.' Err - they've kind of run out after 50 years. What should they do? Start again at DN or adapt Thrilling Cities?
QOS - 'an unexplained attempted rape scene at the end the movie that never left any connection with any other Bond movie.' Its explained because Medrano is a cruel, vicious bastard who thinks he can get away with whatever he wants. And I'm at a loss as to why there should be a rape connection running through Bond films? Anyway you just moaned that you didnt like SF because it 'borrowed elements of the past 50 years'! What is it you actually want? Original stuff or stuff repeated from other films?
TND - 'The movie had Gerald Butler who was rumored to be in the race for Bond.' I'll grant you that any film that stars Gerard Butler should be reason enough to hate it but given he has one line and 3 seconds of screentime I dont see it as a legitimate criticism. If the execrable Vin Diesel was sat at the card table in OHMSS it wouldnt stop it being a masterpiece. If he played Blofeld it would.
TWINE - 'but the story is buried in an avalanche of the tired action scenes worn dialogue'. I think I agree with your sentiment that the TWINE action scenes are pretty lacklustre but I cant be sure as I have literally have no comprehension of what this sentence means.
CR -'and what happens - he falls in love, has an existential crisis and quits only to find out he has been duped by Vesper'. Yeah fancy EON coming up with such character driven melodrama. That Ian Fleming bloke would never have come up with such dross would he?
You repeat this line twice in relation to TSWLM and MR 'Moore gives a good performance as Bond in the Fleming tradition' yet you rate CR - the most Flemingesque film since TLD, or perhaps even OHMSS - below DAF so its pretty obvious that, at best, you have a rather confused idea of what Flemingesque is.
This line almost made me go easy on you, 'Credible performance from my favorite and literary Bond George Lazenby' but then you save the best till last and theres nothing I can do to dig you out of this one:
'The only problem is the evil in both Krebb and Grant did not perfectly translate to the film.'
Only probably the two best (and best cast) villains in the series. I'm all ears as to how you would have improved things, given that in the 60's you couldnt get away with Krebb's (sic) bloodstained smock and Grant butchering people in a basement?
What more can be said about this film that hasn’t already been said? It is an absolute travesty that this film carries the words “Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007” when it couldn’t be further from Fleming’s original creation if it tried. A third rate action movie that were it not billed as a “James Bond film” would have surely found itself as a straight-to-DVD release, ending up in a 99p bargain basket in the corner of Poundland.
22. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Yay, Sean’s returned. We can rejoice........Oh wait a minute, is it me or does he look bored out of his mind? Does he care about acting in this movie or is he simply there to collect the huge salary he negotiated to come back one last time? On top of that we have Las Vegas, which must be the seediest and least glamourous location ever frequented by 007. Oh and Blofeld drags up. It’s only saved from the bottom of the pile by the fact that DAD is an even worse film!
21. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
Poor ol’ Christopher Lee. He gives one of the greatest performances as a Bond villain in the entire series but has the jolly bad luck to wind up in one of the worst films of the series. He is the only reason why I watch this film. It is so bloody dull – and I’m not just talking about the grainy cinematography either. Coupled with the best stunt in the film being completely destroyed by the addition of a slide whistle. Oh and Britt Ekland is in it too...
20. TOMORROW NEVER DIES
“I’ve had this great idea for the PTS. We’ll have Pierce sat in the cockpit of a plane and he can just blow shit up!”. “That sounds GREAT!”. (Or at least I like to think that’s how the script meeting at EON went). GoldenEye reinvented the franchise whilst remaining true to it’s origins (it’s fresh yet retro), this film should have pushed the series on. What we got instead was this. A tired and tested formula with poor direction and even worse editing. Oh and to the person who thought that Sheryl Crow could hit a high note and decided her song was better than K.D. Lang’s, I am currently giving you a slow hand clap. And I may not stop. EVER!
19. A VIEW TO A KILL (Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the zimmer frame)
Roger, Roger, Roger. I love you. You are my childhood hero. I worship the ground you walk on. You are one of the greatest human beings alive. But when your stuntman gets more screentime than you do, it would have perhaps been a good idea to have retired earlier than you did. But hey it’s not all down to you. We also have “Stacey and the Blimp”, “The Keystone Cops Wreck San Francisco”, “Grace Jones. Sexual Goddess”. So it’s not all your fault Roger. It really, really isn’t! On the plus side it has a great theme song, Barry’s score is superb and the climax atop the Golden Gate Bridge is very good.
18. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
Brosnan gives by far his best performance as 007. Elektra is a fascinating character and should have been utilised as the main villain. The PTS is way too long. The production budget looks to have been blown on the boat chase. The remaining action set pieces are tediously insipid. The less said about the ‘special effects’ when the second helicopter at the caviar factory is destroyed, the better. Robert Carlyle is criminally underused and Denise Richards is criminally overused. To sum up – decent enough story punctuated by boring action + Denise Richards!
17. QUANTUM OF SOLACE
I want to like this film so much more than I actually do because in there somewhere is a really good film trying to get out. The bottom line is QoS is an utter disappointment compared to it’s predecessor. This film leaves me cold and unattached and I simply don’t care about Bond finding his “solace” by the time the credits roll. Which also brings me nicely on to this: PUT. THE. F’ING. GUNBARREL. AT. THE. START. NOT. AT. THE. END. THANK YOU.
16. THUNDERBALL
It’s official. Connery is now bored of playing James Bond. Although quite frankly who can blame him in this film? It’s too long and too slow paced, thanks mainly to the admittitedly spectacular but slow slow slow underwater sequences. No surprises to find Barry’s score is a highlight once more. Fiona Volpe remains one of the best written female characters in the series and the scene with Blofeld eliminating a greedy subordinate is great. “This organisation does not tolerate failure”...
15. LIVE AND LET DIE
Great first outing for Rog. My favourite ever theme song (not just in terms of Bond). Yaphet Kotto is a really terrific villain. I love the theme of black magic and the occult running throughout. Sheriff Pepper is enjoyable in this film (not so in Gun). But on the downside, it doesn't quite hold my interest and somehow the production values look cheap.
14. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
And twice is the only way to live! Unless you die once. In which case, it isn’t. Barry’s second best score. No surprises that the great man gets yet another mention (and more to come from him later). Lewis Gilbert does an admirable job on his Bond debut and Donald Pleasance is the best of the ever changing Blofelds. Credit also to Tetsuro Tamba and Akiko Wakabayashi.
13. OCTOPUSSY
Still have fond memories of watching this at the cinema. First ever Bond on the big screen. I love the PTS just for the Bede jet sequence. Where can I get one of those wonderful toys? The film itself has it’s moments and underneath of the glitz and glamour is a pretty decent story. The idea if Rog in a clown suit trying to prevent a nuclear blast sounds bloody awful, even as I type this, but actually it’s really rather well done. Rog is perhaps more convincing in this scene than others. The less said though about his safari suit and Tarzan yell the better...
12. MOONRAKER
I still have a soft spot for this film (it was my second ever Bond) but there is no denying it contains some of the worst moments in the entire series. Jaws returns, Jaws falls in love, Jaws becomes a good guy. In fact, every scene with Jaws. The film plumbs to new lows (or should that be highs?) in the third act with one of those “Sorry, have they really just sent James Bond into space?” moments. It also doesn't help when you have Cubby proclaiming that the film is not "science fiction but science fact"! Having said all that, what seperates this film from the idiocy of DAD, is that this film is still fun. It remains entertaining to this day. Barry’s score is terrific once again and it’s beautifully filmed. Some of the locations look simply gorgeous.
11. GOLDENEYE
By far away the best Brosnan Bond, although the worst Brosnan performance. Eric Serra’s score is horrible but I commend the Producers for trying something different. The Tank chase is fantastic. Hairs on my neck stood up the first time I was sat in the cinema and the tank crashed through the wall accompanied by the Bond theme in all it’s glory. Bond was indeed back! Sean Bean is the best of the villains in the Brosnan era (not saying much I know).
10. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
After taking Bond into space, the only way was down. Thankfully, EON produced this little number, so often overlooked by critics and the general public. Roger portrays Bond in a way that makes you ask yourself why didn’t he have approach the role in this fashion from the very start. I’m glad John Glen won the argument involving the fate of Locque. A fully vindicated decision. The underwater scene with Bond, Melina and the guy in the JIM diving suit and the subsequent keel-hauling sequence are my favourite scenes in the film.
9. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
Just a fantastic debut from Tim. As Fleming as Fleming can be! So much to love here. The defection and subsequent abduction of Koskov from Bladen are great moments. Barry’s last ever Bond score is great albeit not his best. Koskov is too nice and Whittaker just doesn’t have enough screentime. The climax at the air base is great and Bond’s melee with Necros on the cargo net is breathtaking. Even Naughty Dog paid homage to it in Uncharted 3. High praise indeed!
8. DR NO
Ah, the film that started it all. Still brilliant after all these years. Credit to long term Bond collaborators - Young, Simmonds, Maibaum, Stears, Adam, Binder et al. They really did lay the foundations for the rest of the films that followed. DN had dated terribly at one point but thankfully it’s restoration in2006 and subseuent Blu-Ray release has breathed new life into this film. For what was essentially a fairly low budget, even by 1962 standards, EON really did use the money wisely.
7. LICENCE TO KILL
I wasn’t sure about this film when I first saw it, mainly because I wasn’t expecting to see such a dramatic shift in tone. Subsequent viewings helped meunderstand and appreciate it though. I watched it just last night, and I have a problem when it’s critics comment that it is “not a Bond film”. It’s just a view I can’t go along with. Robert Davi often doesn’t get enough praise for his portrayal as Sanchez. He is eerily real and utterly terrifying. The tanker truck climax is the BEST final act of any Bond film. There are bum notes though, most notably Michael Kamen’s repetitive and somewhat lazy score (why oh why couldn’t Barry have done one more) and I just want to punch Wayne Newton everytime he “blesses my heart”.
6. SKYFALL
After the disappointment of QoS, this one exceeded my expectations. I was hoping for a better anniversary gift than the one EON gave us ten years earlier, and thank heavens they delievered. DC has never been better, Bardem is frankly brilliant as Silva. I absolutely love when he finally catches up with M in the chapel but notices she’s hurt. His genuine concern for her wellbeing despite the fact he’s about to shoot her himself just illustrates his psychotic nature. Dame Judi gets a fitting send off and also gets some of the best scenes and lines of dialogue. “Tennyson” is an obvious example. Credit goes to Deakins and Newman (not the most popular amongst fans I know but I like him). The film is still about twenty minutes too long and the second half is much better than the first. Just don’t try to comprhened Silva’s escape plan, which relies entirely on coincidences. (Trust me, you’ll feel better for it). NB: Dear EON, do you think you could possibly put the Gunbarrel back at the start of the film from now on? Thanks awfully.
5. CASINO ROYALE
I was in that small minority of people back in 2005. I was actually pleased with the casting of Daniel Craig. After the hideousness of DAD, it was clear big changes were needed and EON can thank their lucky stars that they aquired the rights to CR when Sony excahnged them for MGM’s Spiderman. DC’s performance here may just about be my favourite of all. Critics still bemoan the replacing of Baccarat for Texas Hold Em but it makes total sense to me being as this is a contemporary film and is not set in the 1950’s! It’s hard enough to make a card game (which dominates the entire second act) interesting as it is but I would think it would be near impossible keeping the audience awake whilst trying to explain the rules of a game very few people have heard. I must give credit to David Arnold too. I’m not his biggest fan but his score is a knockout. Bloody good theme song too. The film itself is a tad too long. A bit of editing here and there in order to shave 15 minutes or so from the runtime would have been ideal. Other than that, a brilliant film and more importantly, a brilliant James Bond film.
4. ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE
This is my very ‘arc’ for OHMSS: Hated it as a child. Appreciated it as a teenager. Love it as an adult. OK, yes, Lazenby is the worst of all six actors to take on the role but actually when you consider he wasn’t even an actor when he blagged his way to landing the part, he does a bloody good job overall. He is clearly wooden and out of his depth in some scenes, but in others, he is pretty decent. Oh, and the ending, is just sublime. Barry provides his finest ever Bond score and Diana Rigg remains the best actress playing the best Bond girl. A film once hated is a film now loved. It’s not just myself I’m sure that I’m referring to there.
3. GOLDFINGER
Ah, the elephant in the room. Is it all that? Is it just a case of film critics fawning all over themselves for it whilst the rest of us look on in bewilderment? The answer, from me at least, is a resounding no. GF is as quitnessential to the Bond canon as strawberries and champagne are to Wimbledon. I mean, really what’s not to love? Bond’s sadistic quips “shocking”, Goldfinger and Odd Job, the DB5 with all it’s toys, Shirley Bassey belting out a tune, Fort Knox, Pussy’s Flying Circus! I often think because this film was so well loved and so well regarded as the film that “set the formula” that is has caused a negative reaction in how fans feel they should view it.
2. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Kerim Bay! Blofeld and his pet fish! ‘Red’ Grant! Rosa Kleb’s shoe collection! Bond’s attache case complete with exploding talcum powder! If this film isn’t in your top three, why the ‘BLEEP’ not? Seriously though, this is just brilliant. I can watch it over and over. The confrontation between Connery and Shaw and their subsequent fight to the death, remains my very favourite scene from the last 50 years of Bond.
1. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
How the hell is this number one I hear you cry! Well, the year was 1982 and I was 6 years old. My best friend at that time invited me to his house to watch a film, which his parents had video recorded off the telly. That film was The Spy Who Loved ME. The rest as they say is history.I was captivated by it and thus my 30 year love affair with James Bond began and I haven’t looked back since. I still stand by that Rick Sylvester skiing off a mountain, into oblivion remains the “Greatest Movie Stunt Ever Captured On Celluloid”. Are there better Bond films than this? Yes, probably. But no other Bond film fills me with such glee as this one and without it, I wouldn't be the Bond fan I am today. To quote Alan Partridge himself “Now let’s sit back and watch the greatest film ever made”. And who are we to argue with that? :-)
I find that the best way as far as maximum enjoyment of QOS.
@TheWizardOfIce- I don't always drink your pint of ale, especially the Lazenby brand, but your reaction to Perdogg's list was otherwise almost word for word what I was thinking. Any list with SF/QOS rated less than DAD and MR in the top 10 deserves to be immediately trashed. I was just too occupied at the moment I read it to do so myself. One of the worst rankings I've ever seen :-&
Oh, and I forgot, ya gotta skip the QOS title song .
Theres nothing better than a nice pint of Lazenby Legend old son! Cheeky little number that packs plenty of punch.
I wouldnt mind if hes consistent. You dont like Fleming and gritty Bond? Fine then rank all the Moore romps top and CR, OHMSS and FRWL down the bottom. But he has FRWL top and OHMSS so seems to be claiming hes the last defender of Fleming yet seems oblivious that the second half of CR is about as faithful as we've ever seen.
Balje makes more sense.
Balje does indeed :))
The statement about QOS even more nonsensical than his rape theory is "never really resolved any of the issues from Casino Royale". @-). What in the blue hell about the last few minutes didn't resolve half the reason for the sequel regarding Bond's answers for Vesper's betrayal??? Even if we choose to ignore that the mysterious organization of White and LeChiffre was identified and given depth, the truly important questions were answered. Did it really need to be spoon fed as to be so obvious???
This one was equally laughable-
#15 Diamond are Forever – Connery returns to seek revenge on Blofeld from a movie he was not it.
Surely not? Who could have thought a film made half a century ago would have dated.
23. MOONRAKER - Wonderful first half, the centrifuge, Drax's house etc... second half is actually embarrassing, I mean, a big rubber snake!!!
22. DAF - Just very uninteresting, crap setting, irritating characters, ridiculous ending and Connery on autopilot is the best thing in it.
21. TLD - Controversial on here I know but I've just never warmed to it. Good story but looks like a cheap TV movie, crap Bond girl, crap baddie and Dalton, while generally good, makes the worst delivery of a Bond line EVER - "better make that two"
20. DAD - Bit like MR, good first half, 2nd half is ridiculous
19. QOS - Choppy editing, not much story and crap baddie
18. YOLT - Used to be a big fave of mine but it's just so over the top it irritates not, starts off well enough though
17. TMWTGG - Still find it enjoyable with Moore and Lee in their element but too ridiculous generally.
16. LALD - This a tough one cos it has so many qualities but I've just never been a fan of the Voodoo thing which is why so many love it. Jane Seymour and theme tune are tremendous
15. TWINE - Too ridiculous in places but overall a good story and Marceau is great, should have been better than it ended up but still good stuff
14. DR NO - Seems harsh putting it so low but it does feel a little dated and low on action these days. Has anyone ever been cooler than Connery uttering that immortal line though?
13. OCTOPUSSY - Originally had it lower but it's a good story, Berkoff always good value for money
12. AVTAK - First Bond I ever saw at the cinema which is possibly why I like it. Love Moore and McNee at the start, Walken great and cracking theme song. Moore too old but I still like most of the action
11. TND - Still like it, Pryce an underrated villian, nice twist with Hatcher being Bond's ex and some good action
10. FYEO - Interesting back to basics effort from Moore in possibly his best performance as Bond, though the opening scene is awful and doesn't really fit the rest of the movie
9. GE - Good first effort from Brosnan, good story and excellent Sean Bean. Boris the low point.
8. THUNDERBALL - Connery on fire, good story, great villain and villainess though the final underwater scene is a little too long
7. TSWLM - Moore's best, best theme song of all, the Lotus, Jaws a great henchmen in this, little slow at the start maybe
6. CR - Great start for Craig, good action, Le Chiffre an underrated villian and the tense card games are great but the final action probably doesn't match up to the early part of the film
5. SKYFALL - Tough call between this and CR, Craig growing into a more typical Bond here, fantastic villain and we get to watch Judi Dench die, at last she's gone
4. OHMSS - Only Lazenby is so so here, great story, action and Bond girl and of course Telly Savalas
3. LTK- Dalton light yrs better here that TLD, great story and twist with Bond resigning, great action, Robert Daviis superb, Bond girls good to look at though not much else
2. GOLDFINGER - What's good? Everything
1. FRWL - See Goldfinger but just everything is just a bit better
Phew, I'm done
Sure I'll get battered for it lol
Yes, brace yourself...
Well I'm always happy to oblige.
Reasonably coherent ranking EDDIEVH. Obviously there are always going to be odd fluctuations when one makes allowances for personal preference but I've seen a lot worse.
Of course the elephant in the room is TLD.
Given that you seem to know your Fleming with FRWL, OHMSS and CR up there and also you have LTK high up so you like your Dalton too I'm rather confused.
The first act of TLD is as pure an adaptation of Fleming as we've seen so even if you despise the rest of the film this is reason enough to rank it above DAD.
I personally don't like TB at all but I respect it. Even though I find large parts of DAD more entertaining I don't respect anything about it. Misguided decision after misguided decision all of which piss all over not only Fleming but the cinematic Bond as well.
YOLT, DAF, TSWLM and MR were equally ridiculous but you always laughed with them. DADs cardinal sin is that you laugh at it which is why anyone who doesn't have it bottom 3 at least is a fool (even Perdogg managed to get that right).
And anyone who has it above TLD really should have a look at themselves in the mirror and ask some serious questions about the direction their life is headed.
Dalton is generally decent but clumsy with the odd one liner, never a fan of the Bond girl, never a fan of the baddie, the whole movie looks like it had a fifth of the budget of LTK even though it didn't, the locations are far from exotic which don't help and the baddie doesn't even die an excrutiating death.
I could maybe be persuaded to put it above DAD but couldn't bring myself to put it higher though fair enough about what you say on the first act's pure adaption.
Please tell me that's not the only basis you judge whether a film is good or bad? Skyfall's in for some serious shit in that case! ;-)
Even if you dislike Kara and Koskov & Whittaker, you surely can't think they're any worse than Jinx & Graves? Two of the worst written characters in Bond history. You can add Mr Kil, Popov and Damien Falco to that mix as well!
North Korea is hardly the most exotic location either...
Well put Willy.
By that criteria CR's pretty poor (Le Chiffre - shot in the head) and OHMSS is a total shambles.
And if looking like a TV movie is a fair gripe then LTK is in big trouble.
And ironically enough, those are among the best, but then I'm on a villain deaths kick at the moment with 'The Strange Death of Colonel Sun' piece that I'm writing currently.