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Hmm... As much as we like him, Craig can't be put in that list
Desmond Llewellyn is a definite , I am surprised Ben Whishaw is not getting flacked by Llewellyn fans.
That is an interesting point. I think it helps that Ben is not Desmond's immediate successor to the role and is not trying to imitate his style in any way.
Did John Cleese get the boot for replacing Desmond , wasn't a huge fan at the time, So I can't recall quite right.
One member on the old forums had Connery at the bottom would you believe it, along with his films.
I for one fully agree with that. I think Campbell did a marvellous job with both films. I also think he revitalised the series twice and - not to be forgotten - both times the follow-up film was a complete let-down. So yes, I herald the man as a hero.
Oh I don't, far from it. But I see an awful lot of praise given to Craig, he's almost unanamously loved.
The theme and Binder's gunbarrel? Diana Rigg's performance? The Live and Let Die song? At least one of Bassey's songs? Surely nearly everyone likes those?
Saved is a rather dramatic choice of words, I am of the believe that GE was bound to become a hit the world was waiting for a next 007 outing, and after DAD there was nothing to save really as the franchise was in a very healthy condition and bound to be reformed as had happened before. Martin Campbell was the good choice at the moment with his mostly action direction.
Bull. Campbell took dramatic risks in casting and tone with CR, and it paid off.
Bull yourself, I stated that MC did not SAVE the franchise twice or even once.
GE with Pierce Brosnan would have had to be very bad in order to fail as a new 007 outing. And CR did not save the franchise from anything. Had there been a 5th Brosnan outing in between it would undoubtely have been a toned down affair like (OHMSS & FYEO) and would have done well at the BO as well. It would have made the redirection a lot less spectacular I expect.
And Craigs casting might have gotten a lot of attention, I wonder how earlier castings would have gone had internet been around.
Using the word saving smacks of dramatic OTT response nad is utterly besides the truth.
Unlike Sir Roger, Brosnan hadn't shown the chops to handle a toned down affair. He was stuck in a rut and the last two films showed he had nothing left or TWINE would have been a lot better.
CR didn't save the franchise because the franchise was in no danger of ending. The series was in the best shape finanically since the 70s (at the time), and the series has a habit of making a down to earth movie after the really OTT flicks.
Even if you don't like Brosnan you can't say CR saved the franchise. Maybe it made you more of a fan and reignited your intrest but there was no evidence of the franchise itself ending.
I have to agree with @thelivingroyale. DAD was only reviled retrospectively. At the time it had nowhere near the level of critical scorn it has nowadays. Similar to MR. It wasn't a critical behemoth but there was no way on earth the series was going to end, I remember the day Brosnan was dropped very well. A lot of people were waiting on a fifth entry. That's not to say it would have reached the heights of CR, Royale was a welcome change, but most of the general public didn't know that's what they wanted until they were given it. A fifth Brosnan would have been by no means a financial failure.
Correct. However it is IMO fair to assume that DAD barely got away with it because it had been three years since TWINE and it was a one-off. Five more minutes, so to speak, and it would have overstayed its welcome. While Batman Forever made a lot of money, its sequel - with more of the same - turned out a near franchise killer. The radical changes that were imposed on the formula helped the Batman franchise to endure. Batman Begins, in that sense, effectively saved it from certain self-destruction. So too, I believe, DAD could have spawned a franchise-killing follow-up film, though I do admit that they might have chosen a different path altogether even if neither the Casino Royale book nor Craig had been at their disposal. But then perhaps I would be here now calling that particular film the saviour of the franchise. Either way, it is my firm belief that whatever came after DAD had to be a game changer for clearly that was were cinema in general was going. A DAD2 project might have gained unfavourable results at the BO and it's no stretch to see disappointing financial results put the Bond series in the deep freeze once more for those are the times we live in.
To say that Campbell's direction of CR was a game changer, rejuvenating the series, is an understatement. Bond became culturally cool on a wide scale again (not just to us fanboys/girls), and for that, Campbell is largely to thank. In my book, he is welcome to come back and direct another anytime.
Bernard Lee was the best M
Connery was the best Bond (although not my favorite)
Lois Maxwell was the best Moneypenny
From Russia With Love is the best Bond movie (once again, although not my favorite, but as true to the Bond character as you will find)
Desmond Llewelyn was the best Q
Ursula Andress was the best Bond girl
Jane Seymour was the best looking Bond girl
The World is not Enough has the biggest and best pre credits sequence
Charles Gray was the worst Blofeld, Donald Pleasance was the best
George Lazenby should of made at least one more appearance
Roger Moore, Connery and Brosnan did one Bond release too many in the end
Paul McCartney and Wings provided the best theme intro
The James Bond gun barrel should always be at the start of the movie
James Bond should ideally be played by a British actor
- Fleming is the best Bond author.
- Connery is one of the best Bond (even if he isn't everybody's favorite).
- Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell established the most emblematic portrayals of their characters.
- John Barry is one of the best composers of the franchise.
It wasn't panned until years later. I remember it doing alright reviews wise after it was released. More of the same would've killed the franchise but like I said, I think they'd change the direction no matter what.
Exactly, I know a lot of seniors ,
who don't like Craig, Including my father ,They grew up loving Moore and Connery and this is a step in a wrong direction from their perspective.
But EON got what they wanted, they wanted to appeal to a more modern younger fan base , I wouldn't have attached myself to the franchise, had Daniel Craig not steped into the role.
So @MajorDSmyther, Don't count yourself out, there are many fans such as you who are not too happy with Craig , but they don't spend their time on such board because they must have given up on the franchise. That's why its hard to hear from their point of view.
Controversial.
I think the legions of Benson and Faulkes fans out there would take issue with that!
Considering that without Fleming those blokes wouldn't have a thing to write about anyway (about the character of Bond, I mean), it is easy to see that he is the greatest. He crafted the character, started the foundations of the films and more that would all be gone if he never existed, and then none of this would exist and we wouldn't be here right now discussing his character that originated in his mind and his mind only.