Last Bond Movie You Watched

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  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,395
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I always get startled when someone says LTK is the most rewatchable film in the franchise. People say that all the time, I just don't see it.
    I guess it's different for everyone. The most rewatchable for me might actually be DR NO, though OP is really up there.

    OP, TND, DAF, LALD, GF etc.
  • edited November 2016 Posts: 12,466
    Always have loved LTK. Not quite THE most rewatchable Bond film IMO; its rewatchability is in the middle probably for me.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited November 2016 Posts: 9,020
    DAF
    QOS
    DAD
    most re-watchable
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,996
    @talos7
    @Birdleson

    Did you ever own a LaserDisc player and Bond on LaserDisc?

    I just wonder because, strangely enough I haven't yet found another member that has, I can't be the only one can I?

    @BondJasonBond006

    I had a Pioneer Laserdisc player in the early 90's. The only Bond film I had was Goldfinger.

    My pride and joy though was the Star Wars box-set of the three original films. It was on the 'CAV' format over 9 discs. Cost a bloody fortune at the time!

    Unfortunately my player was stolen in a burglary and I never bothered replacing it.

  • Posts: 7,415
    OP used to be my most rewatched, but QoS has overtaken it!
    Daltons two are always easy watches! Just viewed LTK again. Man, thats a great Bond movie! I too thought Brossa was going to appear in at least 3 more films, seeing as they were hits, and he still had youthful looks ! It depressed me no end, and frankly after the abomination that was DAD, I wasn't going to go and see the next one if he were in it! Thank God Babs and Co. had the good sense to dump him and hire Craig!
  • edited November 2016 Posts: 11,189
    Overall GoldenEye is by far my most watched Bond film, so much so that I can recite the dialogue along with the film as I watch it.

    When I was younger AVTAK was one I tended to watch a watch a lot for some reason, now I regard it as one of my least favourites.

    In more recent years, CR has been fairly high on my re-watch scale.

    QoS isn't one I often re-visit.

    I like LTK and used to think of it as very re-watchable, but now I'm a lot more sceptical about its supposed greatness. It got some good aspects, but the plot isn't as convincing as it should be and really seems to play out like a TV show from the period - right up until the contrived ending.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,715
    @Birdleson Were you the one who created a thread about head of states seen in Bond films? I tried to find the thread but couldn't find it.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited November 2016 Posts: 15,715
    Ah, damn. I am watching TND and I just noticed that Fidel Castro appears on the TV during the scene where Carver looks at the news coverage of his Hamburg media party.
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 2,722
    A View To A Kill

    It was tough going. This was always one I had a little soft spot for because it was released just prior to me really getting in to Bond. But this film's pace is tired. Many other Bond films have a really good third or solid half but AVTAK doesn't.

    May Day and Zorin are pure evil - even more than most Bond villains because they take first-hand delight in killing and I do like how Walken plays Zorin. It's interesting to see him disregard Bond in so many ways - like he doesn't really rate him. It's not the usual banter - Zorin seems like he doesn't really have time for Bond or see him as a serious threat particularly. Much of the film ignores Bond and this more than any of his films feels like Moore playing Moore rather than 007. Especially his banter with MacNee when he's making disparaging remarks or his fatherly comforting of Stacey. That seems like Moore rather than Bond.

    The film is brutal in a way that is only really matched by LTK. But Bond seems to have accepted the world he's entered in to in LTK and he's ready to fight fire with fire whereas Bond in AVTAK appears more disgusted by what he seems, unready for what will happen and unsure how to handle it. 'Bungling around in the dark' Zorin says to him - and he's right.

    The film's climax works quite well - it certainly is a better final fight than TLD or FYEO (although the actual rock climbing aspect of FYEO has it beat.) And it is fairly iconic in the series and a great chuckling send off for Zorin - amused even by his own death - as much as all the people he killed.

    The soundtrack is very good - and does so much heavy lifting in many of these scenes - but I actually prefer listening to this soundtrack on its own rather than tied to the movie. And when I listen to the soundtrack it doesn't conjure up images of the movie - the way YOLT or even DAF do - I just think more of a Bond montage in general. and if they were going celebratory then I wish they'd used the '007 Theme' for the part where he snowboards across the lake rather than California Girls.

    The revelation is good in the sense that until the mine scene we don't know the full extent of Zorin's plans. But I'd say aside from the Paris sequence and the final bridge fight this film just plods along with May Day offing people creepily and not much else to drive the pace.

    With the Duran Duran song, the marketing campaign with Grace Jones front & centre and the computer game for the ZX Spectrum 48k and Commodore 64 - this will always remind me of a beloved and specific time in my life. But taken in isolation AVTAK is easily among the weakest of the series and entertainment wise it could easily slide below DAD.



  • Posts: 12,466
    Ah, damn. I am watching TND and I just noticed that Fidel Castro appears on the TV during the scene where Carver looks at the news coverage of his Hamburg media party.

    Nice catch!
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    Ah, damn. I am watching TND and I just noticed that Fidel Castro appears on the TV during the scene where Carver looks at the news coverage of his Hamburg media party.

    What?? I never noticed that!!! :-O
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    @Major_Boothroyd

    I really like AVTAK. Sad that you only partially enjoyed it. There are of course many flaws. Still I think that the film is well paced and has some strong elements... I agree that the horse chasing plot is a bit stupid does go nowhere. But I find the general criticism about this side plot a bit too harsh since this is the case in many other Bond films, too. I also quite like it that there is a clear cut once Bond goes to the US. From that moment on we are steadily introduced to Zorin's main plan, yet we do not know everything already from the beginning, as it is the case in many other Bond films ("Thunderball").
  • Posts: 11,189
    I do agree that with @Major_Boothroyd that Moore seemed to be playing himself more in the film rather than Bond. That's certainly true in many of his other Bond films too. However, in those he had a bit more energy. In 'View', Moore's "suave" act feels a bit too obvious. It's like he's almost phoning it in sometimes.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2016 Posts: 23,883
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I do agree that with @Major_Boothroyd that Moore seemed to be playing himself more in the film rather than Bond. That's certainly true in many of his other Bond films too. However, in those he had a bit more energy. In 'View', Moore's "suave" act feels a bit too obvious. It's like he's almost phoning it in sometimes.
    I agree, but I think a lot of that may have to do with the James St. John Smythe disguise. His character has an excessive smarminess that almost seems like a bad Moore caricature. Given Moore's age in the film, it's especially displeasing to me.

    I believe if he had a different disguise for that role (something a little more serious perhaps) it would have helped me to view the film and his performance more favourably.
  • Posts: 1,977
    Revisited Moonraker the other evening. No matter hard I try to appreciate Moore as Bond, I cannot. The film is silly. And Lois Chiles is just plain awful. His Bond is a caricature of Bond.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,395
    CrabKey wrote: »
    Revisited Moonraker the other evening. No matter hard I try to appreciate Moore as Bond, I cannot. The film is silly. And Lois Chiles is just plain awful. His Bond is a caricature of Bond.

    Agree on Moonraker, disagree on Moore as a whole.

  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    bondjames wrote: »
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    I do agree that with @Major_Boothroyd that Moore seemed to be playing himself more in the film rather than Bond. That's certainly true in many of his other Bond films too. However, in those he had a bit more energy. In 'View', Moore's "suave" act feels a bit too obvious. It's like he's almost phoning it in sometimes.
    I agree, but I think a lot of that may have to do with the James St. John Smythe disguise. His character has an excessive smarminess that almost seems like a bad Moore caricature. Given Moore's age in the film, it's especially displeasing to me.

    I believe if he had a different disguise for that role (something a little more serious perhaps) it would have helped me to view the film and his performance more favourably.

    As much as I really like Moore and A view to a kill, I must agree.

    It may also have feel like that because Bond in AVTAK is not as relaxed or comfortable but actuallly feels disgusted by Zorin. In all of his other films, Moore's Bond seemed to have more fun doing his job. Therefore, people often complain that Moore is not as energetic and dedicated as he used to be.
  • Posts: 7,415
    The good thing about the St. John Smythe cover is the rapport between him and Tibbett. Moore and Macnee are really great together. Makes Tibbetts death all the more affecting! (Moore is great when reacting to Tibbetts murder!)
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Tomorrow Never Dies

    The first Bond that I watched on the big screen, has remained one of my favourite Bond film. There are a couple of things that I don't like:

    - Robinson's "Get out of it, James" is corny as hell.
    - Gupta mentions about Bonds employment record, that of 10 years. So is that, like the PTS of GoldenEye, EON again acting like Dalton didn't happen? If so, that doesn't sit well with me. I shouldn't be that surprised, as they did the same to Lazenby.
    - Jack Wade. In an era that was lightweight enough as it was, the buffoonery of Jack Wade wasn't needed. And why was he created in the first place? If EON were going to act as if the Dalton era didn't happen (and Felix wasn't maimed), why not just use Felix?
    - The title track and end credits songs should have been switched around.

    Everything else i'm fine with. It's a slick, action packed Bond film, great to look at, and has stood the test of time so far. Given the media today, I think that TND is still just as relevant today, as it was in 1997. Like the other 3 films, Brosnan is carried by the film (rather than the other way around), though to be fair, he looks at his best here. His hair style here suits him most, and his frame is noticeably bulkier than in GE. After the experimental soundtrack of GE, it's a pleasure to have a soundtrack with plenty of the Bond theme in it.

    My 1996-2016 20th Anniversary Bondathon
    1. Tomorrow Never Dies
    2. The World Is Not Enough
    3. Spectre
    4. Die Another Day
    5. Casino Royale
    6. Skyfall
    7. Quantum Of Solace

  • Casino Royale was released ten years ago yesterday in the UK only just realised, in honor I shall watch it later. It's American release was indeed ten years ago today, so happy birthday to one of the best Bond films.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Tomorrow Never Dies

    The first Bond that I watched on the big screen, has remained one of my favourite Bond film.

    Funny, it's the first (and only) one I missed on the big screen since OHMSS.

    Was that intentional?
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Tomorrow Never Dies

    The first Bond that I watched on the big screen, has remained one of my favourite Bond film.

    Funny, it's the first (and only) one I missed on the big screen since OHMSS.

    Was that intentional?

    Not like a boycott, but more like Bond had fallen off of my radar. In the '80s (following the disappointment of MR) the Bond films (which had been such a huge part of my life in the '60s and '70s) become less and less interesting to me. I liked Dalton, but the films seemed cheap in comparison to what I had grown up with. The six year gap really did stemlike the end of the whole thing. I saw GE, and was actually surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did (mainly the PTS and the Title Sequence), but it didn't feel like MY Bond (despite the Gun barrel and Desmond Llewelyn. I thought of it as just another blockbuster franchise, which didn't interest me in the least. So when TND was released, I had nothing specifically against seeing it, but it wasn't a priority either. I was also going through a divorce at the time, so I was pretty distracted. I ended up renting it on Laserdisc about four months after it had left the theatres. I didn't care for it much at all (I have grown to appreciate more since, still not a favorite). It wasn't until I saw TWINE in the theatre that I finally accepted Pierce as Bond, that this was the same guy that I knew when I was younger.

    I'm always interested to know from other fans what that was like. While my earliest experience with Bond, was the animated James Bond jr cartoon (1991?), but it wasn't until 1996 wherein I became a fan of the films. So I didn't know what that uncertain 6 year gap was like.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I wonder if the declining box office throughout the 80's could be thrown at Glen's feet. I realize budgets were being chopped, but the films lacked a bit of pizzazz, although the action was first rate for its time.

    I recall thinking GE was a much classier entry when I saw it upon release. It had a certain cool flair and style.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    It also had a couple nice Ken Adam style sets with the GoldenEye control room facilities.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Murdock wrote: »
    It also had a couple nice Ken Adam style sets with the GoldenEye control room facilities.
    Agreed. Both the Janus HQ and Severnaya control room reminded me of Adam, & Monaco had the glamour reminiscent of earlier entries. The charismatic supporting actors wirh Euro accents is also a staple.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,395
    bondjames wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    It also had a couple nice Ken Adam style sets with the GoldenEye control room facilities.
    Agreed. Both the Janus HQ and Severnaya control room reminded me of Adam, & Monaco had the glamour reminiscent of earlier entries. The charismatic supporting actors wirh Euro accents is also a staple.

    The film generally moves along swiftly, the focus shifting seamlessly around the assortment of characters. Everyone gets just enough to do, and make the most of their limited screen time. It's probably the last time that there was an ensemble of villains which all really work well together like in FRWL or LALD.

    I also think GoldenEye, better than any other modern Bond film, gets the balance between the personal and the professional right. Even though 006 is vengeful, they still take the time to give him an actual plan for the GoldenEye satellite. I also feel it was remarkably brave to have so much importance placed on the Bond girl, when this is supposed to be the introduction of a new Bond. After the PTS, we're really following her story, not Bond. It's not until just before the central action scene of the film, the tank chase, that the two meet.

    So much craft went into this film, and yet its completely devoid of the pretension that exists in the Craig era. It's becoming my favourite Bond film since the 60's, and I really hope this is the direction they go to once Craig hands up the tux.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I agree completely @Mendes4Lyfe. They got the balance perfect with GE, especially with the personal angle, which wasn't overplayed but was just enough to resonate and be meaningful without weighing down the film. I never thought about the Natalya emphasis before, but you're right there too. I'm not complaining. She's a top 5 Bond girl for me!
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited November 2016 Posts: 8,395
    bondjames wrote: »
    I agree completely @Mendes4Lyfe. They got the balance perfect with GE, especially with the personal angle, which wasn't overplayed but was just enough to resonate and be meaningful without weighing down the film. I never thought about the Natalya emphasis before, but you're right there too. I'm not complaining. She's a top 5 Bond girl for me!

    Yes, Natalya is great. She's one of the few Bond girls who feels like a real woman, with a job and work colleagues. Then her life gets overturned and she gets sweft along for the ride. I'd say she is the perfect Bond girl.

    Speaking about the personal side of Bond, I always feel like its more interesting when captured through fleeting moments of vulnerability than it is when made the subject of a deeper exploration, as was the case with the Craig era. The example I always jump to is when Lazenby, cornered from all angles, sits down by the side of the ice rink and awaits his fate. Its brief and subtle enough that the viewer might not even catch it, at least the first time, but you can see the resignation set in. To me that's a far more engaging insight into the character than where he grew up, or how he got his 00 status.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2016 Posts: 23,883
    bondjames wrote: »
    I agree completely @Mendes4Lyfe. They got the balance perfect with GE, especially with the personal angle, which wasn't overplayed but was just enough to resonate and be meaningful without weighing down the film. I never thought about the Natalya emphasis before, but you're right there too. I'm not complaining. She's a top 5 Bond girl for me!

    Yes, Natalya is great. She's one of the few Bond girls who feels like a real woman, with a job and work colleagues. Then her life gets overturned and she gets sweft along for the ride. I'd say she is the perfect Bond girl.

    Speaking about the personal side of Bond, I always feel like its more interesting when captured through fleeting moments of vulnerability than it is when made the subject of a deeper exploration, as was the case with the Craig era. The example I always jump to is when Lazenby, cornered from all angles, sits down by the side of the ice rink and awaits his fate. Its brief and subtle enough that the viewer might not even catch it, at least the first time, but you can see the resignation set in. To me that's a far more engaging insight into the character than where he grew up, or how he got his 00 status.
    I agree, that's a great moment. Small, but it tells a lot. I also liked Moore with Anya at the Mojaba club and also at Tracy's grave at the start of FYEO & Dalton with Della in LTK. Just enough to give you some insights into the man's psyche.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Birdleson wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I wonder if the declining box office throughout the 80's could be thrown at Glen's feet. I realize budgets were being chopped, but the films lacked a bit of pizzazz, although the action was first rate for its time.

    I recall thinking GE was a much classier entry when I saw it upon release. It had a certain cool flair and style.

    In a way, but it was Cubby who wanted to go cheap, after the bills that Adam and Lewis racked up.
    It was a mistake in my view, because the impact was quite noticeable after Glen took over, and not in a good way. FYEO still managed to look expensive, but after that the decline was quite rapid. The films look quite pedestrian.

    I wish Glen had made better use of his foreign locations. India, Paris and San Francisco were done a disservice imho.
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