Last Bond Movie You Watched

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  • Posts: 12,466
    A View to a Kill and Tomorrow Never Dies. Neither are favorites of mine, but they are both pretty good fun still! TND might have my favorite Brosnan performance; also has lots of great action. As for AVTAK, it has moved up significantly in my ranking; I still dislike Stacey and the PTS, but overall, I enjoyed it a lot more! Zorin is a top notch villain and Moore was great in it!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,963
    FoxRox wrote: »
    A View to a Kill and Tomorrow Never Dies. Neither are favorites of mine, but they are both pretty good fun still! TND might have my favorite Brosnan performance; also has lots of great action. As for AVTAK, it has moved up significantly in my ranking; I still dislike Stacey and the PTS, but overall, I enjoyed it a lot more! Zorin is a top notch villain and Moore was great in it!

    Love or hate the PTS, I do hope you love Barry's work in it. One of my favorite bits of score in the entire series.
  • Posts: 12,466
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    A View to a Kill and Tomorrow Never Dies. Neither are favorites of mine, but they are both pretty good fun still! TND might have my favorite Brosnan performance; also has lots of great action. As for AVTAK, it has moved up significantly in my ranking; I still dislike Stacey and the PTS, but overall, I enjoyed it a lot more! Zorin is a top notch villain and Moore was great in it!

    Love or hate the PTS, I do hope you love Barry's work in it. One of my favorite bits of score in the entire series.

    Oh don't worry I do. Barry's whole score in AVTAK is one of my favorites. I don't even really hate the PTS; I just think it's one of, it not the weakest of the series.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,963
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    A View to a Kill and Tomorrow Never Dies. Neither are favorites of mine, but they are both pretty good fun still! TND might have my favorite Brosnan performance; also has lots of great action. As for AVTAK, it has moved up significantly in my ranking; I still dislike Stacey and the PTS, but overall, I enjoyed it a lot more! Zorin is a top notch villain and Moore was great in it!

    Love or hate the PTS, I do hope you love Barry's work in it. One of my favorite bits of score in the entire series.

    Oh don't worry I do. Barry's whole score in AVTAK is one of my favorites. I don't even really hate the PTS; I just think it's one of, it not the weakest of the series.

    Happy to hear that, at least! I really enjoy it, but there are easily better PTS' out there that have me ranking it below many others.
  • Posts: 12,466
    Casino Royale - my favorite Bond film. I'll be watching all 4 Craig films.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited August 2017 Posts: 23,883
    FRWL

    All this Bond talk recently gave me a craving for something exceptional. There could only be one choice. This viewing solidified the film as my #1 Bond outing. The atmosphere, simple suspense driven espionage plot, locations, humour, dialogue, chilling Barry score, characters and acting are all first class. The only elements that I am not all that keen on are the lengthy gypsy village shootout, the helicopter sequence & the boat chase, but I'm nitpicking. Connery is perfection. What's remarkable about him is his demeanour and natural ability to be credibly lethal while still being roguishly charming and suave. It's a privilege to see him in his prime & at the top of his game.
  • Posts: 12,466
    FRWL is one of the best for sure. An all-time Bond classic. It's in the bottom half of my Top 10, but that's just because I love so many other ones too.

    Got to watch all 4 Craig films today. CR remains my all-time favorite Bond film, SF is still one of my favorites, and both SP and QoS remain around the middle. Basically, I love CR and SF, and like QoS and SP. Great era of Bond overall, and I'm hyped for Bond 25.
  • Posts: 623
    I watched Spectre again last night, and it impresses me more every time. The way the attempted assignation of the widow is filmed is so inventive and classy. I think they did a great job on it.
    I heard there was a scene cut where Bond has a meal with Blofeld at the crater base. I wonder if we'll ever get to see it? I'd love them to do a Spectre DVD set like they did with Casino Royale.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,078
    Never Say Never Again with the audio commentary, interesting listen Kershner really was not happy with the film or the process. Kershner only real praise is for Connery who made the process bearable for him, stating Connery is the reason the film got finished. Kershner states he would have made the film again if he could have, he had too many restrictions put on him. The film was a legal minefield they could not copy anything from TB the film.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Never Say Never Again with the audio commentary, interesting listen Kershner really was not happy with the film or the process. Kershner only real praise is for Connery who made the process bearable for him, stating Connery is the reason the film got finished. Kershner states he would have made the film again if he could have, he had too many restrictions put on him. The film was a legal minefield they could not copy anything from TB the film.
    I'm not surprised. I personally think they did a fantastic job given what they probably were up against legally. It's grown on me over the years. Connery is always immensely watchable, even in a half baked film like this one.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,078
    bondjames wrote: »
    Never Say Never Again with the audio commentary, interesting listen Kershner really was not happy with the film or the process. Kershner only real praise is for Connery who made the process bearable for him, stating Connery is the reason the film got finished. Kershner states he would have made the film again if he could have, he had too many restrictions put on him. The film was a legal minefield they could not copy anything from TB the film.
    I'm not surprised. I personally think they did a fantastic job given what they probably were up against legally. It's grown on me over the years. Connery is always immensely watchable, even in a half baked film like this one.

    Agree watched the film several times this year, it's become a easy watch over time.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    The film was a legal minefield they could not copy anything from TB the film.

    But they still did.
  • MinionMinion Don't Hassle the Bond
    Posts: 1,165
    I've always been curious about the circumstances behind NSNA. Obviously it's a remake of Thunderball, but why? I get that Kevin McClory worked on the story with Fleming as a screenplay, and he won the rights to it eventually, but was he only allowed to remake that one story? Had he made an original plotline, would EON had legal grounds to sue him? To what extent did they have to adhere to Thunderball and what were they not allowed to copy?
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited August 2017 Posts: 25,078
    The film was a legal minefield they could not copy anything from TB the film.

    But they still did.

    If the elements were from the book they were safe it's complicated I'll have to rewatch what Kershner said.
    Minion wrote: »
    I've always been curious about the circumstances behind NSNA. Obviously it's a remake of Thunderball, but why? I get that Kevin McClory worked on the story with Fleming as a screenplay, and he won the rights to it eventually, but was he only allowed to remake that one story? Had he made an original plotline, would EON had legal grounds to sue him? To what extent did they have to adhere to Thunderball and what were they not allowed to copy?

    The special edition I bought has a few short documentarys and a commentary by Kershner and a Bond historian it's a good listen
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Blofeld s white cat isn t in the book, to name one example. I guess enough people have white cats, they could get away with that one.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Because McClory was openly credited for TB it could be that he went with an adaptation that he knew he couldn't be sued for that still used the Bond character. I don't know how he got around being able to actually name Bond as James Bond, as that could be argued to be primarily Fleming's.

    I don't know the history of the legal mess surrounding NSNA, but I imagine it was the headache of headaches.
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,996
    shamanimal wrote: »
    I watched Spectre again last night, and it impresses me more every time. The way the attempted assignation of the widow is filmed is so inventive and classy. I think they did a great job on it.
    I heard there was a scene cut where Bond has a meal with Blofeld at the crater base. I wonder if we'll ever get to see it? I'd love them to do a Spectre DVD set like they did with Casino Royale.

    I've never liked the assassination attempt scene. It's too neat and a bit poncey. I blame Mendes for that.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I quite liked that scene myself. It was artsy certainly, like how Forster's chase sequence at the Opera was. It was right after that scene however that the film started its long, painful descent into tedium for me.
  • Posts: 12,466
    shamanimal wrote: »
    I watched Spectre again last night, and it impresses me more every time. The way the attempted assignation of the widow is filmed is so inventive and classy. I think they did a great job on it.
    I heard there was a scene cut where Bond has a meal with Blofeld at the crater base. I wonder if we'll ever get to see it? I'd love them to do a Spectre DVD set like they did with Casino Royale.

    Unfortunately, had to lower SP a couple spots on my ranking from last night's watch, but it's still a decent Bond film I think. I think it's a little too long, and certain plot elements I'm not too keen on, but overall it's a fun, more lighthearted Bond adventure. #15 currently for me.
  • bondjames wrote: »
    I quite liked that scene myself. It was artsy certainly, like how Forster's chase sequence at the Opera was. It was right after that scene however that the film started its long, painful descent into tedium for me.

    I similarly enjoyed that scene. Apart from the bizarre out of focus shot of Bond speaking.
  • Posts: 12,466
    Watched FRWL and TLD today. Good Bond classics.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Watched FRWL and TLD today. Good Bond classics.

    A perfect double-bill, @FoxRox. The linkage and recalls in TLD of FRWL and its spirit are part of what makes it a good watch.
  • Posts: 12,466
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Watched FRWL and TLD today. Good Bond classics.

    A perfect double-bill, @FoxRox. The linkage and recalls in TLD of FRWL and its spirit are part of what makes it a good watch.

    They each have a lot to like about them. I'll probably have rewatched all 24 within the next week at the rate I am going with these!! This series is so rewatchable and fun. The wait for Bond 25 will be quite painful.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Watched FRWL and TLD today. Good Bond classics.

    A perfect double-bill, @FoxRox. The linkage and recalls in TLD of FRWL and its spirit are part of what makes it a good watch.

    They each have a lot to like about them. I'll probably have rewatched all 24 within the next week at the rate I am going with these!! This series is so rewatchable and fun. The wait for Bond 25 will be quite painful.

    I don't mind the wait, since we now know what we're getting. Simply the confirmation is enough for me, as that can end the questions. In the meantime I've got a whole pack of films to enjoy and celebrate until then.
  • Posts: 12,466
    I'm blowing through all of them right now - out of order! I'm going to wait to do a chronological, traditional Bondathon until 2019 though. My ranking has changed a lot too. Pretty interesting.
  • Posts: 12,466
    Watching LTK now. It has been a Top 10 Bond film for me since I first saw it. I think I have to put it one below FRWL after this most recent watch, but it's still a very good, unique Bond film IMO. Both of Dalton's adventures are pretty good.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited August 2017 Posts: 13,978
    My second Bond film viewing of 2017 (the first was TMWTGG back in March)...

    Spectre
    I think this must be my 4th viewing of the film, and my feeling haven't changed... much. More than anything, the film infuriates me. There are brief flashes of a proper Bond film, and then the film goes and does something that winds me up. It's one step forward, followed by 4 steps backwards. We get an opening gun barrel, finally. But it fades out before the stagger effect, just to allow "The dead are alive" to appear on screen. What was it last time? No opening gun barrel, because it would have clashed with Mendes opening shot. What was so special about that anyway? It looked like a 1st year film school attempt at the gun barrel, by someone who has never seen the bloody thing. This is why I am so against the likes of Mendes, Nolan or any of the other names being thrown around as director. They won't make a Bond film, they'll make an *insert directors name* film.

    I stand by what I have said of Fiennes, Harris and Wishaw. I genuinely do like all three in their respective roles, and hope that they will stick around for more films, especially if a new actor is likely to happen with Bond #26. Best Craig:Bond? Yes, but there is plenty of room for improvement.
  • Posts: 12,466
    I think with the exception of giving Bond and Blofeld a childhood connection (and also some of the retconning), the Spectre organization/Blofeld's return was some of SP's best stuff. It was too much of a stretch to suggest Blofeld was behind absolutely everything (I still think of SF as separate); perhaps he did fund all the baddies, but he took way too much credit for their actions. Still, the general depiction of Spectre in the film is pretty good and sensible for the 21st century. SP works best when it doesn't harp on the past Craig films, which is luckily still a lot of it. Bringing back Mr. White was the best choice in that area to properly finish that character.

    I also wasn't all that sold on the romance. Lea Seydoux did an okay job, but to suggest Bond's character would settle for her after losing Vesper is a stretch. I think Bond 25 will make it clear though that Bond can't live a quiet life.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    FoxRox wrote: »
    I think with the exception of giving Bond and Blofeld a childhood connection (and also some of the retconning), the Spectre organization/Blofeld's return was some of SP's best stuff. It was too much of a stretch to suggest Blofeld was behind absolutely everything (I still think of SF as separate); perhaps he did fund all the baddies, but he took way too much credit for their actions. Still, the general depiction of Spectre in the film is pretty good and sensible for the 21st century. SP works best when it doesn't harp on the past Craig films, which is luckily still a lot of it. Bringing back Mr. White was the best choice in that area to properly finish that character.

    I also wasn't all that sold on the romance. Lea Seydoux did an okay job, but to suggest Bond's character would settle for her after losing Vesper is a stretch. I think Bond 25 will make it clear though that Bond can't live a quiet life.

    I think Blofeld taking so much credit is really part of his egotistical character. He seems to think that actions of men like White (Vesper) and Silva (M) fall under his domain, and that he is the master of all. In reality other men have hurt Bond more than he has, and Bond seems to react quite understandingly when the man tries to take such credit, calling him a nutcase. He's never as great as his own legend purports and his fall from egotistical grace via the helicopter is great symbolism for the moment when he must kneel to Bond's might as all other Blofelds have to their heroic counterparts in the past.

    As for Madeleine, folks should quit viewing it as a Rick and Ilsa situation. Bond likes the girl, and is seeing what that kind of life could be like, but she's not Vesper and he doesn't view her that way from what I can tell. The woman brought to his mind the same discussions and advice Vesper tried to impart to him, and with so much of his past coming back in the film's story it's only inevitable that when Madeleine tells him he always has a choice and can do something else (the same things Vesper said to him in CR), he would really think on them hard. He's constantly changing his view of life very much in touch with how Fleming wrote him, and in this case he's seeing if a life outside his own is for him. Madeleine is his gateway to that, but they aren't true loves. She's a woman who understands him and who he doesn't need to explain himself to, and that's enough for him, but this isn't the greatest love story of all time and isn't meant to be.
  • Posts: 12,466
    On DAF right now. Unfortunately, still one of my least favorites, and it hasn't improved with time for me. Easily the weakest of Connery's official run.
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