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Recommend a 1st Bond film to a Newbie to the Series

JBFan626JBFan626
edited March 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 1,497
I always enjoy doing a screening of Bond for a friend new to the series. What Bond film would you recommend to someone who's never seen one before? I recommend Goldfinger. I know it seems like the obvious choice, but it has all the signature and classic components: Sean Connery as 007, the tricked out car with ejector seat, the iconic scenes of the painted Jill Masterson and Goldfinger's laser pointed at Bond's family jewels. Finally, it's one of the shorter films, which would be good to keep the attention span up for someone not familiar with the series.
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Comments

  • PrinceKamalKhanPrinceKamalKhan Monsoon Palace, Udaipur
    Posts: 3,262
    GF's a good choice and that's a good argument you put forward in its favor, JBFan626. However, I say it depends on the previous film viewing habits of the potential newbie. I have a friend who had no interest in Bond until she started watching the (then) current Bond films. I have another friend who started with the beginning of the series. If the potential newbie is fond of a particular location I would suggest a Bond film set in that particular location(if it's Japan, then YOLT. If it's India, then OP. If it's the Bahamas, then TB, etc.)
  • BondBond
    edited March 2011 Posts: 503
    My top 3 choices would be:

    1. Dr. No
    2. Goldfinger
    3. The Living Daylights or License to Kill
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    Depending on the age of the individual, I'd recommend GF much like PKK just did or go with TLD. GF is the iconic Bond movie, and to see Connery at his best would be ideal for most fans. They would likely have already heard the title song, or seen pictures of the car. Can't go wrong with that! However, some younger fans may not be interested in seeing an "old" movie to start. I've seen people who later became fans but didn't have the initial interest of watching an "old and slow" movie. For that reason, I'd also recommend TLD which is an absolute masterpiece and a movie that has everything one would expect from a Bond adventure: An outstanding score, a great performance by Dalton, a tremendous car sequence, two lovely ladies, and some very scenic locales.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Any in my top 5:

    GE
    TSWLM
    FRWL
    DN
    GF

    I may also recommend OHMSS or CR.
  • AgentJamesBond007AgentJamesBond007 Vesper’s grave
    Posts: 2,634
    I like your choice JBFan626, GF is a classic. Your friend should see FRWL as well, one of the ultimate Bond films.
  • saunderssaunders Living in a world of avarice and deceit
    Posts: 987
    As Luds has said I think it depends very much on the age of the person, I'm actually going through this at the moment with my kids. I've decided they need to be introduced to James Bond (mainly because I don't want to be subjected to anymore High School Musical films), I've started them on TSWLM partly because Roger Moore films tend to be the most child friendly with easy to follow plots, silly unsophisticated humour and a fairly harmless level of violence, but also because this film is really a greatest hits compilation package of all nine previous films and inspired many of the proceeding films.
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    Dr no as a first choice.
    Great acting,classy,great locations and much more.
  • GeorgeLazenbyGeorgeLazenby
    Posts: 295
    Depending on the person's tastes either Goldfinger (the blockbuster romp), From Russia With Love (the thriller), Moonraker (the fun factor) or On Her Majesty's Secret Service (the emotional character driven film).
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    The series is so diverse it's almost impossible. If they watch and love FRWL then they may be disappointed by the rest of the series.

    I would be inclined to start modern. Show someone CR. If they like it, then give them 2 or 3 of the older, better ones.
  • PurplecipherPurplecipher
    Posts: 53
    Like most 'Bondophiles', I have all the Bond films on DVD and revisit them frequently. I have to tell you, though, that I have long since tired of Daniel Craig's two outings. Allowing for the different societal mores at the time the earliest Bond films, which would never have permitted the levels of violence manifested in Craig's Bond, I honestly do not believe the cinematic Bond phenomenon would have happened had it not been for the larger-than-life scripts and the witty one-liners delivered by Connery, Moore and their successors - ending with Brosnan. So, if I had to recommend just one Bond film to a Newbie, I guess it would have to be 'Goldfinger' - with 'From Russia with Love' close on its heels. And I would recommend the Newbie to avoid Craig's incarnations as little more than 'Bourne Again Bonds'.
  • dragonskydragonsky
    Posts: 2,491
    well i think that LTK or TLD would be good recomendation,some fans dont want to watch old movies and both LTK and TLD arent that old but still they arent new too.they both movies are classic and i think everyone that will watch it will like it.i agree with others about GF and FRWL too
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited June 2012 Posts: 13,356
    I'd always say the most recent film as it's the "here and now" of Bond. After they've watched that then go back and watch some of the older films.
  • CoH_GHOST_007CoH_GHOST_007
    Posts: 303
    I think that i'd show them a modern bond film first like Casino Royale or GoldenEye, then get them to watch the earlier ones from then on, otherwise i think that they may suggest that it's too old, and may have no interest in them, particually the young (like me).

    If i'd have never heard of bond, then watched Goldfiner (Great film btw), i probably wouldn't have bothered with the others, may have been slow and dragging, but i find them interesting after watching GoldenEye (the first Bond i watched from start-to-finish), because it was modern and very, very exciting and i now find the old ones exciting, because they started it all :')
  • johnstrangwaysjohnstrangways
    Posts: 22
    Start at the beginning and work their way through. Dr No has gotta be the 1st Bond movie of any newbie.
  • ChuckChuck
    Posts: 212
    I'd probably go with either The Living Daylights or Casino Royale, as both are top-flight entries in the franchise that feature just about everything you could want in a Bond film: terrific performances from Dalton & Craig respectively, terrific leading ladies, great action, great storylines, etc.
  • JobeGDGJobeGDG
    edited March 2011 Posts: 107
    Quoting Luds: I'd also recommend TLD which […] has everything one would expect from a Bond adventure: [...] two lovely ladies [...]
    Who was the other one, again?
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    Quoting JobeGDG: Who was the other one, again?
    The lovely lady in the title sequence. Breathtaking! ;)
  • The_ReaperThe_Reaper
    Posts: 1,092
    Depends, as others have said, on the person. I would be inclined towards GF, TLD, TB, or TSWLM. All solid, very Bondian Bond movies.
  • j7wildj7wild Suspended
    Posts: 823
    why dont you just go in order?
  • connerybondconnerybond
    Posts: 163
    I would say watch first DN and then FRWL. DN because that was where all started-Connery as Bond, Fleming as the creator of an immortal hero, and John Barry who was going stamp his authority on Bond music.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    These are the ones I have done in the past:
    -For Your Eyes Only and GoldenEye (double-billing for a friend who really wanted to get into 007, and he loved both)
    -Live and Let Die and The Spy Who Loved Me (this friend liked LALD and then fell asleep not even halfway through TSWLM, haha)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DN, FRWL, or CR.
  • 00130013
    Posts: 1,817
    Golfinger, GoldenEye or Casino Royale.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    Age is a factor for whoever it is? But i was introduced to Bond by the current actor of the time, which for me was Roger Moore. So i would go for Casino Royale and then obviously Quantum Of Solace.

    Therefore you are bang up to date currently with this 007. Then? If you want too? You can discover the earliar incarnations of the role like i did, which was alot of fun.
  • SirHenryLeeChaChingSirHenryLeeChaChing
    Posts: 3,494
    I had my son watch the movies in order so he could see how each film, actor, and storyline differed. I feel that is the ideal perspective and wished I had seen them in order (saw TB first in 1968). So I would say Dr. No.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:
    I had my son watch the movies in order so he could see how each film, actor, and storyline differed. I feel that is the ideal perspective and wished I had seen them in order (saw TB first in 1968). So I would say Dr. No.
    I would do that as well. And in some films there are allusions to past adventures. FRWL mentions DN a couple times, just as an example.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited June 2012 Posts: 12,480
    Depending upon the age and interests of the person, but I'd recommend:
    (as a sampling; otherwise watch all in order)

    Dr. No
    From Russia With Love
    Goldfinger
    Thunderball
    Live and Let Die
    The Spy Who Loved Me
    For Your Eyes Only
    The Living Daylights
    License To Kill
    Goldeneye
    Tomorrow Never Dies
    The World is Not Enough
    Casino Royale
    Quantum of Solace

    If really limited for # of films to watch or time: DR, FRWL, TSWLM, FYEO, TLD, GE, TND, and CR, QOS (it ties up from CR so I would still include it)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    That's a sampling? That's more than half the series.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited June 2012 Posts: 12,480
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    That's a sampling? That's more than half the series.
    Yes it is a long list, but this is what I would recommend to someone who didn't have time for the whole entire canon of films. :D
    So the bottom list is quicker, yeah.
    Top 5 I'd recommend would be: FRWL, TSWLM, TLD, GE, CR (there, one for each Bond, but leaving GL out).
    After that viewing of 5, then I'd throw in OHMSS as the kicker and then next recommendation would be back to QOS to get us into the current era.

    And I'd give them the Fleming books for sure.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    Posts: 1,143
    If you're new to the series then I would recommend Dr No first followed by FRWL and then continue in order as they should be. I do see however that some people would be more likely to prefer to start with the modern CR (current generation) as a stating point as they maybe otherwise put off by being expected to watch a fifty year old movie. Dr No for me has aged really well though and is a movie anyone of any age can appreciate.
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