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Kind words as always @peter and I hope @Remington and others we can deliver an alternative version of SPECTRE that will satisfy those like myself that felt let down with the film.
Peter has mentioned my ideas but his fleshing out and script writing talent has really started to make this fly.
I will tease a few things, for our version we have recast actors so you have different visual template to relate to which also has changed the motivations and the nature of the ones in the film.
For the longest time it was my least favorite Craig film. That changed last night. It had been years since I've watched it and it was definelty the best viewing since my first theatrical viewing. Hell I even liked the main titles and song.
It was. I've had the blu ray set for 3 years and it was the first time I'd watched it. That could be why. I don't think I watched it since the days leading up to Spectres release
Welcome to the dark side @LastRatStanding lol. Glad you enjoyed it more.
I watched it today and loved it like I did the first time. I wasn't even that bothered by the gunbarrel.
It's such a classic, easily my favorite of Connery's - the prominence of one beautiful locale, the stripped back spy thriller feel it has, the eclectic cast of characters.
Certainly a classic, worthy of the name. Always a top ten Bond movie for me. Stunning movie to watch.
That reason alone will probably have me watching DN, too, several times before release.
Agreed. Has always been top notch no matter how many times i see it. And i've watched it a lot!
After watching two Bond films in a row that I only find dreary and a chore to sit through, I was looking forward to continuing my Bondathon with CR, to see if it would leave a better impression.
No surprise – it did! Despite CR also having its darker moments, it's a very vibrant and exciting film, with stunning locations, great performances all around, and most of all a good story (obviously). While SF/SP feels nothing like Bond films to me, CR is the definition of one, firing on all cylinders throughout. Unlike the latter Craig films, CR feels to me like it has a foot or at least a few toes inside the pre-reboot era – although I can't really put my finger on why. It just feels like it does.
My only issue with CR is that I feel like it's 10-20 minutes too long. If they could have shortened the film only a little bit, I think it would have been an even better film. Then again, that would probably gone at the expense of developing the relationship between Bond and Vesper. Speaking of that relationship; watching CR makes me dislike SP even more. Here you have a well written and perfectly developed on-screen relationship, which only reminds me how rushed and awkward the relationship between Bond and Madeleine feels in SP. I hope they manage to provide us with what's "missing" in that relationship in Bond 25, but it's a shame they need another film to do so.
With CR feeling just a little bit too long, I have trouble deciding where to place it. I want to place it inside the top ten, but can I really place it above GE that clocks in at 130 minutes (without feeling too long) or even DN at 110 min, which feels like a perfectly edited film? I don't think I can - at least not for now. Editing really matters when watching a film. Will rewatch some of the films in the summer though, so things might change.
Updated ranking with CR included:
1. Thunderball
2. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
3. From Russia with Love
4. For Your Eyes Only
5. The Spy Who Loved Me
6. Goldfinger
7. Octopussy
8. Live and Let Die/Diamonds Are Forever
10. Goldeneye
11. Dr. No
12. Casino Royale
13. The Man with the Golden Gun
14. Licence to Kill
15. The Living Daylights
16. The World Is Not Enough
17. A View to a Kill
18. You Only Live Twice
19. Moonraker
20. Tomorrow Never Dies
21. Die Another Day
22. Skyfall
23. Casino Royale (1967)
24. Spectre
Oh, I absolutely love TB. I don't think it's been outside my top 3 ever. Every time I watch it, I'm only reminded why I love it so much – and if anything, I appreciate TB more now than before.
Sure, like with all Bond film it has some weaker moments, but it's never affected the viewing experience. Also, Fiona Volpe is reason enough to place it within the top 3!
Too long? It's not long enough lol. Great ranking.
Exactly, what a well...eh...rounded character ;)
Love TB. Really do. Best Bond girls ever.In bikinis. What's not to like? Connery in is top form. Lovely writing. Largo is a real menace. Exotic locations. Brilliant film.
Totally understand some might feel different re. CR's length! ;-)
This is my first ranking of the films for quite some time, and the first time I base the ranking on enjoyment more than anything else. This is why DAF is inside the top 10, for example!
Indeed! :-D
Yes, TB sure has a lot of things going for it, making it an absolute classic. Will be watching TB again in the summer!
That is how I rank them, too.
It's fun doing the ranking this way. If giving as much attention to other aspects like cinematography and technical stuff, the list would have been a bit different. FYEO isn't the most visually stunning Bond film for example, but I have so much fun watching it!
That's why FYEO is bottom 3 and DAF is #7. For me it's all about fun and enjoyment.
FYEO seems like a film that people either like or feel indifferent about! For me it's usually placed 4th, as my favourite of the Moore films.
Yes, but those aspects also come into play and influence the enjoyment. Not exclusively, but as parts of the full package.
I understand, and we're in agreement here. Quality of script, acting, etc. aside, I find Sf doesn't quite fit the style and tone of Bond films, which is why it's my least favorite. But I think Sp does fit the Bond film template much better. So what I was actually curious about in my earlier post is your preference of Sf over Sp.
On a related note, I find QoS to be an unconventional Bond film too, but I find it still fits the template well enough because it is not "a character exploration of Bond more than a Bond adventure" (as you aptly described Sf earlier). I feel Spectre is not that either.
Indeed, I'm certainly not talking down the importance of cinematography here (it's incredible in all my top three films, for example). The Glen films are more serviceable in that department, but they are very entertaining despite of this.
Didn't pick up on that, @mattjoes – sorry! The reason I prefer SF to SP, is that I find the qualities that SF do have to be better than the overall experience of watching SP. For me, SP is just a very bad film. The shared past of Bond and Oberhauser/Blofeld should never have been included, and totally destroys my enjoyment for the film. It's also too long, and I don't like the pacing (SF is too long as well). On top of that, the awkward and rushed on-screen relationship between Bond and Madeleine feels wrong. These are the key elements of the film that puts it last in my ranking.
I agree about QoS. It's an unconventional Bond film for sure, but it's short and thrilling, and doesn't leave enough room for in-depth character exploration. I remember that felt a little bit refreshing when watching it the first time. CR did that so well, so I thought it was OK that they didn't try to do CR 2.0, and instead made something different.
I will watch QoS soon, and I'm curious if I'll feel as positive about it this time around!