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If ever a man could make me question my sexuality, it's him.
George did quite well with a role that was very much too big for him. I don't think he realized just what it would be like or what to expect, or just how famous and smothered he would get because of the popularity of the character, who was already blown up all over the world. He certainly enjoyed himself on set, as we have heard, and while I'm not a fan of him as a person I like what he did with Bond. He was commendable and brutal in the fights, nicely filled out a tuxedo and did an astonishingly powerful job at bringing out Bond's emotional side (especially at the very end of OHMSS), though he wasn't a trained actor in the slightest. I view his Bond as a great continuation of Sean's, as he played him in all his many skins: the brutal pugilist, resilient man of danger, lover of the finer things in life and to some extent, the adrenaline junkie.
Roger brought charm to Bond in a way that could never be replicated. I'm not a massive fan of his era, but for those who enjoy a lighter, more "fun" Bond romp, they need look no further than films like The Spy Who Loved Me for their impressive stunt choreography, brilliant location shooting, immersive cinematography and heightened entertainment value as true blockbuster extravaganzas. These films truly are pieces of art, serving as visual travelogues of all the stunning and varied places Bond inhabits along the way to saving the day. Roger got to play a colder Bond as the years went by as well, FYEO alone showcasing some of his finest work at handling 007's more rough and tumble side. He was also the master of the one-liner, never having a bad delivery, and made Bond truly feel like a man of the world who had absorbed the languages, cultures and customs of the many places he had visited. It seemed like his Bond could speak to you in any language, share any fact about the location he was in and know in an instant what cultural delicacy was tantalizing his lips if he did a blind-folded taste test. For all his memorable Bond moments, both earnest and frivolous, one I feel that is at the very heart of this dutiful character is at the very beginning of this clip:
Tim. Ah, Tim. He was one of the Bond actors I got into late, after being captivated by Sean and Dan's work for so many years before, and hearing nothing but great things about Roger's blockbuster adventures. Unfortunately, Tim can often get brushed aside when Bond actors are being spoken about, which is a shame as he really is a gem. I love his Bond, a continuation of the deep and endlessly fascinating character I feel checked out around 1971 when DAF hit the scene and made Bond more of a campy character. He plays Fleming's creation so well, with a dark glint in his eyes all along the way. He is in equal measures the strong and calculating agent of death and vulnerable man of flesh and bone, as the care he shows for those he loves illustrates perfectly (like Felix and Della). His presence was booming, compelling in nature, and he really crafted the mold of the dark, troubled Bond way back in the late 80s, pre-dating the efforts of the stellar Craig era. Seeing him on screen you can't help but feel what he's feeling. His sense of peril as the MI6 training exercise goes awry in the start of TLD, share in that moment of sweet romance with Kara at the end of that same film, and most of all, his rage and thirst for vengeance after Della is killed and Felix is nearly brought to Death's door in LTK. It's unfortunate Tim's time as Bond was cut so short, as he was for my money one of the best to take one the role of this iconic character, and one more people deserve to experience for a true taste of just who James Bond is.
Pierce Brosnan. Since I first joined this forum three years ago my respect and admiration for Piece's Bond has done nothing but rise, as it has with Roger's era. Being around people so enamored by him and his era like @Creasy47 really makes you see the great stuff about him and his films, despite the lesser moments like his fight at the end of TWINE and those wonderfully haunting "pain faces" he always dished out for us. It cannot be disputed that Pierce brought the character back from the dead after the litigation hell the franchise faced for so many years, and really helped to reinvigorate the series for a newer age. He, like Sean before him embodied all facets of Bond's character, not as well but certainly with the same great spirit. He wore his suits with perfection, romanced the women with an effortless charm not seen since Roger's era and truly helped save the franchise in his big debut.
Daniel Craig. What more can be said? I hold Dan's time as Bond to be the most influential in me being the fan I am today, right up there with Sean's early films. The first time I saw Casino Royale on TV I was sent on an unexpected, thrilling journey that I never wanted to end. I caught it on TV in a marathon one day, and watched it over and over and over again as it aired for most of that same week, taking in every frame of its glory. Dan played a Bond my casually interested eyes hadn't seen much of at that time, showing every inch of 007's complicated inner life and complex attachment to serving Queen and Country. In my first years as a serious Bond fan I clung to CR, and while I hated QoS at first along with a lot of other people, he partly helped win me over, and I now hold it as one of the best portrayals of the character on the big screen. My admiration with him and his era continued in Skyfall, a film that told a moving and powerful story about human endurance between that of a whacked out cyber-maniac's search for revenge against a member of the Red Hat Society. Seeing his Bond so down in the dumps, so to speak, and watch him pull himself up out of the rubble and the ashes was rousing. My heart leaped later in the film when he ran to save M to the unmatched poetic power of Tennyson's "Ulysses," embodying every bit of resilience, strength of character and unflappable resolve that marks the character of James bond himself and the very franchise he has helped to carry on for more than 50 years. I couldn't say enough great things about the Craig era, though I think I am correct in saying that the very best is yet to come. Roll on Bond 24!
Amazing stuff. love love love it!!! :x ( the performances, just so we are clear)
;)
:x for only the Sean and Laz potrayals.
Would not be out of the question to commission statues of both in classic Bond pose, for entrance hallway of humble abode.
As for the next three, they all did good movies, but I am not in love with any of their performances. Sean and Laz though- utter perfection. I hold the first 7 films on pedestal towering above the others.
I am still waiting for worthy successor.
43 years and counting. Requires the patience of Job.
If you look at who he beat out for the part (Cary Grant, James Mason, David Niven, Richard Todd among others), it's hard to imagine any of them in his place. They struck gold casting Connery - he truly IS James Bond. No matter what generation of Bond you grew up with, from Moore to Brosnan to Craig, you have to appreciate the man who laid the very foundation for each Bond to grow.
George Lazenby I have so many feelings about George Lazenby. When I first became a huge Bond fan in my youth, George was probably my favorite just because he was such an underdog and I loved OHMSS so much. It's so hard to analyze his performance on its own because the instinct is to take so many other things into consideration: the movie itself, the fact that he was taking over for Sean Connery, his off-screen behavior, etc.
Once I try to get over the "lore" surrounding George Lazenby, I actually do think he was a very good Bond. The fact that he was in (in my opinion) one of the best Bond movies obviously helps a great deal. But I do think that he was true to the character, and he managed to balance his physical prowess and understated charm. He had wonderful chemistry with Diana Rigg, and he obviously looked the part incredibly well. Some people criticize his acting ability, but I think that's less of a reflection on his talent and more about a difference in acting style.
We really don't know exactly what the situation was when he only made one movie, and I'm sure everyone involved has a different take on the situation. Maybe he was fired, maybe he quit. Who really knows? But if you're going to take off-screen behavior into consideration when judging acting performance, then you'd have to hold Christian Bale and Alec Baldwin to the same scrutiny.
I think it was a huge disappointment and terrible mistake for him to not make another movie or two. His career would have gone on an entirely different trajectory, and he could have completely changed his place in movie history.
Roger Moore I love Roger Moore more for what he did off the screen than on it.
The series took a turn in a different direction during his tenure, but it's hard to place the blame on him entirely. Bad scripts, production decisions, etc.
He gives fascinating and honest interviews. And because his departure was the most amicable I feel that he reflects most positively on his experiences, which is nice to hear.
He seems to be a very kind man, and a friend to everyone who was ever involved in the series.
Very much a Sir.
Timothy Dalton There's not a lot to be said about Timothy Dalton that hasn't already been said in these comments - he is undeniably the best actor to play Bond in terms of his ability to convey emotion: anger, hatred, fear.
But for many this is not what Bond is about. Bond is "supposed" to be forever calm, emotionally reserved and cold. Dalton is a loose cannon who acts on instincts rather than calculations.
For me I think Dalton was perfect. A classically trained actor of incredible talent who stuck vehemently to what Fleming wanted Bond to be, rather than what Connery and Moore shaped him into. There's absolutely nothing wrong with Connery and Moore - but Dalton was different. Dalton was brave. Dalton wasn't afraid to show the world that there was more than one way to play James Bond.
I'd also like to say at this point that The Living Daylights, despite what many others are saying, is one of my favourite Bond films - a spy film that's actually about spies. Pretty much the only ones apart From Russia With Love, The Spy Who Loved Me and GoldenEye.
And one last point to make - as much as I love Dalton and think he truly is the best Bond, he sounds and looks awkward when he pulls off one-liners that Ol' Rodge could do with the effortless raise of an eyebrow. Different people have different talents.
Pierce Brosnan The first Bond film I ever watched was Brosnan's The World Is Not Enough back in '99. I'd already seen Brosnan in Mrs. Doubtfire and Remington Steele, but 9-year old me had no idea what 007 had in store for me.
Within a year I'd watched all the other 18 films and become a bit of a fanatic. This was largely due to the fact that Brosnan played Bond like a genetically perfect combination of the four who preceded him. He had the charm of Connery, the physical presence of Lazenby, the wit of Moore and the srs face of Dalton.
Brosnan was an "easy-watch" Bond and his era will probably be best remembered for the gadgets rather than the films' quality, which varied from some of (IMO) the best in the series (Goldeneye/TWINE) to some of the worst (Die Another Day). But regardless of anybody's opinion of the films, one thing is undeniable: as much as I loved Dalton, his take on Bond had alienated the mass market and Brosnan brought that market back. He was already a big name star and he made 007 relevant again - at least for another few years until it started to turn a bit silly with invisible cars.
Daniel Craig We have Barbara Broccoli to thank for Daniel Craig.
Casting for Bond must be one of the most difficult things in the world. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has an actor they want to be Bond.
Casino Royale was really about starting over. I think if they had cast someone in the tradition of Connery and Moore it wouldn't have worked as well. Daniel Craig's take on Bond feels unique, but that's a good thing. I think it allowed the audience to let go of some it's expectations for a Bond film, and really allowed his movies to focus on what made the early Bond films so great:
Daniel Craig made Bond cool again. He made him a fashion icon. There are sites that detail everything from the shoe's he wears to how to get the perfect Bond haircut. I may not be old enough to remember, but I don't think that's been the case since Sean Connery.
He also plays Bond in a way that's so tough, and so cool, and so different, and so close to what Fleming wrote that Bond is exciting again.
In my mind there are only two actors who have played Bond that have elevated it to something greater: Sean Connery and Daniel Craig.
I think some people (including myself) are reluctant to admit that anyone did it better than Connery, but on pure acting chops, I pick Daniel Craig.
Just sayin'.
Yes I was thinking how Broz and DC are quite similar. Is there any practical reason for the crouch and shoot technique adopted by the other four?
I guess if your enemy was trying to shoot you at the same time (like a duel), lowering yourself closer to the ground would help dodge a shot that they could've been sending towards your upper torso, but of course you could then just get shot in the face so that might not be the best idea. Of course, crouching down could catch them off guard before they'd aim to hit you, giving you more time to plan your shot to kill them before they adapted theirs to hit you at the lower position. Or, my favorite of these theories: it just looks really, really, really, really cool. ;)
My favorite is Dan's toilet spin and shoot in CR. I have not liked his SF & QoS gunbarrels comparatively.
:))
Dalts looks steady enough. The other two look a little potentially too straight up.
I took a hand-gun shooting course once. I'm no expert, not even close, as I let it go, but I do remember instinctively bending knees to get a steadier bead.
But we are talking movie posing. They all look groovy enough.
Moore turned the whole thing into a joke.
No thanks.
Agreed.
WHY WE LOVE EVERY ACTOR
Do so, or don't post in here.
What do I love about every actor?
Connery. Arguably the best film actor of them all. Effortlessly cool, he looks like a man who could steal your woman away with a raised eyebrow (sorry Rog).
Connery's films relied less on big action sequences and heart stopping stunts, so his casual demeanour perfectly fitted the early Bond films. Even so, in a fight he was a rugged brawler as seen in FRWL.
A skilled film actor Connery conveyed all the necessary meaning with barely a suggestion of emotion. Witness his expression when Grant makes the faux pas over wine and fish. None of the exaggerated pursed lips, swivelly eyes or deep breathing, but it's there in his eyes.
And no one delivered a useless Bond joke like Connery.
Lazenby. George is a strange one. One film was never enough o understand his potential, but potential he had. He was no Connery, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. He could glide across the room like Connery and seduce a woman like Connery, but he never looked as dangerous as Connery nor did he look so in control of every situation. Where Connery seemed to be thinking two steps ahead Lazenby looked like a man making it up on the spot. And without Tracey he probably would never have made it away from Blofelds goons.
And when he looks pleadingly into Tracey's eyes when hiding from the bad guys at the skating rink he looks vulnerable. Connery never looked vulnerable.
Moore. Roger had something not all Bond actors necessarily have. He had big screen appeal. He took Bond in a brand new direction (or did he just go along for the ride?) The fun filled films of the 70s were spectacles that swirled around Moore. These weren't really so much about Bond as the all important stuntmen, but that's ok, it's where we were back then.
Rog had warmth, he had wit. He took the job seriously even when the script writers didn't. He stayed too long, but that's what I don't like about him....
Dalton. Oh boy I'm stranded all alone with this guy. You see I don't think Dalton was a good actor. I think he was a bad actor (in films that is) which is why his star never shone as brightly as the others.
What I do like about him is he gave us a different Bond - no one apart from him made, or has made, Bond a nervy, edgy being. His is a Bond who probably doesn't sleep well, probably chews his nails, probably never stands still. He eyes everyone with mistrust. It's a good idea because all Bonds should give something different to the role and Dalton does just that. I don't think a third film would have brought anything different to the table, but two is enough for us to see what he was trying to do.
Brosnan. Pierce was a handsome man in traditional Hollywood style. He looked so good as Bond even though his voice was barely commanding enough.
So apart from a few early GoldenEye scenes he looked immaculate.
He loved being Bond (more so than Roger did and that's saying something) and I think he felt the disappointment at the quality of some of his films every bit as much as the fans.
Craig. There's not much I don't like about Daniel Craig as Bond. I wish he was taller, but there you go.
I don't agree that he owes a thing to Dalton's performance because I don't think they are anything like each other in any way. Craig is calm and composed, like Connery. He has a certain playfulness like Moore and Brosnan. But I can't see anything of Dalton's nervous energy in Craig's performance.
He has non of the traditional Hollywood leading man about him. He has a face that is handsome one moment and ugly the next. A fascinating face. He, like Connery is a true film actor and after Connery the best film actor of the bunch. It's there in his eyes. Less is more.
What I like most about all 6 is the fact they have played Bond, and all added a touch of originality to the proceedings.
Lazenby...he really banged a lot of chicks and sometimes really did beat the crap out of stuntmen
Moore...he banged a lot of chicks
Dalton...he brought James Bond back and banged a few chicks
Brosnan...bungee jumped, drove an invisible car, and banged a lot of chicks
Craig...put blood and sweat into James Bond, and banged Eva green
And Fields and the beginning of Skyfall girl and Severine... a few chicks ;)
I too love all the Bond actors. Probably Moore the least, but I watched Octopussy again a couple of nights ago and really thought his performance was great.
Connery: Really invented the character for film in a similar way that Fleming invented the character for literature. The benchmark.
Lazenby: Had a real vulnerability in OHMSS which was needed. Thought his chemistry with Rigg and the supporting cast was really great.
Moore: Made some fun movies for sure, his films have some very iconic "Bondia" (Union Jack Parachute, Golden Gun, Jaws). He brought variety into the Bond franchise, which I feel is a huge contribution on his part (as long as we still have the serious stuff too :D )
Dalton: What can be said that hasn't been said; he brought back some of the literary, troubled Bond and slid down a mountain in a cello case all in the same breath. Great Bond and great movies. Nothing to declare!
Brosnan: Was is and always will be "my" Bond as he got me into the franchise with Goldeneye. Suave, sophisticated secret agent, I think he displayed some good action along with the hair gel. (temple bath house with Xenia, cradle with Trev, etc.).
Craig: If I'm going to casually put on a Bond movie these days, odds are it will be a Craig Bond movie. I really feel like Casino Royale is one of the masterpieces of the franchise, and beyond. If the entire movie was the PTS/Title Sequence, and then just the ending scene with Mr. White, the ticket would have been worth twice what was paid for it. Great blend of vulernability/masculinity, suave, as well as dangerous. Brilliant portrayal.
:))
George - Made one of the best films.
Roger - The gentleman bond and Fleming's choice.
Tim - Fleming's bond incarnate and the best films of the 80's.
Brosnan - The 'safe pair of hands' but DAD is unfortunately the worst Bond fim by far!
Daniel - The best bond since Connery. Class.