Controversial opinions about Bond films

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  • Posts: 12,466
    GF is my #1 Connery. It is the perfect happy medium of the smaller adventures (DN and FRWL) and the epic ones (TB and YOLT).
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,114
    FoxRox wrote: »
    CR, OHMSS, and FRWL are good picks for the Top 3 (the consensus favorites of the site). The first two are my own Top 2.

    To each his own of course but I’d swap CR for TLD there.
  • Posts: 12,466
    No way for me. I like TLD for sure, but it lacked really good villains. Besides that and sort of a meh third act, it’s a good Bond film. Just can’t reach my upper territory.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    I think CR has certainly one of the strongest second acts. However, I belong to the minority who does not really like all the overlong action scenes in the first Act. I also quite like the ending. It is just that it is a bit too exaggerated with regard to action and drama. It lacks the emotions of the OHMSS ending and suffers from the comparison.
  • Posts: 19,339
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    CR, OHMSS, and FRWL are good picks for the Top 3 (the consensus favorites of the site). The first two are my own Top 2.

    To each his own of course but I’d swap CR for TLD there.

    Tut tut tut...... :-q

  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    OK: I've never been as keen on FRWL as everyone else in the entire world ever. It has difficult-second-album syndrome; it's stuck between DN, which is all fresh and new, and GF, which is where the formula jells.

    But the theme song is one of my favourites, because it's so delightfully unrelated to the plot.
  • edited December 2017 Posts: 12,837
    Birdleson wrote: »
    CR is one of the few films that I have no real problems with.

    I feel that way about OHMSS and DR NO.

    What's weird for me is that a lot of my favourite Bond films have plenty of flaws, but I still put them above films that I'd call "objectively" better. I think I don't care about the problems of a film so long as there's enough good stuff for me to get past that and the overall product still resonates with me. A film can be perfectly fine in almost every way but if it's nothing special I'd rather watch a "worse" film that's at least a bit more weird and out there. I'll take something like DAD over something like TND basically, or AVTAK over FYEO.
  • Posts: 12,466
    Agent_99 wrote: »
    OK: I've never been as keen on FRWL as everyone else in the entire world ever. It has difficult-second-album syndrome; it's stuck between DN, which is all fresh and new, and GF, which is where the formula jells.

    But the theme song is one of my favourites, because it's so delightfully unrelated to the plot.

    I’m with you in ranking it third behind DN and GF. But it’s still in my Top 10.
  • Posts: 15,115
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    royale65 wrote: »
    I, for one, love the boat chase in FRWL. After a really claustrophobic film, it opens out with two good action scenes. (Maybe trimming Morzeny and his men deaths in the fireball, but other than that, FRWL is near on perfect)

    I do as well. I like the two action sequences that follow the train section. They're not overlong and don't wear out their welcome.
    I love every frame of FRWL (even the waving goodbye).

    That is a controversial opinion which I share.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,114
    No need to kick her off the Ferris Wheel
    Ludovico wrote: »
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    royale65 wrote: »
    I, for one, love the boat chase in FRWL. After a really claustrophobic film, it opens out with two good action scenes. (Maybe trimming Morzeny and his men deaths in the fireball, but other than that, FRWL is near on perfect)

    I do as well. I like the two action sequences that follow the train section. They're not overlong and don't wear out their welcome.
    I love every frame of FRWL (even the waving goodbye).

    That is a controversial opinion which I share.

    Me too. Every single one.

  • Posts: 15,115
    I think Bond's flat in SP is the best living place he'd ever had in the movies. I mean by that it truly fits his character.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,395
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I think Bond's flat in SP is the best living place he'd ever had in the movies. I mean by that it truly fits his character.

    I like the one in Dr No.
  • Posts: 15,115
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I think Bond's flat in SP is the best living place he'd ever had in the movies. I mean by that it truly fits his character.

    I like the one in Dr No.

    Me too but I think I like the one in SP slightly better.
  • Posts: 17,753
    I like all the Bond flat's. Each flat have it's own style, and each flat fit "their" Bond.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,968
    I do like them all in their own way. I do enjoy Bond's confused "No?" when MP asks about him moving in recently in SP.

    Wasn't there a different/tweaked flat scene in SP to some degree? I could've swore one of the first bits of filming involved Craig in a robe throughout, but then that changes in the finished product and he's only donning a robe when he goes through the Skyfall effects. Maybe I'm remembering it incorrectly.
  • JamesBondKenyaJamesBondKenya Danny Boyle laughs to himself
    Posts: 2,730
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    I do like them all in their own way. I do enjoy Bond's confused "No?" when MP asks about him moving in recently in SP.

    Wasn't there a different/tweaked flat scene in SP to some degree? I could've swore one of the first bits of filming involved Craig in a robe throughout, but then that changes in the finished product and he's only donning a robe when he goes through the Skyfall effects. Maybe I'm remembering it incorrectly.

    Absolutely, it was originally filmed like the teaser with him in his robe, then Craig wanted it reshot for some reason, so the first half was reshot with him sitting in the chair and what not but then they still use some of the footage in his robe
  • Posts: 19,339
    I'm quite partial to his LALD flat.
  • edited December 2017 Posts: 3,333
    echo wrote: »
    I find the photography in TMWTGG so flat. Compare Thailand in this movie with Thailand in TND. Or the fun house with the interiors of Piz Gloria or even Williard Whyte's penthouse. Visually, the film is just boring.
    I haven't watched TND in a long time, but weren't the Thailand locations meant to be Vietnam, not Thailand? Yes, I know it shares a similar geographical terrain with Thailand, having spent many months in both countries I can vouch for that, but TND didn't really feel like Vietnam due to the lack of not actually shooting in Ho Chi Minh City. Didn't feel much like Thailand either, due to the filmmakers having to avoid anything distinctly Thai. I know it wasn't the fault of Eon as their visas were later rescinded, two months after planning had begun, forcing filming to move to Bangkok. So for me, TMWTGG still stands as the quintessential Thai Bond. After all, the Thais even named an island after James Bond.

    I also agree on Scaramanga's Fun House sets being totally underwhelming. I thought so at the time when I saw TMWTGG back in '74 and my view hasn't changed since. The difference between the sets of DAF and TSWLM appears to be having Peter Murton in place of Ken Adam.
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I do as well. I like the two action sequences that follow the train section. They're not overlong and don't wear out their welcome.
    I love every frame of FRWL (even the waving goodbye).
    Agreed. Love the hand wave at the end of FRWL. Such a shame that they had to cut the line: "He was right.. what a performance!" from the movie as Bond pays out the role of pornographic film in the arms of Daniela Bianchi. I've always disliked that jump-cut because of the bloody censors.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2017 Posts: 23,883
    Yes, I'll definitely take Thailand in TMWTGG over TND (even if that wasn't actually Thailand). I visited there as a kid with the folks and pestered them to take me to the Floating Market, which looked just like in the film. I didn't get to see Khao Phing Kan though. Sadly I've yet to make it to Hong Kong or Macau (it's on my list and I realize both places will look quite different now).
  • Posts: 3,333
    Yes, I think TMWTGG goes a lot further than say TND at capturing the old magic of Thailand. It can now be viewed as a bit of a time capsule of sorts. The floating markets are all still there, of course, but much of the city has changed. Same goes for Hong Kong and Macau. I thought The Dark Knight captured the modern Hong Kong quite wonderfully, too.
  • ToTheRight wrote: »
    royale65 wrote: »
    I, for one, love the boat chase in FRWL. After a really claustrophobic film, it opens out with two good action scenes. (Maybe trimming Morzeny and his men deaths in the fireball, but other than that, FRWL is near on perfect)

    I do as well. I like the two action sequences that follow the train section. They're not overlong and don't wear out their welcome.
    I love every frame of FRWL (even the waving goodbye).

    Wait, there a people that don't like that?
    FoxRox wrote: »
    CR, OHMSS, and FRWL are good picks for the Top 3 (the consensus favorites of the site). The first two are my own Top 2.

    OHMSS and FRWL are my top two and I'd have CR 4th behind those two and TLD.
    Ludovico wrote: »
    I think Bond's flat in SP is the best living place he'd ever had in the movies. I mean by that it truly fits his character.

    It fits Craig Bond perfectly, you'd imagine that he'd be disorganized and always look like he hadn't moved in
    barryt007 wrote: »
    I'm quite partial to his LALD flat.

    The LALD one if perfect for Moore/Connery Bond and where I'd imagine the generic archetypal James Bond in my head living.



  • Posts: 12,466
    I like all the Bond flat's. Each flat have it's own style, and each flat fit "their" Bond.

    THIS. They are all good. One of my favorite little parts of SP was the flat's inclusion.
  • edited December 2017 Posts: 7,507
    The Ha Long Bay/Phuket area of mushrom islands, look far better in Gun than in TND if you ask me. The use of locations is one of the few redeeming features of Gun. However the Brosnan era was plagued with a curious syndrom of making potentially glamorous locations look drab and ordinary.
  • Posts: 17,753
    FoxRox wrote: »
    I like all the Bond flat's. Each flat have it's own style, and each flat fit "their" Bond.

    THIS. They are all good. One of my favorite little parts of SP was the flat's inclusion.

    Agreed. Possibly one of the highlights of the film for me, really. Interestingly, both the former flats have been present in films introducing (the new) Bond. Could we see a new flat for the next one as well?
  • Posts: 16,154
    My favorite Bond flat was Sean's in DN, but when I read Fleming I pictured it looking a bit more like Roger's minus the wallpaper.
  • Posts: 15,115
    The thing that irritates me the most about TMWTGG is seeing Bond drinking tea.
  • Posts: 12,466
    One of my most controversial opinions, particularly for this site, is that Dalton is my least favorite of the EON Bond actors. It’s less of a reflection on him and more just the fact that I really like the other 5 more. I don’t hate Dalton’s Bond at all, but I have to put him last of the 6 personally.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I can understand your perspective. I thought the same for years. These days it's a difficult call. I'd put him above Broz due to the consistency of his work in the two he made, and because I think his Bond was quite 'real' and accessible (like Laz). For me, Craig is the least accessible and the most distant, which is ironic given he's the one who's had the most 'character peel back'.
  • Posts: 12,466
    For me right now, it’s:

    1. Sean Connery - The pefromances in his first four are all A+ Bond performances, which is amazing. He has too many disinterested moments in YOLT and DAF, but still can be good in those too. Overall, the rightful Bond king.
    2. Daniel Craig - IMO, him in CR is the best Bond performance ever. He gives really good ones in QOS and SF as well, before an up-and-down one in SP. His dry humor is excellent, and while he’s not as charming as Connery, he is the most lethal and ice-cold Bond which I like.
    3. George Lazenby - Hardest to rank since he only did one, but I just love his OHMSS performance so much. Not always perfect, but when he’s good he is just amazing in it. A wonderful one-hit wonder; the most human Bond.
    4. Roger Moore - The Moore era is a mixed bag, but Moore himself was rarely ever the problem. His comedic moments were usually genuinely funny, but he also did wonderfully displaying his serious side. FYEO is his best acting, and he also does exceptionally well in LALD and TSWLM. A little less impressive in MR and AVTAK, but still definitely a great Bond.
    5. Pierce Brosnan - He is cool as a cucumber through most of GE, TND, and DAD - particularly TND. Struggles with emotional scenes and is maybe the least original of the Bonds, but still so much fun to watch most of the time. He carries his films more than half the time. TWINE is one of the weaker Bond performances in the series unfortunately.
    6. Timothy Dalton - A decent Bond. He has some good moments, but he is the least entertaining of the 6 to me, and beyond a handful of moments, he’s more serviceable than exceptional IMO. I liked him a little more in LTK than TLD. Still, to rank him last means we have been blessed with great choices for Bond actors so far.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I'd probably go:

    SC (By far and away the complete package. He had it all)
    RM (lacks Connery's killer edge, but has everything else)
    DC (lacks the charm & I'm not keen on the looks and style, but is the most credible killer of them all)
    GL (aced his only outing. So much promise)
    TD (real and down to earth. Human. Lacking in style though)
    PB (cool and looked great. Inconsistent, emotional and a bit soft though)
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