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Agreed - Sallust is surely 007's closest literary antecedent, and in physical appearance bears a striking resemblance to Bond, right down to the facial scar. His backstory is also strikingly similar.
Fleming and Wheatley were wartime acquaintances and shared several interests. The brand-name-dropping, the sex, sadism and snobbery - all are present and correct in Wheatley's work, albeit served up with less literary refinement.
The basic premise of FRWL echoes that of the Sallust novel Come Into My Parlour, written around a decade earlier.
Controversial opinion: Lazenby and Dalton were necessary, as palate cleansers if you will. Going from Connery to Moore might have been too jarring, and Moore to Brosnan too similar, and either move could have ended the series prematurely.
The series has lasted as long as it has because of the differing portrayals by the six actors.
Now there's a controversial opinion. Would be interested to see the whole list:
https://www.mi6community.com/discussion/78/bond-movie-ranking-simple-list-no-details#latest
That said, I do find it interesting that if I catch it on the telly, I end up watching, at the very least, a segment of it, with some interest.
For some reason, for me, even though I dislike that one a great deal, when I catch particular segments by themselves, I do kind of enjoy them. Just not put together in film sequence, which. Is acutally what it is and is supposed to be.
alrighty then, ill rank em in a bit
- better villain
- better Bond girls
- better music
- better sets, even though Spy comes close
- better locations, although the other two score well on this account too
- better cinematography, again Spy comes close too
Surely, MR is a mess plotwise, but when you go Rog, you’ll go 100% Rog with MR. The plots were never the strongest point during his tenure, let’s be honest. Everything else shines most in MR and that’s why I liked it more than both its predecessor and its successor.
I totally see were you are coming from re TSWLM. For me Spy and MR are two very similar films, and although my brain tells me the former is the better and objectively superior film overall, yet I get more enjoymemt from watching the other.
Also - I found Casino Royale SLIGHTLY overrated (but still good).
Be proud. It’s unique and brilliant.
Why thank you my friend! After all - who could hate a film with THIS in it?
And it would be remiss not to mention that STUNNING Barry score... wow!
I second this. Moonraker is absolutely stunning. It is one of a small handful of Bond films that I am dying to see projected on a big screen with big sound. Pure maximalist cinema. Sure, it has its flaws, but they pale in comparison to the highs it reaches on an audio/visual level. Beautiful movie.
Oh, and this is perhaps Barry's best work for the series and that is saying something.
I'd actually say it's his second best. If I'm completely honest - I think The Living Daylights is Barry's best score.
On CR, I appreciate what it tries to do and it does so very well but I think it tends to be overrated because it is considered “the best Bond film ever” by so many. While it’s good, I wouldn’t say it’s quite THAT good.
I wouldn't really know how to rank his scores. I've tried in the past and beyond the roughest possible list (just a general idea of what is toward the top and what is toward the bottom) it is basically impossible because his work for the series is truly so, so good.
In fact, when I went to rank the series' scores I specifically separated Barry's work and just ranked the non-Barry scores.
I think CR flirts with greatness. I just always get bored when it goes into that Bond/Vesper romance subplot later in the film. Always loses me.
It's good - but I think OHMSS is a shed load better, and more emotionally truthful as well.
Best Bond film ever? When someone asks me that, my answer is always the same. It's not been made yet - and never will be. There is no best Bond film. It spans so many different generations and means something different to everyone.
All anyone has got is their favourite. And mine is Goldeneye.
No question about that, IMO. Every time I watch it, I'm only reminded what a great ride of a film it is.
It'll never be one of my favourites - but I do enjoy the story point of Bond's injured shoulder. TND is a fun movie but Bond was a bit of an indestructible Superman in it.
It was interesting to see a new angle on that.
I've had an up and down relationship with a lot of films in the series, but I have always appreciated AVTAK, namely because it is absolutely, completely, truly bizarre as all Hell.
Because of this lens, even its "flaws" can be perceived as in keeping with its overall mood and approach. I could probably list a large handful of batshit oddities just off the top of my head and, if given adequate time, another several dozen if I had time to really sit and think about it. I love it.
Thunderball (boring)
Diamonds Are Forever (mean spirited to the point of being unpleasant)
Live And Let Die (see above)
The Man With The Golden Gun (just garbage)
Octopussy (boring)
A View To A Kill (like a bad spoof of a Bond film)
The World Is Not Enough (wasted potential)
Die Another Day (just garbage)
For me it’s the other way around, I love the first part: PTS, titles, Ascot and everything in France, bar the Renault chase and the fisticuffs in the warehouse. After that I enjoy the KGB and Pola turning up in SF, but the from the elevator fire up to the fire engine chase and the abandoned mine scenes I lose interest. The landmark climax gets stuff back into gear at the last moment, fortunately.
Every time I hear this specific criticism of TB it makes me want to jump off a bridge. In other words, I hope you're right that this is a controversial opinion ;)
You obviously seem to think ago... but you admit yourself it's not the first time you've heard it. Fry that one in your mind wok! :))