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TLD is one of the few Bond movies that I would call perfect. The other ones being GE and OHMSS. I wouldn't change a single thing in all three of them.
Near perfect is CR. Without the inconsequent reboot nonsense CR would be perfect as well.
Then there are many Bond movies that are truly great. Like OP.
But then we already know we have the same tastes :-*
Not even the atrocious score from GE ?
If I had to choose, one thing I'd change about TLD is Dalton's line delivery on the oneliners, or to change the script at those sections. And nobodydoesitbetter beat me to GE's biggest flaw.
From a personal enjoyment point of view the only two films I don't think need changing are OP and FRWL
EDIT: Actually I can think of one in OP...when Gobinda has to start the car twice when driving away from the circus after planting the bomb...oh my what a scare :))
@w2bond
The Goldeneye score actually is one of my favourites overall.
Back in 1995 that score worked wonders and it was very original and is inextricably linked to Goldeneye the movie.
It totally sucked me in as the rest of the movie did.
But I see why some people don't like it today. It does sound very dated in places.
Not the Goldeneye Overture or the romantic theme. Those still are so great.
But the "noise" during the Aston Martin sequence when Onatopp and Bond give themselves a race is quite awful nowadays.
Also the CD version of the tank chase is not that good. They should have provided the score that was used in the movie for the CD, because that one is freaking great.
The 90's techno craze that (sadly) conquered Europe back then seems to be the worst kind of thing that ever happened to music.
Still I'm convinced in another 10 years the Goldeneye score will sound better again to the ears overall.
The Moore movies have some pretty dated score tracks as well in some movies.
Just think of the disco-score during the action in the submarine docking station in TSWLM.
I'm assuming the CD version is the original version by Serra that was replaced by the orchestra probably on the producer or Campbell's instruction. That shows the higher ups didn't think too much of his score but it was too late to change it all.
I didn't mind it when I was younger because I didn't care as much but now I cling to Barry like many here cling to Fleming.
Except FYEO, I quite like all of Moore's scores yes including Golden Gun. TSWLM would be improved with a Barry score but Hamlisch's doesn't hurt the movie.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions of course. I mentioned the GE score on the other thread about what we would change in the Bond films. I remember back in 1995 after waiting 6 years for a new Bond film and hearing that score. I actually thought someone was playing a cruel joke on us Bond fans. I think David Arnold described it as someone throwing trash cans down an elevator shaft. I hate this score and it really ruins an otherwise fine film. On the other hand. I actually like the scores to TSWLM and FYEO.
Maybe it's a generational thing I don't know. I was 21 in 1995 and quite used to the techno sound happening all around me :P
I agree on the cans thrown down a lift shaft with some of the score :))
Still I have so many romantic glorified memories of 1995 that I will always love it. :))
As for Barry, he was a genius.
My undisputed No 1 score is The Living Daylights, that's for sure.
I have to say though that I do love the Live And Let Die score from George Martin as well.
I like the LALD score too, but this time around I found it a bit lacking in variety...mainly just the main theme on repeat.
I would rate TLD one of the top scores too. In Gustav's score ranking thread I put OP on top but really any of Barry's scores can be top depending on my mood.
DN is really an amazing film, especially considering it was the first =D>
Dalton is better this time around, delivering a stellar performance as a Bond out for revenge. Franz Sanchez is one of the best Bond villains in the entire franchise, and Dario is a perfectly despicable henchman. As for the Bond girls, I'm afraid I'm not a fan of Lupe or Pam; they're not two of my least favorites, but they're certainly not exceptional. Sharkey was a good albeit short-lived sidekick, and this is one of Felix's best turns in a Bond film. Also, I really liked Q's involvement in this one!
The film's PTS is a pretty good hook, foreshadowing the film's dark tone while retaining the usual Bond fun. The title song and soundtrack were rather average though; I never listen to either when I'm not watching the film. The finale was really great; lots of action and thrills like a Bond finale should provide. The whole film is ideal if you're looking for a really action-packed Bond flick. I really liked that the film wasn't afraid to be different from the series by taking a darker approach and going with a revenge story rather than a standard mission. Most of those risks paid off as far as I'm concerned.
Licence to Kill is a Bond film I've liked for a long time, and my opinion of it is possibly the most unchanged of this marathon. It's my favorite of John Glen's work on the series, and I find it to be an effectively enjoyable departure from the norm.
FoxRox's 2015 Bondathon Ranking
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. Goldfinger
3. Dr. No
4. The Spy Who Loved Me
5. Licence to Kill
6. Thunderball
7. From Russia with Love
8. For Your Eyes Only
9. Live and Let Die
10. The Living Daylights
11. You Only Live Twice
12. The Man with the Golden Gun
13. Octopussy
14. Diamonds Are Forever
15. A View to a Kill
16. Moonraker
For years, in my mind, TLD was a truly great Bond film. I re-watched it last week and I like a lot, I think it's solid, but I can't give it that glowing 5-star review I would have not so long ago. I think for me it's the final act that doesn't live up to the first two. It's fine. It has a great fight between Bond and Necros and is beautifully shot, but somehow the script just gets really muddled with opium, diamonds, arms deals, all of which is supposed to tie into Brad Whitaker but it never makes complete sense to me.
I'm still on board for TLD, no question, but not with the same brilliant enthusiasm I had before.
I haven't re-watched LTK yet (October is eating a lot of my movie watching time with horror films) but I suppose I concur with most of your thoughts. I like it too, but like LTD, I don't love it absolutely. What holds this one back for me is the uncomfortable juggling between a really gritty, violent Bond story and Q showing up with jokes and a truck performing a wheely. It's like the filmmakers honestly wanted to take Bond into new territory cinematically yet knew that tons of people loved Roger Moore just a few years ago so they felt obliged to make certain scenes funny and silly.
Pierce Brosnan gives a solid debut Bond performance. Like many others I agree he grows better in the role as his movies go forward, but I still think he's good here. Natalya is one of my favorite Bond girls, and Alec is easily one of my favorite Bond villains. Both characters had really good chemistry with Bond. I also think Judi Dench's M is a big step up from Robert Brown; I've always liked her take on M. Q gets a really good scene in this one too. I also liked Valentin and Jack Wade as side characters.
The PTS is definitely up there as one of the series' best. Tina Turner's title song is decent, and then there's the dreaded soundtrack. I think it's often overblown how bad it is, but it is undoubtedly one of the weakest; still, there are a couple songs I liked (GoldenEye Overture, Whispering Statues). Other than the mediocre soundtrack I can't complain that much; this film entertains me a LOT, and I find it's one of the most re-watchable entries in the series. If I'm not mistaken the film's reputation is pretty good on this site, but its popularity has died a little bit.
GoldenEye (to me, anyway, and I know many others) was doomed to be Brosnan's highest point, but it sure was a good one. It's not for everyone, and I understand that, but I enjoy almost every moment of it. This is one of my favorite modern Bond films, and one of my favorites period.
FoxRox's 2015 Bondathon Ranking
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. Goldfinger
3. GoldenEye
4. Dr. No
5. The Spy Who Loved Me
6. Licence to Kill
7. Thunderball
8. From Russia with Love
9. For Your Eyes Only
10. Live and Let Die
11. The Living Daylights
12. You Only Live Twice
13. The Man with the Golden Gun
14. Octopussy
15. Diamonds Are Forever
16. A View to a Kill
17. Moonraker
Nice to see someone else who can see that GE belongs into the Top 5.
Assuming CR will make your Top 8 we belong to the few that have all actors in their Top 6, 7 or 8.
GE is loved in general and is highly underrated on this forum.
I'm glad someone recognises that there are indeed good parts in the score.
The Goldeneye Overture is great and without it there would be an iconic thing missing.
In my last Bindathon I had to watch GE twice, After finishing the Brosnan era I rewatched it again.
I have it at No 1 and OHMSS at No 3 by the way.
Objectively looking at the Bond movies it is blatantly obvious that OHMSS was the high point of the franchise.
Incidentally AVTAK spoken out loudly sounds like a nasty insult in German :))
To the movie:
I like the PTS, I like it a lot. And yes, I like the Beach Boys theme over the surfing scene on snow and water. I don't get why that's despised by so many.
Furthermore the score "Snow Job" is one of John Barry's great compositions.
And I have always had a preference for Iceland (been there many times). Speaking of this: maybe that's why I like DAD so much ;) )
The theme song is my favourite of the whole series and yes, I like that titles from Maurice Binder, it is one of my favourites as well.
The Paris sequence is bloody great from start to finish!!
But then it happens: The movie falls completely flat, in a big spectacular way.
Reunion of the retirement home residents at the Horse Race.
Q, M, Moneypenny, Bond and Tibbett watching horses race together. This has almost Monty Python-esque qualities.
The exotic locations that are nowhere to be seen in this movie hurt it quite a bit.
Dull England and San Francisco just don't cut it.
But then the last 35 minutes of the movie work again and they are great.
The elaborate set in the mines is great and the mayhem that breaks out is very spectacular.
I like Mayday in the end helping Bond to prevent Zorin's plan.
The sequence on top of the Golden Gate bridge is as iconic as it gets.
And it even looks real and even the back screens that were necessary for obvious reasons look quite good in HD, unlike in some earlier Connery movies.
Tanya Roberts doesn't bother me in AVTAK, she's just kinda there and does her thing. I don't find her very good nor very bad.
Walken, as good as he certainly is, doesn't impress me either, he never seems dangerous or menacing just ridiculous.
Final verdict: Moore is way too old in this. For most of the time AVTAK is just dull.
There are those great moments that for me prevent it from being at the bottom of the list.
Therefore this is my ranking:
the good ones
1. FRWL
2. GF
3. FYEO
4. LALD
5. MR
6. TSWLM
7. DN
the good enough ones
8. YOLT
the not so good ones
9. AVTAK (better than TMWTGG because of the Golden Gate and Paris sequence)
10. TMWTGG
11. DAF
Oh Dear :)) and I haven't even realised that, but I've never been to San Francisco so I hope that's excuse enough :D
Perhaps I'll have to come by unannounced next year, as my friends and I were debating doing a train ride across the States to San Francisco.
I have yet to meet someone that doesn't love this movie >:D<
Kerim-Bey is my favourite character in the franchise (not counting the regulars).
Just watched it recently and I such a great time with it. An unadulterated joy from start to finish!
Zorin is hands down one of the best villains in the series, and Walken's performance, with all his nuances, idiosyncrasies, his delivery of his lines, is utterly superb.
Ps. San Francisco is one of my favourite cities in the world.
If it pans out, I absolutely will. Would be nice to finally meet someone from the forums.
EDIT: I'm starting my randomized Bondathon, and funnily enough (since I was talking about it earlier with some of you), I landed on AVTAK! This time around, I'm writing a proper review of all of the Bond movies once I reach them, so I'll post up a review by tomorrow, if not tonight.
For the second time in my life, I've begun my own Bondathon on October 5 with Dr. No, to coincide with the film's London premiere, the first time the movie-going public ever saw James Bond on the big screen. I'm now beginning to watch the rest of the series, along with the documentary Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007, chronologically, with one film per day to keep each and every entry fresh in my mind (with the exception of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, as I always watch them as a double feature), leading up to the release of the next Bond film in theaters.
I first did this back in 2012 with the 50th anniversary of the film series and the (then-)upcoming release of Skyfall (which I went to see on November 9), but the consistency of watching them was sporadic. To give you an idea of what I mean by this, here's when I watched each Bond film three years ago:
Dr. No: Oct. 5
From Russia with Love: Oct. 6
Goldfinger: Oct. 7
Thunderball: Oct. 8/9 (Can't remember exactly which day for this one)
You Only Live Twice: Oct. 10
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Oct. 11
Diamonds Are Forever: Oct. 12
Live and Let Die: Oct. 13
The Man with the Golden Gun: Oct. 14
The Spy Who Loved Me: Oct. 15
Moonraker: Oct. 16
For Your Eyes Only: Oct. 17
Octopussy: Oct. 19
A View to a Kill: Oct. 20
The Living Daylights: Oct. 22
Licence to Kill: Oct. 23
Goldeneye: Oct. 24
Tomorrow Never Dies: Oct. 25
The World is Not Enough: Oct. 26
Die Another Day: Oct. 27
Casino Royale: Nov. 2
Quantum of Solace: Nov. 2
Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007: Nov. 2
Thankfully, this year's Bondathon will run more smoothly. With October 5 landing on a Monday this year, I will watch each Bond film, along with the EON documentary, every weekday (Monday to Friday), nicely leading up to my local multiplex's (likely) special showing of Spectre on November 5. The schedule is as follows:
Dr. No: Oct. 5
From Russia with Love: Oct. 6
Goldfinger: Oct. 7
Thunderball: Oct. 8
You Only Live Twice: Oct. 9
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Oct. 12
Diamonds Are Forever: Oct. 13
Live and Let Die: Oct. 14
The Man with the Golden Gun: Oct. 15
The Spy Who Loved Me: Oct. 16
Moonraker: Oct. 19
For Your Eyes Only: Oct. 20
Octopussy: Oct. 21
A View to a Kill: Oct. 22
The Living Daylights: Oct. 23
Licence to Kill: Oct. 26
Goldeneye: Oct. 27
Tomorrow Never Dies: Oct. 28
The World is Not Enough: Oct. 29
Die Another Day: Oct. 30
Casino Royale: Nov. 2
Quantum of Solace: Nov. 2
Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007: Nov. 3
Skyfall: Nov. 4
This not only works out nicely because of the aforementioned reasons in the last paragraph, but also because, as said earlier, each and every entry will remain fresh in my mind after viewing them, and the weekends will give me some breathing space so I don't suffer potential burnout as the Bondathon goes on. This is especially so with the weekend between YOLT and OHMSS, so I can have a chance to watch the latter without having Connery's image popping up in my mind, and with the weekend between DAD and CR + QOS, because if Brosnan's last Bond film will be as bad in my eyes as it was the last time, I will definitely need that breathing space which Halloween weekend can provide before continuing on with Craig's tenure (this is the reason why I viewed CR + QOS several days after DAD back in 2012).
As you can see, as of today, I've seen the first five Bond films. I won't give my personal ranking of the Bond films back in 2012 yet, as I want to exhibit it as a surprise after I finish viewing Skyfall in November, but I will give my ranking of the films this year so far in my Bondathon, from most favorite to least favorite:
1.) From Russia with Love
2.) Goldfinger
3.) Dr. No
4.) Thunderball
5.) You Only Live Twice
The above ranking remains consistent with my 2012 one, which is the only hint I'll share as to how the latter looks like. Suffice it to say, this year's Bondathon is running very nicely so far, being exactly what I need to enjoy myself in the highly-anticipated run-up to/wait for Spectre, and I absolutely can't wait to continue it tomorrow. :)
Brosnan gives us a very good Bond performance, standing out as one of the film's best merits. Wai Lin is a solid Bond girl; it was nice to see a Bond girl as Bond's equal in combat. Elliot Carver remains one of my least favorite Bond villains however. I can't place my finger on it, but I just don't really like him. I also don't like many of the supporting characters, with the exception of Dr. Kaufman - I really wish he had gotten more screen time. Q is really good in his scene; Q and Brosnan's Bond had some really good interaction in their time together.
I still think the film's PTS is a bit overrated; I like it fine, but I don't think it's one of the series' all-time greatest. David Arnold's score is good, but I didn't care much for the title song. The film's biggest strength is providing great action sequences; the car and motorcycle chases qualify as series highlights by my standards. I must say though, the movie generally just feels like a big step down from GoldenEye; the story isn't as strong, and the characters aren't as good. I've also accused it before for being too generic, and I stand by that to an extent. Regardless, it is a fun action film.
I think Tomorrow Never Dies is alright. I used to think it was one of the series' worst, but I was pretty entertained through most of it this time. It may not be too high, but it sure is a lot higher than it used to be on my list.
FoxRox's 2015 Bondathon Ranking
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. Goldfinger
3. GoldenEye
4. Dr. No
5. The Spy Who Loved Me
6. Licence to Kill
7. Thunderball
8. From Russia with Love
9. For Your Eyes Only
10. Live and Let Die
11. The Living Daylights
12. You Only Live Twice
13. Tomorrow Never Dies
14. The Man with the Golden Gun
15. Octopussy
16. Diamonds Are Forever
17. A View to a Kill
18. Moonraker
*By personality I mean you learn something about their character throughout the movies. Craig has as much charm as a block of wood in QoS but his performance is one of the highlights
It doesn't make much sense (eg indestructible garage door, badge wire cutter) but the gadgets are a lot of fun, and it was my first exposure to a Bond car.
I also love the mid-90's BMWs