Many people look at Sean Connery as their favorite Bond, but I guess I just don't see why ?

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  • At the risk of bringing this conversation back to the original question, I think many people look at Connery as being the quintessential James Bond because it was their first exposure to the character. Anything after that was comparing what was done to how they first knew the character. I think if one's first exposure to the character came from elsewhere (the books, another actor, the comic strip, whatever) it's less likely Connery's interpretation will be considered the "best".
  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,425
    At the risk of bringing this conversation back to the original question, I think many people look at Connery as being the quintessential James Bond because it was their first exposure to the character. Anything after that was comparing what was done to how they first knew the character. I think if one's first exposure to the character came from elsewhere (the books, another actor, the comic strip, whatever) it's less likely Connery's interpretation will be considered the "best".

    On the contrary. First Bond I watched was Moore (on TV). First cinema Bond was Dalton. And I still rate Connery the best.

    On the subject of accents, Dalton's northern accent is very amusing as it comes out very strongly in both TLD and LTK. Wonder what Fleming would have made of that!

    Have to say there's only one thing I hate more than not putting on an accent and that's putting on a bad accent. That's why I prefer that Connery plays Sean Connery rather than trying to put on an Irish/Russian/whatever accent and do it badly.

    DC's non-accent in TGWTDT does seem odd though, because most of the other actors are proper Scandos.
  • Posts: 1,052
    To be honest, I have never felt the need for accents, why hire Sean Connery and make him put on a dodgy accent? If you are casting him as a Russian you know full well this particular Russian will infact be Scottish. DC seemed to try to be Sweedish briefly and then forgot about it, didn't make any difference to the film though!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    To be honest, I have never felt the need for accents, why hire Sean Connery and make him put on a dodgy accent? If you are casting him as a Russian you know full well this particular Russian will infact be Scottish. DC seemed to try to be Sweedish briefly and then forgot about it, didn't make any difference to the film though!
    And in the cases of Dan and Sean, they are so cool I don't care.

  • Because Connery wasn’t THAT good

    The argument most regularly levelled at Craig is that he’s simply not as good as Sean Connery, but whilst the Scotsman’s turn as cinema’s most famous secret agent was no doubt iconic it’s not necessarily as accomplished as some people make it out to be. After all it took Connery three films to really get going in the role, and even then all of the good work in Goldfinger and Thunderball was undone by his efforts in You Only Live Twice. The problem is that Connery has sometimes struggled to show the more serious side of the character, an argument that can’t be levelled at Craig who is arguably a more accomplished actor with a CV that’s bursting at the seems with emotion-laden performances.
  • Getafix wrote:
    On the contrary. First Bond I watched was Moore (on TV). First cinema Bond was Dalton. And I still rate Connery the best.
    Be why I used the language I did and said probably more likely.

  • Posts: 1,052
    My first exposure was Moore and was pretty shocked to find A) He was no longer playing the role and that some bloke called Dalton was now the guy and that B) someone else had already played the role, it blew my little brain when I was a kid of 7 or 8!
  • My first exposure was Moore and was pretty shocked to find A) He was no longer playing the role and that some bloke called Dalton was now the guy and that B) someone else had already played the role, it blew my little brain when I was a kid of 7 or 8!
    My first exposure was the books; imagine my surprise when I saw what was being passed off for the character in the movies! :)

  • Posts: 3,333
    Ever get the feeling you're being ignored, @arrow762?

    Also, @JimThompson45, how come your first exposure to 007 was through the books? You're either one of the oldest members here on the forum or you were accidentally locked in a library until you were 13? Didn't you ever go to the cinema or watch TV when you were young?
  • bondsum wrote:
    Also, @JimThompson45, how come your first exposure to 007 was through the books? You're either one of the oldest members here on the forum or you were accidentally locked in a library until you were 13? Didn't you ever go to the cinema or watch TV when you were young?
    I was encouraged to read from the get-go. I started reading the Bond books when I was seven. One television in the house, and I wasn't in control of what was on. First movie I went to see in the theater was Star Wars. The first Bond movie I watched was on the ABC Sunday Night Movie.

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    The first Bond movie I watched was on the ABC Sunday Night Movie.
    You too? I think my first was Goldfinger (Chanel 7 in NY).
  • chrisisall wrote:
    You too? I think my first was Goldfinger (Chanel 7 in NY).
    I remember it was a Connery Bond film; I don't remember which one.

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,425
    arrow762 wrote:
    Because Connery wasn’t THAT good

    The argument most regularly levelled at Craig is that he’s simply not as good as Sean Connery, but whilst the Scotsman’s turn as cinema’s most famous secret agent was no doubt iconic it’s not necessarily as accomplished as some people make it out to be. After all it took Connery three films to really get going in the role, and even then all of the good work in Goldfinger and Thunderball was undone by his efforts in You Only Live Twice. The problem is that Connery has sometimes struggled to show the more serious side of the character, an argument that can’t be levelled at Craig who is arguably a more accomplished actor with a CV that’s bursting at the seems with emotion-laden performances.

    Any one who claims Connery hadn't essentially nailed it in Dr.No is having a laugh.

    The beauty of the early films is that even with Connery supposedly bored stiff in YOLT, you've still got John Barry, Roald Dahl and Ken Adam to carry the slack. We're just talking a different league of Bond movies - an entire world of cinematic brilliance from those infront of and behind the cameras which has really not been rivalled since.
  • Getafix wrote:
    arrow762 wrote:
    Any one who claims Connery hadn't essentially nailed it in Dr.No is having a laugh..
    I think Dr. No is one of Connery's better ones; I think he "nailed" the role in From Russia With Love, too.
  • edited December 2012 Posts: 12,837
    I've always found DN fairly slow paced and boring until towards the end. I prefer FRWL, GF, TB, YOLT and (don't kill me) NSNA.

    But I agree @Getafix, Connery nailed it from the moment he said "Bond, James Bond" for the first time. Like I said, I don't think he's the best but the man is the definition of Bond.

    Anyway, I only bring this up because lots of people have said it, how is he bored in YOLT? He's got a bit chubbier but other than that there's basically no difference to him in GF/TB imo.
    Getafix wrote:
    On the subject of accents, Dalton's northern accent is very amusing as it comes out very strongly in both TLD and LTK. Wonder what Fleming would have made of that!

    I was suprised when I heard Daltons real accent for the first time because in everything I've seen him in he uses his Bond voice.
  • I've always found DN fairly slow paced and boring until towards the end. I prefer FRWL, GF, TB, YOLT and (don't kill me) NSNA.
    I wouldn't kill you for that last one; I liked Never Say Never Again, too.

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 12,837
    I've always found DN fairly slow paced and boring until towards the end. I prefer FRWL, GF, TB, YOLT and (don't kill me) NSNA.
    I wouldn't kill you for that last one; I liked Never Say Never Again, too.

    I'm glad I'm not the only one. I think it was a fun film that has an intresting angle (older Bond) and is a better send off for Connery than DAF.

    I think it was held back by being a TB remake. If it had an original story it could've been really good.
  • Posts: 11,425
    NSNA is sadly better than quite a few of the official outings.
  • I'm glad I'm not the only one. I think it was a fun film that has an intresting angle (older Bond) and is a better send off for Connery than DAF.

    I think it was held back by being a TB remake. If it had an original story it could've been really good.
    It probably suffered a little from being so closely based on Thunderball, but even with that I think it's a pretty entertaining film. In a lot of ways, I enjoy it more than Thunderball.

  • Getafix wrote:
    NSNA is sadly better than quite a few of the official outings.
    It's actually in my top 10 (at number 10).

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,189
    Getafix wrote:
    NSNA is sadly better than quite a few of the official outings.
    It's actually in my top 10 (at number 10).

    I remember the first time I watched it all the way through. I remember thinking it was piss poor and actually stuck on GE to clense myself.

    That'll wind @Getafix up (but its true) :))
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    When NSNA came out I actually liked it better than OP, but that's because the memory of MR was still so strong, so lastingly horrifying....
  • BAIN123 wrote:
    I remember the first time I watched it all the way through. I remember thinking it was piss poor and actually stuck on GE to cleanse myself.
    Well, opinions vary, of course. I actually don't have any of Bronsan's films in my top 10. I don't think they're bad, I just don't find them the most enjoyable of the series.

  • chrisisall wrote:
    When NSNA came out I actually liked it better than OP, but that's because the memory of MR was still so strong, so lastingly horrifying....
    LOL! I'm right there with you, mate. I enjoy it loads over Octopussy.

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote:
    I remember the first time I watched it all the way through. I remember thinking it was piss poor and actually stuck on GE to cleanse myself.
    Well, opinions vary, of course. I actually don't have any of Bronsan's films in my top 10. I don't think they're bad, I just don't find them the most enjoyable of the series.

    In fairness I wasn't as hostile towards it when I saw some of it a few weeks ago on tv but even so, its a fairly poor film IMO.



    Tina Turner's song alone is superior to anything in NSNA.

  • BAIN123 wrote:
    Tina Turner's song alone is superior to anything in NSNA.
    Shoot, forget about the films themselves; I don't even enjoy Tina Turner's Goldeneye nearly as much as I enjoy Lani Hall's Never Say Never Again.

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,189
    BAIN123 wrote:
    Tina Turner's song alone is superior to anything in NSNA.
    Shoot, forget about the films themselves; I don't even enjoy Tina Turner's Goldeneye nearly as much as I enjoy Lani Hall's Never Say Never Again.

    But Tina Turner's GE is...great :'( Everytime I hear those first four notes I smile.

    Skyfall is even better though.

    Back on topic...Sean Connery.
  • Posts: 161
    lahaine wrote:
    QOS rival anything Connery done.

    I have no response to this.

    Its a great film i've no shame in saying it.
  • BAIN123 wrote:
    But Tina Turner's GE is...great :'( Everytime I hear those first four notes I smile.

    Skyfall is even better though.

    Skyfall is very absolute favorite. I think it's a wonderful song!

  • lahaine wrote:
    lahaine wrote:
    QOS rival anything Connery done.

    I have no response to this.

    Its a great film i've no shame in saying it.
    I'll second this.

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