Best Bond movies according to Entertainment weekly
12-03-02, 03:13 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Best Bond movies according to Entertainment weekly
20 A VIEW TO A KILL (1985) The worst Bond villain (Christopher Walken, underplaying for a change). One of the worst Bond girls (Tanya Roberts, making like Barbie). And the worst job by Roger Moore, who should have quit two movies earlier. At this point, the only thing more tired than his performance was the Bond formula itself.
19 OCTOPUSSY (1983) Moore was starting to crash in his sixth adventure. Maud Adams is an exotic lady smuggler, Louis Jourdan a villainous Afghan prince, and Steven Berkoff a mad Russian general who hides a stolen A-bomb in a traveling circus. Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
18 LICENCE TO KILL (1989) Timothy Dalton's second outing, and he's still playing the role too straight. Bond goes AWOL on a personal vendetta to kill a ruthless Latino drug lord (Robert Davi). A not-so-bold departure that didn't hit its marks.
17 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987) Dalton makes Bond scowlingly serious and shockingly monogamous in his first assignment as 007. Once he decides to romance a Red cellist (Maryam d'Abo) instead of shooting her, his eyes are only for her. Yawn.
16 THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974) Christopher Lee as a world-class hitman. Herve Villechaize as his diabolical mini-henchman. A final shoot-out in a psychedelic maze of mirrors. Sounds like classic Bond. But Moore's too-light touch takes the fun out of the cat-and-mouse suspense.
15 MOONRAKER (1979) Also known as ''James Bond in space'' -- which is another way of saying this Moore effort is out there. Attempting to outdo its immediate predecessor, ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' (not to mention ''Star Wars''), this f/x extravaganza literally ends up in orbit, with an all-out laser battle finale. Too kooky for true Bondophiles, but a kick for kids
14 THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) After one of the most spectacular pre-credit openings in series history -- climaxing with a high-speed boat chase on the Thames -- the rest of this Bond adventure seems rather routine. Still, it has high points, among them Bond's more soulful-than-usual dalliance with Sophie Marceau's good-turned-bad Bond girl, the introduction of John Cleese as the new ''Q'' (or rather ''R''), and the sight of Judi Dench's ''M'' in the thick of the action. On the other hand, there's Denise Richards, totally bimboesque in bare midriff and short shorts, as top nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones. The worst Bond babe since Tanya Roberts.
13 TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1998) Brosnan's second ''Bond'' pits him against a classic supervillain, a megalomaniacal media baron (Jonathan Pryce) who's out to, you know, control the world. But the movie's main attraction is martial artist Michelle Yeoh, as a Chinese secret agent who teams with Bond in time to kick some major bad-guy butt. Wisely, the movie gives her some fight scenes all her own.
12 LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) Moore's first outing as Bond. Lighter and fluffier than Connery, he may have been the best man for the escapist '70s. Still, a story about drug lords in Harlem and voodoo in the Caribbean does have some uncomfortable racial overtones.
11 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981) A return to low-tech, low-key Bond, in which 007 must retrieve a top secret coding device. Some of the best stunts since the early days, including another whip-crack ski chase. Moore's smartest, if least ambitious, effort.
10 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983) Twelve years after his last assignment, Sean Connery returns as 007 -- now middle-aged, semi-retired, and no longer invincible. Competing with the same year's ''Octopussy,'' this watered-down remake of ''Thunderball'' is successful only as a portrait of an over-the-hill superhero. Still, even past his prime, Connery proves that nobody does it better. (what, that movie sucked!!!!)
9 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) Persuaded to return to the series that made him famous, Connery brings a new spirit of self-parody to the role (setting the tone for the Roger Moore era). But in the clinches he's still the classic Bond. He confronts old enemy Blofeld (Charles Gray) in the pre-credit sequence, escapes death in a crematorium, and battles tag-team karate cuties Bambi and Thumper. Still, Connery's toupee is not one of Q's better gadgets.
8 GOLDENEYE (1995) In his 007 debut, Pierce Brosnan doesn't exactly reinvent the role: His Bond is sort of a Connery/Moore composite. But there's a certain comfort level in its traditional take, as well as in the way the movie updates the formula (Russian mobsters instead of Soviet spies) without really altering it. The villain (Sean Bean) --an ''00'' colleague gone bad -- is okay, but Famke Janssen's savage Xenia Onatopp, with her literally killer legs, is among the best bad Bond girls ever.
7 ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969) George Lazenby wasn't really that bad. He just had the poor timing to be the first post-Connery Bond. Set mostly at the Swiss Alps stronghold of old nemesis Blofeld (Telly Savalas), this one features the original Bondian ski chase, an even better battle on a bobsled, and the best leading lady of all: Diana Rigg, who briefly becomes Mrs. Bond.
6 DR. NO (1962) The one that started it all. Suave, sardonic, savage, Connery's Bond gave the Cold War a new kind of hero. Archvillain Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman), with his steel-grip artificial hands, was prototypical too. Then there was Ursula Andress rising out of the sea as the perfect Bond babe. Not all the elements were in place yet -- no gadgets, no pre-credit sequence, no Top 40 song -- but the formula was already cooking.
5 YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) 007 (Connery) goes to Japan, where he bonds with Kissy (Mie Hama) and has his first encounter with Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) -- who will be a recurring baddie for years to come. Blofeld's secret fortress, hidden in that hollow volcano, set the art-direction standard for all future Bond films.
4 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) The essential Roger Moore movie, in which his lighter, more cartoonish Bond coolly navigates among high-tech props, spectacular sets, and truly larger-than-life villains. From the pre-credit ski chase (in which Bond falls hundreds of feet before pulling the rip cord of his Union Jack chute) to the metal-mouthed monster Jaws (Richard Kiel), this one goes way over the top, but with panache.
3 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) A low-key outing that introduces the first Bond gadget (that clunky gas-spewing briefcase), then gets down to business. Escorting a sexy Soviet defector (Daniela Bianchi), 007 books passage on the Orient Express, where he goes mano-a-mano with S.P.E.C.T.R.E. assassin Robert Shaw in one of the greatest fistfights in movie history. Best of all, though, is Lotte Lenya's sinister Rosa Klebb, with those poisoned-spike shoes.
2 THUNDERBALL (1965) Still peaking, Bond kicks off this splashy adventure with a daring jet-pack escape, then heads for the Bahamas, where he gets trapped in a shark-infested swimming pool, zaps a would-be assassin with a speargun (delivering the quintessential Bond mot, ''I think he got the point''), and leads an army of scubamen in the best Bond battle ever. The first of the truly big-budgeted Bonds, it still holds water.
1 GOLDFINGER (1964) There may not be such a thing as the perfect Bond movie -- but with so many now-classic components, this one comes close. The mute henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata) with his killer bowler hat. The Aston Martin with optional ejector seat. The beautiful blond (Shirley Eaton) who gets tinted to death with lethal gold paint. And that finale, deep in the Fort Knox vault, with the time bomb (defused at 007 seconds). All this plus Sean Connery in peak form. What's not to love?
19 OCTOPUSSY (1983) Moore was starting to crash in his sixth adventure. Maud Adams is an exotic lady smuggler, Louis Jourdan a villainous Afghan prince, and Steven Berkoff a mad Russian general who hides a stolen A-bomb in a traveling circus. Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
18 LICENCE TO KILL (1989) Timothy Dalton's second outing, and he's still playing the role too straight. Bond goes AWOL on a personal vendetta to kill a ruthless Latino drug lord (Robert Davi). A not-so-bold departure that didn't hit its marks.
17 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987) Dalton makes Bond scowlingly serious and shockingly monogamous in his first assignment as 007. Once he decides to romance a Red cellist (Maryam d'Abo) instead of shooting her, his eyes are only for her. Yawn.
16 THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974) Christopher Lee as a world-class hitman. Herve Villechaize as his diabolical mini-henchman. A final shoot-out in a psychedelic maze of mirrors. Sounds like classic Bond. But Moore's too-light touch takes the fun out of the cat-and-mouse suspense.
15 MOONRAKER (1979) Also known as ''James Bond in space'' -- which is another way of saying this Moore effort is out there. Attempting to outdo its immediate predecessor, ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' (not to mention ''Star Wars''), this f/x extravaganza literally ends up in orbit, with an all-out laser battle finale. Too kooky for true Bondophiles, but a kick for kids
14 THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) After one of the most spectacular pre-credit openings in series history -- climaxing with a high-speed boat chase on the Thames -- the rest of this Bond adventure seems rather routine. Still, it has high points, among them Bond's more soulful-than-usual dalliance with Sophie Marceau's good-turned-bad Bond girl, the introduction of John Cleese as the new ''Q'' (or rather ''R''), and the sight of Judi Dench's ''M'' in the thick of the action. On the other hand, there's Denise Richards, totally bimboesque in bare midriff and short shorts, as top nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones. The worst Bond babe since Tanya Roberts.
13 TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1998) Brosnan's second ''Bond'' pits him against a classic supervillain, a megalomaniacal media baron (Jonathan Pryce) who's out to, you know, control the world. But the movie's main attraction is martial artist Michelle Yeoh, as a Chinese secret agent who teams with Bond in time to kick some major bad-guy butt. Wisely, the movie gives her some fight scenes all her own.
12 LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) Moore's first outing as Bond. Lighter and fluffier than Connery, he may have been the best man for the escapist '70s. Still, a story about drug lords in Harlem and voodoo in the Caribbean does have some uncomfortable racial overtones.
11 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981) A return to low-tech, low-key Bond, in which 007 must retrieve a top secret coding device. Some of the best stunts since the early days, including another whip-crack ski chase. Moore's smartest, if least ambitious, effort.
10 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983) Twelve years after his last assignment, Sean Connery returns as 007 -- now middle-aged, semi-retired, and no longer invincible. Competing with the same year's ''Octopussy,'' this watered-down remake of ''Thunderball'' is successful only as a portrait of an over-the-hill superhero. Still, even past his prime, Connery proves that nobody does it better. (what, that movie sucked!!!!)
9 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) Persuaded to return to the series that made him famous, Connery brings a new spirit of self-parody to the role (setting the tone for the Roger Moore era). But in the clinches he's still the classic Bond. He confronts old enemy Blofeld (Charles Gray) in the pre-credit sequence, escapes death in a crematorium, and battles tag-team karate cuties Bambi and Thumper. Still, Connery's toupee is not one of Q's better gadgets.
8 GOLDENEYE (1995) In his 007 debut, Pierce Brosnan doesn't exactly reinvent the role: His Bond is sort of a Connery/Moore composite. But there's a certain comfort level in its traditional take, as well as in the way the movie updates the formula (Russian mobsters instead of Soviet spies) without really altering it. The villain (Sean Bean) --an ''00'' colleague gone bad -- is okay, but Famke Janssen's savage Xenia Onatopp, with her literally killer legs, is among the best bad Bond girls ever.
7 ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969) George Lazenby wasn't really that bad. He just had the poor timing to be the first post-Connery Bond. Set mostly at the Swiss Alps stronghold of old nemesis Blofeld (Telly Savalas), this one features the original Bondian ski chase, an even better battle on a bobsled, and the best leading lady of all: Diana Rigg, who briefly becomes Mrs. Bond.
6 DR. NO (1962) The one that started it all. Suave, sardonic, savage, Connery's Bond gave the Cold War a new kind of hero. Archvillain Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman), with his steel-grip artificial hands, was prototypical too. Then there was Ursula Andress rising out of the sea as the perfect Bond babe. Not all the elements were in place yet -- no gadgets, no pre-credit sequence, no Top 40 song -- but the formula was already cooking.
5 YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) 007 (Connery) goes to Japan, where he bonds with Kissy (Mie Hama) and has his first encounter with Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) -- who will be a recurring baddie for years to come. Blofeld's secret fortress, hidden in that hollow volcano, set the art-direction standard for all future Bond films.
4 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) The essential Roger Moore movie, in which his lighter, more cartoonish Bond coolly navigates among high-tech props, spectacular sets, and truly larger-than-life villains. From the pre-credit ski chase (in which Bond falls hundreds of feet before pulling the rip cord of his Union Jack chute) to the metal-mouthed monster Jaws (Richard Kiel), this one goes way over the top, but with panache.
3 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) A low-key outing that introduces the first Bond gadget (that clunky gas-spewing briefcase), then gets down to business. Escorting a sexy Soviet defector (Daniela Bianchi), 007 books passage on the Orient Express, where he goes mano-a-mano with S.P.E.C.T.R.E. assassin Robert Shaw in one of the greatest fistfights in movie history. Best of all, though, is Lotte Lenya's sinister Rosa Klebb, with those poisoned-spike shoes.
2 THUNDERBALL (1965) Still peaking, Bond kicks off this splashy adventure with a daring jet-pack escape, then heads for the Bahamas, where he gets trapped in a shark-infested swimming pool, zaps a would-be assassin with a speargun (delivering the quintessential Bond mot, ''I think he got the point''), and leads an army of scubamen in the best Bond battle ever. The first of the truly big-budgeted Bonds, it still holds water.
1 GOLDFINGER (1964) There may not be such a thing as the perfect Bond movie -- but with so many now-classic components, this one comes close. The mute henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata) with his killer bowler hat. The Aston Martin with optional ejector seat. The beautiful blond (Shirley Eaton) who gets tinted to death with lethal gold paint. And that finale, deep in the Fort Knox vault, with the time bomb (defused at 007 seconds). All this plus Sean Connery in peak form. What's not to love?
12-03-02, 04:22 PM
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I always thought THE SPY WHO LOVED ME was one of the most overrated Bonds. TOMORROW NEVER DIES is the worst of all, I think. But you know, since I enjoy them all, that doesn't mean I think it is that bad. It's just the one that works least for me.
I like ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, and DR. NO the best.
I think people were too hard on the Dalton ones, too.
I like ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, and DR. NO the best.
I think people were too hard on the Dalton ones, too.
12-03-02, 04:27 PM
#3
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My favorite Roger Moore Bond film is The Man With the Golden Gun, simply because of Christopher Lee's portrayal of Scaramanga. However, I wouldn't put any of the Roger Moore films ahead of any of the "original" Connery ones. Connery still IS Bond, as far as I'm concerned. And he always will be.
12-03-02, 04:57 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
I definitely agree w/ the top three. I agree w/ Steve that they were always too hard on Timothy Dalton - I always thought License to Kill was much better than most of Roger Moore's films.
Goldeneye was the best Brosnan film, and that includes Die Another Day - which was his next best film in the series.
Goldeneye was the best Brosnan film, and that includes Die Another Day - which was his next best film in the series.
12-03-02, 05:02 PM
#6
DVD Talk Gold Edition
i think Dalton will always get knocked in articles like this because he's got more of a character actors face.
this may be simplistic, but i think thats also the reason why they seem to generally rate pierce brosnan and his films they way they do.
to me, PB has been incredibly bland ( but handsome), and his films dreary and/or boring.
Daltons are among the ones i like the best, and apart from the 'typical drug lord villan' the way he extracts his revenge, and brings about this villians downfall (by poisoning it from within) i find very interesting & very believable.
LTK is one of the stronger written & acted Bonds, imo.
the way this franchise is going, they should just tap Keanu Reeves for the role.
the ultimate photogenic non talent for the cgi millenium.
this may be simplistic, but i think thats also the reason why they seem to generally rate pierce brosnan and his films they way they do.
to me, PB has been incredibly bland ( but handsome), and his films dreary and/or boring.
Daltons are among the ones i like the best, and apart from the 'typical drug lord villan' the way he extracts his revenge, and brings about this villians downfall (by poisoning it from within) i find very interesting & very believable.
LTK is one of the stronger written & acted Bonds, imo.
the way this franchise is going, they should just tap Keanu Reeves for the role.
the ultimate photogenic non talent for the cgi millenium.
Last edited by ckolchak; 12-03-02 at 05:04 PM.
12-03-02, 05:45 PM
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For the most part I agree with this list. I would change a few things (and exclude Never Say Never Again!!!), but it is pretty much right on.
I prefer Dalton in The Living Daylights and would rank it much higher. License to Kill isn't as good as the rep it has on this board.
My ranking:
1. From Russia w/ Love
2. Goldfinger
3. Dr. No
4. Thunderball
5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6. Goldeneye (I love it and it truely does belong here)
7. For Your Eyes Only
8. You Only Live Twice
9. The Spy Who Loved Me
10. The Living Daylights
11. Diamonds Are Forever
12. Tommorrow Never Dies
13. The Man With the Golden Gun
14. A View To A Kill
15. Octopussy
16. The World Is Not Enough
17. License to Kill
18. Live and Let Die
19. Moonraker
You can argue about the bottom 9, but my Top 10 is iron clad perfect. They truely are the best
I prefer Dalton in The Living Daylights and would rank it much higher. License to Kill isn't as good as the rep it has on this board.
My ranking:
1. From Russia w/ Love
2. Goldfinger
3. Dr. No
4. Thunderball
5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6. Goldeneye (I love it and it truely does belong here)
7. For Your Eyes Only
8. You Only Live Twice
9. The Spy Who Loved Me
10. The Living Daylights
11. Diamonds Are Forever
12. Tommorrow Never Dies
13. The Man With the Golden Gun
14. A View To A Kill
15. Octopussy
16. The World Is Not Enough
17. License to Kill
18. Live and Let Die
19. Moonraker
You can argue about the bottom 9, but my Top 10 is iron clad perfect. They truely are the best
12-03-02, 06:36 PM
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Hmmm... worth a shot. I grew up with the Roger Moore bonds, I got a soft spot for them, but I've seen them all, soooo:
1. Thunderball
2. Goldfinger
3. The Spy Who Loved Me
4. From Russia With Love
5. You Only Live Twice
6. Tomorrow Never Dies -- I love this one; why it gets derided so much is something of a mystery to me.
7. Dr. No
8. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9. Octopussy -- another unfairly derided Bond work. Maybe people aren't into Moore's tongue-in-cheek-meets-superhero take on the role, but I love it.
10. For Your Eyes Only
11. Live and Let Die
12. Die Another Day
13. Moonraker
14. Diamonds Are Forever
15. Goldeneye -- I'll never understand why people like this one so much. Sometimes stale and stilted, some enjoyable parts but it just didn't feel like Bond
16. License To Kill
17. The Living Daylights
18. The World Is Not Enough
19. The Man with the Golden Gun
20. A View To A Kill
1. Thunderball
2. Goldfinger
3. The Spy Who Loved Me
4. From Russia With Love
5. You Only Live Twice
6. Tomorrow Never Dies -- I love this one; why it gets derided so much is something of a mystery to me.
7. Dr. No
8. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
9. Octopussy -- another unfairly derided Bond work. Maybe people aren't into Moore's tongue-in-cheek-meets-superhero take on the role, but I love it.
10. For Your Eyes Only
11. Live and Let Die
12. Die Another Day
13. Moonraker
14. Diamonds Are Forever
15. Goldeneye -- I'll never understand why people like this one so much. Sometimes stale and stilted, some enjoyable parts but it just didn't feel like Bond
16. License To Kill
17. The Living Daylights
18. The World Is Not Enough
19. The Man with the Golden Gun
20. A View To A Kill
12-03-02, 08:21 PM
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From Russia with Love owns them all.
Living Daylights is underrated. It was a good mix of Dalton's serious approach plus the wild gadget & international locale intrigue expected of Bond. And the best part? The anonymous butler/agent in the safehouse put up a HELL OF A FIGHT trying to stop the Russian milkman assassin. It may be one of the few times in Bond history that an unknown good guy extra actually puts up the fight you would expect, still being a super duper special agent type and all.
Living Daylights is underrated. It was a good mix of Dalton's serious approach plus the wild gadget & international locale intrigue expected of Bond. And the best part? The anonymous butler/agent in the safehouse put up a HELL OF A FIGHT trying to stop the Russian milkman assassin. It may be one of the few times in Bond history that an unknown good guy extra actually puts up the fight you would expect, still being a super duper special agent type and all.
12-03-02, 09:37 PM
#11
Originally posted by atari2600
maybe i should check out goldfinger...ive never seen any old bond films but this one sounds good.
maybe i should check out goldfinger...ive never seen any old bond films but this one sounds good.
Tried watching it again during TBS's Bond marathon and I still fail to see why this one is regarded as the best. Not to say that its a total failure or anything. In fact, I love the title song by Shirley Bassey (It's still the best title song IMO) and Oddjob is cool as hell. But
Spoiler:
My favorites:
1.From Russia with Love
2.The Spy who Loved me
3.For Your Eyes Only
4.Licence to Kill
5.Thunderball
6.On Her Majesty's Secret Service
7.Dr. No
8.Octopu$$y
9.Tomorrow Never Dies
10.The Living Daylights
11.Die Another Day
12.You Only Live Twice
13.Goldfinger
14.Live and Let Die
15.Moonraker
16.Goldeneye
17.The Man with the Golden Gun
18.A View to a Kill
19.The World is not Enough
20.Diamonds are Forever
12-03-02, 10:25 PM
#12
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I agree Dalton's are so underrated. Both of them are fantastic in my book, and better than any of the PB ones. He's the closest to the book Bond.
And i"m sick of Moore's getting kicked around. I love Moonraker, and Live and Let Die is one of the most unusal ones!
"My name is James...
"Names are for tombstones baby!"
And i"m sick of Moore's getting kicked around. I love Moonraker, and Live and Let Die is one of the most unusal ones!
"My name is James...
"Names are for tombstones baby!"
12-03-02, 10:57 PM
#13
Moderator
Originally posted by Steve Phillips
I always thought THE SPY WHO LOVED ME was one of the most overrated Bonds. TOMORROW NEVER DIES is the worst of all, I think. But you know, since I enjoy them all, that doesn't mean I think it is that bad. It's just the one that works least for me.
I like ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, and DR. NO the best.
I think people were too hard on the Dalton ones, too.
I always thought THE SPY WHO LOVED ME was one of the most overrated Bonds. TOMORROW NEVER DIES is the worst of all, I think. But you know, since I enjoy them all, that doesn't mean I think it is that bad. It's just the one that works least for me.
I like ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, and DR. NO the best.
I think people were too hard on the Dalton ones, too.
12-04-02, 02:50 AM
#14
DVD Talk Legend
1. Dr No
2. Licence To Kill
3. From Russia With Love
4. The Living Daylights
5. Tomorrow Never Dies
6. For Your Eyes Only
7. Goldeneye
8. Goldfinger
9. Thunderball
10. The Spy Who Loved Me
11. You Only Live Twice
12. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
13. The World Is Not Enough
14. Octopussy
15. DIE ANOTHER DAY
16. Never Say Never Again
17. A View To A Kill
18. Diamonds Are Forever
19. The Man With The Golden Gun
20. Moonraker
21. Live And Let Die
That's my list, and I'm sticking to it. For now....
I like all of the Bond films a lot, but I love all of the ones in the top 10. The writer who came up with Entertainment Weekly's rankings of the Bond films must be on crack.
2. Licence To Kill
3. From Russia With Love
4. The Living Daylights
5. Tomorrow Never Dies
6. For Your Eyes Only
7. Goldeneye
8. Goldfinger
9. Thunderball
10. The Spy Who Loved Me
11. You Only Live Twice
12. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
13. The World Is Not Enough
14. Octopussy
15. DIE ANOTHER DAY
16. Never Say Never Again
17. A View To A Kill
18. Diamonds Are Forever
19. The Man With The Golden Gun
20. Moonraker
21. Live And Let Die
That's my list, and I'm sticking to it. For now....
I like all of the Bond films a lot, but I love all of the ones in the top 10. The writer who came up with Entertainment Weekly's rankings of the Bond films must be on crack.
12-04-02, 05:11 AM
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My list - in order of my favorites:
1. Goldfinger
2. Die Another Day
3. For Your Eyes Only
4. Goldeneye
5. Thunderball
6. The Spy Who Loved Me
7. Tomorrow Never Dies
8. Dr No
9. The Living Daylights
10. Moonraker
11. Octopussy
12. A View To A Kill
13. From Russia With Love
14. You Only Live Twice
15. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
16. The World Is Not Enough
17. Never Say Never Again
18. Licence To Kill
19. Diamonds Are Forever
20. The Man With The Golden Gun
21. Live And Let Die
1. Goldfinger
2. Die Another Day
3. For Your Eyes Only
4. Goldeneye
5. Thunderball
6. The Spy Who Loved Me
7. Tomorrow Never Dies
8. Dr No
9. The Living Daylights
10. Moonraker
11. Octopussy
12. A View To A Kill
13. From Russia With Love
14. You Only Live Twice
15. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
16. The World Is Not Enough
17. Never Say Never Again
18. Licence To Kill
19. Diamonds Are Forever
20. The Man With The Golden Gun
21. Live And Let Die
12-04-02, 07:29 AM
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1-From Russia With Love - The absolute best of the series
2-On Her Majesty's Secret Service - The most underrated bond film of all. Sure Lazenby is no Connery, but who is?
3-Goldfinger - the blueprint for the rest of the series. A classic
4-Thunderball - The only flaw is the overlong underwater battle. Still a top-rate Bond
5-Dr No - A bit dated but many great scenes.
6-You Only Live Twice - My favorite cheesy Bond.
7-Goldeneye - reinvigorated the series. A good start.
8-Tomorrow Never Dies - Better than average. Almost too much action.
9-The Spy Who Loved Me - The best Moore film hasn't aged well. Great title song but horrendous Disco-esque Bond score.
10-Die Another Day - I need to watch this one again for a fair ranking. Not the best or worst of the series.
11-The World Is Not Enough - Could have been great. Top-notch characterization but some of the worst directed lifeless-action scenes in a Bond film (Doesn't include the very good opening). Lame ending aboard the Sub didn't help.
12-The Living Daylights - Decent film but looses steam toward the end. The bland villans don't help. Dalton was pretty good in this.
13-Never Say Never Again - Not bad but an unnessasary remake of Thunderball.
14-For Your Eyes Only - Average Bond
15-Live And Let Die - Great title song but average Bond film.
16-Octopussy - Average Bond. Moore looks tired throughout the film.
17-Licence To Kill - Generic 80's Action film disguised as Bond.
18-The Man With The Golden Gun - Chris Lee can't save this turkey. Moore looks bored.
19-A View To A Kill - would've ranked lower but I hate the next 2 even more.
20-Diamonds Are Forever - Viva Las Vegas. This Bond sucks.
21-Moonraker - In space nobody can hear you scream.
2-On Her Majesty's Secret Service - The most underrated bond film of all. Sure Lazenby is no Connery, but who is?
3-Goldfinger - the blueprint for the rest of the series. A classic
4-Thunderball - The only flaw is the overlong underwater battle. Still a top-rate Bond
5-Dr No - A bit dated but many great scenes.
6-You Only Live Twice - My favorite cheesy Bond.
7-Goldeneye - reinvigorated the series. A good start.
8-Tomorrow Never Dies - Better than average. Almost too much action.
9-The Spy Who Loved Me - The best Moore film hasn't aged well. Great title song but horrendous Disco-esque Bond score.
10-Die Another Day - I need to watch this one again for a fair ranking. Not the best or worst of the series.
11-The World Is Not Enough - Could have been great. Top-notch characterization but some of the worst directed lifeless-action scenes in a Bond film (Doesn't include the very good opening). Lame ending aboard the Sub didn't help.
12-The Living Daylights - Decent film but looses steam toward the end. The bland villans don't help. Dalton was pretty good in this.
13-Never Say Never Again - Not bad but an unnessasary remake of Thunderball.
14-For Your Eyes Only - Average Bond
15-Live And Let Die - Great title song but average Bond film.
16-Octopussy - Average Bond. Moore looks tired throughout the film.
17-Licence To Kill - Generic 80's Action film disguised as Bond.
18-The Man With The Golden Gun - Chris Lee can't save this turkey. Moore looks bored.
19-A View To A Kill - would've ranked lower but I hate the next 2 even more.
20-Diamonds Are Forever - Viva Las Vegas. This Bond sucks.
21-Moonraker - In space nobody can hear you scream.
12-04-02, 08:51 AM
#17
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First, I wouldn't include "Never Say Never Again" in a Bond movie ranking.
I agree Diana Rigg is the best Bond "chick", along with Honor Blackman, Maud Adams.
I also agree that Tanya Roberts and Denise Richards as the worst Bond chicks.
I agree that Moonraker and A View to A Kill are in the bottom somewhere.
Again, I agree that the top 5 or so should be ranked high.
I would however rank OHMSS higher (I think it's one of the best). I probably would rank Licencse to Kill higher. Somehow, without it being our favorite Bond, my wife and I seem to watch this movie more than most.
I don't think Dalton is the best (I prefer Brosnan or Connery), but I don't think he deserves the critisicm he often gets. I don't think he was bad at all. He just emphasized some aspects of Bond more than other actors.
After all that, I don't think you can rank the movies. They are all good and provide enough variety to make them all interesting. It's just that, for watching them, some I rarely watch (i.e. once so far) and other I watch often.
So there.
I agree Diana Rigg is the best Bond "chick", along with Honor Blackman, Maud Adams.
I also agree that Tanya Roberts and Denise Richards as the worst Bond chicks.
I agree that Moonraker and A View to A Kill are in the bottom somewhere.
Again, I agree that the top 5 or so should be ranked high.
I would however rank OHMSS higher (I think it's one of the best). I probably would rank Licencse to Kill higher. Somehow, without it being our favorite Bond, my wife and I seem to watch this movie more than most.
I don't think Dalton is the best (I prefer Brosnan or Connery), but I don't think he deserves the critisicm he often gets. I don't think he was bad at all. He just emphasized some aspects of Bond more than other actors.
After all that, I don't think you can rank the movies. They are all good and provide enough variety to make them all interesting. It's just that, for watching them, some I rarely watch (i.e. once so far) and other I watch often.
So there.
12-04-02, 09:54 AM
#18
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My list goes as follows:
1. From Russia with Love
2. License to Kill
3. Thunderball
4. The Living Daylights
5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6. Die Another Day
7. Goldfinger
8. A View to a Kill
9. For Your Eyes Only
10. Octopussy
11. Dr. No
12. Goldeneye
13. The Man with the Golden Gun
14. The World Is Not Enough
15. Tomorrow Never Dies
16. The Spy Who Loved Me
17. Live and Let Die
18. Diamonds Are Forever
19. You Only Live Twice
20. Moonraker
List is always subject to change
1. From Russia with Love
2. License to Kill
3. Thunderball
4. The Living Daylights
5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6. Die Another Day
7. Goldfinger
8. A View to a Kill
9. For Your Eyes Only
10. Octopussy
11. Dr. No
12. Goldeneye
13. The Man with the Golden Gun
14. The World Is Not Enough
15. Tomorrow Never Dies
16. The Spy Who Loved Me
17. Live and Let Die
18. Diamonds Are Forever
19. You Only Live Twice
20. Moonraker
List is always subject to change
12-04-02, 12:06 PM
#19
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Licence To Kill - Generic 80's Action film disguised as Bond.
12-04-02, 12:35 PM
#20
DVD Talk Legend
That truck chase was a hell of a lot better than the crap at the end of DAD.
Licence To Kill was one of the best written Bond movies with some of the best character development of the entire series. Bond is a real person in LTK, not some superhero. He reacts to his best friend being maimed, and his best friend's new wife being raped and murdered like a real person would - especially considering how it echoed what happened to Bond's wife.
Sanchez is one of the most fully developed villains in the series - he's likeable and is not ALL bad. If you show Sanchez 100% loyalty (which is all he asks) then he treats you well, and even shows generosity. Cross him and you're dead. He is one of the few sympathetic villains in the series. Most Bond villains are very one dimensional, but Sanchez is not.
There are plenty of Bond-ian moments in LTK, like the "fishing" sequence (you won't see a sequence like that in any other movie), the underwater stuff leading the the water skiing behind the plane (you won't see that in any other movie), you've got a traditional casino scene, and there's plenty more.
So there's a drug angle to the LTK - so what? There is in Live and Let Die as well, only that one was cartoonish where LTK is more realistic and powerful.
LTK isn't like Miami Vice - the writing on that show was one dimensional, the villains were NOT sympathetic, just typical "bad guys."
Most importantly, though, LTK hasn't aged as much as the rest of the series since it isn't locked into any political or technological period. It could take place today.
Finally, this is the type of thing that Ian Fleming would have written, and it fits the Fleming style to a "t."
For all those reasons, and many more, I rate LTK as one of the BEST in the Bond series.
Licence To Kill was one of the best written Bond movies with some of the best character development of the entire series. Bond is a real person in LTK, not some superhero. He reacts to his best friend being maimed, and his best friend's new wife being raped and murdered like a real person would - especially considering how it echoed what happened to Bond's wife.
Sanchez is one of the most fully developed villains in the series - he's likeable and is not ALL bad. If you show Sanchez 100% loyalty (which is all he asks) then he treats you well, and even shows generosity. Cross him and you're dead. He is one of the few sympathetic villains in the series. Most Bond villains are very one dimensional, but Sanchez is not.
There are plenty of Bond-ian moments in LTK, like the "fishing" sequence (you won't see a sequence like that in any other movie), the underwater stuff leading the the water skiing behind the plane (you won't see that in any other movie), you've got a traditional casino scene, and there's plenty more.
So there's a drug angle to the LTK - so what? There is in Live and Let Die as well, only that one was cartoonish where LTK is more realistic and powerful.
LTK isn't like Miami Vice - the writing on that show was one dimensional, the villains were NOT sympathetic, just typical "bad guys."
Most importantly, though, LTK hasn't aged as much as the rest of the series since it isn't locked into any political or technological period. It could take place today.
Finally, this is the type of thing that Ian Fleming would have written, and it fits the Fleming style to a "t."
For all those reasons, and many more, I rate LTK as one of the BEST in the Bond series.
12-04-02, 03:21 PM
#21
Originally posted by B5Erik
That truck chase was a hell of a lot better than the crap at the end of DAD.
That truck chase was a hell of a lot better than the crap at the end of DAD.
No CGI, no special FX, VERY believable.
To add more to B5's response, we have the great Q in his biggest, most enjoyable role.
Pam Bouvier as the best a$$-kicking Bond Girl since Melina in FYEO.
Dario (Benecio Del Toro) as the most vicious henchman since Red Grant in FRWL. (Though Necros in LIVING DAYLIGHTS comes close)
Bottom line is that this was the only Bond film to go on a different route. And I, along with others, believe that it succeeded.
12-04-02, 03:31 PM
#22
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Originally posted by Pants
Ain't that the truth. Tell me please, all of you License to Kill fans, what is so great about this movie? The truck chase at the end is the lamest action scene of all time (the truck pops a wheelie for God's sake!), the drug plot is like bad miami vice. The script feels like it was writen as just a regular action movie and then adapted to a bond film
Ain't that the truth. Tell me please, all of you License to Kill fans, what is so great about this movie? The truck chase at the end is the lamest action scene of all time (the truck pops a wheelie for God's sake!), the drug plot is like bad miami vice. The script feels like it was writen as just a regular action movie and then adapted to a bond film
Spoiler:
and , paradoxically, although it has some of the fewest gadgets, it has the largest role for Q.
now that i think of it, that sums up the film perfectly- character over gimmicks.
12-04-02, 04:00 PM
#23
DVD Talk Gold Edition
...furthermore [ ]
the seaplane escape is a textbook case of an action sequence that grows organically out of the narrative, and is not arbitarily deposited into the film 'to keep the audiences attention' (re: your average Michael Bay film).
without this sequence there is no film because
this sequence accomplishes several important narrative functions at the same time, while also being one of the best slam-bang stunt sequences in the series (one of the all-time great Bond escapes- from underwater w/ no oxygen tank, surrounded by enemies with spear guns to commandering an aircraft and flying away...and all done in a believable, logical fashion.
i love Connery's raw presence and i grew up w/ Moore and still enjoy his intrepretation,
but if i had to pick only one film from the series to keep, it would probably be LTK (or maybe TLD, although i think narratively, LTK is stronger).
when you start to break it apart, its a solid, cohesive film from begining to end-and i agree, this will be the one that 'dates' the least years from now.
]the seaplane escape is a textbook case of an action sequence that grows organically out of the narrative, and is not arbitarily deposited into the film 'to keep the audiences attention' (re: your average Michael Bay film).
without this sequence there is no film because
Spoiler:
this sequence accomplishes several important narrative functions at the same time, while also being one of the best slam-bang stunt sequences in the series (one of the all-time great Bond escapes- from underwater w/ no oxygen tank, surrounded by enemies with spear guns to commandering an aircraft and flying away...and all done in a believable, logical fashion.
i love Connery's raw presence and i grew up w/ Moore and still enjoy his intrepretation,
but if i had to pick only one film from the series to keep, it would probably be LTK (or maybe TLD, although i think narratively, LTK is stronger).
when you start to break it apart, its a solid, cohesive film from begining to end-and i agree, this will be the one that 'dates' the least years from now.
Last edited by ckolchak; 12-04-02 at 04:11 PM.
12-04-02, 04:50 PM
#24
Banned
I love The Living Daylights. I was so impressed by Dalton's Bond. I loved the locale, the story, and even the downhill sking with the viola was very cool.
Compare that to Die Another Day.
The series has lost it's way.
Compare that to Die Another Day.
The series has lost it's way.
12-04-02, 07:50 PM
#25
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IMHO, the biggest strike against License to Kill is that it looks very cheap. The washed out colours and static camerawork really ARE reminiscent of 80s TV cop shows. Combined with the low rent sets like that swamp bar (even if it is realistic for the story), and the film loses a lot of its luster.
These are surface elements, yes, but this is a series that is built on giving viewers a taste of exotic luxury. You take that away, and you're taking away one of the things many viewers enjoy about Bond. I think this may be the reason the series rarely spends much time in America anymore. How many Americans (which still make up a huge chunk of Bond's box office) still find Miami or Vegas to be an unusual destination these days?
These are surface elements, yes, but this is a series that is built on giving viewers a taste of exotic luxury. You take that away, and you're taking away one of the things many viewers enjoy about Bond. I think this may be the reason the series rarely spends much time in America anymore. How many Americans (which still make up a huge chunk of Bond's box office) still find Miami or Vegas to be an unusual destination these days?