The Best of BOND; Let's get this over with - Page 2

Quick and dirty:

OK, I'm absolutely NOT a Dolph Lundgren fan.

However, casting him as Jaws 2 is absolute GENIUS. I honestly wish that I had thought of that, but I tip my hat to you, Richard Dickson. I hope that the Broccoli's read that suggestion.

Then again, I also think that they should recast the role of 'M' and give it to Sean Connery. If you're rebooting the franchise, then acknowledge the original Bond and give him a classy part. I know that Sean is semi-retired now, so the role of 'M' would only take about a week's work. You'd appeal to the old-school Bond lovers while starting fresh. It's a missed opportunity.

Okay, originally, I didn't want anyone but Richard Kiel playing Jaws. But the idea of Dolph Lundgren is truly inspired and that photo mock-up is brilliant.

As for Connery as 'M', it's a nice idea. But after his recent work in the FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE game, he sounds fairly old and weak, and missing a lot of the spark that Judi Dench still has in spades. I'm all for rebooting the franchise from top to bottom (starting at the top, by the way, getting new producers with vision and courage, unlike Broccoli and Wilson) but Connery as 'M' is probably better left as fanboy fantasy.

My prediction for the future of the franchise is that Craig makes two or three films but that his controversial tenure as 007 isn't as financially-successful as Brosnan's, resulting in a few years off and then (major wishful thinking on my part) Broccoli and Wilson finally realize that they completely and utterly failed to respect Cubby's dying wish and that they did indeed "screw up" the series, and that they then step aside in favor of some new blood and finally, a throrough, and proper reboot of the franchise takes place.

Yeah, I know. It'll never happen.

How is that game? I was actually THIS close to buying it over the weekend, but thought I'd finish 'GUN' first.

And I also think that your prediction for the Craig Bond films is pretty accurate. I really hope that 'Casino Royale' is a major homerun, creatively and financially. We could be surprised, and see a reboot in the vein of what 'Batman Begins' was.

I am shocked, SHOCKED, at the lack of LIVE AND LET DIE love in this thread. Its not my best Bond, but its damn close. Despite the racism.

EON made a cheapie Bond film and then didn't promote it at all. Against "Lethal Weapon 2" and "Batman", it got crushed. That and a long legal battle, and by the time "Goldeneye" rolled around 5 years later, Dalton had moved on. If you look at the Bonf films that "failed", it's usually far more because of being underpromoted than the quality of the film. I've heard some of them act like LTK was "too dark" for audiences, wne in fact, the issue is that they just didn't go see it at all.

Couldn't disagree more. They were actual characters, and I liked the love triangle thing that they cared about and Bond couldn't care less about. I love how Dalton's Bond is probably sexist as ever here despite the half-hearted attampe to have a more feminist leading lady.


No, she's in a class all to herself.

He was comic relief, but he wasn't a clown. Even the most serious Bond films have featured a similar character.

Um, you do like James Bond movies right? Find me one good henchman villain who doesn't ham it up. Benicio's sadistic Dario unnerved me as a little kid, and his death is about as gruesome as the series has had (screaming the whole way down). I love his coked out look during the final fight, "You're dead!"

I'll give you this one, it had a lower budget and it shows. But they reigned it in, focused more on character and intrigue, and for that reason I think the lower budget works to their advantage.

Are you serious? That's just the normally functioning of the fountain, how does that ruin a movie?

Some people bitch that it's too "Lethal Weapon" or "Die Hard", which I don't buy at all. If you're a fan of Bond films, you can't deny that within the series, "Licence to Kill" is one of the most unique installments they ever made.

Dench is fine, but with a restart she makes no sense. I really lament that they didn't use this opportunity to recast. My idea was to give it to one of the "also-rans" who was forever rumored but never got cast as Bond. Jason Isaacs and Jeremy Northam were my dream picks for a younger, but still too old to play Bond, version of M.

Craig is a better actor than Brosnan was when he became 007 and probably still is. I have very high hopes for his tenure, and if the pics surfacing are any indication, he looks like one smooth mother.

http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22574

And I'll say again, I'm very happy they didn't give him some bad dye job. The dirty blonde thing works.

Hey, I gave props to Yaphet Kotto and the lovely, virginal Jane Seymour. Live & Let Die also had one of the best ending shots in all the Bond films: that spooky Voodoo guy sitting on the front of the train and laughing like he knows something Bond doesn't.

The title track from Live and Let Die is also one of the best Bond theme songs.

I liked how they brought back the voodoo guy in the Goldeneye game. I remember you had to fight him in the Egyptian temple with the golden gun.

It's pretty cool but doesn't quite have the replayability of other Bond games. It's just great playing Sean Connery's Bond vs. Robert Shaw's Red Grant. I hate the multiplayer mode though -- you can only play villains.

As Stew says above, I guess it really can't be considered a true reboot since they've brought back Judi Dench as 'M.' I agree that it should have been a true reboot with an all-new cast. But then, I don't think Broccoli and Wilson really understand why fans were so disenchanted by DIE ANOTHER DAY. They probably think that they're making a minor course correction (and getting a cheaper lead actor in the process)...which if the new ridiculously overblown Aston Martin is any indication, they really are only making a minor course correction. Craig might be a step in the right direction but it also might be too little, too late.

And the corny 7Up voodoo guy, and the ridiculous death by overinflation, not to mention the out of control 70s fashion. Nah, I didn't care for this one much except for the great theme song.

Okay, here's my two cents:

Best Bond: Connery - cold & calculating, but a charmer

Best Villian: Blofeld - the only villian to hold a long running vendetta against Bond. The Pleasance & Savalis takes are my peronal faves.

Best Henchman: Robert Shaw's Grant - the only henchman I genuinely thought could take out Bond. The train fight is still brutal.

Best Opening Sequence: I'd give it to The Spy Who Loved Me

Worst Opening Sequence: For Your Eyes Only - the othewise great Moore film is marred by a throwaway disposal of what had been the series' best villian.

Best Ending: On Her Majesty's Secret Service - what other Bond film has such a downer ending? I actually get emotional seeing it, Bond cradling his dead wife in his arms on the roadside. Devestating.

Worst Ending: I don't know. Invisible cars and ice castles come to mind.

Best Song: I love Louis Armstrong's We Have All the Time in the World from On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Completely different from more traditional Bond songs. Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger or Diamonds are Forever are probably my favorites of the rest.

Worst Song: Die Another Day - just misguided and wrong for the material. Awful. Wasn't it the only title song not incorporated into the orchestrated film soundtrack?

Best Bond Girl: Barbara Bach - Spy Who Loved Me (Some people think Ringo Starr is the luckiest guy in the world for becoming a Beatle. I would say his most fortunate break was marrying Ms. Bach.)

Awww, I don't know. I think it's a fun sequence, with a nice nod to OHMSS. And strictly -- and legally -- speaking, it's not really Blofeld. Just another bald villain who likes cats. An aside: Another weird thing about the FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE game is that SPECTRE is now referred to as OCTOPUS, for the same rights issues that Bald Villain With Cat in the opening of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is never properly identified. From IMDB:

The pre-title sequence is a dig at Kevin McClory, who owns the rights to Ernst Stavro Blofeld and SPECTRE. The unnamed man in a wheelchair is obviously meant to be Blofeld, and disposing of him so early was producer Albert R. Broccoli's way of saying that the success of 007 did not depend on him.

For me, OHMSS has both the best and worst ending of the 007 films. I agree completely that the film ends on an incredibly powerful note. It's as close as I've ever come to tearing up in a Bond film. HOWEVER...that devastating moment is completely ruined for me by the loud, swinging rendition of the Bond theme that kicks in abruptly in a desperate attempt to remind people they've just watched an Official James Bond Adventure™. The film should have just ended with an extended version of "We Have All The Time In The World."

Most Unintentionally Hilarious Bond Moment: In Thunderball, where Bond spends five minutes checking his hotel room for bugs -- accompanied by a full-out version of the Bond theme. Watching him casually stroll across the room as the staccato guitar plays and then look behind a painting on the wall as the horns kick in full-blast cracks me up every time.

[QUOTE=Litmus Configuration]Awww, I don't know. I think it's a fun sequence, with a nice nod to OHMSS. And strictly -- and legally -- speaking, it's not really Blofeld. Just another bald villain who likes cats. An aside: Another weird thing about the FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE game is that SPECTRE is now referred to as OCTOPUS, for the same rights issues that Bald Villain With Cat in the opening of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is never properly identified.
QUOTE]

Somewhat off topic, but since you brought it up, does McClory still hold the rights to Blofeld & SPECTRE? Sounds like he does, considering the changes made to the FRWL game. I had been under the impression, though, that those rights had returned. Any insight?

One of my favorite villain deaths/Bond one-liners is in Thunderball.

There's a description and pictures of said scene here:
http://www.moviedeaths.com/thunderball/fiona_volpe/

Well, like you, I can only assume it's still an issue based on the changes made to the FWWL game. Odd that Cubby Broccoli waited five films into Moore's tenure as Bond (and five films after Blofeld's last appearance) before making that "dig" at McClory.

I believe that about 7-8 years ago before TWINE they started talking up another rival Bond picture with Sony. I think Liam Neeson was rumored to be 007, but it never materialized. I think following that they cleared up some legal issues, I don't think McClory has quite the same creative leeway he did with "Never Say Never Again".

Liam Neeson?? Thank god that never happened. Although I could see him as a good villain, or the next M.

That's actually From Russia with Love, when he arrives in Istanbul (They trick him into taking the bridal suite where he's filmed later)

But YEAH, I love how inappropriate that is. Love it.

It's a shame that the SPECTRE issues can't be ironed out, because it was a big part of what held the early films together I think, and would be nice to bring back in a new continuity.

Best overall film: The best from each Bond goes like this:

Connery's GOLDFINGER/YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE.
Moore's SPY WHO LOVED ME/FOR YOUR EYES ONLY/MOONRAKER.
Dalton's LIVING DAYLIGHTS.
Brosnan's TOMORROW NEVER DIES/GOLDENEYE.

Best henchman: JAWS, OddJob and Stamper.

Best score: John Barry's genius. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. Marivn Hamlish for SPY WHO LOVED ME.

Best Theme Song: Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger, McCartney's LALD, Carly Simon's TSWLM, Sheena Easton's FYEO.

Best Bond Girl: Honor Blackman. Melina from FYEO. My god, those eyes, that hair. Brik Eckland. Babs Bach is hot stuff as well.
As a kid I had a crush on Lynn-Holly Johnson although technically she is not a Bond girl.


Worst overall films: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, A VIEW TO A KILL.

I kind of liked Moonraker as a kid. It's big and flashy and hilariously over the top. Better to be intentionally silly than unintentionally lame (View to a Kill). Certainly not a good Bond film, but there's some solid entertainment value.

I'd still rather watch Diamonds Are Forever over pretty much any Bond film after For Your Eyes Only.

"One from each?" I see two from Connery, three from Moore, two from Brosnan and zero from Lazenby. But I do agree with one title from each of the ones you've chosen.

I still have a crush on her but how on Earth is she not a Bond girl? She's a girl, in a Bond movie, who willingly spread her legs for Bond...just because Moore's limpwristed 007 balked at using his licence to drill an enthusiastically-easy lay, shouldn't penalize this otherwise fine specimen.

Holy shit.

I echo your holy shit.

Good things about Diamonds are Forever:

Um... give me a minute...

The brutal elevator fight

Connery

Plenty O'Toole

The Mustang chase

Erm... that's about it

Plenty O'Toole, Bambi, Thumper and the theme song are the only reasons to watch that movie. Period.

Ugh, Diamonds are Forever. The only thing I enjoy about that movie is the theme song. Even Connery (my fave Bond) seems disengaged, tired, and out of shape. If I'm not mistaken he's also wearing a wig. (Perhaps lifted from Blofeld.)

Since Bond was too busy with the hot Greek girl I never considered her an official Bond conquest, but you make a good point. I saw her just recently in something and she is still looking fine.

Yep and proud of it . This was of course cashing in on the "Star Wars" frenzy at the time. Although there are a few lame joke in the film, I love it. It's a style of spectacle we don't see a lot anymore. It's goofy, but it's entertaining.
Unlike DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER or A VIEW TO A KILL, which are just dreary and lame.

Yep and proud of it . This was of course cashing in on the STAR WARS frenzy at the time. Although there are a few lame jokes in the film, I love it. One of the best Bond girl names since GOLDFINGER, Miss Holly Goodhead. I love Moore's reaction when he sees Goodhead is a woman.
It's a style of spectacle we don't see a lot anymore. It's goofy, but it's at least entertaining. Unlike DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER or A VIEW TO A KILL, which are just dreary and lame.

Also too it boasts a great score by John Barry and theme by Shirley Bassey.

So nice I posted twice.

That was my experience too, Litmus. My first Bond film in the theater was SPY WHO LOVED ME. After I saw LIVING DAYLIGHTS everything changed.

Yeah, my favorite is right before that when Sauders, his superior, chews him out for not shooting the girl assassin.

SAUNDERS:"You missed! Deliberately! I'm going to report this to M, OO7!"

BOND (raising his voice): "Go ahead and report me then! If M fires me I'll thank him for it..."

Absolutely. The scene where Bond ambushes Pushkin in his hotel room is great cinema AND classic Fleming. Out of all the Bonds, I feel Dalton was the most realistic one. The look on Dalton's face when he pops the balloon after his superior Saunders has been killed at the carnival is excellent emoting on Dalton's part. Then comes agreat bit of dialogue where Moore and probably even Connery would have played for laughs but with Dalton it becomes deadly:

KARLA: "Did you hear from Yorgi yet?

BOND (looks around angrily): "Yes...I did."

Classic!


Well, it's funny you should mention that, Judas.Here's an interesting piece of trivia for all my fellow Dalton fans: In 1990 MGM Exec Kirk Krekorian plunged the studio in turmoil through embezzlement, bad business deals and power trips. It took 4 more years to straighten out the finances and chaos (which is why there was a six year gap between LICENSE TO KILL and GOLDENEYE. Cubby Broccolli was on his deathbed but wanted Dalton to return as 007 (if you read the early drafts of GOLDENEYE, you can clearly see the script was written with Dalton in mind). Even in the final film, look at the scene where Pierce Brosnan is trying to brood and look disturbed while watching the sunset (he'd later do better at these scenes, but he clearly didn't yet have the gravitas that came so naturally to Dalton).

But when Cubby passed away during development, studio president John Calley told the producers Barbara Broccolli and Michael Wilson that Dalton needed to go because he was "too British" for American audiences. He said only Pierce Brosnan could revive the franchise.

The Broccollis, who were family friends of Dalton, and wished to honor their father's wishes, refused. At which point Calley threatened that if they didn't fire Dalton, they would be replaced. So they did. Calley had the studio issue a press release with quotes from Dalton that he was "moving on to pursue other acting opportunites."

The only reason I know this is because I went to film school with Cubby Broccolli's granddaughter Heather. She was very sweet and when I mentioned that I was sad that Dalton had left the franchise, she told me the real story. She also mentioned that Dalton was the only actor who insisted on reading all of Fleming's books in order to prepare for the role.

She's returning from England in a few months. I'm curious to hear what she has to say about Daniel Craig.

As much as I love those scores, I think LIVING DAYLIGHTS blows them all away. If you ever get the expanded edition pick it up. Barry's in top form here. Not only does Barry seamlessly incorporate the A-HA and PRETENDERS song medleys into his lush string orchestrations, he also discreetly uses sythesizers in tandem with the music without letting them overwhelm it (unlike David Arnold).

Next time you watch the flick, listen to the music in the Afhgan jailbreak scene, the fake assassination, and Saunders' death. All classic.

Count me in with the Dalton love. His 007 stands apart from the rest (in a good way).

As for the worst Bond film well Die Another Day does it for me there. Simply no fun to be had whatsoever. Even A View To A Kill has Walken and Jones. Rosamund Pike while lovely to look at wasn't so good. Halle Berry completely stunk it up as Jinx and the main villain was laughably awful.

You say that like it's a good thing.

Well, in this case, I think it actually is. I agree almost completely with Kreeper about all things DAYLIGHTS. Although OHMSS is my favorite Bond score, DAYLIGHTS is a very close second. The expanded soundtrack is truly a John Barry tour de force. And although the a-ha and Pretenders songs might not be as memorable as, say, "Goldfinger" or "Nobody Does It Better," I absolutely love the way Barry incorporates their themes into the orchestral score.

For me, I was surprised rewatching it that "Moonraker" is actually about 1/2 to 3/4 of a good Bond film. Lewis Gilbert of "You Only LiveTwice" directed and there is some interesting action choreography and some nice stuff going on. I absolutely love the hunting scene with Hugo Draz and Bond shooting at quail.

"You missed Mr. Bond."

"Did I?" as the henchman falls dead out of the tree. Great stuff.

The finale goes off the deep end in an unforgivable way, but before they head into space it's pretty good.

Here's a rundown of McClory's lawsuits with MGM:
http://www.ianfleming.org/007news/Mo...mgmvsony.shtml

Agreed. The variations on "Where Has Everybody Gone?" in the Afghanistan sequences are particulaly evocative, with modulations of the Bond theme worked in for good measure. Definitely a classy score for Barry to bow out on.

And Dalton was the only Bond who actually behaved like a trained killer.

Exactly. The hunting scene is great. It's not a perfect film, it has it's moments of insanity, but thats why I love it. It goes for the kitchen-sink mentality and makes for some great spectacle. At least it tries.

I haven't seen the film in years so I will pop it in and see if I concur.

My Favorite bond One-Liners:

Connery: "I think he got the point."

Lazenby: "He had lots of guts."

Moore: "Can you swim?"

Dalton: "Yesss...I got the message."

Brosnan: "The Next Girl."

It may not be funny, but I don't think Brosnan was ever better with a one liner than during his execution of Vincent Schiavelli.

"Wait, I'm just a professional doing a job!"

"Me too."

Bang.

"Tomorrow Never Dies" sometimes takes a beating, and yes, it's got a ton of action. But Bond as a character is maybe as good as Brosnan got to do. Definitely the closest he came to the Dalton/Connery level of performance.

Best bond = Sean Connery
Best film = Gold finger
Best bond girl = Halle Berry,Babara Bach.
Best song = Nobody does it better.