James Bond, 007

[CriticalI]

Well, there's a new Bond film coming out soon (isn't there always?). I thought we might discuss the films, the actors, or even the books (perish the thought).

A list of the films:

Sean Connery
Dr. No (1962)
From Russia with Love (1963)
Goldfinger (1964)
Thunderball (1965)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

George Lazenby
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Roger Moore
Live and Let Die (1973)
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moonraker (1979)
For Your Eyes Only (1981),
Octopussy (1983)
A View to a Kill (1985)

Timothy Dalton
The Living Daylights (1987)
Licence to Kill (1989)

Pierce Brosnan
GoldenEye (1995)
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Die Another Day (2002)

Daniel Craig
Casino Royale (2006)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Skyfall (2012)

Non Eon-produced titles:
Casino Royale (1954) - Barry Nelson
Casino Royale (1967) - David Niven, et al.
Never Say Never Again (1983) - Sean Connery


I confess I like Never Say Never Again, even if it is "illegitimate", and prefer it to Thunderball (previous iteration of the same story), which to be honest I find pretty dull. Oddly, MGM now has the rights to NSNA and the Niven Casino Royale, but hasn't included them in their recent anniversary boxset.
Moonraker is not bad, until they get into space.
Goldfinger is probably still the best Bond film overall.

[Mirror Image]

Everybody seems so down on Timothy Dalton. I thought he was a great 007. I guess people just can't let go of Sean Connery or Roger Moore. I suppose it's all a matter of who you "grew up" with. Pierce Brosnan's best Bond movie was GoldenEye. Tomorrow Never Dies was decent. Roger Moore's The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, and Moonraker were excellent. I loved most of Connery's films. Anyway, I'm not a huge Bond fan, but I enjoy the movies generally when I see them.

[CriticalI]

Timothy Dalton was the original Daniel Craig! I really liked the first 2/3 of Living Daylights, which worked as just a great Cold War spy thriller, but things got a bit silly in Afghanistan. The Brosnan/Craig films have a bit of a bland, corporatised feel for me, but maybe they'll improve with age.

Diamonds are Forever is sometimes called a dud, but I think it's one of the more enjoyable ones. I even enjoy the silly moon probe vehicle.

I'm afraid I don't remember For Your Eyes Only.

[Mirror Image]

Timothy Dalton was the original Daniel Craig! I really liked the first 2/3 of Living Daylights, which worked as just a great Cold War spy thriller, but things got a bit silly in Afghanistan. The Brosnan/Craig films have a bit of a bland, corporatised feel for me, but maybe they'll improve with age.

Diamonds are Forever is sometimes called a dud, but I think it's one of the more enjoyable ones. I even enjoy the silly moon probe vehicle.

I'm afraid I don't remember For Your Eyes Only.

I generally agree with what you say about Dalton and Craig. The last two Pierce Brosnan have this corporate feel to them I think as well. Not a big Brosnan fan, but GoldenEye was enjoyable at least. Roger Moore and Sean Connery are probably the best Bond actors. For Your Eyes Only was quite good. Check out this trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/v/lXO8wWDf2EA

[Karl Henning]

Everybody seems so down on Timothy Dalton. I thought he was a great 007.

Likewise.

[DavidW]

I need a fresh rewatch, I don't remember most of these movies.  I read Moonraker last summer and really enjoyed it.  I avoided the movie after I read that it is nothing like the novel.  The movies are fun and outlandish, but I think they are missing the essential understated wittiness that British spy thrillers tend to have.  The novels are fun romps but are not outlandish scifi stuff.  For films Casino Royale came closer to that, but still misses the mark by being a bit too dark and gritty.

Oh and the Bourne movies missed the tone of the novels by a much greater margin.

[Karl Henning]

And FWIW the Roger Moore epoch tacked much farther to the genteel camp corner.

[CaughtintheGaze]

And FWIW the Roger Moore epoch tacked much farther to the genteel camp corner.

Which is one of the reasons that he's my favorite Bond. I do think the newest films, especially Quantum, have some of the most insane production values I've ever come across. I'm really excited for the next one as Mendes is directing it, and he has a very interesting color scheme, which I think will be very interesting to see how he adapts that to Bond.

[mc ukrneal]

My favorite is probably From Russia With Love. Great movie. I liked the Dalton movies. Moonraker - I'll ne nice and say I thought it was awful.   I did enjoy the new Casino Royale though. It is a very complete in terms of gadgets, people, style, and story.

[Karl Henning]

My favorite is probably From Russia With Love. Great movie.

Probably my favorite from the Connery years.

[Karl Henning]

But first, a bit of fun.

[North Star]

Connery is definitely my favourite. Craig and Dalton after that. Moore is sometimes great, sometimes awful

From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, The Living Daylights, A License to Kill, and Casino Royale are probably my favourites of the movies.

[DavidW]

I love that comic North Star!

[Karl Henning]

Anyway, it isn't Bond who is the stick figure . . . .

[The new erato]

My favorite is probably From Russia With Love. Great movie.

I agree, though I think Goldfinger even better.

I liked the Dalton movies.

So did I, and I never understood the flak he got.

Moonraker - I'll ne nice and say I thought it was awful.

One of the worst turkeys among mainstream movies ever.

  I did enjoy the new Casino Royale though. It is a very complete in terms of gadgets, people, style, and story.

So did I, and was very disappointed by the awful second movie with Craig (I've managed to forget its name, please don't remind me). Will be interesting to see if they are back on form for the third run.

[North Star]

Repeat this slowly 50 times: Craig has only been in one Bond movie. There's a second one on the way, though.

Anyway, it isn't Bond who is the stick figure . . . .

Good point!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

[Todd]

Repeat this slowly 50 times: Craig has only been in one Bond movie. There's a second one on the way, though.

I could have sworn he was in both Casino Royale and Quantam of Solace.

Bond films are goofy entertainments for me, being so silly in their premises.  As such, Roger Moore is still the best Bond.  His smooth delivery and lightweight take is just right.  And some of the bits are awesome.  The "burglar protected" car in For You Eyes Only is still a hoot.  Dalton was too serious by half, and Craig is too serious by half again. 

[Brian]

The "Skyfall" theme is a throwback to the good old John Barry days, I think. On first listen, rather samey and rote, but the second-go-round I found myself very much enjoying it, especially since Adele found a way to incorporate the incredibly clunky word "skyfall" into the chorus that's only clunky half as much as it should be.

[Todd]

...especially since Adele found a way to incorporate the incredibly clunky word "skyfall" into the chorus that's only clunky half as much as it should be.

Oh shit, Adele sings the theme song.  That nixes it for me.  I can't stand her.