[Rich]

My son bought me the BD box set commemorating 50 years of Bond. I just got thru watching the whole box.

Couple questions for everyone: 1) Who played Bond the best? 2) Which movie is the best? I realize this will be purely subjective, but I asked myself those questions (and several more) and kinda surprised myself.

At first, I thought Sean Connery had to be the best choice for question #1 above. That seemed like a no brainer. Got thru all of the Connery's movies and then Roger Moore appeared. He actually seemed better as Bond. As time went by, that didn't hold true, he aged really fast (or so it seemed) and at the end of his run...well he was pretty bad. Surprisingly, I thought Timothy Dalton did a pretty good Bond. Then came the shocker...Pierce Brosnan. Really? Really! He was really good as Bond and the movies had gotten much better. The worst? Easily George Lazenby. And I think the worst movie was On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Lazenby's only (thankfully) Bond movie.

My son told me he'd advise watching the Daniel Craig movies first because they were intertwined as none of the others are. Once I started watching I could see what he meant. All the Craig movies should be viewed as a series.

The second question, which movie was best? I think Die Another Day has to be strongly considered as the best. Wonderful cast, spectacular scenes and a surprisingly good storyline. Good gadgets too. And Halle Berry in all her glory.

So, in short, I think the Brosnan part of the box set was easily the best of the bunch. Believe me, it surprised me.

Oh, almost forgot. Casino Royale, the one with David Niven, wasn't in the box and neither was Climax with Barry Nelson. I had no idea that Barry Nelson had ever made a Bond movie. And, I guess, Casino Royale with Niven was considered somewhat of a parody of the Bond movies. I guess that's why it wasn't included. The Craig series does have its own Casino Royale.

Rich

 

[dpeters11]

Overall, my favorite movie is probably Skyfall, but that might be mainly due to Judi Dench. But Bond will never be the same without Desmond Llewelyn as Q.

Casino Royale isn't in there as it's not an Eon film and not considered "canon", similar to Never Say Never Again.

 

[Tom Robertson]

Over time "who I like" and "which I like" have changed. Partly as I rewatch them, partly as my tastes change, mostly as I change. I rarely can pick a "favorite" of any list, I typically can point to a couple--then another would come to mind.

Generally speaking my least favorite Bond would be Daniel Craig. I don't care for the direction the movies have gone. My vision of Bond has always been a stuffed shirt battling incredible villains. Each played it differently, I was ok with that. But the villains are harder and harder to go extreme. Dr. No was pretty out there even by today's standards.

I'm glad Pierce Brosnan didn't play Bond any earlier. He needed the time to age into the role--and he did so beautifully. I would have like a few more with him. Roger Moore got too happy/slappy. He had been awesome, as had Sean Connery. Timothy Dalton was ok. Better scripts would have helped.

Favorite Movie: Octopussy might be the one I've enjoyed the most for the longest time. One of the first I saw in the theatre, "Live and Let Die" has also been a favorite.

Best Bond villain? Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo in the non-Eon Never Say Never Again was perhaps the scariest crazy (or craziest scary?) villain. Beyond that, several really, really great villains. I can't pick one. Odd Job and GoldFinger are pretty high on the list.

Best Bond Girl? I plead the 5th...

Peace,
Tom

 

[AntAltMike]

Connery defined the role. His very first, "Bond (Pause), James Bond", was the best introduction of any character ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1P7B_urjE5Y#t=17

Lazenby never really was Bond. He was like John Hart, the actor who filled in as The Lone Ranger for a year when the producers and Clayton Moore had a salary dispute.

Roger Moore was too klutzy to be Bond. Plus, he already had an identity as The Saint.

Timothy Dalton's Bond wasn't a womanizer, which takes him out of the running.

Pierce Bronson was made for the role as the plausible anti-Connery Bond. Suave rather than brutish.

I can buy Craig, except he seems to lack humanity.

1. Connery
2. Brosnan
3. Craig
4. Moore (sorry Simon)
5. Dalton
6. Lazenby

 

[MysteryMan]

Sean Connery is the definitive James Bond and always will be. As for the best Bond movie I choose "From Russia With Love". Great story without overwhelming special effects and gadgets.

 

[Dude111]

I would say MR. CONNERY is my favourite!! (Followed by Mr. Moore)

 

[PCampbell]

Connery
Brosnan
Moore
Craig
Dalton.

 

[Mark Holtz]

I'll just reply with youtube links....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnseiOJ2jGQ

Need a Ghetto Blaster? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv8o41DrVy8

 

[Rich]

Pondering on this, I can't help but wondering if the quality of the movies biased my opinion of who did the best Bond. That last Pierce Brosnan movie was the best of the bunch, I think, but I can't help but wonder what Connery would have done (if the technology for that movie was available when he was still young enough to play Bond) in that movie. Would he have been better than Brosnan? We'd need time travel to know for sure.

Rich

 

[James Long]

It depends on what one is looking for. Movies have become more openly violent over time and the Bond films have followed the trend. Bond films have been notorious for pushing the envelope sexually - but the early films were done at a time when outwit and outsmart were promoted more than surviving torture. The older movies had more threats than on screen violence (a sign of the times they were filmed in).

An older Bond film would attract a different audience than the latest film.

 

[Mark Holtz]

The earlier films had much smaller budgets than the latest big screen spectaculars.

 

[MysteryMan]

The earlier films had much smaller budgets than the latest big screen spectaculars.

While the early Bond films had smaller budgets they were unique in many ways. They introduced us to a character (Bond) who had a license to kill who he wants, when he wants, where he wants. That was quite a topic of conversation back then. For the times the early Bond films were considered very risqué because of the suggested sex beginning with Maurice Binder's opening titles and the beautiful women who became to be known as "Bond Girls" with their sexually suggested names like "Pussy Galore"! How they got that past the censors back then is beyond me. They were filmed in exotic locations and introduced us to the now classic "James Bond Theme" and the beautiful music scores by John Barry. And last but not least were the gadgets, Dr. No's hands, Grant's wrist watch, Bond's attache case, Odd Job's hat and the now famous Aston Martin DB5. Given the aforementioned the early Bond films are in a class of their own considering the time when they were made.

 

[Nick]

^ Thanks for the memories.

 

[Rich]

Remember how Playboy used to do those Bond issues whenever a new Bond movie came out? I really looked forward to them.

Rich

 

[MysteryMan]

I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?

 

[Rich]

I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?

Goldfinger keeps playing in my mind. Wish it would go away...

Rich

 

[Tom Robertson]

I have another question. Which is your favorite Bond song? Mine is "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey who holds the record of singing three Bond songs (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker). What's your favorite?

Depending on the day of the week, for me either Live and Let Die by Wings or For Your Eyes Only with Sheena Easton. Though the Monty Normal original James Bond Theme and Goldfinger are both high on the list.

Peace,
Tom

 

[James Long]

Perhaps it is just recent, but Skyfall pops in to my mind. I do know more lyrics to Goldfinger.

 

[dpeters11]

Skyfall, Live and Let Die and Goldfinger for the songs. The one I hate the most was for Spectre.

 

[scooper]

I think all the actors who played Bond did a fine job in the role, each having their plusses and minuses. I could pretty much say the same thing about the movies (haven't seen Spectre yet). And I would enjoy that boxed set (green with envy )

If I know my wife - she's a big Sean Connery fan , and for Bond villian - Sean Bean.

Missed Desmond Llewyn as Q, but John Cleese filled in nicely. Always enjoy Judy Dench's work, whatever role. And there was lots of great music for the movies, I could agree with any of the ones listed so far.


And the Bond girls HMMMM. Halle Berry did an excellent breakthough on that. Jane Seymour as Solitaire. Maude Adams in Octopussy.