Quick Big Mi6 Main Villain Ranking Game

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Comments

  • Greene is my #14. The fight with the axe was mentioned a lot here. Love it, too. He goes all in there. He is surprisingly scary in more than one scene. Amalric definitely did the best possible with the material he got.

    Yeah, that axe scene, he was almost bottling up his anger and just went all-out in that.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,448
    The only thing missing from that axe scene is Greene crying with anger and frustration over Bond screwing up his plans again. I love that scene.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,369
    I also love his maniacal laugh at the prospect of Bond losing Camille, his last dig at Bond before possibly being dropped into a pit of fire.
  • Koskov and Greene fall under similar categories of villainy as Kristatos: the everyday opportunist who happens to collide with the world of superspy James Bond. I keep hearing the term "slimeball" used in reference to all three of them, and that moniker makes sense. It also makes sense perhaps that Bond himself is only indirectly responsible for the fates of all three of them in thwarting their plans: Columbo knifes Kristatos, Koskov is captured and presumably sentenced to hard labor, and Greene is left to die in the desert or at the hands of his own men.

    I enjoy both Koskov and Greene in their respective films. I think Koskov does pull off the whole pretend ally thing better than Kristatos does. He's fun when he's on screen and only needed a grander sendoff/confrontation with Bond to really cement his place. Greene drips slime better than any of them. As others have pointed out, his standoff with Bond in the opera house lobby while Puccini thunders over the sound system is one of the defining shots of the series. There are other more colorful and more memorable villains I ranked higher, but no complaints here.
  • Posts: 6,682
    I agree with the appreciation for Koskov. I love characters like that, hypocritical backstabbing bastards with plenty of charm. He seems kind of harmless compared to other Bond baddies, but then he suddenly betrays you and leaves you facing certain death in the middle of Afghanistan. He is a like a duck that nibbles you to death.

    Kristatos is, of course, a more straightfaced version of the down-to-earth bad guy. I love the fact there is nothing outlandish about his plans, he is just an earthly example of evil that manifests itself out of banality, if that makes sense.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,250
    Greene was my Lucky #13
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    He came in 22nd place for me, but that doesn't mean that I don't like him. Alas, how many times have we already mentioned how strong the competition is in this contest? He just couldn't stand shoulder to shoulder with the giants (see what I did there?).

    Regarding the axe fight, which I also love, I think it's great how Greene stays relatively composed for the entire film up to that point and then he just becomes completely unhinged. Bond was a mere pest before, he was confident he would beat him, and then after the last setback all the anger and frustration just explodes out of him. It's a powerful moment.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 6,758
    Continuing our quest we find ourselves under the sea for our 19th place:

    CURD JÜRGENS
    as Karl Stromberg
    in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME

    spy_mission_prpfile1.gif

    Another villain for which it was hard to find some film artwork, I had to go with something else instead.

    Stromberg collected three top 10’s: one 5th place, one 6th place and one 9th place. Five more top 15’s were acquired.

    On the other end of the spectrum, there were six bottom 5’s to be noted. Four of those were 23rd places, two were penultimate spots.

    In total Karl Stromberg collected 90 points.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I am his biggest fan. 5th place from me. One of the highlights of an otherwise quite uneven film.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,448
    Jürgens is a good actor in a surprisingly well-written role that serves as a surrogate for Blofeld.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    edited September 2021 Posts: 4,378
    I had Stromberg at 23. Maybe a bit too low but the villain himself is a bit boring. No interesting dialogues and he is only sitting in his chair. Only sitting around is perfect for Faceless Blofeld but not for Stromberg.
    If I would also count the setting, he would deserve a higher ranking. His first scene is awesome, his demise a bit uncreative.
  • Posts: 6,727
    Stromberg is no 22 for me! As goldenswissroyale states, he's just a bit boring, though I do love Jurgens croaky voice, his character is just not that interesting! Not crazy about his clothing either, in his final scene he looks like he's about to switch on Bob Ross for a painting session!
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,378
    Yes, his voice is good.
  • ProfJoeButcherProfJoeButcher Bless your heart
    Posts: 1,664
    Yes, his voice is good.

    That's about as far as I go with him too. 23 for me as well.

    He's boring, he seems bored himself, and he's just going through the motions of being a supervillain. He's got a big plan, but it doesn't really make sense, and he doesn't seem that invested in it. He takes Anya with him despite not suggesting an ounce of sexuality about him, because that's what villains do.

    He really just sits and stands around a lot, and I think we see him eating at least twice. He never really loses his temper. I don't even really care for his intro scene, though I get why people do. I mean, we've just seen that he doesn't mind killing people in his headquarters, so why waste a helicopter (and begin the process of transferring money) for no reason? I know it's a silly movie and these things happen, but dumb behavior that's strictly for the benefit of the audience is kind of a pet peeve of mine....
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,250
    My 21...
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,369
    I love Stromberg, he came in at 13th in my ranking. He may not be the most active villain but there's something about him that always strikes me, the way he can casually sit and have a meal while executing several people through different means. I love his death scene, too, simple yet brutal.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    I had Curt Jurgens’ Stromberg at 15. A “middle of the pack” Bond villain, I find him to be serviceable, but he has a surprising lack of witty one liners. While TSWLM is a far better movie than MR, Drax (by way of comparison) is a much more memorable villain. To a certain extent, Stromberg plays second fiddle to Jaws in his own movie.

    Anyway, I always find his “why do we wish to conquer space” line humorous in light of one of his other roles…..
    s-l300.jpg
  • Not the best-written villain, that's for sure. And Jurgens is a great actor, star of many notable European films, but I think he was wasted here. A villain up in age and secluded in his lair is not a bad idea, just the execution was too simplistic. Stromberg has no context... no backstory.
  • I had Stromberg at 23, which maybe a bit too harsh but he really needed a larger than life presence for such a larger than life movie. He’s sort of a 2nd rate Blofeld with webbed fingers, but he’s not actively bad or anything and I like a lot scenes that involve him even if he’s not really a highlight of them.
  • #23 for me as well. Probably the weakest aspect in an otherwise great film.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    edited September 2021 Posts: 7,314
    I had him in the 15th spot. I like him, just not quite top 10 material. I really enjoy how he exudes a silent menace. Yes, he sits around. He's old, rich and powerful and has been used to getting his way for a long time.

    While Drax comes off as more of a space Hitler with irrational reams of a perfect race, Stromberg seems like he really, really hates people. The guy is downright evil and despicable. His death scene is also fantastic, one of Moore's best (and most underrated) kills. Both actors expertly sell how much these two characters really dislike each other.
  • ProfJoeButcherProfJoeButcher Bless your heart
    edited September 2021 Posts: 1,664
    Stromberg has no context... no backstory.

    I think that's it. When you learn that he was originally going to be Blofeld, it all makes sense. Stromberg is just filling in.

  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,378
    Isn't the lack of backstory a fact for most of the villains (especially from the 60s to the 80s)?

    And what about his mentioned webbed fingers? I always thought his fingers looked normal to me?
  • Posts: 6,727
    Isn't the lack of backstory a fact for most of the villains (especially from the 60s to the 80s)?

    And what about his mentioned webbed fingers? I always thought his fingers looked normal to me?

    Oh yes, the webbed fingers, yes he does have them, that is a good moment, when Naomi tells Bond that Stromberg prefers not to shake hands, Bond, of course puts his hand out deliberately to shake it!
  • edited September 2021 Posts: 6,844
    My last viewing made me realize just how good of an intro scene Stromberg has. It's one of the best scenes in the film and calls back to Thunderball's board meeting. His voice echoing through the shark tank chamber truly is the voice of some malevolent god. I'm also fond of "Hurry, Commander. I'm not renowned for my patience."
    And what about his mentioned webbed fingers? I always thought his fingers looked normal to me?

    I do wish they had better displayed his webbed fingers because they were a great idea for a supervillain with a mania for all things aquatic. We see them briefly a couple of times, but they're never the camera's focus. I think we get our best glimpse of them when he points at one of the underwater viewing portals when meeting with Bond for the first time.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,378
    I checked the first meeting between Bond and Stromberg on youtube and I had to watch it twice before I was really sure that I spotted the webbed fingers. I've read about this before on this forum but forgot it again and never spotted them when I was watching the movie. Thanks for filling my knowledge gap here!
    Yes, his voice is good.

    That's about as far as I go with him too. 23 for me as well.

    He's boring, he seems bored himself, and he's just going through the motions of being a supervillain. He's got a big plan, but it doesn't really make sense, and he doesn't seem that invested in it. He takes Anya with him despite not suggesting an ounce of sexuality about him, because that's what villains do.

    He really just sits and stands around a lot, and I think we see him eating at least twice. He never really loses his temper. I don't even really care for his intro scene, though I get why people do. I mean, we've just seen that he doesn't mind killing people in his headquarters, so why waste a helicopter (and begin the process of transferring money) for no reason? I know it's a silly movie and these things happen, but dumb behavior that's strictly for the benefit of the audience is kind of a pet peeve of mine....

    Your point about Anya is interesting. It really doesn't make sense to take her with him. What is his aim there?

    Fair point about the wasted helicopter. However, I love this scene and I'm happy that they did this dumb behaviour...Bond movies wouldn't be much fun otherwise. I wonder what you say about Goldfinger's behaviour in Kentucky at his farm?
  • I checked the first meeting between Bond and Stromberg on youtube and I had to watch it twice before I was really sure that I spotted the webbed fingers. I've read about this before on this forum but forgot it again and never spotted them when I was watching the movie. Thanks for filling my knowledge gap here!

    Sure thing! Like I said, I wish we had gotten just one or two shots where you could really see he had hands like the Gill-man. Not a gratuitous close-up insert, but something integral to the scene. Perhaps there could have been a close-up of Stromberg's webbed hand caressing Anya's cheek when she's tied up or a low angle of him dining where we see his webbed hand fully in the frame clutching his cup. Just a couple instances of this would have sold the idea and made his grotesquerie a more fully apparent and memorable trait.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    edited September 2021 Posts: 4,378
    Yes, I was born in '87 and never had the pleasure to watch the Bond movies from the 60s to the 80s on the big screen. I usually still watch them on DVD (!) on my mediocre TV.
  • ProfJoeButcherProfJoeButcher Bless your heart
    edited September 2021 Posts: 1,664
    I'm 39 but I have seen TSWLM on the big screen. Don't recall noticing the hands though. The matte paintings were the biggest surprise for me!
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 6,758
    Next up, at 18, we have:

    JONATHAN PRYCE
    as Elliott Carver
    in TOMORROW NEVER DIES

    tomorrow-never-dies-us-lobby-card-2.jpg

    Elliott collected three top 10’s: one 6th place, one 7th place and one 8th place. Six more top 15’s were noted. All of those were either 12th or 13th places (three of each).

    At the other end, there were six bottom 5’s, with a 25th spot, his lowest finish, on three occasions.

    Elliott Carver received 93 points in total. He’s our final contestant to finish with a tally South of the 100-point mark.
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