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Big Mi6 James Bond henchperson ranking game - NUMBER 3

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  • OtisFairplayOtisFairplay
    Posts: 70
    Well done, Tee Hee. While I had him at number 12, I do enjoy him even though I find all of his colleagues in The Hamilton Three more memorable. Still, I think Tee Hee is one of the highlights of Live and Let Die and I certainly could think of worse picks for the Top 5, one of which is obviously happening.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,586
    Tee Hee is 9th im my ranking. He is somehow gentle and menacing at the same time. That's a successful mixture imo, at least it works splendid with Harris... He is part of some great scenes: almost cutting off Bond's little finger (Bond needs this finger for the women, ask Vesper!!!), final fight in the train (for Moore standard a very good fight and more dynamic than the one against Jaws) and the whole great scene at the crocodile farm. His claw is nicely used in every scene (even destroying the Walther) and he also has some good dialogue.
    I didn't expect him ranked so high but I'm very happy with it.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,624
    We're getting ever closer to our podium places, but first there's our #4:

    JAWS
    by Richard Kiel
    in The Spy Who Loved Me

    29118-movieposter3.jpg

    This iconic steel-toothed giant turns out to be the community's favourite post-1960's villain sidekick.

    He received four medals: one gold, two silvers and one bronze. Additionally there were also two 4th places and seven placements in the lower half of the top 10.

    Everyone rated him in their top 20, although only narrowly since he also obtained one 19th and one 20th spot. The latter is his lowest score as well.

    TSWLM's Jaws ended up with 112 points in total.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,712
    I had him at number 7.

    The TSWLM version of Jaws is mostly scary and a formidable foe to Bond. He added value to this film's modest venture into sci-fi land. I remember being genuinely frightened of him as a kid. Unlike MR, TSWLM put Jaws to very good use.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,298
    I don't see much difference between the TSWLM Jaws and the MR Jaws. He's being played for laughs in both movies, and as I said before, I don't like anyone's real deformities being played for laughs, even if the actor also laughs all the way to his bank. There is nothing more menacing or scary about him in either, except that in MR everyone has realized that he is a cartoon figure, including the screenwriters and the director. That's why I put him at my nos. 20 and 21, respectively. Not my cup of tea. And probably my ranking's greatest difference to that of most others.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 8,312
    I had Jaws at 19. Not fond of this character at all! And though in the early part of TSWLM he has a definite air of threat and violence, when we get to the set piece with the van, he just becomes cartoony, and then dropping cement blocks on his foot etc, I just winced ( like he did 😉)
    And then him surviving at the end was just a misstep! (The late celebrated writer and Bond fan John Brosnan, stated you can't have two indestructible characters, the other being Bond of course, - though it's a good thing he didn't live to see NTTD! 😂)
  • R1s1ngs0nR1s1ngs0n France
    edited June 21 Posts: 2,248
    No. 8 for me and it is almost purely for nostalgic reasons. I think he's the one henchman that gradually looses his appeal the older you get.
    He's got a couple of truly excellent scenes in both films (pyramids, carnival), but these are unfortunately few and far between as he's mainly played for laughs.
    Still has a soft spot for him thanks to Kiel's undeniable presence.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 15,199
    Some great ominous moments there such as lurking in the shadows at Giza and looking half asleep in the train closet. Really like his intro when Stromberg calls him out next to Sandor. "Obeeey him."
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,712
    When Jaws kills Fekkesh and Kalba, the film truly plays it like a horror flick. The music goes dark, the camera intensifies the moment, and Kiel disturbingly shows what may have been an actual pain face. As a kid, I struggled with some of these moments, and that's a compliment for a Bond film, usually a far cry from anything horriifc -- other than the French cab driver of course.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,624
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    When Jaws kills Fekkesh and Kalba, the film truly plays it like a horror flick. The music goes dark, the camera intensifies the moment, and Kiel disturbingly shows what may have been an actual pain face. As a kid, I struggled with some of these moments, and that's a compliment for a Bond film, usually a far cry from anything horriifc -- other than the French cab driver of course.

    Haha idd. "No English." and then "My caaar!" :))
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,712
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    When Jaws kills Fekkesh and Kalba, the film truly plays it like a horror flick. The music goes dark, the camera intensifies the moment, and Kiel disturbingly shows what may have been an actual pain face. As a kid, I struggled with some of these moments, and that's a compliment for a Bond film, usually a far cry from anything horriifc -- other than the French cab driver of course.

    Haha idd. "No English." and then "My caaar!" :))

    That scene always makes me cry.
  • OtisFairplayOtisFairplay
    edited June 23 Posts: 70
    Though I wasn’t quite as accommodating myself, Jaws certainly seems iconic enough for the Top 5. I’m still somewhat curious about this huge gap to his Moonraker counterpart though. After The Spy Who Loved Me had its way with him, I think there were little left of Jaws initial menace and (admittedly rather goofy) terrifying aspects to ruin but it’s fun to see different perspectives.

    On to the Top 3. Go, Fiona (in due time, of course).
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,624
    Our contestants still in the running:

    - Red Grant
    - Oddjob
    - Fiona Volpe

    The prototypes of the three major Bond henchpeople categories, you might say:

    - anti-Bond, villainous agent (often also blond), working in the shadows
    - remarkable, iconic, indistructable sidekick for a megalomaniac main villain
    - the femme fatale
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited June 23 Posts: 24,712
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Our contestants still in the running:

    - Red Grant
    - Oddjob
    - Fiona Volpe

    The prototypes of the three major Bond henchpeople categories, you might say:

    - anti-Bond, villainous agent (often also blond), working in the shadows
    - remarkable, iconic, indistructable sidekick for a megalomaniac main villain
    - the femme fatale

    Hard to predict who will win.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,298
    My guess - and not just my choice - would be Red Grant.
  • OtisFairplayOtisFairplay
    Posts: 70
    Oddjob would seem like the sensible winner to me. Let’s hope we won’t go there.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,586
    I believe Grant will win.
    Jaws got my gold medal. It was maybe a bit too gentle, especially since I ranked the MR Jaws so low. But Jaws is so iconic and he is really scary for at least the first half in TSWLM. Good introduction, two dark murder with good atmosphere (visually and tonally fitting). Followed by a scene with good tension which then switches to good fun. I understand everyone who doesn't like the tonal shift from scary killer to stupid guy getting hurt like in a cartoon. However, it somehow gives me great pleasure in TSWLM: almost a jump scare on the train and a bit later only there for our amusement in the car chase ("Mamma mia!").
    I love all scenes with Jaws in TSWLM which I can't say for all henchmen remained.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,439
    Jaws finished just where I placed him. Although the character gets cartoonish, rather quicker than I recalled, he’s still an imposing threat in Spy
    From his first appearance with Stromberg and Sandor, the almost haunting scenes in Cairo, the fight on the train with Bond or the fight at Atlantis, the character was a menace and threat to Bond. I think he was well utilised in the film, even though by the time of the escape in the van by Bond and Anya, he’d lost any real sense of danger. But his overall imposing presence made him unpredictable and a possible or probable hindrance to Bond.
    I think it was probably a mistake to bring him back in MR, although when you have an indestructible villain what else would you do?
    Maybe kill him off at the climax of Spy in a better way than feeding him to a shark. Which when I think about it, is a pretty gruesome and sadistic idea of Bonds.
    Richard Kiel is so memorable in the role, that most movie fans will know who he is outside of Bond fandom. As far as Bond villains go, the average moviegoer will know the guy with the hat, or the giant with the metal teeth. A testament to his overall effect on the Bond series.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,624
    Our bronze medalist, at #3:

    FIONA VOLPE
    by Luciana Paluzzi
    in Thunderball

    11c11443ec449283fc7150a85ee7f6d1.jpg

    This Italian beauty is the highest rated femme fatale of the series, and it's easy to understand why, since it's a character category she pretty much defined.

    She may not hear the heavenly choirs singing after bedtime with our man 007, but us fans definitely hear them loud and clear whenever she's on screen.

    Fiona obtained one gold medal, two silvers and three bronzes. She also finished 4th on three occasions and fifth on one.

    Two more top 10's were counted, as well as one 11th and one 14th place. From there on it took me a lot scrolling to discover one single 23rd place was also given to her, her lowest rating.

    Fiona Volpe ticked-off at an impressive total of 117 points.
  • R1s1ngs0nR1s1ngs0n France
    edited 6:26am Posts: 2,248
    #4 for me. The Bond franchise has been graced with quite a few femmes fatales but none are as sexy, dangerous and magnetic as the luscious Ms Volpe.
    Terrific chemistry with Connery and I particularly like her scene with Largo, where she bluntly reprimands him for his ‘hastiness’.
  • OtisFairplayOtisFairplay
    edited 6:42am Posts: 70
    Though I did wrestle a bit compiling my ranking, Fiona Volpe remained comfortably at the top of the list, smiling unconcerned at the commotion below. While Rosa Klebb obviously is the first iconic female villain of series, it’s safe to say Fiona took things in a different direction. Additionally, I think she’s overlooked as the first - and quietly one of the best - enemy counterpart to Bond, being as daring, seductive and lethal as the best of them. While many of the series’ later attempts at successors seem somewhat laboured and self-conscious, Fiona stands brilliantly assured, both as a character in herself and as a part of the film.

    As a femme fatale Fiona has her stereotypical aspects but only occasionally toys with cartoonish moments. She comes across as capable, cold and cunning, save for a loyal lapse in judgement or two in the script’s service. She confidently overrides rash decisions of Count Lippe and Largo, throwing in a chiding or a missile for good measure. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and you can easily believe her ability to prey on the weakness of men, with the playful demeanor alone with Derval and Bond concealing a wonderful ruthlessness.

    To me, Fiona’s ability to strike the delicate balance of being kind of believable and wildly entertaining at the same time is unmatched in the series. And Luciana Paluzzi’s chemistry with Sean Connery is stellar as well, culminating in Fiona and Bond’s nearly tender cha-cha-cha of death. And while she rightly ridicules his ego, her own arrogance does seem to get the better of her at the Kiss Kiss Club. But thank heavens there were no repentance for this one.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,624
    OtisFairplay wrote: »
    Though I did wrestle a bit compiling my ranking, Fiona Volpe remained comfortably at the top of the list, smiling unconcerned at the commotion below. While Rosa Klebb obviously is the first iconic female villain of series, it’s safe to say Fiona took things in a different direction. Additionally, I think she’s overlooked as the first - and quietly one of the best - enemy counterpart to Bond, being as daring, seductive and lethal as the best of them. While many of the series’ later attempts at successors seem somewhat laboured and self-conscious, Fiona stands brilliantly assured, both as a character in herself and as a part of the film.

    As a femme fatale Fiona has her stereotypical aspects but only occasionally toys with cartoonish moments. She comes across as capable, cold and cunning, save for a loyal lapse in judgement or two in the script’s service. She confidently overrides rash decisions of Count Lippe and Largo, throwing in a chiding or a missile for good measure. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and you can easily believe her ability to prey on the weakness of men, with the playful demeanor alone with Derval and Bond concealing a wonderful ruthlessness.

    To me, Fiona’s ability to strike the delicate balance of being kind of believable and wildly entertaining at the same time is unmatched in the series. And Luciana Paluzzi’s chemistry with Sean Connery is stellar as well, culminating in Fiona and Bond’s nearly tender cha-cha-cha of death. And while she rightly ridicules his ego, her own arrogance does seem to get the better of her at the Kiss Kiss Club. But thank heavens there were no repentance for this one.

    I can only echo these words. I also absolutely adore Fiona Volpe! She came in second for me, with only the mystical Baron Samedi ending up higher.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,712
    My number 3 as well. Hot and dangerous, one of the best written "henchmen" in the series and the template for many vixens to come.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,439
    As with her result, I also gave the stunningly sexy Fiona Volpe the bronze medal to.
    She’s easily the best femme fatale of the series, and the one all others are measured.
    A cool, calculating vixen who is just as happy making love to a man, as she is killing him.
    Her villainy is absolute, there’s no heavenly choir singing in this girls head. She wont repent, she’ll get her kicks, and then strike!
    So wonderfully played by Luciana Paluzzi, she is missed after her death dance with Bond.


    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Our bronze medalist, at #3:

    FIONA VOLPE

    From there on it took me a lot scrolling to discover one single 23rd place was also given to her, her lowest rating.

    My only question is and to quote Bond in FRWL, “tell me, which lunatic asylum did they get you out of?”

    23rd spot!

    Each to their own, but Ms.Volpe surely deserves better. Well, you can’t win them all. 😉
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 15,199
    Love when Volpe flicks her cigarette and declares that she shall be the one to kill Bond. Following this and the skeet shooting, you'd think it would be she herself with the handgun aiming through the curtain at the club later.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,298
    Sounds quite alright - I put her at #4, with Wint & Kidd taking the bronze medal. But that's marginal either way.
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