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Quite agree, that title sequence is amazing, and with Sheena performing in it, it's also a one-of-a-kind affair.
The villains aren't the most extravagant I agree, though I'd say Locque really looks and acts like a shady enforcer, and Kristatos does bring out that immoral opportunist. Again, not the film's forte when compared to someone like, say, Orlov, but they get the job done nonetheless.
Love the casino scene too, is that the only time we see Rog play baccarat?
GOLDENEYE
Returning to the screen after six years in a changed world, this one touches upon all the Bond tropes and does it well. Colourful characters -with Xenia being the absolute highest delight here-, superb stunts, a great atmosphere, the right balance between seriousness and humour, a confident Pierce and a belter of a title song all contribute to a classic 007 outing. And then there's the Éric Serra score, which I not only absolutely love, but which I think is vital in providing this film with its own unique identity. I adore everything about it from the gunbarrel all the way through to the end title song (which I am the world's only fan of, it seems).
Rating before rewatch: 10/10
Rating after rewatch: 10/10
Now this next one will be more up your alley:
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Stylish, exotic, mysterious, tense, thrilling and atmospheric, the second Bond film satisfies in almost every single way with its Istanbul, Orient Express and Venice-set SPECTRE-schemed Cold War plot, full of unfortgettable allies and foes, and with Sir Sean in absolute top form as James Bond. A special shoutout, however, should also go to Daniela Bianchi's Tatiana Romanova, one of the best Bond girls ever: capable, charming and elegant, yet still a normal human being caught-up in a mess she did not initiate. Not too shy though to tell this handsome spy that 'some English habits are going to be changed'. Likeable too of course, as one would expect from someone who looks for a partner to be 'kind and kulturny'.
Rating before rewatch: 10/10
Rating after rewatch: 10/10
Can't go wrong here, Classic indeed!
And agree about Daniela, wonderful Bond girl!
There are only three films that make me shed a tear on repeated viewings: Luchino Visconti's masterpiece "Ladri di biciclette" (aka "Bicycle Thieves"), German Oscar-winner "Das Leben der Anderen" (aka "The Lives of Others"), and the only 007 film starring George Lazenby. Speaking of George, anyone claiming this was the worst Bond actor, should give me the name of their oculist. I think Laz was a superb Bond, and this film's final scene is one of, if not the best, acted scene in the series. Add to that Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas and Gabriele Ferzetti all being amongst the best in their respective categories, an excellent plot, ahead-of-its-time action editing, gorgeous locations shot to perfection, a top-notch John Barry score and you've got one of the best (Bond) films ever. Also, "No Time to Die", please take note on how to bring class and elegance to a tragic ending: sometimes less is more.
Rating before rewatch: 10+/10
Rating after rewatch: 10+/10
…. a future”
@GoldenGun That line always hits hard since you know what is about to happen :((
10+ is always my rating for OHMSS (in every watch), it's almost reserved for that movie alone, just absolute perfection 🎉 goosebumps
I'm yet to give the other Bond films a 10+ rating except OHMSS, the highest I could give is 10, but no plus, or the most common, 9.9/10.
I still have to rewatch both Dalton films, they are both usually in the same area for me. But we'll see if they hold up as well ;)
Almost at the end of my Bondathon, most of the films were very positive rewatches. Less than a handful did not quite hold up as much as they used to.
P.S. I needed to edit the original post because I forgot another film that always tears me up with its ending, not Bond-related but only fair to mention that one too.
Yeah, that's true. Thought the same thing yesterday. This film's ending, pfff, it's so well done. Hits hard every single time.
This one perfectly illustrates why it's a shame Tim Dalton only did two Bond films. With one glance the man can convey more emotions than many other actors can with a hundred words. Playing 007 with intensity and determination, this is one of the best Bond performances in a well-written film that succesfully balances spectacular action, a slice of humour and an emotionally engaging story, yet staying away from being all pretentious about it. Additionally "Licence" boasts a phenomenal Bond girl in Pam, Desmond's finest hour as Q, and a wide range of excellent villains with Sanchez and Dario standing out as some of the very best in the series.
Rating before rewatch: 10+/10
Rating after rewatch: 10+/10
Even with a new Bond on the horizon ( well, sometime in the future!!) I've no doubt Tim will continue to be my favourite 007!
I agree. That's one of the best acted moments of any Bond film, and one of the scenes I had in mind while writing the above. What an actor.
Will always be my favourite Bond too.
Exhibit A why Timothy Dalton was the best Bond ever. Not only portraying James as a man of flesh, bones and real emotions, but also doing it subtlely, without losing that touch of class that makes 007 so distinctively different from all other action (anti-)heroes. In this one, he finds himself in a perfect mix of Fleming-esque Cold War espionage -during a mysterious first half in Central Europe-, and the epic escapism of the cinematic Bond -in spectacular David Lean-esque Arabic locations. Excellent co-stars, an intruiging plot, magnificent stunts and superb music (including three marvellous original songs) all contribute to a stellar Bond adventure that is, quite rightly, a fan favourite for many "Bondies".
Rating before rewatch:10+/10
Rating after rewatch: 10+/10
-
I've come to the end of my Bondathon. At least as far as the obvious ones (EON's + NSNA) are concerned. Never quite sure if I should count in CR54 or CR67, I'll probably watch them too before I crack on with those OSS 177 films with Jean Dujardin, I'd say a b&w faux-CR and a spoofy one are a good segue into those. But first I'm going on a holiday :)
Only two movies, but what marvellous films they were, and hold up so well! Enjoy your holiday @GoldenGun
Thanks, mate! :)
I do understand the criticisms that it gets, it just happens that they don't bother me at all. I very much enjoy the second part too, and I also really like the villains (especially Koskov and Necros).
Three years and change since my last viewing - of this, or of any Bond film, as it would so happen - has brought to light a certain sympathy with those who love the first hour of this and hate everything that follows. However, it has also reinforced my love of No Time to Die, has made me louder in proclaiming it my favourite Bond film, and it has even shifted a couple places higher on my all-time list as an absolute favourite film.
I sympathize with the naysayers who love the first hour, as - pre-title sequence aside - it does represent arguably the most traditional Bond adventure of Craig's tenure. If people expected that for the rest of the film, I get why they were disappointed. I just don't believe the film was ever trying to mislead people. It was giving Bond one last fantastic romp before the circumstances of his life and his enemies forced him down a path towards his final bow.
A few of Sandgren's visual choices feel a bit odd after so much time away - the boat interrogation is so damned red - but this remains with You Only Live Twice and Skyfall in top-tier posture visually. Zimmer's score is still one of the pinnacle OSTs of the series, and so much of this movie gives me chills and keeps me glued to the screen as one of the great tragic dramas. I understand that makes it a wildly controversial Bond film and some don't want any of what was put on the table...but for me, this is the pinnacle of James Bond as a character.
10/10
I don't think I knew this about you! My first one as well, on VHS. I had played GE64 and then the PS1 version of the TWINE game (which, in hindsight, is the inferior version), with its intercut moments from the film in that intro cinematic...and I begged my dad to get me the film.
Technically I think the first one was on a skiing trip when we catched the final half of a French-dubbed TSWLM. But it was the TWINE vhs which was the first one I knowingly sat down for, so that's the one I'm counting. After that I watched the entire boxset (the black-orange one), more or less in chronological order. Great times ;)
An obscurity that has only survived the test of time because Sir Sean, Cubby Broccoli, Harry Saltzman, John Barry, Maurice Binder and Ken Adam did a magic trick eight years later and launched the coolest media franchise in the world. Barry Nelson is fine as Jimmy, but an Americanised Bond just feels off for me, Michael Pate does an admirable job as Leiter, but the same goes for him though the other way around. The best aspect here is Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre, who transcends the obvious limitations of this live tv show episode. The rather stale direction and the stuttering pace keep this on the rather dull side. I only revisit it for historical purposes.
Rating before rewatch: 4/10
Rating after rewatch: 3/10
You have to look at the context it was made for! Its a curio, a million miles from the Bond we came to know and love. But I do enjoy it, it's quite faithful to the novel, and Lorre was a great choice for Le Chiffre. But, yes, Nelson is more suited to Leiter than Bond!
I agree with all of that, but unfortunately I just don't really enjoy it that much. A lot of that is just limitations that they had to work with, so that's fair. At the end of the day, I find it a bit on the dull side really.
Lorre is indeed great though, and I thought Pate was pretty good too.
Fair enough. It's short runtime does help, probably wouldn't enjoy it as much if it were longer!
Forgot to write up my viewing the other day. Ironically I've just watched Mendes 'Road to Perdition', which I've noted it has a similar foster brother angle!! Anyway, to Craigs penultimate Bond, still really enjoy loads of it, cracker of a pts, Rome section, Monica, Lea, I'm one of the few who enjoys the action ( at least it has action!!, hello SF!) Craig is still great, prefer Newmans score here, a fight sequence that rivals FRWL one, and a nice final shot of Bond driving away with Madeleine! Yeh, final section, the return to London, was a bad idea, but its not a disaster ( do like the final part on the bridge!) But I do get a lot of enjoyment from this film, far more than most!
Me too. It's my most revisited Craig film. The locations are superb, the Bond girls too. I also think it's a very atmospheric film. Plus, it's the only one where Craig is neither a rookie nor a dinosaur, but in his prime. I really like it.
Yeh, good point, think that's one of the reasons I dislike SF, Bond and M seem washed up!!
Insanity rules supreme in the mother of all Bond parodies, and it's all the better for it. It has an elegant Burt Bacharach score, gorgeous sets and costumes, the great David Niven playing a chaste James Bond excellently, and Barbara Bouchet featuring as probably my very favourite Moneypenny ever. Five credited directors, a truckload of writers and no plot, this is of course a load of incoherent nonsense. But who cares when you've got Joanna Pettet, as the daughter of 007 and Mata Hari (!), having a fabulous time in a Berlin spy school that has sets paying homage to Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari. I'm here for an opulent explosion of 1960's craziness, and that's precisely what I get.
Rating before rewatch: 6/10
Rating after rewatch: 8/10
A groovy Bacharach score, "could have been real Bond girls" in Joanna Pettet and Jacqueline "Miss Goodthighs" Bisset (*), numerous colorful set pieces, and a killer song in "The Look of Love" by the legendary Dusty Springfield. While some of the jokes fall flat, enough works so that the film is still quite enjoyable.
* Do you want an argument?! 8->