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Which Bond Film Is Most Emblematic of Each Decade?
Hello everyone! I thought of a new discussion idea while at work today, that being the question posed in the thread title. We all know how lots of movies feel very of their time, and I’d like to see what everyone thinks about the Bond franchise in this way. I’ll go ahead and start with my own list:
1960s: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Yes, the very last one of the 60s, Lazenby’s sole outing, is undoubtedly my pick here. The trippy stuff with Blofeld’s “treatment” for the girls, general aesthetics and vibes all make OHMSS feel super 60s to me. DN I’d say is my runner-up, but OHMSS has to take it. It’s a colorful and dreamy 60s fever dream!
1970s: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Honestly, DAF, LALD, and MR all would be great picks as well for the 70s, especially LALD. Ultimately I’m going with TSWLM, though, primarily for the musical score. Besides TMTWGG, all the films of this era scream 1970s, but I still think of TSWLM first.
1980s: Licence to Kill (1989)
Another tough choice, but I’m giving it to LTK. It has that classic 80s action movie flare from start to finish, and the songs (particularly thinking of the lyrical ones) absolutely fit the bill. FYEO and AVTAK feel particularly close in this category, but I still think LTK is the most 80s-tastic Bond film.
1990s: GoldenEye (1995)
The biggest reason why GE wins here for me is all the old-school computer technology involved. Both GE and TND have that classic, over the top style of 1990s action movies, but GE tastes a little more like the decade overall to me still.
2000s: Quantum of Solace (2008)
QOS is a perfect example of a dark, grounded, late 2000s movie, and fits in nicely with Iron Man and The Dark Knight in that 2008 selection. CR isn’t far off, but QOS still takes it here for me as the most emblematic Bond film of this era.
2010s: Skyfall (2012)
Both SF and SP feel very much like 2010s movies, but I’m going with SF between the two. It’s a bit difficult to explain, but it reminds me of those days more than SP in some intangible ways I suppose.
2020s: No Time to Die (2021)
Well, this one’s a default choice, of course. If we get one more before the end of the decade, though, it’ll be interesting to do a comparison in this way! As it stands, NTTD feels 2020s enough, anyway.
What do you all think, though? I’m very curious to see other opinions with reasons!
1960s: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Yes, the very last one of the 60s, Lazenby’s sole outing, is undoubtedly my pick here. The trippy stuff with Blofeld’s “treatment” for the girls, general aesthetics and vibes all make OHMSS feel super 60s to me. DN I’d say is my runner-up, but OHMSS has to take it. It’s a colorful and dreamy 60s fever dream!
1970s: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Honestly, DAF, LALD, and MR all would be great picks as well for the 70s, especially LALD. Ultimately I’m going with TSWLM, though, primarily for the musical score. Besides TMTWGG, all the films of this era scream 1970s, but I still think of TSWLM first.
1980s: Licence to Kill (1989)
Another tough choice, but I’m giving it to LTK. It has that classic 80s action movie flare from start to finish, and the songs (particularly thinking of the lyrical ones) absolutely fit the bill. FYEO and AVTAK feel particularly close in this category, but I still think LTK is the most 80s-tastic Bond film.
1990s: GoldenEye (1995)
The biggest reason why GE wins here for me is all the old-school computer technology involved. Both GE and TND have that classic, over the top style of 1990s action movies, but GE tastes a little more like the decade overall to me still.
2000s: Quantum of Solace (2008)
QOS is a perfect example of a dark, grounded, late 2000s movie, and fits in nicely with Iron Man and The Dark Knight in that 2008 selection. CR isn’t far off, but QOS still takes it here for me as the most emblematic Bond film of this era.
2010s: Skyfall (2012)
Both SF and SP feel very much like 2010s movies, but I’m going with SF between the two. It’s a bit difficult to explain, but it reminds me of those days more than SP in some intangible ways I suppose.
2020s: No Time to Die (2021)
Well, this one’s a default choice, of course. If we get one more before the end of the decade, though, it’ll be interesting to do a comparison in this way! As it stands, NTTD feels 2020s enough, anyway.
What do you all think, though? I’m very curious to see other opinions with reasons!
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Comments
70s: LALD. Flares, afros and funk.
80s: Title sequence, cop car hijinx, Corvettes, May Day's everything, airships were popular.
90s: TND. Mostly the fashion - Paris Carver's hair and Wai Lin in the first black suit; Stamper's shiny suit which was a couple years ahead of the mainstream, perhaps.
00s: DAD. Definitely of its time, whereas the two Craig films could almost pass for 2010s films (if it wasn't for the outdated phone tech).
10s: SP. Back when they were fiddling around with the hue and saturation too much. Seems there was a lot of that around the second half of the decade.
20s: NTTD. Unsure how 2020s films look and feel different to the 2010s, tbh.
(surely, if counted, this one is a strong contender with its psychedelic imagery, crazy sets, gorgeous outfits and other insane 60's stuff I'm forgetting to mention here)
1970's: LALD
(blaxploitation, Eurohorror and Hammer influences, George Martin and Paul McCartney working on the music, and ofc the fashion)
1980's: AVTAK
(the fashion again, the music with electric guitars and Duran Duran, Zorin as a psycho yuppie, Grace Jones and the use of neon in the title sequence)
1990's: TWINE
(if only for mentioning the "millennium bug", although the old computers do their bit too)
2000's: DAD
(it's practically a 007 film disguised as a PS2 Bond game)
2010's: SF
(I guess I feel this way more because the vibe surrounding it's release with the Olympics being held in London the same year)
1970's LALD (Lots of sideburns in this movie)
1980's NSNA (Videogame)
1990's GE (Russian mafia as villains)
2000's DAD (Post-Matrix Bond)
2010's SF (The Brexit Bond movie)