Controversial opinions about Bond films

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  • echo wrote:
    The feminista response to the new M and Harris as Moneypenny was entirely predictable. Females must always be in charge, and once they acquire power, that power must remain in female hands forever. How boring.

    Umm, yeah...that's why Dench's M survived Skyfall.

    I see my remark sailed cleanly over your head.

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    My controversial opinion is that Connery looked his best as Bond in TB & YOLT. He looked too young & skinny in his first three.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    chrisisall wrote:
    My controversial opinion is that Connery looked his best as Bond in TB & YOLT. He looked too young & skinny in his first three.

    That is somewhat controversial. Personally I prefer the bloke who perfectly embodies Fleming's Bond in DN and FRWL than the guy with the dodgy syrup but each to his own.
  • Posts: 6,396
    chrisisall wrote:
    My controversial opinion is that Connery looked his best as Bond in TB & YOLT. He looked too young & skinny in his first three.

    I always thought he was at his peak in GF & TB.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    Personally I prefer the bloke who perfectly embodies Fleming's Bond
    Oh, Dalton you mean...
    :D
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    chrisisall wrote:
    Personally I prefer the bloke who perfectly embodies Fleming's Bond
    Oh, Dalton you mean...
    :D

    Sean in DN and FRWL is as Flemingesque as Dalton.

    For me the only really faithful to Fleming performances by the lead actor are:

    DN
    FRWL
    OHMSS
    TLD
    LTK
    CR
    QOS
    SF

    Although most of the films have their moments Sean from GF onwards started to veer into the movie Bond territory which Rog perfected and Brozza copied.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,490
    @TheWizardOfIce, you needn't lie. We all know that you secretly love DAD and find it to be your favorite of all the Bond films.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    Sean in DN and FRWL is as Flemingesque as Dalton.
    For me the only really faithful to Fleming performances by the lead actor are:
    DN
    FRWL
    OHMSS
    TLD
    LTK
    CR
    QOS
    SF
    Although most of the films have their moments Sean from GF onwards started to veer into the movie Bond territory which Rog perfected and Brozza copied.
    A very good post that I actually agree with nearly 100% (Brosnan was better than Moore IMHO) .
  • Posts: 2,400
    I feel like TWINE was overall Flemingesque but there were enough moments that were film-Bond and not novels-Bond that I can agree with its' exclusion.
  • Posts: 908
    So you were talking just about the plot/story/written dialog, etc.. I thought you were talking about the way an actor portrayed a role. Yes, big difference.

    Glad we could reason it out. Excuse the snappy nature of my response, but I had the distinct feeling,that I was being attacked just for the sake of it.
    Have a nice day!
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Bar the PTS, the action in SF was pretty weak and now that I think about it, wholly had the weakest action in any movie released the same year. Even the lesser film, Bourne Legacy had better and more satisfying action than SF.
  • Personally, I consider action to be the least important element of Bond films, but having said that, I thought SF's action sequences were quite good, particularly the pitched battle at Skyfall.
  • Posts: 6,396
    Personally, I consider action to be the least important element of Bond films, but having said that, I thought SF's action sequences were quite good, particularly the pitched battle at Skyfall.

    I second that. I couldn't give a stuff about action sequences so long as the story and characters draw me in.
  • edited October 2013 Posts: 1,497
    Personally, I consider action to be the least important element of Bond films, but having said that, I thought SF's action sequences were quite good, particularly the pitched battle at Skyfall.

    I would generally agree that the action sequences were staged quite well. They were certainly an improvement over QOS (though I do get the style of the kinetic, shaky cam, quick cut method that Bourne made famous). My only complaint about SF, is that nothing new was really brought to the table in the action department. We've already seen a train fight and a motorcycle chase, and the SF raid feels familiar. Bond films have traditionally pushed the limits: ski sequences in OHMSS, sky dive in MR, bungee jump in GE. I would have like to see some more original ideas. But overall, the action scenes made sense, were entertaining, and you could follow what was going on.

    But I would also agree that action scenes should not take precedent in a Bond film - another fault of QOS. The best "action" scenes are the ones in close quarters; particularly the hand to hand fights: Red Grant vs. Bond, Peter Franks vs. Bond, Obanno vs. Bond. I forget, are those considered "action scenes"?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,813
    chrisisall wrote:
    My controversial opinion is that Connery looked his best as Bond in TB & YOLT. He looked too young & skinny in his first three.

    That is somewhat controversial. Personally I prefer the bloke who perfectly embodies Fleming's Bond in DN and FRWL than the guy with the dodgy syrup but each to his own.

    The Lord Dragonpol is very much in agreement with the Wizard. I also like your Flemingesque Bond film list, but why no Roger Moore entries? Does not TMWTGG or FYEO qualify?
  • JBFan626 wrote:
    I would generally agree that the action sequences were staged quite well. They were certainly an improvement over QOS (though I do get the style of the kinetic, shaky cam, quick cut method that Bourne made famous). My only complaint about SF, is that nothing new was really brought to the table in the action department. We've already seen a train fight and a motorcycle chase, and the SF raid feels familiar. Bond films have traditionally pushed the limits: ski sequences in OHMSS, sky dive in MR, bungee jump in GE. I would have like to see some more original ideas.
    The problem with that - it's getting harder and harder to be that original these days.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    I for one am not too fussed about elaborate action sequences; what I really want to see is, hard hitting, bone crunching fist fights.
  • Posts: 1,052
    Surely cracking action sequences are a massive part of Bond and always have been, I don't think the series would still be going if it was just a moping character study that happens to be set in glamourous locations?
  • I think the action has been there to attract a broader audience, but for most serious Bond fans the action is secondary if not tertiary.
  • Posts: 1,497
    Sure, action is never obligatory to a good Bond film, just look at FRWL as a good example. On the other hand, a well crafted, pushing-the-limits action sequence can really elevate a Bond film, as the last 30 minutes of OHMSS proves. OHMSS would still be great without those scenes, but the skiing/car-on-ice/Piz Gloria raid/bobsled escape extravanza really pushes the film to exceptionalism. The physicality and agility of Bond is an extension of his deft spy abilities.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    edited October 2013 Posts: 11,139
    Speaking of OHMSS, I actually think 2 things:

    1) from the moment Lazenby in his black (or midnight blue, who can tell?) dinner suit walks down the steps in the hotel to the card tables to the moment he wakes up and finds out that Tracy had checked out of the hotel; all of that is more "Bondian" than anything Connery did in YOLT, DAF and NSNA and I say this as a die hard Connery fanboy.

    2) Lazenby's fight scene with Draco's underling in Tracy's hotel room (purely as a fight scene) is not only better than the Bond/Grant train fight but is the best fight scene in the ENTIRE series. Witt or whoever comes on board as second unit director for subsequent Bond movies, take note!
  • I actually think you can make a very strong case for both of those points. And as an aside to #2, the fight in YOLT between Bond and the Japanese SPECTRE goon in the Osato building is also excellent and terribly overlooked. It is fast and brutal.
  • JakeDelToroJakeDelToro Universal Exports
    Posts: 28
    Moonraker is Roger Moore's best Bond film as it perfectly encapsulates his tenure as Bond. It has moments of utter seriousness, high-camp, absurdity and most of all, humour. It's his best film by a country mile because of this.

    *ducks*
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,813
    Moonraker is Roger Moore's best Bond film as it perfectly encapsulates his tenure as Bond. It has moments of utter seriousness, high-camp, absurdity and most of all, humour. It's his best film by a country mile because of this.

    *ducks*

    Well it's what I call The Universal Bond TM - The Bond of the Popular Consciousness of moviegoers of a certain age. It's wjhat people think about when you mention the name "James Bond", so on that grounds alone I agree with your sentiment, with the addition of YOLT and TSWLM as well.
  • Posts: 1,497
    Moonraker is Roger Moore's best Bond film as it perfectly encapsulates his tenure as Bond. It has moments of utter seriousness, high-camp, absurdity and most of all, humour. It's his best film by a country mile because of this.

    *ducks*

    You could make the case that MR certainly plays the most to Roger Moore's strengths. For that, it could be considered the best, most realized Roger Moore Bond film
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    doubleoego wrote:
    2) Lazenby's fight scene with Draco's underling in Tracy's hotel room (purely as a fight scene) is not only better than the Bond/Grant train fight but is the best fight scene in the ENTIRE series. Witt or whoever comes on board as second unit director for subsequent Bond movies, take note!
    That certainly is a unique opinion. I'm not crazy about the editing in this scene so I'd have to disagree. Also, I'd say that the tension that builds between Bond and Grant before the fight is what makes it truly special. The ensuing battle is pretty damn great on it's own though.

    Moonraker is Roger Moore's best Bond film as it perfectly encapsulates his tenure as Bond. It has moments of utter seriousness, high-camp, absurdity and most of all, humour. It's his best film by a country mile because of this.

    *ducks*
    I see where you're going with this but, personally, I think that TSWLM better encapsulates everything about the Moore era and is his best film. The only thing missing is a Barry score.
  • Posts: 9,773
    The Hildebrand Rarity should be the title of Bond 24
    I was a fan for Adrian Paul for Bond number 6 (until Craig came in)
    My choice of directors for Bond would give most people nightmares
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,490
    @Risico007, who are some of these directors?
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,561
    Risico007 wrote:
    The Hildebrand Rarity should be the title of Bond 24
    I was a fan for Adrian Paul for Bond number 6 (until Craig came in)
    My choice of directors for Bond would give most people nightmares

    I have seen his Highlander stuff and I don't want this man anywhere near Bond, @Risico007! :-)

  • Posts: 6,396
    Adrian Paul? As Bond? Really?? I don't know what else to say to that!
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