Best Bond film, full stop / period.

edited April 2016 in Bond Movies Posts: 1,478
As an original Bond fan, I consider Casino Royale the best Bond film period. I have watched this film more than any other. And each time I find more to like. It is not perfect. A couple of sequences I don't care for. But it so grown up, so mature in its treatment of Bond and Vesper. The meeting on the train is hands down the single best meeting between Bond and a heroine in the entire series. Eva Green is incredibly engaging as Vesper. Lots of great camera work and a great and evocative soundtrack, in addition to superb title song. In its entirety, no other Bond film does it better.
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Comments

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    CR is in Joint first place with OHMSS for me but in my heart of hearts I'd have to
    pick OHMSS. I think it's just perfect =D>
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    CR is in Joint first place with OHMSS for me but in my heart of hearts I'd have to
    pick OHMSS. I think it's just perfect =D>

    This.

    Except I can't say OHMSS is quite perfect.

    I could easily lose the stock car sequence and there would a few little minor tweaks here and there.

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited April 2016 Posts: 17,687
    CrabKey wrote:
    As an original Bond fan, I consider Casino Royale the best Bond film period.
    With all due respect, ENNNNNH! Wrong guess Hans.

    No Bond is 'perfect'. But best? It's really just a objective math problem.
    I'll save you the boring computations and skip to the movie: Dr. No.
    No, it's not my favourite, but that's not what we're doing here. It is objectively the best because in short, while it isn't the best in every single conceivable category, no other film has all the elements this one has.
    I has spoken. ;)
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Best Bond period? For me it's the period from DN to TB. That is Bond at his best, unquestionably. We wouldn't be here talking about Bond 50+ yrs later if not for those 4 killer films, imho.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    bondjames wrote: »
    Best Bond period? For me it's the period from DN to TB. That is Bond at his best, unquestionably. We wouldn't be here talking about Bond 50+ yrs later if not for those 4 killer films, imho.
    Silly silly British man.
    :P
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Why don't we just look at the Top choice
    Because it's not about choice IMO, it's not about personal preference; it's about the BEST movie.
    Here: What ONE SINGLE Bond movie could you show someone who'd never seen a Bond movie before & had no idea who he was, and expect to possibly get a positive reaction?
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 7,969
    Dr No, hands down. If you consider all the Bond elements individually, then this one is the greatest on balance. The only area you could say it really lacks is the score, but its pretty minimalistic so unless you're a handcore audiophile it shouldn't bother you too much.
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    Best film for the masses: Goldfinger
    Best Bond film: From Russia with Love
    MI6Community favourite: Casino Royale / From Russia with Love
  • If we were just talking about "Best Bond Film" or "Personal Fave" or "Best Bond Film to Introduce Your Dog to the Franchise," then this might be open to debate, but as we're talking about "Best Bond Film Period," Thunderpussy and TheWizardOfIce nailed it out the gate.

    The answer is indubitably OHMSS. ;)
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    CR might be the best film, but it sits side-by-side with DAD and QoS, so I don't think that period is particularly great.

    The early-mid 60's sounds like the best era. If we're stretching "period" to "decade", then the 60's.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Silly silly British people, period, as in THAT'S ALL, FOLKS! ;)
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited April 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Ok. Now I finally understand.

    then it's FRWL. Period. Full stop. Imho.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 7,969
    bondjames wrote: »
    Ok. Now I finally understand.

    then it's FRWL. Period. Full stop. Imho.

    FRWL is third for me, behind DN and OHMSS. I like this thread.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited April 2016 Posts: 17,687
    bondjames wrote: »
    Ok. Now I finally understand.

    then it's FRWL. Period. Full stop. Imho.

    There's a case to be made for GF, FRWL, OHMSS and even CR... but any 'choice' other than DN is plainly in error. Keep in mind that DN is just in my top 5; I'm not advocating for my favourite. This is a clinical & cold mathematical assessment. My esteemed colleague @Mendes4Lyfe seems to get this.
  • Posts: 1,631
    If the question is which film to show somebody who has never seen a Bond film, taking personal preference out of the equation, then it's a pretty simple answer in my book: From Russia With Love.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited April 2016 Posts: 23,883
    chrisisall wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Ok. Now I finally understand.

    then it's FRWL. Period. Full stop. Imho.

    There's a case to be made for GF, FRWL, OHMSS and even CR... but any 'choice' other than DN is plainly in error. Keep in mind that DN is just in my top 5; I'm not advocating for my favourite. This is a clinical & cold mathematical assessment. My esteemed colleague @Mendes4Lyfe seems to get this.
    DN is a great film, but I perhaps am still not understanding what the OP's intention is here. If it is to ask about the best film, then that's just a matter of opinion, and mine is FRWL.

    If it's to ask what's the film to show someone who hasn't seen a Bond film to get them hooked on the franchise, as @dalton suggests, then I'd go with either FRWL (for lovers of low key classic style films, because it's quite romantic in addition to having the other features that DN has), TSWLM (for lovers of larger than life films) or CR (for lovers of more modern fare). Any of these will hook a newbie imho.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    dalton wrote: »
    If the question is which film to show somebody who has never seen a Bond film, taking personal preference out of the equation, then it's a pretty simple answer in my book: From Russia With Love.
    ENNNHH, wrong guess Hans. That movie depends upon seeing the prior film. Plus there's the ultra fake mask in the PTS & the dopey Popeye hat in the unnecessary explosion scene near the end....
    :))
  • Posts: 1,631
    bondjames wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Ok. Now I finally understand.

    then it's FRWL. Period. Full stop. Imho.

    There's a case to be made for GF, FRWL, OHMSS and even CR... but any 'choice' other than DN is plainly in error. Keep in mind that DN is just in my top 5; I'm not advocating for my favourite. This is a clinical & cold mathematical assessment. My esteemed colleague @Mendes4Lyfe seems to get this.
    DN is a great film, but I perhaps am still not understanding what the OP's intention is here. If it is to ask about the best film, then that's just a matter of opinion, and mine is FRWL.

    If it's to ask what's the film to show someone who hasn't seen a Bond film to get them hooked on the franchise, as @dalton suggests, then I'd go with either FRWL (for lovers of low key classic style films, because it's quite romantic in addition to having the other features that DN has), TSWLM (for lovers of larger than life films) or CR (for lovers of more modern fare). Either will do it.

    If it is asking best film as in your favorite film, then mine is Licence to Kill. But, as much as I adore that film, I can look at From Russia With Love and say that, strictly from an objective point of view, that it's a superior film.

    As for what film to show someone to get them hooked on Bond, I'd lead with From Russia With Love, with The Living Daylights, Casino Royale, and The Spy Who Loved Me next up on deck.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    And there's the obvious glass separating Connery from the spider in DN.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687



    dalton wrote: »

    If it is asking best film as in your favorite film, then mine is Licence to Kill. But, as much as I adore that film, I can look at From Russia With Love and say that, strictly from an objective point of view, that it's a superior film.
    Mine is The Living Daylights, but a superiour Bond is not what we are discussing, the objective best film IS. DN IS that. FRWL is undeniably excellent, but DN was the cat's a*s. Or whiskers, or whatever...
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I don't see anything wrong with either DN or FRWL. Both excellent, tight spy thrillers. DN is a little more 'typical' in my view, and actually that may be a good thing if introducing someone to Bond because there is more to come like that in the series, just larger in scope.

    FRWL is more atypical for a Bond film, from the initial premise to to the finale and pre-finale on the train.

    Either will do for me.
  • Posts: 1,631
    chrisisall wrote: »


    dalton wrote: »

    If it is asking best film as in your favorite film, then mine is Licence to Kill. But, as much as I adore that film, I can look at From Russia With Love and say that, strictly from an objective point of view, that it's a superior film.
    Mine is The Living Daylights, but a superiour Bond is not what we are discussing, the objective best film IS.

    I believe that's what I said in my response. If it was strictly favorite, mine would be LTK. If I'm being asked what is objectively the best Bond film, then that's From Russia With Love.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    dalton wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »


    dalton wrote: »

    If it is asking best film as in your favorite film, then mine is Licence to Kill. But, as much as I adore that film, I can look at From Russia With Love and say that, strictly from an objective point of view, that it's a superior film.
    Mine is The Living Daylights, but a superiour Bond is not what we are discussing, the objective best film IS.

    I believe that's what I said in my response. If it was strictly favorite, mine would be LTK. If I'm being asked what is objectively the best Bond film, then that's From Russia With Love.
    Look, you & I know that Dalton is the best Bond, that's not in question- but FRWL is less 'best' than DN because of the main villain. Sure it has possibly the best Henchman ever, but NO ONE outdoes Dr. No, not even Elliot Carver!
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Objectively it must be the 60's DN to OHMSS.

    Personally I'd say 77-87 which is so clearly the best decade in Bond.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 6,759
    Either FRWL or TLD.

    Tight Cold War spy films with believable love interests and fairly realistic schemes.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,686
    For me the best Bond film would be the one that mixes both ends of the series - the OTT fair and the serious cold-war thriller.

    So, simple answer: Octopussy.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    chrisisall wrote: »
    ENNNHH! Wrong guess Hans.
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Silly silly British people

    Is there any chance you could hire P&W to write you some new one liners as it gets rather tiresome when you repeat them in every other post?

  • Posts: 4,325
    Best Bond film period = Dr. No (1962)-On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

    Casino Royale (2006)-Skyfall (2012) close second
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    GF was the culmination of that greatest initial run of films.
  • Posts: 15,785
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Still GOLDFINGER, then, for me.
    GOLDFINGER for me as well. Except for the wires on the plane....oh wait the Blu ray CGI removed the wires so GOLDFINGER it is.

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