Dr. No versus the field: Skyfall

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Comments

  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,417
    The general theme has seen GF win out over DN, despite many, if not all, favouring the latter.


    Title Track: GF
    Title Credits: GF
    Main Villain: DN (close, but it has to be the depraved Dr.)
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: GF
    Overall Plot: GF (irradiating Fort Knox, how ingenious!)
    Dialogue: GF (the back and forth between Bond and Goldfinger is simple to good)
    Score: GF
    Settings: DN
    Action: GF
    Humour: DN (“Make sure he doesn’t get away” will always win this one)
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: GF
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: GF (Bond in his Ivory Dinner Jacket, smoking, looking at his watch, just oozes style and glamour)
    Bond Performance: DN

    17
    DN: 8
    GF: 9

    Two titans fought hard but it’s GF’s day. GF is my #5 and DN is my #4. Along with the rest of my top five (FRWL, OHMSS, CR) make up the peak of the Bondian tree, a cut above the rest.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    GF is slightly above for me, too.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    "...I love 'em both."
  • Any final entries?
  • Apparently there aren't any, and we go the final scorecards. Goldfinger triumphs by a margin of 200-120-3. Despite this relatively close score, the total number of games went to GF by a lopsided margin of 18-1. Many of the scores were close, and many participants expressed their surprise that GF had won, since they preferred Dr. No. But perhaps the most iconic Bond movie was just too much for the still-developing DN in a game like this.

    We'll see now if DN has any more success against the slightly more controversial Thunderball! First, my scores...

    Title Track: TB (now attempting to use the unholy amalgam of the Bond theme and Three Blind Mice, and TB edges it out)
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN (both beautiful but shallow, so Honey's iconic entrance carries it)
    Henchman: TB (counting Fiona here, against Professor Dent)
    Overall Plot: TB (always fond of this one, simple but threatening)
    Dialogue: DN (the witticisms had started to become a bit rote by TB)
    Score: TB
    Settings: DN (Caribbean vs. Caribbean, and I can't help but think DN gets more mileage out of Jamaica)
    Action: TB
    Humour: DN (see Dialogue)
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN (Vargas and the hot and cold are just silly, especially compared to Dr. No's lair)
    Suspense: DN (Bond is in believable danger more often, and there's no underwater nonsense)
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN (more intense)

    Dr. No edges it by a margin of 9-8! I prefer by quite a bit over Thunderball, but once again the more established Bond is able to score some easy points. I should also note that TB's flaws are really concentrated in a few areas, but the make it a fairly bloated experience. But anyway, enough from me, let's see your scores!
  • Posts: 3,336
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    Dr No wins 9-8
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,105
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: Tie
    Henchman: TB (counting Fiona here, against Professor Dent)
    Overall Plot: TB (always fond of this one, simple but threatening)
    Dialogue: Tie
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN (Bond is in believable danger more often, and there's no underwater nonsense)
    Minor Characters: TB
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: TB

    12- TB/ 3- DN/ 2-Ties
  • Posts: 460
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: Tie
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB (This one gets it based on the exchange Bond has with the stranger on the dance floor immediately after Volpe's death alone. "Mind if my friend sits this one out? She's just dead!" Classic.)
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN: 9
    TB: 7
    Tie: 1
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 6,737
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: TB
    Main Bond Girl: TB
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: TB

    Clear 14-3 victory for TB.
  • Posts: 1,031
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: TB
    Main Bond Girl: TB
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN: 5
    TB: 12

    A huge surprise as with the GF result, I rank DN far higher than TB.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,195
    Oh I forgot to participate earlier. Sorry for that.

    DN vs.FRWL

    Title Track: DN
    Title Credits: FRWL
    Main Villain: FRWL
    Main Bond Girl: FRWL
    Henchman: FRWL
    Overall Plot: FRWL
    Dialogue: FRWL
    Score: FRWL
    Settings: DN
    Action: FRWL
    Humour: FRWL
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: FRWL
    Suspense: FRWL
    Minor Characters: FRWL
    Glamour: FRWL
    Bond Performance: FRWL

    DN: 3
    FRWL: 14

    DN vs.GF

    Title Track: GF
    Title Credits: DN
    Main Villain: GF
    Main Bond Girl: GF
    Henchman: GF
    Overall Plot: GF
    Dialogue: GF
    Score: GF
    Settings: DN
    Action: GF
    Humour: GF
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: GF
    Suspense: GF
    Minor Characters: GF
    Glamour: DN
    Bond Performance: GF

    DN: 4
    GF: 13


    DN vs.TB

    Title Track: DN
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: TB
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: TB
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN: 8
    TB: 9
  • edited July 2017 Posts: 19,339
    DN vs.TB

    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: TB
    Main Bond Girl: TB
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: TB
    Suspense: TB
    Minor Characters: TB
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: TB

    DN: 0
    TB: 17


    Wow...everyone on here knows I love TB but that score even surprised me !!!
  • BondAficionadoBondAficionado Former IMDBer
    Posts: 1,884
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: TB
    Main Bond Girl: TB
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: TB
    Minor Characters: TB
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: TB

    TB: 16
    DN: 1

    Not surprised at all.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: TB
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    TB wins 12-5. I still love them both.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Title Track: TB - You have to love that opening riff.

    Title Credits: TB - Binder at the top of his game.

    Main Villain: DN - The definitive Bond villain v a generic Eurobaddie with an eye patch? Comfortable win for Julius.

    Main Bond Girl: DN - The definitive Bond girl v a generic Eurobabe with no discernible personality to speak of? Comfortable win for Honeychile.

    Henchman: TB - Fiona smashes it out of the park despite the slimy Professor Dent being a decent secondary villain.

    Overall Plot: DN - I'll take true Fleming over a Mclory inspired committee plot that manages to be woefully less than the sum of its parts.

    Dialogue: DN - Close but the overall script just seems tighter and more solid in DN. loads of great scenes (M's office, the photographer at Pussfellers, Dent and No, dinner with No). TB just feels slightly flat (Fiona scenes excepted) as the bloat starts to set in. DN is Citizen Kane Orson Welles, TB is CR67 Orson Welles.

    Score: TB - Bond theme aside Monty is never going to compete with Barry at his bombastic best.

    Settings: DN - Gives a much better sense of place. TB just feels longer like a succession of beach clubs.

    Action: TB - Despite the criticism it gets the underwater stuff is technically phenomenal. Also probably the most underrated stunt of the series in Bond climbing up the hydrofoil's err foil.

    Humour: TB - For the Shrublands scenes alone.

    Cinematography: TB - First Bond in panavision. Must have been damn spectacular back in the day.

    Benign Bizarre: DN - Wins just for the tarantula room alone but Dr No himself is also exceptionally creepy.

    Suspense: DN - Wins by default as TB doesn't have any.

    Minor Characters: DN - Quarrel, Pussfeller and Leiter are way better than Pinder, Paula and Leiter.

    Glamour: TB - Seems like an advert for the jet set life style at times.

    Bond Performance: DN - Keeps on getting better with age. It's debatable if Sean ever topped this. Only his FRWL comes close. By TB the disenchantment was clearly setting in.

    DN only scrapes it 9-8 but wins the ones that matter and is by far the superior film.
  • Posts: 2,483
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: TB
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: TB
    Minor Characters: TB
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN: 5
    TB: 12
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: TB
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: DN
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN: 9
    TB:8
  • Posts: 4,023
    Title Track: DN
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: DN
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN: 10
    TB:7
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    edited July 2017 Posts: 2,721
    Title Track: TB
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: DN
    Action: TB
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB (I really dislike all the greyness of the PTS and Shrublands sequence but it pops when it gets to the beach!)
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN = 9
    TB = 8


    I enjoy DN more than TB. But the individual elements of TB are great. I always give TB a pass being at the height of Bondmania. It has so many great parts but DN is my preferred option - although I'd say TB could have won Dialogue here and maybe even Bond girl but then DN could have won glamour, title track and humour. They're all quite close in categories. And both directed by my favourite Terence Young.
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia
    Posts: 3,330
    Title Track: TB (A classic Tom Jones belter)
    Title Credits: TB (When you think of Bond title sequence, this has to be one of the first that come to mind. Binder's best work)
    Main Villain: TB (Largo is menacing and pure evil. I'll take him over the underutilized DN)
    Main Bond Girl: TB (Domino is one of my favorite Connery Bond girls, Honey is mid-pack)
    Henchman: TB (I'm assuming Fiona Volpe counts in this category, which makes this an easy one)
    Overall Plot: TB (Classic Bond plot, stealing of nuclear weapons by SPECTRE)
    Dialogue: DN (TB has some great lines and exchanges, but DN is stronger as a whole)
    Score: TB (The underwater stuff sets the scene so well)
    Settings: TB (Both Bahamas and Jamaica are great locales, but Bahamas is just so beautiful here)
    Action: TB (Underwater sequences are jaw-dropping for their time)
    Humour: TB
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN (Quirrell puts this one for DN)
    Glamour: TB (TB defines Glamour)
    Bond Performance: DN

    12-5 for TB

    These two are close together in my rankings 9-12 range, but by the elements, TB has that classic Bond formula to a T
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,417
    Title Track: DN
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: DN
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: TB
    Score: TB
    Settings: DN
    Action: TB
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: TIE

    DN: 10
    TB: 6
    TIE: 1

    A fair reflection of my rankings, methinks.
  • MansfieldMansfield Where the hell have you been?
    edited July 2017 Posts: 1,263
    Margin out of 100: (DN-TB)

    Title Track: Thunderball (25-75)
    Tom Jones provides one of the classic Bond theme tunes.
    Title Credits: Thunderball (10-90)
    The best of the Sean Connery era credits, by far.
    Main Villain: Dr. No (55-45)
    Largo is one of the classic villains, but Dr. No has a degree of sinister about him that Largo lacks.
    Main Bond Girl: Dr. No (60-40)
    I like Domino quite a bit, but she is forgettable at times and doesn't match the appeal of Honey.
    Henchman: Thunderball (25-75)
    The original femme fatale.
    Overall Plot: Dr. No (65-35)
    Sometimes simplicity is best. Thunderball is an intriguing plot at face value, but the execution leaves something to be desired.
    Dialogue: Dr. No (55-45)
    Great peaks and a more consistently pleasing script, however thin the difference.
    Score: Thunderball (30-70)
    Not one of my favorite Barry scores, but he provides a strong set of themes nonetheless.
    Settings: Thunderball (40-60)
    Thunderball's settings engage with the adventure more rather than being an obstacle course as it takes on in Dr. No.
    Action: Dr. No (60-40)
    I won't deny Thunderball has more juice in certain moments, but I'm docking it for the underwater and speed boat scenes that I find hard to sit through.
    Humor: Thunderball (25-75)
    One of my favorite lines comes from M, "Well, now that we're all here."
    Cinematography: Thunderball (40-60)
    The scope of Thunderball is well captured.
    Benign Bizarre: Dr. No (70-30)
    Amongst other more noteworthy things, it had better use of a geiger counter.
    Suspense: Dr. No (90-10)
    The spectacle of Thunderball is the focal point over keeping the audience on the edge of their seat.
    Minor Characters: Dr. No (75-25)
    Better overall quality and contribution to the film.
    Glamor: Dr. No (75-25)
    Thunderball sees less of Bond in the tuxedo.
    Bond Performance: Dr. No (75-25)
    This is where the gap begins to widen between the Sean Connery performances.

    Dr. No (10) (51-49) (7) Thunderball

  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,985
    Title Track: DN
    Title Credits: TB
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: TB
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: TB
    Settings: DN
    Action: TB
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: TB
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: TB
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN - 11
    TB - 6
  • Seems like a good enough time to ask for final entries to me.
  • With no final entries, we come to the end of this round, which sees our first...interesting result of the game. You see, in the total games, Dr. No and Thunderball tied 10-10. But in the individual scores, TB pulled away, by a margin of 199-136-5. This is not surprising, given that all DN's wins came with 9 or 10 categories won, with a lone 11, while TB swept a game and a few other landslides. Ah well, on to the next round as Dr. No still search for its first victory, this time against You Only Live Twice!

    Title Track: YOLT
    Title Credits: YOLT (always had a fondness for this one, for some reason)
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: DN (the first of many Red Grant clones can't measure up to Prof. Dent)
    Overall Plot: DN (mostly for its cogency)
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: YOLT
    Settings: YOLT (Volcano. Lair.)
    Action: YOLT (the final battle is still iconic)
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: YOLT
    Benign Bizarre: YOLT (again, volcano lair, and iconic Blofeld)
    Suspense: DN (YOLT is ultimately too silly)
    Minor Characters: YOLT (for Aki and Tiger, great as Quarrel is)
    Glamour: YOLT
    Bond Performance: DN (Connery was well and truly bored by this point)

    And YOLT triumphs 9-8! My first surprising margin of the game,and it seemed like a winnable matchup. Let's see if DN can pull its first victory on your scorecards.
  • Posts: 4,023
    Title Track: YOLT
    Title Credits: YOLT
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: DN
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: YOLT
    Settings: YOLT
    Action: YOLT
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: YOLT
    Benign Bizarre: DN
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: YOLT
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN - 10
    YOLT - 7
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489


    Title Track: YOLT
    Title Credits: DN
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl:YOLT
    Henchman: DN
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: YOLT
    Settings: YOLT
    Action: YOLT
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: DN
    Benign Bizarre: YOLT
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: YOLT
    Glamour: DN
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN wins 10-7
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,105
    Title Track: YOLT
    Title Credits: YOLT
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl:DN
    Henchman: DN
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: YOLT
    Settings: YOLT
    Action: YOLT
    Humour: YOLT
    (Osato: What happened to Williamson?
    BOND: Williamson? Oh, yes! He died rather suddenly, poor chap.
    Osato: Ah, so. From what?
    BOND: He fell into a pulverizer at the works.
    Osato: Ah, so. How shocking. A very honourable death, all the same.)
    Cinematography: YOLT
    Benign Bizarre: TIE
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: YOLT
    Glamour: YOLT
    Bond Performance: DN

    YOLT: 9
    DN: 5
    TIE: 1
  • Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
    edited July 2017 Posts: 2,721
    Title Track: YOLT (One of my favourites - takes me away to a special place.)

    Title Credits: YOLT (Languid and exotic. Aided by the title track)

    Main Villain: DN (DN is one of my faves - the way he is built up. The scene with Dent and DN's disembodied voice is marvellous).

    Main Bond Girl: DN (Honey trumps Kissy)

    Henchman: DN (Dent wins it over Hans, Helga or Osato)

    Overall Plot: DN

    Dialogue: DN Connery is ice cold in this - and his dialogue is a big part of it. The scene with Doctor No is a ripper.

    Score: YOLT (Right in the sweet spot of Barry scores. He was on a fierce roll - even by his high standards. The music is a big part of why I enjoy the film)

    Settings: YOLT (I adore the way Jamaica is presented in DN but I'll give this to YOLT. I like the way Japan is presented and takes its time. The rituals and panoramas - wonderful)

    Action: YOLT (The office fight, the rooftop fight and the final attack on the volcano)

    Humour: DN

    Cinematography: YOLT (I love both of these film's cinematography but YOLT wins this one.)

    Benign Bizarre: DN (I'm tempted to go YOLT - but I like the metal hands, spiders in cages, shadowy rooms, dragons, three blind mice. There's something very sinister and creepy that pervades DN.)

    Suspense: DN (Aside from the finale I don't find YOLT particularly suspenseful. DN has great individual suspense and suspense across the narrative. I feel as if Young has a knack for it more than Gilbert.)

    Minor Characters: DN (Quarrel, Felix, Miss Taro, Sisters Lily and Rose, Pussfeller - YOLT has Tiger and Aki but I like the overall minor characters in DN.)

    Glamour: DN (I instinctively put this as YOLT - but I really analysed my feelings on this and actually I'll give it to DN - the casino scene is Bond glamour in concentrated form. Connery looks much better in DN - including his suits. I love YOLT's glamour but I think DN's glamour appeals to me more.)

    Bond Performance: DN (Debut 007 trumps Sayonara 007)

    DN - 11
    YOLT - 6

    DN is Russian Caviar - YOLT Peking Duck...But I love them both.
  • Posts: 460
    Title Track:YOLT
    Title Credits: YOLT
    Main Villain: DN
    Main Bond Girl: DN
    Henchman: DN
    Overall Plot: DN
    Dialogue: DN
    Score: YOLT
    Settings: YOLT
    Action: YOLT
    Humour: DN
    Cinematography: YOLT
    Benign Bizarre: YOLT
    Suspense: DN
    Minor Characters: DN
    Glamour: YOLT
    Bond Performance: DN

    DN - 9
    YOLT - 8

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