Deathmatch 2021 Part II: The Films

Jim · June 20, 2021, 2:11pm

We did this last year too (am I out of ideas? Prob’ly).

However, may as well whirl it round the centrifuge once more. Group stage first, rather than an immediate knockout. Groups have been drawn randomly from the 007 Store’s Oddjob replica hat which, retailing at £30,000, is among their cheaper items of vital collectibles / mendacious, egregious tat.

Groupings have thrown up some interesting possibilities – only the top two can get through. No particular criteria for your choice; within a given match, which is your preference? Can be for all sorts of reasons… possibly some hard decisions ahead.

Yes, I know it’s just the Eon films. Cope away.

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D	Group E	Group F
Dr No	Thunderball	Goldfinger	You Only Live Twice	OHMSS	The Man with the Golden Gun
From Russia with Love	The Spy who Loved Me	Moonraker	For Your Eyes Only	Diamonds are Forever	Licence to Kill
Live and Let Die	The Living Daylights	The World is Not Enough	Octopussy	A View to a Kill	GoldenEye
Casino Royale 2006	Spectre	Skyfall	Die Another Day	Quantum of Solace	Tomorrow Never Dies

Group stages opening today.

Jim · June 21, 2021, 2:42pm

Right, so Group Stage is over and this is how it plays out.

Into the Second Round go the Winner and the Runner-Up.

Winner A v Runner-Up F
Winner B v Runner-Up E
Winner C v Runner-Up D
WInner D v Runner-Up C
Winner E v Runner-Up B
Winner F v Runner-Up A

Group A	Played	Won	Loss	For	Against	Goal Diff	Average	Points	% chance
FRWL	3	3	0	45	9	36	12	9	83
CR 06	3	2	1	36	18	18	6	6	67
LALD	3	1	2	16	38	-22	-7	3	30
Dr No	3	0	3	11	43	-32	-11	0	20

Percentage chance means share of vote in any given game; goes to ranking (see below). Possibly not too many surprises in this group although Dr No seems strangely unpopular? No sense of history, some folk.

Group B	Played	Won	Drew	Loss	For	Against	Goal Diff	Average	Points	% chance
TSWLM	3	3	0	0	42	12	30	10	9	78
Thunderball	3	1	1	1	28	26	2	1	4	52
TLD	3	1	1	1	26	28	-2	-1	4	48
Spectre	3	0	0	3	12	42	-30	-10	0	22

Not that surprising a win for The Spy who Loved me, always popular, but Thunderball scrapes through on goal difference and % chance of success, although both are lower than some films that failed to get through other groups. Slightly frail big beast? Saying anything about Spectre just brings it more attention.

Group C	Played	Won	Loss	For	Against	Goal Diff	Average	Points	% chance
Skyfall	3	3	0	38	16	22	7	9	70
Goldfinger	3	2	1	33	21	12	4	6	61
Moonraker	3	1	2	28	26	2	1	3	52
TWINE	3	0	3	9	45	-36	-12	0	17

Despite resurgence over recent years, Moonraker falls at the first, even with a just-about average goal difference and a solid % chance of a win. With only 9 votes in its favour across three games, TWINE probably overachieves, tbh. Skyfall does what it does, even though the more one thinks about it, the more slightly annoying it becomes.

Group D	Played	Won	Loss	For	Against	Goal Diff	Average	Points	% chance
FYEO	3	3	0	42	12	30	10	9	78
YOLT	3	2	1	33	21	12	4	6	61
Octopussy	3	1	2	29	25	4	1	3	54
DAD	3	0	3	4	50	-46	-15	0	8

Possibly a surprise to have such a clear winner in For Your Eyes Only here, although some will claim that even Octopussy’s positive goal difference and % chance of success are only representative of “being in the group that Die Another Day is in”. Probably something in that. Fourth Brosnan, four votes, four koff. Nice to see some You Only Live Twice love.

Group E	Played	Won	Loss	For	Against	Goal Diff	Average	Points	% chance
OHMSS	3	3	0	44	10	34	11	9	81
QoS	3	2	1	27	27	0	0	6	50
DAF	3	1	2	24	30	-6	-2	3	44
AVTAK	3	0	3	13	41	-28	-9	0	24

Blimey. The difference between first and second, on a number of levels, is marked but second place was for the taking here and possibly a surprise it’s Quantum of Solace? Neutral goal difference and chance of success - how much longer can it go on? Would have thought people were a bit fonder of A View to a Kill but that might be nostalgia rather than the actually sitting through it.

Group F	Played	Won	Drew	Loss	For	Against	Goal Diff	Average	Points	% chance
GoldenEye	3	2	1	0	32	22	10	3	7	60
LTK	3	2	1	0	32	22	10	3	7	60
TND	3	1	0	2	23	31	-8	-3	3	43
TMWTGG	3	0	0	3	21	33	-12	-4	0	39

Possibly slightly controversial, this. Being equal in every obvious measure - not a charge usually thrown at this pair - GoldenEye and Licence to Kill are divided only by the measure of success each had against the (notionally) weakest member of the group - in short, GoldenEye gained one vote more against The Man with the Golden Gun than Licence to Kill did. I know this is might-is-right. It’s also only mucking about so I am in danger of overthinking it. GoldenEye takes the group - just.

Insofar as that percentage chance of success means anything, a ranking based on that is below. Anything in bold is in Round 2 and therefore its position could change… maybe… Not sure this really establishes anything but towards the bottom end, it reads as familiar… perhaps?

From Russia with Love

OHMSS

The Spy who Loved Me

For Your Eyes Only

Skyfall

Casino Royale 2006

Goldfinger

You Only Live Twice

GoldenEye

Licence to Kill

Octopussy

Thunderball

Moonraker

Quantum of Solace

The Living Daylights

Diamonds are Forever

Tomorrow Never Dies

The Man with the Golden Gun

Live and Let Die

A View to a Kill

Spectre

Dr No

TWINE

Die Another Day

So, end of Group Stage and per Bond, the surviving films are

Connery - 4 - 67%
Lazenby - 1 - 100% (yes, I know)
Moore - 2 - 29%
Dalton - 1 - 50%
Brosnan - 1 - 25%
Craig - 3 - 75%

All that said, one of Moore’s is The Spy who Loved Me which tends to do well, and that one remaining Brosnan is GoldenEye which is apparently made entirely of Jesus, or something.

Round 2 games opening imminently

From Russia with Love v Licence to Kill: It’s The Battle of The Second Comings!

The Spy who Loved Me v Quantum of Solace: It’s The Battle of The Robert Sterlings And His Slightly Moist Adventures!

Skyfall v You Only Live Twice: It’s The Battle of The Total Narrative Absurdities But Just Wallow In The Utter Bondness Of It Alls!

For Your Eyes Only v Goldfinger: It’s The Battle of The Actually Can’t Think of Too Many Similarities Between Thems!

OHMSS v Thunderball: It’s The Battle of The Obviously Best Bond Films And You Can Sod Off Sideways If You Disagree With Mes!

GoldenEye v Casino Royale 06: It’s the Battle of The Martin Campbell Rocks Up And Saves Everythings!

Six winners and two lucky losers go through to the Quarter-Finals.

Stbernard · June 21, 2021, 2:45pm

Yes!!!

Dustin · June 21, 2021, 7:36pm

Expert work on these results, top job.

I was surprised I didn’t rate DR NO higher myself. I love the book’s raw adventure spirit and it was for many years a staple of my summer reading. Not sure why the film didn’t make me vote for it more this time. Maybe I’m just begrudging Connery the Jamaica time…

The riddle of GOLDENEYE…is it perhaps its generation’s THE SPY WHO LOVED ME? A film that kicked up the Bond mania again several notches after a downward trend. And keeping the flame going at least for another two films.

A longtime fan of SKYFALL myself I have to confess that it’s starting to overstay its welcome just a tiny little bit even in my perception. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE on the other hand, silly 60s spectacle that it is, threw the door open to bases underwater and on the moon. Admittedly, the Andersons then went there instead of (before) Bond and sold us the toys to follow them. Good times.

A VIEW TO A KILL - is it the films’ equivalent to a late Gardner novel (also on content)? Promising plenty, delivering not quite as much? I haven’t watched it in a while now - nor did I read much Gardner recently. Seeing LICENCE TO KILL in round 2 is a surprise though; I would have expected TOMORROW NEVER DIES in its place. So much for my expertise…

Jim · June 22, 2021, 5:35am

OK, Round 2 has drawn to a close.

Quarter-Final draw, For Your Eyes Only and Quantum of Solace being Lucky Losers:

QF1 – From Russia with Love v For Your Eyes Only
QF2 – The Spy who Loved Me v Casino Royale 2006
QF3 – Skyfall v OHMSS
QF4 – Goldfinger v Quantum of Solace

Ranking effect of Round 2

Ranked on the basis of the average share of the vote in their matches.

Did contemplate inviting Gustav Graves to comment on the progression of the table (he needs the work, poor lamb) but given his penchant for banging on about his “Dweam Machine” he may not be a wise choice to opine about “ranking”.

Major beneficiaries of Round 2 didn’t even kick a ball in it. Due to heavy defeats elsewhere, Octopussy and Moonraker rise into the top ten and many would say that is justice done. At least for Moonraker. Who says jawdroppingly complacent inertia can’t bring a small degree of success? Also see Eon Productions’ business plan 1981 - 1987.

Similarly, The Living Daylights rose slightly, from a position of being sort-of-there-but-frustratingly-not-quite, to a position of sort-of-there-but-frustratingly-not-quite. It does find a home above Licence to Kill, which restores peace and order to the Galaxy.

Top 5 may be hard to break into. From Russia with Love only gets stronger although the stealthiness of OHMSS cannot be ignored. As anticipated, For Your Eyes Only is on the slide, albeit still in the game, and both GoldenEye and Licence to Kill dropped significantly too.

Slightly against expectations, Quantum of Solace holds its place but the trend is downwards; a heavy defeat in the Quarter-Finals may prove advantageous to the three, perhaps even four, films currently below it. Can’t see the bottom six making any progress, which is probably another reason why one doesn’t want Gustav Gwaves anywhere near this.

Per Bond, films left

Connery - 2 (33%)
Lazenby - 1 (100%)
Moore - 2 (29%)
Dalton - gone
Brosnan - gone
Craig - rather amazingly, 3 (75%)

Do vote in the Quarter-Finals - not just for knockout but there are also ranking points at stake…

After Group Stage with average	After Second Round with average	Shift in places (and average)
From Russia with Love (83)	From Russia with Love (86)	(+3)
OHMSS (81)	OHMSS (81)	(-)
The Spy who Loved Me (78)	The Spy who Loved Me (76)	(-2)
For Your Eyes Only (78)	Skyfall (73)	+1 (+3)
Skyfall (70)	Casino Royale 2006 (72)	+1 (+5)
Casino Royale 2006 (67)	For Your Eyes Only (66)	-2 (-12)
Goldfinger (61)	Goldfinger (63)	(+2)
You Only Live Twice (61)	Octopussy (54)	+3 (-)
GoldenEye (60)	Moonraker (52)	+4 (-)
Licence to Kill (60)	You Only Live Twice (51)	-2 (-10)
Octopussy (54)	GoldenEye (48)	-2 (-12)
Thunderball (52)	The Living Daylights (48)	+3 (-)
Moonraker (52)	Licence to Kill (46)	-3 (-14)
Quantum of Solace (50)	Quantum of Solace (45)	(-5)
The Living Daylights (48)	Thunderball (44)	-3 (-8)
Diamonds are Forever (44)	Diamonds are Forever (44)	(-)
Tomorrow Never Dies (43)	Tomorrow Never Dies (43)	(-)
The Man with the Golden Gun (39)	The Man with the Golden Gun (39)	(-)
Live and Let Die (30)	Live and Let Die (30)	(-)
A View to a Kill (24)	A View to a Kill (24)	(-)
Spectre (22)	Spectre (22)	(-)
Dr No (20)	Dr No (20)	(-)
TWINE (17)	TWINE (17)	(-)
Die Another Day (8)	Die Another Day (8)	(-)

Stbernard · June 22, 2021, 7:38am

This is way more exciting Nathan the Euros

Jim · June 23, 2021, 5:41am

Quarter-Finals done, so Semi-Finals play out as

Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 3
WInner QF 2 v Winner QF 4

Meaning

From Russia with Love v OHMSS
Casino Royale 2006 v Goldfinger

Some might say leave it there and limp away - those are by many (if not all) measures four of the strongest Bond films and it is too dificult to choose.

Shan’t.

On the ranking and averages, evidently the more games one plays and the more one may lose by, one’s average may well reduce, although quality will always out. The ranking and averages table may have the inherent flaw of being statistically rudimentary and not really much better than just listing a set of preferences thought up in five minutes, but it is keeping me off the streets and you should all be jolly thankful for that. The things I do in the streets… urr.

So…

On the knockout basis, the Semi-Final between From Russia with Love and OHMSS could be a decider, the winner of that will be tough to beat in the Final, although as there’s a third-place Death-Off, it might not prove wholly conclusive on ranking.

Quantum of Solace had its run but eventually settles into a solid lower-half place, where one suspects many would have put it anyway.

Perversely - and probably symptomatic of the flaw in the system - Casino Royale’s rise in the ranking comes with a reduction in the average. Someone else can explain that. I just think it’s rather fun. I am quite superficial.

Although out of the knockout, depending on Goldfinger’s performance in the Semi-Final and Death-Off, The Spy who Loved Me could actually solidify fourth place, and Skyfall could still rise from the ashes, and if Casino Royale loses both of those, The Spy who Loved Me could potentially climb to third. Potential still for For Your Eyes Only to bounce back a bit. It’s called the “Moonraker effect”. It’s also called “You haven’t really thought this one through, have you?”, so it’s probably the “Octopussy effect” tbh. It opens up some opportunities for tactical voting, I s’pose.

Much left to play for - Deathmatch knockout glory, and jockeying for position even amongst the dead. Please vote. There are biscuits available and Hugo Chavez will help you fill in your vote, apparently.

After Second Round with average	After Quarter-Finals with average	Shift in places (and average)
From Russia with Love (86)	From Russia with Love (82)	(-4)
OHMSS (81)	OHMSS (78)	(-3)
The Spy who Loved Me (76)	Casino Royale 2006 (70)	+2 (-2)
Skyfall (73)	The Spy who Loved Me (68)	-1 (-8)
Casino Royale 2006 (72)	Goldfinger (65)	+2 (+2)
For Your Eyes Only (66)	Skyfall (65)	-2 (-8)
Goldfinger (63)	For Your Eyes Only (59)	-1 (-7)
Octopussy (54)	Octopussy (54)
Moonraker (52)	Moonraker (52)
You Only Live Twice (51)	You Only Live Twice (51)
GoldenEye (48)	GoldenEye (48)
The Living Daylights (48)	The Living Daylights (48)
Licence to Kill (46)	Licence to Kill (46)
Quantum of Solace (45)	Thunderball (44)	+1
Thunderball (44)	Diamonds are Forever (44)	+1
Diamonds are Forever (44)	Tomorrow Never Dies (43)	+1
Tomorrow Never Dies (43)	Quantum of Solace (41)	-3 (-4)
The Man with the Golden Gun (39)	The Man with the Golden Gun (39)
Live and Let Die (30)	Live and Let Die (30)
A View to a Kill (24)	A View to a Kill (24)
Spectre (22)	Spectre (22)
Dr No (20)	Dr No (20)
TWINE (17)	TWINE (17)
Die Another Day (8)	Die Another Day (8)

Insofar as the below holds any interest or meaning, for those films that made it through the Group Stage, their change in average (i.e. the percentage share of the vote in any given Deathmatch) from the outcome of that stage is as below. For Your Eyes Only overachieved, which is the only time you’ll see those five words in conjunction. The top four films are still in the game - indicator of form? All very tight. Lovely.

	Change in average from Group Stage
Goldfinger	+4
Casino Royale 2006	+3
From Russia with Love	-1
OHMSS	-3
Skyfall	-5
Thunderball	-8
Quantum of Solace	-9
The Spy who Loved Me	-10
You Only Live Twice	-10
GoldenEye	-12
Licence to Kill	-14
For Your Eyes Only	-19

Jim · June 24, 2021, 5:37am

Business end of the tournament reached. Fairly decisive Semi-Finals as things turned out, and it’s Goldfinger and OHMSS who will fight it out for 3rd place. Even though 3rd place is rarely remembered (is it usually Sweden?) there is still pride to play for - and position.

Basically the question is whether they can keep a firm grip on their ranking?

As for the Final, essentially a fight between the most consistently highly regarded film through the tournament, and the only film that has over the duration improved its likely chance of success, based on average share of the vote. Can that form continue?

Some say “You might just as well have used the Sorting Hat to do this”, to which my response is – why are you interesting yourself in child literature? That can’t be right. I’ve already called the Police; enjoy Nonce Wing.

Tables now as below. Goldfinger’s Semi-Final defeat is to Skyfall’s benefit. Can Goldfinger retain some rank pride through the Third Place Death-Off, or will it just shuffle off to redundantly whine in a Biblical fashion from the golf club that it apparently owns?

After Quarter-Finals with average	After Semi-Finals with average	Shift in places (and average)
From Russia with Love (82)	From Russia with Love (79)	(-3)
OHMSS (78)	OHMSS (72)	(-6)
Casino Royale 2006 (70)	Casino Royale 2006 (71)	(+1)
The Spy who Loved Me (68)	The Spy who Loved Me (68)
Goldfinger (65)	Skyfall (65)	+1
Skyfall (65)	Goldfinger (59)	-1 (-6)
For Your Eyes Only (59)	For Your Eyes Only (59)
Octopussy (54)	Octopussy (54)
Moonraker (52)	Moonraker (52)
You Only Live Twice (51)	You Only Live Twice (51)
GoldenEye (48)	GoldenEye (48)
The Living Daylights (48)	The Living Daylights (48)
Licence to Kill (46)	Licence to Kill (46)
Thunderball (44)	Thunderball (44)
Diamonds are Forever (44)	Diamonds are Forever (44)
Tomorrow Never Dies (43)	Tomorrow Never Dies (43)
Quantum of Solace (41)	Quantum of Solace (41)
The Man with the Golden Gun (39)	The Man with the Golden Gun (39)
Live and Let Die (30)	Live and Let Die (30)
A View to a Kill (24)	A View to a Kill (24)
Spectre (22)	Spectre (22)
Dr No (20)	Dr No (20)
TWINE (17)	TWINE (17)
Die Another Day (8)	Die Another Day (8)

As for up/down average, OHMSS took a bit of a hammering in the Semi-Finals - can it rescue anything from beating off Goldfinger?

	Change in average from Group Stage
Casino Royale 2006	+4
Goldfinger	-2
From Russia with Love	-4
Skyfall	-5
Thunderball	-8
OHMSS	-9
Quantum of Solace	-9
The Spy who Loved Me	-10
You Only Live Twice	-10
GoldenEye	-12
Licence to Kill	-14
For Your Eyes Only	-19

Jim · June 25, 2021, 6:48am

Mission Slightly Obvious: Fallout

In effect, there were several competitions going on here.

FIrstly, the pure knockout Deathmatch.
Secondly, the ranking based on the average vote share across all matches played.
Thirdly, the GoldenBoot (yay) for highest goal difference, average across all matches played.
Finally, for films progressing beyond the Group Stage, how their share of the vote average went up or down as the tournament progressed; the lowest amount demonstrating the most consistency in results.

Starting at the lowest points…

Die Another Day	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W0, D0, L3	Group Stage	4	-15 (24)	N/A	17-1 (v You Only Live Twice; v For Your Eyes Only)	8 (24)	N/A

The World is Not Enough	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W0, D0, L3	Group Stage	9	-12 (23)	N/A	16-2 (v Skyfall; v Goldfinger)	17(23)	N/A

Dr No	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W0, D0, L3	Group Stage	11	-11 (22)	N/A	18-0 (v From Russia with Love)	20 (22)	N/A

Spectre	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W0, D0, L3	Group Stage	12	-10 (21)	N/A	14-4 (v Thunderball; v The Living Daylights; v TSWLM)	22 (21)	N/A

A View to a Kill	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W0, D0, L3	Group Stage	13	-9 (20)	N/A	15-3 (v OHMSS)	24 (20)	N/A

Perhaps not too many surprises here although Dr No doesn’t get much love, especially not From Russia. It may be symbolic that it is propping up the majority of the rest of the films; on such foundations all was built. TWINE and Die Another Day - possibly overperforming. No Time To Die, assuming it is in next year’s competition, will have to go some way to being quite so awful. Die Another Day is likely to lose any given match by 15 votes and only has a 8% chance of a win. It’s not great, is it?

Statistically, odd anomaly that Spectre lost all its matches 14-4. Exhibits an overwhelming consistent indifference to it, but it does mean that four persons prefer it to The Spy who Loved Me. Beginning to see the point of voter registration legislation now. I mean - what? Shouldn’t be allowed.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 7:15am

Live and Let Die	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W1, D0, L2	Group Stage	16	-7 (19)	10-8 (v Dr No)	16-2 (v From Russia with Love)	30 (19)	N/A

TMWTGG	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W0, D0, L3	Group Stage	21	-4 (18)	N/A	12-6 (v GoldenEye)	39 (18)	N/A

Quantum of Solace	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P5, W2, D0, L3	Quarter Finals	37	-4 (17)	13-5 (v AVTAK)	14-4 (v OHMSS)	41 (17)	-9 (6th)

Tomorrow Never Dies	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W1, D0, L2	Group Stage	23	-3 (16)	10-8 (v TMWTGG)	12-6 (v Licence to Kill)	43 (16)	N/A
Diamonds are Forever	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W1, D0, L2	Group Stage	24	-2 (15)	13-5 (v AVTAK)	15-3 (v OHMSS)	44 (15)	N/A

Where things start to get a bit frilly.

Couple of anomalies - even though it did win a game, Live and Let Die has a lower ranking average than The Man with the Golden Gun, due to some heavy defeats. Quantum of Solace is evidently the outlier here and got through to the Quarter Finals on a beneficial Lucky Loser status in Round 2. However, its fluctuation in average isn’t anywhere near the worst, although patently it had some good fortune along the way. Obviously by getting further along in the tournament the number of votes it accrued is higher than the others here, but on average not that much higher which does tend to suggest it’s not massively popular. That, you might say, is an exercise in the completely bleedin’ obvious.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 7:40am

Thunderball	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P4, W1, D1, L2	Round 2	31	-2 (14)	14-4 (v Spectre)	12-3 (v OHMSS)	44 (14)	-8 (5th)

Licence to Kill	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P4, W2, D1, L1	Round 2	33	-1 (12)	12-6 (v TND)	15-1 (v From Russia with Love)	46 (13)	-14 (11th)

The Living Daylights	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3, W1, D1, L1	Group Stage	26	-1 (13)	14-4 (v Spectre)	15-3 (v TSWLM)	48 (12)	N/A

GoldenEye	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P4, W2, D1, L1	Round 2	26	-1 (11)	12-6 (v TMWTGG)	14-2 (v Casino Royale 2006)	48 (11)	-12 (10th)

Those able to even read what is going on above will have noted that the GoldenBoot ranking has tended to follow the overall ranking - but here it does differ - albeit ranked overall above Licence to Kill, due to that film getting into Round 2, The Living Daylights is behind it in the GoldenBoot.

Yeah, I know, fascinating.

After this lot, we reach the top ten. I would say GoldenEye a bit of an underperformer, but it did get hammered by Casino Royale 2006 in Round 2, and as we’ll see… that film did pretty well…

Jim · June 25, 2021, 8:18am

Top Ten

You Only Live Twice	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P4 W2, D0, L2	Round 2	36	+1 (8)	17-1 (v DAD)	13-3 (v Skyfall)	51 (10)	-10 (9th)

Moonraker	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3 W1, D0, L2	Group Stage	28	+1 (10)	13-5 (v TWINE)	11-7 (v Skyfall)	52 (9)	N/A

10th and 9th places a Lewis Gilbert double, and always nice to see some love for You Only Live Twice; seems to have become a slight whipping-child of late. Its win - a gargantuan win - over Die Another Day suggests outlandish is fine when it’s done properly. It accrued only one positve vote less than Quantum of Solace, which got to the Quarter-Finals. Jolly good. The drop in its average was quite steep, but then seeing off Skyfall was a challenge for most. If not all. 8th in the GoldenBoot by virtue of getting into the Second Round. Good stuff.

Moonraker - a sneaky little devil, this. Knocked out in the Group Stage but with a very solid positive average and GoldenBoot difference, sat 13th at that point but - through absolutely no work of its own and taking advantage of the failings of others - steadily crept into the top ten and a nicely rewarding 9th place. Others did its dirty work for it. Classic villainy. At no point on the end of a massive defeat, it waited and waited like one of those fighting fish Blofeld was banging on about. I find the parallel… amusing.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 8:34am

Octopussy	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P3 W1, D0, L2	Group Stage	29	+1 (9)	16-2 (v DAD)	13-5 (v For Your Eyes Only)	54 (8)	N/A

Goldfinger	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P7, W4, D0, L3	Fourth overall	69	+2 (7)	16-2 (v TWINE)	14-5 (v Casino Royale 2006)	55 (7)	-6 (3rd)

Right, well…

Octopussy benefiting in a similar manner to Moonraker and just sitting back and gently rising up to 8th. Had the highest number of positive votes for any film that went out at the Group Stage so that seems right. Also arguably advantaged by being in the group that begat Die Another Day and we all know what happened to that.

He’s obese! He’s a displeasing orange colour! He mooches about in Florida, working on his “tan”! He’s in league with a foreign power to destroy the USA! He likes gold things! He has mob connections! He owns a golf club! He has a questionable attitude to women! He’s a cheat! He wears perplexing garb! He’s totally prepared to betray his henchpersons to save his own (voluminous) skin! He’s vaguely German! He no speak English bigly good! He boasts and fibs! He has access to atomic weapons! He has a curious relationship with Pussy! He hangs around with psychotic Koreans! He’s an appalling flabby coward! His properties often have his name on them! He mishandles a deadly airborne killing thingy!

And the film bearing his surname finished in fourth in the knockout. No gold. Not even bronze. The man with the slightly ewwwww touch. Won’t be happy. Good.

Still, fourth is still pretty bloody good, as is the film. Rating of 7th is more problematic perhaps and did run out of energy towards the end. GoldenBoot aggregate obviously helped by playing 7 matches but the average is not that high which tends to suggest close results throughout. Drop in average not too bad, albeit it was never that high in the first place - but suggests a consistent general performance overall.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 9:00am

For Your Eyes Only	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P5, W3, D0, L2	Quarter-Finals	53	4 (6)	17-1 (v DAD)	13-6 (v From Russia with Love)	59 (6)	-19 (12th)

Skyfall	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P5, W4, D0, L1	Quarter-Finals	57	6 (5)	13-3 (v YOLT)	13-6 (v OHMSS)	65 (5)	-5 (2nd)

Sixth and Fifth.

Firstly, Happy 40th Birthday to For Your Eyes Only for - yesterday (I think). A fluctuating presence during the tournament, possibly due to being the winner of “the group with Die Another Day in it”. A very strong start tailed off pretty alarmingly meaning the overall average plummeted, and got through to the Quarter-Finals with a lucky loser status against Goldfinger. Given that it eventually ranked above Goldfinger, that’ll make Goldfinger even more irate. Splendid. Possibly an overachiever overall, but markedly the highest ranked 1980s film. Came up against the merciless From Russia with Love in the Quarter-Finals and things turned out… as expected.

Skyfall - top 5 Bond film. Seems to be a generally held view but perhaps went out a bit early, in the Quarter-Finals? Only lost to OHMSS which is still a fairly dignified exit. Solidly held onto its average throughout, though.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 9:22am

Third and Fourth

Casino Royale 2006	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P7, W5, D0, L2	Runner-Up	83	6 (4)	15-3 (v Dr No) and 14-2 (v GoldenEye)	11-7 (v From Russia with Love, twice)	66 (4)	-1 (1st)

The Spy who Loved Me	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P5, W4, D0, L1	Quarter-Finals	60	8 (2)	15-3 (v The Living Daylights)	12-7 (v Casino Royale 2006)	68 (3)	-10 (8th)

Perhaps a surprise here - The Spy who Loved Me finishes third.

Casino Royale 2006 takes first place in the most consistent performance in share-of-vote average suggesting - not sure what, but perhaps that it would be a safe bet to win any match it’s in. Unless it’s up against From Russia with Love, who defeated it by the same margin in both Group Stage and knockout final - not that unusual for that to happen although might mean another look at paths through the tournament for next time. Seeing off Dr No, Live and Let Die, GoldenEye, The Spy who Loved Me and Goldfinger - not at all shabby.

Will, though, be a bit narked that, having marmalised The Spy who Loved Me in the Quarter-Final, that film still ranks above it. Comes of a high average to start with, and winning its group comfortably, which Casino Royale did not. Slow sliding drop in average, but it still stayed relatively high; although knockout performance perhaps a little disappointing? Where it does win, it wins big, hence the high GoldenBoot - and an indicator of consistent popularity overall.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 9:35am

Second and First

OHMSS	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P7, W6, D0, L1	Third overall	89	7 (3)	15-3 (v DAF and AVTAK)	12-8 (v From Russia with Love)	71 (2)	-10 (7th)

From Russia with Love	Knockout	GoldenBoot votes scored	GoldenBoot average difference (ranking)	Biggest win	Heaviest defeat	Average vote share (ranking)	Change in average from Group Stage
P7, W7, D0, L0	Winner	96	9 (1)	18-0 (v Dr No)	UNDEFEATED	76 (1)	-7 (4th)

OHMSS - unwise to bet against it. It’ll be back.

Tremble all others. Stare at that word “UNDEFEATED”. Giving a poisoned kicking to everything foolish enough to cross it, From Russia with Love crushes all before it. Not really that close. Didn’t hold onto its average as strongly as others, but the average was massively high anyway. Winning all its games with an average vote difference of 9 is pretty startling. A worthy winner - of most of the prizes. Not quite all, but for a 58-year-old film, still rather extraordinary.

Jim · June 25, 2021, 9:50am

Washdown

Deathmatch knockout	GoldenBoot (where positive)	Ranking	Consistency of average
From Russia with Love	From Russia with Love	From Russia with Love	Casino Royale 2006
Casino Royale 2006	The Spy who Loved Me	OHMSS	Skyfall
OHMSS	OHMSS	The Spy who Loved Me	Goldfinger
Goldfinger	Casino Royale 2006	Casino Royale 2006	From Russia with Love
	Skyfall	Skyfall	Thunderball
	For Your Eyes Only	For Your Eyes Only	Quantum of Solace
	Goldfinger	Goldfinger	OHMSS
	You Only Live Twice	Octopussy	The Spy who Loved Me
	Octopussy	Moonraker	You Only Live Twice
	Moonraker	You Only Live Twice	GoldenEye
		GoldenEye	Licence to Kill
		The Living Daylights	For Your Eyes Only
		Licence to Kill
		Thunderball
		Diamonds are Forever
		Tomorrow Never Dies
		Quantum of Solace
		The Man with the Golden Gun
		Live and Let Die
		A View to a Kill
		Spectre
		Dr No
		The World is Not Enough
		Die Another Day

Hmm. Top five in the rankings - in any order - looks convincing? Bottom five - with reservations about why Dr No might be there - again, possbly playing to received wisdom, but that’s a type of wisdom, after all.

In between bottom five and top five - throw 'em in the air and see where they land. That said, GoldenEye might have had a tough draw, expected that to do a bit better based on general perceived popularity but just as last year, although it won its group (when it was only up against the other Brosnans), it got hammered in Round 2.

Insofar as a personal view is concerned, I would be swapping For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy with Tomorrow Never Dies and Quantum of Solace, Licence to Kill with Dr No, and Thunderball would be top but otherwise… yeah, can see it. I do have quite conventional views, though.

Deathmatch will return.