Deathmatch 2023

Special Interest Games
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The final Deathmatch for September 2023 has concluded (Victims)

Winner: Kerim
Runner-Up: Jill
Third: Felix Leiter
Fourth: Aki

Placings in knockouts to date:

Villain Film Song Bond Woman Hench Titles Victim
Winner Skyfall From Russia with Love Live and Let Die Thunderball OHMSS The Spy who Loved Me Casino Royale From Russia with Love
Runner-Up Moonraker OHMSS The Spy who Loved Me Casino Royale Casino Royale Diamonds are Forever Skyfall Goldfinger
Third Goldfinger The Spy who Loved Me You Only Live Twice From Russia with Love Thunderball Goldfinger OHMSS No Time to Die
Fourth From Russia with Love Casino Royale Casino Royale Goldfinger Goldfinger Thunderball YOLT You Only Live Twice

32 places, of which 3/4 are taken by films from the 1960s and 1970s, and over half just from the 1960s. The remaining 1/4 are solely Craig- shaped. Perhaps it was a second Golden era after all.

Nothing from the 1980s nor 1990s but are you going to assert you’re surprised?

Top Tens of Everything to date

Seven Top Ten Places Six Top Ten Places Five Top Ten Places Four Top Ten Places Three Top Ten Places Two Top Ten Places One Top Ten Place Yet to bother the scorers
Goldfinger OHMSS From Russia with Love Diamonds are Forever You Only Live Twice Dr No For Your Eyes Only Octopussy
Thunderball Casino Royale Moonraker Live and Let Die The Man / Golden Gun A View to a Kill Die Another Day
The Spy who Loved Me Skyfall Licence to Kill The Living Daylights TWINE
GoldenEye Tomorrow Never Dies Quantum of Solace
No Time to Die Spectre

No film will do a clean sweep here. Consider how Thunderball is shaping up, though.

Die Another Day’s only hope is the fact that December will bring another round of Deathmatch subjects, although it still could prove a folorn hope nonetheless.

Most Valuable Player

Placings Wins Top Ten Top of Form MVP points
OHMSS 3 1 6 3 13
From Russia with Love 4 2 5 2 13
Casino Royale 5 1 6 1 13
Goldfinger 5 7 1 13
The Spy who Loved Me 3 1 7 11
Thunderball 3 1 7 11
Skyfall 2 1 6 9
Live and Let Die 1 1 3 1 6
Moonraker 1 5 6
You Only Live Twice 3 3 6
Diamonds are Forever 1 4 5
No Time to Die 1 2 3

From Russia with Love did the clean sweep with Victims (Win in knockout, top of form) and benefits as a result. A pack on lucky 13 is developing. Thunderball in the swim, it appears.

Final form table - Victims

Form average after Final Change in (form) / position
1 Kerim 85.9 (-2.7) / -
2 Jill Masterson 76 (-6.1) / -
3 Aki 68.4 (-4.2) / -
4 Felix 65.2 (-0.6) / -
5 Mathis 63.6
6 Corrine Dufour 62
7 Severine 60.8
8 Paula Kaplan 57.3
9 Quarrel 55.8
10 Plenty O’Toole 55
11 Countess Lisl 54
12 Andrea Anders 48.5
13 Della Leiter 45.5
14 Tibbett 44.8
15 Solange 43
16 Saunders 42.6
17 Vijay 42.1
18 Paris Carver 36.3
19 Mr White 31
20 Strutter 27.9
21 Zukovsky 22.4
22 Anna Severnaya 12.5
23 Campbell 12.4
24 Cmdr Talbot 11.1
25 General Moon 7

Perhaps no particular surprises here, unless one considers last year’s performance in deciding seedings/pots, which one now shall.

2022 Form placing 2023 Form placing Average Form placing Seed/Pot 2024
Quarrel 8 9 8.5 9th seed
Kerim 1 1 1 1st seed
Jill Masterson 2 2 2 2nd seed
Paula Kaplan 10 8 9 10th seed
Aki 4 3 3.5 3rd seed
OHMSS* 23 23 23 Pot 3
Plenty O’Toole 14 10 12 Pot 1
Strutter 20 20 20 Pot 2
Andrea Anders 9 12 10.5 Pot 1
The Spy who Loved Me* 19 24 21.5 Pot 3
Corrine Dufour 5 6 5.5 4th seed
Countess Lisl 15 11 13 Pot 1
Vijay 7 17 12 Pot 1
Tibbett 18 14 16 Pot 2
Saunders 13 16 14.5 Pot 1
Della Leiter 3 13 8 8th seed
GoldenEye* 25 22 23.5 Pot 3
Paris Carver 17 18 17.5 Pot 2
Zukovsky 21 21 21 Pot 2
General Moon 22 25 23.5 Pot 3
Solange 16 15 15.5 Pot 2
Mathis 11 5 8 7th seed
Severine 6 7 6.5 5th seed
Mr White 24 19 21.5 Pot 3
Felix Leiter 12 4 8 6th seed

Well, this all went a bit frilly, didn’t it? Some massive leaps, some notable drops and some weird consistencies.

Places just referred to by film name - OHMSS, The Spy who Loved Me and GoldenEye - remain a little murky as to who the Victim really is. The change from Draco to Campbell for OHMSS this year flickered the dial not one femtoinch so it may as well remain Campbell next year, for all the good it’ll do. For The Spy who Loved Me, unfortunately Commander Talbot was left dead in the water as a replacement for Naomi, although she didn’t do all that well last year anyway. Might persist with Commander Talbot next year although will probably put it to a vote.

Anna Severnaya not that great, but an improvement over General Ourumov last year. A small victory, there. May put it to the vote next time vs Dmitri Mishkin, although she did win that vote this year so it’s entirely possible she is glued into place.

Lots of people (dead people, fictional dead people, but people nonetheless) finishing with an overall average of 8, but seeding based on where they finished this year. Despite a pretty woeful showing, Della Leiter clung onto life just a little bit to remain as a seed but it might be a career of Professional Victimhood on the wane.

The spread of the seeds does make one wonder whether there’s anyone really to care about for large parts of the series. The Brosnans don’t do good Victims, it would appear, no matter how much he tries to chew their shoulders off. I accept he does not attempt this with General Moon, although that might have made for more pleasant viewing than what was delivered unto us.

More soon.

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With September done for death - one reaches the end of the month weary of the killing, but bathed in warming and nourishing blood nonetheless, the path to “Best Picture” at the end of December 2023 is:

Villain Film Song Bond Woman Henchperson Titles Victim Average Position
1 Goldfinger 6 5 2 4 7 1 12 2 4.9 +2
2 The Spy / Me 7 4 3 3 2 2 6 24 6.4 -1
3 Thunderball 9 7 12 6 4 4 4 8 7 +1
4 OHMSS 1 1 4 16 1 8 5 23 7.3 -2
5 From Russia… 5 2 17 1 5 15 14 1 7.5 +2
6 Skyfall 2 3 7 2 15 21 7 7 8 -
7 Casino Royale 4 6 8 5 3 23 1 15 8.1 -2
8 Moonraker 3 10 14 10 11 11 9 6 9.2 -
9 DAF 14 14 5 19 6 5 13 10 10.8 +1
10 GoldenEye 16 9 11 20 12 3 2 22 11,9 -1
11 Live and Let Die 15 21 1 15 16 6 10 20 13 -
12 No Time to Die 21 11 15 9 14 19 11 4 13.1 -
13 YOLT 17 20 6 24 20 18 3 3 13.9 +2
14 Licence to Kill 10 17 21 7 8 13 25 13 14.2 -1
15 FYEO 24 8 13 11 21 16 15 11 14.9 +1
16 Dr No 11 18 24 13 9 20 16 9 15 +3
17 TLD 25 15 16 8 17 7 18 16 15.2 -3
18 Spectre 13 13 23 14 18 10 17 19 15.9 -1
19 TND 18 19 18 21 10 17 8 18 16.2 -1
20 TMwtGG 8 22 19 18 24 9 21 12 16.6 +1
21 Octopussy 23 12 20 17 13 12 23 17 17.1 -1
22 QoS 22 16 22 12 19 25 24 5 18.1 +2
23 AVTAK 12 24 9 25 25 14 22 14 18.1 -1
24 TWINE 19 23 10 22 23 22 19 21 19.9 -1
25 Die Another Day 20 25 25 23 22 24 20 25 23 -

Thunderball slowly rising to the surface, perhaps?

Without actually winning a knockout, Goldfinger is top of the shop. That might - but it’s only might, due to this being a parlour game - exemplify the view that it set standards that in individual cases other films developed further, but not necessarily across the board, just individual aspects here and there. Benchmarking.

Quite a bit of movement resulting from that last round. That current standing will determine the seeds for the next subject, as it’s a new one.

December will bring five - that’s right, FIVE - subject areas. I am the git that never stops gitting. I spoil you.

Garb/costumes – basically anything and everything worn by anyone in the film. The table above determines seeds and pots but it might not work out that way (i.e. everything and anything worn by anyone in Diamonds are Forever is horrid, but it’s 9th seed). Exciting, innit?
Best Supporting Villainy
Locations & sets
Score (other than “Song” already voted upon)
Death

NB the “Film” category above will be extracted for the December run as it’s slightly unnecessary now that there are individual categories, the net effect of which will determine Best Film anyway. Some recalculation required, but I will bother myself with that later.

Deathmatch… will return. Deathmatch is inevitable.

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Deathmatch is Forever

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But what about November?

I need it, Jim. I need it every day!

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Hello

Getting the December rounds going early as there are five to get through, Deathmatch opens tomorrow for “Costume/Garb”. The wardrobe department and how completely off their heads they must have been at various points.

Basically anything we see any character wearing at any time.

Blue romper suit - in. Clown suit - in. Leather blouson made from offcuts of misjudged facelift - in. “Japanese” - in. Duck on head - in. Anya Amasova’s curious woolly hat - in. Robocop suit - in. BrosnanBond’s appalling ties - in. But equally in are most of Connery’s suits, MooreBond’s divine pale blue silk suit, Blofeld’s dress, the kilt, Domino in …anything, and Mr Wint’s shoes.

As this is a new one, groups below are based on where matters stood in the overall ranking at the end of September. Things might not, however, go entirely to form…

Deathmatch opens tomorrow, 29 November. Sideswipes return on 1 December with something in tremendously poor taste. Clue: if you’ve been watching 007: Rode a Brazilian (or whatever it’s called)… well, you’re a bit of an idjit, aren’t yer?

Group A

Goldfinger (1st seed)
GoldenEye (10th seed)
You Only Live Twice (from Pot 1)
Tomorrow Never Dies (from Pot 2)
A View to a Kill (from Pot 3)

Group B

The Spy who Loved Me (2nd seed)
Diamonds are Forever (9th seed)
For Your Eyes Only (from Pot 1)
Dr No (from Pot 2)
Die Another Day (from Pot 3)

Group C

Thunderball (3rd seed)
Moonraker (8th seed)
No Time to Die (from Pot 1)
Spectre (from Pot 2)
Octopussy (from Pot 3)

Group D

OHMSS (4th seed)
Casino Royale 2006 (7th seed)
Licence to Kill (from Pot 1)
The Living Daylights (from Pot 2)
Quantum of Solace (from Pot 3)

Group E

From Russia with Love (5th seed)
Skyfall (6th seed)
Live and Let Die (from Pot 1)
The Man with the Golden Gun (from Pot 2)
TWINE (from Pot 3)

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That sounds like a porn film. :grinning:

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Opportunity for better viewing figures, then.

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CBn Deathmatch sm
CBn Deathmatch sm800×516 109 KB

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My gay sensibilities are sooooooo excited. They thank you. We are truly an inclusive community–even in Deathmatches. I am verklempt.

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With the Group Stage voting done for Clobber…

Group A P W D L F A GD % form Points
Goldfinger 4 4 0 0 67 5 62 93.05 12
TND 4 3 0 1 38 32 6 54.58 9
GoldenEye 4 2 0 2 33 38 -5 46.43 6
YOLT 4 1 0 3 30 41 -11 42.08 3
AVTAK 4 0 0 4 10 62 -52 13.88 0

Mixed results. Evidently the duck headpiece makes Goldfinger shine as an example of top garb (albeit it ripped his wig off) and despite the baby blue romper suit, it rompers home most comfortably. The 1980s… aren’t looking great, tbh, but then they never did. Tomorrow Never Dies over GoldenEye? Can see that - lovely caramel overcoat and a proper haircut, although the ties are still horrendous.

Group B P W D L F A GD % form Points
Dr No 4 4 0 0 45 19 26 70.33 12
TSWLM 4 3 0 1 43 22 21 66.2 9
DAF 4 2 0 2 32 33 -1 49.48 6
FYEO 4 1 0 3 29 35 -6 45.28 3
Die Another Day 4 0 0 4 12 52 -40 18.73 0

A nice surprise but Dr No is, on reflection, a well-dressed film. The bikini. The suits. Dr No with a plastic bag on his head (don’t do this). Diamonds are Forever I was rather expecting to come in for a hammering but then it is, on this occasion, “In the group with Die Another Day in it”, so was going to get by. For Your Eyes Only may be continuing the 1980s trend, not that “trend” is really the word in this context. Whatever its ills (fatal, in the main), did always think Die Another Day was quite a well-garbed experience but… no.

Group C P W D L F A GD % form Points
Thunderball 4 4 0 0 48 24 24 66.7 12
NTTD 4 2 1 1 35 37 -2 48.7 7
Moonraker 4 1 2 1 37 35 2 51.38 5
Spectre 4 1 1 2 35 36 -1 49.4 4
Octopussy 4 0 0 4 24 47 -23 33.9 0

Orange rubber. Eyepatches. Swimwear. Waterproof carbon fibre hairpiece. It’s not surprising that Thunderball is way up there. Odd group this - at Group Stage it is all about the wins, so No Time to Die pulls up its braces and stands atop the rest as Runner-Up. However, it may not be long for this world. As for Octopussy - we put him in a military uniform; we put him in a clown suit; we put him in a safari suit; we put him in a gorilla suit; we put him in a red shirt; we put him in Octopussy’s dressing gown (deleted scene) - what Moore do you people want? Tchoh!

Group D P W D L F A GD % form Points
Casino Royale 4 4 0 0 56 14 42 80.13 12
OHMSS 4 3 0 1 50 22 28 69.45 9
QoS 4 2 0 2 40 29 11 58.15 6
TLD 4 1 0 3 20 48 -28 30.55 3
Licence to Kill 4 0 0 4 8 61 -53 11.8 0

The 1980s. Hmm.

Not totally surprised about the top three, there, and Quantum of Solace certainly survives as a Lucky Loser; once one works out what’s meant to be going on, it does seem a well-dressed affair, although the older I get, the wisdom of white jeans becomes very dodgy, although one never stoops to subject one’s self to “denim” anyway. Given that whole scenes in Casino Royale are devoted to what the characters are wearing, it’s not surprising it makes an impact. IT’S A WRISTWATCH, EVERYONE!

Group E P W D L F A GD % form Points
FRWL 4 4 0 0 60 10 50 86.03 12
Skyfall 4 3 0 1 47 22 25 68.58 9
Live and Let Die 4 2 0 2 31 38 -7 45.4 6
TWINE 4 1 0 3 20 48 -28 29.4 3
TMwtGG 4 0 0 4 14 40 -26 20.6 0

This group I suspect shows “range”, and Live and Let Die’s… let’s say “flamboyance”, gets through. Odd about TWINE - perhaps one needs more than a tailor’s dummy to make the wardrobe choices work. Tended to think everyone looked quite good in that one; it’s when they open their mouths and move about that things descend into the pit.

Despite Scaramanga’s lovely white suit, Mrs Pepper’s epic dress and Chew Mee’s bathing costume, The Man with the Golden Gun is the only 1970s film not getting through to Round 2; however, nothing from the 1980s did. That might be justice. It might just be good taste.

Form Table

% form Outcome of Group Stage
1 Goldfinger 93.05 Winner A
2 From Russia with Love 86.03 Winner E
3 Casino Royale 80.13 Winner D
4 Dr No 70.33 Winner B
5 OHMSS 69.45 Runner-Up D
6 Skyfall 68.58 Runner-Up E
7 Thunderball 66.7 Winner C
8 The Spy who Loved Me 66.2 Runner-Up B
9 Quantum of Solace 58.15 Lucky Loser 1
10 Tomorrow Never Dies 54.58 Runner-Up A
11 Moonraker 51.38 Lucky Loser 2
12 Diamonds are Forever 49.48 Lucky Loser 3
13 Spectre 49.4 Lucky Loser 4
14 No Time to Die 48.7 Runner-Up C
15 GoldenEye 46.43 Lucky Loser 5
16 Live and Let Die 45.4 Lucky Loser 6
17 For Your Eyes Only 45.28
18 You Only Live Twice 42.08
19 Octopussy 33.9
20 The Living Daylights 30.55
21 TWINE 29.4
22 The Man with the Golden Gun 20.6
23 Die Another Day 18.73
24 A View to a Kill 13.88
25 Licence to Kill 11.8

Licence to Kill, eh? Is it the vampire hair? The nondescript clothing? I know everyone bangs on about the pink tie, but this one’s got a pink shirt. Is it Dalton’s slightly odd legs? A mystery, although one easily resolved with the phrase “frozen budget and we’ll spend what little we have on explosions rather than trizers. Or a script”.

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DAF not the top travesty… For the wig alone it deserves better.
No real surprise the top ten is populated by Connery and Craig with OHMSS there because it has extraordinarily beautiful clothes.
Wilfully ignoring TSWLM

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And there’s something for everybody in OHMSS, the sartorial connoisseur and the average guy. Frilly shirts and dinner jackets just as well as more down-to-earth garb nobody needs to be afraid of trying on. And something for the eccentric in all of us. It’s already huge fun just for the outfits.

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Sartorially speaking, LTK is the “Casual Friday” of the Bond series, especially with Bond’s “off the rack from K-Mart” wardrobe. It deserves to be at least near the bottom, although you’d think Pam’s wet teddy alone would elevate it from dead last.

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Form table after Second Round: Clobber

% form Change from Group stage (form) / place
1 Goldfinger (1st seed) 90.69 (-2.36) / -
2 From Russia with Love (5th seed) 88.83 (+2.8) / -
3 Casino Royale (7th seed) 76.6 (-3.53) / -
4 Dr No 68.76 (-1.57) / -
5 Skyfall (6th seed) 68.61 (+0.03) / +1
6 Thunderball (3rd seed) 65.86 (-0.84) / +1
7 The Spy who Loved Me (2nd seed) 65.46 (-0.74) / +1
8 OHMSS (4th seed) 63.06 (-6.39) / -3
9 Tomorrow Never Dies 56.08 (+1.5) / +1
10 Quantum of Solace 50.27 (-7.88) / -1
11 Moonraker (8th seed) 48.60 (-2.78) / -
12 Diamonds are Forever (9th seed) 47.08 (-2.4) / -
13 Spectre 47.02 (-2.38) / -
14 For Your Eyes Only 45.28 (-) / +3
15 No Time to Die 45.21 (-3.49) / -1
16 Live and Let Die 43.82 (+1.58) / -
17 You Only Live Twice 42.08 (-) / +1
18 GoldenEye (10th seed) 37.14 (-9.29) / -3
19 Octopussy 33.9
20 The Living Daylights 30.55
21 TWINE 29.4
22 The Man with the Golden Gun 20.6
23 Die Another Day 18.73
24 A View to a Kill 13.88
25 Licence to Kill 11.8

Big drop for GoldenEye there, but the top four are holding on. Dr No seems to be the surprise element this time around although, looking at it again, it is sensibly shod, throughout. OHMSS loses its frill, and still some shifting around to come with the Quarter-Finals still in play…

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I hadn’t thought about it until this thread, but DN gives us the beginning of “the tailored hero” Bond as tutored by Terence Young, our first view of Bond in evening wear, the genesis of the Nehru jacket as a villainous wardrobe staple and of course Honey’s amazing bikini. It may or may not be one of the best-dressed entries overall, but it’s easily one of the most influential.

I also have to say that after a recent review of Bond’s TWINE wardrobe over at the “Bond Suits” site, I’ve come around to thinking that is indeed one of the better entries in terms of clothing, so it’s too bad it’s doing poorly here. Of course I may just be riding on a personal high from finally finding something to like about TWINE after 24 years of trying.

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With the Quarter-Finals done, form table for Clobber

% form Change from Second Round (form) / place
1 Goldfinger 90.01 (-0.68) / -
2 From Russia with Love 76.24 (-12.59) / -
3 Casino Royale 72.7 (-3.9) / -
4 Dr No 71.75 (+2.99) / -
5 Thunderball 67.1 (+1.24) / +1
6 Skyfall 65 (-3.61) / -1
7 OHMSS 63.06 (-) / +1
8 The Spy who Loved Me 59 (-6.46) / -1
9 Quantum of Solace 50.27 (-) / +1
10 Tomorrow Never Dies 49 (-7.08) / -1
11 Moonraker 48.60
12 Diamonds are Forever 47.08
13 Spectre 47.02
14 For Your Eyes Only 45.28
15 No Time to Die 45.21
16 Live and Let Die 43.82
17 You Only Live Twice 42.08
18 GoldenEye 37.14
19 Octopussy 33.9
20 The Living Daylights 30.55
21 TWINE 29.4
22 The Man with the Golden Gun 20.6
23 Die Another Day 18.73
24 A View to a Kill 13.88
25 Licence to Kill 11.8

Big drop in form for From Russia with Love there, but was sufficiently far ahead of third place not to suffer too much. A little bit of shuttling around means Quantum of Solace will achieve a Top Ten finish, which isn’t its habitual place so far, one would admit. Can anything stop Goldfinger?

For Your Eyes Only as high as 14th, best-dressed of the 1980s, is a bit odd. Perhaps it gets by on Q dressing up as a Greek priest for no reason whatsoever, Bond’s woolly hat, Kristatos’ middle-aged sports casual look and Melina’s lip hairpiece.

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That lip hairpiece, wasn’t that supposed to be her furry teeth? :thinking:

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With a draw in the Semi-Finals, Goldfinger goes through to The Final (rather than Thunderball) due to form and votes scored.

More soon.

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With the Semi-Finals done, and just 3rd place Death-Off and The Final to come

Form table

% form Change from Quarter-Final (form) / place
1 Goldfinger 84.3 (-5.71) / -
2 From Russia with Love 76.24
3 Casino Royale 72.8 (+0.1) / -
4 Skyfall 65 (-) / +2
5 Thunderball 64.7 (-2.4) / -1
6 Dr No 63.3 (-8.45) /-2
7 OHMSS 63.06
8 The Spy who Loved Me 59
9 Quantum of Solace 50.27
10 Tomorrow Never Dies 49
11 Moonraker 48.60
12 Diamonds are Forever 47.08
13 Spectre 47.02
14 For Your Eyes Only 45.28
15 No Time to Die 45.21
16 Live and Let Die 43.82
17 You Only Live Twice 42.08
18 GoldenEye 37.14
19 Octopussy 33.9
20 The Living Daylights 30.55
21 TWINE 29.4
22 The Man with the Golden Gun 20.6
23 Die Another Day 18.73
24 A View to a Kill 13.88
25 Licence to Kill 11.8

Regarding qualification for The Final, whilst Thunderball had won all its games and topped its initial group and had decent form, Goldfinger had done the same, had better form and whilst Thunderball had garnered 35 net votes, Goldfinger had an extraordinary 83. Greedy, but that’s so apposite. So it baby-blue romped home. For final form position, Thunderball now finds itself in a fight with Skyfall, a scuffle as tight as one of Mr Craig’s suits.

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