Group Stage for Costumes/Garb now done…
| Group A | Played | W | D | L | F | A | GD | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldfinger | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 7 | 54 | 89.7 | 12 |
| Diamonds are Forever | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 27 | 14 | 60.3 | 9 |
| Octopussy | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 39 | -10 | 42.65 | 6 |
| TND | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 42 | -16 | 38.25 | 3 |
| TMwtGG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 55 | -42 | 19.1 | 0 |
Bucking (that’s bucking) the expectation that because everyone looks absolutely ghastly in it, it would not do well, Diamonds are Forever performs well. 10th Seed Tomorrow Never Dies will only scrape through as a Lucky Loser (is it that caramel overcoat thing that is the same colour as Labrador “illness”?). Although The Man with the Golden Gun gives us Bond in an absolutely smashing blue silk suit (whilst he viciously assaults Andrea Anders - ignore that, his suit is great), his later slurry-green safari suit and that horrendous sports jacket must justify last place. Probably none of them had a chance against Goldfinger, though. I especially like Felix’s hats, and of course the film gives us a magnificent suit for Bond whilst captive at Auric Stud (whilst he viciously assaults Pussy Galore - ignore that, his suit is great).
| Group B | Played | W | D | L | F | A | GD | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRWL | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 11 | 46 | 83.83 | 12 |
| Spectre | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 25 | 17 | 62.59 | 9 |
| QoS | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 27 | 13 | 59.46 | 6 |
| TLD | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 46 | -24 | 32.35 | 3 |
| AVTAK | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 60 | -52 | 11.78 | 0 |
Again, the early 60s films turn out well; the 1980s do not. That’s not limited to this category, although the general view that the 1970s is the decade that taste forgot might not be quite accurate here. Spectre and Quantum of Solace in a fight here as tight as Bond’s suits; both squeezing through into the Second Round.
| Group C | Played | W | D | L | F | A | GD | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino Royale | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 12 | 48 | 83.35 | 12 |
| TSWLM | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 24 | 24 | 66.65 | 9 |
| GoldenEye | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 42 | -12 | 41.65 | 6 |
| FYEO | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 46 | -20 | 36.13 | 3 |
| Licence to Kill | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 56 | -40 | 22.23 | 0 |
Given the sub-sub-sub-plot about Bond going from violent scruffbag to dinner-jacketed hero, it’s probably not surprising that Casino Royale does well here; more surprising is that despite Bond sporting collars upon which one could land a 747, and even more despite Anya Amasova’s woolly hat tea cosy thing, The Spy who Loved Me sails through. The 1980s come bottom of the pile. A trend - or lack of trend - develops. GoldenEye seems to want to make something of Bond being well-dressed but I suspect the cravat and the jumper his gran knitted for him are demerits there.
| Group D | Played | W | D | L | F | A | GD | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderball | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 15 | 42 | 79.15 | 12 |
| Dr No | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 33 | 7 | 54.7 | 9 |
| Moonraker | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 36 | 2 | 51.23 | 6 |
| YOLT | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 45 | -18 | 37.5 | 3 |
| TWINE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 53 | -33 | 27.43 | 0 |
Quite a conventional group to some extent and again, the early 1960s come through. Thunderball - a number of folk in their physical prime dressed in rubber; it was bound to do well. Dr No always struck me as a well-shod film and Moonraker’s space togs are nattier than those of You Only Live Twice. One suspects that film is pulled down by the grey ninja pyjamas that have been warped in the wash.
| Group E | Played | W | D | L | F | A | GD | % | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHMSS | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 22 | 28 | 69.45 | 9 |
| NTTD | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 24 | 24 | 66.68 | 9 |
| Skyfall | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 27 | 18 | 62.5 | 9 |
| DAD | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 58 | -45 | 18.78 | 3 |
| LALD | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 48 | -25 | 32.6 | 0 |
This group was a total mess, tbh. Very close, and the two Craigs get by, but given that everyone is given some quite horrific things to wear, it’s a bit of a surprise to see OHMSS doing well. (In passing, what’s the business with the Olympic rings on the SPECTRE goon outfits?). Die Another Day wins a match! I think that’s the first one this year. One vote in it against Live and Let Die but still a woeful average. Probably the group that exposes the range of how Bond film costumes can be, and can be dreadful.
Form table after Group Stage - Costumes/Garb
| Film (seed) | % | Group outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goldfinger (1) | 89.7 | Winner A |
| 2 | From Russia with Love (2) | 83.83 | Winner B |
| 3 | Casino Royale (3) | 83.35 | Winner C |
| 4 | Thunderball (4) | 79.15 | Winner D |
| 5 | OHMSS (6) | 69.45 | Winner E |
| 6 | No Time to Die | 66.68 | Runner-Up E |
| 7 | The Spy who Loved Me (8) | 66.65 | Runner-Up C |
| 8 | Spectre | 62.59 | Runner-Up B |
| 9 | Skyfall (5) | 62.5 | Lucky Loser 1 |
| 10 | Diamonds are Forever | 60.3 | Runner-Up A |
| 11 | Quantum of Solace (9) | 59.46 | Lucky Loser 2 |
| 12 | Dr No (7) | 54.7 | Runner-Up D |
| 13 | Moonraker | 51.23 | Lucky Loser 3 |
| 14 | Octopussy | 42.65 | Lucky Loser 4 |
| 15 | GoldenEye | 41.65 | Lucky Loser 5 |
| 16 | Tomorrow Never Dies (10) | 38.25 | Lucky Loser 6 |
| 17 | You Only Live Twice | 37.5 | |
| 18 | For Your Eyes Only | 36.13 | |
| 19 | Live and Let Die | 32.6 | |
| 20 | The Living Daylights | 32.35 | |
| 21 | TWINE | 27.43 | |
| 22 | Licence to Kill | 22.23 | |
| 23 | TMwtGG | 19.1 | |
| 24 | Die Another Day | 18.78 | |
| 25 | A View to a Kill | 11.78 |
Given that this ran for the first time last year, the Seedings had yet to mature over a few times of playing, but still some startling comedowns even if the top few look consistent. Die Another Day I always considered quite a good looking film but hospital jim-jams and Robocop probably do plunge it down. Still possibly better to look at than listen to, though.
The only representative for the 1980s in the Second Round is Octopussy, during the course of which Bond dresses as a clown, dresses as an alligator, hides in a sack, wears a fake moustache, has a notable pot belly, sports another safari suit and a well-fitting red shirt stolen from a dead twin about fifteen stone thinner than him. Madness, really. That said, Maud Adams looks fantastic in that Octopussy robe of hers. As do I.
Four of the Craigs in the current Top Ten and all through to the Second Round; time still left to drop but perhaps that is something they did get right. If tight.
