It’s a forgettable film…bar the racist remarks…
Octopussy is one of my favorites. Even if I have to roll my eyes at unapologetic the racism.
It does depict German youth driving cars in a not very favourable way.
Oof, well spotted. Have updated list.
Well placed.
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From Russia with Love
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The Spy Who Loved Me
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Casino Royale
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Goldfinger
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On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
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GoldenEye
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You Only Live Twice
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Dr. No
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For Your Eyes Only
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Licence to Kill
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Thunderball
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Skyfall
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Live and Let Die
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Octopussy
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The Living Daylights
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Tomorrow Never Dies
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Moonraker
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The Man with the Golden Gun
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A View to a Kill
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The World is Not Enough
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Diamonds Are Forever
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Spectre
23(1). Die Another Day
23(2).Quantum of Solace
It´s that time of the many years between films in the Craig era when I return to watching the films. A hiatus works in their favor for me, probably as for all things I watched or listened to so often that I almost know them by heart.
But in contrast to my re-watch sessions a few years ago when I went through every Bond film in the order of release, often on a day to day basis I plan to do it differently this time. Watching every film in such a compressed timeframe actually took off the fun and turned it into work. Especially the later films suffered from that. Instead I now will choose those films first which I haven’t seen as often as others, giving them a chance to be re-evaluated and maybe appreciated more.
Of course, I love them all, and if I had to rank them with other adventure-action-thriller films they still would come first before all the others I love. Maybe with the exception of the first two Indiana Jones movies and the first Die Hard and the first Rambo (which would rank between my comfort food Bonds and the less often watched ones.)
But these are right now the Bond films I am keen on re-watching and re-acquainting myself with:
- Licence to Kill (the more I think about the film the more I appreciate it)
- You only live twice (I always loved the setting and the fever-dream aspect of its many bonkers ideas)
- Thunderball (My love for many of its epic elements was often diminished by the sluggish pacing, but maybe I can experience it better with more patience, on a slow summer day?)
- A view to a kill (A let down for me during its initial run, but reaching the big 50 I am much more interested in an older Bond, also wishing to look again at all the more down-to-earth thriller moments of that film)
- Diamonds are forever (a film I loved before it slipped down drastically down my top ten, but now I’m in the mood again for outlandish over-the-top-ness mixed with early 70´s laid back cheesiness)
- Dr. No (as a teenager I always met it with respect since it is the first one - yet I never loved it since it had not enough humor or spectacle… again, I was a teenager back then. Now I am looking forward to a film that starts out as an earnest thriller and then becoming more of a spy fantasy.)
- For your eyes only (Adored it on its initial run, then my interest cooled down, and during my re-watch sessions a few years ago I even found it slow and boring; thinking about it now I will greet the unhectic pacing and the summer movie vibe of it)
- Die another day (Just because it gets so beaten up on I want to subject myself to it, relishing the great bits which it definitely has and find out whether I could like the second half much more than before).
Interestingly, no Craig film makes it on my eager to re-watch list.
This is not because I do not like Craig - I do. And apart from SKYFALL I have not seen the Craig films as often as the others, so the “familiarity breeds contempt”-explanation cannot be given either.
But right now, just thinking about the Craig films I just do not get the kind of excitement I get from the others. Even worse, thinking about CASINO ROYALE I feel that I overrated it enormously (talking about sluggish pacing, especially in the second half; and isn’t it much too long and could have used some more edits? And some of the dialogue really is cringeworthy.). QUANTUM OF SOLACE does have some interesting moments - but in my memory now it feels as patched together (and not always in a good way) as it probably was done. And SPECTRE - well, I´ve already blabbered on about that one on other threads.
Funny. With all the online talk about the Brosnan era being so flawed, now that my adrenaline rush for the Craig era has slowed down, I would say that Craig´s films, with the exception of SKYFALL (despite its problems), are just as flawed. Right now I would say that the least flawed eras have been Connery´s and Moore´s. And maybe the only perfect era (despite being the shortest) was Dalton´s.
Oh, by the way, if you want to read a great appreciation of LICENCE TO KILL I point you to this little book:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Disagreed-Something-that-Ate-Him/dp/1721810781/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3IGX9MOR1CM5M&keywords=he+disagreed+with+something+that+ate+him&qid=1559543694&s=gateway&sprefix=He+disag%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1
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I think it can, it, as the current era, it is the most talked about, so even if you havn’t actually watched them, there is a familiarity to how the Craig run plays. Not helped that Craig’s have all been in the internet age of all reactions have to be extremist, so Craig has always had THE BEST BOND MOVIE EVER!!! or THE WORST BOND MOVIE EVER MADE, THEY’VE KILLED THE FRANCHISE for every film.
Also I note your “least flawed” eras fall hard into the films you saw as a teenager…if only there was a word for fondness developed for a time gone by…
Point is, each Bond movie is, proudly, a product of the time it was made, your taste for that periods fashion and ideology will have a loud voice in what you think of each film. For example, look at the affection Dalton, even outside Bond fandom, now gets, just as there is a societal nostalgic attitude to the late 80’s/early 90’s - This, I should say, isn’t a criticism, it’s very much in Bond’s favour. The series view to always be now, not what they were, has allowed it to be on top for 50 years, not fade into obscurity like whatever the coolest kid in the yard they where up against has for each era.
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Yeah, absolutely, I am a nostalgic guy. Then again, the Dalton era was wobbly for me back then (loved TLD, was disappointed by LTK) - and then it changed. And really, the Connery era was hit and miss for me, at first, too. And I did not love all Sir Roger movies equally either. So, it is not pure nostalgia that I rate those eras that high now. It is, as I would like to believe, personal growth and experience and maturing taste that allow me to appreciate those eras more.
Yes, tastes definitely change. I am warming to Licence to Kill. Once that’s stopped burning, I’ll lob Octopussy onto the fire.
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There is something in the formative years of 5-15 and the love I have for the Bond movies I saw then.
FYEO through to LTK, I remember queing for Octopussy, going to Cafollas ice cream parlour after AVTK, all these things that add up to me knowing rationally that AVTAK is not a good movie really but I adore it because it transports me back to my 9 year old self, similarly LTK is a bit cheap looking with dreadful costume design, Dalton isn’t directed well enough to really give the definitive Bond performance ( which I believe he could have with the right director) and yet as a 13 year old I remember loving the Bond Girls for teenage reasons and feeling sophisticated watching it.
Connery similarly at that age was event TV at that time so I remember family holidays adding to a sense of grand occasion for these movies.
I was in University when Goldeneye came around and I think as an adult ( nearly) watching the Brosnan era I have no built in unconditional love/ nostalgia for them( never having any interest in N64 as I was very involved in martial arts) so I am much more critical of their failings, still enjoy them but not as much as the others. DAD nearly made me walk away from the series such was the annoyance I felt at the time. Watching it now with my 8year old and seeing the pleasure he gets watching it I appreciate it more.
But Craig … His era has been as perfect viscerally for me as was Dalton’s for my teenage self. Fantastical , nonsensical , yes but more adult somehow and more satisfying than Brosnans’
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I’m currently doing that with the Fleming novels. I’ve never read them all full through in order before. I have read them all, just not together. I’ve tried and, it never fails, I always give up in the middle of Diamonds are Forever. However, I’m up to Goldfinger this time and having a blast. I’m also mixing in the continuation novels and it actually works.
My appreciation for the films/eras/stars has never waxed or waned at different stages of my life. I enjoy the anticipation for each new film as much as I ever did, and always see it at least four times during its first run.
Only once, I temporarily demoted YOLT when John Brosnan described it as ‘a gaudy but effective spectacle’ in his book 007 in the Cinema. Then, after the advent of the internet, I realized that opinions are like rectums and I restored YOLT to its original ranking.
The only series that I ever changed my mind about was Batman. When I was a kid and the show was new I believed in Batman. I was convinced that each episode would be the last for our caped crusaders. Then, after meeting this British Bruce Wayne who does everything Batman does without a costume or a Boy Wonder sidekick, I saw an old episode again and wondered ‘how could I have ever enjoyed that?!’ Then, when I was older still, I recognized the tongue-in-cheek campiness for what it was,and discovered a new appreciation for the show. I’d watch it with my kids and we’d all have a laugh.
So, I am neither a CraignotBond supporter, nor one who feels that I now have to despise Pierce Brosnan for not being Daniel Craig (any more than I rejected George Lazenby or Roger Moore for not being Sean Connery). My ranking has never changed - all that’s happened is I can no longer isolate my Top Ten favorites - that count requires at least eleven spots now.
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Great and heartfelt comments all around, thank you!
Which makes me think: what are your “comfort food” Bonds? The ones you always return to the most?
Great question!
I’ll take 5 comfort food helpings…
- Diamonds Are Forever - it’s a great listen I can put it on and Dip in and out.
- A View To A Kill - it’s campness appeals , Walken, Grace Jones etc. and it is always fun to worry that she may break Sir Roger
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service- Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it
- Thunderball- always seems exotic and hasn’t dated as much as Goldfinger IMO
- Moonraker- on a wet rainy bank holiday there is nothing better to watch
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Easy;
Goldfinger
The Man With The Golden Gun
For Your Eyes Only
Goldeneye
The World Is Not Enough
First 5 Bond movie I got on VHS
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On a related note as Propellerhead’s version of OHMSS comes on my phones shuffle - there really is no Bond film without something to love in it, because the people who’ve made them have clearly loved them. No-one, apart from maybe Connery in YOLT (and he’s clearly enjoying himself at times, particularly his scenes with Tetsuro Tamba), has ever phoned it in.
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Definitely agree. Even the bottom-barrel Bond films have enjoyable aspects to them:
A View to a Kill: Walken, Jones, Duran Duran, the soundtrack
Spectre: Great locations, a steller PTS, and great cast performances (though I might argue that Craig sort of phoned in his performance in this one.
Diamonds are Forever: a great theme song, entertaining car chase, good humor
The World Is Not Enough: great theme song, female villain
Die Another Day: the entire first half, pre-ice palace, Miranda Frost
I don’t outright hate any of the films, even Never Say Never Again has some bright spots and Casino Royale '67 makes for great cannon fodder.
Hmmm… comfort food Bond… I’d have to go with:
DAF: stunning music, Wint and Kidd’s banter, incredible set design (that penthouse and then Elrod House) camp of the highest order and possibly my definitive Bond moment when he takes a buttonhole, saunters onto the elevator and mountaineers on the roof of the Whytehouse… bliss!!!
TMWTGG… gorgeous locations, a great villain and an underrated performance from Rog. I love the scene outside Bottoms Up: vintage Bond!
MR… that soundtrack, the series’ most entertaining villain and a full on embrace of the ludicrous. My first Bond film and still what I automatically envisage at the mention of Bond.
FYEO… I remember being so disappointed at the cinema as a 9 year old, but just great action and a cracking story. I like Locque too: there is something really quite unsettling about him.
OP… India, Louis Jourdan chewing the scenery wonderfully and some vintage Bond moments… circus knife throwing assassins… just… brilliant! And that finale on the plane!
Any of these 5 can make an average day great… well, for a couple of hours, at least!
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Comfort food:-
FYEO
FRWL
Thunderball
Octopussy
SPECTRE
For a while, TWINE was one but I haven’t watched it as much recently.
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