James Bond

Goonie said:

I wanted to post the clip of James Bond escorting the Queen to the Olympics, but all the clips have been pulled off Youtube.

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You can find it over at The Hollywood Reporter's site.

Seen this?

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IGTugvTcvEA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That's 22 films. All the Bond pictures right up through Quantum of Solace. Set to hit retail locations everywhere on the 25th of September, it's a great way to get your fix before Skyfall hits theatres.

Drop in on Bond's official site for all the special features.

I have actually seen the 1954 Climax television "James Bond" episode.

The local PBS station ran it recently.

A one-hour adaptation of "Casino Royale" with Barry Nelson as Bond and Linda Christian as the first "Bond girl".

Here, Bond was an American CIA agent.

Barry Nelson was born in San Francisco, near where I live.

My favorite film versions are "Goldfinger" and "From Russia with Love".

Most Roger Moore movies try to include popular interests, but I never saw Octopufsy as an Indy clone...

Apart from its snicker-inducing title, Octopufsy is a pretty compelling watch. Yes, Roger Moore was getting a little long in the tooth by 1983, making his sultry come-ons extra unnerving, but the film is so tonally manic (featuring a high-stakes nuclear-war plot, but also Bond in a clown costume) that watching it feels like being popped around in a 007-branded pinball machine. Octopufsy is Moore’s Indiana Jones movie, built around a Soviet general colluding with an Afghan prince to smuggle priceless treasures out of Russia. While retaining the Cold War subtext, Octopufsy aims for the adventurous heights of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ whip-cracking series, with Bond escaping elephant caravans, getting snagged in spider webs, howling like Tarzan as he swings around on jungle vines, and (most ludicrously) infiltrating a palace in an elaborate crocodile costume. Octopufsy is one of the series’ more obvious self-parodying entries, but of all its jokes, there’s none quite as funny as that title.

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Me said:

Blofeld's mountaintop hideaway was filmed at the top of Mt. Schilthorn here in Switzerland and I've been up there. They have a lot of Bond merchandise for sale in the gift shop and the 007 logo has been painted in various places. There is also a room with photos, etc. from the filming:

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Last week, we went up to the top of Mt. Schilthorn again and the gift shop had much more Bond merchandise this time with a James Bond bar. Plus, there were 4 paintings on the walls (of Lazenby, Savalas, Rigg and the skiing scene) that weren't there before. The exhibit was closed as it is being redone and promises to be much better: An interactive, multi-media experience called "Bond World", covering an area of 400 square metres! A friend just told me that George Lazenby will be attending the opening next month in June.

I really want to see this thing so it looks like another trip up there is in order this summer! (The only way up is via 4 different, cable gondolas. It's 3 kilometres/1.86 miles high...and it's cold.)

The revolving restaurant is called, Piz Gloria, named after the hideout in the novel. Pretty cool tribute, if you ask me.

Me said:

Last week, we went up to the top of Mt. Schilthorn again and the gift shop had much more Bond merchandise this time with a James Bond bar. Plus, there were 4 paintings on the walls (of Lazenby, Savalas, Rigg and the skiing scene) that weren't there before. The exhibit was closed as it is being redone and promises to be much better: An interactive, multi-media experience called "Bond World", covering an area of 400 square metres! A friend just told me that George Lazenby will be attending the opening next month in June.

I really want to see this thing so it looks like another trip up there is in order this summer! (The only way up is via 4 different, cable gondolas. It's 3 kilometres/1.86 miles high...and it's cold.)

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So, like, I went up Schilthorn again 2 weeks ago (for my 3rd time) and experienced the "Bond World" exhibit. It was super slick!

A long, narrow hallway adorned with movie posters & motion graphics, accompanied with audio, leads you to a curtained doorway on which the famous, gun barrel opening sequence is projected. Once inside the space you are treated to all sorts of multimedia displays about "On Her Majesty's". Highlights include heliocopter and bobsled simulators (more on those later)! There is also a small theatre with movie clips and a large map of the world (in galvanized steel) with the filming locations of each Bond film. Loads of stuff to pore over...

A full-sized photo 'standee' of Lazenby is now out on the exterior, viewing platform. (2 different ones, actually. See below.)

They really did a nice job on this and more additions are supposed to come in the future. If you are a Bond fan visiting Switzerland, do not miss this!

Old thread here, but I love James Bond and wanted to share my opinions anyway:

Ranking the Bond Actors:

1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. George Lazenby
4. Timothy Dalton
5. Pierce Brosnan
6. Roger Moore

Ranking the Bond Movies:

1. Goldfinger
2. From Russia with Love
3. Skyfall
4. Casino Royale
5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6. The Spy Who Loved Me
7. Dr. No
8. Thunderball
9. Goldeneye
10. You Only Live Twice
11. The Living Daylights
12. For Your Eyes Only
13. Quantum of Solace
14. Licence to Kill
15. Octo*****
16. Diamonds Are Forever
17. The Man with the Golden Gun
18. Die Another Day
19. Never Say Never Again
20. The World is Not Enough
21. Moonraker
22. Tomorrow Never Dies
23. Live and Let Die
24. A View to a Kill

Loving Bond, and sharing your thoughts is all the reason you'll ever need. Good to see Bond make the occasional appearance on this site.

I enjoyed reading your list and ranking. I too, have ranked my favorite Bond movies from favorite to less favorite, but will save that for another day as I am getting sleepy.

Kudos to your ranking of George Lazenby, and his adventure OHMSS, on the higher end of the spectrum and not the bottom, and for recognizing an exciting installment and memorable performance therein.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but I suspect that often times when He and That movie are ranked lower it is due to the still widely held assumption that he was only in one Bond because he might have failed in some way, and must not have been asked to return, which of course anyone who's done their homework will tell you is false.

Although, I'm glad to see that's being remedied and that He and That adventure now receive higher praise and placement these days, especially with longstanding, and die-hard Bond connosuiers and on Bond fan sites.

Curious where you would place the David Niven Bond vehicle Casino Royale, since you included the other non-EON theatrical release Never Say Never. Of course, NSNA does star Connery, so I suppose you're off the hook.

Overall, your ranking is not far off from my own. I thought that I place Casino above Skyfall, but upon reflection Skyfall may beat Casino, but just barely. Nah!

I personally would also have Die Another and Tomorrow Never above Golden Gun. And I would place Goldeneye a bit higher, but that's just my list. I also like that you cut Dalton slack, and have Living Daylights in a respectable spot, as it's a fav of mine. Even the lesser ones have grown on me and ultimately, I love em all!

Le Saboteur said:

Seen this?

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IGTugvTcvEA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That's 22 films. All the Bond pictures right up through Quantum of Solace. Set to hit retail locations everywhere on the 25th of September, it's a great way to get your fix before Skyfall hits theatres.

Drop in on Bond's official site for all the special features.

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I got this for xmas, for a bargain as well, less than £40. Such a great set and on first glance it looks like they've taken the recent(ish) special edition 2 dvd releases and put all the extras from those on to 1 blu ray for each film.

Funnily enough we were having a Bond debate at work and OHMSS was discussed and I rank it highly, its a pity that Lazenby didn't return for another one. Its certainly better than a lot of those that came after it.

Sea Monarch said:

Kudos to your ranking of George Lazenby, and his adventure OHMSS, on the higher end of the spectrum and not the bottom, and for recognizing an exciting installment and memorable performance therein.

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I love everything about OHMSS! It is often an overlooked and underrated installment. It is one of the best Bond movies ever. I would also consider it to be the one that evokes the most emotion.

Sea Monarch said:

Curious where you would place the David Niven Bond vehicle Casino Royale, since you included the other non-EON theatrical release Never Say Never. Of course, NSNA does star Connery, so I suppose you're off the hook.

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I have actually not seen the David Niven Casino Royale. It is on my to-watch list. NSNA, though not an official Bond movie, was actually the first Bond movie I ever saw and like you said, since it includes Connery, it's okay to include it on the list. It definitely pales in comparison to the official Connery films - except maybe Diamonds Are Forever.

In the end, I really do like all the Bond movies. I just always found the majority of Roger Moore's to be slightly weaker and far cheesier.

I'll have to get around making a Bond film ranking. Here's something to chew on for you all, and think of more lists.

Ranking the Villains

Ranking the Henchmen

Ranking the Bond girls

Ready...set...go!

Just watching Diamonds are Forever on TV. Many people credit Roger Moore with taking the series in a more light hearted direction, but I think Diamonds is the film that started taking Bond in that direction.

AndyLGR said:

Just watching Diamonds are Forever on TV. Many people credit Roger Moore with taking the series in a more light hearted direction, but I think Diamonds is the film that started taking Bond in that direction.

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Somewhat related: does the actor set the tone or is it the screenwriter? Who are the Bond screenwriters?

It's also worth noting that Diamonds Are Forever was not written with Connery in mind. They had to do a bit of coaxing to get him to return to the role.

Another possible explanation: The ending of the previous film. Could be they wanted to contrast that with overall more lighthearted tone.

Pale Horse said:

Somewhat related: does the actor set the tone or is it the screenwriter? Who are the Bond screenwriters?

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The Roger moore era I should have said.

I've seen interviews where moore said something along the lines of he wasn't as physical or macho as Connery was, so he played it more for laughs. Whether he himself guided his era down the road of being more light hearted though I don't know. I found this quote on IMDB, although it's source is uncredited "My personality is entirely different than his. I can't play the cold-blooded killer that Sean can do so well, which is why I play it for laughs".

I believe Connery donated his salary to charity or to some cause he was involved in, which was a condition of him taking diamonds are forever. I may be in the minority but I would have really liked to have seen Lazenby in another bond film. It's a pity he either thought or was badly advised that he'd made it after just 1 film.

"Diamonds are Forever" might be my least favorite Bond.

Let there be James Bond discussion. . .Eon and Non-Eon.

PaleFoxoftheBalkanBazaars said:

Let there be James Bond discussion. . .

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My name is Earch. Sam Earch.

Haha! Well played. My bad.

Craig Bond Ranking (If you disagree, you are wrong):

1. Casino Royale
2. Spectre
3. Skyfall
4. Quantum of Solace
5. No Time to Die