James Bond

[Chewbacca Jones]

I find there are far too many problems with building a true chronology across the various Bonds. I see each re-cast as a "reboot" of the series, with elements of previous films grandfathered in so as to create a narrative relationship, though not any true cohesion. The "concept" of Bond is more important to maintain than continuity.

 

[Montana Smith]

I find there are far too many problems with building a true chronology across the various Bonds. I see each re-cast as a "reboot" of the series, with elements of previous films grandfathered in so as to create a narrative relationship, though not any true cohesion. The "concept" of Bond is more important to maintain than continuity.

You're right that there is a lot of jiggery-pokery required, and a lot of unfilmed and umentioned assumptions. Yet, there's a certain level of obvious continuity that urges me on to try and fit in all the other problematical areas.

At first I was happy to have Connery, Lazenby and Moore as James Bond #1, retiring in 1985. Then Dalton and Brosnan as Bond #2. Yet as I'm watching the films closely, and really getting into the character and his history, the anomalies keep popping up, and I'm left with a 72 year old Bond!

 

[Chewbacca Jones]

Maybe Q came up with a Immortality Gadget!

 

[Montana Smith]

Maybe Q came up with a Immortality Gadget!

And it was potentially so dangerous that he would only test it on his long time nemesis... James Bond!

Bloefed had some pretty intensive face transformations. Then Dr. Alvarez's DNA gene therapy transformed asian Colonel Moon into caucasian Gustav Graves.

Or, Bond is like The Phantom, "the ghost who walks". The new man takes on the history and preferences of his predecessor to effect immortality in the eyes of the outside world...

 

[Raiders90]

I have to say, I've really come to love Diamonds are Forever. I think it could well be the best '70s Bond film.

 

[roundshort]

OHMSS - like Lanzenby, too bad he did only 1, cant really see how he would devlope

Goldfinger/Casino R. next

Thunderball
Live and Let Die
Diamonds are forever
you only live twice\

after that they are all equal to me.

Now if you want to talk about Action flicks better than Bond, lets talk Jason Bourne!

I still stand by this. I think the idea of watching a Bond movie is soemtimes better than actually watching a Bond movie. Each has a few bright spots, then some ok parts and a lot of junk. I would add Man with the Golden Gun as one of the better. It will be interesting to see what happens with the next generation of Bourne

 

[Pale Horse]

Speaking of changes, Baccarat is Bond's card game of choice. I wonder if those same fans were angry that the game in "Casino Royale" was changed from Baccarat to Texas Hold 'Em poker!

I'm actually sad to think that it's not the Tempest Style game

...he played in Never say Never.....

 

[Goonie]

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

 

[Le Saboteur]

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

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

 

[Le Saboteur]

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.

 

[WilliamBoyd8]

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".

 

[Moedred]

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.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

There's a moment in Skyfall where Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva insists M address him with his Christian name: Tiago Rodriguez.

Is it possible that James Bond is an alias for 007 and not a birth name?

The implications regarding a time line and future Bonds is interesting.

 

[Stoo]

Bond obsessives need only apply!

There is no workable, linear "timeline" with the James Bond films. Don't even bother!

 

[AndyLGR]

I heard today that they plan to release a brand new bond novel later this year, set in 1969 when bond was aged 45.

I don't personally think that the bond creators ever really gave too much thought to how the movies mesh together. We've had the odd reference back that you mentioned montana, plus the gadget references on OHMSS and I think Die another Day too. But I think all that was done with a little wink and a nod to the audience, just to try and evoke memories in the audience of days gone by.

I don't think they cared too much about continuity, particularly when you consider that they seemingly didn't seem too concerned about using different actors in consecutive films for characters like blofield or lieter. Plus their use of maud Adams and Charles Gray too.

I honestly think its only a recent thing that film makers have tried to give audiences something to grasp in terms of a timeline with characters. It's allowed them to start again as a separate set of films. Like nolans movies did with batman or the Abrams Star Trek or the recent incarnations of spider man and superman too.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them start again when Craig finishes.

But to sit down and try work out a timeline of all the bonds makes my head hurt

 

[Raiders90]

Each actor is a reboot of the franchise?

 

[Stoo]

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:

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.

 

[Stoo]

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.)

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!

 

[Duaner]

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

 

[Sea Monarch]

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!