James Bond

[Cheery]

I had a lot of time on my hands last week, being pretty much bed bound after surgery, that I decided to watch all 23 James Bond movies chronologically (which is something I shall never do again, I promise you ). I have finished Skyfall now and I'd like to know what you think about those movies? love/hate? Favorite Bond, favorite movies, ect.

I think it'd be interesting. I actually quite enjoy them, even the daft ones XD

Or maybe that's just a side-effect of the painkillers

Aaaanyway. After seeing all of them, I think Timothy Dalton's my favorite. He's absulutely brilliant. He's the one that made Bond most believable, most true to the books and also most human. Love the dark touch his movies have. Naturally, Sean Connery is at the top aswell (as the original), as is Daniel Craig. Roger Moore started to annoy me after a while. He's too much the stuck-up kind of aristocratic guy. Pierce Brosnan I still don't think is a believable spy, more of a prettyboy and I don't think he's all that charming. And George Lazenby is a total waste of time. What was he even doing in that movie? Thank goodness he only had one XD

I'd pick «License to Kill» as my favourite. One: Dalton Two: Good story and also centered on the characters a bit more rather than having just action and explosions and implausible sci-fi stuff. It's more down to earth than many of the others (looking at you, Brosnan. Well, okay it's not his fault but his movies are absulutely over the top) and real and believable. Also dark and gritty. Three: Bond going rogue. I absulutely love that. Four: Q does some fieldwork . and Five: The villain is awesome. Really, really awesome.

 

[Tonyblack]

I'm not a great fan, but they are easy watching if you don't take them too seriously. Actually, I think Bond himself is a real chauvinist.

Cheery, have watched the two films that weren't made by the usual makers: Casino Royale with David Niven as Sir James Bond and Never Say Never Again with Sean Connery?

 

[Cheery]

I've seen Never say Never again and enjoyed it very much. Much better than Thunderball. Or was it a remake of Thunderball? At least that's what my dad told me XD. And I could see the parellels.

Anyway, Never Say Never Again is by far the better movie.

Couldn't get my hands on Casino Royale yet, but I know my dad loves it. Planning to watch that too.

 

[Cheery]

No wait, not remake, just based on the same novel. Here we go.

But the rest stays the same. Never Say Never Again: better movie.

It's amazing how different a movie can turn out even though it's supposed to be the same story.

 

[Tonyblack]

Never Say Never Again was based on the book of Thunderball. I've never read any Fleming books (although I did start to read Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang when I was a kid), so I can't comment on with of the two films is the closest to the book.

[Michael Caine Voice]Did you know that Fleming named his character after the author of this book?[/Michael Caine Voice]

 

[Cheery]

Yep I did XD
He just looked at it and thought: "Well that's a nice, inconspicouous name" and used it. Or something along the lines.

 

[Penfold]

I've read a few books and (thankfully) the James Bond character was portrayed rather differently in film. In the books he was both very chauvinistic and racist.

Interestingly (and if I recall correctly), the book "You Only Live Twice" involved James Bond investigating a 'suicide (euthanasia) clinic' on a Japanese island (run by Blofeld) as such a thing was considered distasteful and dangerous to society; something similar to the arguments against the modern day Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland springs to mind. (Like I say, it was a very long time since I read this book and I am happy to be corrected if wrong.)

I always felt a bit sorry for George Lazenby who was regarded very highly as an actor in his day. He was always going to be on a hiding to nothing following on from Sean Connery in the role and I didn't think he done too bad a job of it. I also thought Timothy Dalton was very underrated in the role.

 

[Bickaxe]

I think my favourite is Pierce Brosnan. Possibly because I enjoyed the films rather than the character. I think Daniel Craig is excellent though and I was skeptical at first. Timothy Dalton is good and should have had a longer run.
Couldn't stand Roger Moore and Sean Connery irritates me. Hard to judge George Lazenby.

Its interesting to see a character stay the same age and span 50 years but Skyfall ties up a few things even if is an imagination stretch.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

George Lazenby did'nt he do adverts before the Bond film. :

 

[Penfold]

I stand corrected Dug, I must have been thinking of someone else. :doh: