In Honor of Bond's 50th List the films worst to first.

[Dr.Mirakle32]

The plane scene isn't nearly as cool as the opening for Spy Who Loved Me.

And Connery's disguise may suck, but it's not a ****ing clown costume.

He's running from the cops in a circus. What the hell else would he use as a disguise? I totally agree that it's less ridiculous than a burly, hair-covered, 6'2" Scottsman pretending to be a Japanese fisherman.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I liked Moore's take on Bond....

I don't need to say a ******* thing.

 

[Gully Foyle]

The plane scene isn't nearly as cool as the opening for Spy Who Loved Me.

Both contain impressive stunts. Spy has some really dated bluescreen work, though.

Your mileage may vary.

(And I agree Japanese Connery has to take the goofball cake.)

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf8_WiSSsAU&feature=related

I actually enjoy most of those moments. The beauty of Bond as a series is that there's something for everyone, in any mood. When I feel like a gritty thriller, I'll pop in LTK or CR. When I want good fun, I'll watch GF, DAF or any of the Moores. When I want something epic, I'll watch OHMSS or TSWLM. If I want full retard, MR and DAD have plenty to offer. That's why I don't understand the Moore bashing. Not a fan? There are 16 other varying films to choose from.

I consider myself a fan since I can enjoy any one of them depending on the day of the week.

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

I don't need to say a ******* thing.

There's a useful four letter word, and you're full of it.

 

[Wor-Gar]

(And I agree Japanese Connery has to take the goofball cake.)

What you mean?

 

[Wor-Gar]

There's a useful four letter word, and you're full of it.

Bond... ?

 

[CelticPredator]

Campy Bond is bad Bond.

I like camp, but to a degree. The series became a camp series overnight, rather then gradually.

Goldfinger is the perfect Bond movie because it has everything. And never over does it.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I wonder why it is that almost ALL series end up sliding into camp or silliness?

 

[CelticPredator]

sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Worked better for TDKR then for Bond

 

[Wor-Gar]

sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Worked better for TDKR then for Bond

What if you're already to a hgh degree of camp -- like Avengers -- where do you go?

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

Campy Bond is bad Bond.

I like camp, but to a degree. The series became a camp series overnight, rather then gradually.

Not really. There are campy elements even in Dr. No. The series was always tongue in cheek. As great as GF is, it's a borderline spoof, leading for each film to be even bigger and more bloated than the one before. TB? Campy. YOLT? Campy. The camp took a backseat in OHMSS only to return with a vengeance in DAF, and so on and so forth.

I've always liked tongue in cheek humor from Bride of Frankenstein to Evil Dead, so I love that Roger didn't take the ridiculous superspy concept too seriously. I think that's why Timothy Dalton didn't work for alot of people (He's actually my third favorite.) In TLD, he was basically Fleming's no-nonsense Bond dropped into the middle of an over the top film-Bond adventure. The wonderful LTK was a response to this, but if anything, audiences weren't ready for it.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think that's why Timothy Dalton didn't work for alot of people (He's actually my third favorite.) In TLD, he was basically Fleming's no-nonsense Bond dropped into the middle of an over the top film-Bond adventure.

I agree with this. I thought Dalton would make an excellent Bond but I ended up hating his two movies at the time, mostly because I felt he was so uptight and serious. Hard to go from Moore to Dalton in one fell swoop.

I would argue that GF couldn't be a spoof -- spoof of what? Don't you need a reference to be spoofed? But I do agree that its tongue-in-cheek, maybe verging on camp at times but I don't think it ever crosses that line. Like "Raiders", it maintains its dignity. The groans come when they try to emulate what they've done.

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

I agree with this. I thought Dalton would make an excellent Bond but I ended up hating his two movies at the time, mostly because I felt he was so uptight and serious. Hard to go from Moore to Dalton in one fell swoop.

I would argue that GF couldn't be a spoof -- spoof of what? Don't you need a reference to be spoofed? But I do agree that its tongue-in-cheek, maybe verging on camp at times but I don't think it ever crosses that line. Like "Raiders", it maintains its dignity. The groans come when they try to emulate what they've done.

You forget GF is already the third in the series after the OTT Dr. No, and the more grounded FRWL. There's already enough to make fun of from Connery's chauvinism to the Aston Martin becoming the ultimate car/gadget. It's not as overt as the later films, but it's a pretty funny movie.

 

[Wor-Gar]

But is "outlandish" the same as "camp"? (in ref to GF only)

I don't know, I guess I have a narrower view of camp and generally think of it as a negative, being terribly silly and trying to be.

I can see the camp in YOLT pretty clearly.

I wonder what a campy Craig Bond will be like?

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

But is "outlandish" the same as "camp"? (in ref to GF only)

I don't know, I guess I have a narrower view of camp and generally think of it as a negative, being terribly silly and trying to be.

I can see the camp in YOLT pretty clearly.

I wonder what a campy Craig Bond will be like?

I don't necessarily see camp as a bad thing. Honestly there's not that much difference in the tone of DAF to GF, but people seem to hate the former. I love them both.

I would love for Craig to get his DAD just to see how his dour, stone-faced Bond handles it.

 

[DiFabio]

I liked Roger Moore as Bond, he wasn't bad.

My favorite Bond is probably a toss up between Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan and films, Goldfinger (first Bond I saw) and Goldeneye (first Bond I saw in theaters). I really like From Russia with Love too. Craig and Dalton aren't bad but they just never struck me as suave or charismatic enough. Bond should have some humor to him, I think. I don't really like a dark, humorless Bond. Yeah he has a license to kill and he should be dangerous but, I don't know, too extreme, too serious.

My least favorite Bond films are probably A view to kill, Quantum of Solace and You Only live Twice. I've never seen On her Majesty's secret service.

Overall though, I'm not really big on Bond. I think that character archetype of "James Bond/007" the secret agent is fascinating along with the girls, villains and gadgets, I get that. The theme, the look, the cool factor, it's great. However, most of the films/stories do NOTHING for me. Out of the 22 Bond films more than half I can't even sit through because they bore the hell out of me.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Bond definitely works best I think with some humor and wit... it gives him charm.

I like Craig in the typical dark, gritty Bourne type hero that is today's "realism". That no-nonsense, steely Terminator glare that's all the rage with everyone from Nolan's Batman to Neeson "Taken" dude. It will all seem silly one day looking back. Too heavy handed. The way Dirty Harry ultimately became the teeth-gritted "Make my day" character.

 

[CelticPredator]

And Craig has plenty.

He has a darker sense of humor like Connery did. Its great.

 

[CelticPredator]

And the thing is, there is a difference between camp humor, and goofy ass ****.
I guess camp was the wrong word to use.

All the Bond flicks, save for the 90's-2000's (except Die Another Day) were all campy in one way or another.

The best way to describe Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, and Die Another Day, is stupid ****ing ****.

They're not campy, they're just dumb. They play it off like a big joke at every turn, and never make the character have any real human moments.

Sure, when I was a kid, I loved all that fun goofy stuff...but it's just not that amusing now. Especially when I finally got the Connery tapes. (I only had a few when I was a kid, all of Moores, none of Connery's). That changed everything. And then Pierce.

I don't hate Moore's take. He did fine. But the writing, the jokes, and the directing for most of his flicks were pretty horrible. He just wasn't very cool, and was too much of a goofball.

Tonuge and cheek is one thing, but adding Looney Toons sounds and that "Love" song that always plays while giving JAWS of all people, a girlfriend....It's just....no.

And Diamonds Are Forever is just as guilty. If not more so. It's so beyond camp. It's cartoonish. Bond shouldn't go that far.

I take back my statements before. Camp is good. Cartoon is bad.