Rank all the Bond Films!

A solid ranking, FG. Swap YOLT with GE and it's spiffing!

Thanks Tom! YOLT however is one of my guilty pleasures. It's got so much going for it: Charles Gray's Henderson, Ed Bishop in Hawaii Capcom, Donald Pleasance as Blofeld, the Volcano Laire, Tiger Tanaka, the Japanese landscape, Lewis Gilbert's OTT direction, one of my favorite Barry scores...and let's face it, bored Connery is still better than pretty boy Brosnan, or even pouty DC at times.

I'm really surprised Khan that you don't consider any of Connery's films as classics. Not even From Russia With Love!

Hmmm. That hadn't occurred to me.

FG Wells wrote:

Thanks Tom! YOLT however is one of my guilty pleasures. It's got so much going for it: Charles Gray's Henderson, Ed Bishop in Hawaii Capcom, Donald Pleasance as Blofeld, the Volcano Laire, Tiger Tanaka, the Japanese landscape, Lewis Gilbert's OTT direction, one of my favorite Barry scores...and let's face it, bored Connery is still better than pretty boy Brosnan, or even pouty DC at times.

Great list. You got all the early classics in the top 8 and of course both DAF and YOLT are ultimate-Bond gold!:)

FG Wells wrote:

1. DAF

I'm well and truly convinced now that, when I finally get around to watching DIAMONDS, it'll rocket straight to my #1! I mean, if the flaming Chinese guy is anything to go by.

I don't understand your love for YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE either, but hey, at least you recognize how bored Connery looks. For me, the film is a depressingly titanic waste of talent (Barry and Adam's in particular). And I mean depressing.

#1 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
#2 OCTOPUSSY
#3 FROM A VIEW TO A KILL
#4 THUNDERBALL
#5 DIE ANOTHER DAY

#6 MOONRAKER
#7 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
#8 GOLDENEYE
#9 THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
#10 TOMORROW NEVER LIES

#11 LIVE AND LET DIE
#12 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
#13 GOLDFINGER
#14 DR.NO
#15 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

#16 CASINO ROYALE
#17 YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
#18 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
#19 ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
#20 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

#21 QUANTUM OF SOLACE
#22 THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
#23 LICENSE REVOKED

Basically, I think that if you knew absolutely nothing about me before reading this post that you could surmise when I grew up and 'came of age' just by looking at my top three choices for Best Bond Film.

I've told this story before, but for the benefit of those that might not have met me elsewhere on the Internet I will tell it again, but OCTOPUSSY was the first Bond movie I ever saw in any format. I was 12. It was 1983. I had gone into the summer of '83 thinking that I was a Star Wars fan (I was just getting into SW fandom when Lucas stopped making the original trilogy), but was so blown away by OCTOPUSSY that I instantly became a fan. I was amazed at what felt like non-stop action. It seemed like the movie never let up; that Bond never slowed down. I saw the film three times that summer, which was then a personal record for me (I would best that record by seeing GOLDENEYE 8x in the theater). I had never seen anything like OCTOPUSSY before, even though I'd seen RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK a year prior. OCTOPUSSY has it all: a sense of mystery and enigma....beautiful women...adventure and intrigue...a political backdrop....just the right amount of light humor, which allowed Roger to give his finest performance...what a way to come into the series. How I knew I wanted to see OCTOPUSSY I'm not sure. I remember hearing about a film 2 years before from my friends that had motorcycles with spikes on the wheels. I asked my parents to let me see it, telling them I'd seen all the James Bond movies before already, like SPY VS SPY (clearly I didn't know what I was talking about, a habit that would never change 28 years onward). But they said "no"; they felt FYEO was too adult for me. But I guess two years later a film called OCTOPUSSY was appropriate fare for a 12 year old boy. Anyway....

I have no shame. I apologize for nothing. I'm not embarrassed to prefer Roger Moore's light comedy over Daniel Craig's rogue thuggery. But tastes also change. The 12 year old Gravity's Silhouette still thinks OCTOPUSSY is the best Bond film ever. However, the 40 year old Gravity's Silhouette thinks THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has the slight advantage.

It's also interesting to note that my favorite and least favorite Bond films both star Timothy Dalton, which I think personifies the polarizing nature of his all-too-brief tenure as 007. Also, 16 years later I think a bit less of Brosnan than I dd at the time. I think his movies are very good, but he may be the least interesting aspect of any of them

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

#1 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
#2 OCTOPUSSY
#3 FROM A VIEW TO A KILL
#4 THUNDERBALL
#5 DIE ANOTHER DAY

#6 MOONRAKER
#7 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
#8 GOLDENEYE
#9 THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
#10 TOMORROW NEVER LIES

#11 LIVE AND LET DIE
#12 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
#13 GOLDFINGER
#14 DR.NO
#15 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

#16 CASINO ROYALE
#17 YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
#18 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
#19 ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
#20 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

#21 QUANTUM OF SOLACE
#22 THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
#23 LICENSE REVOKED

Basically, I think that if you knew absolutely nothing about me before reading this post that you could surmise when I grew up and 'came of age' just by looking at my top three choices for Best Bond Film.

I've told this story before, but for the benefit of those that might not have met me elsewhere on the Internet I will tell it again, but OCTOPUSSY was the first Bond movie I ever saw in any format. I was 12. It was 1983. I had gone into the summer of '83 thinking that I was a Star Wars fan (I was just getting into SW fandom when Lucas stopped making the original trilogy), but was so blown away by OCTOPUSSY that I instantly became a fan. I was amazed at what felt like non-stop action. It seemed like the movie never let up; that Bond never slowed down. I saw the film three times that summer, which was then a personal record for me (I would best that record by seeing GOLDENEYE 8x in the theater). I had never seen anything like OCTOPUSSY before, even though I'd seen RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK a year prior. OCTOPUSSY has it all: a sense of mystery and enigma....beautiful women...adventure and intrigue...a political backdrop....just the right amount of light humor, which allowed Roger to give his finest performance...what a way to come into the series. How I knew I wanted to see OCTOPUSSY I'm not sure. I remember hearing about a film 2 years before from my friends that had motorcycles with spikes on the wheels. I asked my parents to let me see it, telling them I'd seen all the James Bond movies before already, like SPY VS SPY (clearly I didn't know what I was talking about, a habit that would never change 28 years onward). But they said "no"; they felt FYEO was too adult for me. But I guess two years later a film called OCTOPUSSY was appropriate fare for a 12 year old boy. Anyway....

I have no shame. I apologize for nothing. I'm not embarrassed to prefer Roger Moore's light comedy over Daniel Craig's rogue thuggery. But tastes also change. The 12 year old Gravity's Silhouette still thinks OCTOPUSSY is the best Bond film ever. However, the 40 year old Gravity's Silhouette thinks THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has the slight advantage.

It's also interesting to note that my favorite and least favorite Bond films both star Timothy Dalton, which I think personifies the polarizing nature of his all-too-brief tenure as 007. Also, 16 years later I think a bit less of Brosnan than I dd at the time. I think his movies are very good, but he may be the least interesting aspect of any of them

Gravity, I must say, while my list (which I will eventually throw up here) basically is your's inverted, I respect your reasoning. If I was born at a different time and exposed to Bond in a different way, I think my list would have similar tendencies. Coming to adulthood in a post 9/11 age and being heavily influenced by my Grandfather's love for Bond and the stoic, tough man that he is, I have always prefered the darker, heavier approach to Bond.

I did start watching Octopussy the other day and I must say, way better than I remember it being.

Chief of SIS wrote:

Gravity, I must say, while my list (which I will eventually throw up here) basically is your's inverted, I respect your reasoning. If I was born at a different time and exposed to Bond in a different way, I think my list would have similar tendencies. Coming to adulthood in a post 9/11 age and being heavily influenced by my Grandfather's love for Bond and the stoic, tough man that he is, I have always prefered the darker, heavier approach to Bond.

I did start watching Octopussy the other day and I must say, way better than I remember it being.

A lot of people have felt that your first encounter with James Bond is the most critical factor in determining which actor you prefer. I guess that helps to explain how 2 out of the top 3 movies I think are the best star Roger Moore, and how my top 3 were all mid-80's films. Also, my favorite Bond novel is ICEBREAKER, which came out in 1983.

But already I'm wanting to revise that list. What on earth was I thinking when I put NSNA ahead of QOS or TMWTGG? In fact, NSNA is almost in a dead-heat for last place with LTK. For all their faults, QOS and Golden Gun are more interesting than NSNA, and even though Golden Gun is 2.5 stars-worthy, it's a consistent 2.5 stars; unlike NSNA, which seems to go from 3.0 stars with Fatima Blush to .5 stars without her. You can feel the air leaking out of the tire as soon as Barbara Carrera is killed off.

Having said all that, the middle of the pack was the hardest to try and rate. I knew what was really good, and what was really bad, but in between there were a lot of good films. And, quite frankly, the worst Bond movie is always more entertaining that most of what is being put out by Commiewood these days.

Refreshing to see Brosnan's films in your top ten. :)

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

#1 THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
#2 OCTOPUSSY
#3 FROM A VIEW TO A KILL
#4 THUNDERBALL
#5 DIE ANOTHER DAY

#6 MOONRAKER
#7 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
#8 GOLDENEYE
#9 THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
#10 TOMORROW NEVER LIES

#11 LIVE AND LET DIE
#12 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
#13 GOLDFINGER
#14 DR.NO
#15 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

#16 CASINO ROYALE
#17 YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
#18 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
#19 ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
#20 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

#21 QUANTUM OF SOLACE
#22 THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
#23 LICENSE REVOKED

Nice to see MR at #6. That's my favorite Moore Bond film. There's just something about a Bond actor's 4th performance that I greatly appreciate. Perhaps the superconfidence he brings to the role.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Basically, I think that if you knew absolutely nothing about me before reading this post that you could surmise when I grew up and 'came of age' just by looking at my top three choices for Best Bond Film.

I've told this story before, but for the benefit of those that might not have met me elsewhere on the Internet I will tell it again, but OCTOPUSSY was the first Bond movie I ever saw in any format. I was 12. It was 1983. I had gone into the summer of '83 thinking that I was a Star Wars fan (I was just getting into SW fandom when Lucas stopped making the original trilogy), but was so blown away by OCTOPUSSY that I instantly became a fan. I was amazed at what felt like non-stop action. It seemed like the movie never let up; that Bond never slowed down. I saw the film three times that summer, which was then a personal record for me (I would best that record by seeing GOLDENEYE 8x in the theater). I had never seen anything like OCTOPUSSY before, even though I'd seen RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK a year prior. OCTOPUSSY has it all: a sense of mystery and enigma....beautiful women...adventure and intrigue...a political backdrop....just the right amount of light humor, which allowed Roger to give his finest performance...what a way to come into the series. How I knew I wanted to see OCTOPUSSY I'm not sure. I remember hearing about a film 2 years before from my friends that had motorcycles with spikes on the wheels. I asked my parents to let me see it, telling them I'd seen all the James Bond movies before already, like SPY VS SPY (clearly I didn't know what I was talking about, a habit that would never change 28 years onward). But they said "no"; they felt FYEO was too adult for me. But I guess two years later a film called OCTOPUSSY was appropriate fare for a 12 year old boy. Anyway....

Didn't you also see AVTAK at its world premiere in San Francisco, GS?

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

I have no shame. I apologize for nothing. I'm not embarrassed to prefer Roger Moore's light comedy over Daniel Craig's rogue thuggery.

No need to apologize or be embarrassed. Diversity of opinion amongst Bond fans makes these forums interesting.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

But tastes also change. The 12 year old Gravity's Silhouette still thinks OCTOPUSSY is the best Bond film ever. However, the 40 year old Gravity's Silhouette thinks THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has the slight advantage.

Understandable also. For example, OHMSS appeals to me much more as an adult than as a child. When I was younger, the first hour focusing on the Bond/Tracy romance rather than the Bond vs. Blofeld antagonism use to seem slow to me. However, I've gained a much larger appreciation of it, especially post-CR since OHMSS was the CR of the 1960s. However, both MR(my favorite as a child) and OHMSS happily reside in my top 5.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

It's also interesting to note that my favorite and least favorite Bond films both star Timothy Dalton, which I think personifies the polarizing nature of his all-too-brief tenure as 007. Also, 16 years later I think a bit less of Brosnan than I dd at the time. I think his movies are very good, but he may be the least interesting aspect of any of them

I think Brosnan suffered from being the first PC Bond and from his 007 being essential written as a generic mixture of Connery, Moore, Dalton and Lazenby rather than really giving his own imprint on the role that I believe the other 5 actors did.

Prince Kamal Khan wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

#6 MOONRAKER

Nice to see MR at #6. That's my favorite Moore Bond film. There's just something about a Bond actor's 4th performance that I greatly appreciate. Perhaps the superconfidence he brings to the role.

Moore has the best individual scene in Bond film history: the pheasant hunt. I love Lois Chiles' icy-cold Dr.Goodhead. The absolutely most beautiful women in Bond film history stacked wall-to-wall. Unfortunately the tone is comical at times, but I also think it's the one film with a plot that could be easily remade, even if a space station wasn't involved. The idea of society doing a "reboot" or a do-over with genetically flawless couples is a story packed with all kinds of possibilities.

Quote :

Didn't you also see AVTAK at its world premiere in San Francisco, GS?

No. I wish I had, though.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

I'm not embarrassed to prefer Roger Moore's light comedy over Daniel Craig's rogue thuggery.

I don't like the Moore films much, but they're far better than Craig's 'Bond says Stop Poverty now' efforts. Once Eon Bond stopped being Mentertainment it was finished as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, my top five is something like this, though the order keeps changing:

FRWL
Dr No
Thunderball
DAF
The Living Daylights

Mentertainment--I like that. If the BBC knew what they were doing, they'd sign you up to write sitcoms.

Ed Tom Kowalsky wrote:

If the BBC knew what they were doing, they'd sign you up to write sitcoms.

That almost happened, albeit back in the Cenozoic era, and it was a woman producer to boot. :shock: Of course, that was in the days when I only used to have to make a woman laugh to go to bed with me. Now that they know better, it takes money.

Somehow I suspected you had been in the running for a BBC gig.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Prince Kamal Khan wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

#6 MOONRAKER

Nice to see MR at #6. That's my favorite Moore Bond film. There's just something about a Bond actor's 4th performance that I greatly appreciate. Perhaps the superconfidence he brings to the role.

Moore has the best individual scene in Bond film history: the pheasant hunt. I love Lois Chiles' icy-cold Dr.Goodhead. The absolutely most beautiful women in Bond film history stacked wall-to-wall.

I'm a Holly fan as well. She's by far the best of the female agent Bond girls IMHO.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Unfortunately the tone is comical at times, but I also think it's the one film with a plot that could be easily remade, even if a space station wasn't involved. The idea of society doing a "reboot" or a do-over with genetically flawless couples is a story packed with all kinds of possibilities.

I appreciate the comical tone. MR was the first Bond film I showed to my niece and nephew a few weeks ago and the lighthearted tone and sci-fi elements made it a perfect debut Bond film to show them.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Quote :

Didn't you also see AVTAK at its world premiere in San Francisco, GS?

No. I wish I had, though.

That must have been someone else writing for the now defunct 007forever.com site. He wrote in his review about seeing Tanya Roberts in person there.

Haven't done one of these in a while:

001) TB
002) TLD
003) MR
004) OHMSS
005) CR
006) FRWL
007) YOLT
008) OP
009) GF
0010) DN
0011) TMWTGG
0012) TSWLM
0013) DAF
0014) LTK
0015) DAD
0016) TND
0017) NSNA
0018) GE
0019) FYEO
0020) LALD
0021) AVTAK
0022) TWINE
0023) QOS

003-006 are in a virtual tie for me really, but I wanted to have a representative film from 5 different Bond actors in my top 005. I generally consider as the top 1/2 of the series all the 1960s films, TLD, CR and my top 4 Roger Moore films.

My list (my top 5 are basically tied for #1):

1. LICENCE TO KILL
2. CASINO ROYALE
3. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
4. QUANTUM OF SOLACE
5. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

6. DR. NO
7. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
8. THUNDERBALL
9. LIVE AND LET DIE
10. OCTOPUSSY

11. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
12. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
13. A VIEW TO A KILL
14. GOLDENEYE
15. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

16. MOONRAKER
17. TOMORROW NEVER DIES
18. GOLDFINGER
19. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
20. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

21. DIE ANOTHER DAY
22. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN

dalton wrote:

My list (my top 5 are basically tied for #1):

1. LICENCE TO KILL
2. CASINO ROYALE
3. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
4. QUANTUM OF SOLACE
5. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

I'll say this: Your Top Five reveal a consistency for a certain type of Bond. They're all edgier, more serious, more lethal, and more spying-intensive than the rest of the films in the series (I'll give you that).

1. THUNDERBALL
2. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
3. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
4. MOONRAKER
5. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.

The bottom two come and go. Usually replaced by DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, GOLDENEYE, DR. NO, GOLDFINGER, OCTOPUSSY, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY or A VIEW TO A KILL.

Sharky wrote:

1. THUNDERBALL
2. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
3. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
4. MOONRAKER
5. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.

Excellent top 5, Sharky!

@ blunt instrument

I can see how viewing a great Bond film like OP at 12 years of age would make a lasting impression.

I saw DAF at 12. My first Bond experience. I've been in awe of Sean and everything else's he's done since. Jill St John as Tiffany Case remains my idealized woman. In fact, I think she's the woman that all feminists really want to be.

tiffanywint wrote:

she's the woman that all feminists really want to be.

Really want to be in, more like.

Avarice wrote:

tiffanywint wrote:

she's the woman that all feminists really want to be.

Really want to be in, more like.

No doubt about that.

Let me rephrase.

Feminism = slavery

Jill St John as Tiffany Case = female empowerment.

I guess this is where I'm supposed to make my second post.

Can I just say that this is impossible?!? I've had a list saved on my computer since 1997 of what I consider to be the proper ranking of the Bond films. Do you have any idea how many times I've changed that list, not including when I've had to add a new film? Every time I look at the list, it changes. I'm constantly torn between what I consider to be a good film and what I like. My life is complicated.

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