Rank all the Bond Films!

I don't really have a comprehensive ranking of all the Bond films to post but I'm willing to gob off about my likes and dislikes. Basically I have all the EON films and NSNA on dvd and watch them all regularly and enjoy them. I do  like some better than others, of course. I've always had a soft spot for Live and Let Die because it was the first Bond movie I ever watched. Loved the title and the title song, wasn't thrilled with the villain blowing up like a balloon. Jane Seymour was lovely, no wonder Sir Roger wouldn't let her go off half-cocked. I did enjoy all Sir Roger's films but I always wished they'd tone down the comedy so obviously FYEO, Octopussy and AVTAK are my favourites of his era. "That's for 009", booting the car off the cliff, the mountain climbing sequence are some of the highlights imo. I'll post more later

FYEO, OP and AVTAK are my favourite of Moore's too. LALD has always been near if not at the bottom for me. But I've grown to enjoy it more and more as the years have passed. Still prefer the majority of others.

LALD, Spy and FYEO for me.

The Bond film I like the least, hmmm. No doubt NSNA or DAF. Let's just face the fact that Sean Connery is NOT James Bond. I didn't like how Blofeld was always one step ahead of Bond but never finished him off. When dealing with Bambi and Thumper how come it never occurred to our hero to gtfo of the way when one of them started another tumbling run towards him? I did like the casual way he walked out on the ledge and stood on top of the elevator to get to Whyte's penthouse.

https://screenmusings.org/movie/blu-ray/Diamonds-Are-Forever/images/Diamonds-Are-Forever-820.jpg

He handled Wint and Kidd well at the end.
Just too much nonsense what with moon buggy chases and driving on two wheels. Also Tiffany Case saying "You killed James Bond!?" Why did they start having everybody and his dog knowing Bond is a spy? Having a concierge recognize him as a former guest or a bartender know how he likes his martini is one thing but that they know he's with the Secret Service is quite another.

That ended up defining Moore's approach to it; he saw little point in taking it seriously when every Joe Schmo knew who Bond was.

For me it makes no sense listing all 24 films as it would be almost pedantic to explain why a certain film ranks as #11 and not #12.

Anyway, my top 3: The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia With Love & GoldenEye.

Roger Moore's charms were never lost on me and together with the excellent locations in TSWLM will forever be my favorite. This is Moore in his prime. (Stromberg was a terribly bad villain though)

FRWL is arguably the movie where Bond has acted the most "spyish" ever caught on camera. And it was brilliant to see. Connery was very serious in tone yet charming as ever.

GoldenEye lured me in as a child, so I'm possibly way too biased to judge this one fairly. It has that 90's techno vibe to it combined with great locations and a beautifully cynical feel behind all the Bond gloss.

Almost top 3: License to Kill. Bond should visit the US more often!

And the worst 3.. Oh well, don't hate me.

Die Another Day, For Your Eyes Only, A View To a Kill

Even as a child I knew DAD was terrible. Good lord, it was hard to get through. It's almost like the story drowned in the film's special effects and futurism. One thing I did like was the contrast between hot Cuba and ice cold Iceland. Who to blame? I want to blame Wade & Purvis but it's probably not that easy considering how much of a blockbuster movie (and especially Bond) is dictated by the studio executives and not the creative minds. (Although sometimes the exec's ideas aren't terrible. Read Amy Pascal's emails. She was very critical about the "Bond+Blofeld=Brothers" plot, she believed it to be poorly arranged or something in that line of wording.)

FYEO is bad because the story is lacking in suspense and Topol's acting isn't exactly convincing. Also, I hate Bibi. The Jar Jar Binks of the 007 universe she is. The corniness got to be too much for me when they reached the fortress at the end. It amazes me that John Glen was allowed to direct more Bond films but I'm glad he did. (I love LTK)

A View... Well, age finally caught up with Moore's Bond and the scene at the horsecastle (clearly I don't know what that was named) where Roger Moore jumped to the bridge and somehow climbed over it when it was almost closed already demanded a suspension of disbelief on par with Star Wars. And then to top an already eventful day off, Grace Jones got in bed with him. I was certain he'd have a heart attack. The scene with the Golden Gate bridge was horribly filmed, btw what is up with this film and bridges?

If it had better pacing, less of a focus on horses (was this a ploy to lure horse lovers into the Bond fan stable?) and was made 10 years earlier with a more serious edge to it this film could have been great instead of forgettable. Walken made for an exciting villain.

Almost worst 3: Spectre. What a mess. It has it's good moments (The. Dead. Are. Alive. + Rome + Bond dressed in black in the white snow is always a good thing) but overall, oh no.

Welcome, Joker.

Sound views, though I do happen to like FYEO. Can't fault the Bibi-Binks comparison though.

xJoker wrote:

For me it makes no sense listing all 24 films as it would be almost pedantic to explain why a certain film ranks as #11 and not #12.

Anyway, my top 3: The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia With Love & GoldenEye.

Roger Moore's charms were never lost on me and together with the excellent locations in TSWLM will forever be my favorite. This is Moore in his prime. (Stromberg was a terribly bad villain though)

FRWL is arguably the movie where Bond has acted the most "spyish" ever caught on camera. And it was brilliant to see. Connery was very serious in tone yet charming as ever.

GoldenEye lured me in as a child, so I'm possibly way too biased to judge this one fairly. It has that 90's techno vibe to it combined with great locations and a beautifully cynical feel behind all the Bond gloss.

Almost top 3: License to Kill. Bond should visit the US more often!

And the worst 3.. Oh well, don't hate me.

Die Another Day, For Your Eyes Only, A View To a Kill

Even as a child I knew DAD was terrible. Good lord, it was hard to get through. It's almost like the story drowned in the film's special effects and futurism. One thing I did like was the contrast between hot Cuba and ice cold Iceland. Who to blame? I want to blame Wade & Purvis but it's probably not that easy considering how much of a blockbuster movie (and especially Bond) is dictated by the studio executives and not the creative minds. (Although sometimes the exec's ideas aren't terrible. Read Amy Pascal's emails. She was very critical about the "Bond+Blofeld=Brothers" plot, she believed it to be poorly arranged or something in that line of wording.)

FYEO is bad because the story is lacking in suspense and Topol's acting isn't exactly convincing. Also, I hate Bibi. The Jar Jar Binks of the 007 universe she is. The corniness got to be too much for me when they reached the fortress at the end. It amazes me that John Glen was allowed to direct more Bond films but I'm glad he did. (I love LTK)

A View... Well, age finally caught up with Moore's Bond and the scene at the horsecastle (clearly I don't know what that was named) where Roger Moore jumped to the bridge and somehow climbed over it when it was almost closed already demanded a suspension of disbelief on par with Star Wars. And then to top an already eventful day off, Grace Jones got in bed with him. I was certain he'd have a heart attack. The scene with the Golden Gate bridge was horribly filmed, btw what is up with this film and bridges?

If it had better pacing, less of a focus on horses (was this a ploy to lure horse lovers into the Bond fan stable?) and was made 10 years earlier with a more serious edge to it this film could have been great instead of forgettable. Walken made for an exciting villain.

Almost worst 3: Spectre. What a mess. It has it's good moments (The. Dead. Are. Alive. + Rome + Bond dressed in black in the white snow is always a good thing) but overall, oh no.

Standard top 3, though I've never once bought the idea of Moore in his prime in TSLWM, and never really warmed to it as much as others have. It's a middle of the road flick for me, which isn't a bad thing, but it could have been so much better with a bit more focus. And a better lead actress. Interesting it's one of your faves but admit Stromberg is a "terribly bad villain". I'd say he's just bland, but thankfully Jurgens has some screen presence and gravitas in his voice.

I agree about FRWL and disagree about GE's appeal arguably being a product of mere nostalgia. It's a brilliantly crafted film.

I disagree about DAD and AVTAK and even more so regarding FYEO. FYEO is Glen's best looking film, and the mountain climax is a perfect conclusion to a more grounded film. FYEO may lack a little in overall suspense, but there is so much intrigue and old school class that more than makes up for it and keeps you invested. That said, my mind went straight to the ski jump sequence, when Bond is evading Locque's men. The suspense is there in spades. My only real criticism of the film is that the underwater ambushes could have been cut out.

Most of the flaws in DAD are cosmetic so it gets a pass from me because there's so much to enjoy in the film. Purvis and Wade's through line is great, but I blame Tamahori for the sci-excesses and crass dialogue. The scenes with Raoul, and those in Hong Kong and North Korea are grounded firmly in the great Bondian world of espionage, and Frost and Bond's dynamic holds the second half together in the beautifully designed ice palace. And Brosnan gives perhaps his best performance of four great ones.

If you look beyond Moore's age (which never affected me) in AVTAK, there's not a lot wrong with it. The Chantilly bridge scene you speak isn't an issue at all really. First I've heard someone think of that as a problem with the film. Zorin and May Day are excellent villains. Bond's tryst with May Day is bizarre, comically foreshadowed by his statement to Tibbet earlier: "on a mission, I'm expected to sacrifice myself". And the Golden Gate bridge is great!

The "Bond dressed in black on the white snow" is a curious pro for a film. I feel this is in reference to a video game? Nightfire perhaps? SPECTRE by far out-qualifies your bottom three as the worst in the series. What a mess of a film that was. The studio execs were right with the SP script issues and the producers were foolish to ignore them!

Welcome to the forums! Stick around!

Actually the snow talk was in reference to the style. The way Bond looks when he's doing something to do with snow - so cool, so relaxed. Sometimes impeccably dressed in black. One of the promo pics from Spectre was amazing. I guess that is one of the things I like about Bond in general, which is also (if I'm correct) the very same thing especially Pierce Brosnan hated. Always having to maintain "the look".

Fair enough. I think Dalton hated maintaining the look more than Brosnan. He had a big say in his wardrobe for his two films.

I LOVE Dalton's wardrobe as his Bond is clearly one who is more about living life to full potential and the job and less about being a walking menswear advert. The suits of Bond site details how his shoulders are cut too large in an outdated 80's style etc and thus not correct but to me he dresses exactly as his characterization would.

The one Bond clothing item I want probably most of all is the amazing leather driving coat from TLD.

Though the scene from LTK was ultimately deleted, I'm surprised Glen actually shot that scene with Dalton wearing that goofy hat. If his grounded take on Bond also has to be reflected in his wardrobe, he could have at least not dress like an elementary school teacher.

Haven't done one of these in years, but what the hey:

1. TLD
2. FRWL
3. DN
4. TB
5. FYEO
6. OHMSS
7. CR
8. GF
9. SF
10. DAF
11. GE
12. TSWLM
13. TND
14. AVTAK
15. MR
16. TMWTGG
17. TWINE
18. LTK
19. LALD
20. YOLT
21. OP
22. DAD
23. QOS
24. SP

Any jimmies rustled by CR at #007?

It confuses since you mention the tendency for the current era to aim for oscar bait instead of what it had always been about.

TND could well and truly be in the top half of your rankings when Bond 25 comes out so it's not so bad. Though swapping CR with TWINE wouldn't be a bad idea.

Not a fan of OP or LTK?

I cobbled up this list together, which was the first time I attempted to rank the film since SKYFALL came out. Then I looked back to see how I ranked it many years back. The top four and bottom five are pretty much unchanged, but there's sure a lot of shifting in between. LTK and QOS sure have dropped over the years for me.



1. GF
2. FRWL
3. SF
4. OHMSS
5. TLD
6. CR
7. GE
8. FYEO
9. OP
10. DN
11. DAF
12. MR
13. SP
14. TB
15. YOLT
16. LALD
17. TSWLM
18. LTK
19. QOS
20. AVTAK
21. DAD
22. TMWTGG
23. TND
24. TWINE

Makeshift Python wrote:

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

I'm not reposting this. Compared to the rankings above, LTK on mine is far too high up.

FieldsMan wrote:

It confuses since you mention the tendency for the current era to aim for oscar bait instead of what it had always been about.

What can I say, I always have fun watching CR. Nostalgia and entertainment value trump its flaws for me at least.

FieldsMan wrote:

Not a fan of OP or LTK?

Berkoff's a laugh, sure, but OP has just never done it for me. I don't find the Indian setting particularly glamorous and rehashed Maud Adams is fairly forgettable in my view. If I had to pick which Bond film felt most like the phrase "Meh" I'd pick OP.

LTK too often feels like a low budget episode of Magnum Vice or some other such 80's detective show. It's got positives, namely Dalton and Davi (the stuff with Bond worming his way into Sanchez's inner circle, particularly their first scene at the villa, is really top stuff). Don't hate it, but it's missing the Bond flair and joie de vivre and feels too damn... American, begging everyone's pardon.

CJB wrote:

LTK too often feels like a low budget episode of Magnum Vice or some other such 80's detective show. It's got positives, namely Dalton and Davi (the stuff with Bond worming his way into Sanchez's inner circle, particularly their first scene at the villa, is really top stuff). Don't hate it, but it's missing the Bond flair and joie de vivre and feels too damn... American, begging everyone's pardon.

Is there a thread on this site for discussions on what bond films have been most exploitative of the times they were made in? If not there should be and LALD, MR and LTK would surely be up there.

Not forgetting the influence of the 70s martial arts movies boom on Golden Gun.

CJB wrote:

FieldsMan wrote:

It confuses since you mention the tendency for the current era to aim for oscar bait instead of what it had always been about.

What can I say, I always have fun watching CR. Nostalgia and entertainment value trump its flaws for me at least.

As long as the "flaws" in CR are recognised (and substantial ones at that) that's all I can ask for.

xJoker wrote:

Is there a thread on this site for discussions on what bond films have been most exploitative of the times they were made in? If not there should be and LALD, MR and LTK would surely be up there.

Feel free to set one up!  

I'd add CR/QOS to the list of "we're scared and insecure, what can we ape" camp.

The hardest things in ranking are the lack of truly great video editions for all 20 original films and the fact that there are no proper theatrical reissues-as some of the films really play much better on large screens.

Well, as I've managed to watch a lot in the past couple of months this is how it looked in 2015 when I last did a Bondathon and did such a thing. The digits are how they differed in movement from the last rankings of 2012-14.

OHMSS 0
FRWL 0
TLD 0
LTK 0
Dr No 0
Thunderball 3+
FYEO 0
Octopussy 0
Skyfall -3
Spectre NE
Goldfinger -1
DAF 3+
Moonraker -1
YOLT 0
LALD -4
Goldeneye -4
CR 0
TSWLM -4
VTAK 1+
DAD 1+
TND -4
TWINE -4
QOS -1
TMWTGG -1

I'm hesitant to change it about having watched half of them. I'm gradually gearing towards watches of Skyfall, Spectre and soon enough TWINE/DAD.

Keep it as such right now. I dare-say I could adjust it for Spectre.

Hilly wrote:

21. TND

I'm sure somewhere on this forum is why the rankings changed so much in that year. I forget how long this forum's been about to be honest.

Makeshift Python wrote:

I cobbled up this list together, which was the first time I attempted to rank the film since SKYFALL came out. Then I looked back to see how I ranked it many years back. The top four and bottom five are pretty much unchanged, but there's sure a lot of shifting in between. LTK and QOS sure have dropped over the years for me.



1. GF
2. FRWL
3. SF
4. OHMSS
5. TLD
6. CR
7. GE
8. FYEO
9. OP
10. DN
11. DAF
12. MR
13. SP
14. TB
15. YOLT
16. LALD
17. TSWLM
18. LTK
19. QOS
20. AVTAK
21. DAD
22. TMWTGG
23. TND
24. TWINE

Makeshift Python wrote:

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

Ignoring the insanity behind the high ranking of CR and low ranking of TND/TWINE, I'm surprised to see SP as high as it is. Care to elaborate?