Your Favorite James Bond Actors
Thomas Crown
Posts: 119MI6 Agent
Before I begin, let me make clear I searched in both the General Chat and James Bond films section before posting this thread on an informed ranking of the James Bond actors. If anyone can find a link to a thread, I'd gladly move my list elsewhere.
If not, here I'd be interested in everyone's informed rankings of the James Bond actors, including newbie Daniel Craig. Plese don't just list the actors, I'd be much more interested behind your reasoning rather than your listing. (Sorry if that sounds too college professor-ish
)
Ok Here I go. From least favorite to favorite:
6. Roger Moore: On any given day, any and all Bond fans should recognize the contribution of Roger Moore to the Bond cannon. He sheparded the series through times in which Bond was no longer seen as relevant, expanded the 007 fanbase, and kept Bond marketable by proving another actor besides Sean Connery can find success as 007. But I feel that, almost like Jimmy Carter and the presidency, the best work we saw from Moore came long after his 007 run (with UNICEF), and certainly not during it.
Moore's Bond is just uninspiring to me. I see what people call suaveness as some eye-raising horny teenager cracking perverted jokes with little sense of class besides an upper class sounding voice. I can't take him seriously as Bond because he seldom takes the role seriously; with Roger's 007 there is little character development, and little character evolution throughout his era. Sure, he was popular and profitable in his time but I doubt he would be successful as Bond in this day and age, at least not in a way that would be faithful to both Ian Fleming's conception and the series-defining original films. I rank The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only highly, but aside from that its a real stretch for me to put a Moore film in the DVD player.
5. George Lazenby: An actor who showed great promise and I wished accepted the seven picture deal he was offerred. As many have suggested, he was up against nearly insurmountable expectations with casual audiences who defined James Bond as Sean Connery. While some of his performance can be credited to Peter Hunt rather than his own talent, and Diana Rigg outshined him in many scenes, he had a lot of potiental as Bond and I wish we saw more of him. Artistically speaking, the series might have been better off.
4. Pierce Brosnan: As the Bond I grew up with, I have a sentimental value for Brosnan that exceeds any other actor on the list. Nevertheless, Brosnan can and does stand well on his own merit. He popularized the qualities of ruthlessness and venurability Dalton re-introduced in the series, and saved the series in doing so. While he was often better than his material, there is evolution in his Bond character not seen in most other Bond actors. While I didn't always buy his physical presence, and frustrated with the lack of character he was given in parts of Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day, he will be remembered by me as the Bond that made the idea of returning to Fleming popular, even if his films did not exactly do it.
3. Timothy Dalton: A great person in interviews and a fine James Bond. His contribution to the series is rather significant given his only doing 2 Bond films. He re-defined the significance of Fleming's (and Connery's) 007 within the film series, and added a cold blooded ruthlessness not even seen with Sean Connery. I strongly prefer him in Licence To Kill as one of the series best performances, and for as many strengths as he has in The Living Daylights the lack of a coherent plot limits the extent to which Dalton can shine; though he does well enough. Also, he looks like I picture Bond in the novels: aged, but not old or incapable of physical feats, a smoker, and a dark looking loner.
Dalton re-introduced essential characteristics to Bond seemingly lost in the Moore era and was graceful during his time in the role, especially during the ensuing legal battles. I only wish he did more films.
2. Sean Connery: What can be said about Connery that hasn't been said before? He is everything he's cracked up to be: the gold standard for Bond. He defined the role and left a stamp on it like no one has and no one ever will. With a great balance of the elements that made Flemings Bond interesting, and a sophisticated wit, and encyclopedia knowledge, Sean Connery created the cinematic conception of 007, and still is it, particularly in From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, pure classic.
So why rank him second? Well, it's subjective really. I give Connery a lot of credit for defining the character and leaving such a stamp, but the fact is he had the benefit of a great director, screen writer and Ian Fleming on the set to craft that image. Also too, his care for getting the role right later on in his era was seemingly lost. While not entirely is fault, he does deserve some of the blame for becoming disinterested in the character and not advocating for something more.
Nevertheless, we would not know Bond as we know him without Sean Connery, and no other Bond actor can be said to have left such a legacy. Well done, Mr.Bond.
1. Daniel Craig: This man simply is Ian Flemings "ironical, brutal and cold" James Bond 007. He exudes a level of believability I've never experienced with the other actors, and keeps me on the edge of my seat with his physical presence, fatalism regarding his own life, suave yet dark style/humor, and alpha-male dominance in spite of how much his Bond still has to learn. Most importantly, Craig sets himself apart from all the previous Bond actors by not being cast out of the Connery mold. Combine that with starring in what is a series "Re-boot," he has the potential to define James Bond using Ian Fleming as his inspiration and leave a legacy rivaling on Connery's. Judging by what we got out of Casino Royale, I believe he has laid a great foundation for doing so, and will do so. A great actor and a pleasant surprise for the role.
If not, here I'd be interested in everyone's informed rankings of the James Bond actors, including newbie Daniel Craig. Plese don't just list the actors, I'd be much more interested behind your reasoning rather than your listing. (Sorry if that sounds too college professor-ish
)Ok Here I go. From least favorite to favorite:
6. Roger Moore: On any given day, any and all Bond fans should recognize the contribution of Roger Moore to the Bond cannon. He sheparded the series through times in which Bond was no longer seen as relevant, expanded the 007 fanbase, and kept Bond marketable by proving another actor besides Sean Connery can find success as 007. But I feel that, almost like Jimmy Carter and the presidency, the best work we saw from Moore came long after his 007 run (with UNICEF), and certainly not during it.
Moore's Bond is just uninspiring to me. I see what people call suaveness as some eye-raising horny teenager cracking perverted jokes with little sense of class besides an upper class sounding voice. I can't take him seriously as Bond because he seldom takes the role seriously; with Roger's 007 there is little character development, and little character evolution throughout his era. Sure, he was popular and profitable in his time but I doubt he would be successful as Bond in this day and age, at least not in a way that would be faithful to both Ian Fleming's conception and the series-defining original films. I rank The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only highly, but aside from that its a real stretch for me to put a Moore film in the DVD player.
5. George Lazenby: An actor who showed great promise and I wished accepted the seven picture deal he was offerred. As many have suggested, he was up against nearly insurmountable expectations with casual audiences who defined James Bond as Sean Connery. While some of his performance can be credited to Peter Hunt rather than his own talent, and Diana Rigg outshined him in many scenes, he had a lot of potiental as Bond and I wish we saw more of him. Artistically speaking, the series might have been better off.
4. Pierce Brosnan: As the Bond I grew up with, I have a sentimental value for Brosnan that exceeds any other actor on the list. Nevertheless, Brosnan can and does stand well on his own merit. He popularized the qualities of ruthlessness and venurability Dalton re-introduced in the series, and saved the series in doing so. While he was often better than his material, there is evolution in his Bond character not seen in most other Bond actors. While I didn't always buy his physical presence, and frustrated with the lack of character he was given in parts of Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day, he will be remembered by me as the Bond that made the idea of returning to Fleming popular, even if his films did not exactly do it.
3. Timothy Dalton: A great person in interviews and a fine James Bond. His contribution to the series is rather significant given his only doing 2 Bond films. He re-defined the significance of Fleming's (and Connery's) 007 within the film series, and added a cold blooded ruthlessness not even seen with Sean Connery. I strongly prefer him in Licence To Kill as one of the series best performances, and for as many strengths as he has in The Living Daylights the lack of a coherent plot limits the extent to which Dalton can shine; though he does well enough. Also, he looks like I picture Bond in the novels: aged, but not old or incapable of physical feats, a smoker, and a dark looking loner.
Dalton re-introduced essential characteristics to Bond seemingly lost in the Moore era and was graceful during his time in the role, especially during the ensuing legal battles. I only wish he did more films.
2. Sean Connery: What can be said about Connery that hasn't been said before? He is everything he's cracked up to be: the gold standard for Bond. He defined the role and left a stamp on it like no one has and no one ever will. With a great balance of the elements that made Flemings Bond interesting, and a sophisticated wit, and encyclopedia knowledge, Sean Connery created the cinematic conception of 007, and still is it, particularly in From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, pure classic.
So why rank him second? Well, it's subjective really. I give Connery a lot of credit for defining the character and leaving such a stamp, but the fact is he had the benefit of a great director, screen writer and Ian Fleming on the set to craft that image. Also too, his care for getting the role right later on in his era was seemingly lost. While not entirely is fault, he does deserve some of the blame for becoming disinterested in the character and not advocating for something more.
Nevertheless, we would not know Bond as we know him without Sean Connery, and no other Bond actor can be said to have left such a legacy. Well done, Mr.Bond.
1. Daniel Craig: This man simply is Ian Flemings "ironical, brutal and cold" James Bond 007. He exudes a level of believability I've never experienced with the other actors, and keeps me on the edge of my seat with his physical presence, fatalism regarding his own life, suave yet dark style/humor, and alpha-male dominance in spite of how much his Bond still has to learn. Most importantly, Craig sets himself apart from all the previous Bond actors by not being cast out of the Connery mold. Combine that with starring in what is a series "Re-boot," he has the potential to define James Bond using Ian Fleming as his inspiration and leave a legacy rivaling on Connery's. Judging by what we got out of Casino Royale, I believe he has laid a great foundation for doing so, and will do so. A great actor and a pleasant surprise for the role.
Comments
6. George Lazenby: Be it that he was a good Bond, he never really got to show it as far as I'm concerned. If he would have made two more than maybe he would be higher on the list.
5.Timoty Dalton: He did play a great Bond and close to Fleming's Bond. I think he did great as a dark Bond in LTK. I think about guys I was in the Army with and if someone killed them what would I do. Here Bond bestfriend and his wife are killed. Again if Dalton would have done two more movies he might be higher on the list.
Here it gets hard:
4. Roger Moore: Moore is the Bond I grew up with. The first Bond movie I saw was FYEO. So why number 4. I think he was good up intil FYEO. After that he was getting old and I think that's when the age of the Gadget Bond started. He should have stepped down and hand the torch after FYEO.
3. Daniel Craig: This is his first lets see how he does after a few more. The only reason he gets three is because next to Connery he plays Bond as Fleming wrote Bond. Your right he could be the next BOND that everyone in the world sees when talking Bond.
2. Pierce Brosnan: Now everybody give Brosnan greif about the Bond he protrayed. I think his first two GE, TND were very good. He tryed to play Bond as Connery did and I think that in an interview Brosnan said that he read the books in order to get a better idea of the character. The last two I have to say were not his fault. The movies of that time were big explostions and body counts and the production company felt that the had to follow suit in order to bring in watchers. I think that if Brosnan would have taken the Bond movies over after Remington Steel ended. He would have played Bond the same way Dalton did and he would have been the new Connery.
1. Sean Connery: What can I say that hasn't been said before. For now Connery is Bond. He made the character what he is today. Sure DAF he was just rolling with the punchs but wouldn't you be aftre being tied to it for so long. I'm sure he was ready to move on as a person and as an actor. Even though he came back and made DAF and NSNA. He will, for the time being, be BOND, James Bond! :007)
That's my fellings
Fiona: But of course, I forgot your ego, Mr. Bond. James Bond, who only has to make love to a woman and she starts to hear heavenly choirs singing.
2. Timothy Dalton
3. Sean Connery
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. George Lazenby
6. Roger Moore
2) Craig
3) Moore
4=)Brosnan
4=)Lazenby
4=)Dalton
http://www.ajb007.co.uk/index.php?topic=24474