What exactly is the point of being a Bond Villain?

bondfanggr

In most JB moves, the villains were already very rich and powerful to start out with (Blofeld, Goldfinger, Max Zorin, Stromberg being the most prominent examples). How on earth then are they still not satisfied and want to completely take over the world (which would be nearly unachievable, and many of their plots are foolish, especially Zorin's)? Do they have some mental issues or are they just greedy?

JimmyBond0129

Well James Bond told Pussy Galore that Goldfinger is "Quite mad you know." and Bond said that Zorlin is psychotic. In the original script Stromberg wanted to wipe out the human race because of environmental reasons but that a-hole Kevin McCory put a stop to that.

Hardyboy

I believe it was Kissinger who said that power is the ultimate aphrodesiac. The powerful want to stay in power and they want (as Tim Allen would put it) MORE POWER. This explains Goldfinger and perhaps Blofeld. In the case of Stromberg and the film's version of Drax, these are Nazi-like idealists with a twisted view of how humanity should be and who are willing to cause massive destruction in order to make their vision come true.

Dan Same

I think that power explains Blofeld, but not Goldfinger. IMO he did what he did out of greed and vanity; he loved gold of course, but as he explained to his fellow criminals, man had "achieved miracles in every field of human endeavour... except crime!" He was a narcissist who had the financial resources to support his feeding of his ego.

thesecretagent

The best way to cover up criminal activity is to create legitimate cover. Al Capone had many apparently legitimate and successful businesses through which criminal proceeds could be passed, taxed and legitimised. I suppose the actions of these people only come to light when they become too greedy.
Most people live honest lives. They work, get promoted, become more successful. Buy a bigger house and bigger or faster car, take more exotic holidays. That's the whole idea behind a career. If you own a legitimate business then you try to expand, invest in oppotunities and further your product. This is the self employed's version of promotion. I suppose it's only natural for criminals to further themselves in the same way. Add to this an over-inflated, narcosistic ego and a desire to succeed, and it's clear some people will try to further themselves by any means possible.

dr. evan-gelist

i think the point of being a bond villain isnt to kill bond, because in most films, he isnt the direct enemy, hes there to stop them making the mess of an already crippled world.

Rick Roberts

bondfanggr wrote:

In most JB moves, the villains were already very rich and powerful to start out with (Blofeld, Goldfinger, Max Zorin, Stromberg being the most prominent examples). How on earth then are they still not satisfied and want to completely take over the world (which would be nearly unachievable, and many of their plots are foolish, especially Zorin's)? Do they have some mental issues or are they just greedy?

They just aren't satisfied, simple as that. Most of us always want more of something anyway.

dr. evan-gelist

the villains also want to take over the world, but ..... u guessed it..... in the dalton films, the villains are more real.

Higgins

Yes, in TLD the villain was playing with toy soldiers 8-) and the battle in his house was a real lowpoint....

dr. evan-gelist

ha ha yes. it is funny, that scene.

Higgins

Funny that the scene was meant to be serious and TD meant it that way, too.
Roger knew, when a joke was to come

dr. evan-gelist

ye. i dont like rogers portrayal as iv said many times. dalton suffered from bad scripts and just basic lack of ideas

Higgins

... And a huge lack of self-irony

dr. evan-gelist

dalton was caught up in the roger era. shame.....

Colonel Shatner

What was the point of Dick Cheney's actions? Or the actions of the board of directors for Goldman Sachs? Of course the more outlandish villains from the Bond movies take it up to comic book levels (like Blofeld, Drax, Stromberg, or Carver), but the principle is the same, while you get more grounded villains like Le Chifre, Greene, Whitaker, Sanchez, and Kristatos who just want to do business, not (intentionally) blow up the world.