What do you think was the first Bond film to be an "action film"?

Railer 505

I originally thought Diamonds are Forever as the movie that transitioned from spy drama to action thriller, but it seems that You Only Live Twice was quite ahead of its time having the chases, fights, explosions, etc that it has. In the end I feel its Goldfinger that set the standard for future bonds, with the first two (Dr. No and From CCCP with Love to be more like romantic spy dramas without emphasis on action scenes).

Loeffelholz

I think that DN was different enough, from anything which had come before, to more than qualify as possibly the first 'action film' outside one of the traditional action sub-genres---western, war, gangster, etc.

Bond changed everything...in 1962 :007)

Yankee Mike Bravo

I can see that argument, but IMHO, the first two films are based too much in reality to be "action films."

I'd say Goldfinger. With elements like Bond's car, Oddjob's hat, the raid of Fort Knox, and Pussy Galore's Flying Circus, the bounds of reality were surpassed and the realm of adrenaline was entered.

hegottheboot

Dr. No is much more of a detective thriller in classic standards. Then it morphs into the Crab Key sequences and the final lair. From Crab Key on it is a realistic and fun action film.
FRWL is truly the first Bond to be a complete action film. It falls in the Spy subcategory.

superado

The title of this thread made me think of the modern Jerry Bruckheimer blockbusters. I guess by definition, all the films since DN are action films, but remembering how the 90's video series promoted Bond as the "Original Action Hero," I think it had the Bruckheimer model in mind, or at least how they wanted Bond to be regarded.

As a fan of movie machine guns (particularly war movies I watched while growing up) I thought it was a rare gem to see Moore pick one up in TSWLM, then seeing Dalton wield an AK47 in TLD like a special forces trooper made me think that Bond has finally come around. But then, after the 6-year hiatus that ended with the release of GE, I have to admit, WOW! Here was Bond mowing down Russian troopers like toy soldiers...I had to admit I really got excited with the gratutitious action. Then, seeing Bond wield two machine guns at once in TND, I began to think it over.

I guess it became a trade-off; yes, you can switch off the intent attention and enjoy the visual treat, while watching the action cheapen the movie at the expense of depth. So far, I'm glad that Bond himself hasn't resorted to the machine gun too much in (or at all? I don't remember) in CR and QoS, but the action film texture is somewhat still there, thankfully though in a more "realistic" manner since the raw and real approach ala Jason Bourne has become the flavor of the moment.

Wint and Kidd far-out

Railer 505 wrote:

I originally thought Diamonds are Forever as the movie that transitioned from spy drama to action thriller, but it seems that You Only Live Twice was quite ahead of its time having the chases, fights, explosions, etc that it has. In the end I feel its Goldfinger that set the standard for future bonds, with the first two (Dr. No and From CCCP with Love to be more like romantic spy dramas without emphasis on action scenes).

I would agree that it was Goldfinger that really set the full standard of action adventure in James Bond franchise.

Doctor No is pretty much laid back and while there is a little more action in From Russia With Love ( I don't really understand the meaning to that CCCP in your post incidentally ) it all takes off full scale with Goldfinger.

In fact GF is the ultimate turning point in the series. DN is a very serious movie with a few small doses of light humour. FRWL has more humour but still has not quite developed into the sort of tongue-in-cheek humour we fans well remember with love. No pun intended.

With Goldfinger the movies ceased to take themselves at all seriously and the hilarious elements of all the movies from then on were established. The first movie to water down the tongue in cheek was perhaps LTK. It has some moments of comedy relief but the mood is still rather dark and more serious in nature.

bigzilcho

Loeffelholz wrote:

I think that DN was different enough, from anything which had come before, to more than qualify as possibly the first 'action film' outside one of the traditional action sub-genres---western, war, gangster, etc.

Bond changed everything...in 1962 :007)

Once again, Loeff, you took the words right out of my pocket.

However, it was not Dr. No which changed everything but FRWL. Dr.No got everything right except the action. Young and Hunt's work in FRWL is a quantum leap in action movie history.

The gypsy camp-fight, the helicopter and boat chases and, of course, the immortal Bond-Grant slug-fest on the Orient Express, are NOT the first world-class action scenes to be fully integrated into the plot of a movie, but never before has action defined a character and a movie with such precision and intensity. For the first time ever...the action WAS the film.

I defy anyone to show me a better action film before 1963. I will gladly take on all challengers on this point.

I'll say it before, I"ll say it again... to paraphrase John Lennon on music:"Before Elvis, there was nothing."

In terms of action...before Bond there was nothing.



"Some men don't like to be driven."
"No, some men don't like to be taken for a ride."

James Suzuki

i would say goldfinger brought in the action and that goldeneye changed bond into being another violent m movie instead of a 7 and up action movie

hegottheboot

The Bond films developed the "action film" but never became them until FYEO. It's a good film but it sinks so low into standard fare that it simply begins to fall in with the rest. Ever since, 007 has been influenced by outside forces (except for TLD) and only nods to its former self elevate it slightly above everything else.

zaphod

Railer 505 wrote:

I originally thought Diamonds are Forever as the movie that transitioned from spy drama to action thriller, but it seems that You Only Live Twice was quite ahead of its time having the chases, fights, explosions, etc that it has. In the end I feel its Goldfinger that set the standard for future bonds, with the first two (Dr. No and From CCCP with Love to be more like romantic spy dramas without emphasis on action scenes).

Dr No was a 'game-changer' alright, but the Bond movies although spawning the 'modern' action genre were never in my view quite part of it. Eon favours the descriptor of Action-Adventure'. This possibly due to their globetrotting nature. A lot of Action movies take place in a very specific single location (Die Hard) or City. That said a case could be made for QOS being the first Action Bond due to it's pace and relentless intensity ('Bullett from a Gun' and all that.
I think that you can sense a real tension between Action, character and Adventure throughout much of the series, particularly the better (my opinion only ) examples FRWL, OHMSS, LALD, GE, CR. This is also a key element of what sets them apart from one dimesnional Action films and fuels a sense of glamour and renders them more than the sum of their parts and elusive to definition.

I wonder if 23 will settle the issue, and can't wait to see how it attempts to negotiate this tension.