Ranking the Bond movies of the 80's
Paperbill
FloridaPosts: 812MI6 Agent
I must say the 80's were a bleak time for me as a Bond fan...here is how I would rank them.
FYEO
TLD
NSNA (ok hate me, but I loved Connery's return)
LTK
OP
VTAK
FYEO
TLD
NSNA (ok hate me, but I loved Connery's return)
LTK
OP
VTAK
Comments
FYEO
LTK
OP
AVTAK
I have a bit of a soft spot for the Bond films of the 80s. I find them all rather enjoyable, even my least favourite - AVTAK. I left NSNA off this list because I really dislike it. At least the 5 EON films are all movies that I enjoy watching and re-watching.
Octopussy
For Your Eyes Only
Licence to Kill
A View To A Kill
LTK
OP
TLD
AVTAK
i've always found it very hard to decide what the worst 80's bond is, AVTAK isnt the best ever mad but it sure has its good sides. a Super Villain, great opening scene, great actors (Christopher Walken kicks as as Zorin)
LTK, love this Movie, Pitty Dalton didn't get to do More
TLD, the PTS is still one of the Best, along with the Airplane sequences at the end.
FYEO, Moore gives a great performance, slightly more serious than normal.
OP, Great action sequences, and I enjoyed the villains plot.
AVTAK, Hated by many, But I have a soft spot for it. I think Christopher Walken made a great Villain.
OP. Overcooked but lots of highlights, just a bit heavygoing. Decent cold war theme.
TLD. No fun but okay for solo viewing, great pts and some dark stuff. Always interesting, but pig iron tunnel sort of loses me.
FYEO. It should be better than it is, Moore is too old for his babes for the first time and no-mark villains, but it looks lush and it has something about it.
LTK. I liked it more at the time, but in terms of repeat viewing, forget it. Actually bland, but still some silliness, the director doesn't have the chops. A B-movie.
NSNA. Can be more watchable that LTK but you have the disappointment factor. Some set piece scenes work, but the action never kicks in and an air of anti-climax pervades. Connery on mute throughout.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
2. LTK 1989
3. FYEO 1981
4. OP 1983
5. AVTAK 1985
Daltons films and Moores films became worse as they went on. Dalton was a better Bond than Moore in the 80s.
Moore was more believable in the 70s when he was younger. He said himself that he was getting too old for the role in the 80s.
(Interesting fact: All these films were directed by John Glen)
2.FYEO has lost some of it's charm for me, as it's easier to see how it's constructed to be built around the action scenes and really gives the actors very little to do. plus it is the introduction of Moore's terrible hair and aged look.
3. AVTAK- This was my 2nd Bond film, so it's sentimental. But the score and Walken help to distract from the pitiful budget, commonplace settings and general lack of anything going on.
4.LTK. This one has really grown on me. I've always felt Dalton made a great 007 and could have really gone to new heights. The release of the uncut version has really enhanced the film. hurt by the fact that the falling production budget forced them to shoot in Mexico, as the film constantly has a look of cheapness that places it with regular action films of the era.
5.OP. Everything in this one just feels so old! The Indian setting feels forced, because writer Macdonald Frasier normally wrote throwback adventure tales that were usually set in India. The plot is nonsense. The villains have little reason to be doing anything, and Orlov is wasted. Why couldn't it just been about his mad scheme? That's where all of the interest of the film comes from! It can only be taken for what it is: Raiders of the Lost 007 and better than NSNA.
2. OP
3. NSNA
4. LTK
5. TLD
6. aVtaK
A solid plot, a return to a more serious tone without losing the tounge in cheek. Moore does look out of place next to the young girls though and the villains are weak.
2. The Living Daylights
Dalton works well as Bond, the pre-title sequence is great and John Barry's score is his best. Sure, the villains are weak, but the rest of the film makes up for this.
3. Octopussy
Perhaps it's a bit over the top at times, but this is what Moore does best, and it's not entirely silly, with an interesting cold war plot. It's well cast and has some great locations and action scenes.
4. A View to a Kill
Sure, it has some drab locations, Moore is getting too old to play the part, the second act falls flat, but Patrick McNee as Tibet and Christopher Walken as Zorin are great characters and the first act is great and the third okay. And John Barry's score is fantastic.
5. Licence to Kill
I wanted to like this film, and there are some great parts: Dalton as Bond is good, the Bond girls are great, a good actor reprises his role as Felix Leiter and the villain is interesting and even a little creepy, but overall the plot is weak and the violence is over the top. It's like they were trying to make it a big action movie in the vein of Lethal Weapon or some such film that was typical back then.
6. Never Say Never Again
I don't even consider this part of cannonical Bond. It's utterly terrible in every way; even the return of Connery doesn't save it.
8. TMwtGG 9. AVtaK 10. TSWLM 11. SF 12. LtK 13. TND 14. YOLT
15. NTtD 16. MR 17. LaLD 18. GF 19. SP 20. DN 21. TB
22. TWiNE 23. DAD 24. QoS 25. DaF
1. License To Kill - this was not very Bondian in the sense that it was violent and not only that but had a down to earth, realistic villain who brought a gritty drug plot to the table. But I loved it for what it was. Robert Davi did an excellent job at convincing us he meant business. The Felix revenge storyline was engaging as was the nod to Bond being married once. Great opening and finale - the lorry stunts have to be among the best in the series. Q also had a decent amount of screen time which is always good! Dalton did play it too straight sometimes but this was a different Bond and I guess that is more accepted now looking back.
2. For Your Eyes Only - Great movie. Moore at his best. He means business but not in a Dalton way. He can meander through being serious and raising the old eyebrow. The opening scene does let it down though and to an extent i think it pisses on the iconic creation that was Blofeld. Perhaps it was a self parody: "this is the 80's Blofled, campness will prevail"
Again I liked the nod to Bond's past at the grave. Stunts, score, plot all fine here. The scene with Q and the Identigraph
Solid entertainment.
3. A View To A Kill - I've recently defended this one in another thread due to it having some brilliant moments. Chris Walken, the Gate Bridge scene, the score, the darker edge the series was beginning to take...
4. The Living Daylights - I need to watch this one more often but it was always one which nothing in particular stood out. It took Bond back to basics though. It let us see his ruthless side (assasin) but also that he had a weakness for the ladies. The plot was also quite well structured. However there were no real memorable villains or action scenes. Apar from the opening and ending scenes which were brilliant.
5. Octupussy - It was decent. The scenes were Bond is held in Khan's liar are full of tension and intrigue..the dinner table scene being one of the best. The train scenes were also good. The rest was silly really and a bit of a parody. However as usual John Barry never fails and this score is one of my favs. I just think the plot could have been handled better..good idea but not taken seriously enough.
It was refreshing to see Dalton bring back a serious side to Bond. I thought that film was the best of the 80s - very 'Bondian' in the sense that part of the plot was taken directly from Fleming's novel. That is always a big plus to me.
2. For Your Eyes Only
In my opinion, this was Moore's best Bond film. Solid plot, great villains.
3. Licence to Kill
Probably not very 'Bondian', but it was a very enjoyable film. Felix Leiter was superbly cast and well played.
4. Octopussy
5. A View to a Kill
2. For Your Eyes Only
3.Licence to kill
4.Octop*ssy
5. A view to a Kill
"We gave her a nice honeymooooooooon" lol best line in the movie!
2. Octopussy
3. License to Kill
4. For your Eyes only
5. A View to a Kill
TLD - I really like this as a refresher, don't get me wrong Roger is my favourite by far but it was nice to have a new, younger looking Bond. It has some good Bondian moments too, such as the PTS and end fight.
AVTAK and OP - I can't seperate them, I don't even know why! I used to really like A View To A Kill when I was younger! I thought that Max Zorin was so cool with his glasses and blimps and what not! I too can forgive the Beach Boys moment, I actually really enjoy many scenes of AVTAK. And Octopussy I used to hate as a kid, but it's grown on me, after seeing it on TV not too long ago. Rog still is looking alright, and I enjoy all the action even if I don't underdtand the plot well!
LTK - Which leaves LTK; I really liked it still, particularly the villians and despite her under par acting, I liked Talisa Sotto. Cary Lowell annoys me, and I don't even know why. I love a few scenes from here too. But it feels less Bond.
2. A View To A Kill
2. For Your Eyes Only
4. License To Kill
5. Octopussy
I enjoy them all, though.
TLD - Dalton's first go at Bond with a script originally intended for Roger Moore, still I find much to like.
FYEO - Has some excellent elements, including the mountain climbing, if only they dumped Bibi and the hockey rink fight
OP - Some gorgeous women, a decent villian, but telling a tiger to sit (sigh)
AVTAK - James, James James, somebody please shut her up.
NSNA - Blows!
2)LTK
3)AVTAK (it's really not that bad)
4)OP
5)FYEO
and NSNA doesn't really count.
Octopussy
For Your Eyes Only
The Living Daylights
A View To A Kill
Licence To Kill
Never Say Never Again
1...The Living Daylights.....Great score, good performance by Dalton. Love the bit he misses on purpose on the assasination.
2...Octopussy...................Liked the Opening (a bit like FRWL) not bad film. Some good Nond moments like the auction, the dice game. Crap theme tune.
3...Licence to Kill..............Too blood thirsty.
4...From A View to a kill....Terrible Grace Jones awful, story crap, Walken even worse !
5...FYEO..........................Worst Bond film of alltime, terrible score and wooden actors.
2. The Living Daylights (Someone tell Joe Don Baker that Moore is not Bond anymore! He will get another chance to make an ass out of himself soon enough!)
3. License To Kill (Timothy Dalton is my 3rd favorite Bond and he gives another excellent performance)
4. For Your Eyes Only (my fav Moore outing. Precredit sequence made the film to me! Goodbye Blofeld!)
5. Octopussy (Best part of the film is the title! Moore in a clown costume was not a stretch)
6. A View To A Kill (Who the hell was that old man cooking quiche!
2. The Living Daylights (10th favorite Bond Film)
3. Never Say Never Again (14th favorite Bond Film)
4. Octopussy (15th favorite Bond Film)
5. A View to A Kill (18th favorite Bond Film)
6. License to Kill (20th favorite Bond Film)
2. The Living Daylights- Decent enough plot, Dalton tries hard, but he's just too excitable for me.
3. For Your Eyes Only- Stupid beginning, stupid end, and the middle isn't serious enough OR over-the-top enough.
4. Never Say Never Again- Boring for the most part.
5. A View to A Kill- Unnecessary.
6. License to Kill- Offensive in so very many ways. Felix all jovial on the phone at the end being maybe the worst of it.
The Eighties pretty much sucked for Bond, I'm afraid.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
OP - One my personal favorite Cold War movies with fantastic stunts, tension, and great locations.
TLD - Nice precredit sequence, that last Barry score, good use of Euro settings make up for the disappointing second act and coda in Afghanistan and Tangiers.
NSNA - Barbara Carrera, Domination, that house in Monte Carlo with the funky steps some of the cool things about the disappointing NSNA.
LTK - does not feel Bondian to me. More a generic American hero/cop film.
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
wait…what?!???!!
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Evidence that he had taste and sense 11 days after signing up here.
From then on he went downhill all the way
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Great mix of all things Bond in these two, one more serious, and one sillier adventure
1. TLD
2. OP
3. FYEO
4. LTK - great movie but not really a Bond movie
5. AVTAK - still enjoyable but feels cheap
1.TLD
2.FYEO
3.OP
4.AVTAK
5.LTK
I enjoy all five of them really though and it is close between some of the numbers.