Dalton & Craig; the Intensity factor

chrisisall

What I love about both Dalton & Craig is their 'intensity factor', that is, the thing no other actors brought to the part as well as they did (do in Craig's case). The other four, as great as they were in the role, never achieved that electric sense of urgency to Bond, that feeling that they could snap at any moment.

Thoughts on this?

ixtore

I thought Connery, in Dr. No, showed some of this - after killing the tarantula with his shoe and heading to the bathroom (to throw up, if Terence Young was following the book) - and after shooting Dent in the back, taking a moment to consider his killing.
If that's what you mean. Connery had 'mission on the mind' throughout Dr. No.
Craig does have this perpetual pent-up tension. It's what separates Craig from everyone else, I suppose. It certainly works.
Dalton, an excellent actor, was not my favorite Bond. But I did appreciate his take on the role.
But I agree with Craig - he always looks like a stick of dynamite about to go off.

chrisisall

ixtore wrote:

Craig - he always looks like a stick of dynamite about to go off.

Yes! And I found Dalton the same way. Nicely phrased, ixtore! -{

DaltonFan1

I love TD's emphasis of certain words. When he is attempting to shoot Sanchez, he says "Watch the birdy, you bastard!" and the emphasis on the last word sounds like he really means it.

L Jones

When "CASINO ROYALE" first came out, I noticed that Craig seemed more impressed with Timothy Dalton's take on Bond than the others. I suspect that he decided to follow a similar style.

I thought Connery, in Dr. No, showed some of this - after killing the tarantula with his shoe and heading to the bathroom (to throw up, if Terence Young was following the book) - and after shooting Dent in the back, taking a moment to consider his killing.

I feel that all of the Bonds had those intense moments in their performances. But I do believe that Dalton and Craig really utilized the angst factor, while portraying Bond.

chrisisall

L Jones wrote:

I feel that all of the Bonds had those intense moments in their performances. But I do believe that Dalton and Craig really utilized the angst factor, while portraying Bond.

Here are the actors' portrayals on my 'nitroglycerine' scale:

Connery: Caution- may go off if shaken or stirred vigorously.
Lazenby: Shaken or stirred, danger is relatively low.
Moore: Explosion is not imminent in most cases.
Dalton: Extreme caution advised during handling.
Brosnan: Stir but do not shake too much.
Craig: Explosion imminent.