Reactions to different actors playing Bond whilst watching the movies

chrisisall

Me:

Connery: I'm kind of mesmerized, he flows across the screen like a river or suddenly crashes like a waterfall. He seems in command of every situation, even when he isn't.
Lazenby: In his one he exudes both charm & confidence, and also a pleasant detachment that intermittently becomes somewhat irritating to me.
Moore: Smooth. There's no other words needed. He brings a smile to my face.
Dalton: He's riveting, but also makes me a bit uncomfortable (in a good way); like he needs to switch to decaf, or another job.
Brosnan: Very cool & suave, yet I see a deep, buried sadness and a longing for joy.
Craig: A band stretched too tightly, about to snap. Unexpected moments of tenderness from this orphan.

So, off the top of your head, your feelings, thoughts or reactions to these guys while watching them?

Barbel

Connery: as you say, he flows across the screen.
Lazenby: he'll do till the real thing comes along.
Moore: I may not like his Bond but I like HIM!
Dalton: the man from the books.
Brosnan: effortless and stylish.
Craig: see Lazenby

chrisisall

Barbel wrote:

Dalton: the man from the books.

I should have included that in my list. -{

Barbel

It was my gut reaction on seeing TLD back in 87.

Thunderpussy

I too think Dalton is the Bond from the novels. -{ . Although on screen in my opinion Connery is the only one who can give a smile with a cruel edge to it, which I think he got fron the books.

ChromeJob

chrisisall wrote:

Dalton: He's riveting, but also makes me a bit uncomfortable (in a good way); like he needs to switch to decaf, or another job.

LmAo.

Connery: Suave, confident, lethal. Not the book Bond, but just as interesting to watch.
Lazenby: a PG version of Bond. Cute, masculine, great fighter,... but what I like, he's quiet and reserved like the literary Bond.
Moore: I liked him as Simon Templar. I think he's a retread as Bond. And they drove him till the tread was all gone.
Dalton: Okay, finally an actor that measures up to Connery. Quiet, confident, a truly, sincerely dry wit (not smug). Lethal and also a great seducer of women. Real shame that the legal crap prevented Dalton from doing a few more.
Brosnan: pretty stiff at the outset (big shoes to walk in), did his Irish darnedest. (I remember seeing him in THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY and thinking, holy crap, this guy's scary good, he'd be a good Bond. No joke. Years later ... voila.) He hit his stride quick enough, alas the films went awry.
Craig: a little reminiscent of Lazenby, all the tick boxes have checks, a lot more muscle-bound than I'd like (literary Bond was smart, cunning, not a humonculous), but the confidence, dry as kindling wit, sexual magnetism, and of course lethal presence are all there. As polished and pretty as Lazenby was, but Craig has started mumbling and slurring in SF. I liked him a little better in CR, but he's more human in SF, and we see a bit more of his internal thinking in SF. Not sure what's to come, but I'm sure he'll be interesting to watch.

hehadlotsofguts

Connery: he commands the screen. When he said "Bond, James Bond" during that scene in Dr No, I thought to myself THIS is Bond. He has expressive eyes which he often uses to express emotions such as sadness when Jill Masterson is killed in Goldfinger to name a few.

Lazenby: Smooth and charming, he played Bond with a vulnerability i.e when Bond is running away from Bunt's henchmen in the christmas festival.

Moore: Played for laughs mostly, but he is capable of being serious and cruel when necessary. The car kick in FYEO was one of the best Moore moments for me.

Dalton: The Fleming Bond. I thought he was really uncomfortable with women compared to the other actors.

Brosnan: cool and confident


Craig: Bond with a Hard edge

Blackleiter

Connery - Perfect combination of charm, wit and danger. He plays Bond as the lady-killing, resourceful, confident superspy so effortlessly that one could almost believe he IS 007 simply playing himself. He hasn't been topped yet.
Lazenby - Nice try for a newcomer. Very good at the physical stuff; a little stiff in the serious scenes. Something very endearing about him
Moore - Seems to be a fine fellow. Very good at tossing a quip or raising an eyebrow. Great for The Persuaders - not right for Bond.
Dalton - The Bond I see when I read Fleming's novels. His intensity and screen presence were just what was needed to bring the series back to life.
Brosnan - He has a cool command of the screen that really leaves an impression, and he offers a few welcome peeks at Bond's inner turmoil. Too bad his scripts largely failed him.
Craig - Absolutely blows me away with his refreshingly gritty portrayal of Bond. He skillfully uses his eyes and facial expressions to show both the steely killer and the vulnerable agent, sometimes simultaneously. His physicality is equally impressive.

DelicatessenInSteel

Connery: Brilliant in Dr. No thru Goldfinger even though those movies bore me now. From Thunderball onwards he's a different James Bond more camp and silly.
Lazenby: Brilliant performance for a one timer..OHMSS on the big screen is amazing and emotional. Can't see Connery doing it and Lazenby's (the amateur non actor) lament to Tracy is stronger than any performance by any other Bond including Craig.
Moore: Genius version of Bond played it depending how the script went..if he was called to be serious he was..if camp and silliness were called for he was there..he's the one I envision when I read Fleming...no other Bond comes to mind..yes it may be sacrilege but its the truth.
Dalton: Great Bond at the wrong time..love him but he was too much of a live wire lighting a bomb that was about to explode in intensity, which makes him very entertainingly hilarious.
Brosnan: Goldeneye was great so was he in that movie..then death...didn't care for him after Goldeneye.
Craig: Brilliant in Casino Royale great classic Bond film..audiences love him..weak actor..haven't cared for him after Casino Royale..his best. -{

BIG TAM

CONNERY - Exciting & dangerous. Oozes charisma. Amusing but never stupid.

LAZENBY - A bit rough round the edges as one would expect but handles it all surprisingly well. Makes you believe he's in trouble but never comes across as weak.

MOORE - Urbane & sophisticated. Through thick & thin I can't help but like him. He leaves me with a big-kid grin on my face.

DALTON - The right man at the wrong time. Intense but with a cool grace. Like Lazenby, should have done more films.

BROSNAN - Perfect Connery/Moore hybrid. He does what's expected of him & more. A pity he wasn't given the material his successor's had.

CRAIG - The human Bond. Tough & ruthless but with a proper backstory to explain his crueler tendencies. A nice character arc as he goes from head-strong agent to washed-out spy & back again.