Your Pick For The Bond That Defined Each Decade
chrisisall
Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,062MI6 Agent
For each decade, name the Bond you feel defines it and why.
Obviously the 2010's are out as we only have SF so far.
And try to avoid simply picking your favourite. Some Bonds seem rather timeless; I'm interested in your takes on Bonds that feel heavily connected to the times in which they were made.
Here's mine:
60's- OHMSS
The movie just practically screams 'Groovy' for me with its pastel posh playfulness. Free love AND romance abound. The hypnosis scene seem designed for audience members who might be high or tripping. But it came down hard...
70's- TSWLM
Hamlish's use of a disco beat cemented this as my Seventies pick. The 70's started small but ended big as if to celebrate the end of the war or something. And TSWLM was BIG.
80's- LTK
The Eighties was THE action era, and LTK pulled no punches in that department. LTK was undeniably part of that Die Hard/Lethal Weapon/Miami Vice mentality that I associate so much with the era.
90's- GE
Bond was back, he was bad, he wasn't black but he was mad.
And if he'd learned anything from Arnold, it was to keep that finger pressed on the automatic weapon's trigger for dear celluloid life!
2000's- CR
It's all there, the betrayal, the loss, the starting over. The perfect post 9-11 Bond.
Obviously the 2010's are out as we only have SF so far.
And try to avoid simply picking your favourite. Some Bonds seem rather timeless; I'm interested in your takes on Bonds that feel heavily connected to the times in which they were made.
Here's mine:
60's- OHMSS
The movie just practically screams 'Groovy' for me with its pastel posh playfulness. Free love AND romance abound. The hypnosis scene seem designed for audience members who might be high or tripping. But it came down hard...
70's- TSWLM
Hamlish's use of a disco beat cemented this as my Seventies pick. The 70's started small but ended big as if to celebrate the end of the war or something. And TSWLM was BIG.
80's- LTK
The Eighties was THE action era, and LTK pulled no punches in that department. LTK was undeniably part of that Die Hard/Lethal Weapon/Miami Vice mentality that I associate so much with the era.
90's- GE
Bond was back, he was bad, he wasn't black but he was mad.
And if he'd learned anything from Arnold, it was to keep that finger pressed on the automatic weapon's trigger for dear celluloid life!
2000's- CR
It's all there, the betrayal, the loss, the starting over. The perfect post 9-11 Bond.
Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Comments
The 60's was Connery Bond mania, so I would choose Goldfinger over OHMSS.
The early 70's Bond is radically different from the late 70's Bond. I'll also choose TSWLM for basically the same reasons you mentioned.
The hardest choice for me is the 80's. You make a strong case for LTK being the hard-edged action film.
Living Daylights is also a contender, with Bond developing a more serious romantic relationship and the Russia vs. Afghanistan conflict. However, for don't forget Octopussy for a confident mix of colorful 80's fun mixed with cold war Berlin.
Goldeneye certainly dominates the 90's Bond landscape. It also contains several lectures that Bond must receive in order to bring him up to date. However, Tomorrow Never Dies might have the edge with the focus on media control and cameras and changing technology. Bond has also taken a strong anti-smoking stance. The Bond "girl" is equally powerful and racially diverse.
My list would be:
60's: Goldfinger
70's: The Spy Who Loved Me
80's: Tie - Octopussy and Living Daylights
90's: Tie- Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
60's - From Russia With Love
A proper 1960's Cold War Espionage Film
70's - The Spy Who Loved Me
Films were getting more Epic and grand in Production Values during the late 70's
80's - The Living Daylights
The late 80's marked the start of the Downfall of the USSR
90's - Goldeneye
A perfect post - Cold War Film
00's - Casino Royale
The Rebirth of Bond
70s - TSWLM
80s - TLD
90s - GE
00s - CR
1. GoldenEye 2. Goldfinger 3. Skyfall 4. OHMSS 5. TWINE
70s: TSWLM
80s: LTK
90s: GE
00s: CR
70s TSWLM
80s LTK
90s. GE
00s. QOS
Not my favourite bond film, but I must admit, it is the one that defined 60's bond.
70's - TSWLM
As others have mentioned, how big the movie felt is a factor.
80's - AVTAK
Pretty much the definition of Moore in the 80's.
90's - GE
The pinnacle of Pierce Brosnan.
00's - CR
Bond rebooted.
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
'60s = GOLDFINGER
'70s = THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
'80s = LICENCE TO KILL
'90s = GOLDENEYE
'00s = CASINO ROYALE
My list matches yours. -{
50s: DN, there's just so much spillover from the previous decade, the colors and hues of the film, the pompadours and the 57 Chevy.
60s: OHMSS, the use of purple in the art direction, the fashions that seemed to exceed that of other Bond movies, which tend to be neutral in their decades and it seems that is by design. Arguably, its OHMSS and TLD that most embraced their times. Lastly, the emphasis on electronic instruments in the soundtrack.
70s: TSWLM, the flared pants and wide lapels, the mutton chops on the extras, the orange jumpsuits, the disco music and the sleek art direction that was typical of the period, e.g., Atlantis exterior and Sardinia scenes and even the selection of the white Lotus Esprit (compare this to the slightly gaudier embellishments on the 80’s version of the white Esprit in FYEO)
80s: TLD, starting with Dalton's "big" hair, loose clothing, a-Ha's music and the look of Necros.
90s: TND, Brosnan's hair product, the smart looking suits, the BMW, Sheryl Crow.
00s: CR, need I say more? The total deconstructionist approach to the series reboot that reflects the moods and tastes of Millennials, or "Generation Y."
10s: SF by default, but it’s too early to tell and the jury will still be out until the end of the decade, which I for one, can’t even begin to characterize at this time.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Moonraker represents the 70's
Licence to Kill represents the 80's
GoldenEye represent the 90's
Casino Royale represents the 00's
70s MR
80s TLD
90s. GE
00s. CR