I think Scaramanga and Zorin are both second-rate villains, but they get a lot of praise from fans--because I believe those fans are looking at the bodies of work from Christopher Lee and Christopher Walken and not looking at the individual films and performances. So there.
I disagree.
In 1973 Christopher Lee was best known for playing Dracula. My favourite parts of his performances for the Hammer Dracula series are the rare parts (I think occurring only in 'Dracula', 'Scars of Dracula' and 'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula') where the character has some dialogue masquerading initially as a courteous host to visitors to his castle/lair. (He otherwise has either no dialogue at all, as in 'Dracula, Prince Of Darkness', or merely makes short, satanic declamations.). So I love it that TWTGG gives Lee plenty of 'host' dialogue when Bond arrives at his island: Dracula gets talky, and Lee is obviously relishing it!
As for Christopher Walken, it's fun and interesting watching him with his tongue in his cheek play Zorin as a psychotic, reckless villain, since he'd made his name portraying in a serious/tragic way a character who becomes suicidal and deranged in a far more important movie, 'The Deer Hunter'. In the celebrated scene in 'True Romance' between Walken and Dennis Hopper where Walken plays a psychotic mafia boss, he shoots Hopper in anger and then complains to his henchmen that he hasn't been provoked to kill anyone directly like that since the 80s. I've always wanted to read that line as a passing postmodern nod on the part of writer Tarantino to Walken's role as Zorin, but I believe the mafioso specifies an 80s year other than 1985 so maybe I can't get away with that!
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
I'm a hardcore Moore fan, so it goes without saying that most of my opinions are a little unpopular. I think all of his movies are underrated -- even Golden Gun and AVTAK, which are bad, are not all that bad.
Most overrated movies? Thunderball, Licence to Kill, and Skyfall (which was really good, but not the "almighty franchise saviour" that everybody makes it out to be. That was called Casino Royale -{ ).
I personally don't care how faithful the movies are to the books, although From Russia With Love, OHMSS and Casino Royale do a fine job.
"The secret agent. The man who was only a silhouette..." -- Ian Fleming, Moonraker
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
I like this thread! I am going to be sharing an opinion that I think I shared on this forum years ago, and so far, I don't think any one has ever really agreed on it with me. But it's the first 'unpopular opinion' that came to mind, so here goes:
I think Talisa Soto wasn't a bad actress in her role as Lupe Lamora in Licence to Kill. (!)
Her "I love James SO much" line isn't supposed to be a sign of bad acting, or a weird thing in which she immediatly fell in love with James. It was clearly supposed to be a taunt towards Pam. (Hence why Pam is so annoyed by the line when she leaves). Also in the end she just goes of with that other guy, clearly showing that she wasn't in love with Bond at all...
So no bad acting, - it was a TAUNT.
There you go
You are being quite generous to Ms. Soto, my friend. I have watched LTK dozens of times and her delivery of that line seems worse every time! )
I have to agree that I've never seen Lupe's mention of how she "loves James so much" as a taunt. Why would she bother to taunt Pam? At that point, I don't think Pam had ever even expressed any feelings for Bond, so why taunt her? And, not to sound cruel, but I've always thought of Lupe as a bit intellectually limited, so I don't think it would even occur to her to do anything as sophisticated as taunting Pam over another man.
She did see Bond and Pam together in the casino, she knew they were together. It is also proven that Pam did indeed get annoyed by the taunt when she leaves. (She clearly expresses her frustration towards Q) I would find it weirder if Lupe actually really meant she fell in love with James. At the end of the movie when he does end up with Pam, she doesn't care and runs off with the other guy anyway. (Further proving that she only said the line to taunt Pam, not because she was really in love with James...)
I'm a big fan of the first half of Die Another Day. The second half I'm totally on board with everyone else calling it awful.
Also I truly second JW Pepper as a great character. Cracks me up every time.
I actually think a lot of people would agree on the first half of Die Another Day being enjoyable. It's one of the reasons I don't rank it THAT low myself.
At the end of the movie when he does end up with Pam, she doesn't care and runs off with the other guy anyway. (Further proving that she only said the line to taunt Pam, not because she was really in love with James...)
Actually, I took that more as another example of the lazy writing or lack of attention to detail similar to the "cheerful" Felix Leiter at the end.
At the end of the movie when he does end up with Pam, she doesn't care and runs off with the other guy anyway. (Further proving that she only said the line to taunt Pam, not because she was really in love with James...)
Actually, I took that more as another example of the lazy writing or lack of attention to detail similar to the "cheerful" Felix Leiter at the end.
You're BOTH wrong IMO, she's just a very pretty, very dopey young woman whose heartfelt opinions change with the breeze.
At the end of the movie when he does end up with Pam, she doesn't care and runs off with the other guy anyway. (Further proving that she only said the line to taunt Pam, not because she was really in love with James...)
Actually, I took that more as another example of the lazy writing or lack of attention to detail similar to the "cheerful" Felix Leiter at the end.
You're BOTH wrong IMO, she's just a very pretty, very dopey young woman whose heartfelt opinions change with the breeze.
Do all Connery die hards fe endlessly disappointed by everything that followed - and if so are they really bond fans or just Connery fans?? ) )
Should have said "feel endlessly"
I remember someone on this forum saying that the best Bond movie moment was the introduction of Bond in Dr No. That means that everything after that was worse! That's 22.9 movie of disappointment )
I'm a big fan of the first half of Die Another Day. The second half I'm totally on board with everyone else calling it awful.
Also I truly second JW Pepper as a great character. Cracks me up every time.
I wouldn't agree that as much as half of DAD is all fine. But I DO like the immediate lead-in to the DAD credits sequence, from Bond's capture, and the way the sequence uses the Korean 'interrogatorix' and shots of Bond's torture. It's the most original approach to a Bond titles sequence for years, novel in its stylised extension of the story through the credits themselves. It's possibly still my favourite Danny Kleinman sequence, and better than several of Maurice Binder's. Madonna's title track has grown on me over the years, too.
As for JW Pepper, he's a product of Manckwiecz's/Hamilton's sense of humour - probably more effective in LALD than in TMWTGG - but the racist tenor of some of his lines is now embarrassing.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Although I do think the "Hick" sheriff, is common fodder for many films.
It's an easy stereotype, to help get some points across in a humours way.
After all, in my mind having a racist cop as a figure of fun, helps to also show
How stupid his views and opinions are. -{
I remember an interview with Mel Brooks about how he always has funny Nazis
In many of his films. He said because it's hard to take an idea or believe seriously
when for years all you see or hear, is people making fun of it.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Do all Connery die hards fe endlessly disappointed by everything that followed - and if so are they really bond fans or just Connery fans?? ) )
Should have said "feel endlessly"
I remember someone on this forum saying that the best Bond movie moment was the introduction of Bond in Dr No. That means that everything after that was worse! That's 22.9 movie of disappointment )
Definitely just Connery fans IMHO.
"The secret agent. The man who was only a silhouette..." -- Ian Fleming, Moonraker
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
I remember someone on this forum saying that the best Bond movie moment was the introduction of Bond in Dr No. That means that everything after that was worse! That's 22.9 movie of disappointment )
Definitely just Connery fans IMHO.
Clearly I'm a die hard Connery fan, but I am also an avid fan of the entire Bond movie franchise. For me, no other actor has combined all of the elements I enjoy about Bond's cinema incarnation as well as Sir Sean. Some of the other actors have done pretty well as far as portraying certain traits of the character (Dalton, Craig), others not as well (Moore, Lazenby). So yes, there has been a bit of a letdown for me since Connery retired from the role, but I have still found quite a bit of enjoyment in viewing the subsequent films. The Dalton and Craig films have been particularly satisfying.
I remember someone on this forum saying that the best Bond movie moment was the introduction of Bond in Dr No. That means that everything after that was worse! That's 22.9 movie of disappointment )
Definitely just Connery fans IMHO.
Clearly I'm a die hard Connery fan, but I am also an avid fan of the entire Bond movie franchise. For me, no other actor has combined all of the elements I enjoy about Bond's cinema incarnation as well as Sir Sean. Some of the other actors have done pretty well as far as portraying certain traits of the character (Dalton, Craig), others not as well (Moore, Lazenby). So yes, there has been a bit of a letdown for me since Connery retired from the role, but I have still found quite a bit of enjoyment in viewing the subsequent films. The Dalton and Craig films have been particularly satisfying.
Connery was indeed a very well-rounded 007. Aside from maybe Pierce Brosnan, I can't think of any other actor who balanced the elements the elements so well. Craig and Dalton might be the "deadliest", Moore is certainly the most humorous, but Connery falls somewhere in-between.
While I enjoy Daniel Craig as James Bond, and respect what Timothy Dalton brought to his own performance, I can't say I enjoy either of their respective films, with the only exception being Casino Royale (an easy contender for best Bond film ever made).
"The secret agent. The man who was only a silhouette..." -- Ian Fleming, Moonraker
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
Clearly I'm a die hard Connery fan, but I am also an avid fan of the entire Bond movie franchise. For me, no other actor has combined all of the elements I enjoy about Bond's cinema incarnation as well as Sir Sean. Some of the other actors have done pretty well as far as portraying certain traits of the character (Dalton, Craig), others not as well (Moore, Lazenby). So yes, there has been a bit of a letdown for me since Connery retired from the role, but I have still found quite a bit of enjoyment in viewing the subsequent films. The Dalton and Craig films have been particularly satisfying.
Connery was indeed a very well-rounded 007. Aside from maybe Pierce Brosnan, I can't think of any other actor who balanced the elements the elements so well. Craig and Dalton might be the "deadliest", Moore is certainly the most humorous, but Connery falls somewhere in-between.
While I enjoy Daniel Craig as James Bond, and respect what Timothy Dalton brought to his own performance, I can't say I enjoy either of their respective films, with the only exception being Casino Royale (an easy contender for best Bond film ever made).
I certainly understand that the more serious Bond films of Dalton and Craig are not for everyone. But we definitely agree on this - Connery is "a very well-rounded" Bond and Casino Royale is one of the best films in the series. -{
Comments
Bad acting and lazy writing.
Deep into Dalton's eyes a fell headlong ! ( a bit likre Higgins
I disagree.
In 1973 Christopher Lee was best known for playing Dracula. My favourite parts of his performances for the Hammer Dracula series are the rare parts (I think occurring only in 'Dracula', 'Scars of Dracula' and 'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula') where the character has some dialogue masquerading initially as a courteous host to visitors to his castle/lair. (He otherwise has either no dialogue at all, as in 'Dracula, Prince Of Darkness', or merely makes short, satanic declamations.). So I love it that TWTGG gives Lee plenty of 'host' dialogue when Bond arrives at his island: Dracula gets talky, and Lee is obviously relishing it!
As for Christopher Walken, it's fun and interesting watching him with his tongue in his cheek play Zorin as a psychotic, reckless villain, since he'd made his name portraying in a serious/tragic way a character who becomes suicidal and deranged in a far more important movie, 'The Deer Hunter'. In the celebrated scene in 'True Romance' between Walken and Dennis Hopper where Walken plays a psychotic mafia boss, he shoots Hopper in anger and then complains to his henchmen that he hasn't been provoked to kill anyone directly like that since the 80s. I've always wanted to read that line as a passing postmodern nod on the part of writer Tarantino to Walken's role as Zorin, but I believe the mafioso specifies an 80s year other than 1985 so maybe I can't get away with that!
Most overrated movies? Thunderball, Licence to Kill, and Skyfall (which was really good, but not the "almighty franchise saviour" that everybody makes it out to be. That was called Casino Royale -{ ).
I personally don't care how faithful the movies are to the books, although From Russia With Love, OHMSS and Casino Royale do a fine job.
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
A grand-scale, competently written, genuinely funny & entertaining spy-fi thriller? That's what I see, anyway...
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
She did see Bond and Pam together in the casino, she knew they were together. It is also proven that Pam did indeed get annoyed by the taunt when she leaves. (She clearly expresses her frustration towards Q) I would find it weirder if Lupe actually really meant she fell in love with James. At the end of the movie when he does end up with Pam, she doesn't care and runs off with the other guy anyway. (Further proving that she only said the line to taunt Pam, not because she was really in love with James...)
YouTube channel Support my channel on Patreon Twitter Facebook fanpage
I'm a big fan of the first half of Die Another Day. The second half I'm totally on board with everyone else calling it awful.
Also I truly second JW Pepper as a great character. Cracks me up every time.
I actually think a lot of people would agree on the first half of Die Another Day being enjoyable. It's one of the reasons I don't rank it THAT low myself.
YouTube channel Support my channel on Patreon Twitter Facebook fanpage
Ditto!
Actually, I took that more as another example of the lazy writing or lack of attention to detail similar to the "cheerful" Felix Leiter at the end.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Here here! -{
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
Glad to hear I'm not alone!
Well that settles that!
Bond riding down the Eifel Tower on the roof of the elevator is my single favorite scene from any Bond movie.
Should have said "feel endlessly"
I remember someone on this forum saying that the best Bond movie moment was the introduction of Bond in Dr No. That means that everything after that was worse! That's 22.9 movie of disappointment
I wouldn't agree that as much as half of DAD is all fine. But I DO like the immediate lead-in to the DAD credits sequence, from Bond's capture, and the way the sequence uses the Korean 'interrogatorix' and shots of Bond's torture. It's the most original approach to a Bond titles sequence for years, novel in its stylised extension of the story through the credits themselves. It's possibly still my favourite Danny Kleinman sequence, and better than several of Maurice Binder's. Madonna's title track has grown on me over the years, too.
As for JW Pepper, he's a product of Manckwiecz's/Hamilton's sense of humour - probably more effective in LALD than in TMWTGG - but the racist tenor of some of his lines is now embarrassing.
It's an easy stereotype, to help get some points across in a humours way.
After all, in my mind having a racist cop as a figure of fun, helps to also show
How stupid his views and opinions are. -{
I remember an interview with Mel Brooks about how he always has funny Nazis
In many of his films. He said because it's hard to take an idea or believe seriously
when for years all you see or hear, is people making fun of it.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
Definitely just Connery fans IMHO.
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
Clearly I'm a die hard Connery fan, but I am also an avid fan of the entire Bond movie franchise. For me, no other actor has combined all of the elements I enjoy about Bond's cinema incarnation as well as Sir Sean. Some of the other actors have done pretty well as far as portraying certain traits of the character (Dalton, Craig), others not as well (Moore, Lazenby). So yes, there has been a bit of a letdown for me since Connery retired from the role, but I have still found quite a bit of enjoyment in viewing the subsequent films. The Dalton and Craig films have been particularly satisfying.
Connery was indeed a very well-rounded 007. Aside from maybe Pierce Brosnan, I can't think of any other actor who balanced the elements the elements so well. Craig and Dalton might be the "deadliest", Moore is certainly the most humorous, but Connery falls somewhere in-between.
While I enjoy Daniel Craig as James Bond, and respect what Timothy Dalton brought to his own performance, I can't say I enjoy either of their respective films, with the only exception being Casino Royale (an easy contender for best Bond film ever made).
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
I certainly understand that the more serious Bond films of Dalton and Craig are not for everyone. But we definitely agree on this - Connery is "a very well-rounded" Bond and Casino Royale is one of the best films in the series. -{