There's only one Bond film that I dislike to the point of not wanting to watch it at all, and that's Die Another Day. Diamonds Are Forever is ok by my book.
I think most other people here have pretty much stated what they don't like about it, and I share their views generally. It is too distinct a change in tone from On Her Majesty's Secret Service. In the context of that film, Diamonds Are Forever was meant to be a story about Bond exacting revenge on Blofeld, but it was anything but. Furthermore, the character of Blofeld has been reduced from a very smart and very astute villain to a comic.
when isn't there silly moments in a Bond? its part of the series.
This is a sore point for me as a Fleming purist. Bond films aren't meant to be silly, they are meant to be played with a straight face. I consider From Russia With Love, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Dr No to be the three best Bond films (in that order), because they are played with a straight face and has more or less adhered to the story as Fleming had written.
That's the way Bond is meant to be.
Those are the same reasons that FRWL, OHMSS, DN are my top three as well and was the main reason for my disappointment with DAF. But for what it is, I still like it as a lighthearted entry and is watchable.
Bond films aren't meant to be silly, they are meant to be played with a straight face. I consider From Russia With Love, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Dr No to be the three best Bond films (in that order), because they are played with a straight face and has more or less adhered to the story as Fleming had written.
That's the way Bond is meant to be.
How do you feel about CR and QOS? Certainly those two were played completely straight.
I have enjoyed all three of Craig's Bond films so far. To think that way back then I would probably have jumped on the "Craig is not Bond" bandwagon ... I think I've had a very large serving of humble pie.
QOS, however, was Craig's weakest, not because of bad acting on his part, but bad plot and a story that barely made any sense (at least, to me). But both CR and SF are entrenched in the lower half of my top 10.
If the Craig films were plotted on a graph there would be a diagonal line descending from left to right - CR was very good, QoS was mediocre and SF was downright appalling.
I just watched this movie Yesterday morning and it really isn't that bad. You have to be in the right frame of mind to watch it and it certainly was a change of pace that people weren't quite ready for after the one Lazenby film. There are definitely elements of the film like the elevator fight, Wint and Kidd, and the fight with Bambi and Thumper that I found enjoyable. There are a lot of cheesy parts as well, but if You just sit down with the mind frame of watching it to have fun and enjoy Connery's last turn as Bond then it is a fun film.
1. Goldeneye 2. The Spy Who Loved Me 3. From Russia With Love 4. Goldfinger 5. Casino Royale
The first part of the film with Bond trying to infiltrate the
Diamond smuggling ring is as AOS pointed out straight
From the novel, but once they begin to stray away from
Fleming, that's were the trouble sets in.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
The first part of the film with Bond trying to infiltrate the
Diamond smuggling ring is as AOS pointed out straight From the novel, but once they begin to stray away from
Fleming, that's were the trouble sets in.
Now how often is that not the case! -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
From re-reading the Novels I'm very impressed with Fleming's writing, it's still feels
very contemporary. With only a few tweeks on types of cars etc, Many could be set
today. -{
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,871MI6 Agent
From re-reading the Novels I'm very impressed with Fleming's writing, it's still feels
very contemporary. With only a few tweeks on types of cars etc, Many could be set
today. -{
Indeed. Fleming was very much ahead of his time, wasn't he? -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
They must have been amazing reading in the 50s / 60s {[]
We must ask Blackleiter to tell us of the " old days " )
I once came across a very intriguing tale involving an intrepid troglodyte plotting to steal fire from a neighboring tribe. I found it etched in a cave as I went about my daily routine of hunting mastodons and gathering berries! )
They must have been amazing reading in the 50s / 60s {[]
We must ask Blackleiter to tell us of the " old days " )
I once came across a very intriguing tale involving an intrepid troglodyte plotting to steal fire from a neighboring tribe. I found it etched in a cave as I went about my daily routine of hunting mastodons and gathering berries! )
Old School! )
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
BIG TAMWrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent
Excellent post, Shady Tree.
I was beginning to think I was alone in support of DAF. I've often thought of it as a sleazy send-up of the '60s canon with Connery wholly complicit in its execution. He helped create a distinct persona which by 1971 he felt he had the right to mock. He was playing Bond again on his terms, no longer shackled to a multi-picture contract. This freedom shows. He's having fun. He still exudes danger but adds a wry twinkle, ably supported by Tom Mankiewicz's brisk wit.
He's 41 & thickening round the middle but the public (at least those of 1971) still love him. He exudes more charisma than stars half his age. More power to him, I say.
Is it a great Bond film? No, but it's a damned entertaining one & what's wrong with that?
Wouldn't surprise me if many who saw DAF in cinema had been smoking "herbs" prior to entering the cinema (that could explain the 70s kung fu phenomenon as well : you could be high as a kite yet still make sence of the plots as they were pretty straight forward with very little plot twists lol)
Why so much hate? Can't say I hate *any* Bond movie, to be perfectly honest... but for me, Diamonds Are Forever is by far the worst.
Sean Connery coasts through the movie looking way past his prime, Jill St. John plays one of the most obnoxious Bond girls ever (although I do kinda fancy her earlier moments & she doesn't look too bad in a bikini, either -{ ), and while I certainly hold Charles Gray in higher regard than Donald Pleasence, his Blofeld is undermined by one of the silliest and tepid plots in the history of the franchise. All the locations look stale and gaudy, the alleyway stunt is ruined by an editing guffaw (not unlike The Man with the Golden Gun), the "diamond smuggling" narrative is perplexing and feels like there are large chunks of the storyline edited out... most of all, I'm frustrated by the fact that Diamonds essentially tossed out any and all opportunities left by the conclusion of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. If I hate anything, I hate how Sean Connery still gets a clean track record despite starring in this mess, meanwhile Roger Moore barely gets any respect (despite starring in [mostly] better movies) and still his efforts tend to get whitewashed and/or lumped in with this one.
Forgive me if I come across as a bit rant-y towards the end there -- and if you do love Diamonds Are Forever, then that's totally awesome and I'm happy for you -- but it sits rock bottom of my list.
"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
If I hate anything, I hate how Sean Connery still gets a clean track record despite starring in this mess, meanwhile Roger Moore barely gets any respect (despite starring in [mostly] better movies) and still his efforts tend to get whitewashed and/or lumped in with this one.
Lol. So true.
My current 10 favorite:
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Comments
Cheers! (It's very slightly edited now.) And may I add my welcome to DiamondsAreForever91!
Those are the same reasons that FRWL, OHMSS, DN are my top three as well and was the main reason for my disappointment with DAF. But for what it is, I still like it as a lighthearted entry and is watchable.
If the Craig films were plotted on a graph there would be a diagonal line descending from left to right - CR was very good, QoS was mediocre and SF was downright appalling.
Diamond smuggling ring is as AOS pointed out straight
From the novel, but once they begin to stray away from
Fleming, that's were the trouble sets in.
I might wack DAF on after lunch,
Now how often is that not the case!
very contemporary. With only a few tweeks on types of cars etc, Many could be set
today. -{
Indeed. Fleming was very much ahead of his time, wasn't he? -{
We must ask Blackleiter to tell us of the " old days "
I once came across a very intriguing tale involving an intrepid troglodyte plotting to steal fire from a neighboring tribe. I found it etched in a cave as I went about my daily routine of hunting mastodons and gathering berries!
Ah! Yes, those troublesome Teenage years !
Old School!
I was beginning to think I was alone in support of DAF. I've often thought of it as a sleazy send-up of the '60s canon with Connery wholly complicit in its execution. He helped create a distinct persona which by 1971 he felt he had the right to mock. He was playing Bond again on his terms, no longer shackled to a multi-picture contract. This freedom shows. He's having fun. He still exudes danger but adds a wry twinkle, ably supported by Tom Mankiewicz's brisk wit.
He's 41 & thickening round the middle but the public (at least those of 1971) still love him. He exudes more charisma than stars half his age. More power to him, I say.
Is it a great Bond film? No, but it's a damned entertaining one & what's wrong with that?
+1
Fooled ya, huh?
I guess so.....after I woke up!
Sean Connery coasts through the movie looking way past his prime, Jill St. John plays one of the most obnoxious Bond girls ever (although I do kinda fancy her earlier moments & she doesn't look too bad in a bikini, either -{ ), and while I certainly hold Charles Gray in higher regard than Donald Pleasence, his Blofeld is undermined by one of the silliest and tepid plots in the history of the franchise. All the locations look stale and gaudy, the alleyway stunt is ruined by an editing guffaw (not unlike The Man with the Golden Gun), the "diamond smuggling" narrative is perplexing and feels like there are large chunks of the storyline edited out... most of all, I'm frustrated by the fact that Diamonds essentially tossed out any and all opportunities left by the conclusion of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. If I hate anything, I hate how Sean Connery still gets a clean track record despite starring in this mess, meanwhile Roger Moore barely gets any respect (despite starring in [mostly] better movies) and still his efforts tend to get whitewashed and/or lumped in with this one.
Forgive me if I come across as a bit rant-y towards the end there -- and if you do love Diamonds Are Forever, then that's totally awesome and I'm happy for you -- but it sits rock bottom of my list.
1) The Spy Who Loved Me 2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service 3) GoldenEye 4) Casino Royale 5) Goldfinger
Lol. So true.
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
Perfectly accurate; that is what happened. Some of these scenes are extras on the UE.
Was very odd.