Most Recent Bond Syndrome

TheWorldIsEnough

I'd like to coin a new phrase here: Most Recent Bond Syndrome or MRBS

Definition: The tendency to rate a Bond film higher only because (A) it's newer (B) you've just watched it recently.

Case in point #1: I rewatched Octopussy for the first time in 15 years. I hated it at first. After rewatching it, I do like it more. But do I like it more because I just watched it, or did I realize it was better than my second most hated film Diamonds are Forever? And if I now rewatch Diamonds Are Forever next, will I change my mind again? And did I just put Octopussy higher on my list because it's more recent than Diamonds Are Forever? Also I'd like to put Octopussy higher on my list, however, I can't because I think the movies from Dalton to Craig are just better, probably because they are more recent.

Case in point#2: Quantum of Solace was at one point my second favorite behind Casino Royale. Now after time has passed, I think GoldenEye is once again my favorite and Quantum has dropped a few more spots. I still really like Quantum of Solace, but am I suffering from MRBS? Just because it's fresher than Dr. No?

Case in point #3: I put down the Roger Moore movies a lot, even though I try to remember that they were a unique product of the times. I really hate that I rate Die Another Day high on my list, possibly only because it's newer than most. But when I watch Die Another Day versus any Roger Moore film, I'm sorry, but Die another Day will win every time. It is just so visually stimulating and more entertaining than some of the older films. Bottom line: I just enjoy it more, so I rate it higher.

Final thought:
Usually when I rewatch the Bond movies, I always go back to just how good Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger are. Despite being over 50 years old, those movies are just so good in every way. I will eventually get my ratings figured out, but I can also do it chronologically:
Dr. No ---- to ---- Goldfinger (OUTSTANDING)
Thunderball ---- to ---- On Her Majesty's Secret Service (GREAT)
Diamonds Are Forever ---- to ---- A View To A Kill (GOOD)
The Living Daylights ---- to ---- License To Kill (GREAT)
GoldenEye ---- to ---- Spectre ---- (OUTSTANDING)

Higgins

Why not throwing all that rating/comparison - nonsense-crap* overboard and just enjoy the movie as you see it - now!

*It's pointless and does not improve anything.

Loeffelholz

Sounds like I need to watch OP and AVTAK again...

[goes and checks the medicine cabinet for antacid]

HatThrowingHenchman

TheWorldIsEnough wrote:

I really hate that I rate Die Another Day high on my list, possibly only because it's newer than most.

wait...what? )

am747

The original post listed some of the reasons why many rankings are nothing more than laundry lists. Below are some points that will help you to rank films as objectively as possible:

1. Dont unnecessarily try to rank a film that you hv not watched in the past 12 months or so. Trying to comment or rate a film that you watched 15 yrs ago is unfair ( esp if it is negative)
2. Develop 3 to 5 criteria to judge a film. Assign a number to those criteria and than rate as objectively as you possibly can. This way you are not influenced by the latest as everytime you hand a number to a film, it is the latest at that point. Later, you can just compare the numbers and rank accordingly
3. If possible try to benchmark a film and compare other films with it

The above is one of the ways to bring some sort of objectivity to your ranking and be fair to all Bond films

Hope this helps!

Matt S

For me the "most recent Bond syndrome" would be that the more recent films are not as good as the old ones, with all of Craig and Brosnan's films worse for me than anything that came before. But I think Spectre is better than most of films after Dalton.

Julius No M.D.

I agree. When a new Bond film comes out, there's lots of expectations and hype. People tend to form extreme opinions: "One of the best ever", "One of the worst ever".

A lot of times, after watching a Bond movie people say "Oh, I'm gonna raise this on my list". But not every Bond movie can be above average. Sometimes you just gotta say "Hey, this is a really good film, but it's still not top 10 material"

HatThrowingHenchman

I remember coming out of Skyfall saying: "It's the best ever!", now 3 years have past and it's gone downhill extremely

Higgins

Ha, when I left the cinema after SF, I said: "I am not impressed" and it hasn't gone better

Thunderpussy

Found it interesting in the "Best spy movies" programme on channel 4
as voted for by real spies and intelligence officers. They rated Skyfall as
The most true to life Bond film.
So I thake comfort from knowing that the people who actually do the job
Agree with Me, ) maybe I'm not that silly after all.

zaphod99

I enjoyed it as a kind of Dopamine rush while watching it, but Diminishing Returns set in real quick once I had come down. It seemed to unravel once you pulled at any of the loose threads, not just mild plot issues, but major structural problems. A similar thing happened with Skyfall, but not as intensely. I think it's my existential malaise kicking in, I better get treatment fast as it could be contagious. I'm starting to wonder if I'm a fan of the Bond films any more? Maybe I need a lie down and to put my head in a cold towel for a while till it passes...

Chriscoop

I just can't rank the bond films! The series is so diverse and I get different things from the different films. The DC films are special for me as DC was my favourite actor before he was bond and as Bond was my favourite film character it became film nirvana (after at first being sceptical) TD and his two films are special to me for being an antidote at the time to avtak and to me more reminiscent of literary bond. But I choose the movie to suit my mood. I watched ohmss, fyeo and TSWLM on dvd over Christmas and really enjoyed the nostalgia and feel of them, but yesterday watched GF again and at the time suited the Sunday after Christmas and last day before work perfectly. My mood dictates my ranking and my mood changes everyday so I just can't do a ranking of the series....

Thunderpussy

Very true -{ I have a few favourites, but after that I agree it depends on you're mood as
to which one to watch, and I can't really rank one over another because they are so
different with so many good points etc.

Loeffelholz

I have no problem ranking them, as it's just a lark actually, but I can completely understand the difficulty (or futility) in attempting to do it.

My preferences are probably best separated into tiers of affection---from unabashed adoration down to patient tolerance. The number of cringes per film is the most measurable factor, :v and that really doesn't seem to change with the passing of time, funnily.

walther p99

I don't really have "recent Bond Syndrome", after I saw Skyfall for the first time I knew it was my favorite Bond film and it remains my favorite now. Walking out of Spectre my initial opinion was "meh, nothing special" and I cant see it changing any time soon.

zaphod99

Loeffelholz wrote:

I have no problem ranking them, as it's just a lark actually, but I can completely understand the difficulty (or futility) in attempting to do it.

My preferences are probably best separated into tiers of affection---from unabashed adoration down to patient tolerance. The number of cringes per film is the most measurable factor, :v and that really doesn't seem to change with the passing of time, funnily.

I like the cringe calculus as the test. I can see a weighted spreadsheet to measure intensity.

Jag

HatThrowingHenchman wrote:

TheWorldIsEnough wrote:

I really hate that I rate Die Another Day high on my list, possibly only because it's newer than most.

wait...what? )

Exactly! Why hate it that you like a really great movie - one of the greatest Bond movies, in fact? Be proud!

HatThrowingHenchman

Jag wrote:

HatThrowingHenchman wrote:

TheWorldIsEnough wrote:

I really hate that I rate Die Another Day high on my list, possibly only because it's newer than most.

wait...what? )

Exactly! Why hate it that you like a really great movie - one of the greatest Bond movies, in fact? Be proud!

my man {[]

Firemass

It's hard to compare seeing Spectre on IMAX screen and then going home and watching a 60's Bond film on my little TV.

Time will tell if Spectre holds up on DVD small screen.

The most recent Bond film I watch does not necessarily get a boost in rankings. Sometimes they are not as good as I remembered!

Jag

Watching Blu-rays in HD on a large screen seems to help most movies look much better than we remember. Especially the older ones!

Lady Ice

Watching on a cinema screen definitely adds a lot; I saw some of the re-releases last year and the older films stand up well- loads of detail that you miss when viewing on a small screen.