My struggles with Ranking anything to do with Bond

James Suzuki

Ranking things has always been popular. Your top five desserts? Top ten places to visit before you die? Top five Barry White songs? Yep, all easily answered. But does anyone else really struggle to rank things to do with Bond?
Sir Rog is probably my favourite James Bond.
For Your Eyes Only is my favourite Bond film, but that's got a lot to do with nolstagia and sentimental reasons. Oh and Die Another Day has some problems.
But apart from those few views, I'm just so in love with everything Bond that really do struggle to place them in any order. If one of the members held a gun against my head I'd might spit out an order for favourite Bond films, Villains, Actors, Roger Moore's grunts etc.
But they'd all change in the next five minutes.
Does anyone else have this issue?
Is it an issue at all? Or do you think I've reached the heights of fandom?

Oakvale

I can state my preferences, but to set it in stone and in writing by ranking, I just can't do that, it would change every time I see the films.

Barbel

I don't think it's an issue, and agree with most of the OP.

(However, I must admit to never paying much attention to Sir Rog's grunts!)

CoolHandBond

I quite enjoy compiling ranking lists for all sorts of things. I rewatched all the Bonds last year and by the end of the viewings the order had changed somewhat and then I realised that if I did it again it would be different to the last one ) . What will never change though is that since I first saw OHMSS in the cinema as a 13 year old in 1969 it was, is, and always will be #1.

James Suzuki

CoolHandBond wrote:

I quite enjoy compiling ranking lists for all sorts of things. I rewatched all the Bonds last year and by the end of the viewings the order had changed somewhat and then I realised that if I did it again it would be different to the last one ) . What will never change though is that since I first saw OHMSS in the cinema as a 13 year old in 1969 it was, is, and always will be #1.

Sometimes there's just one film that 'clicks' with you.
As much as the other films go up and down, number one film for many is pretty consistent.

BIG TAM

To a certain degree I have the same issues. I'm always juggling with what I consider to be best & the most enjoyable. The two aren't always mutual. For example, I rate FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE very highly as a well-structured, thought-out thriller. It makes sense & has a strong believability to it. Though a fantasy of what espionage actually is, it doesn't feel stupid & therefore satisfies as a serious thriller. Compare this to MOONRAKER which by contrast is a patchwork quilt of past glories & has a 'thrown together' feel. The plot is pretty flimsy & reasons for one incident happening after another are tenuous at best - much of it doesn't bear close scrutiny. But in many ways I enjoy watching MOONRAKER far more than FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE even though I undoubtedly believe the latter to be the better film. So yes, I too struggle with such lists as I can see the good in all the films but very little that is actually bad.

walther p99

James Suzuki wrote:

CoolHandBond wrote:

I quite enjoy compiling ranking lists for all sorts of things. I rewatched all the Bonds last year and by the end of the viewings the order had changed somewhat and then I realised that if I did it again it would be different to the last one ) . What will never change though is that since I first saw OHMSS in the cinema as a 13 year old in 1969 it was, is, and always will be #1.

Sometimes there's just one film that 'clicks' with you.
As much as the other films go up and down, number one film for many is pretty consistent.

Yeah you bring up a solid point about having a film that just 'clicks' with you. Skyfall is definitely that film for me.

Peppermill

My rankins have changed quite a lot during the years, which in my opinion is a good thing. Let's face it, it is all subjective and there is no right or wrong (except maybe for Roger Moore being the best Bond )). It is always difficult to rank something number 1 because it means that all your other favourites can NOT be number one.

The thing is, I really enjoy reading other people's rankings especially when they give reasons for their choices; like the last few posts in the big movie rankings topic.

Chriscoop

I too simply can't rank things bond, I can tell you my most watched films or the films / soundtracks I have most affection for but I couldn't them in a ranking list, each film serves me up something different to enjoy, each bond actor puts in a performance somewhere I love etc etc.... No ranking is not from me I'm afraid.

Barbel

{[] +1. Once again we agree, CC!

Thunderpussy

+1 -{
for me it's like choosing which of your children is your favourite )
with NSNA as the weird evil twin, you keep hidden away

James Suzuki

Thunderpussy wrote:

+1 -{
for me it's like choosing which of your children is your favourite )
with NSNA as the weird evil twin, you keep hidden away

Wouldn't NSNA be that illegitimate child we have to acknowledge every once and a while?

Dutchfinger

I enjoy ranking, but I defenitely could not tattoo my current ranking onto my back, - it changes constantly!
I think that it's all part of the joy of Bond fandom though! These days we have to wait so long for new Bond films to be released that we Bond fans end up wanting our fandom needs to be fullfilled somehow! So we do so by watching these movies over and over again, It's not unheared of to have watched these movies hundreds of times, discussing and nitpicking every little aspect on YouTube or on forums like these and making lists and rankings to convay what type of Bond fans we are - and learn about other peoples views in the process... We're quite an odd lott.... - But you just gotta love Bond fandom -{

So I'd say you're exactly the same as any other Bond fan! )

Matt S

It's difficult to give an exact ranking, but I have no trouble saying that OHMSS and FRWL will always be at the top and that DAD and CR will be at the bottom.

Barbel

Matt S wrote:

It's difficult to give an exact ranking, but I have no trouble saying that OHMSS and FRWL will always be at the top and that DAD and CR will be at the bottom.

Which CR, Matt? )

Matt S

Barbel wrote:

Matt S wrote:

It's difficult to give an exact ranking, but I have no trouble saying that OHMSS and FRWL will always be at the top and that DAD and CR will be at the bottom.

Which CR, Matt? )

I think you know. The one that's part of the Bond series. I'd much rather watch the other two.

Barbel

I know, just teasing.

Chriscoop

Barbel wrote:

{[] +1. Once again we agree, CC!

Thank you Barbel and Thunderpussy, I feel better now, I sometimes feel left out of all the ranking threads I can't post in.

Firemass

BIG TAM wrote:

To a certain degree I have the same issues. I'm always juggling with what I consider to be best & the most enjoyable. The two aren't always mutual. For example, I rate FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE very highly as a well-structured, thought-out thriller. It makes sense & has a strong believability to it. Though a fantasy of what espionage actually is, it doesn't feel stupid & therefore satisfies as a serious thriller. Compare this to MOONRAKER which by contrast is a patchwork quilt of past glories & has a 'thrown together' feel. The plot is pretty flimsy & reasons for one incident happening after another are tenuous at best - much of it doesn't bear close scrutiny. But in many ways I enjoy watching MOONRAKER far more than FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE even though I undoubtedly believe the latter to be the better film. So yes, I too struggle with such lists as I can see the good in all the films but very little that is actually bad.

It's important to make a distinction between best and favorite. You could objectively rate FRWL as "better" than MR, but rate MR higher on your list of favorites. There's no right or wrong answers.

I know you're a John Ford fan so I trust your judgment regarding films, but I am surprised that you think MR doesn't hold up to close scrutiny. To me, it's actually FRWL that falls apart under the microscope whereas MR is one of the most solid entries in the series. I've watched it probably 50+ times and haven't come across any real plot holes.

FRWL falls apart with Kronsteen's plan being different than what is actually carried out in the film. The additional layer of Spectre above Smersh. The killing of agents to elevate the Cold War in Istanbul seems to have nothing to do with Bond. No explanation for many of the events that happen on the train. Red Grant suddenly "greedy" at exactly the right time.

Anyway…back to ranking. It's good clean fun and enjoy seeing other fans rankings provided there is some explanation to go along with it. It makes me view the films with a more critical eye. (i.e best gun barrel sequence)

James Suzuki wrote:

Roger Moore's grunts etc.

I'm not a total nerd that I'm going to rank Roger's grunts from best to worst! However, I have noticed his grunt sound clip is recycled on several occasions.

Thunderpussy

There are quite a few ranking threads, so those who fancy a quick rank can do so.