Do you prefer the 1st hour or the 2nd hour of any Bond film?
Dirty Punker
...Your Eyes Only, darling."Posts: 2,587MI6 Agent
For example, I prefer the 1st hour of You Only Live Twice, as it may be a little slow to start, but once it starts it really drags you in. By the time Aki is dead, everything slows down for quite a bit. The second hour is rewarding in the fact that Donald Pleasence is Blofeld. Of course, that's merely an example. I'd love to hear your opinions below.
a reasonable rate of return
Comments
In the first hour, I am usually overjoyed by the fact that I am seeing a new 007 movie so that only in the second half my brain switches to rational mode back.
And this seems to stick - even after 30 years in some cases.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
that may be the only clearcut example
as others have noted most second halves become more generic, we all know the villains going to explain his plot then there'll be a long fight scene then the headquarters will get blown up
Exception to this is OHMSS as I find the first hour or more really drags. Also FRWL, not that the first bit drags but it really picks up for the last furlong.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Moonraker is one that I can't get tired of as it has too much action in it but with that it at least never got boring. Another top candidate for that would also be Diamonds Are Forever. That is if you don't focus too much on the old man with a bad toupé
But sometimes action can be boring. The first act of Casino Royale is all action, and I find it to be perhaps the most boring part of any Bond film. Casino Royale has one of the weakest first hours of any Bond film, but then in the second hour when it starts using some of Fleming's material, it gets much better, even though it's a poker game.
I much prefer these moments to when the action picks up in the latter half, where the films tend to get a bit too generic at times.
The only film which is the flipside to this is CR, where the generic action is crammed into the first half, and the Fleming story unfolds in the second half.
1. Connery 2. Craig 3. Brosnan 4. Dalton 5. Lazenby 6. Moore
Agreed. It also seems to me that they made quite a strong effort through the post-Saltzman Moore Bonds to have interesting 2nd halves.
"Better make that two."
I can't think of any Bond film where the second half is stronger than the first with the possible exception of OHMSS but I'm not even convinced about that.
Agreed. I cannot think of any either. The only thing I do remember is the big difference between first and second halfs, with the first half being far superior:
- DAD is the obvious first choice. First half was actually quite enjoyable, but things went all belly up as soon as they were in Iceland
- YOLT is pretty damn brilliant when they were in Tokyo and Kobe, but things slowed down and became silly when they entered the Japanese fisher town. Still love the movie though
- TB is also notorious. Great first half, but second half has serious issues with the underwater fights that drag on for way too long.
- TND is pretty great in the first half but slows down as soon as they enter Vietnam, with an underwhelming climax
- QOS is quite decent the first half, but again an underwhelming climax
- TLD is another good example, one of the best movies in the first half, but as soon as Bond gets locked up on the base, things slow down and gets a bit boring
- GE great first half too, but the 3rd act is mediocre
- TWINE another great half, but 2nd half is pretty boring
- FYEO: I liked the first half, but I am not a big fan of the finale
- AVTAK: This movie goes downhill as soon as Bond arrives in San Francisco.
Films that were quite consistent in pacing are:
- Dr No
- OHMSS
- FRWL (first half is still better though)
- GF (First half is still a lot better)
- TMWTGG
- LALD
- CR
Like the others, I always love the build up; the intro of the villains, the plan unfolding and the little details: the golf scene of goldfinger, the drive through the alps in Goldfinger, the casino scenes in TB, OHMSS, etc.
1. Connery 2. Craig 3. Brosnan 4. Dalton 5. Lazenby 6. Moore
A superior second half is OHMSS which goes up a gear from the escape from Piz Gloria - which remains my most enjoyable sequence in any Bond film. Also I prefer the second half in CR, whose structure seems the obverse from most other Bond films. The action is loaded in the first half but the film is better when the Fleming elements are introduced and the pace slows down. I enjoy all of FRWL but may have to give it to the last hour, the build up on the train to the Bond/Grant fight and the fight itself are excellent. Coincidentally these are my three favourite films from the series. -{
From Russia?
GF
YOLT
DAF
TLD (marginally)
TND
DAD
CR
QoS
SP
Better 2nd halves:
LALD - I find the beginning of the film odd and boringly set-up. Boat chase final is brilliant.
MR - I'd also put this in well-balanced, but the space scenes are excellent and you look forward to it.
GE - while the PTS etc. are very good, the film finally gets going at the end, spends too much time on plot set-up.
Well balanced:
DN
FRWL
OHMSS
TMWTGG
TSWLM
FYEO
OP
AVTAK
TWINE
SF
Patchy:
TB
"Better make that two."
You've made a good point actually about TMWTGG. Although I will say that the beginning and end of the film is quite strong - and that in the middle it's a bit flabby.
Well balanced in my mind is purely a film which is neither better or worse in 1st or 2nd halves. I find TWINE well balanced because it's entertaining and consistent throughout. I also find the finale nail biting and very well done - Pierce is very strong without appearing as lame as he does in TND. One of the more underrated endings. Remember TWINE being my favourite so I may not be that objective!
"Better make that two."
The only consistent films, in my opinion, are:
Dr NO (Intriguing and gritty. Very consistent, even if it could've used a bit more fun and a better score)
Goldfinger (Title matches the description)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (The truly consistent movie, even if I'm not the biggest fan of the montage as it hurts twice as bad by the time the movie is over.)
Diamonds Are Forever (It's my guilty pleasure, and it does have a lot of action so it's consistent in that remark)
The Spy Who Loved Me (See Goldfinger)
Moonraker (One of the few people that enjoys the laser battle and Rio parts of the movie along with the stealthy 1st hour of the movie)
(For Your Eyes Only, I haven't seen this film enough to judge)
Octopussy (Bomb chase is edge of your seat entertainment, from the germans to "Mein Alfa!")
Licence To Kill (I'm lost in the colours and the setting, so it's consistent for me)
GoldenEye (See...............wait for it................Goldfinger)
Quantum Of Solace (See Diamonds Are Forever)
Skyfall (See FYEO)
Ok maybe 2 B-)
Provided it's well made action finales and sometimes they aren't even generic!
First they do the shark/warehouse scene from LALD, almost faithfully.
Then they do The Hildebrand Rarity from FYEO short story collection with Krest and his boat.
I watched it on TV today. Forgotten how good it was in parts.
However, I still think it is let down by some of what comes after.
The tanker chase climax is pretty damn good, though.
Red 1st half
Green 2nd half
Blue Middle part
Gold All of it
DN
FRWL
GF
TB from Nassau to before the lengthy underwater battle is PERFECTION
YOLT
OHMSS
DAF
LALD J.W. Pepper and the boat/police car chase makes the second half essential
TMWTGG
TSWLM tempted to say first half, but the battle at the end is just too good
MR tempted for the second half but it's all brilliant
FYEO
OP
AVTAK
TLD
LTK
GE
TND
TWINE
DAD
CR the middle section from the train to Montenegro to before Venice is PERFECTION the rest is meh...
QOS
SF the gravest case of a second half that is infinitely inferior to the first half
SP although I love all of it, I say the first half 97 minutes incl. the train sequence is PERFECTION