What Elements Make a Great Bond Film?

punman · January 2010

How well you like any film depends upon many things. For the James Bond movies I have narrowed it down to:
The Bond Actor
Supporting Cast
Script/Storyline
Music
Special Effects/Action
Scenery/Sets
To what degree are these important to you? Please base your total to equal 100. Mine would be:
The Bond Actor 20
Supporting Cast 15
Script/Storyline 40
Music 5
Special Effects/Action 10
Scenery/Sets/Photography 10

chrisno1 · January 2010

punman wrote:

How well you like any film depends upon many things. For the James Bond movies I have narrowed it down to:
The Bond Actor
Supporting Cast
Script/Storyline
Music
Special Effects/Action
Scenery/Sets
To what degree are these important to you? Please base your total to equal 100. Mine would be:
The Bond Actor 20
Supporting Cast 15
Script/Storyline 40
Music 5
Special Effects/Action 10
Scenery/Sets/Photography 10

I don't think you're being specific enough...
Surely Bond girl and Bond villian would get a nod, equally it is very harsh to put effects and action together (the two are not necessarily responsible for each others success) and while scenery & photography could be put together, production design (sets) should not, it's a whole different feel.

Welcome to AJB by the way, punman, and its an interesting post that I'll give some thought to.

CJ007Goldeneye · January 2010

It's all about Martinis, girls, guns, cars and gadgets thats it end of. Without all that its just a normal movie!

JimmyBond0129 · January 2010

chrisno1 wrote:

I don't think you're being specific enough surely Bond girl and Bond villian would get a nod.

I think Bond girl and Bond villian would fall under the supporting cast category.

Barbel · January 2010

JimmyBond0129 wrote:

chrisno1 wrote:

I don't think you're being specific enough surely Bond girl and Bond villian would get a nod.

I think Bond girl and Bond villian would fall under the supporting cast category.

No, they're principal cast and can make important contributions to determining whether a Bond film is good, bad or average.

Ask Dr No · January 2010

For me it would be a simple 5.

>Villian Plot = 20
>Locations = 25
>Bond Girl = 20
>Action = 20
>Music = 15

JADE66 · January 2010

Welcome to AJB, Punman.
A great Bond film must in some way be true to the spirit of the novels that Ian Fleming wrote. They certainly don't have to follow the novels precisely and of course they will be updated but there must be a regard for the character Fleming created.
This is, in my opinion, the most important factor. A great Bond film must be "True to Bond."
True to Bond = 50
Originality of story = 25
Bond actor = 10
Supporting players = 10
All other elements = 5

As long as the film remains "True to Bond", true to the character that Fleming created, most of the other elements will fall into place. The actor chosen will be able to capture the essence of Fleming's character, the supporting players will enhance, not detract from, the character of Bond and all the other story elements, music, locations, action, etc. will serve to add color to the world Bond lives in.

THE HARDEST PART will be keeping the stories fresh and original. Fortunately, (or unfortunately) there are plenty of real world terrorists and criminals from which to draw inspiration.

If the film makers can keep the first rule in mind-- Be true to Bond-- then they will have a very good place to start.

Yankee Mike Bravo · January 2010

>Villain's Plot = 25
>Bond Actor = 20
>Locations = 20
>Bond Girl = 10
>Henchman = 10
>Action/Gadgets = 10
>Music/Opening credits = 5

Key to a great Bond move is the threat posed by the villain. Bond plays defense; he needs an offensive threat to thwart. The villains themselves (Goldfinger, Blofeld) usually are not particularly interesting in-and-of themselves, but their evil plots drive the story.

The Bond personna of power + sophistication has been particularly difficult for Hollywood to capture. Connery had it. When he donned a white dinner jacket, he caused a fashion revolution in Europe. Moore had sophistication but went for clowning, rather than power. Dalton had sideburns for God's sakes! Craig lacks ample sophistication but makes up for it in power.

Bond needs exotic locations: the Carribean, the Swiss Alps, the Riviera, the mysterious Orient. No more Afghanistan EVER!

Bond's girl(s) deserve more than 10 points, but I only had 100 to play with.

Henchmen also deserve more than 10 points. Bond can't come to grips with the top villain until the end of the story, so his early battles are with the henchmen. The more interesting they are, the better. Mute Asians with killing hats are good.

Bond films are action films, so duh, good action scenes are needed. Plunging off an ice cliff, fast-paced chases, sports cars with built-in machine guns are all great. Driving a car by remote control is geeky.

Expected in Bond films are great opening credits, combining guns/dangers and delectable females. When done well, they are visual poems capturing the essence of Bond. Music too sets the tone.

Napoleon Plural · January 2010

punman wrote:

How well you like any film depends upon many things.

To what degree are these important to you? Please base your total to equal 100. Mine would be:
The Bond Actor 30
Supporting Cast 10
Script/Storyline 15
Music 10
Special Effects/Action 15
Scenery/Sets/Photography 20

Oh I don't know! I'd put the Bond Actor head and shoulders above everything else, then Scenery and Sets, then Script ie jokes and storyline and even action as last really. Truth is they're all important but unless it has a great Bond actor (or one I like) and a great look to the film ie scenery + sets, the rest doesn't matter much to me.

Sir Miles · January 2010

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Oh I don't know! I'd put the Bond Actor head and shoulders above everything else, then Scenery and Sets, then Script ie jokes and storyline and even action as last really. Truth is they're all important but unless it has a great Bond actor (or one I like) and a great look to the film ie scenery + sets, the rest doesn't matter much to me.

I can understand your point of view NP - but, for me, if the script isn't good in the first place then the best actor around isn't going to make it a great film.
I'd use OHMSS as the best example of this - fantastic script/first time actor but it is STILL a great film - in many Bond fans eyes at least.
I suppose you could use DAF as the reverse of this - great actor as Bond/poor script - mediocre film.

I think that's why Casino Royale is rated so highly by most - great actor/great script - great film. Simple really

Napoleon Plural · January 2010

Sure, but I'm in the minority who have mixed feelings about OHMSS, and I love DAF. Although I think casual fans ie the general public are with me on this, which is why they love to quote from DAF ("Named after your father no doubt") and not OHMSS. Then again, do you include 'jokes' in a script? The jokes in OHMSS don't really work, but in DAF they never miss.

Alex · January 2010

Lightning in a bottle occurs when timing, personel, preparation and ultimately excution are all well organized and well thought out. No one film maker occupation decides what makes a great film. It really is a team effort.

My examples of perfect films where everything fell into place would include The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, and Goldfinger.

Barry Nelson · January 2010

I don't think it is as simple as great script, great actor = great Bond film. I happen to agree with Alex that Goldfinger and Casablanca are almost perfect films. Yes, they had great scripts and great lead actors, but what would Casablanca have been like without Ingrid Bergman and Claude Raines, maybe not quite as good. What would GF been like if someone else had played Goldfinger. I actually think CR is hurt by the cartoonish poker game in a less than interesting setting.

I would say a great script and a great lead actor are the building blocks to a great Bond film, but to complete the construction you need more Other important elements are a well played and interesting villain (lacking in recent films), beautiful and erotic leading actress, good looks alone won't do it, she has to have that lustful look, beautiful and interesting locations, action scenes that are outrageous, but believable (ice sailing no, ski off cliff and have parachute open after long drop, yes), music that is memorable like GF, TB, OHMSS (also recently lacking). Put all that together with some small amount of humor, you have a great Bond movie.

Sir Miles · January 2010

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Sure, but I'm in the minority who have mixed feelings about OHMSS, and I love DAF. Although I think casual fans ie the general public are with me on this, which is why they love to quote from DAF ("Named after your father no doubt") and not OHMSS. Then again, do you include 'jokes' in a script? The jokes in OHMSS don't really work, but in DAF they never miss.

The general public love that quote from DAF because it's a knob joke

Well - if you're not keen on OHMSS, then the jokes probaly won't work for you either.

Yankee Mike Bravo · February 2010

Barry Nelson wrote:

... ski off cliff and have parachute open after long drop, yes ...

Oh hell yes!!

-{

hegottheboot · February 2010

You can't leave out having a great crew behind the film. For example, Peter Hunt made the films move with breathtaking speed.

DEFIANT 74205 · February 2010

JADE66 wrote:

Welcome to AJB, Punman.
A great Bond film must in some way be true to the spirit of the novels that Ian Fleming wrote. They certainly don't have to follow the novels precisely and of course they will be updated but there must be a regard for the character Fleming created.
This is, in my opinion, the most important factor. A great Bond film must be "True to Bond."
True to Bond = 50
Originality of story = 25
Bond actor = 10
Supporting players = 10
All other elements = 5

As long as the film remains "True to Bond", true to the character that Fleming created, most of the other elements will fall into place. The actor chosen will be able to capture the essence of Fleming's character, the supporting players will enhance, not detract from, the character of Bond and all the other story elements, music, locations, action, etc. will serve to add color to the world Bond lives in.

THE HARDEST PART will be keeping the stories fresh and original. Fortunately, (or unfortunately) there are plenty of real world terrorists and criminals from which to draw inspiration.

If the film makers can keep the first rule in mind-- Be true to Bond-- then they will have a very good place to start.

I couldn't agree more. Well said.

The moment that the film makers lose sight of who James Bond is, then that movie is doomed to failure, never mind the script, the actors, or the crew. It is the single most important element of a Bond film.

She´s had her kicks · February 2010

lots of action, witty humour, cool stunts, Aston Martins (duh), a bit of romance (one of the core elements it seems)

DEFIANT 74205 · February 2010

She´s had her kicks wrote:

lots of action, witty humour, cool stunts, Aston Martins (duh), a bit of romance (one of the core elements it seems)

I'd actually like to see Bond back in a Bentley - the Continental GT Supersports would be an excellent car for James Bond

AdamOmega · March 2010

What elements make a great Bond movie?

1. The Actor: James Bond 007 himself. Can be anywhere from 35 to 49 years old. Many fans have their own preferences, but I prefer the Bond who can balance equal parts charm, humour, and deadliness. Last but certainly not least, he should look damn good in a tuxedo.

2. The Villain: Leave the ordinary villains to INTERPOL; James Bond needs to take out a real menace. If not a physical threat, he should be a psychological threat. Or both. We haven't seen one of these baddies in a very long time, and even M:i-III got one before Bond did.

3. The Henchman: A physical threat to 007. All great henchmen are larger than life, and if that wasn't the case, we'd all remember that guy with the stupid haircut in Quantum of Solace. Jaws, Oddjob, and Baron Samedi are truly classics.

4. The Girl: Casino and Quantum got this category right; sophisticated, sexy allies with looks and personality to boot. After Die Another Day, the "female spy sidekick" concept should be indefinitely put to rest. Same goes for the "turncoat Bond girl" concept (see: Electra King, Miranda Frost).

5. The Car: James Bond simply wouldn't be James Bond without the amazing cars. And yes, I'm talking about the gadget-laden ones. They need a comeback.

6. The Locations: This category pretty much speaks for itself. Exotic locations are a must for every Bond movie, and they need to take us somewhere new and exciting every time. India? Good location. Italy? Over-utilized.

7. The Evil Plot: should be important, but not quite as important as...

8. The Story: which shouldn't be too terribly difficult to follow and supported by a series of awesome...

9. Stunts: Everyone knows it. The stunts are what make the James Bond movies so appealing (just look them up in the Guiness World Records). Even as a non-fan of Timothy Dalton, I'll admit that The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill have some of the best stunts of any Bond movie ever made, and I enjoy them purely for those sequences.

***

In my own opinion, The Spy Who Loved Me is a film that satisfies me on all of these levels. Well-rounded and containing just the right amount of everything. Of course there are also a number of amazing Bond movies that are missing some of the key elements listed above (see: OHMSS, Casino Royale), but I think it's time we had another film as entertaining, appealing, and evenly balanced as The Spy Who Loved Me. Or if it makes you feel more comfortable: Goldfinger. Thoughts?

j.blades · March 2010

AdamOmega wrote:

What elements make a great Bond movie?

6. The Locations: This category pretty much speaks for itself. Exotic locations are a must for every Bond movie, and they need to take us somewhere new and exciting every time. India? Good location. Italy? Over-utilized.

i have a problem with this one imperticularly india is not a good location at all, I do agree though with Italy being a tad over used {[] . My suggestion is that they incorporate Southern France in the next movie, utilized alot in the books (almost as frequently as italy in the movies) and it definetly deserves at least one scene in the next movie.

while, were on the topic as beutiful as it is the bahamas has been used to tatters we need more trips to jamaica as Bond did in the books (as both bond and ian shared a love for Jamaice).

DEFIANT 74205 · March 2010

AdamOmega wrote:

1. The Actor: James Bond 007 himself. Can be anywhere from 35 to 49 years old. Many fans have their own preferences, but I prefer the Bond who can balance equal parts charm, humour, and deadliness. Last but certainly not least, he should look damn good in a tuxedo.

And he should look at least somewhat like the James Bond that Ian Fleming described in his book.

AdamOmega wrote:

5. The Car: James Bond simply wouldn't be James Bond without the amazing cars. And yes, I'm talking about the gadget-laden ones. They need a comeback.

Yes, but there's a risk of the gadgets getting a little over-the-top which detracts from the movie. Die Another Day is a perfect example of this. Keep it simple, I say. Fleming's Bond never had a gadget laden car, all he had was a Colt .45 in the glovebox. I prefer Bond films that are more realistic and believable.

AdamOmega · March 2010

DEFIANT 74205 wrote:

... there's a risk of the gadgets getting a little over-the-top which detracts from the movie. Die Another Day is a perfect example of this.

Absolutely true. While I'll admit that I found those mini-shotguns on the Aston Martin to be pretty cool, the invisibility cloak seemed absolutely preposterous. And Zao's "super Jag"? Overbearing.

If the writers and producers ever decide to deck-out a future Bond car with some "optional extras", I'd at least hope they would stick to basic, classic, and practical tools; an oil slick dispenser, ejector seats, and maybe even a rotary licence plate like the one from Goldfinger.

AdamOmega · March 2010

j.blades wrote:

while, were on the topic as beutiful as it is the bahamas has been used to tatters we need more trips to jamaica as Bond did in the books (as both bond and ian shared a love for Jamaice).

Good point! I've only been to Jamaica once but I was fortunate enough to see (as well as scale) the Dunns River Falls, where they filmed a scene with Bond and Honey Rider in Dr. No. Definitely both a beautiful and Bond-worthy place to be.

Loeffelholz · March 2010

DEFIANT 74205 wrote:

AdamOmega wrote:

1. The Actor: James Bond 007 himself. Can be anywhere from 35 to 49 years old. Many fans have their own preferences, but I prefer the Bond who can balance equal parts charm, humour, and deadliness. Last but certainly not least, he should look damn good in a tuxedo.

And he should look at least somewhat like the James Bond that Ian Fleming described in his book.

Thankfully, the current one does, somewhat: "taciturn...ironical, brutal and cold...tough-looking customer." - Ian Fleming, Casino Royale and Moonraker, respectively :007)

Loeffelholz · March 2010

DEFIANT 74205 wrote:

AdamOmega wrote:

1. The Actor: James Bond 007 himself. Can be anywhere from 35 to 49 years old. Many fans have their own preferences, but I prefer the Bond who can balance equal parts charm, humour, and deadliness. Last but certainly not least, he should look damn good in a tuxedo.

And he should look at least somewhat like the James Bond that Ian Fleming described in his book.

Thankfully, the current one does

---at least somewhat: "taciturn...ironical, brutal and cold...tough-looking customer." - Ian Fleming, Casino Royale and Moonraker, respectively :007)

As long as one doesn't get hung up on the comma of hair (no screen Bond has had that) or black hair (Moore didn't have that either). To me, Bond is more about attitude and competence than the scar on the side of his face (no screen Bond has had one), or the evidence of plastic surgery on the back of one hand (ditto)...

j.blades · March 2010

Loeffelholz wrote:

DEFIANT 74205 wrote:

AdamOmega wrote:

1. The Actor: James Bond 007 himself. Can be anywhere from 35 to 49 years old. Many fans have their own preferences, but I prefer the Bond who can balance equal parts charm, humour, and deadliness. Last but certainly not least, he should look damn good in a tuxedo.

And he should look at least somewhat like the James Bond that Ian Fleming described in his book.

Thankfully, the current one does ---at least somewhat: "taciturn...ironical, brutal and cold...tough-looking customer." - Ian Fleming, Casino Royale and Moonraker, respectively :007)

As long as one doesn't get hung up on the comma of hair (no screen Bond has had that) or black hair (Moore didn't have that either). To me, Bond is more about attitude and competence than the scar on the side of his face (no screen Bond has had one), or the evidence of plastic surgery on the back of one hand (ditto)...

Craig may know how to do the facial expressions needed and how to really play bond, but in no way does he look like bond at all [and I'm a big fan of Craig, one of my favourite bonds] I'm sure that I don't have to go into much detail but, Ian Fleming would agree with me “I'm looking for Commander James Bond, not an overgrown stunt man. [on meeting Sean Connery]” as he said.

connery wasn't even that big compared to Craig and he looked a lot more like bond then Craig does. imagine Ian fleming's initial response if he would have seen Craig, again I'm approaching this post hopefully form a non-bias approach. I just hope initially that ian want rolling in his grave.

still craigs my second favourite bond, if he looked like bond well then I'm sure he'd be everyone's all time favourite. -{

Loeffelholz · March 2010

Not to worry...I'm quite sure Commander Fleming would be gratified by the $1 Billion in box office generated from Craig's two Bond films...and at this point Fleming would likely desire to renegotiate his contract B-) ...but to me he captures the essence and spirit of the literary creation, literal physical differences notwithstanding...if Roger Moore can be Bond for seven films (?!?!?), surely Craigger can do it for three or four or five....

But as always, opinions will vary.

Napoleon Plural · March 2010

Moore had the iconic looks of Bond on the posters, in particular LALD era, but I have to admit he really looked nothing like Fleming's Bond.

j.blades · March 2010

Loeffelholz wrote:

Not to worry...I'm quite sure Commander Fleming would be gratified by the $1 Billion in box office generated from Craig's two Bond films...and at this point Fleming would likely desire to renegotiate his contract B-) ...but to me he captures the essence and spirit of the literary creation, literal physical differences notwithstanding...if Roger Moore can be Bond for seven films (?!?!?), surely Craigger can do it for three or four or five....

But as always, opinions will vary.

i hope Craig stays around for a while, hes a good bond, {[] he just doesn't look like him. regardless of physical appearance hes still my second or third favourite bond so lets hope he does stay around for at least two more films

. i just hope the next bond choice goes back to basics, if there is a black bond i wont even go see the movie.

im not racist it just wont be a bond movie for me. craigs a stretch but he can damn well play the character well witch is amazing in its own rite. but i completely agree with you Loeffelholz, I'm just plainly stating that for appearances sake Craig doesnot resemble bond or hoagy charmichael for that matter, still a damn good bond though!!!! :007)

Loeffelholz · March 2010

I completely get where you're coming from, j.blades...there was quite a hot debate on this site back when Craig was announced. Craig carries the part on the strength of his performance, overcoming what many see as very large obstacles. I hope #23 is a more traditional Bond entry...if only to prove that he can do it :007)

What Elements Make a Great Bond Film?

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