Which are the most INTERESTING films and why?
M 'n' M
Posts: 105MI6 Agent
I've been trying to finalise my "ultimate ranking" and the process got me to realise that the films i like most i like not because they're always the coolest, or the most exciting, or the most exotic - but because there's something about them that makes them interesting. And it explains why i don't like some others, so TND is a firm favourite of a lot of members, but i don't find it interesting. Whereas Octopussy has something intriguing about it. And LALD has the fascination of voodoo. Even DAF had a different vibe to it because it focused on the diamond trade (at least for half the film) which felt fresh for a Bond film.
So - which ones are the interesting ones?
So - which ones are the interesting ones?
Comments
TWINE - The psychological battle between M, Bond and Elektra is intriguing to me. I find this an interesting twist to the normal formula.
FYEO - Other than it being a brilliant film, I find Roger Moore acting far straighter and interesting and fulfilling watch.
MR - The special effects and scale of the film are impressive. Space scenes are tense and interesting.
TSWLM - The scale and special effects, similar feeling to MR.
LALD - Voodoo elements, on-purpose removal of many traditional Bond trademarks.
"Better make that two."
Based on your criteria:
* DN - Beautiful and vibrant Caribbean environment. The music (Jump up, etc.) and background score is catchy
* FRWL - Unique train sequence. A intriguing journey of Istanbul including its tunnels. Hitchcockian feel
* TB - Underwater and Caribbean sequences. Overall, the movie has a nice peppy feel to it which is hard to describe (similar to DN)
* YOLT - A beautiful journey of Japan and its culture. Interesting villain's lair. Romantic background score
* OHMSS - Alpine environment (Can be described as TB in snow)
* LALD - Voodoo theme
* TMWTGG - Scaramanga's Island theme
* TSWLM - Fascinating Egyptian locations. Unique underwater villain's lair
* OP - Indiana Jones meets Bond feel
* SP - A visually striking film. It is as if a photographer stitched some of his best landscape and city architecture pictures together
{[]
Nice choices - emphasising the importance of location. Have we lost that element or is it because more people have seen more places so the thrill has gone. In a way skyfall tried to reintroduce through the back door by using Scotland - so obvious and accessible but very beautiful
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
The thrill and feel for locations is still there. In some films, they stand out or feel a part of the film. While in some they are overshadowed by the action on screen or take the backstage
The Scotland sequence in SF also reminded us about the drive through Switzerland in the Aston in GF .... Both SF and GF are good examples of films that have a few such sequences but the entire film does not necessarily have that feel
The Alps before Christmas. Everything's covered in snow. That Swiss village looks incredible with people carrying skis and the helicopter journey is incredible. you get the impression of a real community surrounds Piz Gloria. And the Christmas theme is pushed to the forefront with a ice skating celebration.
"Oh Look, Eggnog on Christmas eve.." You actually get a time and place in OHMSS
TMWTGG because it's way bizarre.
OP because it takes so many twists & turns and ends up a solid spy flick.
LTK because we see just how driven & ruthless Bond can be.
QOS because the plot is contemporary & Greene is a singular psychotic sleazeball.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
-YOLT: Gotta love Bond in Japan. I get a kick out of the location shots in this film.
-CR: Not one of my favorites, but I love that shot of a beach in the Bahamas. I also dig that shot when we see the train at Montenegro. Venice is also sweet.
-TB: Again, not one of my favorites, but the tropical scenery is nice.
-FRWL: Gotta love Istanbul.
-L&LD: I feel Hamilton had the most impressive use of locations in L&LD out of all his Bond films. You really feel New York, New Orleans, and the fictional San Monique.
-AVTAK: My 2nd least fave Moore film, but I still love Paris and Frisco here, Glen sure knew what he was doing.
-TMWTGG: The Asian locations are nice, bar that dumb martial arts school scene.
-MR: Venice and Brazil are fantastic.
-TSWLM: Yes, I included every single Gilbert film on here. What can I say, he's my fave Bond director, and it's mainly because all 3 of his films are a treat to me when it comes to locations, and they are all complimented with great set design imo. They just please my visual sweet tooth very much. Sardinia and Egypt feel like experiences here.
-TWINE: It feels like a puzzle. I feel the urge to pay attention to detail here to try to understand the plot. And it gets me wrapped up in the film in a unique way.
I think I gave enough examples.
New 2020 ranking (for now DAF and FYEO keep their previous placements)
1. TLD 2. TND 3. GF 4. TSWLM 5. TWINE 6. OHMSS 7. LtK 8. TMWTGG 9. L&LD 10. YOLT 11. DAD 12. QoS 13. DN 14. GE 15. SF 16. OP 17. MR 18. AVTAK 19. TB 20. FRWL 21. CR 22. FYEO 23. DAF (SP to be included later)
Bond actors to be re-ranked later
1. You care about these characters, so much so that when Tracy is murdered at the end it is a genuinely heartbreaking moment for the viewer.
2. Direction is spot on. Even from the start with the PTS, filming Lazenby in silhouette makes it intriguing. The film has a look and style unique to the series.
3. Lazenby himself. His only Bond film makes it interesting to me.
4. The music is awesome. Scenes like Bond in Gumbold's office become even more tense and interesting because of the score.
5. The film has momentum. Where other Bond films start off strongly and sometimes fade towards the end, not so with OHMSS. This film starts strongly but gets even better, all the time building up to one of the finest finales ever.
6. Bond is actually a spy. Working undercover it is interesting to find out along with Bond just what is happening at Piz Gloria.
7. Locations. How can Piz Gloria not be interesting.
8. Escape from Piz Gloria. The most exciting sequence in a Bond film? It gets my vote.
9. The script. "You must give me the name of your oculist". "But today is the thirteenth Commander" - "I'm superstitious". It is always clever.
10. That ending. Bond always ends up with the girl, not this time.
11. Action. Some of the most interesting stunt work and with that score, fantastic.
12. The plot. The story is fascinating and the long running time of the film just flies by.
I love so many Bond films but OHMSS sits head and shoulders above the rest. -{
You built a nice case for OHMSS as the most interesting
DN - First attempt at the formula, of course the formula was altered a bit by the time GF came around.
FRWL - Feels the most like a proper spy film in the entire series.
GF - The first film really to use the standard formula
TB - Unusually focuses a lot on underwater stuff
YOLT - First of the 'big and bold' Bond films
OHMSS - More grounded, follows the novel (unusual for a Bond film to do that after this!)
DAF - Uses a very vibrant and interesting location - 1970s Vegas, and has the feel of an American film rather than a British film (as in the locations and the music used etc)
LALD - Deals with Voodoo
TMWTGG - Deals with some Kung Fu aspects
TSWLM - Again, the underwater stuff and the fact that after TMWTGG this film really was 'Everything or Nothing'.
MR - Deals with space
FYEO - More grounded in reality, definitely has a spy feel to it like FRWL
OP - Deals with the circus
AVTAK - Old man Bond, Christopher Walken and Grace Jones. Need I say more.
TLD - Same as FYEO and TLD
LTK - Feels more like abig american action film like Die Hard
GE - The same as TSWLM, and as the first Gond film post Cold War
TND - Deas with media and conspiracies
TWINE - Just how the film looks, it looks very dull, like a TV movie.
DAD - Feels like a Roger Moore film
CR - Unusual for an action film of the time, focuses less on action and more about the poker scenes
QoS - Not really much interesting about this.
SF - Feels like a patriotic Bond film, spending most of the time in the UK, feels more like Bond at home.
SP - Like a Brosnan film made today.
I thought that the film was about an assassin who uses a golden gun with golden bullets, charges $1M in 70s money per hit, and lives on an exotic Island, and presumably wants to target Bond .... The Kung Fu aspects are a minor part of the film from what I gathered. You would not watch TMWTGG for Kung Fu
haha nice
"Better make that two."
Is that because it's one of the best books and - for once - the writers stuck much closer to it? It often seems like a missed opportunity that the films so rarely used the strong stories and settings of the books
Yes- it's 35 years since i read Moonraker but i THINK (memory fading) i remember a great scene with a lorry and a load of timber logs. I always wondered why the writers didn't use scenes like that.
I read Moonraker recently and many of its concepts were used in DAD for Graves - has hatred for West (vs. Eng), changes his identity, rises suddenly socially and financially, gets knighted, develops Icarus (vs. Moonraker), loses to Bond in an intense sword battle (the game at the Blades), etc.
"Better make that two."
(listed in the order of their release)
* TB
* YOLT
* LALD
* TMWTGG
* TSWLM
* MR
* OP
* TLD
* TND
* SP
The old ones have aged well .... It would be interesting to see a ranking with these in the top 10 {[]
They basically did in FYEO with the barrels of opium.
I find LALD and TMWTGG to be the most interesting because they are both just kinda weird!
1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK