Your 5 (absolute) favourite Bond films?
Bond fan from Oz
Posts: 88MI6 Agent
(I did a search on this topic; found nothing).
What are your five favourite Bond films? NO 6TH PLACE, NO ALTERNATES, NO DOUBLE PLACE-GETTERS.
My 5 would be:
TWINE
OP
TSWLM
SP
QOS
Comments
There isn't really an absolute top five list for me. The list can easily change a little from week to week, even though some movies are safe.
- CR
- OHMSS
- LTK
- TSWLM
- GE
Tough decision for a Bond geek:
(1) SPECTRE
(2) You Only Live Twice
(3) Goldfinger
(4) Skyfall
(5) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Cheers!
Honorable Mention: Diamonds are Forever - First Bond movie I ever saw so it holds a soft spot for me. Even though Connery looks visibly older it's still a fun movie with some great locations, a brutal fight scene and a nice balance of action and humor.
Despite the occasional knock on the door from TND, my top 5 has barely changed since CraigBond's debut:
1. GF 2. OHMSS 3.FRWL 4.CR 5.TSWLM
Didn't even realize I did that until I read your post. Golfeneye it will remain! 😁
8. TMwtGG 9. AVtaK 10. TSWLM 11. SF 12. LtK 13. TND 14. YOLT
15. NTtD 16. MR 17. LaLD 18. GF 19. SP 20. DN 21. TB
22. TWiNE 23. DAD 24. QoS 25. DaF
CR (2006)
GE
FRWL
TLD
OHMSS
"- That is something to be afraid of."
FRWL - one of the closest movies to the book. Excellent casting for all the parts and one of the best fight scenes in any Bond movie. Also a good spy story which oddly is something of a rarity in a franchise about a spy.
GF - the one that sent Bond stratospheric. The template for Bond movies for decades to follow. Again excellent casting and the elements that continue to this day, the gadgets, the OTT plot.
OHMSS - the movie that probably best captures on film the world of Bond that Fleming imagined on paper. A cracking action film which also combines a convincing love story. Some of the best cinematography in the series.
GE - Bond rebooted for a new era and Brosnan nailing it from the start.
CR - Bond rebooted again for a different era and Fleming's novel brilliantly updated and expanded. A near perfect Bond movie.
There was a time when I would have included TLD in the list. I always liked Dalton's Bond and like Craig you could believe he was a killer. I still enjoy it when I watch it but because so much has changed in Afghanistan since this was made I find it hard to watch the last section the same way. Perhaps a salient lesson that the producers should stay away from current affairs as they don't stay current for long.
Thunderball
Goldfinger
Casino Royale (2006)
From Russia With Love
The Living Daylights
In order of release date:
FRWL: The template of "serious" Bond films (though it has a healthy sense of humor). A genuine but still flamboyant spy thriller that shows Bond didn't need to go over-the-top to be great.
GF: The template of subsequent Bond films, perpetually imitated but never equaled in its thrill-ride flow and immense iconic power.
OHMSS: The summation of the first cycle of Bond films, with an emotional edge previously absent from the series. The best directed and edited Bond, made by a team at the height of its powers.
FYEO: Moore's best and most mature performance. A welcome return to form for the series after the cynical/sleazy early 70s and spectacle-heavy late 70s.
LTK: The second big experiment in the series, with an underrated screenplay where the stunts (all superb) advance the plot instead of the other way around. Dalton gives the role an unprecedented seething intensity and is well-paired with Davi.
Runner-up: TSWLM, for being the best-crafted over-the-top spectacle in the series.
Of the post-LTK films I would likely rank CR as the best, but my problems with its choices in adaptation mean it will never become a personal favorite.
In order of release:
FRWL - Connery at his suave yet ruthless best. Lots of espionage, brutal fight scenes and action. Great Bond girl and the villains are top tier.
LALD - Maybe a bit nostalgia tinged as it's one of the first Bond films I saw as a kid. Love the grittiness of Harlem and the Voodoo aspect. Moore looks youthful, the Bond girl is great again and the entourage of villains is interesting without being too OTT.
FYEO - After the excess of TSWLM and MR this film is a welcome shot of realism which shows that Moore was capable of playing a more serious 007. I love Greece as a setting, the ski scenes are action packed and there are some incredibly tense scenes thrown in. Bonus points for the scene at Tracey's grave in the PTS.
LTK - Dalton playing Bond the only way he knows how and he knocks it out of the park. I personally love the Miami Vice vibe and the villains (Sanchez and Dario in particular) are terrifying.
CR - The film which gave the franchise a much needs shot in the arm. Craig is superb on his debut, Le Chiffre is an interesting villain, the PTS is one of the best in the series and Vesper is a superb Bond girl for the modern era.
Easy:
1). Goldfinger
2). The Spy Who Loved Me
3). Skyfall
4). For Your Eyes Only
5). The Living Daylights
1) TSWLM
2) OHMSS
3) CR
4) FRWL
5) SF
From Russia With Love
Casino Royale
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Goldeneye
The Living Daylights
I've always had Goldfinger in my ranking of the top 5 Bond films, but as the title of this thread is 'favourite' rather than 'best' I will drop GF and that allows TLD into my 5 favourites, which is entirely appropriate given how much I love TLD. I acknowledge the greatness of GF as a popular culture icon, but I think I enjoy TLD more in many respects.
That's often the case. Films may have all the ingredients and be thought of by many as 'best' Bond films, but which films one 'enjoys' the most, can differ. That's what makes it such fun.
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2. For Your Eyes Only
3. The World Is Not Enough
4. The Living Daylights
5. Skyfall
Like you said favourites and best maybe be different but here goes:
1 Dr NO
2.Goldeneye
3.Skyfall
4.TMWTGG
5.FRWL