Main Menu

Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 03:49:25 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Bond

Started by asids, December 28, 2017, 01:05:52 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Rolf Lundgren

Quote from: thecuriousorange on January 03, 2018, 12:43:55 AM
Xenia Onatopp is my favourite Bond girl.

The type of campy, ridiculous, sexy character the series needed for its 90s paint job. I mean, she literally had loud, theatrical orgasms while killing men. Silly fun and it got back to the serious stuff a few years later with Daniel Craig.

Part of me hopes that in the same way that AVTAK and DAD were arguably Moore and Brosnan's maddest films, that Craig goes out in a batshit wacky adventure.

Ignatius_S

Quote from: mothman on January 03, 2018, 05:10:47 PM...and while FRWL gets a lot of love as the film most faithful to the book, it is awfully traveloguey....
I feel that From Russia to Love tends to be well regarded for other reasons. For example, being a Cold War (despite the Spectre incorporation) spy film that's slower-paced, has a less outlandish plot and feels rather grittier. Although less action-based, the film boasts brilliant and memorable fight scenes, and would say it had one of the strongest casts for a good while – Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya being obvious standouts.

Complete tangent, I find it an interesting film to compare the careers of Shaw and Connery – both famously friends, who shared the same agent and were admired by the same producer (who I think released Connery from a contract so he could play Bond). Three years earlier, when the two co-starred in a TV play that Shaw had adapted from his first novel, Shaw was by far more the established actor but in terms of international stardom, was to quickly become eclipsed by Connery and by others that he had worked with.

Less of a tangent, re: introducing your eldest to the films – as you've already worked your way through another series, why not ask her what she thinks might be a good point to start? It might be that the first film will have to grab her attention or maybe just spending time with her dear ol' dad will be appeal enough.

Dr Rock

Yeah, show her a montage of Bond clips off YouTube - which will be all the best bits -  and let her pick the one that takes her fancy. I'd have no idea what Bond film a modern young girl might like best, but I think many of the Connery films might seem slow. Rather than going in cold with one film, maybe get her to see that Bond has been done in loads of different ways and she can choose the style that suits her first.

Dr Rock

Although maybe don't show her that montage of Bond hitting women.

mothman

Well, she's used to seeing that al... I'M KIDDING. Jesus, no. My inappropriate sense of humour appalls even me sometimes.

I might try that. I also toyed with the idea of the Twilight and the Hungr Games movies, but I'm not sure I can be arsed myself. She has her own Netflix profile (age-limited, of course) and watches approprite movies on there.

Bad Ambassador

Fan trailer for the entire series. Pretty fucking impressive. A selection of highlights to pique her interest. The cut from Dalton to Brosnan is a thing of beauty.

https://youtu.be/t10mNXtfdUw

mothman

Nice. Thanks for that, I've Whatsapped her the link. This'll be if she ever talks to us again, after she sat on some gum at school today and we refused to drive over there to take her clean trousers...

Blinder Data

Quote from: Bad Ambassador on January 03, 2018, 01:13:34 PM
Top five Bonds: OHMSS, Licence to Kill, Casino Royale, Skyfall, GoldenEye
Bottom five: DaF, Thunderball, YOLT, FRWL, QoS

This is the correct sequence.

Are you seriously suggesting none of Connery's films get into the top five? You're off your rocker, pal.

Tried my own marathon but stopped halfway into Moore's when I realised they were merging into one long boring film. Some of them really sag, especially Thunderball. Perhaps I should start again as I recall enjoying Dalton's as a kid.

OHMSS, though a bit long and Lazenby is duff, is probably my favourite. Great fight scenes and settings, Telly fucking Savalas, and the only Bond film that tugs the heartstrings.

For the record I am of the view that QoS is really bad

biggytitbo

Another one goes on the list...


If you're trying to convert someone to Bond, you'd probably be best to start at the end and work backwards until their boredom tolerance is reached.

Thomas

Just don't watch them as they're broadcast on ITV, with frequent ad breaks and an interval for the news. As a child I thought Bond films were about five hours long.

Dr Rock

Has Bond ever been shot? Of course it would be a flesh wound, but I can't think of a movie where he sustains any serious injury. Oh yeah, he gets winged in Skyfall by his own side and falls off the train, any other examples?

shiftwork2

Quote from: Blinder Data on January 04, 2018, 11:25:50 AM
OHMSS, though a bit long and Lazenby is duff, is probably my favourite. Great fight scenes and settings, Telly fucking Savalas, and the only Bond film that tugs the heartstrings.

Agreed. It also has the best chase sequence in any Bond film, the luge bit at the end.  Let down by some obvious (now) bluescreenery but done with such pace and style.  From memory there's no music either, could be wrong.

Thomas

Quote from: Dr Rock on January 04, 2018, 01:11:09 PM
Has Bond ever been shot? Of course it would be a flesh wound, but I can't think of a movie where he sustains any serious injury. Oh yeah, he gets winged in Skyfall by his own side and falls off the train, any other examples?

He bashes his elbow off the Millennium Dome in The World is Not Enough, and someone nail guns his shoulder in Casino Royale, but he gruffly shrugs it off because he's angry about being in love. He also suffers a cardiac arrest but Eva Green Aston Martins him back to full health.

mothman

Quote from: biggytitbo on January 04, 2018, 12:32:21 PM
If you're trying to convert someone to Bond, you'd probably be best to start at the end and work backwards until their boredom tolerance is reached.

Actually, while I'm not sure if the Biggy Method would be best in this case, I was wondering if I was maybe being too anal about watching the series in order? After all, most of us here would have first seen them at random on ITV on any rainy bank holiday afternoon. Perhaps that is the proper way to watch them!

I know the first one I ever saw was Moonraker, in the cinema. Then OHMSS on ITV. I've a feeling Diamonds Are Forever was the third one I ever saw... actually no, maybe 4th because saw For Your Eyes Only in the cinema in 1981.

One thing I do know is it would be a mistake to start with the Craigs. They're so different to the rest.

Jerzy Bondov

I have come up with a viewing order based on a few principles: Never watch the same Bond twice in a row, never watch two films of the same level of quality in a row. Also the best films are all in the first ten, and the worst are all in the last ten, but not in order. If you watched it this way you could stop having had a good sample after a minimum of five films, but if you pushed on there would still be some crackers to look forward to. It'd only start getting tough near the end but by that point you might as well just watch the lot. Left out Casino Royale 67 and Never Say Never Again because I forgot them and now don't want to change the thing. Monumental waste of time.

From Russia with Love
Live and Let Die
The Living Daylights
Goldeneye
Casino Royale
You Only Live Twice
The Spy Who Loved Me
Quantum of Solace
Moonraker
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Tomorrow Never Dies
Goldfinger
Octopussy
Skyfall
Diamonds are Forever
Licence to Kill
The World Is Not Enough
Dr No
A View to a Kill
Spectre
Thunderball
For Your Eyes Only
Die Another Day
The Man with the Golden Gun

Bad Ambassador

Quote from: Blinder Data on January 04, 2018, 11:25:50 AM
Are you seriously suggesting none of Connery's films get into the top five? You're off your rocker, pal.

DaF, Thunderball and YOLT are too slow and stodgy, and my opinion on FRWL is above and in greater detail here. Dr. No and Goldfinger are good, but they're not Top Five good.

Ignatius_S

Quote from: mothman on January 03, 2018, 10:30:24 PM...I might try that. I also toyed with the idea of the Twilight and the Hungr Games movies, but I'm not sure I can be arsed myself. She has her own Netflix profile (age-limited, of course) and watches approprite movies on there.

Well, neither are that long a series and c'mon, bond with your firstborn!

Quote from: Blinder Data on January 04, 2018, 11:25:50 AM...OHMSS, though a bit long and Lazenby is duff, is probably my favourite. Great fight scenes and settings, Telly fucking Savalas, and the only Bond film that tugs the heartstrings...

Must be quite a few years ago, but I remember the editor of Total Film discussing (on R4, I think Today) a reader poll about fave Bond film – sure it tied into some kind of anniversary or run-up to a new film. OHMSS polled *very* strongly – might have been runner-up – which the editor expressed surprised at and seemed to be of the belief that because Lazenby did only one film, ipso facto, it's got to be a weak entry. Personally, it rather feels to me that they were really trying to pull out the stops and consequently, there's a lot to like – and by the time of the poll, it was being viewed more favourably than in the past.

Quote from: mothman on January 04, 2018, 01:33:54 PM
Actually, while I'm not sure if the Biggy Method would be best in this case, I was wondering if I was maybe being too anal about watching the series in order? After all, most of us here would have first seen them at random on ITV on any rainy bank holiday afternoon. Perhaps that is the proper way to watch them!...

Yeah, I meant to say something along those lines – I think the only people I know, who have watched them in production order to a decent extent, are old enough to remember the cinematic releases.

I remember a writer who wrote about the struggles in trying to decide what order they should introduce their child to the Star Wars films – production order or story chronology. I've read/heard similar tales from others but whatever they chose, the kids loved the films... especially the prequels.

itsfredtitmus

is there a bond that has a bad or ambiguous ending?

Ignatius_S

Quote from: itsfredtitmus on January 04, 2018, 03:04:17 PM
is there a bond that has a bad or ambiguous ending?

OHMSS.

Here Comes Mongo


Quote from: Jerzy Bondov on January 04, 2018, 02:27:49 PM
I have come up with a viewing order based on a few principles: Never watch the same Bond twice in a row, never watch two films of the same level of quality in a row. Also the best films are all in the first ten, and the worst are all in the last ten, but not in order. If you watched it this way you could stop having had a good sample after a minimum of five films, but if you pushed on there would still be some crackers to look forward to. It'd only start getting tough near the end but by that point you might as well just watch the lot. Left out Casino Royale 67 and Never Say Never Again because I forgot them and now don't want to change the thing. Monumental waste of time.

From Russia with Love
Live and Let Die
The Living Daylights
Goldeneye
Casino Royale
You Only Live Twice
The Spy Who Loved Me
Quantum of Solace
Moonraker
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Tomorrow Never Dies
Goldfinger
Octopussy
Skyfall
Diamonds are Forever
Licence to Kill
The World Is Not Enough
Dr No
A View to a Kill
Spectre
Thunderball
For Your Eyes Only
Die Another Day
The Man with the Golden Gun


Yeah, I think it would be better to mix them up rather than watch them in sequence and agree that that would be a pretty good ordering for them. Incidentally, isn't your username a reference to The Living Daylights?

Even though From Russia With Love is regarded as one of the best of the series given that it's a more realistic spy thriller (relatively speaking) I thought it was a borefest as a kid, and preferred the wackiness of the Moore era. I didn't get why the Bond theme was so heavily used in that film during moments when bugger all seemed to be happening.

I can't really get along with any post Goldeneye Bond movies; the other three Brosnan ones are a bit shite, and the Craig ones for me don't have enough of a Bond flavour to them, feeling too similar to other films of the past fifteen years. It might also be because I perceive Bond to be a 'relic of the Cold War' who seems a bit redundant after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Anyhow, although I don't agree with everything he says I found these reviews of all the Bond movies quite an enjoyable read (as listed on the left under 'BlogalongaBond'): http://theincrediblesuit.blogspot.co.uk/p/blogalongabond.html

Jerzy Bondov

Quote from: Here Comes Mongo on January 04, 2018, 03:53:17 PM
Yeah, I think it would be better to mix them up rather than watch them in sequence and agree that that would be a pretty good ordering for them. Incidentally, isn't your username a reference to The Living Daylights?

Even though From Russia With Love is regarded as one of the best of the series given that it's a more realistic spy thriller (relatively speaking) I thought it was a borefest as a kid, and preferred the wackiness of the Moore era. I didn't get why the Bond theme was so heavily used in that film during moments when bugger all seemed to be happening.
Yep it's on a fake passport. Jerzy is Polish and Bondov is Russian. I hope somebody got fired for that blunder.

You're right about the Bond theme in FRWL. He's checking into a hotel and unpacking his suitcase with the theme blaring away like nobody's business. I love the train fight but my wife prefers the stabby shoe bit, she finds that very frightening.

mothman

That's an incredible order there, Jerzy. You have way too much time on your hands!

I don't actually know HOW we're going to watch these, lacking a DVD player. I'm not sure if any of them are on Netflix or Amazon. Probably not I'm guessing. All I have to hand is Spectre recorded on the BT Box from the pother night. So this may well be utterly academic, if not wholly moot. Plus she says she wants to watch Stranger Things together (given her other Netflixian obsessions are Riverdale and Jane The Virgin, as recommended to her by schoolmates, I suspect there may be peer pressure involved here somehow).

Blinder Data


Gwen Taylor on ITV

Quote from: Ignatius_S on January 04, 2018, 02:57:54 PM
Must be quite a few years ago, but I remember the editor of Total Film discussing (on R4, I think Today) a reader poll about fave Bond film – sure it tied into some kind of anniversary or run-up to a new film. OHMSS polled *very* strongly – might have been runner-up – which the editor expressed surprised at and seemed to be of the belief that because Lazenby did only one film, ipso facto, it's got to be a weak entry. Personally, it rather feels to me that they were really trying to pull out the stops and consequently, there's a lot to like – and by the time of the poll, it was being viewed more favourably than in the past.

OHMSS also has the best soundtrack, and pre-Dalton was the only Bond film to show him being a bit scared (hiding around the village ice rink from the henchmen before Diana Rigg turns up to save him), which I like to see.

Dr Rock

It's the only one I've never seen. I haven't seen most of the one where he disguises himself as a Chinaman Asian either.

asids

Quote from: mothman on January 04, 2018, 04:12:08 PM
I don't actually know HOW we're going to watch these, lacking a DVD player.

Wink wink, internet, wink wink.

mothman

Yes, I know, but this MacBook only has a 250Gb HD (it's one of those solid state drives, I couldn't afford a larger one), I'll have to clear off all the porn first!

CaledonianGonzo

Quote from: Rolf Lundgren on January 03, 2018, 05:36:36 PM
Part of me hopes that in the same way that AVTAK and DAD were arguably Moore and Brosnan's maddest films, that Craig goes out in a batshit wacky adventure.

Neither of these are good films, though.  SPECTRE is Craig's most outlandish film, and also - by some distance - his worst.

non capisco

Quote from: shiftwork2 on January 04, 2018, 01:14:25 PM
Agreed. It also has the best chase sequence in any Bond film, the luge bit at the end.  Let down by some obvious (now) bluescreenery but done with such pace and style.  From memory there's no music either, could be wrong.

The bit in OHMSS where he's at the ice rink being tracked down by Blofeld's goons and is rescued by Tracey is great. For a start it's edited like 'Midnight Cowboy' or something. It's also the only time I think you see Bond bricking it with fear. I don't think Lazenby was that bad, although admittedly he's dubbed for a lot of it.

CaledonianGonzo

The sequence going up to Piz Gloria - of Bond knowingly going deep into dangerous territory and being aware he might not survive it - is also great. That bit of score:

https://youtu.be/BDfHEBZG6JU

The similar bit in SPECTRE in Morocco is also one of the best bits of that movie.