The Best Bond Film

[Big RR]

Since Jim started a thread with "Not the best Bond Film..', I figured I'd try one dedicated to finding out which one(s) people felt were best.

I have 3:

From Russia With Love--which had some of the best gadgets and made Q and integral part of the team
Goldfinger--also for the gadgets and for OddJob--one of my favorite henchmen
On Her Majesty's Secret Service--Lazenby wasn't bad (but Telly Savalas was not a great villain), but it made up for it with the surprise violent ending, a departure from the usual comic quip by Bond; it was a surprise at the time and completely unexpected (at least by me).

[Bicycle Bill]

Since Jim started a thread with "Not the best Bond Film..', I figured I'd try one dedicated to finding out which one(s) people felt were best.

I have 3:

From Russia With Love--which had some of the best gadgets and made Q and integral part of the team
Goldfinger--also for the gadgets and for OddJob--one of my favorite henchmen
On Her Majesty's Secret Service--Lazenby wasn't bad (but Telly Savalas was not a great villain), but it made up for it with the surprise violent ending, a departure from the usual comic quip by Bond; it was a surprise at the time and completely unexpected (at least by me).

I would maybe include "Thunderball" in the short list too.  It presented "SPECTRE" as a recurring opponent/entity (it was hinted at in "Dr. No", but took center stage here); 'Q' was reinforced in his domain as gadgetmeister supreme; Bond himself was as suave and urbane as ever; and the premise of hijacking two nuclear devices and holding the world's governments to ransom was still believable — as opposed to later plots calling for a secret base inside a dormant volcano; rockets launching from said base, capturing other manned spacecraft in flight, and then returning, completely intact and none the worse for wear, to within millimeters of the exact same location; a Q-ship disguised as a supertanker capable of jamming communications, navigation, and propulsion equipment on nuke-powered military submarines and then swallowing them whole; or entire fleets of space shuttles that had somehow been launched and managed to build a fully operational space station in total secrecy and completely undetected by any of the earth's governments.  I won't even mention things like the Indestructible Hulk with the steel teeth, the voodoo demigod, or the batshit-crazy Silicon Valley CEO.

The only thing that detracted from the film was that far too much of the action took place underwater, resulting in muted color tones over much of the picture, and when everyone is clad in a neoprene wetsuit it gets very difficult to tell the stars from the spear-carriers.

The one thing I do wish, though, out of all the Bond films from the first to the last, is that Lois Maxwell would have gotten her chance to show 007 that she could have been so nice to come home to.

-"BB"-

[Big RR]

Thunderball is good as well (and I enjoyed Diamonds are Forever as well); Dr No was a good start to the collection, but like most first films it lacked some of what ultimately became my favorite parts of Bond films. FWIW, I enjoyed the Connery and Lazenby films and and the second Roger Moore one--The Spy Who Loved Me. Then it began to get too silly (I think Moore played Bond too tongue in cheek, and this led to sillier and sillier plots--toward the end the Our Man Flint movies were more believable and watchable).
for me and I tired of the franchise. the last couple of films weren't bad, but IMHO they changed Bond into something very different from the earlier films.

the Indestructible Hulk with the steel teeth

IMHO, the worst Bond villain--it just got too silly--especially in Moonraker with that gymnast girlfriend.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Casino Royale (1967) - Woody Allen was a fantastic Bond. And David Niven. And Daliah Lavi... well....

[Big RR]

Wasn't Woody Allen the villain? It's been a number of years, but that's what I thought his role was.

Indeed, as I recall his fiendish plan was to kill all people over 4 feet tall (or something like that) so he'd be the biggest man in the world and attractive to all women.

[Bicycle Bill]

Begging your pardon, MajGenl. sir, but if you persist in considering Woody Allen's "Casino Royale" to be a part of the Bond canon then you better make sure to include this one too:



Also known/released as "O.K. Connery", it starred NEIL CONNERY (who actually IS Sean Connery's younger brother) and featured both Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny) and Bernard Lee ('M') in similar roles.  The only other thing you really need to know about it was that it was given the full MST3K treatment.

-"BB"-

[Lord Jim]

Casino Royale (1967) - Woody Allen was a fantastic Bond. And David Niven. And Daliah Lavi... well....

Ahh yes, Casino Royale...

The answer to the trivia question:

"What's the worst movie ever made that contained the largest number of big-time Hollywood stars?"

With a 5.2 IMDB score it's grossly over-rated...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061452/

This is the second time that Meade has referenced this witless bit of schlock as his favorite "Bond" movie...

From which one can logically conclude that he doesn't actually like any James Bond movies...

Which is not really surprising; way too much sex and violence for his blue nose tastes...

[Big RR]

I don't know Jim--the 1973 musical version of Lost Horizon (quite a few big stars there as well) leaves Casino Royale in the dust in the race to the bottom. And let's not forget the Lorne Green Earthquake (with Ava Gardner as his daughter ).

[oldr_n_wsr]

Whichever Bond flick had a young Jane Seymour in it is my favorite.

And lets not forget the Toxic Avenger.

[Big RR]

oldr--as I recall, it was Live and Let Die; not one of my favorites, but I understand your point.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I only watched it for the plot lines.
yeah, that's it

[MajGenl.Meade]

Are you sure, Lord James (Bond)?

[Big RR]

50 minutes? You sure that's not a TV program?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Of course it was a TV program!

[Big RR]

OK, I was wondering why the link said "full movie"; it probably should have said "full program" or "full show".

Roy

[MajGenl.Meade]

I've got a worn grammar Nazi uniform that just might fit ya! "Movies" - moving pictures. Relax!

Hey I'm just watching West Ham play Liverpool in the knockout FA Cup competition. It is a replay of the first match in Liverpool which ended in a draw - so they play again. Still tied - they play overtime. Still tied - the penalty kicks because we must have a winner for the next round. And BTW the entire team has to take the penalty kick if it goes that far - the first 6 are nominated but if it's still tied, then the other 5 have to take their turn (including the goal keeper) AFAIK