Prefer the books, of which the best is probably the first: Casino Royale. However, 'From Russia....' is at least credible, plot-wise. And Rosa Klebb is marvelous. Very cute love interest, too, I recall if you like stately and elegant blondes, for which, alas, I have an occasional weakness.
I think that Daniela Bianchi may be the most beautiful of the Bond Girls.
I like the movie a lot, it's solid, suspenseful and they hadn't descended into gadget world yet, which is a lot of the reason I like the newest Bond film (although there are some BIG stretches there)
I agree that Craig plays it more like the man in the books: a licensed murderer. In the books though Bond is slightly camper: as befits someone sacked from Eton for bedding his 'Scout', if that's what they called the women who made the beds. And 'M' is a closeted screaming queen of the Upper-Class naval type: unmarried and austere. Actually the heads of SIS are known as 'C' after Mansfield Smith-Cumming.
Dr. No is my favorite of the Bond films. Because it was a spy movie; after that they started immediately codifying the idiom...and they swiftly became a caricature of themselves.
Dr No is my second favorite, with Goldfinger a close third (From Russia With Love is a LONG ways in front). I need to watch the new one again, just to see if it has the same impact it did in the theater. And to see if the stretches bug me as much as they did in the theater
Also, it's not so much the Bonds as the movies themselves. Dr. No rocked. So did the new one, in different waves. Some of the Moore ones have delightfully cheesy-'70s elements. (I pretty much gave up around Octopussy and Never Say Never, though.) I even liked parts of that movie with the former model, but it was the whole not the actor.
You are going to make me find a summary page now so I know which is the title of the movie I am thinking of. I will give Thunderball a nod for being my favorite Bond theme.
I was definitely torn between Goldfinger and the new guy. Having recently rewatched On Her Majesty's Secret Service, I think the credit for best film overally has to go to the new Casino Royale (although don't knock David Niven Bond!)
I would REALLY love to see the new team remake On Her Majesty's Secret Service...
Sam's has the DVDs in 3 sets for about $29 per set. I didn't look to see which movies are in which boxes, but must slowly pick these up - can't afford to buy them all in one fell swoop.
i haven't seen the new guy...so my vote is based on sketchy childhood memories of not liking Sean Connery for some reason (probably because my parents DID like him, and i needed to be contrary), and garbled memories of all the pre-1990 movies jumbled up into the same one movie.
Actually, I think Brosnan is a very good actor. He brought a boyishness to the role that was really fun.
I think Goldeneye was really good. And the second one he did - I can't remember the name now - that was all right. The World is Not Enough was awful, but I blame Denise Richards for that one.
I didn't say they were bad movies, just not very good.
And Denise Richards was about as convincing in this movie as I would be as Bond. The best comment I saw was on imdb ... "Bond girls should have class, not be late for it."
Pierce Brosnan *adds to drool pool* I used to watch Remington Steele just to drool over him because the show itself wasn't that good. I had forgotten he made any Bond movies - I haven't seen ANY of the ones post-Sean Connery. Definitely need to start picking these up on DVD.
If someone offered you an Aston Martin to watch a Bond film (starring, lessee, some wooden hack), would you consider compromising your personal aesthetics and take the car AND watch the movie?
Let's face it, a Bond film without the cars isn't much of a Bond film.
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Date: 2007-09-07 08:39 pm (UTC)However, 'From Russia....' is at least credible, plot-wise. And Rosa Klebb is marvelous.
Very cute love interest, too, I recall if you like stately and elegant blondes, for which, alas, I have an occasional weakness.
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Date: 2007-09-07 08:44 pm (UTC)I like the movie a lot, it's solid, suspenseful and they hadn't descended into gadget world yet, which is a lot of the reason I like the newest Bond film (although there are some BIG stretches there)
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Date: 2007-09-07 09:02 pm (UTC)In the books though Bond is slightly camper: as befits someone sacked from Eton for bedding his 'Scout', if that's what they called the women who made the beds.
And 'M' is a closeted screaming queen of the Upper-Class naval type: unmarried and austere.
Actually the heads of SIS are known as 'C' after Mansfield Smith-Cumming.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansfield_Smith-Cumming
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Date: 2007-09-07 08:44 pm (UTC)But that new guy is pretty good.
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Date: 2007-09-07 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 03:35 am (UTC)Also, it's not so much the Bonds as the movies themselves. Dr. No rocked. So did the new one, in different waves. Some of the Moore ones have delightfully cheesy-'70s elements. (I pretty much gave up around Octopussy and Never Say Never, though.) I even liked parts of that movie with the former model, but it was the whole not the actor.
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Date: 2007-09-07 09:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-07 11:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-07 11:38 pm (UTC)I would REALLY love to see the new team remake On Her Majesty's Secret Service...
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Date: 2007-09-07 11:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 01:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 12:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 01:48 am (UTC)*Homer Simpson drooling sound*
Mmmm. Yummy.
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Date: 2007-09-08 05:18 am (UTC)I actually thought he made a decent Bond, it just wasn't in very good movies ...
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Date: 2007-09-08 12:30 pm (UTC)I think Goldeneye was really good. And the second one he did - I can't remember the name now - that was all right. The World is Not Enough was awful, but I blame Denise Richards for that one.
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Date: 2007-09-08 02:08 pm (UTC)And Denise Richards was about as convincing in this movie as I would be as Bond. The best comment I saw was on imdb ... "Bond girls should have class, not be late for it."
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Date: 2007-09-08 12:16 pm (UTC)I had forgotten he made any Bond movies - I haven't seen ANY of the ones post-Sean Connery. Definitely need to start picking these up on DVD.
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Date: 2007-09-12 03:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 06:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 07:04 am (UTC)Let's face it, a Bond film without the cars isn't much of a Bond film.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 11:33 am (UTC)