The Connery movies are not just classic Bond films. They're classic films in themselves, especially the first three. You could watch them not even for the action (although there is plenty of action there) but just for the story or the style or the whole 60s feel.
Ditto. The early Connery films are great because there was a sense of excitement unpredictability since the formula hadn't settled in yet. I could watch From Russia With Love over and over again.
Wish I had been around in the early 60's to see the first few Bond films when they opened. It must have been a real treat to see something so fresh and unique on the big screen at the time.
I think the fact that there never really was a satisfying on-screen conclusion to the Blofeld character is why people keep wanting him back. DAF was a poor film and what they did in FYEO was good, but not good enough.
Me feeling on Blofeld is that while I loved elements of Donald Pleasance and Telly Savalis's portrayals I never thought the character reached his full potential on film. I hope he returns in the Craig films because with the approach these movies are taking could be rectified.
Dalton was underrated. I really liked Licence To Kill despite it being like a extened episode of Miami Vice at times. I think its the best of the 'Bond gone rogue' movies that pop up every now and again.
Goldeneye is one of my favourite Bond movies of all time. The World Is Not Enough is Brosnans second best Bond movie the other two are forgettable.
Like someone else said Dalton was 20 years too soon. If he did the same thing now things may have been different. While he didn't show the humor of Moore or even Connery he had his own talents in the role. I think Dalton was right to steer Bond away from that tongue in cheek portrayal but I guess it was too soon after Moore.
Craig's Bond strikes me as a character that blends some of the best elements Connery, Dalton and Lazenby were trying to inject into their portrayals. Dalton's darkness, Connery's macho toughness, and Lazenby's humanity.
Dalton and Lazenby were the first to really show us more of Bond the man instead of Bond the spy. We got to see more the human being underneath the facade. Sure every once in a awhile we saw it with Connery and Moore but it was fleeting.
And Dalton wanted us to know Bond was a spy trained to kill. A man who could be cold blooded when needed. Its something Moore always seemed to have a distaste for in his portrayal of Bond as a gentleman spy. Which he is, but certain times call for certain measures.
Moore's Bond could be heartless at times (the previously mention scene in FYEO) but those moments were few and far between and much of the violence was always followed up with a laugh.
I personally think the Brosnan era is the weakest and the most bland and over-commercialised. It is the most cliche ridden, as if Brosnan is trying to hit all the beats. He even admits he's a pastiche Bond. I wouldn't say it is Moore camp though, because Brosnan can't decide one way or another what kind of Bond he should be. He's trying to be Connery but is actually more like Moore. Brosnan trying to be dark and dangerous is a bit laughable at times. He should play to his strengths.
Goldeneye isn't bad though and the best of the Brosnan movies. However, I would've loved to have seen Dalton in that. It is probably the least Brosnan-like of the Brosnan era, since some of it does seem more suited to Dalton.
The BMW in the Brosnan movies kind of fits with the era: boring yet efficient. He did have the invisible Aston Martin in Die Another Day (which is the worst Bond movie of all time IMO), but that was a bit over the top. They should've given him another BMW just to round off the era since it would be more fitting. No sense in wasting a car on a bad movie.
I agree all the way. GolddenEye is a great film and easily Brosnan's best but after thayt you're right. The films became more generic, more Hollywood, and lost that feeling that used to be unique to the Bond series. Parts of TND and TWINE were lackluster and DAD was almost totally unwatchable.
You're right he tried to blend Connery and Moore without doing their best bits nearly as well. I liked Brosnan a lot as Bond but I wish he had stuck more to what worked for him in Goldeneye. He seemed to have more enthusiasm. I've always leaned more towards what Dalton, Connery, and Craig did as Bond but that doesn't mean I didn't love Moore or Brosnan in their own right. But Brosnan was never as charming as Moore or as cool as Connery. No that he need to copy them but he needed to amp up those elements in his own way and put his own spin on it. He didn't evoke nearly as much excitement and never really put a stamp on his time it the role that made it stand out like some of the others. He wasn't bad. But he didn't etch his portrayal in stone as great either.
Goldeneye had the of the best villains in the series IMO, that personal conflict between Trevelyan and Bond was amazing. I can't recall a bad guy who totally knew Bond and used it against him as effectively, that, along with Sean Bean's brilliant performance created an astounding villain and an overall great movie.
Another reason why GoldenEye was so great. The other Brosnan ere villains didn't come close to Alec Trevelyan. A great performance AND it was a new idea for a bad guy in the Bond series. A rogue Double 0? Bond was basically going against a guy that was his equal in so many ways.
People give Moore a little less credit than he deserves. People focus on his meandering run as Bond and not overlook what he actually did do well as Bond. TSWLM his Bond is pretty damn great. He gives a charm and sense of humor to Bond that's very apparant in TSWLM. Just those little moments in the van with Anya are terrific.
He's also pretty cold. When he interoggates the dude by holding him by the tie from the building then drops him even when he gives him the information. That's ****ing cold right there, and Bond. His scene with Anya when she finds out he killed her lover is great acting as well. Plus shooting Stromberg in the balls was probably one of the greatest Bond villain deaths ever.
Moore's talent was his charm and his sense of humor. His comic timing was impeccable. Nobody could deliver a quip like Moore. I dare say not even Connery. I'm not sure any other Bond could verbally spar with Q the way Moore's did either. A lot of people don't like the wisecracks but I couldn't help but laugh.
Like someone said of Moore's lighter films TSWLM is easily the best. It struck the perfect balance. So much in it was brilliant. The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only are my favorite Moore films.
