The only nostalgia is a nod to goldfinger with the car bond won in CR.
And yes, the cinematography is amazing.
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Never Seen a Bond Film, Need Recommendations
- Thread starter Ryuhza
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And yes, the cinematography is amazing.
I will never get the love for On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It's one of the most boring movies I've ever seen.
The real answer is to watch the Connery films, then check the other Bonds to see who you like.
But make sure to watch Moonraker. It's not a good film, but it is an incredibly entertaining one.
The real answer is to watch the Connery films, then check the other Bonds to see who you like.
But make sure to watch Moonraker. It's not a good film, but it is an incredibly entertaining one.
The first one is really bad and had Some quite racist stuff as far as I remember. Sexism is all over the place, but its such a charicature of real life.
This. I think Goldeneye is easily in the top 5. You can place it easily in the top 3 as well without much push back. Is it #1? Maybe not but I do think it's perhaps the best intro Bond to show someone now. Its not as old or classic as the original films. It's still modern enough but not the gritty take of the Craig era. It hits a very nice middle ground in regard to all of what makes Bond great. It's a shame that's the best of the Bronson era films but they shot for the moon with that film.
If anyone wants to play any of the games I really recommend the Goldeneye remake that came out for the Wii and then later for the PS3/360. It's an updated version of GoldenEye story but staring and filtered through Daniel Craig's Bond and its wonderful. I would actually love to see a film remake of GoldenEye done that way. That film's story and setup works great with modern updates. I actually think its better.
Sorry, but I disagree strongly. Bruce Feirstein gutted GoldenEye by replacing its historical and political context deeply rooted in the sins that haunt the British Empire with incredibly generic themes of terrorism and the 1%. The film has incredibly good dialogue. It has subtext. The game does not. GoldenEye is a story about crumbling empires. About loyalty to a system that you know is evil at its heart. The game's "modern" version of the plot is all about how rich people are greedy and the banks are baaaaaaad.
He did the exact same thing to License to Kill in 007: Legends. Complex themes around America, Mexico, the war on drugs, and the futility of giving a shit about money -- all that was gone in favor of "HE MIGHT BE FUNDING TERRORISM!"
Another problem is Bond's phone as a crutch. He wrote Tomorrow Never Dies, where Bond solved every problem with his phone. This was retrofitted into GoldenEye, where his phone is involved in all the major story beats. It's tacky.
GoldenEye is a post Cold War story that revolves around the sins of the British Empire and Bond as a cynical puppet. All he can really say is, "No, for me." A weak, grim denial that he's killing his old friend to protect a the British Empire. Removing it from that context terribly weakens it.
From older Bonds, From Russia with Love, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill, Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies are all pretty fun.
For Craig, just watch them all, even if Quantum of Solace and Spectre aren't very good. That way you'll be more than ready for Bond 25.
I should add that I own and have enjoyed every single Bond movie there is at some level, btw.
Edit: impressed at the lack of love towards The Man with the Golden Gun, it's the quintessential Roger Moore as 007 film, warts and all.
For Craig, just watch them all, even if Quantum of Solace and Spectre aren't very good. That way you'll be more than ready for Bond 25.
I should add that I own and have enjoyed every single Bond movie there is at some level, btw.
Edit: impressed at the lack of love towards The Man with the Golden Gun, it's the quintessential Roger Moore as 007 film, warts and all.
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They are all varying degrees of watchable, but Casino Royale is the only 'great' film among them. The rest are almost spoofs of the others.
I do think Skyfall is good, though.
I think for a newcomer to the franchise a fun thing to do is to do a movie from each actor in the role. So:
A film from each actor really gives you a great overview of the franchise, and then each actor has an obvious second-best movie to do if you end up getting hooked (Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, License to Kill, GoldenEye, Skyfall)
- From Russia With Love
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- The Spy Who Loved Me
- The Living Daylights
- Tomorrow Never Dies
- Casino Royale
A film from each actor really gives you a great overview of the franchise, and then each actor has an obvious second-best movie to do if you end up getting hooked (Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, License to Kill, GoldenEye, Skyfall)
This basically. Dalton's Bond was the only one who wasn't a shitbag rapist asshole. These movies haven't aged well at all, and you shouldn't bother. They aren't cool or anything.
The only ones worth watching are the ones directed by Martin Campbell.
Since Casino Royale is not available to you, that leaves goldeneye.
The rest have aged horribly and/or are flat out bad.
Edit : actually the Timothy Dalton ones are alright. (or one of them is, forget which is which) Every other ones though, eeesh
Since Casino Royale is not available to you, that leaves goldeneye.
The rest have aged horribly and/or are flat out bad.
Edit : actually the Timothy Dalton ones are alright. (or one of them is, forget which is which) Every other ones though, eeesh
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Dr No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger are good places to start.
Funny thing, my wife and I went to see Garbage in concert a month or two ago and they actually did the theme to this, which I wasn't expecting.
Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, and either Goldeneye or Casino Royale are the only ones you need.
Throw in Man with the Golden Gun for good measure if you're still feeling like continuing after that.
Throw in Man with the Golden Gun for good measure if you're still feeling like continuing after that.
OP
OP
Finished Dr. No the other night. Pretty entertaining. There's problematic stuff of the era (hello yellowface), but it was an easier watch than I was expecting. Felt familiar, though I'm certain I've never seen it.
Halfway through From Russia With Love. The Spectre dialogue has been pretty clunky compared to anything in Dr. No, and the film seems even more interested in something sexy happening every other scene than the first was, but it's okay otherwise. I think I liked the mysterious aspect of the villain in the first one, rather than seeing them scheming in this one.
Halfway through From Russia With Love. The Spectre dialogue has been pretty clunky compared to anything in Dr. No, and the film seems even more interested in something sexy happening every other scene than the first was, but it's okay otherwise. I think I liked the mysterious aspect of the villain in the first one, rather than seeing them scheming in this one.
Licence to Kill though.
I would generally agree though that the only legitimately good ones are Casino Royale and Licence to Kill, with a special mention for GoldenEye because Sean Bean is an amazing villain.
I did a full series watch through a few years ago and came up with a list of recommendations, trying to pick out my favorite 2 from each actor (well, in the case of Lazenby there's only one):
Connery:
From Russia With Love
Goldfinger
(honorable mention to Dr. No. It's worth watching since it was the first one)
Lazenby:
On Her Majesty's Service
Moore:
The Spy Who Loved Me
For Your Eyes Only
Dalton: (only two to choose from, but I like both of them)
The Living Daylights
License to Kill
Brosnan:
Goldeneye
The World Is Not Enough
(honorable mention to Tomorrow Never Dies, which I have a fondness for since it was the first Bond movie I saw)
Craig:
Casino Royale
Skyfall
From Russia With Love and Casino Royale are my favorites. Most Bond movies aren't particularly good, but most are enjoyable.
Connery:
From Russia With Love
Goldfinger
(honorable mention to Dr. No. It's worth watching since it was the first one)
Lazenby:
On Her Majesty's Service
Moore:
The Spy Who Loved Me
For Your Eyes Only
Dalton: (only two to choose from, but I like both of them)
The Living Daylights
License to Kill
Brosnan:
Goldeneye
The World Is Not Enough
(honorable mention to Tomorrow Never Dies, which I have a fondness for since it was the first Bond movie I saw)
Craig:
Casino Royale
Skyfall
From Russia With Love and Casino Royale are my favorites. Most Bond movies aren't particularly good, but most are enjoyable.
I remember some people disliking the return of Q and Moneypenny. I've always liked Q and the gadgets and such, so I was happy to see them return. I did have to laugh when Q gives Bond a gun with a fingerprint scanner, saying they don't do exploding pens anymore. The exploding pen was in Goldeneye, whereas a fingerprint scanner gun was also in License to Kill, which came out before Goldeneye.
I watched all of the old Bond films over this past summer and I was a bit disappointed to realize that they all rather blend together. Goldfinger was by far the most memorable for me. From Russia With Love second.
OHMSS has:
-the best Bond score
-some of the best cinematography and production design in Bond
-Great action (Lazenby doesn't fight like an alcoholic 50 year old and it was directed by an editor who knows action) the ski chases are great
-Genuine tension at times when Bond is hunted down and afraid
-Easily the best Blofeld and maybe best villain in general in the series?
-Diana Rigg is great as the best Bond girl outside of Eva Green
-The ending is amazing
-The location shooting is incredible
Some parts of the middle of the movie when Bond is in disguise yucking it up with the racially stereotyped models are not great, but outside of that and a few lame callbacks it's the best Bond after Casino Royale imo.
I've done watching them in order (As a fan already) via the box set and had a good time with it. I don't think Dr. No is in my top 15, but by the time you hit Goldfinger you will see them establish the formula.
Just know this, despite what very opinionated users might say, every actor has a top 7 Bond movie and those are all great movies.
they all come early in the actors runs
With a possible exception with Roger Moore, with For Your Eyes Only being his 5th movie. I'd understand those who prefer Live and Let Die or The Spy Who Loved Me, though.
Just know that of the 24 movies, most aren't good. I've been a fan for like 10 years and that's just how it is. There are still good ones though, follow the quoted post
I'd think that Goldeneye is better than TND, however they have a different tone. Tomorrow is a bit lighter than Goldeneye, but Goldeneye has a great post-cold war 90s feeling, where TND jumps straight into "we're already in the XXI century" feel.
I'd swap Four Your Eyes Only with The Spy Who Loved Me, but it's a coin toss really.
I'd think that Goldeneye is better than TND, however they have a different tone. Tomorrow is a bit lighter than Goldeneye, but Goldeneye has a great post-cold war 90s feeling, where TND jumps straight into "we're already in the XXI century" feel.
I'd swap Four Your Eyes Only with The Spy Who Loved Me, but it's a coin toss really.
OP
OP
So I've watched Dr. No through Goldfinger at this point. They all possess a pretty consistent quality, so I don't think any which one stands greatly above or below the others.
I think I liked Goldfinger the most, just for all of its Bond-isms that I know through years of. I also liked that the villain had an established presence throughout the film and encountered Bond several times. Really makes for a good nemesis. That said, even though I went into these films bracing myself for very dated portrayals of social norms, I've got to give a special hoo boy to the fact that Goldfinger's plot failing hinged on Bond forcing himself on Pussy Galore. There was some bad stuff in the first two, but I think this takes the cake.
I'll give second best to Dr. No, because I kind of liked its slower, more methodical pace, and the mystery of its villain. The setting was nice too, though again things are shaky with the portrayal of other cultures. Some of it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but the yellowface was pretty egregious.
From Russia With Love was fine too, though I didn't enjoy the villain side of things. It was at once too explicit for the audience and not explicit enough for the characters. I'm not sure why, but the tension I should have gotten knowing that Bond was being stalked unawares just wasn't there for me. I did like his banter with Kerim Bey, but the stuff with the gypsies felt as if it's only purpose was to show us some belly dancing and have a catfight. None of this is to say I didn't enjoy the film though, just explaining why I didn't like it quite as much as the first two.
Dated values aside, they were all entertaining, and I look forward to more. I'm going to try not to skip any, just so I can view the full legacy for myself.
I think I liked Goldfinger the most, just for all of its Bond-isms that I know through years of. I also liked that the villain had an established presence throughout the film and encountered Bond several times. Really makes for a good nemesis. That said, even though I went into these films bracing myself for very dated portrayals of social norms, I've got to give a special hoo boy to the fact that Goldfinger's plot failing hinged on Bond forcing himself on Pussy Galore. There was some bad stuff in the first two, but I think this takes the cake.
I'll give second best to Dr. No, because I kind of liked its slower, more methodical pace, and the mystery of its villain. The setting was nice too, though again things are shaky with the portrayal of other cultures. Some of it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but the yellowface was pretty egregious.
From Russia With Love was fine too, though I didn't enjoy the villain side of things. It was at once too explicit for the audience and not explicit enough for the characters. I'm not sure why, but the tension I should have gotten knowing that Bond was being stalked unawares just wasn't there for me. I did like his banter with Kerim Bey, but the stuff with the gypsies felt as if it's only purpose was to show us some belly dancing and have a catfight. None of this is to say I didn't enjoy the film though, just explaining why I didn't like it quite as much as the first two.
Dated values aside, they were all entertaining, and I look forward to more. I'm going to try not to skip any, just so I can view the full legacy for myself.
A lot of them are enjoyable, Goldeneye and most of the Sean Connery ones. However, Casino Royale is the only one that is a great movie.
OP
OP
I'm just finishing Thinderball up. Are you going to continue posting impressions?
One thing that's hilarious to me from these films is the ricochet sound effects.
*shrug*
I like them all, to varying degrees, so I suggest watching them in order, OP. I see you just watched Thunderball. That's actually one of my favorites.
I like them all, to varying degrees, so I suggest watching them in order, OP. I see you just watched Thunderball. That's actually one of my favorites.
