https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P3tCSgoD9o
CINEMATIC 007 -- A theory was born on a road trip...Is the first Bond movie of each Bond actor their best? Being James Bond and The Bond Experience explore this theory one actor at a time. The fifth in the series is 'Goldeneye' with Pierce Brosnan!share
It doesn't have the best action sequences (Tomorrow Never Dies), the best plot (The World is Not Enough), nor is it the most over-the-top (Die Another Day), but for me Goldeneye is definitely the best constructed, most cohesive, and certainly most romantic movie of Brosnan's era.
It's got an enjoyable villain who serves as a mirror to Bond, and it's got one of the most sincere and convincingly independent, intelligent and resourceful female co-stars. Scorupco's chemistry with Brosnan is better maybe even than Sophie Marceau in TWINE.
The one real negative is the lack of a really classic Bondian music score.
Most definitely.
shareIm going with The World is Not Enough for being his best one. I did like them all.
shareAs a movie, yes. But if you talk about Brosnan's acting, I like Die Another Day more.
shareYes but the theory doesn't hold. Neither of Connery's nor Moore's first were their best by a long shot. I used to think Dalton's first was his best but changed my mind recently.
shareI'll second you on the theory not holding up. Connery's best is (in my opinion) From Russia with Love, which I think is the best Bond of all the Bonds! Many people think it's Goldfinger, though. Dr. No is a GREAT Bond film, but it's not Connery's top. Moore's best is For Your Eyes Only, or maybe The Spy Who Loved Me? Those are my favourites of his, anyway. I prefer Licence to Kill, as well!
Now, as to Brosnan, I prefer The World is Not Enough. I think it's criminally underrated, and yes, Denise Richards can't act (or didn't in TWINE) but Sophie Marceau more than makes up for Richards, and she's one of my favourite Bond girls of all time.
From Russia with Love was my favorite Bond movie for a long time but was replaced by Goldeneye. A recent rewatch marathon changed my mind about a lot of things. I used to look down at You Only Live Twice and now it is my favorite Connery movie. The Spy Who Loved Me & View to a Kill are my Moore favorites. Those two and TWWTGG are the only Moore Bonds I like at all now.
I have some major problems with TWINE but I agree on Sophie. My favorite Bond girl too. With just some minor tweaks, TWINE could have been in my top 5.
I love the wide variety of opinions on Bond films. Some share a favorite but few agree on them all. Always fascinating to me to see the picks.
To me, You Only Live Twice is kinda like the hyper-Bond movie. It takes the formula that was cemented in Goldfinger and cranks it up as high as it can sustain. I'm not saying this as a negative. I'm just saying that the audacity of the film is its charm and its fun. Spy-ninjas attack a mountain base? Yes, please.
A View to a Kill is a mixed-bag for me. I love Walken, and there's a lot of fun in it, but frankly, Moore doesn't just look old, he feels old.
I love the different opinions, too. And, for the most part, Bond fans I've encountered tend to be pretty understanding about each other's choices. Very few go, "Oh, Dalton's your favourite Bond? Well, you're stupid." Most just dig it. There's a bit more opinionated rowing over the more recent stuff (quite a few are vociferously anti-Craig), but other than that, it's mostly gentlemanly.
And for the record, I'd rank them Connery, Dalton, Craig, Brosnan, Moore, Lazenby - although each have their charms (saving Lazenby, who I don't dislike per se, I just think he's kinda flat).
The "turning Japanese" segment of YOLT is pretty bad and didn't even feel necessary. It was what had a cloud over my opinion but now I LOVE that movie. Nearly bumps Goldeneye for me.
As actors who play the role best, I share your ranking (though I think Lazenby could rank higher with more movies. I liked him). My ranking changes if it is about who's movies I like the most. Then it is Connery, Brosnan, Dalton, Moore, Lazenby, Craig (even though CR is in my top 3, Craig's other films are bottom tier to me)
Connery's "Japanification" is pretty bad, but again, it's the audaciousness of it. It's so ludicrous that it works.
Lazenby could have gone higher with more movies. And his film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, is one of my top ten (No.6), but that's kinda in spite of Lazenby. He's just a bit 'blah' to me. Yes, had he stuck around, I think he'd have grown as an actor and grown into the role and he might have ranked higher.
I also want to be fair to Roger Moore: I think he's utterly fun and charming as Bond, and that's a great, fresh take after Connery established the role and Lazenby did his turn in a similar vein.
Whose movies are best...? That's very interesting. I've never thought about it...
Gut instinct tells me Connery, Lazenby, Craig, Brosnan, Dalton, Moore. Lazenby gets a HUGE bump just by virtue of the fact that OHMSS is one of the best Bond films and he has no "stinkers" to weigh him down. Shoot, I already want to change the rankings... CR is great, as is Skyfall (to me) and I like Spectre just fine. I haven't seen NTTD (can't count it either way). Quantum is my least favourite Bond of all of them. Brosnan's films are all "solid". Die Another Day hurts a bit and TND is just "there", but I love TWINE and like GoldenEye a lot. Dalton's films are good. Licence to Kill is great, TLD is solid. Moore it's highs (FYEO, TSWLM) and lows (Octopussy, Moonraker) bottom him out for me. But...I dunno. That's a hard one.
Agreed on Moore. Despite my ranking of him, I do really appreciate the smooth persona he established. Great Bond ... except when he is wearing a clown outfit. That is part of why I like VtaK so much. Moore plays it straight in that one and the goofy stuff is tamped way down outside of the mere presence of Grace Jones. But for me, his one truly great movie was TSWLM even though it is essentially the same as YOLT.
shareYeah, the clown thing was a bit much.
I liked Grace Jones in AVTAK. She was kinda weird, but just weird enough to work.
It's the best movie of his. But I actually think his best portrayal of Bond was in the worst movie, Die Another Day.
also, somebody above already said this.
Yes, and the best Bond film.
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