Rank the 007 Series

[ronnierocketago]

22 movies. Rank'em bitches.

1. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963)
2. GOLDFINGER (1964)
3. CASINO ROYALE (2006)
4. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977)
5. OF HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969)
6. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987)
7. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981)
8. GOLDENEYE (1995)
9. DR. NO (1962)
10. LIVE & LET DIE (1973)
11. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967)
12. QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008)
13. THUNDERBALL (1964)
14. TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997)
15. OCTOPUSSY (1983)
16. MOONRAKER (1979)
17. LICENSE TO KILL (1989)
18. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999)
19. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974)
20. DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002)
21. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971)
22. A VIEW TO A KILL (1985)

[Capo]

1. Goldfinger
2. OHMSS
3. From Russia With Love

Maybe. With a re-watch I might rank OHMSS top.

After that, I don't know. Between Live and Let Die and a A View to a Kill, and besides The Man with the Golden Gun, all of the Moore ones just sort of blend into one another. Say what you wish about Diamonds Are Forever, but it's more distinctive than all those that came after it - not including the three I just mentioned.

Die Another Day is the worst. I'd rank Casino Royale higher than Quantum of Solace but lower than all Connery films; I'd rank the Dalton films higher than both Craig efforts.

Undecided on Brosnan these days; the ironic thing is he was quite a good Bond by the end of it but was starring in the worst Bond films; or just one verrrrry bad one.

[ronnierocketago]

Mar 13, 2010 11:13:15 GMT Capo said:

Say what you wish about Diamonds Are Forever, but it's more distinctive than all those that came after it - not including the three I just mentioned.

What marks DAF for me is how quite amazingly dull it is. Even back then, the 007 formula could lazily be applied without much serious thought or creativity beyond the stunts.

And really, I think if I was a fan back in the day, I would have had it with the S.P.E.C.T.R.E. shit, especially since DAF (without actually saying it) was supposed to be Bond finally smashing that group and getting revenge for OHMSS. But they didn't. Plus I have an allergy for space lasers. The ultimate 007 cop out.

Mar 13, 2010 11:13:15 GMT Capo said:

Die Another Day is the worst. I'd rank Casino Royale higher than Quantum of Solace but lower than all Connery films; I'd rank the Dalton films higher than both Craig efforts.

Undecided on Brosnan these days; the ironic thing is he was quite a good Bond by the end of it but was starring in the worst Bond films; or just one verrrrry bad one.

The problem with Brosnan was that his entries progressively got worse. GOLDENEYE wasn't rocket science, but I think we would both agree that it was a good execution of the 007 formula, and unique franchise pyrotechnics before it started xeroxing Jason Bourne.

DAD was fucking atrocious, sad since the opening 10-15 minutes are rather good. But once he goes to Cuba, the movies becomes shit that increasingly gets dumber. Like some sort of litmus test. I remember my audience at that screening openly groaning at alot of the nonsense.

Halle Berry was one of them.

[Omar]

There's no way I could rank all of them together. For some of them, it has been years since I've seen them, though I remember randomly watching "A View to a Kill" on Bravo late at night last year. I'll rank them according to star:

Sean Connery:
1. Goldfinger
2. From Russia With Love
3. Thunderball
4. Dr. No
5. Diamonds Are Forever
6. You Only Live Twice

~ Yes, I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and say that Connery's Bond is my favorite. "Goldfinger" is the classic Bond film, and "From Russia With Love" might be the best in regard to story, pacing, and subtlety. "Thunderball" is a guilty pleasure from my childhood. I've probably seen it more than any other Bond film. "Dr. No" is good for a first entry. It works more as a mystery than a spy film. I like "Diamonds Are Forever", despite the over-the-top-ness. It just sort of goes with that Vegas setting. I barely remember "You Only Live Twice", but isn't there a racist segment where they make Connery into an Asian? I remember the cool sets (love Ken Adam!) in the volcano and Donald Pleasence as Blofeld. Need to rewatch that one.

George Lazenby:
1. On Her Majesty's Secret Service

~ I'm with Mick in that this might be the best of the franchise. It is also very different from the other Bond films in terms of plot, the references it makes to Connery's Bond films, and the breaking of the fourth wall. The mountain top base is one of the best sets in the entire series, and Telly Savalas .... need I say more?

Roger Moore:
1. The Spy Who Loved Me
2. Live and Let Die
3. The Man With the Golden Gun
4. A View To a Kill
5. Moonraker

~ I honestly don't remember "Octopussy" (India, train chase) and "For Your Eyes Only" (great opening, but the rest ... skiing, bird on the telephone) well enough to the rate them, but they are no doubt better than the last two on this list. "The Spy Who Loved Me" is a great Bond film. He meets his match for once in the leading lady, and once again the sets, villains (Jaws!), and locations are all superb, especially the parts in Egypt. "Live and Let Die" is a guilty pleasure from childhood, and one of I've seen more than others. If you watch it as a Bond meets blaxploitation movie, then it's really quite fun. "The Man With the Golden Gun" is Bond wallowing in the excesses of the 70s, with Christopher Lee disappointing as the villain. And Nick Nack? "A View to a Kill" is bad, but in a cheesy way, especially Walken and Grace Jones (Moore looks so old in this). "Moonraker" ... not a fan. Moore was too light for my taste.

Timothy Dalton:
1. License to Kill
2. The Living Daylights

~ Both of his films have flaws, and desperately need to be rewatched by me, but "License to Kill" is a very good Bond film, different with it's revenge plot line and terrific casting. They also brought back the best Felix! Dalton's Bond is very underrated. Cold, all about business, a precursor to Craig.

Pierce Brosnan:
1. Goldeneye
2. Tomorrow Never Dies
3. The World is Not Enough
4. Die Another Day

~ I agree with Ronnie in that Brosnan's films got progressively worse. "Goldeneye" is a fun movie, and "Tomorrow Never Dies" has fun moments. I barely remember "The World is Not Enough" except for a villain with a bullet slowly killing them. "Die Another Day" is shit. It's a shame that Brosnan got stuck with all of these turkeys. I think people are able to distinguish between the good things he brought to the role and the films themselves. He might be my favorite after Connery, but I am biased as fuck, since this was the Bond revamped for our childhood.

Daniel Craig:
1. Casino Royale

~ I've only seen it once, and liked it. Different approach for the film and different approach to the role. I've heard bad things about "Quantum of Solace", but will see it eventually, along with future Craig/Bond outputs.

[ronnierocketago]

Mar 13, 2010 15:32:28 GMT Omar said:

~ I agree with Ronnie in that Brosnan's films got progressively worse. "Goldeneye" is a fun movie, and "Tomorrow Never Dies" has fun moments. I barely remember "The World is Not Enough" except for a villain with a bullet slowly killing them. "Die Another Day" is shit. It's a shame that Brosnan got stuck with all of these turkeys. I think people are able to distinguish between the good things he brought to the role and the films themselves. He might be my favorite after Connery, but I am biased as fuck, since this was the Bond revamped for our childhood.

GOLDENEYE was my first 007 movie. For a 10 year old, to experience Bond for the first time is like finding out there was a secret pantry full of candy and soda in your kitchen the whole time.

And perhaps symbolic, DIE ANOTHER DAY the death kneel of the original franchise came out in 2002. Same year another spy with initials J.B. made his debut in theatres.