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Having my own personal James Bond marathon courtesy of Encore, and while Daniel Craig is hands down my favorite Bond (and much of that is because they really just made the character grittier and more visceral), Sean Connery is not far behind (I think he was the most suave and debonair of the Bonds). Having said that, I think Pierce Brosnan was a very serviceable bond for a number of years. He was not the best, but he was fun, did the franchise no damage, and was no Lazenby. Although Lazenby was funny in Kentucky Fried Movie.

Discuss.

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111Comments

  4. 4.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    I thought Brosnan did a good job, particularly the one where he came out of Korea tortured with a full beard and an attitude. Craig is good too. Connery’s a little dated, and all the others are meh except Roger Moore who totally sucked at the whole Bond thing.

    But then again, that was the 70s, the Decade That Taste Forgot.

  5. 5.

    Omnes Omnibus

    From the time that Craig got the part and was portrayed as early career Bond, I could see his Bond growing into the Bond of the early Connery movies.

  6. 6.

    khead

    I liked GoldenEye: “Who’s strangling the cat?”….

    and Moonraker – Hey, I was 11 in 1979.

    Daniel Craig kicks ass tho.

  9. 9.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Lazenby was serviceable. Also too, OHMSS was one of the Bond movies that stayed closest to the novel. Plus, Diana Rigg.

  11. 11.

    handy

    @Narcissus:

    Roger Moore is actually my second favorite Bond. To Connery. Craig’s not even in my radar; I want my Bond campy, confident, over-the-top.

  13. 13.

    Arclite

    I liked the Lazenby film. It was action packed. It was one of my favorite bond movies, although I admit the last time I saw it I was 12.

    Daniel Craig is easily the best Bond, though.

  14. 14.

    Mark H

    Daniel Craig, Timothy Dalton then Connery. Moore was a disaster and I’m not sure how the franchise survived him.

  16. 16.

    Linnaeus

    I actually like all of the Bonds for different reasons. But if I had to pick a favorite, it’s still Connery.

  17. 17.

    khead

    I liked GoldenEye: “Who’s strangling the cat?”…. and Moonraker – Hey, I was 11 in 1979.

    I should add that just this VERY afternoon I found myself yelling at Drax to SHOOT BOND IN THE HEAD NOW.

    Much like Seth Green in the Austin Powers movies.

    I just couldn’t help it. I mean, c’mon….

  18. 18.

    YellowJournalism

    Roger Moore has been on record saying that he played Bond in a comedic/ironic style. I’ve never been sure if that’s his bullshit way of making up for being a shitty Bond. Then I see Moonraker again…

  19. 19.

    Bnut

    Brosnan’s Bond was a watch model who’s entire movies were effects driven turds. And sorry, but a Z3 as a Bond car? If I could possibly afford it, it’s not a Bond car.

    That being said. I did enjoy the marathon. Craig is tied with Connery, it’s hard to compare the 2 when the original was made almost 50 years ago.

  20. 20.

    Exurban Mom

    Daniel Craig, in the scene where he is being tortured in “Casino Royale,” just wow. Holy crap is that some crazy shit, and he totally makes it believable. He is awesome.

    I liked Pierce Brosnan, too; though my favorite of his films is not a Bond film, but the remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair.” I love that movie, because it’s not geared towards 13 year olds, like most films hitting the cineplex these days–it’s meant for grownups.

  21. 21.

    Amanda in the South Bay

    Moore’s problem was that he started the role a bit too old, and continued waaaaaay too long in it (he didn’t look good past Moonraker). Doesn’t everyone love Disco Bond and bell bottoms and all that jazz?

  24. 24.

    Linnaeus

    Roger Moore’s first three Bond films were not bad. Moonraker was pretty poor (although since I am a huge Bond film fan, I would still watch it), but For Your Eyes Only was a decent recovery. After that, Moore regressed again.

  26. 26.

    Cain

    The first Daniel Craig bond was just awesome.. so awesome that I bought the video. It’s that good. I don’t usually buy such things.. Daniel Craig right now is my favorite, although Connery is pretty damn good as well and could well be equal. I used to love Roger Moore but then that’s because he was kind of funny and stuff to my 10 year old self.

  27. 27.

    piratedan

    Connery set the bar and it was damned difficult to find anyone who could measure up although if they had managed to snare Brosnan sooner who knows. I do enjoy the more “realistic” Bond movies with Craig. At least he bleeds, looks like he’s been in a fight. Craig has a certain FU quality to his swagger. It also helps that Judy Dench is an inspired choice as M since the Brosnan films.

  28. 28.

    Chris

    Never understood the polarization between Brosnan and Craig fans, but to each his own. I like all the Bonds, with Dalton probably being my favorite, but by the time Craig’s done with his slew of movies I might reassess that.

  29. 29.

    Narcissus

    Roger Moore’s Bond, when it isn’t campy, is a Bond who really doesn’t have any human component left. It’s where a superspy would naturally end up.

  30. 30.

    Lockewasright

    Clevon Little was the best Bond. He didn’t need any help from Q when he invented the candygram.

  31. 31.

    goblue72

    @Narcissus: As a recovering Bond geek, I’d have to agree. The early Roger Moore Bond movies where he injected a bit of Simon Templar into the role weren’t all that bad. Things started to get a bit silly with The Spy Who Loved Me, and by Moonraker it was full cartoon mode. He also suffered from being already in his mid-40s when he appeared in his first Bond film.

    I was never all that bothered by Lazenby in OHMSS. Lazenby wasn’t anything special, but he wasn’t awful either – and he played the role rather straight and close to the Fleming original. His nonchalant perusal of the centerfold in a Playboy magazine in one of the early scenes still has a great mod 1960’s vibe to it.

    Timothy Dalton on the other hand, was completely execrable. I couldn’t stand Brosnan either – he played the role like he was a 1980s era action hero – but without the muscles.

    Craig is great, as was Connery. Love him or hate him, but Connery always did a great job at capturing the emotionless, ruthless assassin that lurked under the suave Bond mask.

  34. 34.

    Blutowski

    I have never understood the Lazenby hate. I would rate OHMSS as one of the top five Bond movies, Savalas as one of the top 5 Bond villains, Diana Rigg as one of the top 5 Bond babes, and Lazenby as tied for #3 behind Craig and Connery, and alongside Brosnan. The only criticism you could make of Lazenby’s performance was that it was a little too close to a Connery imitation — albeit, Connery light — but my guess is that’s what the producers thought they wanted.

  35. 35.

    freelancer

    @Bnut:

    Brosnan’s Bond was a watch model who’s entire movies were effects driven turds. And sorry, but a Z3 as a Bond car? If I could possibly afford it, it’s not a Bond car.
    That being said. I did enjoy the marathon. Craig is tied with Connery…

    Goldeneye was the first Bond movie that I saw as an adult. Brosnan was pretty good, Sean Bean was excellent as the villain, and Famke Janssen, nuff said.

    I like Craig, Connery, and Brosnan. Dalton is underrated too.

    If you’re gonna whinge about Brosnan driving a Z3, know that for a good third of Casino Royale, Bond was driving a freaking Ford Focus. Product placement trumps chic. The average moviegoer nowadays isn’t in the market for an Aston Martin.

  36. 36.

    MoeLarryAndJesus

    If you put a 35 year old Connery and a 35 year old Craig in a steel cage and made them fight to the death Connery would win inside of five minutes. Craig’s a runt who brings zero physicality to the role.

  37. 37.

    Tripod

    I prefer Brosnan’s work as a sleezebag/cad. He’s fun to watch in both The Tailor of Panama and The Matador.

  38. 38.

    goblue72

    @Blutowski: Pretty much – Lazenby wasn’t all that bad. And he was one of the more athletic Bonds.

    That and Savalas was a completely kick-ass Blofeld.

  39. 39.

    piratedan

    @David Koch: always a fun debate because it’s a ymmv category… my faves…

    Carey Lowell
    Jill St. John
    Luciana Paluzzi
    Honor Blackman
    Akiko Wakabayashi

    otherwise known as my night full of sighs….

  40. 40.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @David Koch: Best Bond Girl?

    I’m gonna have to go with Ursala Andress, Halle Berry, Diana Rigg, and Honor Blackman, more or less in that order.

  41. 41.

    trollhattan

    @Blutowski:

    I think that movie was such an outlier Bond fans don’t know what to do with it, but I agree it’s one of the best and Diana Rigg–well–any kid who grew up on “The Avengers” needs nothing more said.

    But, every Bond gets compared to Connery and none quite measures up. (I’m ignoring the whole David Niven thing.)

  43. 43.

    goblue72

    @David Koch:

    In this order:

    1. Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress)
    2. Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman)
    3. Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen)
    4. Vesper Lynd (Eva Green)

    To be a top Bond girl its not enough to be just physically attractive – there also needs to be some slightly dangerous personality mixed with “man-eater” sex appeal. To be more crass, you need to picture her as a “top”.

    I’d also give an honorable mention to Jill St. John in the Connery comeback Diamonds Are Forever as Tiffany Case – she was completely untrustworthy so lacked a certain “something” as a top Bond girl – but she damn sure jiggled in ALL the right places. Quite awesomely, the uber-busty Lana Wood as Plenty O’Toole appeared in the same film.

  44. 44.

    billgerat

    I refuse to watch any Bond movie starring Craig. He just doesn’t look like a Bond to me.

  47. 47.

    goblue72

    @Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: Well, when my longer explanation comes out of moderation, in a nutshell:

    Ursula Andress, Honor Blackman, Famke Janssen, and Eva Green – with an honorable mention to the sweetly jiggly Jill St. John.

  48. 48.

    satanicpanic

    Best bond girls- Denise Richards and that Russian girl they spray tanned to look like she was south American YMMV

  49. 49.

    piratedan

    or an addendum to the thread, rank the best Bond songs….

    Bassey’s Goldfinger is my tops, sets the standard so to speak….

    followed by
    Lulu’s Man with the Golden Gun
    John Barry’s original Bond theme performance from Dr. No
    Garbage The World is not enough
    Nancy Sinatra’s You Only Live Twice

  50. 50.

    FlyingToaster

    @billgerat: Because he actually looks Scottish?

    Remember, the Vikings got there before they got to England, and the Normans were rather late to the party north of Hadrian’s wall.

  51. 51.

    BethanyAnne

    Can’t really be off topic in an open thread, right? :) I’ve been reading that new Chris Hayes book, Twilight of the Elites, and damn it’s good. Easily the best book I’ve read in the past few years. Sometimes it’s really depressing, but I’m finally getting to the end, and just really impressed with it. Has anyone else read it yet?

  52. 52.

    YellowJournalism

    Best Bond film Brosnon ever did was The Thomas Crowne Affair.

    (ETA: Yes, I know it isn’t Bond.)

  53. 53.

    robertdsc-iPhone 4

    I’m a minority in saying that Timothy Dalton is still my favorite Bond.

    Carey Lowell & Izabella Scorupco are my favorite Bond girls.

  54. 54.

    Raincitygirl

    Joining the minority who actually *liked* Timothy Dalton’s Bond. And Carey Lowell was badass.

    As for OHMSS, I watched that obsessively when I was about 12 or so. I was completely in love with Diana Rigg as Tracy, and I think I may actually have cried at the ending. Yes, George Lazenby was a little wooden, but he wasn’t terrible.

  56. 56.

    Sinnach

    Brosnan wasn’t a terrible Bond. He was just in some terrible Bond movies. Goldeneye was great but no amount of acting is going to salvage the trainwrecks that came after that. Die Another Day is easily one of the worst Bond movies ever.

  58. 58.

    Amir Khalid

    I can’t say I’ve ever been a big fan of Bond movies. The James Bond thing seems to me at least as fantastic as Harry Potter. Maybe it’s because the first Bond I was exposed to was Roger Moore, who looked too old for the part even from the outset. But there’s something inescapably cartoonish in its depiction of the spy biz that puts me off the whole genre no matter who plays Bond.

  59. 59.

    Gustopher

    I love the Roger Moore Bond films. The character of Bond is so ridiculous and goofy, that it really shouldn’t be played straight. Roger Moore either got that, or is just a buffoon and it was a happy accident.

    Brosnan was good, and Dalton was excellent in his own way, but I just can’t bring myself to care at all about Daniel Craig or Sean Connery.

    Judi Dench as M is excellent, however.

    Roger Moore isn’t dead yet, they should bring him back.

  60. 60.

    Shalimar

    I sometimes get Roger Moore confused with Dudley Moore. Not sure if that says more about me or the forced comedy of the Moore Bond years.

  61. 61.

    Narcissus

    Barbara Carrera is the best bond girl.

    View to a Kill I think is the best bond theme.

  62. 62.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @hilzoy:

    You’re not. I liked The Living Daylights very much, and Dalton had a lot to do with that.

    Still, From Russia With Love is my favorite Bond flick.

  63. 63.

    Fax Paladin

    Moore was the Bond I grew up on. Most of his films I enjoyed on the whole but there were some definitely cringeworthy moments, especially post-Spy Who Loved Me (the James Bond theme as a recognition signal? “Hiss off”? Really, guys?) and View to a Kill was a definite low point in the franchise.

    I thought early Brosnan was pretty good (and he was the one I’d been rooting for to get the job when Moore finally quit) but on the whole I prefer the Daniel Craig movies and am looking forward to Skyfall.

    Connery… You know, I’m not actually sure I’ve seen one of his all the way through (except for Never Say Never Again, which I don’t think really counts). I plan to rectify that. Don’t have cable, but I do have iTunes, plus a couple of the DVDs…

  64. 64.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Narcissus:

    Agreed.

    That entire “The greatest rapture of my life was in Nassau with Fatima Blush” thing was fantastic.

  65. 65.

    Wrye

    I tend not to blame the actors in most cases – For instance, although they are the least well-remembered Bonds, I think at least a defense case can be made for Dalton and Lazenby just because they were ill-served by stories and timing. OHMSS, with its “Bond falls in love” plot and unhappy ending, would have been really difficult for any Bond actor to pull off, let alone in their first try at the role. Dalton on the other hand has a problem because the scripts lose sight of what makes Bond special and try to treat him as a generic ’80s action star. They’re just dull as a result.

    Moore’s Bond was ill-served by silly 70’s plots in general, but I think playing them for some slightly-self-aware humour is what makes them at all watchable. I’d watch Moonraker over Diamonds are Forever any time. Connery in that Moon Buggy or whatever the hell it was…sheesh. Moore’s Bond at least always seemed to be aware when a life-threatening peril was a bit ludicrous – “Oh, seriously, *this* is what’s going to kill me now?”

  66. 66.

    Villago Delenda Est

    I agree that Moore wasn’t bad in the first few outings, particularly in Live And Let Die which was a pretty deliberate sendup of the blaxploitation genre, but through the looking glass. “White guy in Harlem? It’s like following a cue ball…”. Plus, Yaphet Kotto’s turn as a Bond villain was delicious.

  69. 69.

    Narcissus

    @Wrye: I think one of the best Bond line’s is from Moonraker.

    “His name’s Jaws. He kills people.”

  72. 72.

    PurpleGirl

    Funny, although I read all the Bond novels in junior high (when I was 13/14), I never got into the movies and haven’t ever seen one straight through. But I thoroughly enjoyed the novels.

  74. 74.

    Blutowski

    By the way, I just finished a new James Bond book written by Jeffrey Deaver. Perhaps the worst spy novel I have ever read.

  76. 76.

    Bobby Thomson

    @freelancer:

    Product placement trumps chic. The average moviegoer nowadays isn’t in the market for an Aston Martin.

    That’s not a good thing.

    Like them all except Brosnan, who sucked as Bond. (But I agree he makes a great villain in The Tailor of Panama.) Connery is still the best. Craig is more Bourne than Bond but it works all the same.

  77. 77.

    killer

    Come on guys! Sir David Niven in the original Casino Royale, then Craig in the remake.

  80. 80.

    gnomedad

    Heh, more lives than a Time Lord. Can’t think of another character for which this is the case, except for the comic book movies they keep remaking.

  81. 81.

    PaulW

    Dalton deserves more love.

    If I had to rank Bonds it would go
    1) Connery
    2) Dalton
    3) Craig
    4) Brosnan
    5) Moore
    6) Lazenby
    701989) the entire cast of the 1967 spoof Casino Royale. What a waste… what a waste… damn you, Camp Sixties!

  82. 82.

    WereBear

    Perhaps John Cole is oblivious to the essential quality Sean Connery brought to the role, and part of why he originated it; the raw power, both physical and pheromonal, that he imbued his Bond with, and an essential part of the kisskisskillkill appeal of the super spy.

    My favorite established, I have to say Roger Moore is the absolute worst Bond, because he had none of this quality. In fact, his first director said he ran like “he had a broomstick up his ass.” Bond got all arch and campy because of the way Moore could not put across any physicality. He had good looks and charm; but that is not all there is to Bond.

    That is where Daniel Craig comes in second; he could rip your head off with his bare hands, if need be… and show someone a great time in bed before or after. One thing I find captivating about him is that sometimes he can look outright ugly, and then he’ll turn around in a tuxedo and look so fantastic it could break your heart. This chameleon quality suits a spy character right down to the ground.

    Dalton and Brosnan are good actors and perfect physical types who were undermined by lousy script work; they look the closest to the Bonds in the books. Lazenby was outacted by the excellent Savalas and Riggs; his Bond is a bloodless cipher and that will never do.

  83. 83.

    WereBear

    And if we are doing “best Bond villain” we must not forget the henchpeople; Robert Shaw with bleached blond hair trying to kill Connery on the train, and the crazed Russian from the same movie with the knives in her shoes who has put a threatening glaze over hotel maids ever since.

  84. 84.

    Woodrowfan

    All the Bond’s were good, although Moore’s haven’t aged well. But I liked Dalton best among the post Moore Bonds. I can’t get into Craig. Not sure why, he’s good in the part…

  85. 85.

    hoodie

    Connery defined the role. Craig is a good physical actor, he’s just not Bond. It’s gotta be silver cigarette cases and dry martinis to capture the early 60’s motif, mixed with the smooth but violent physicality Connery had in his thirties. Moore and Dalton just don’t have the latter. Craig’s Bond is “realistic”, but the Bond theme isn’t exactly real. Craig also comes across like a psychotic gecko at times because he is a bit of a weird physical specimen. Brosnan would have been a better Bond if he had brought some of the seediness he had in The Matador, in which he rocks. They used him as a fashion model in the Bond movies, too much Remington Steele.

  86. 86.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @WereBear:

    crazed Russian from the same movie with the knives in her shoes

    Played by Lotte Lenya.

    @Valdivia: Almost exactly right, because Diana Rigg ties with Eva Green.

  87. 87.

    GogandMagog

    Connery should have done OHMSC, then they should
    have ended the series. But I guess I’m just a romantic.

  88. 88.

    daveNYC

    I’m not sure that Craig is the best Bond, but Quantum is definitely my favorite Bond film.

  89. 89.

    Cacti

    I’ve never been able to accept Daniel Craig for one reason.

    James Bond, the fictional character, does not have blonde hair.

  90. 90.

    rikyrah

    Absolute Bond fanatic.

    Connery is the Number 1 Bond.

    I often think how good Brosnan would have been if he had been chosen when he was supposed to be chosen and hadn’t gotten trapped by his NBC contract for those years.

    Daniel Craig is a pleasant surprise, and shallowness speaking as a woman, it’s his body (yum yum)

  91. 91.

    rikyrah

    @Exurban Mom:

    I liked Pierce Brosnan, too; though my favorite of his films is not a Bond film, but the remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair.” I love that movie, because it’s not geared towards 13 year olds, like most films hitting the cineplex these days—it’s meant for grownups.

    The Thomas Crown remake is one of my all-time favorite movies…definitely not for children..loved him in it.

  93. 93.

    gogol's wife

    I have not been able to watch any of the Daniel Craig ones — they’re too violent. It’s not supposed to be so realistic. Connery is of course the best. I like Brosnan as an actor, but those movies are terrible. Like others here, I thought OHMSS was surprisingly good. I guess it’s Savalas and Rigg that do it. Lotte Lenya’s scene in From Russia with Love is probably the single best one in the whole series, of the ones I’ve seen.

    My husband loves Roger Moore. I don’t get it.

  94. 94.

    quannlace

    Never been a big Bond fan. Even less these days, since it seems to be the majority programming at BBCAmerica, along with endless marathons of Top Gear and Star TrekTNG

  95. 95.

    Bob In Beaverton

    My girlfriend hates Daniel Craig because he doesn’t change his facial expression. In “Cowboys & Aliens” it was the same face all the time. But I like him, especially in chase scenes. Kicks butt.

  96. 96.

    Utt Bugley

    I like Dalton and I love the end of The Living Daylights when Bond’s mujahideen allies burst through the door at the end of the concert, looking all wild eyed, and shout; “Sorry we’re late. We were delayed at the airport.”

  97. 97.

    Xecky Gilchrist

    “Timothy Dalton should win an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!”

    — Tucker’s Brother, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

  98. 98.

    S. cerevisiae

    OK, I have been a Bond fan since I saw them as a kid. Connery was great, but I liked Roger Moore for the smooth, snarky wit – you could tell he was playing it up. Craig is great but you can see the influence of the Bourne movies (which I also really like).

  99. 99.

    Jay in Oregon

    It’s funny; last weekend I re-watched Craig’s Casino Royale and finally got around to watching Quantum of Solace.
    I’m surprised that there isn’t more promotion for Skyfall, given that it’s coming out in less than 5 months?

  101. 101.

    k9ml

    My view is that Bond films are a comedy franchise. I saw “From Russia with Love” first run double billed with “Dr. No”.
    The gadgets were my draw (Ham Radio Op.), but Lotte Lenya made the experience because my Dad was a huge Weill/Brecht fan. My Dad when he got cranked up would speak in English/German/Polish/Other if it was about something he cared for. He was born in Chicago to German/Polish parents emigrated before WW I. The result was better than the movies! Have seen most of the Bond films for the product placements and the supporting actors.

  102. 102.

    amused

    @Bob In Beaverton: I agree with your gf – Craig’s face is stuck in Zoolander’s Blue Steel, and he’s boring as shite. If it hadn’t been for Rooney Mara, he’d have totally ruined Dragon Tattoo. Wish they’d get someone better for the remaining eps.

    Dalton, OTOH, was the best Bond, and the best Mr. Rochester, IMO.

  103. 103.

    scav

    New category: Best actor to play Bond that hasn’t yet. Christopher Eccleston for me. Can manage the charm and the simmering violence and can manage a suit rather nicely (see his Orthello) — well, that and Revengers.

  104. 104.

    Nick

    Sean Connery is very compelling in his earlier films, before he started just phoning it in — he doesn’t try to play book!Bond, but his take on the character actually works very well. My one problem is not that Connery!Bond has some arsehole-ish qualities (misogyny, disregard for consent, etc.) but that I get the impression the audience is supposed to admire those qualities in him.

    George Lazenby could have been fantastic if it weren’t for the fact that he’d never acted before, so a lot of the time he’s wooden and awkward. And when Lazenby gets it right, he really gets it right. Again, it’s a new interpretation of the character which is compelling in its own way.

    Roger Moore is rubbish. At least with Connery and Lazenby their versions of Bond could be traced back to the original character of the books — for Moore no such link exists. Moore!Bond is entirely born of the tuxedoes, vodka martinis and fancy gadgets of the movies. All right, I admit that I like him in his more serious moments (e.g. most of “For Your Eyes Only”) but there’s just too much self-parody bullshit here.

    Timothy Dalton is perfect. That is all.

    Pierce Brosnan in an average performance as Bond is equivalent to Roger Moore in his best performance as Bond. Brosnan!Bond is more badass, but he can also get very Moore-ish.

    Daniel Craig as Bond is second only to Dalton. The two interpreted the character in very similar ways — Craig!Bond is basically Dalton!Bond Mk II — but I just think Dalton does it a little bit better.

  105. 105.

    peorgietirebiter

    @Nick:

    Lazenby could have been fantastic if it weren’t for the fact that he’d never acted before

    After their worldwide search, The Broccoli’s spent a small fortune on Lazenby. Acting lessons, cosmetic denistry, etc. only to have him quit the franchise after his first film. He was afriad his career wouls suffer from being type cast. Shelly Long, meet George.

  106. 106.

    Wrye

    @Blutowski: Novelization wise, you might enjoy the John Gardner novelizations from the 80’s and 90’s – although they almost become their own alternate Bond universe, especially during the long gap between Dalton and Brosnan, so it’s good to read them in order. Some great ideas in there, though probably some of the books have dated a bit now. Still, 14 original books! Great when you need a Bond fix.

    I don’t recommend Kingsley Amis’ Colonel Sun much, except to completists. I think it played better in 1968, but it’s just not much fun. Although elements of it were used in The World is Not Enough, and evidently they wanted to use the name in Die Another Day, so if anyone’s really curious…

  107. 107.

    hells littlest angel

    @Amir Khalid: Not to mention the offhanded racism and imperialism. Always surprises me when anyone to the left of Major Gowen expresses a fondness for the Bond pictures.

  108. 108.

    Splitting Image

    I’ve always felt that the key to enjoying the Bond franchise is to appreciate that it’s really two separate franchises in one: one set of movies has a more realistic approach and the other is more tongue in cheek.

    Favourite Bond movie is From Russia With Love followed by Goldfinger. Ergo: Sean Connery is the best Bond. I actually like Diamonds Are Forever, but for different reasons than the other two. In that movie, it’s obvious that Connery is spoofing himself. I think it is a funnier spoof of the series than Casino Royale.

    George Lazenby is wildly under-rated. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is one of the best Bond films ever.

    I don’t get the Moore hate. As long as you appreciate that most of his films are deliberately over-the-top, you can appreciate what a good fit he was for them. That said, he was in a couple of real clunkers, but that had more to do with the writers than with him.

    I saw all of the Dalton and most of the Brosnan films for the first time this year. I enjoyed the Dalton films and Goldeneye more than I expected, but the rest of Brosnan’s films were overdone special-effects spectaculars. I think both Dalton and Brosnan made good Bonds, but like Moore, they were undone by the writing. Also, Licence to Kill ought to have been the follow-up to OHMSS, with Bond chasing for the entire film. As much fun as Diamonds Are Forever is, it wasn’t really satisfying to have the fallout from the end of OHMSS dealt with in the pre-title sequence of the sequel.

    I haven’t seen Quantum of Solace, so my take on Craig is only from Casino Royale. I thought that Craig was really good in the film, but that the whole Bond franchise seemed really out of place in 2006. The series seems to “work” better in the 1960s, when Great Britain was a more important world power than it is today. That was changing even during the ’70s, so the silliness in the Moore movies seems almost appropriate. I think the attempts keep the series on a serious level after the mid-80s only makes them more ridiculous. Long story short: they might have done better by Craig to have him start a new franchise rather than resurrect the old one.

  109. 109.

    Chris

    @Nick:

    Daniel Craig as Bond is second only to Dalton. The two interpreted the character in very similar ways—Craig!Bond is basically Dalton!Bond Mk II —but I just think Dalton does it a little bit better.

    I agree, but I also think part of it’s that Dalton is playing a seasoned, experienced, maybe even world-weary James Bond – in other words, a character more in line with how we imagine Bond. Craig’s character was still a noob for most of Casino Royale, and while he was more in character in Quantum of Solace, you can tell (from his interactions with his MI6 superiors) that he still hasn’t asserted himself as the character we know and love.

    I still prefer Dalton, but by the time Craig’s done with his slew of movies I might reassess that.

    @hells littlest angel:

    Not to mention the offhanded racism and imperialism.

    It’s mostly in the books that that bothers me – they toned it way down in the movies compared with the books where you can hardly go a chapter without a rant from one of the characters about this or that race or nation. Fleming makes Tom Clancy look like Oliver Stone.

  110. 110.

    Caz

    Daniel Craig?? That’s like saying Sammy Hagar is better than David Lee Roth.

    Roger Moore is the best Bond, followed closely by Connery. Brosnan is next, then Craig, then last and definitely least is Timothy Dalton.

  111. 111.

    Bonnie

    From this woman’s point of view, Daniel Craig has absolutely no sex appeal, no charisma. Being a Bond fan, having any of those guys is better than no Bond at all; but, I find Connery, Brosnan, and Moore to be the most enjoyable Bonds strictly on sexiness and glibness. Roger Moore had some very bad scripts; although, Craig’s first movie was way too long despite some quality to the script. I like Judi Dench’s M best and miss the original Q. I have seen Craig in other non-Bond movies and he still has nothing worth turning a woman’s head.

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