A post-Craig Bond reflection

[joli160]

Originally Posted by jdlc1406

I never saw Spectre. I heard pretty unanimous reviews that it was a horrible movie. Maybe I should give it a shot. (disclosure: I've never read the books.)

Don't bother

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

See, I completely disagree with you Star, and completely agree Yachty!

My favorite Bond is Craig, and movie is Casino Royale. I like the character as an angry, sadistic type person, that is constantly fighting with being human (the love for the woman in Casino). MI6 recruited orphans for a reason, and that is they would have the best chance of not having strong emotional ties and better suited to be cold blooded killers. For those of you that are orphans PLEASE take no offense, I am speaking in completely general terms as was outlined in the SkyFall movie.

Anyway, I thought Craig was excellent, be sad to see him go.

There's one point we can agree on -- Casino Royale is one of the best Bond movies out there

[Speed Andy]

I agree with the general consensus here on the best Bonds and films. However I'd like to throw GoldenEye into the ring, it's a fun movie and also spawned one of the best video games of all time.

[Ronin78]

I'm a huge Bond fan. I feel Craig is a great Bond. He brings a very gritty and real feel to the roll of Bond.

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by NewEnthusiast

Interesting you say Spy Who Loved Me; that's one of my favourites too. I'm going through a bit of a Lee Child phase at the moment and it's an interesting (almost) precursor to Jack Reacher.
....

The more I recall, this book was special because it let Bond be a very moral person. It had nothing to do with Queen and Country, nothing to do with Communism vs Democracy, it was a case of Bond stumbling into a situation where a woman was in the ultimate straits and stepping up to be a hero.

Now I have to go re-read it.

[threemonkeys]

<----has man-crush on Daniel Craig. I want to be him when I grow up.

[Scot_3]

I typically think that TRF'ers are very in tune regardless of the subject, but maybe there is something more here than just the actor who plays Mr. Bond.
I have always thought that the it was Albert R. (Cubby) Broccoli vision and skill as a producer that made Flemings books a film icon.

[NewEnthusiast]

Originally Posted by ref1655

not to drift off-topic but....who was the hottest Bond Girl?

Good question. My top 5 would be Eva Green (Vesper Lynd), Lea Sedoux, Carole Bouquet (Melina Havelock), Barbara Back (Anya Amasova) and Rosamund Pike (Miranda Frost).

What about you?

I suppose it would also be fitting on this forum to ask what everyone's favourite Bond watch is...

[D111s]

I really enjoyed Craig's Bond, far more real, dark and grittier compared to how laughable some of the previous films/actors had been. I also like that he had tried to become Fleming's Bond!
The last two films have also had quite a cool retro feel to them too.

[J!m]

Life long bond fan. Got it from my dad who was also a big fan.

I like Craig and his character. I also like brosnan but he didn't have great material to wok with. Connery is the best but in his early appearances. I think the franchise suffered as it got to reliant on the gadgets and drifted away from old fashioned espionage.

Craig was a refreshing change that was desperately needed. The late 70's-80's over the top "campiness" really annoyed me although I was and am entertained by the movies of Moore and company.

I wonder who will be Bond after Craig is done? Any thoughts on that?

[joe100]

Everyone has their favorites, and to me, DC so far has been the best. For me it's because he's believable.

While I put Casino Royale at number 2, Skyfall is my all-time favorite. The dynamic between M and 007 is what does it for me. Judy Dench, enough said.

[ref1655]

Originally Posted by NewEnthusiast

Good question. My top 5 would be Eva Green (Vesper Lynd), Lea Sedoux, Carole Bouquet (Melina Havelock), Barbara Back (Anya Amasova) and Rosamund Pike (Miranda Frost).

What about you?

I suppose it would also be fitting on this forum to ask what everyone's favourite Bond watch is...

Barbara Bach & Roger Moore had good 'chemistry'. as far as Bond watches, the Submariner will always be classic...except for that undersized NATO strap.

[Black Bay Dan]

I vote for Octopussy! James Bond to Vijay Amritraj "That should keep you in curries for a while". Outrageous but funny. They would not get away with that now!

Dan

[wantonebad]

I agree Paul that Casino Royal is the best Craig bond film, but Bond is still SC to me... That said while I liked Craig's Bond, it has run its course, the last few movies seem the same to me so I'm glad to have a reboot, but Tom Hiddleston??? Not sure about that pretty boy, could be as bad as the Pierce Brosnan era.

Pierce is an excellent actor and I like him a lot, but his tenure as Bond, unfortunately for him, coincided with really bad scripts, and really really bad directors coupled with his own stint of ham-handed performances, JMHO

[ref1655]

as I recall...George Lazenby (Australian) was the only non-English actor to portray 007.

curious...could any American actor have pulled it off?

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by ref1655

as I recall...George Lazenby (Australian) was the only non-English actor to portray 007.

curious...could any American actor have pulled it off?

Sean is Scottish, Pierce Irish.

Sure an american could pull it off, but there are tons of good Brits to choose from.

[Brauner Hund]

Great thread. Craig and Connery for me. I'd also say that they're the only two who actually look like they could kill someone.
I'm unable to overstate how much I enjoyed Spectre. Skyfall would be my close second. The Tennyson quote never fails to put the hairs up on the back of my neck.
As regards the 'camp' era Bonds - Moore et al - well, I enjoyed Moore as a child, but, as an adult, I can't watch his Bond films - he runs like a girl!

[bayerische]

Thunderball is the best Bond movie, IMHO.

[RW16610]

I'm a HUGE fan of the Bond franchise. Like some of the others, my dad got me into it. We would watch some of the older films together when I was a kid. Bond movies helped fuel my already present passion for watches.

Tough to pick one movie as a favourite. The older ones are classics and the most modern ones certainly have some elements from the older films.

Skyfall would easily be my pick for best modern film, I own it on Blu-Ray and watches it AT LEAST 20 times since getting it. Although I purchased Spectre as well on Blu-Ray along with my Omega watch as a 30th B-Day gift to myself this past March, I've watches the film twice and haven't had any desire to see it again. Great idea for a topic by the way!

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by ref1655

not to drift off-topic but....who was the hottest Bond Girl?

OK, since you asked...

Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) - Spectre
Because... those eyes.

IMG_0492.JPG

Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci) - Spectre
Because... classic Italian beauty and sad merry widow.

IMG_0497.JPG

Now you see why I like Spectre?

Solitaire (Jayne Seymore) - Live and Let Die
Because... what's more fun than a clairvoyant virgin?

IMG_0499.JPG

Tiffany Case (Jill St. John) - Diamonds are Forever
Because... pure '70s hormones.

IMG_0495.JPG

Dominique Derval [Domino] (Claudine Auger) - Thunderball
Because... scuba diving can be fun!

IMG_0512.JPG




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[locutus49]

Loved the movies Dr. No and Goldfinger.

Books: The book The Spy Who Loved Me was a superb short story collection and Quantum of Solace was an especially good story. The early Bond books were the best IMO.

[ref1655]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

OK, since you asked...

in retrospect, the only problem with being a 'Bond Girl' is that you are doomed to being a 'starlet' for the rest of one's movie career...regardless of impending age and/or maturity. I can't think of one who cinematically rose above their trademark Bond role.

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by ref1655

in retrospect, the only problem with being a 'Bond Girl' is that you are doomed to being a 'starlet' for the rest of one's movie career...regardless of impending age and/or maturity. I can't think of one who cinematically rose above their trademark Bond role.

Yes, the "Curse of the Bond Girls". Although Carey Lowell (Pam Bouvier - License to Kill) had a great run on Law and Order.
Pam_Bouvier.jpg

And Diana Rigg (Teresa Draco-Bond - On Her Majesty's Secret Service) had a long TV career which continues with her role of (THIS will freak you out)...

Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones.
Olenna_Tyrell.jpg

[cdnwatchguy]

Interesting thread. To me Connery is Bond, everyone else is a pale shadow. However there have been several good non Connery Bond films. I think Casino Royale is the best Craig, Live and Let Die the best Moore, Tomorrow Never Dies the best Brosnan and take your pick for Timothy Dalton.

[portfinn]

Despite George Lazenby, I really like OHMSS. Daniel Craig was neck and neck with Connery for me as Bond. Casino Royale and Goldfinger have to be my favourites

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by NewEnthusiast

....

In the case of Skyfall; the Daniel Craig era has done much to bring the film Bond and the book Bond closer together after years of being essentially separate characters. What makes Skyfall particularly noteworthy is that, in my opinion, it has added to Bond's backstory in a way that has not been done since Fleming. We get a real insight into Bond's childhood via his home and the Ghillie. It was a brave move by the producers but it worked extremely well, certainly better than any of the non-Fleming Bond novels that I've read.

...

Are any of the John Gardner books worth reading?

[The Libertine]

I think Craig was second only to Sean Connery for Bond.

Thought that Craig's version of Bond brought a depth to the character that no other actor was able to capture.

[Black Bay Dan]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Sean is Scottish, Pierce Irish.

Sure an american could pull it off, but there are tons of good Brits to choose from.

Not to mention Timothy Dalton being Welsh.

Dan

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by AzPaul

One of the local dealerships must have just had their big prototype clearance sale.

[ref1655]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Sure an american could pull it off...

George Clooney or maybe Denzel Washington?