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Your Favorite Bond Movie

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:24:35 AM EST
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The New York Times is asking.

My answer - while "From Russia With Love" and "You Only Live Twice" are two of my favorites, "Goldfinger" is the greatest Bond movie ever - "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die":

Though of course, the failure to just shoot Bond in every movie is one of the Bond highlights.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Your Favorite Bond Movie | 60 comments (60 topical)

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    View to a Kill (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Exeter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:08:11 AM EST

    It really captures the eighties well(remember the Duran Duran title song?!?) and Chrisopher Walkin / Grace Jones were great bad guys. I always think of Roger Moore when I think of James Bond, b/c that was "the guy" when I was growing up.

    Can't remember much (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Fabian on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:15:21 AM EST
    about any particular Bond movie - but I adored Walkin and Jones as villains in that movie.

    The engineer in me would be deconstructing the stunt sequences and laughing at the implausibilities.  The fun thing about Chan stunts is that you knew that a real person actually did them - even if it took him a few takes.  

    Parent

    Telly Sevalis (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Exeter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:48:21 AM EST
    was a good villain as well playing Ernst Blofeld... not as over the top as the previous guy (which was the motiviational force behind Austin Powers)

    Of course no one was worse than Wayne Newton as Professor Butcher in License to Kill.

    My most memorable is that jaws guy that seemed to play the bad guy in every movie for a few years in my childhood.

    Parent

    SAVALAS (none / 0) (#31)
    by Stellaaa on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:39:29 AM EST
    Just for that, you get 1

    Parent
    I really enjoy that movie (none / 0) (#11)
    by andgarden on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:20:44 AM EST
    It's general release was on the week I was born, too.

    Parent
    Okay, you're young ... (none / 0) (#49)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:54:38 PM EST
    we get it.

    ;)

    Parent

    Going out on a limb here (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by mantis on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 12:34:47 PM EST
    with my favorite: The Simpsons episode "You Only MoveTwice".  Hank Scorpio, the re-imagining of a Bond villain as sensitive "jeans and sportcoat" CEO is my favorite Simpsons character and Bond villain.  Plus Bond gets killed in the episode.

    Ok, fine.  From Russia With Love is the best.

    Bond dies? (none / 0) (#48)
    by Fabian on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:53:28 PM EST
    My favorite ev-ah!

    (Reminds me of Bimbos of the Death Sun where an author of a very, very popular character creates a second, unpublished, ending for every book he writes.  In the alternate ending the author ritually kills off his burdensome character.)

    Parent

    Casino Royale? (none / 0) (#50)
    by desertswine on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 02:31:24 PM EST
    Wasn't there a Bond movie with Woody Allen in it in which Bond dies?

    Parent
    weak one (none / 0) (#58)
    by squeaky on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 05:55:18 PM EST


    Parent
    Shirley Bassie's song Gold Finger was one of best (3.66 / 3) (#2)
    by Saul on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:43:53 AM EST
    Bond songs.

    Why in god's name (1.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Stellaaa on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:13:52 AM EST
    would someone give you a 1 rating for liking Shirley Bassie?  

    I always thought that Osama was like one of the Bond bad guys, hiding in a cave, sending messages, Dr. Evil.  Only problem he does not get all the fun stuff the Bond bad guys had.  

    Parent

    Don't you know? (none / 0) (#24)
    by Exeter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:58:43 AM EST
    It's one rating Friday!

    Parent
    I have a soft spot for Roger Moore (none / 0) (#1)
    by andgarden on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:33:23 AM EST
    The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only are two favorites. Moonraker is a guilty pleasure.

    But there's no question that Goldfinger is the eternal template.

    Give me Jackie Chan! (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Fabian on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:55:02 AM EST
    I had racked up a number of Chan movies when I saw "Tomorrow Never Dies" (IIRC) and recognized the motorcycle sequence as something Chan had done previously at least twice, better and without stunt doubles.

    Plus the women in Chan's movies were more interesting, even if they tended towards stereotypes.   I liked the fact that at least once, after having been put through a traumatic situation, the woman freaked out instead of getting romantic with her rescuer.  If I had just gone through a violent, near death experience with a stranger, I don't think a romp in the hay would be the first thing on my mind.

    Parent

    Live and Let Die (none / 0) (#30)
    by magster on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:38:47 AM EST
    The boat chase, alligator farm and tarot cards made this film stand out from the others.  

    Parent
    "When you were young, and your heart (none / 0) (#34)
    by andgarden on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:53:42 AM EST
    was an open book, you used to say 'Live and Let Live'. . ."

    Parent
    Live and Let Die ... (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:37:05 PM EST
    was the first Bond movie I saw in the theater on initial release.

    My mom took me.  We both liked it.  And were pleasantly surprised by how good Moore was in the role.

    I'd already seen some of the Connery films on TV.  But LALD cemented my status as a Bond fan.

    I still think Connery's best.  But Moore is excellent.  A close second in my book.

    Parent

    In my opinion (none / 0) (#44)
    by kmblue on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:34:55 PM EST
    Roger Moore is not sexy.  Neither is Pierce.

    Ah, Sean, Timothy, Daniel.

    Sean is the best Bond ever.

     

    Parent

    My problem with Craig: (none / 0) (#46)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:46:46 PM EST
    He isn't cool.  He's a good actor and tough enough.  But he doesn't strike me as cool.

    Bond has to be cool.  That's essential.

    Connery clearly was cool.  And Moore had played the Saint so he was already cool.

    Craig has a ways to go.

    Parent

    I respectfully disagree (none / 0) (#54)
    by CST on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 03:12:54 PM EST
    Craig is definitely cool.  Pierce Brosnan was the worst bond ever and Sean Connery the best, but Craig is still cool.

    And damn sexy to boot :)

    Parent

    I saw Brosnan in the Thomas Crown affair (none / 0) (#47)
    by magster on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:53:03 PM EST
    (one of my favorite movies) first, and did not think that an action hero label for James Bond suited him after that.

    Parent
    Agreed (none / 0) (#52)
    by Dr Molly on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 02:49:01 PM EST
    Sean - oozes sexy.

    Roger and Pierce - too prettyboy to be sexy.

    Parent

    It's official.... (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 02:52:56 PM EST
    When I'm reincarnated I wanna come back as a Sean Connery look-alike.  I've yet to meet a woman of any age who didn't think he was the cat's meow.

    Parent
    Not a Bond guy... (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:48:08 AM EST
    myself, but how 'bout those Jets?  

    All longtime Jets fans had their "same old Jets" moment at the end of regulation last night, I know I did...then we won the flip and Favre got it done. Sweet.

    NY Football is looking strong, Giants and Jets both Beasts of the East.  Titans go down next week baby!

    The NFL Network... (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:20:55 AM EST
    ...is teh sukzors.  I don't like not being able to watch the Thursday night games without paying an arm and a leg to do so.  

    Glad to hear that NY Bretts managed to beat those cheaters from Boston!

    Parent

    Yeah.... (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:28:44 AM EST
    some people can't even get NFL Network by me for any price...some kind of beef between the network and Cablevision.  Luckily when the local team is playing it is on local free tv, so at least you won't miss the Broncos if they have any Thurs. night games my friend.

    It comes with the sports package I get with Verizon FIOS, it's reasonable...and I gotta have my sports:)

    Not sure who to blame..the NFL or the cable providers...probably a little of both.

    Parent

    Yes, I was indeed able to watch... (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:44:26 AM EST
    ...the Donkeys on Thursday night last week on one of the local stations.  

    I just have a regular, old basic cable package--no fancy, elitist programming/packages for me. Not surprising when you consider that my home computer is still on dial-up.

    I'm sure there's enough greed between the NFL and the TV providers to go around.  Pretty funny that the NFL is going to lower play-off ticket prices by a whopping 10% because they "understand the struggles of the fan".  Yeah, right!

    Parent

    With Cabelvision, it's mostly Dolan's fault (none / 0) (#22)
    by scribe on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:54:11 AM EST
    though the No Fun League has a big chunk of the blame.  Call it 51-49.

    Of course, anyone who puts up with Isiah Thomas and his mismanagement and sex harassment in the offices of the NYK, and then backs him 1000 percent to and through a trial whose outcome was never in doubt (all of which Dolan did), can't be said to have much in the way of good judgment.

    Parent

    Dolan.... (none / 0) (#36)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:57:46 AM EST
    is a mess, no doubt.  Money can't buy love or competence I guess.  

    Parent
    Boooo! (none / 0) (#35)
    by CST on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:57:02 AM EST
    Good game though.  Sudden Death overtime in football is painfull.

    Parent
    Whoever won the coin flip... (none / 0) (#38)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 12:01:29 PM EST
    was winning the game, no doubt in my mind. We couldn't stop Cassell in the 2nd half.

    "Tails never fails" as we say on my rec-league team...good call Kerry Rhodes!

    I'd like to eventually see a rule change...but not to the college system, I hate that starting on the opposition 25 stuff.  Allow the kicking team in OT one posession to match or surpass if the receiving team scores...something like that.

    Parent

    Yea (none / 0) (#39)
    by CST on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 12:07:15 PM EST
    I agree the college system is not the way to go.  I think they should just make it regular overtime with a time limit.  That way you still have to manage the clock and both sides probably get a shot unless the offense can grind it out.  Which I think is a fairer way to win than SD.

    Parent
    I like that idea.... (none / 0) (#40)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 12:19:49 PM EST
    say a 10 minute overtime period...If you have a 9 minute and change time consuming drive you deserve to win...if not it's at least one posession each.  Good call CST.

    Parent
    Does the NFL really need OT? (none / 0) (#51)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 02:45:37 PM EST
    Personally, I like the excitement that comes with coaches electing to go for the 2 point conversion late in a game rather than playing for a tie/overtime.

    You're right though, this "win the coin toss, run a few plays and send the kicker out" is not a good OT system.

    Parent

    The Game (none / 0) (#7)
    by indy in sc on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:57:45 AM EST
    I was watching was Miami/Va Tech.  I know you're not a Hurricane fan...Anyway, I thought the Hurricanes were going to give it away at the end too, but they held on.  Now I need NC to lose.  Go Terps!!

    Parent
    Jets all the way to the Super Bowl (none / 0) (#15)
    by Exeter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:33:17 AM EST
    And Favre for MVP!

    Parent
    DT Kris Jenkins.... (none / 0) (#17)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:36:27 AM EST
    for defensive MVP...our best offseason acquisition.  What a player!

    That Favre guy ain't doin' so bad either though:)

    I've been a Jets fan too long to think about the Super Bowl yet...

    Parent

    I'm a longtime Packer fan (none / 0) (#21)
    by Exeter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:52:08 AM EST
    and a new Jets fan. Favre will lose some games, that's for sure, but when he's really got it going, there's nobody better.

    Parent
    couldn't help myself (none / 0) (#32)
    by DFLer on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:42:50 AM EST
    on 1-rating Friday!

    -a Viking fan

    Parent

    GOLDFINGER was my favorite... (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jjc2008 on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:50:19 AM EST
    of course I was in college and I associate it with that wonderful exciting time of my life.

    I also loved From Russia with Love as I think that was my intro to Bond.  

    Dr. No (none / 0) (#6)
    by TChris on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 09:55:22 AM EST
    remains my favorite (the laser traveling toward Bond's privates still makes me cringe), followed by Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice.  I have to say that Daniel Craig (the newest Bond) is the only one who comes close to living up to Sean Connery's Bond legacy.  Pierce Brosnan was a pretty boy without the toughness.  Roger Moore was a bad TV actor who delivered smarmy suave with no charm.  Timothy Dalton gave it a good try -- he was supposed to bring an edginess to the role that he never pulled off.  Craig delivers edginess galore.

    TChris, (none / 0) (#19)
    by cpinva on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:46:08 AM EST
    the laser traveling toward's bond's privates was in Goldfinger, not Dr. No, hence the line, "Do you expect me to talk, Goldfinger?" and the response of "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.", one of the all-time greatest movie lines.

    you didn't like george lazenby's (On Her Majesty's Secret Service) bond? he was the "forgotten" bond, and for good reason! lol

    true story:

    shortly after the first bond movie was released in the U.S., the Royal Marine Band came to Quantico MCB, for a performance. they had bond's aston-martin with them, which was supposed to be put on public display.

    unfortunately, the weather became inclement, and they decided to not bring the vehicle out. however, my older brother, a huge bond fan, snuck in, after convincing one of the young marines guarding it that he was a reporter for our school newspaper (our school had no newspaper!), they even let him get in the driver's seat.

    he was the only non-RM to see the vehicle, at that event.

    we went to a catholic school, and both of us were altar boys (yeah, i know!). suffice it to say, he spent more than the usual minute in confession that week. he felt it was worth it! lol

    Parent

    OK (none / 0) (#42)
    by TChris on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:14:12 PM EST
    you're right, I change my vote to Goldfinger.  Did he first drive the Aston Martin DB5 in Dr. No?  I know there's something about the movie I always liked.  As for Lazenby, he's no more James Bond than David Niven was.

    Parent
    according to my research, (none / 0) (#55)
    by cpinva on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 03:53:01 PM EST
    bond first drove an aston-martin DB 5 in "Goldfinger", the third released bond movie. he drove bentley's in the first two.

    Parent
    Let us hope... (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:31:44 AM EST
    the Trends Research Institute is off on this prediction..or else things will get mighty interesting mighty quick.  

    A tax revolt sounds pretty good though, and long overdue.  Food riots...not so much.

    oh please! (none / 0) (#56)
    by cpinva on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 03:56:04 PM EST
    i predicted the fall of the soviet union when i was in high school, it just happened a few years sooner than i anticipated. given it's hollow core, it took no genius to figure out it was on a downward spiral.

    Parent
    The question is... (none / 0) (#57)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 03:59:29 PM EST
    are we witnessing the beginning of our downward spiral?

    Parent
    Goldfinger is the best (none / 0) (#16)
    by Faust on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:34:59 AM EST
    no question.

    Daniel Craig is awesome though. The current trilogy is making a play for being close to the top of the heap.

    Goldfinger,Spy who Loved Me,Golden Gun (none / 0) (#23)
    by BarnBabe on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 10:56:16 AM EST
    The first one I saw was From Russia With Love. My older cousins were going to the drive in for a double feature. I had no clue as to who James Bond was. I had never heard of Sean Connery, who BTW, was the first and best IMO.I was won over. Then Dr. No which was actually the first one. After that I could not wait until Goldfinger came out. I was in Ft. Lauderdale, and on a Saturday night, there was a movie ad saying 'sneak preview tonight at 7:007. We took a chance and it was Goldfinger a week early before release. We thought we were so cool because we got to see it before all our other friends.It was exciting.

    The original Casino Royal was a lark but had great music and Ursula Andres (Original Bond girl)knew how to flow with that look of love.Shirley Bassey,Carly Simon, Duran  Duran, and Wings were my favorite theme song singers.

    One of the reasons (none / 0) (#27)
    by Fabian on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:24:50 AM EST
    that I may have lost interest in Bond movies was because I found out how limited an actor Sean Connery was.  (Apparently an egotistical jerk as well.)  So when I see Connery playing Bond, I think "That's not acting, that's really him.".

    Parent
    Die Another Day (none / 0) (#25)
    by WS on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:01:28 AM EST
    was fun in a cartoonish Bond sort of way.  They had a whole bunch of homages from the other Bond movies.  

    Tomorrow Never Dies was also a good Bond movie.  Evil media overlord causes international disasters to boost ratings!

    GOLDFINGER but as a huge ... (none / 0) (#26)
    by Robot Porter on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:19:21 AM EST
    fan of the books as well as the movies ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE comes a close second.

    I haven't been that thrilled with the series since Moore left.  And once John Barry (composer) and Ken Adam (set designer) left, it just hasn't seemed like Bond to me.

    Of course, that doesn't stop me from seeing every Bond film that comes out.  It's a given.  You must.

    Yes (none / 0) (#28)
    by RickTaylor on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:28:46 AM EST
    That's definitely my favorite of the Bond films. There are so many good parts to it, including the final show down between Bond and Odd Job.

    Amazing... (none / 0) (#29)
    by mike in dc on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:29:22 AM EST
    ...something I agree with BTD on. :)

    Goldfinger's my fave, too.

    The first female 4 star general... (none / 0) (#33)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 11:48:48 AM EST
    The career of Ann E. Dunwoody ascended Friday from humble beginnings 33 years ago at Fort Sill, Okla., to a peak never before reached by a woman in the U.S. military: four-star general.

    At an emotional promotion ceremony, Dunwoody added a fourth star and, looking back on her years in uniform, said it was a credit to the Army that she was given a chance to rise through the ranks in a male-dominated military...

    ...Dunwoody, 55, has made it clear that she feels no need for special acclaim for her historic achievement.

    "The recognition makes her a little bit uncomfortable from the standpoint of the gender aspect -- that we're making a big deal (that) she is the first female general officer," Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said Thursday in announcing that Defense Secretary Robert Gates would attend her promotion ceremony.

    When she was nominated by President George W. Bush in June for promotion to four-star rank, Dunwoody issued a statement saying she was humbled.

    "I grew up in a family that didn't know what glass ceilings were," she said. "This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career -- that the doors continue to open for men and women in uniform."

    She also told an internal Army publication, "While I may be the first, I know I won't be the last."

    http://tinyurl.com/6rhsjz

    Bravo for her!

    Big Bond Fan Here (none / 0) (#37)
    by squeaky on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 12:00:53 PM EST
    Sean Connery was my favorite Bond, although the latest Casino Royale with Daniel Craig, was really top notch, imo. Were it not for my nostalgia of Dr No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, etc, I think the latest (Craig) wins by a hair. I have the DVD set and have watched them all, save for the latest, many many times over the years. Usually I watch them in order marathon style.

    I've posted before... (none / 0) (#43)
    by kdog on Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 01:23:49 PM EST
    on Nassau County NY and their "Wall of Shame"...which was putting the names and pictures of those merely accused of drunk driving on the county's website, till a judge shot it down.  It's back...though just for those found guilty.  Better, but still not kosher in my book.

    Anyways...I found this quote from the county supervisor most interesting.

    "My objective has always been to get people to talk more about drunk driving, and to recognize that it's not a socially acceptable crime," Suozzi said Thursday.

    The mere fact he used the term "socially acceptable crime" is very telling as to how totally f*cked up our criminal justice system is.  Isn't a "crime" by definition behavior that is not socially acceptable?  The fact that the phrase "socially acceptable crime" is in the lexicon really says it all, doesn't it?  There is "socially acceptable behavior" that has been criminalized...why?  

    Unless I'm reading too much into it...  

    Die Another Day (none / 0) (#59)
    by Xclusionary Rule 4ever on Sat Nov 15, 2008 at 09:30:41 AM EST
    Just for fun, I'll vote for Die Another Day; the opening where Bond was tortured and M kicks him out and the Zao character with the diamonds in his face, the ice hotel thingy - good plot, great action.

    Plus Halle Berry is one of the top bond girls ever, and a good actor, plus they had an INVISIBLE BMW.

    Also Live and let Die (for the stupid Sheriff character and the Theme song)  and You Never Live Twice (for the fake asian get up Sean Connery wore, and the theme song).

    Speaking for myself only

    None of them (none / 0) (#60)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Nov 16, 2008 at 02:03:04 PM EST
    What an oversexed booby hunter James Bond is.  The only scene I can even clearly remember is when the dominatrix beats the crap out of him.  I wonder why that is :)

    Your Favorite Bond Movie | 60 comments (60 topical)

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