THE 007 DOSSIER
THE 007 DOSSIER
Ranking the Bonds from Best to Worst...
1.The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977 Directed by Lewis Gilbert. $$$$
The quintessential Bond film. Every aspect of the formula is perfect. The movie boasts the best opening action sequence, the coolest Bond gadget (his submarine car), one of the best Bond Babes, one of the best world domination plots, one of the best theme songs (Carly Simon's "Nobody Does it Better"), one of the coolest henchmen (the steel toothed Jaws) and the coolest villain's lair (Stromberg's underwater mansion beats Blofeld's volcano -- and has nicer furnishings, too). No Bond film has done it better.
2.Goldfinger, 1964 Directed by Guy Hamilton. $$$$
This is the one that perfected the formula -- the movie that all following Bond films would try to emulate. The third installment in the series has 007 going after Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) who is scheming to irradiate Fort Knox, in an effort to horde the world's gold supply. Frobe is the quintessential Bond supervillain. Honor Blackman, as his personal pilot, Pussy Galore, is a standout among the Bond women. She's the first female in the series to give 007 a run for his money. Their literal roll in the hay on Goldfinger's ranch is a classic. This film also gives us the first in a long line of gadget-loaded Bond cars -- 007's silver Aston Martin. For the first time there's a pre-credit action sequence that has almost nothing to do with the rest of the film -- a wonderful gimmick that nearly every other Bond film would copy. We're also treated to Harold Sakata's killer-hat throwing henchman, Odd Job. Other classic moments: Bond using his wits to avoid getting sliced in half by Goldfinger's laser, and 007 discovering the nude body of Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton) covered in gold paint.
3.GoldenEye, 1995 Directed by Martin Campbell. $$$1/2
After a six-year layoff imposed by studio troubles, legal wrangles and sagging box office -- the series was relaunched with this incredibly fun adventure that's close to perfect. Pierce Brosnan was born to play Bond and he assumes the role here in effortless fashion -- mixing humor and intensity, and doing it all without getting a single hair out of place. In a sign the Cold War was truly over, the movie became the first 007 adventure to shoot on location in the Former Soviet Union. Bond goes to St. Petersburg to help foil a plot to steal a satellite capable of emitting a nuclear pulse over London -- wiping out all electronics in the city. This is far and away the most visually dazzling Bond film. The pre-credit sequence alone contains more spectacular action and stunts than you'll find in the entire duration of most adventure movies. The opening motorcycle jump is a classic -- the tank chase later on in the movie is also a bravura piece. Famke Jensen creates one of the sexiest Bond characters ever as an assassin who kills with her thighs. Note: The title was taken from the name of Fleming's Jamaican estate.
4.Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997 Directed by Roger Spottiswoode. $$$1/2
Without a doubt, the most action-packed 007 movie ever. Bond teams with a beautiful Chinese spy, played by Hong Kong martial arts star, Michelle Yeoh. The plot is a blast -- Jonathan Pryce contributes one of the series more memorable villains, playing a Rupert Murdoch-style media mogul who's plotting to start a war between China and Britain in order to boost ratings for his cable news network. For once, the producers choose a fairly well-known actress to play a Bond girl -- Teri Hatcher has a supporting role as one of Bond's old flames. The film boasts some of the best escape scenes in any Bond movie -- and Yeoh's martial arts scenes take the action to a whole new level. Historical note: The first official Bond film not produced by Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli, who passed away before production began. His name remains on the film, however, thanks to the opening credit: "Albert R. Broccoli Productions Presents...". Also the first -- and so far, only, Bond movie title that has nothing to do with Ian Fleming.
5.The World Is Not Enough, 1999 Directed by Michael Apted $$$1/2
The 19th installment in the series is not as visually slick as GoldenEye, nor does it have the non-stop John Woo-style action of Tomorrow Never Dies. But it makes up for it with a strong script that provides more romance, seduction, betrayal, psychological tension and espionage intrigue. This time out the mood is darker and more serious. But the outlandishness of the Bond universe is still in effect. Bond is assigned to protect Elektra King, the daughter of an oil tycoon whose murder Bond tried -- but failed to prevent. The mission pits Bond against a KGB spy turned terrorist named Renard (Robert Carlyle), who's seemingly trying to kill Elektra (the exquisite Sophie Marceau), and thwart her plans to build an oil pipeline along the Caspian sea. One thing leads to another and Bond finally uncovers a Goldfinger-style plot to control much of the world's oil supply. Bond is aided by the heavenly Denise Richards, as nuclear weapons expert, Christmas Jones.
6.From Russia With Love, 1963 Directed by Terence Young. $$$1/4
Not much action, but tons of suspense and espionage intrigue. Seeking revenge for the death of Dr. No, SPECTRE tries to lure 007 into a trap, and uses a Soviet decoding device as the bait. The tense train scene, where Bond escapes execution at the hands of an assassin played by Robert Shaw, is perhaps the best moment in the entire franchise. The movie also marks the first appearance by Desmond Llewelyn's Q and the introduction of Bond's first real gadget (a trick briefcase). We also get our first glimpse of the evil SPECTRE mastermind, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, but we never see his face. Daniela Bianchi is divinely alluring as the beautiful Tatiana Romanova and the romance between her and Connery's Bond really works. It's the best love story in the series, for that reason, this one is Connery's personal favorite.
7.Dr. No, 1962 Directed by Terence Young. $$$1/4
Bond's first big screen adventure. Most of the elements of the formula are in place: A megalomaniacal super villain (Joseph Wiseman) living in a lavish secret lair, a gorgeous woman (Ursula Andress) and, of course, a suave, ruthless secret agent with a license to kill (Sean Connery). The movie also introduces the gun barrel logo and Monty Norman's pulsating Bond theme. We're treated to only one exotic locale -- almost the entire film takes place in Jamaica -- but what a locale it is! 007 is sent to the island to investigate the murder of a fellow British agent. The trail leads him to SPECTRE operative, Dr. No, who's plotting to interfere with U.S. rocket launches from Cape Canaveral. While lacking anything close to the action or gadgetry found in the later Bond films, the movie is still notable for giving the franchise one of its best villains and one of its sexiest Bond-girls. The shot of Andress emerging from the sea in a white bikini is one of the series' most indelible images.
8.On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969 Directed by Peter Hunt. $$$1/4
The first installment in the series to be made without Connery. Australian model George Lazenby assumes the role and his performance here is highly underrated. Bond heads to the Swiss Alps to foil Blofeld's plot to wage biological warfare. This time Blofeld is played by Telly Savalas, who's only qualification for the role seems to be the fact that he's bald. Nevertheless, this is one of the best Bond outings. The script, for a change, remains incredibly faithful to Ian Fleming's original novel. There's some terrific action, but the film's strongest aspect is the love story. This time Bond actually marries his love interest (Diana Rigg), but the wedded bliss is tragically short lived.
9.For Your Eyes Only, 1981 Directed by John Glen. $$$1/4
Following, Moonraker, the producers decided it was time to bring Bond back down to Earth, literally. This time out, we're treated to a much more realistic, straight forward espionage adventure-thriller, in the tradition of From Russia With Love. Bond is sent to recover a high-tech British encryption device -- before it falls into the wrong hands. One of Moore's better outings. Historical note: Bond seemingly kills off Blofeld for good in the movie's opening action sequence.
10.Live and Let Die, 1973 Directed by Guy Hamilton. $$$
Roger Moore, an early choice to play Bond in Dr. No, easily makes the role his own in this, his first Bond outing. The story takes 007 from the Big Apple to the Big Easy. The producers' effort to tap into the blaxsploitation genre is amusing but misguided. Jane Seymour, as Solitare, is the most beautiful of all Bond women and Yaphet Kotto (as Dr. Kanaga, a.k.a "Mr. Big") is one of the best actors to play a Bond villain. The title theme by Paul McCartney and Wings is the series' best, and George Martin provides a terrific score. But the best thing in the movie is a speedboat chase through the Louisiana bayou -- it's one of the highlights of the series.
11.Moonraker, 1979 Directed by Lewis Gilbert. $$$
In an effort to capitalize on the sci-fi craze that followed in the wake of the 1977 release of Star Wars, the producers launch James Bond into outer space. 007 must stop the evil Hugo Drax who's bent on wiping out all life on earth and starting again, repopulating the planet with a legion of followers, raised on board his space station. Mostly standard Bond action until the last act, when Bond sneaks a ride on board one of Drax's space shuttles. Then things get really silly. Great visuals, though. It's good, mindless fun.
12.A View to a Kill, 1985 Directed by John Glen. $$$
Moore's last outing as Bond -- and the actor was really starting to show his age. Basically an update of the old Goldfinger plot with a more modern spin. Christopher Walken puts in a memorable performance as industrialist Max Zorin, a mad product of Nazi wartime medical experiments who's planning to flood Silicon Valley with a man-made earthquake. Tanya Roberts is the perfect "dumb blonde bimbo" and Grace Jones is amusing as Zorin's henchwoman. There's some fun action and a terrific finale atop the Golden Gate Bridge, but as far as guilty pleasures go, the most enjoyable thing in the movie may actually be the title sequence featuring models in glow-in-the-dark body paint and Duran Duran's unforgettable theme song.
13.Octopussy, 1983 Directed by John Glen. $$$
A Faberge egg leads 007 to India, the villainous Kamal Khan and a mostly incomprehensible plot about a renegade Soviet General's plans to detonate a nuclear warhead on an American Air Force base in Germany. Maud Adams plays the title character in her second go-around as a Bond girl (she played a different character in The Man With the Golden Gun. Highlight: a shootout that climaxes with Bond sliding down a banister, firing a machine gun.
14.Thunderball, 1965 Directed by Terence Young. $$3/4
SPECTRE steals two nuclear weapons and threatens to detonate them unless the superpowers pay them $100 million dollars. Bond is sent to save the day. There are some cool elements: Bond's rocket pack, and an underwater chase -- but the movie drags. Villainous, eye-patch-wearing SPECTRE operative Emilo Largo, is an icon of the series. Once again, Blofeld is only partially seen. In all, a film that fails to live up to its potential. Note: This is the only Bond film to feature a screenplay partially written by 007 creator Ian Fleming -- the rights to the script were owned by another producer who later went on to remake the film in 1983 under the title Never Say Never Again.
15.You Only Live Twice, 1967 Directed by Lewis Gilbert. $$3/4
Bond is turning Japanese, he's really turning Japanese, he really thinks so. Seeing Connery's 007 transformed with an Asian haircut in order to go deep undercover is one of the few treats in this sluggish outing. Bond heads to the land of the Rising Sun to investigate the disappearance of U.S. and Soviet spacecrafts. There's a neat aerial combat scene with Bond in a mini-helicopter, but movie is best remembered for Blofeld's hollowed out volcano -- one of the coolest sets ever built. This is the film where we actually see Blofeld's face for the first time, and Donald Pleasance's performance as the diabolical character is the inspiration for Mike Myers' Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers films.
16.Diamonds Are Forever, 1971 Directed by Guy Hamilton. $$3/4
Connery returns to the role after being paid a then-record salary for an actor. 007 heads to Las Vegas, but the locale doesn't quite suit Bond -- he's too classy for The Strip. The villain, once again is Blofeld, this time played rather effectively by Charles Gray. Bond must avenge his wife's murder, and at the same time stop Blofeld from wiping out North America with his space-based death laser. A pair of homosexual assassins mark an odd addition to the franchise. Also, you don't want to miss the scene where Bond gets his ass kicked by two girls -- named Bambi and Thumper.
17.The Living Daylights, 1987 Directed by John Glen. $$1/2
Timothy Dalton slips into Bond's tuxedo, and the fit is not a comfortable one. The actor said he was trying to stick closer to the grittier, more serious portrayal of Bond found in the Ian Fleming novels -- but he only succeeds in sucking every ounce of joy out of the script. The incomprehensible plot takes 007 from Austria to Afghanistan to track down a defecting Russian General with ties to an American arms dealer and the opium trade -- but without the fate of the world at stake -- we pretty much don't care.
18.Licence to Kill, 1989 Directed by John Glen. $$1/2
With the Cold War cooling off, the producers turned to the war on drugs for a new villain. Robert Davi's Scarface wanna-be, Franz Sanchez, is a pretty fun bad guy. But the movie is brain dead and Dalton, in his second outing as Bond, still never becomes the character completely. He tries to give Bond his own spin, but it proves to be a mistake -- we want the Bond we know and love. This time 007 resigns from the Secret Service to carry out a personal vendetta against the drug lord who fed his CIA buddy Felix Leiter to a shark. The finale involving exploding tanker trucks is impressive, and there's a great stunt involving a plane flying under a flaming car driving off a cliff. And Wayne Newton (!) has a fun cameo. That aside, this is not one of the better Bonds.
19.The Man With the Golden Gun, 1974 Directed by Guy Hamilton. $$
Widely regarded as the worst installment in the franchise. Bond squares off against Christopher Lee as the assassin Scaramanga, who's gun is made of -- you guessed it -- gold. The producers envisioned a Bond vs. Evil Bond kind of match-up. But nothing in this movie really works, . It's all silly, second-rate 007 stuff, including Herve Villachaize as a tiny henchman (foreshadowing of Dr. Evil's Mini-Me?). The film does have one redeeming moment -- an amazing stunt in which a car does a barrel-roll leap over a river. To this day, I can't figure out how it's done.
(c) Copyright 1999