Flickering Myth’s writing team vote for their favourite James Bond films before Skyfall, the 23rd entry in the franchise, hits cinemas…
If an alien race observed our cinematic habits over the past 50 years they may well pick out one particular universal constant, one glamorously unchanging law. No matter what happens in the world or how the landscape of movies shifts around the rise of the multiplex, James Bond will always return. It’s not quite as reliable as gravity, indeed our favourite secret agent has flirted with permanent hibernation several times, but it’s a pretty good bet that every few years he’ll dust off his tux to dazzle and charm us on the big screen.
Soon Skyfall will become the latest adventure of Commander James Bond. The whole world expects, not just England, every time 007 draws his Walther PPK. But this time the pressure on our hero is especially immense. The weight of 50 years of Bond history weighs down upon director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road). He must pay homage to all the classic stories, whilst also breathing new life into Daniel Craig’s (Layer Cake, Cowboys & Aliens) revival of the character, which faltered somewhat following 2008’s disappointing Quantum of Solace. Add to this the delays caused by the financial trouble at MGM and the world’s appetite for 007 is stronger than it has been in years.
Here at Flickering Myth we’ve been doing our best to satisfy that hunger for action, gadgets, girls and exotic locations. Our writers have already been reviewing their favourite Bond films in our Countdown to Skyfall series. We’ve also been running a poll on the site for you, our readers, asking who is the best Bond actor. And there will be more features and reviews to come.
Arguably though, this is the big one. What is the best Bond film of the lot? For most movie fans it is very hard to choose. Sure, we all have our favourites. But how do you choose between that laser scene in Goldfinger and that train fight in From Russia With Love? How do you compare Brosnan era explosions with Dalton era intensity? Do Roger Moore’s eyebrows trump Sean Connery’s chest hair? These are the momentous questions of the hour.
We asked our writers to rank their three favourite Bond films. Their first choice would get 3 points, their second 2 points, and their third just the 1 point. Without further ado, here are the results:
5) You Only Live Twice (1967) – 4 points
Some may remember Sean Connery’s 1967 outing as Bond with a snort of derision. Watch it now and from a modern day perspective 007’s encounters with Japanese culture often appear ridiculous at best, slightly racist at worst. Remember Connery’s Japanese haircut? This film was so outlandish it convinced the Scot he’d had enough of the spy that made his name.
However, You Only Live Twice also finalised the formula for a James Bond film. Like it or not, from this point on missions would take place in incredibly exotic locations and culminate with a gargantuan set piece finale. In between 007 would negotiate a road littered with stereotypical henchmen, beautiful but dishonest women and perilous situations only Q’s gadgets could help him with. Roger Moore’s era in particular would follow the You Only Live Twice template, with The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker in particular having a remarkably similar trajectory.
This is also the entry in the franchise that really upped the ante in terms of scale. Ken Adam’s volcano base set is one of the most spectacular and impressive creations ever captured on film full stop, not just in a Bond film. Bond also comes face to face with the villain who would define him for the world, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. In short, in You Only Live Twice everything comes together, the gadgets, the girls, the artistry, the villain, the action, the locations, the music. It’s all there. It doesn’t combine as perfectly or gel as smoothly as in other efforts, but it’s big, it’s iconic and the ambition alone is unforgettable.
4) GoldenEye (1995) – 5 points
Pierce Brosnan’s (The Matador, The Ghost) post-Cold War relaunch of Bond just pips You Only Live Twice into fourth place. It’s an easy film to love, especially for those of a particular generation. GoldenEye had the task of bringing Bond up to date, whilst holding onto his roots. Parallels can be drawn with Skyfall as, for a time, it looked as though there was a chance James Bond might not return, due to studio issues. You could also compare it to Casino Royale, another Bond film in which director Martin Campbell successfully embedded a new actor into the role of a lifetime. Like Casino Royale, GoldenEye made a concious effort to be different from the previous film in the franchise. Brosnan restored some of the humour many felt that Timothy Dalton’s portrayal of the world’s most recognisable spy lacked. But with the personal duel between Sean Bean’s (Ronin, Game of Thrones) 006 and Brosnan’s 007, there is a clear recognition that the focus on character during the Dalton years was wise.
Martin Campbell’s immediate understanding of what a Bond film required is evident in the pre titles sequence. This can explain, far more eloquently and dramatically than I, why GoldenEye has made the Flickering Myth top five.
3) Goldfinger (1964) – 8 points
Was Goldfinger ever really going to miss out on this list? Many would instantly nominate it as the best Bond story of all time. The fact that it enters our Bondian hall of fame in the relatively lowly number three spot may ruffle a few feathers. But what can I say, here at Flickering Myth we are nothing if not controversial.
Why isn’t it number one then? Perhaps Goldfinger is the most memorable Bond film but it isn’t necessarily the best. The gadget stuffed Aston Martin DB5, the gold coated female corpse, the laser themed quips, the golfing duel, Oddjob’s hat and Pussy Galore’s scandalous name – we could never forget any of these iconic ingredients. And Goldfinger isn’t just about ingredients, the recipe is also refined, courtesy of director Guy Hamilton, to produce a perfectly paced, absorbing adventure. But the trend in recent years has been to treasure those Bond films that get under the skin of the character of 007 a little more than most. For all of Goldfinger’s excellence, we don’t get to know James a great deal. We do see his limitations, as Bond finds himself captured, and we also see his daring charm. But Goldfinger is the perfect romp, rather than the perfect James Bond narrative.
That’s just my half-baked theory though, and even having said all that, Goldfinger remains one of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen. It more than deserves its place in this top five, possibly just for this…
2) From Russia With Love (1963) – 21 points
In the end it came down to a fist fight between Craig and Connery for the franchise’s best film, just as our best ever Bond poll did (on the sidebar of the site if you want to vote). And despite Sean’s impressive technique during the claustrophobic fisticuffs on show in From Russia With Love, it’s young upstart Daniel who comes out on top, ‘scientifically’ proving that the original is not quite the best.
Oh my word though, it was certainly close. Many of our writers could not choose between From Russia With Love and Casino Royale, to the extent that many other established and well loved Bond movies didn’t get a look in. This begs the question, are there appealing similarities between these two films? Yes, they both have bits on trains don’t they? That must be it then.
On a mildly serious tangent, Bond plus a train tends to equal good things. Even Roger Moore’s antics on trains in Octopussy, and in other outings, are at the very least hilariously daft. In From Russia With Love the fight scene in the train compartment is arguably the best scene in the entire series. In Casino Royale the spiky, flirtatious chat with Vesper in the dining car gave Bond his humanity back, as well as a believable, modern sense of cheekiness. In the Skyfall trailers Bond’s unbelievably suave cuff adjustment after ripping open a train looks set to be a brand new iconic moment.
To get back on track though (I’m here all night), what is it that connects our top two? Put simply, I think it’s a great story. From Russia With Love has a very basic honey trap premise but the way it is executed allows us a fascinating glimpse beneath the surface of Bond, because he is vulnerable. He is facing an assassin trained specifically to kill him in the formidable Red Grant, and a villain weaving a complex web in the vile Rosa Klebb. The entire plot focuses on Bond and how best to get rid of him. The film follows Ian Fleming’s book by starting off from the perspective of Bond’s enemies, only bringing him into play later on. This makes his eventual entrance all the more cinematic. It also creates great tension because we know Bond is in danger, having witnessed the determined plotting of his enemies first hand.
Of course From Russia With Love has great action too, as well as intrigue, but it’s the personal scale of this action, along with the fact that the set pieces are integral to the story, that combines to make this a superb film. Looking back it is also delightfully of its time, and feels like a proper old school spy thriller, closely tied to the popular book. I believe the book and the film were successful because Bond triumphs after coming so close to defeat. The films in which 007 became an invincible gun toting superhero, complete with a chat up line utility belt, received far fewer votes from Flickering Myth’s beloved writers.
1) Casino Royale (2006) – 23 points
I have a personal soft spot for our winner, Daniel Craig’s ‘reboot’ of 007, Casino Royale. I had grown up with Pierce Brosnan’s Bond films and I thought they were impossibly cool. Then Die Another Day… well the less said about ‘DAD’, the better. But essentially I fell out of love with Bond, just a little bit. Then Casino Royale redefined my understanding of the character. I was blown away by it. I went back to the films afresh, discovered a love for Connery, for Dalton, even for Lazenby. More importantly, I discovered the books, and the real James Bond. If you’ve never picked up an Ian Fleming book, I would wholeheartedly recommend it. Craig’s understanding of the literary Bond is evident, and I honestly believe reading the books enhanced my enjoyment of the films, especially Casino Royale.
My boring life story over, what is so brilliant about Casino Royale? How on earth has it won a place in our hearts so quickly? My guess is that Casino Royale wouldn’t be everyone’s choice as the best Bond ever, but a sizeable chunk of people wouldn’t disagree with the decision too much. What an achievement for Martin Campbell (yes him again) and co!
Is it just that Casino Royale is modern, and therefore looks better, sounds better, and packs a better punch than its predecessors? I think it’s definitely a factor to be considered and it certainly can’t be dismissed. As much as I love the franchise, and it has always led the way with innovative action and techniques, the occasional scene from the classic films can be unforgivably dated, by today’s standards. The stunts in Daniel Craig’s debut were crisp and fresh; they felt Bondian but also new.
There is a view that Casino Royale has the Bourne films to thank for its success and its modernity. Clearly the Bourne films influenced the way action, in particular fight scenes, were shot and presented. However, Casino Royale is still unmistakeably a Bond film. The incredible stairwell fight scene, for example, is hard hitting but edited in such a way that the viewer can appreciate the unfolding battering in its entirety. In a Bourne film the aesthetics of such a sequence would be largely obscured by the shaky cam effects and rough editing style. Anyone criticising Bond for drawing inspiration from aspects of Bourne should take a look at what Bourne has borrowed from 007. The locations, the love interests caught up in the mess, the dirty secrets of espionage; all of these features of the Bourne films were in Fleming’s books, and they would later blossom in the film franchise.
The reboot element of Casino Royale undoubtedly offered something different for fans of Bond and general cinemagoers. It may have become a money making gimmick for many franchises, but in this case it was an artistically bold and worthwhile decision to tackle the first of Ian Fleming’s novels, which had never been adapted for the official film series. Daniel Craig was a controversial Bond, but one who proved physically up to the task. Most importantly, he is a fantastic actor and the plot gives him plenty of opportunities to prove it. Again I come back to Bond’s vulnerability. Whether it be in action sequences in which he dives off cranes or rampages through an airport, or in quieter moments of dialogue, Daniel Craig humanises James Bond. The character deserves to be human, people should care about this cultural icon, rather than simply be in dazzled awe of his suave sophistication.
Casino Royale made me care and started my unhealthy obsession with all things James Bond. I am very happy to crown it as Flickering Myth’s top James Bond film. I cannot wait for Skyfall to wow me and make me care all over again.
Honourable mentions:
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) – George Lazenby’s once despised portrayal is now seen as Bond’s greatest love story (aside from Casino Royale), with ahead of its time fight scenes and an electrifying score from John Barry. Even Lazenby himself tends to be given the benefit of the doubt these days. As a non-actor he did a solid, seemingly effortless job as 007 opposite the excellent Diana Rigg as Bond’s only wife, Tracy.
Licence to Kill (1989) – Timothy Dalton didn’t manage to get one of his two films on our prestigious list but his interpretation of Bond, like Craig’s, is guided by his understanding of Fleming. The Living Daylights was wonderfully based on an enjoyable short story but it’s in Licence to Kill that Dalton unleashes his rage on those who have dared to target Bond’s friends.
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) – A few surprise votes for this from our esteemed panel of writers. As Jeffrey Aidoo pointed out in his review though, it’s worth a look for the chemistry between Roger Moore and Christopher Lee alone.
Have your say on your favourite James Bond film of all time below.
You can also check out our ‘Countdown to Skyfall’ reviews.
And our five star review of Skyfall itself, here.
