The best of James Bond 007

[davidraphael]

As Countryclubjoe pointed out in his recent post, the cinematic incarnation of James Bond is now 50 years old.

Who is your favourite on-screen James Bond?

And while we're at it, what's your favourite Bond movie?

I think I will probably have to choose Sean Connery because he's so iconic, but I think Daniel Craig comes in close behind with Roger Moore (again because he's iconic, although the later Moore's lean too much toward slapstick)

My least favourite Bond is Pierce Brosnan. In our house we call him the 'hairdo' Bond. Vain and smug.

I wish Connery had been in On Her Majesty's Secret Service because it really is one of the best Bond movies, with a wonderful soundtrack by John Barry, too. Great movie.

 

[lolly_loisides]

Yes, I think OHMSS is my favourite Bond movie & that's why I'll always have a soft spot for George Lazenby. He may not be the best Bond, but he was in the best Bond movie.

 

[davidraphael]

For those of you who are thinking "Who the hell is Barry Nelson?" he played the very first on-screen incarnation of James Bond in a one-off CBS dramatisation of Casino Royale back in 1954 as part of the Climax! series. Peter Lorre played Le Chiffre.

[video=youtube;cYhQqTAGd7k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYhQqTAGd7k[/video]

 

[Warden]

[video=youtube_share;xW5abat5NEU]http://youtu.be/xW5abat5NEU[/video]

 

[AmateisGal]

For me, Sean Connery will always be the quintessential Bond. But Daniel Craig, I think, has really managed to portray Bond as Fleming portrayed him in the books.

 

[AntonAAK]

My order of preference would be...

Connery
Craig
Brosnan
Dalton
Lazenby
Moore

(I haven't seen the Barry Nelson performance and don't consider David Niven's Casino Royale to be worthy of comment )

Favourite film: From Russia With Love

I very much enjoyed Craig's first effort but really hope that Skyfall isn't as rubbish as Quantum was. Can we have a James Bond film this time please?

 

[davidraphael]

I agree. Skyfall really needs to aim for Casino Royale's standard, not Quantum of Solace, which was lacking.

I'm a little concerned though - the Skyfall trailer isn't particularly exciting, nor is the theme song, sung by Adele, which was leaked online yesterday.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

My order would be as follows:

Connery
Craig tied with Moore
Brosnan
Dalton
Lazenby

While Roger Moore is a bit slapstick, it's more real somehow. Brosnan looks like a movie star playing a spy. Roger Moore is a tough guy playing like he's a rich business man with a small brain. Craig is a tough guy who's quiet (like in the books). Sean Connery is also a touch guy, quiet, but with a sense of humor.

I haven't seen the Barry Nelson performance either and don't consider David Niven's Casino Royale to be worthy of comment because it's not a Bond movie, it's a comedy based on a Bond Movie. It's like Scary Movie is to Scream, a parody that everyone knows is a parody. I liked From Russia with Love, Dr. No, and Live and let die.

Later

 

[ButteMT61]

Moore I grew up with. At the time, Bond was campy, which I enjoyed and assumed was intentional. Score.
Craig is the new Bond, a 180 from Moore. I like the darkness of the character, and I think Craig does it exceptionally well.
I like that Adele is doing the theme song. One thing over the years that's been (mostly) great are the opening shots/music.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I always liked Timothy Dalton in the role. He just looks the part, as did Sean Connery. Also Pierce Brosnan was convincing in the role.
Daniel Craig to me just looks like an average Joe Businessman, maybe a car salesman or something, and Roger Moore reminds me of a banker.

 

[Edward]

The only Bond I rate is Connery. Craig is a great Bourne-type character masquerading as a Bond. Mike Myers is a better Bond than Moore.

What they've done with Craig is a clever enough reinvention, which the franchise was sorely in need of since.... oh, about the time Connery quit. The big problem all of the Bonds bar Connery and Craig had is that there was nont one of them convinced me he was a killer. And not even in a "oh, it works because he's so good at hiding it....etc..." way.

Nobody's going to put a word in for the first Bond, then - Bob Holness?

 

[bulldog1935]

Daniel Craig is the only James Bond that could be a killer for a living.
Though I like Dr. No, Sean Connery was too perfect. George Lazenby tried to be human, but it made him almost effeminate.
And we'll leave that at Roger Moore, but we will add he was afraid of his prop firearms. Pierce Brosnan? Great at Thomas Crowne, but not even James Bond's valet.
The screenplays have also gone from gadget to story, and lost a lot of campy along the way, which is a good thing.

 

[Hercule]

I always liked Timothy Dalton in the role.

To me Dalton just came across as angry.

 

[Edward]

To me Dalton just came across as angry.

I would say petulant is closer the mark than anger.

 

[AmateisGal]

Daniel Craig is the only James Bond that could be a killer for a living.

Exactly. He has the stone-cold killer part down pat. And really, that's what Bond is. When you read the books, it's almost like he has no emotion at all.

 

[Chasseur]

Got to be Sean Connery, especially from the arc of From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball.

Like Edward, though I enjoyed the Casino Royale reboot, Craig kinda reminds me of Vladimir Putin channelling Jason Bourne.

 

[1961MJS]

Craig kinda reminds me of Vladimir Putin channelling Jason Bourne.

Ah Jeez Chassuer and I kind of liked Craig until you wrote that.... EUUUUu Yech. And Putin thinks he's Jason Bourne, Neil Armstrong, and Errol Flynn rolled into one.

Later

 

[Chasseur]

Ah Jeez Chassuer and I kind of liked Craig until you wrote that.... EUUUUu Yech. And Putin thinks he's Jason Bourne, Neil Armstrong, and Errol Flynn rolled into one.

Later

 

[ButteMT61]

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/10/04/adele-skyfall-download-tonight-may-set-itunes-record

 

[scottyrocks]

As much as Connery is the iconic and original Bond, I think Craig is the quintessential 007. I am very excited to see Skyfall.

I barely tolerated Moore, and the two after him aren't even worth mentioning. And Lazenby wasn't Bond by any stretch of my imagination.