50 Years of James Bond!

[Jonno2009]

How bad/cheesy are the old classic bond movies for someone that has NEVER seen them? I’ve only seen the Bond movies with Dalton, Brosnan and Craig and I enjoyed them all. But are the older Bond movies only truly good with nostalgia glasses?

I’m really interested to get the Bond 50 set as I only own the Craig ones on Blu-ray so with the Black Friday set on sale Saturday I think it’s the perfect time to finally see them once and for all. But like I said, how do they hold up in 2012 if you’ve never seen them?

[HuDaFuK]

Originally Posted by Jonno2009

How bad/cheesy are the old classic bond movies for someone that has NEVER seen them? I’ve only seen the Bond movies with Dalton, Brosnan and Craig and I enjoyed them all. But are the older Bond movies only truly good with nostalgia glasses?

While the Moore films undoubtedly have some truly cringe-worthy moments of "comedy" in them, on the whole I still enjoy watching virtually all the Bond films. Even the poor ones generally have things to like in them. The only three I outright refuse to watch are Diamonds Are Forever (Connery), The Man with the Golden Gun (Moore) and Die Another Day (Brosnan). The others I enjoy very much, despite any faults they may have.

[Jonno2009]

Originally Posted by HuDaFuK

While the Moore films undoubtedly have some truly cringe-worthy moments of "comedy" in them, on the whole I still enjoy watching virtually all the Bond films. Even the poor ones generally have things to like in them. The only three I outright refuse to watch are Diamonds Are Forever (Connery), The Man with the Golden Gun (Moore) and Die Another Day (Brosnan). The others I enjoy very much, despite any faults they may have.

Yeah but you like them BECAUSE you saw them 30 years ago? That’s the main point I’m trying to make here. I want the opinion of someone that saw them for the first time recently.

[HuDaFuK]

Originally Posted by Jonno2009

Yeah but you like them BECAUSE you saw them 30 years ago? That’s the main point I’m trying to make here. I want the opinion of someone that saw them for the first time recently.

Considering I was born when The Living Daylights was in cinemas, I can safely say that I am not speaking from the perspective of some eccentric old fart

Although I admit I had a higher opinion of Moore as Bond when I was a kid.

[Fotr]

Has anyone know for sure if all titles in US Boxset are region A locked or region free?

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Jonno2009

How bad/cheesy are the old classic bond movies for someone that has NEVER seen them? I’ve only seen the Bond movies with Dalton, Brosnan and Craig and I enjoyed them all. But are the older Bond movies only truly good with nostalgia glasses?

I’m really interested to get the Bond 50 set as I only own the Craig ones on Blu-ray so with the Black Friday set on sale Saturday I think it’s the perfect time to finally see them once and for all. But like I said, how do they hold up in 2012 if you’ve never seen them?

It's all a matter of opinion, but I personally like the older movies better than the recent ones. Of course, I haven't seen SKYFALL yet, but I like the Connery movies and select Moore movies better than the 4 Brosnan's and the 2 Craig's I've seen.

[DrrnHarr]

Originally Posted by y2j420

How much of the "cartoon-like nonsense" was Roger Moore or the writing? He really could only do what was written for him...you saw in a serious Bond film (FYEO) that Moore could play a more serious, ruthless Bond, but the other films he was in had more of a campy feel to them...

I think Moore did great with what was written for him and he's my personal favorite Bond although I know Connery is the best Bond...

Roger Moore was more than ruthless in "For Your Eyes Only". I think the scene where Roger Moore was most ruthless was on the rooftop with Sandor in "The Spy Who Loved Me".

Bond: "Where's Fekkesh"
Sandor: "Py...Py...Pyramids"

(Flips tie sending Sandor to his death)

Bond: "What a helpful chap"

When Moore started playing 007 Director Guy Hamilton thought he was playing it too much like Sean Connery...and he needed to change it to distance himself from the Connery version.

My favorite 007 actors (Best to worst)

1. Roger Moore
2. Sean Connery
3. Daniel Craig
4. Timothy Dalton
5. George Lazenby
6. Pierce Brosnan

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by Agent Bond

He wanted to do his own thing with the role and was content with being a yes man to the producers since he was in it to get his million of pounds as Bond was his biggest gig. He was another paycheck actor.

[...]Coincidentally after FYEO, it was back to Moore nonsense in Octopussy, I'm sure this was done at his request. Like I said, I only liked ONE movie of his. His other six were missing a laugh track.

Do you think you might be overstating things just a bit?

I prefer a more serious, literary-style Bond myself, but there are many good things to be found in the Moore films, not least of which is Moore himself, who was able to make the role his own for several years.

As for being "another paycheck actor", he was almost certainly the most genial, courteous Bond imagineable (according to virtually everyone who worked with him), going above and beyond to make sure his co-workers were comfortable and enjoying themselves on the job.

And, speaking frankly, I don't think the other Bonds were drawn to the part for its...artistic integrity?

Finally, Octopussy is a fine film. It gets a drubbing from some purists, who seem to overlook a fairly sophisticated espionage plot and some wonderful Bondian moments simply because Moore (not for laughs at all) dresses up as a clown. I'll give you the gorilla suit and the Tarzan yell.

The others, yes, can be hit and miss (A View to a Kill doesn't exactly set my world on fire, and Live and Let Die manages to strip Fleming's story of almost any suspense), but are still worth watching in my opinion. I didn't watch start watching Bond until Dalton, lest you think it's the voice of nostalgia speaking.

[HuDaFuK]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

Finally, Octopussy is a fine film. It gets a drubbing from some purists, who seem to overlook a fairly sophisticated espionage plot and some wonderful Bondian moments simply because Moore (not for laughs at all) dresses up as a clown. I'll give you the gorilla suit and the Tarzan yell.

You've hit on something there. I've always wondered why the clown suit bit is torn apart so much, because that scene's actually played fairly straight. OK, so we have to ask just who in the hell put all that makeup on him, but it's not like he jumps on a unicycle and rides up an elephant's trunk, and there's something pretty sinister in the moment where he pulls aside the red nose and tells the military guy he's "deadly serious".

I especially don't get why people focus on that scene when, as you say, there are far more stupid moments in the film.

[Agent Bond]

Do you think you might be overstating things just a bit?

No.

And, speaking frankly, I don't think the other Bonds were drawn to the part for its...artistic integrity?

The difference is Connery, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig cared about the source material and had passion for the character they portrayed. Well, Connery did until YOLT.

And the two guys, Lazenby and Moore, who didn't give a sh** about book Bond are regarded as the worst by a majority of 007 fans. Go figure.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Fotr

Has anyone know for sure if all titles in US Boxset are region A locked or region free?

Some are region free and some are locked. If you go through the database you'd have a clearer picture of what's locked and what's not.

From the UK thread;

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I ordered the new US standalones of Goldfinger, LALD and TMWTGG and they're locked, they're the exact same discs as before with revised art.

It's a safe bet then that Dr No, FRWL, Goldfinger, Thunderball, LALD, TMWTGG, Moonraker, FYEO, Licence To Kill, TWINE and Die Another Day are locked if you're buying the US standalones, because they're reprints of the original discs.

YOLT, OHMSS, Diamonds are Forever, TSWLM, Octopussy, View To a Kill, Living Daylights, Goldeneye and TND are region free no matter where you buy them from, because they're the newly created discs intended for worldwide use.

Originally Posted by Agent Bond

And the two guys, Lazenby and Moore, who didn't give a sh** about book Bond are regarded as the worst by a majority of 007 fans. Go figure.

Yet Lazenby made one of the most faithful adaptations with OHMSS.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

Do you think you might be overstating things just a bit?

I prefer a more serious, literary-style Bond myself, but there are many good things to be found in the Moore films, not least of which is Moore himself, who was able to make the role his own for several years.

As for being "another paycheck actor", he was almost certainly the most genial, courteous Bond imagineable (according to virtually everyone who worked with him), going above and beyond to make sure his co-workers were comfortable and enjoying themselves on the job.

And, speaking frankly, I don't think the other Bonds were drawn to the part for its...artistic integrity?

Finally, Octopussy is a fine film. It gets a drubbing from some purists, who seem to overlook a fairly sophisticated espionage plot and some wonderful Bondian moments simply because Moore (not for laughs at all) dresses up as a clown. I'll give you the gorilla suit and the Tarzan yell.

The others, yes, can be hit and miss (A View to a Kill doesn't exactly set my world on fire, and Live and Let Die manages to strip Fleming's story of almost any suspense), but are still worth watching in my opinion. I didn't watch start watching Bond until Dalton, lest you think it's the voice of nostalgia speaking.

Well, sure, he made it his own. It just wasn't Bond. Just like Nolan's Batman really has little to do with Batman. Doesn't mean people don't/can't like it, or prefer it, but both characters started in books first and had well established their characters before films came along.

[klauswhereareyou]

Not sure if anyone cares, but the Target exclusive Bond blu rays are going for 8 bucks right now.

[klauswhereareyou]

Lazenby is underated. Might have only been in one Bond movie, but he was perfect for it, and it's a top 5 Bond film. I'd say he's not as good as Connery or Craig, but on par with Brosnon and better then Dalton and Moore.

[kemcha]

I'm finding it disturbing that only Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart are selling the reissued James Bond Blu-rays and only Walmart and Best Buy are selling their exclusives online. It's odd that no other online retailer is selling the reissued Bond Blu-rays.

[Fotr]

Originally Posted by chip75

Some are region free and some are locked. If you go through the database you'd have a clearer picture of what's locked and what's not.

Thanks for your reply.

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by Agent Bond

The difference is Connery, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig cared about the source material and had passion for the character they portrayed. Well, Connery did until YOLT.

And the two guys, Lazenby and Moore, who didn't give a sh** about book Bond are regarded as the worst by a majority of 007 fans. Go figure.

We mustn't forget that the Bond films have always been separate from the books. I've read them all many, many times, but the films are different -- and that doesn't make them worthless. In other words, there are other criteria by which to judge the film, besides, "How closely does it adhere to Fleming's words on the page?" For the actor, his primary source material is the script.

Moonraker may take...ah..."liberties" with Fleming's novel, but it's also a skillfully made, if fantastical, little adventure movie -- highly watchable, with terrific sets and an incredible score. Moore isn't given much to do, but is that his fault? If he had gone to Cubby and said, "I'd like to get closer to Fleming's novel," do you think we'd have a gritty, earth-bound version? I think not.

If that were the case, could we blame Brosnan for the dire second half of Die Another Day?

Connery, whom Fleming initially regarded as "that great snorting lorry driver", hardly comes across as the refined, English secret agent right out of the gate. He's tougher, and he's thrown fewer gags, but does that make him more right for the part than Moore, who's obviously more refined and more English?

And as much as I approve of Daniel Craig, Skyfall isn't exactly "by the book" in its depiction of Bond. I can provide examples if you wish.

Look, Moore has always been my go-to "least favourite Bond". Always. But there are still things about him and his movies that are enjoyable and, yes, true to the spirit of Fleming's creation. Based on your avatar and your name, I take it that you're rather zealous about the issue, and I'm not about to get into an all-out pissing contest, but I am also a "serious Bond fan", and I can say with confidence that it is an error in judgment to dismiss all but one of Moore's films by saying something like, "All that's missing is a laugh track."

And the only way you can say something like "the majority of Bond fans regard Moore as the worst" is by being very selective in your sampling; there are plenty of Bond fans who are very fond of Roger Moore.

[KrugStillo]

There are some interesting debates going on about favorite Bonds. I've always preferred the campier Bond films over the serious ones but then again I like them all for one reason or another. I will admit that my least favorite Bond movies are the Brosnan ones. I was born in the 70's so I grew up with the Moore Bond flicks. Growing up I was just drawn to them for their lavishness and I'm not sure if I ever really watched one from beginning to end until A View To A Kill, which is entertaining but defintely a lesser Bond flick. I am starting to have a real appreciation for Connery's Bond now as I get older. It's comical but more refined plus I love the style of the 60's movies. Craig is pretty awesome as Bond and I can't wait to see Skyfall but it's so modern now. It's all about chaotic camera work and Bourne Identity style action. I like those things but I sometimes wish we could get a Moonraker or an Octopussy again where Bond isn't so serious and the filmmakers are allowed to have fun with the character. I guess I'll always be a bigger 60's, 70's and early 80's Bond fan but I do love them all. I never read the books either so I am just judging my Bond's by the cinema that was created.

[BluChris]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Not sure if anyone cares, but the Target exclusive Bond blu rays are going for 8 bucks right now.

Beat me to it! My Target also finally got more copies of "A View to a Kill," so I was at last able to complete the Target Exclusive portion of my collection. The $8 price was a nice bonus!

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Fotr

Thanks for your reply.

You're welcome. Reading my quote in your post I sound quite abrupt, that wasn't my intention but looking through the Bonds with the search engine is the best way to go if you want to find about region coding. Our UK set is much simpler they're all region ABC apart from Quantum of Solace which is B locked, but they don't all have the original soundtracks.