Our staff decided to group together and come up with a list of the best films in the 007, James Bond franchise. With Spectre rolling out this weekend, we decided to republish the article. Let us know which is your favourite, and be sure to check out our review of Spectre here. #1: From Russia With …
When naming the best and most influential actors who have portrayed James Bond, one might expect George Lazenby to pop up at the end of the list. After all, he only starred in a single film as the famous spy. However, Lazenby’s one entry, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), is now recognized as one …
Skyfall Directed by Sam Mendes Written by John Logan, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade U.K./U.S.A., 2012 *Those sensitive to spoilers should be wary with the following article. Certain key story elements are revealed. Time and time again the legendary James Bond film franchise has learned to adapt and survive. Survival of the fittest, if you …
Casino Royale Directed by Martin Campbell Written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade & Paul Haggis United Kingdom, USA, Czech Republic, and Germany, 2006 For reasons that escape me consciously, I’ve never been caught up in the James Bond phenomenon. I understand why the series holds such an allure to so many people—fast cars, beautiful …
Never Say Never Again Directed by Irvin Kershner Written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. United Kingdom, 1983 Never Say Never Again is, in many ways, the red-headed stepchild of the Bond family. Made by a different set of producers than the other 23 Bond films that had been made previously, the movie cannot be found on …
Dialogue can make or break a film. However beautifully photographed the picture might be, however stimulating, thought-provoking or thrilling the story is, however captivating the score, if what the characters say is poorly conceived, that movie is operating on a significant handicap. The Roger Moore tenure in the 007 film franchise is indeed often criticized …
Die Another Day Directed by Lee Tamahori Written by Neal Purvis (story) & Robert Wade 2002, UK The end of Die Another Day’s first act provides a set up to what could potentially have been one of the most freshly original Bond installments, an opportunity to explore deliciously dark corners of the iconic spy’s psyche. …
“There’s no point in living if you can’t feel alive”, Shirley Manson’s eerie and unmistakable voice sings in the melodic title tune to the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough. If you can get past the ridiculous concept of Denise Richards playing Dr. Christmas Jones, a nuclear physicist, The World Is Not Enough is a wonderfully entertaining addition to the Bond film series.
Tomorrow Never Dies Directed by Roger Spottiswoode Screenplay by Bruce Feirstein 1997, USA Goldeneye may have been the first Bond made in the ’90s, but Tomorrow Never Dies is the first ’90s Bond. Finally liberated from the remnants of the Cold War, the Bond era entered the global media age where moguls are the madmen …
Goldeneye Directed by Martin Campbell Written by Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirsein UK / USA The Essence of Bond has been shaped and re-shaped constantly over its 50-year run and that has been due to its mostly successful ability to plug into popular zeitgeist and meld that aesthetic with what makes Bond, well, Bond: Q …
Licence to Kill Directed by John Glen Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum UK, 1989 With the release of Skyfall this month, critics have cited the major departures from the Bond formula taken by that film. They credit Daniel Craig for bringing a modern edge to a character that had become ridiculous in the …
The Living Daylights Directed by John Glen Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson 1987, USA It wasn’t guaranteed that the Daniel Craig films would successfully reboot James Bond, in part because such a restart had already been tried before. After 1985’s A View To a Kill, in which age had begun to show …
A View To Kill Directed by John Glen Screenplay by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum 1985, USA As soon as Roger Moore took over the role of James Bond, the franchise quickly devolved into a state of ridiculousness that rendered the entire series beyond parody. A View To a Kill, Moore’s final film as …
Octopussy Directed by John Glen Written by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, and Michael G. Wilson United Kingdom, 1983 1983 presented a unique challenge for the Bond franchise. For the first time since Ursula Andress strolled out of the water, there were going to be two Bond films in theatres in the same year. As …
Following James Bond’s out of this world experience in the financially successful (665 million, adjusted for inflation) if artistically vapid Moonraker, the series’ sole producer, Albert Broccoli, thought it best to venture in a different direction, one that would feel slightly more grounded, all the while still playing on the strengths of his star: cool …
It is no secret that Roger Moore holds the record as the actor who played James Bond the most, his tally an impressing 7. There are a bevy of reasons why this was the case, the most obvious being that each one of his films were massive financial successes, the only bump in the road …
Casino Royale Directed by John Huston, Val Guest and co. Written by Wolf Mankowitz, John Law and co. U.S.A., 1967 With the mad success of the James Bond films as produced by partners Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and (Canadian) Harry Saltzman, which had run from 1962’s Dr. No to 1965 Thunderball, it was only natural for …
For Your Eyes Only Written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, based on Ian Fleming’s short stories “For Your Eyes only” and “Risico” Directed by John Glen UK, 1981, You probably have never heard this before, but my favourite James Bond film of all time, For Your Eyes Only, was the first 007 film …
Moonraker Directed by Lewis Gilbert Screenplay by Christopher Wood UK, 1979 Moonraker has the unique distinction of being the most absurd and over-the-top Bond film produced in 50 years of the series. Spy films exist in a genre unto themselves, but the Bond films sometimes like to crossover into other popular genres as well. The …
The Spy Who Loved Me Directed by Lewis Gilbert Screenplay by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum UK, 1977 There’s an undeniable lasting appeal to Bond. Lasting 50 years is certainly proof of that, but there’s something deeper. After all, one can point to Star Trek and Doctor Who as cultural icons that have stood the …
‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ is Bond at his most uncertain.
Live and Let Die Written by Tom Mankiewicz Directed by Guy Hamilton UK, 1973 1973’s Live and Let Die unleashed a new kind of Bond upon the world, a Bond whose bland propriety and vacuous quips would dominate the screen for another twelve years. Roger Moore, taking over for Sean Connery, the third different Bond …
