Tomorrow marks 60 years since the world premiere of the first James Bond film, Dr No. I wanted to write a post about the series, my favourite films and moments from it. I’ve been a big Bond fan most of my life. Over several years I collected all of the video tapes from trips to car boot sales and markets with my mum, slowly piecing them together to create a tapestry of the various Bonds. I ended up watching them in a random order, not that it really matters. Once I knew what my favourite moments were, I would then skip through most of the plot on re-watches and just get to the stunts and action.

As a child my favourite Bond was Pierce Brosnan, but he’s been replaced by Daniel Craig as those films got released, but I have my favourites from every era. For Sean Connery my favourite is either Goldfinger or Diamonds are Forever, but pretty much all of them are still entertaining. Definitely dated, especially Thunderball, but still enjoyable. I think he’s funny in the role, and there’s a good mix of action and silliness. The opening to Goldfinger with the brutal fight in the hotel room always stands out.

George Lazenby is an odd one, with only one film, I don’t think he had enough time in the role. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for me is a largely forgettable film, with some good chases, and over the top fights. The final tragic moment does make the film a lot better though, and I do think it’s a real shame that he didn’t stick around to do one more, to really drive home that emotional arc. With Connery taking back the role, the opening of Diamonds are Forever doesn’t really land right.

Moving on to Roger Moore, my least favourite Bond. I think he does a good job in the role, but his films are the weakest of the bunch. For Your Eyes Only is my least favourite of the entire series. A View to a Kill was always my favourite Moore entry, mainly due to the chase in Paris as his car is being destroyed. I prefer Moonraker now, because it’s just completely stupid. Bond in space with laser guns, and Jaws becoming a good guy. Still a really fun film. The other contender is Octopussy, which I think is a really fun film, especially the scenes in India towards the start.

When I was younger I never liked Timothy Dalton. I think it’s because the opening to Licence to Kill is so dark, with Felix being lowered into the water by the bad guys and being bitten by a shark. It’s such a stark contrast to the pre-credits opening where they’re parachuting into Felix’s wedding. I much prefer The Living Daylights, as I think it’s just a more entertaining film. Getting away from the bad guys while using a cello case as a sledge is one of my favourite moments ever.

Goldeneye is my favourite Bond film of them all, and it’ll take quite a lot to top that one. The opening is the strongest of the series, Brosnan is the perfect mix of deadly and charm, and it’s incredibly memorable. I’ve watched this so many times, I couldn’t even begin to count. I do think it’s a real shame that Brosnan’s later films are such a dip in quality because I think he could have made a couple more.

Then came Casino Royale, which was the first I saw in a cinema. If you ignore the mess of Quantum of Solace, then Craig has the best run of Bond films. Royale is my favourite of his films. It’s a lot darker than what’s come before with more brutal violence and torture scenes. This is my second favourite film in the series, and I could watch it any time.

Looking forward I hope we get someone completely unknown for the new Bond. Hopefully a little younger than when Craig started so we can stay away from plots that feature him being too old, at least for a little while. I hope it keeps the silliness and doesn’t just go even darker. I would also like to see them get help from other agencies around the world, like they used to. Whatever happens, I’ll be here for it.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley