I'm about to re-watch the whole series, and thought it might be fun to do a film-by-film thread. One film a week. The official series (obviously) are in, as is Never Say Never Again. The 1967 Casino Royale is out (I really don't ever want to see it again). Who's joining?
Not sure I can invest the time to re-watch each movie, but I'll chime in from time to time concerning the movies I am familiar with.
I re-watched the entire series recently. It's interesting how my view about certain movies has changed.
I tried to watch a James Bond movie everyday in chronological order several years ago. It's actually an interesting progression, not just the lead role, but the style of the times changing between films, the direction. I started with Dr. No and I got up to Tomorrow Never Dies.
I'm in but I'd like to give my two cents on the '67 Casino Royale. It works best when Peter Sellers is on screen (and also, stays reasonably close to Ian Fleming's novel) although Woody Allen also helps a bit. Okay, it heads straight into slapstick anarchy at the end but it does have a Burt Bacharach score and a little song by Dusty Springfield called "The Look of Love".
Dr. No Sean Connery really defined Bond in this film. Personally favorite scenes, casino "Bond,James Bond",beach scene Ursula, & pretending to sleep then killing assassin. Also like Maurice Binder's opening title design,music Barry/Norman. Rating 7/10.
Love the scene in Dr. No where Bond kills the intruder in cold blood. "That's a Smith & Wesson, and you've had your six."
Dr No was a cool villain. Unflappable in the face of Bond’s goading for a reaction. And this movie really let Connery define the character for all time.
Dr No is a pretty stout opener for the franchise. Connery really nails it right out of the box and establishes the character very well. and Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder is great as the first Bond girl. other than that, there's not a lot that stands out for me except those creepy "hands" of Dr No.
Dr. No really established the template. And Ken Adam's (who went on to work on Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice, amongst other iconic films) set design nearly steals the show: The fantastic production designs of Ken Adam The only part I cringe at is people thinking that car was a dragon.
I watched that first Casino Royale only the once, around 2005... Must have downloaded it and burned it on a DVD-R. Not sure I have the 50 minutes available to watch it again, although Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre is a nice bit of casting. Tried to watch Dr No last night, but (gasp) was so exhausted I fell asleep before they got to Crab Key... one moment Bond was with Miss Taro, the next he was breathing through a straw with Honey and Quarrel. Will go back to Miss Taro's tonight, and pick up from there. Dr No was the second Bond film I saw (the first being Never Say Never Again in what must've been '90), but the first official one. I was 12, it was '91, and Dutch tv were showing one Bond film per month from Dr No until Diamonds Are Forever. I taped it, the start of my Bond collection (after taped from tv, I went to buying them on tape, then DVD, then DVD again (new extra's), and now Blu-Ray. Since then I must have seen the film at least 20 times. I can dream it, and yet every time I watch it I'll see of think something new. Yesterday this was how this Felix Leiter might be even cooler than Bond himself (at least until the Geiger counter arrives). After fighting Quarrel and Pussfeller, "Gently, let's not get excited"... In fact, film is full of memorable introductions... there's Bond himself, Leiter, but also Sylvia Trench, Honey, Dr No... I didn't get to this bit yesterday, but of course the film has a few problems... the dragon.. really? Also, Professor Dent is a bit too nervous to be intimidating. And after Bond was beaten up at the dinner table, it gets a bit silly... the escape through the tunnel and the obstacles Bond comes across? Still, that first time I saw it I was hooked on the series, and I can watch this one over and over again.
If you read the novels, it's explained that Bond wears earmuffs only when listening to the stereo versions of the Beatles' early albums. He's just a mono purist, that's all!