Definitely Thunderball. I would consistently rank it near the bottom five, only ahead of Brosnan's last three films, Diamonds Are Forever and Quantum Of Solace. I used to hate it for reasons such as the fact that this film was where all the ridiculous camp started building up, it felt like a rip off of Dr No (with the deep sea adventures) and because it took so long before the major plot actually began. I never minded the underwater scenes to be honest, in any of the Bond films. It was those reasons that kept me away for many years.
I saw it again a few times recently and I honestly enjoyed it heaps. It's not in my top ten but I enjoy the girls, the casino scene, the main villain and the score (oh god the score was terrific). For me, the only thing I dislike about the film now is the final climax onboard the disco valante. Very fake, and weak in comparison to From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. Other than that, I would give it an 8/10.
Overall, I think Tomorrow Never Dies is probably my biggest grower. It always used to be my least favourite Pierce Brosnan film, but in the last few years I have become a much bigger fan of the film. I never used to like the Wai Lin character (I have a general disinterest in anything related to martial arts) but I have begun to appreciate her in the last few years. I like all the locations, I've always loved the score and I have also always been a fan of Elliot Carver. My complaints remain the same (particularly that as soon as Bond does the HALO jump my interest in the film drops off significantly,) but I have enjoyed the latter half of the film on recent rewatchings. I still maintain that the climax relies too much on chaotic machine gunning and rocket firing but it ends well. So it is hard to say which I prefer between TWINE (which I have always been a fan of) and TND (which I have become more of a fan of.) The only thing that is certain is that I like them both far more than DAD!
A more extreme example of a film growing on me is LALD. On first viewing I didn't care for it at all, on second viewing I loved it. But that was just a strange anomaly, where I was in the mood for a different type of Bond film the first time I saw it. The unusual style and low-key feel of the film caught me off guard on first viewing.
Its interesting to see how many people have mentioned both TND's and QOS. I know QOS has been moving up in the pecking order particularly since SP. TND's is another film that around ten years ago I remember not many people seemed very vocal about their love for it, but in the last few years there's seemed to be a massive resurgence of people who love it.
TND's is another film that around ten years ago I remember not many people seemed very vocal about their love for it, but in the last few years there's seemed to be a massive resurgence of people who love it.
Ohmss is mine, having grown up on diet of sc and rm bonds on TV I always avoided ohmss, in fact having only seen it a couple of times in my life up to maybe my mid thirties I read the book again and gave it a watch one boxing day, loved it and it's now an annual watch along with most the other films. It recreates the book well and has some great moments, telly savalas also rates highly as Blofeld.
Overall, I think Tomorrow Never Dies is probably my biggest grower. It always used to be my least favourite Pierce Brosnan film, but in the last few years I have become a much bigger fan of the film. I never used to like the Wai Lin character (I have a general disinterest in anything related to martial arts) but I have begun to appreciate her in the last few years. I like all the locations, I've always loved the score and I have also always been a fan of Elliot Carver. My complaints remain the same (particularly that as soon as Bond does the HALO jump my interest in the film drops off significantly,) but I have enjoyed the latter half of the film on recent rewatchings. I still maintain that the climax relies too much on chaotic machine gunning and rocket firing but it ends well. So it is hard to say which I prefer between TWINE (which I have always been a fan of) and TND (which I have become more of a fan of.) The only thing that is certain is that I like them both far more than DAD!
A more extreme example of a film growing on me is LALD. On first viewing I didn't care for it at all, on second viewing I loved it. But that was just a strange anomaly, where I was in the mood for a different type of Bond film the first time I saw it. The unusual style and low-key feel of the film caught me off guard on first viewing.
TND for me as well. It was my least favorite Pierce until DAD. But now I find it even more enjoyable than GE in some ways. It's fast paced, tight and takes me back to that era. Pierce was excellent as well.
TND's is another film that around ten years ago I remember not many people seemed very vocal about their love for it, but in the last few years there's seemed to be a massive resurgence of people who love it.
TND's is another film that around ten years ago I remember not many people seemed very vocal about their love for it, but in the last few years there's seemed to be a massive resurgence of people who love it.
It would be one of the Moore era films, which I have grown to accept and like more as I have gotten older. Probably either Golden Gun or Octopussy. For many years TSWLM AND LALD were the only Moore films I truly liked.
Post Bourne, its take on the world seems more viable as it seems to be more about Bond and his inner conflict rather than the lacklustre villains, much like a Bourne movie. Slightly similar locations too (Tangier and rooftop chase).
Post Bourne, its take on the world seems more viable as it seems to be more about Bond and his inner conflict rather than the lacklustre villains, much like a Bourne movie. Slightly similar locations too (Tangier and rooftop chase).
The conflicts and complexities between the characters adds greatly to my admiration for the film. Along with some of the classy elements (classical music, Aston Martin, Vienna etc.) and the geo-political aspects which are largely still relevant today (different guises).
superadoRegent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,652MI6 Agent
For me, CR has grown on me the most. I wasn't happy with the casting of DC though I did dutifully go to the theater that holiday season. However, it is just so watchable and I marvel at the little things that will still surprise me from time to time.
A 2nd tier of movies that grew on me after I had earlier panned them were LALD, TMWTGG and DAF.
A 3rd tier is of movies that I thought were nice but "just" OK were FRWL and DN. When I was a kid, they seemed a bit pale compared to the "cool" Bond, Connery's fantastic GF and YOLT.
At first I considered OHMSS but concluded it didn't count because I already prejudged it for not being a Connery movie before I had even watched it in its entirety. However, after watching it in full on video during the 80's (I didn't count the butchered ABC edited version because I only watched a few minutes of it and found it boring and confusing, esp. to a kid) I liked it instantly.
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
A 3rd tier is of movies that I thought were nice but "just" OK were FRWL and DN. When I was a kid, they seemed a bit pale compared to the "cool" Bond, Connery's fantastic GF and YOLT.
FRWL in the same respect for me, although I've always enjoyed DN...
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
I'm another who grew a love for The Living Daylights. As a kid I found it incredibly dull, couldn't stand Kara and always found myself comparing it to Licence to Kill. It's tough to beat sharks and an exploding head when you're young... I watched it for the first time in a long while a few years ago and fell in love with it. Along with FRWL it is probably one of the most Cold War related films. Though I love some of the more fantastical Bond plots I grew to appreciate TLD's firmer place in reality. It is also a great showcase for what could have been for Dalton's Bond and whilst I grew up loving Moore's quips, Dalton's harsher moments now make him stand out to me far more.
TLD is undoubtedly the film that has grown on me most, although there are others I used to dislike but am now more fond of. FRWL, FYEO and Octopussy never used to quite hit the mark for me. For FYEO and OP it was in part due to Moore's age. I could just never get past it yet he seemed to look much better in AVTAK! I don't know whether he doesn't look as old I used to think he did or I just don't notice as much now.
The films I loved and loathed have certainly changed round a fair bit compared to when I was younger so it would be interesting if in another ten or fifteen years they will again.
Just watched Moonraker for the first time in ages. Was my least favorite Bond film ever since I can remember but upon re-watching I found it quite enjoyable. The final act up in space I still find pretty awful, but more because it's a drag than because it's cheesy or whatever. Rest of the film is really fun, has a lot of great locations, is beautifully shot, etc. Moore is at the top of his game for the most part. And lest we forget, the PTS is one of the best of the series.
QoS. I hated it in the cinema because it was a completely different film to the wonderful CR and expectations were high. But upon a second viewing, I came to appreciate it more thanks to Craig's great performance and Arnold's fantastic score. I still don't rate it too highly though.
The first were a number of years ago and they were both of Dalton's movies.
Octopussy is another one. The whole circus thing threw me off. But now it is one of my top favorite Roger Moore films.
Moonraker is just obscure fun. It might lose a bit in the space fight, but other than that it is excellent to watch now.
Casino Royale: This one took some time for me! I think the drastic change from Brosnan to Craig was a big factor for me disliking this so much. But after a few times watching it, it did grow on me. Now it is one of my top three overall.
Quantum of Solace is like that too, but is still a work in progress at this time.
1, GE 2, CR 3, SF 4, TWINE 5, Spectre 6, TMWTGG 7, DAD 8, LALD 9, AVTAK 10, LTK 11, Octopussy 12, Moonraker 13, TLD 14, GF 15, QOS 16, Tomorrow 17, FYEO 18. TSWLM Not seen much: Dr. No, Russia, Thunderball, Twice, Majesty.
1: Brosnan 2: Craig 3: Moore 4: Dalton 5: Connery and 6: Lazenby
Moonraker, It used to be one of my least favorites now it's my top guilty pleasure Bond. Not my favorite but it just gets better with every viewing. It's so much fun.
"No for me."
"You forgot the first rule of Mass Media Elliot! Give the people what they want!!!"
"I never miss..."
"Time to face gravity!"
Moonraker, It used to be one of my least favorites now it's my top guilty pleasure Bond. Not my favorite but it just gets better with every viewing. It's so much fun.
I agree with this. The only difference being that MR hasn't grown on me because I have always loved it. Along with LALD it was my favourite as a kid and to be honest all these years later they are still Bond films I really enjoy. I admit it I am still a big kid at heart )
Licence to Kill for me. I used to find it a bit of a chore to watch, and now I think it's a cracker! Also A View to a Kill has grown on me a lot too. For a while I had it as the second worst in the series. I still think it's in the bottom 7 but I greatly enjoy it now -{ -{
FRWL for me. I always quietly appreciated it, but never really watched it when younger. It is one of the ones that I think will continually move up the rankings as I mature
Moonraker and Tomorrow never Dies for me. Especially Moonraker took me a while to appreciate. TND was always very generic for me, but now enjoy a lot more, especially the soundtrack which is Barry-esque.
Spectre and Thunderball have grown on me. Spectre grew on me as a fun, don't think about it Bond film, whilst Thunderball won me over due to the locations and the classic feel of it.
Thunderball. I used to hate the film due to it's campiness and dragging underwater scenes. I also felt that it was trying to rip off Dr No in terms of locations and the feel. Now, while I do not love it, find it an entertaining watch.
Licence to Kill for me. I used to find it a bit of a chore to watch, and now I think it's a cracker! Also A View to a Kill has grown on me a lot too. For a while I had it as the second worst in the series. I still think it's in the bottom 7 but I greatly enjoy it now -{ -{
QOS. Thought it was horrible, then bought it to complete my collection of films. Was idly looking for a film to watch, popped it in and wow. I actually like it now. )
Comments
I saw it again a few times recently and I honestly enjoyed it heaps. It's not in my top ten but I enjoy the girls, the casino scene, the main villain and the score (oh god the score was terrific). For me, the only thing I dislike about the film now is the final climax onboard the disco valante. Very fake, and weak in comparison to From Russia With Love and Goldfinger. Other than that, I would give it an 8/10.
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Craig 5. Lazenby 6. Brosnan
A more extreme example of a film growing on me is LALD. On first viewing I didn't care for it at all, on second viewing I loved it. But that was just a strange anomaly, where I was in the mood for a different type of Bond film the first time I saw it. The unusual style and low-key feel of the film caught me off guard on first viewing.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
TND for me as well. It was my least favorite Pierce until DAD. But now I find it even more enjoyable than GE in some ways. It's fast paced, tight and takes me back to that era. Pierce was excellent as well.
Were you guys not Bond fans before 1997?
Post Bourne, its take on the world seems more viable as it seems to be more about Bond and his inner conflict rather than the lacklustre villains, much like a Bourne movie. Slightly similar locations too (Tangier and rooftop chase).
Roger Moore 1927-2017
The conflicts and complexities between the characters adds greatly to my admiration for the film. Along with some of the classy elements (classical music, Aston Martin, Vienna etc.) and the geo-political aspects which are largely still relevant today (different guises).
"Better make that two."
A 2nd tier of movies that grew on me after I had earlier panned them were LALD, TMWTGG and DAF.
A 3rd tier is of movies that I thought were nice but "just" OK were FRWL and DN. When I was a kid, they seemed a bit pale compared to the "cool" Bond, Connery's fantastic GF and YOLT.
At first I considered OHMSS but concluded it didn't count because I already prejudged it for not being a Connery movie before I had even watched it in its entirety. However, after watching it in full on video during the 80's (I didn't count the butchered ABC edited version because I only watched a few minutes of it and found it boring and confusing, esp. to a kid) I liked it instantly.
FRWL in the same respect for me, although I've always enjoyed DN...
"Better make that two."
TLD is undoubtedly the film that has grown on me most, although there are others I used to dislike but am now more fond of. FRWL, FYEO and Octopussy never used to quite hit the mark for me. For FYEO and OP it was in part due to Moore's age. I could just never get past it yet he seemed to look much better in AVTAK! I don't know whether he doesn't look as old I used to think he did or I just don't notice as much now.
The films I loved and loathed have certainly changed round a fair bit compared to when I was younger so it would be interesting if in another ten or fifteen years they will again.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wish-i-was-at-disneyland/id1202780413?mt=2
8. TSWLM 9. TMwtGG 10. AVtaK 11. SF 12. TND 13. LtK 14. NTtD
15. MR 16. LaLD 17. YOLT 18. GF 19. DN 20. SP 21. TWiNE
22. TB 23. DAD 24. QoS 25. DaF
The first were a number of years ago and they were both of Dalton's movies.
Octopussy is another one. The whole circus thing threw me off. But now it is one of my top favorite Roger Moore films.
Moonraker is just obscure fun. It might lose a bit in the space fight, but other than that it is excellent to watch now.
Casino Royale: This one took some time for me! I think the drastic change from Brosnan to Craig was a big factor for me disliking this so much. But after a few times watching it, it did grow on me. Now it is one of my top three overall.
Quantum of Solace is like that too, but is still a work in progress at this time.
1: Brosnan 2: Craig 3: Moore 4: Dalton 5: Connery and 6: Lazenby
"You forgot the first rule of Mass Media Elliot! Give the people what they want!!!"
"I never miss..."
"Time to face gravity!"
I agree with this. The only difference being that MR hasn't grown on me because I have always loved it. Along with LALD it was my favourite as a kid and to be honest all these years later they are still Bond films I really enjoy. I admit it I am still a big kid at heart
Bond: “I must be dreaming.”
"Better make that two."
1. Connery 2. Craig 3. Brosnan 4. Dalton 5. Lazenby 6. Moore
1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Craig 5. Lazenby 6. Brosnan
I'm glad you wrote this, now I don't have too
I agree with you.