Ranking the Bond movies of the 80's

PaperbillPaperbill FloridaPosts: 810MI6 Agent
I must say the 80's were a bleak time for me as a Bond fan...here is how I would rank them.

FYEO
TLD
NSNA (ok hate me, but I loved Connery's return)
LTK
OP
VTAK
«1

Comments

  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,418Quartermasters
    TLD
    FYEO
    LTK
    OP
    AVTAK

    I have a bit of a soft spot for the Bond films of the 80s. I find them all rather enjoyable, even my least favourite - AVTAK. I left NSNA off this list because I really dislike it. At least the 5 EON films are all movies that I enjoy watching and re-watching.
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    The Living Daylights
    Octopussy
    For Your Eyes Only
    Licence to Kill
    A View To A Kill
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • Yourb Friend With A CatYourb Friend With A Cat Utrecht, NetherlandsPosts: 26MI6 Agent
    edited December 2011
    FYEO

    LTK

    OP

    TLD

    AVTAK

    i've always found it very hard to decide what the worst 80's bond is, AVTAK isnt the best ever mad but it sure has its good sides. a Super Villain, great opening scene, great actors (Christopher Walken kicks as as Zorin)
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I have to agree Goldrush007, I dislike NSNA. It's one of my least watched Bonds, infact I think I only ever watch bits of it when it's on TV. I even Prefer QOS over it, which is saying something for Me. :))

    LTK, love this Movie, Pitty Dalton didn't get to do More
    TLD, the PTS is still one of the Best, along with the Airplane sequences at the end.
    FYEO, Moore gives a great performance, slightly more serious than normal.
    OP, Great action sequences, and I enjoyed the villains plot.
    AVTAK, Hated by many, But I have a soft spot for it. I think Christopher Walken made a great Villain.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,238MI6 Agent
    AVTAK. I loved it unreservedly at the time and still love it, great villains, Moore not too OTT with his oiliness, Macnee is great, a cool, classy film that is not too overcooked, plus the vile villainy (machine gunning his co-workers) is part of the Rambo era, it's a notch above. The pts is just fab, in many ways I prefer it to TWSLM and can live with Beach Boys bit.

    OP. Overcooked but lots of highlights, just a bit heavygoing. Decent cold war theme.

    TLD. No fun but okay for solo viewing, great pts and some dark stuff. Always interesting, but pig iron tunnel sort of loses me.

    FYEO. It should be better than it is, Moore is too old for his babes for the first time and no-mark villains, but it looks lush and it has something about it.

    LTK. I liked it more at the time, but in terms of repeat viewing, forget it. Actually bland, but still some silliness, the director doesn't have the chops. A B-movie.

    NSNA. Can be more watchable that LTK but you have the disappointment factor. Some set piece scenes work, but the action never kicks in and an air of anti-climax pervades. Connery on mute throughout.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • DanielCraig007DanielCraig007 Posts: 588MI6 Agent
    1. TLD 1987
    2. LTK 1989
    3. FYEO 1981
    4. OP 1983
    5. AVTAK 1985

    Daltons films and Moores films became worse as they went on. Dalton was a better Bond than Moore in the 80s.
    Moore was more believable in the 70s when he was younger. He said himself that he was getting too old for the role in the 80s.

    (Interesting fact: All these films were directed by John Glen)
  • hegottheboothegottheboot USAPosts: 327MI6 Agent
    1.TLD This is in my top 10 Bonds, maybe even top 5. Absolutely brilliant on every level. And it gets better with age.
    2.FYEO has lost some of it's charm for me, as it's easier to see how it's constructed to be built around the action scenes and really gives the actors very little to do. plus it is the introduction of Moore's terrible hair and aged look.
    3. AVTAK- This was my 2nd Bond film, so it's sentimental. But the score and Walken help to distract from the pitiful budget, commonplace settings and general lack of anything going on.
    4.LTK. This one has really grown on me. I've always felt Dalton made a great 007 and could have really gone to new heights. The release of the uncut version has really enhanced the film. hurt by the fact that the falling production budget forced them to shoot in Mexico, as the film constantly has a look of cheapness that places it with regular action films of the era.
    5.OP. Everything in this one just feels so old! The Indian setting feels forced, because writer Macdonald Frasier normally wrote throwback adventure tales that were usually set in India. The plot is nonsense. The villains have little reason to be doing anything, and Orlov is wasted. Why couldn't it just been about his mad scheme? That's where all of the interest of the film comes from! It can only be taken for what it is: Raiders of the Lost 007 and better than NSNA.
  • 7700777007 Posts: 502MI6 Agent
    1. FYEO
    2. OP
    3. NSNA
    4. LTK
    5. TLD
    6. aVtaK
  • IcePakIcePak Perth, Western AustraliaPosts: 170MI6 Agent
    1. For Your Eyes Only
    A solid plot, a return to a more serious tone without losing the tounge in cheek. Moore does look out of place next to the young girls though and the villains are weak.

    2. The Living Daylights
    Dalton works well as Bond, the pre-title sequence is great and John Barry's score is his best. Sure, the villains are weak, but the rest of the film makes up for this.

    3. Octopussy
    Perhaps it's a bit over the top at times, but this is what Moore does best, and it's not entirely silly, with an interesting cold war plot. It's well cast and has some great locations and action scenes.

    4. A View to a Kill
    Sure, it has some drab locations, Moore is getting too old to play the part, the second act falls flat, but Patrick McNee as Tibet and Christopher Walken as Zorin are great characters and the first act is great and the third okay. And John Barry's score is fantastic.

    5. Licence to Kill
    I wanted to like this film, and there are some great parts: Dalton as Bond is good, the Bond girls are great, a good actor reprises his role as Felix Leiter and the villain is interesting and even a little creepy, but overall the plot is weak and the violence is over the top. It's like they were trying to make it a big action movie in the vein of Lethal Weapon or some such film that was typical back then.

    6. Never Say Never Again
    I don't even consider this part of cannonical Bond. It's utterly terrible in every way; even the return of Connery doesn't save it.
    1. CR 2. OHMSS 3. GE 4. TLD 5. FRwL 6. TMWTGG 7. FYEO
    8. OP 9. TSWLM 10. SF 11. TND 12. LtK 13. NTtD 14. GF
    15. AVtaK 16. LaLD 17. TWiNE 18. MR 19. YOLT 20. DN 21. TB
    22. SP 23. DAD 24. QoS 25. DaF
  • DaleDale Posts: 12MI6 Agent
    The eighties was certainly an interesting chunk of the Bond series' history. It went from serious to OTT back to serious again and ultimately came to a violent end!

    1. License To Kill - this was not very Bondian in the sense that it was violent and not only that but had a down to earth, realistic villain who brought a gritty drug plot to the table. But I loved it for what it was. Robert Davi did an excellent job at convincing us he meant business. The Felix revenge storyline was engaging as was the nod to Bond being married once. Great opening and finale - the lorry stunts have to be among the best in the series. Q also had a decent amount of screen time which is always good! Dalton did play it too straight sometimes but this was a different Bond and I guess that is more accepted now looking back.

    2. For Your Eyes Only - Great movie. Moore at his best. He means business but not in a Dalton way. He can meander through being serious and raising the old eyebrow. The opening scene does let it down though and to an extent i think it pisses on the iconic creation that was Blofeld. Perhaps it was a self parody: "this is the 80's Blofled, campness will prevail"
    Again I liked the nod to Bond's past at the grave. Stunts, score, plot all fine here. The scene with Q and the Identigraph :)
    Solid entertainment.

    3. A View To A Kill - I've recently defended this one in another thread due to it having some brilliant moments. Chris Walken, the Gate Bridge scene, the score, the darker edge the series was beginning to take...

    4. The Living Daylights - I need to watch this one more often but it was always one which nothing in particular stood out. It took Bond back to basics though. It let us see his ruthless side (assasin) but also that he had a weakness for the ladies. The plot was also quite well structured. However there were no real memorable villains or action scenes. Apar from the opening and ending scenes which were brilliant.

    5. Octupussy - It was decent. The scenes were Bond is held in Khan's liar are full of tension and intrigue..the dinner table scene being one of the best. The train scenes were also good. The rest was silly really and a bit of a parody. However as usual John Barry never fails and this score is one of my favs. I just think the plot could have been handled better..good idea but not taken seriously enough.
  • DEFIANT 74205DEFIANT 74205 Perth, AustraliaPosts: 1,881MI6 Agent
    1. The Living Daylights
    It was refreshing to see Dalton bring back a serious side to Bond. I thought that film was the best of the 80s - very 'Bondian' in the sense that part of the plot was taken directly from Fleming's novel. That is always a big plus to me.

    2. For Your Eyes Only
    In my opinion, this was Moore's best Bond film. Solid plot, great villains.

    3. Licence to Kill
    Probably not very 'Bondian', but it was a very enjoyable film. Felix Leiter was superbly cast and well played.

    4. Octopussy

    5. A View to a Kill
    "Watch the birdie, you bastard!"
  • PPK 7.65mmPPK 7.65mm Saratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,227MI6 Agent
    1. The Living Daylights

    2. For Your Eyes Only

    3.Licence to kill

    4.Octop*ssy

    5. A view to a Kill
  • jeffchjeffch Posts: 163MI6 Agent
    I really like LTK, but it just often feels like a generic 80s action movie. I recently watched the commentary on the DVD and John Glen mention that the same composer who did the Lethal weapon movies also did the score for LTK. I could never really put my finger on it before, but I think thats one of the main reasons that gives it that generic 80s feel.

    "We gave her a nice honeymooooooooon" lol best line in the movie!
  • sivapcsivapc Posts: 8MI6 Agent
    1. The Living Daylights
    2. Octopussy
    3. License to Kill
    4. For your Eyes only
    5. A View to a Kill
  • Mrs.BryceMrs.Bryce Posts: 139MI6 Agent
    FYEO - It's just a great movie! I loved Rog a bit more serious, Melina is one of my favourite Bond girls, I like that parts of books are in it, and Rog isn't looking bad yet! The score is very retro, and the film isn't so serious I can't re-watch it over and over.

    TLD - I really like this as a refresher, don't get me wrong Roger is my favourite by far but it was nice to have a new, younger looking Bond. It has some good Bondian moments too, such as the PTS and end fight.

    AVTAK and OP - I can't seperate them, I don't even know why! I used to really like A View To A Kill when I was younger! I thought that Max Zorin was so cool with his glasses and blimps and what not! I too can forgive the Beach Boys moment, I actually really enjoy many scenes of AVTAK. And Octopussy I used to hate as a kid, but it's grown on me, after seeing it on TV not too long ago. Rog still is looking alright, and I enjoy all the action even if I don't underdtand the plot well! :)) AVTAK has one of my favourite soundtracks and I love many scenes from OP, particularly the PTS, the bomb scene and the Khamal Khan dinner scene!

    LTK - Which leaves LTK; I really liked it still, particularly the villians and despite her under par acting, I liked Talisa Sotto. Cary Lowell annoys me, and I don't even know why. I love a few scenes from here too. But it feels less Bond.
  • Kara_MilovyKara_Milovy South CarolinaPosts: 3MI6 Agent
    1. The Living Daylights
    2. A View To A Kill
    2. For Your Eyes Only
    4. License To Kill
    5. Octopussy

    I enjoy them all, though.
  • zaphodzaphod Posts: 1,183MI6 Agent
    Just watching FYEO on British TV. LMFAO at just how bad it is. Rubbish of this magnitude cannot be justified with the response ' it was the 80's ' Roger looks inept and creaky, the whole thing looks really cheap. The real clincher is the Bill Conti soundtrack. I thought I'd give it a try as I don't know it very well, and it's so often cited as RM's best. That for me is still LALD as this is awful.
  • Barry NelsonBarry Nelson ChicagoPosts: 1,508MI6 Agent
    LTK - The more I watch this film the more I like it, plus it has one of the best Bond girls of all-time Carey Lowell..
    TLD - Dalton's first go at Bond with a script originally intended for Roger Moore, still I find much to like.
    FYEO - Has some excellent elements, including the mountain climbing, if only they dumped Bibi and the hockey rink fight
    OP - Some gorgeous women, a decent villian, but telling a tiger to sit (sigh)
    AVTAK - James, James James, somebody please shut her up.
    NSNA - Blows!
  • DaltonFan1DaltonFan1 The West of IrelandPosts: 503MI6 Agent
    1) TLD
    2)LTK
    3)AVTAK (it's really not that bad)
    4)OP
    5)FYEO

    and NSNA doesn't really count.
    “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.” - Carl Jung
  • Mr.DMr.D Posts: 4MI6 Agent
    I loved the eighties, mainly because I am a huge Moore fan. I found Octopussy and For Your Eyes Only to be one of the best in the series

    Octopussy
    For Your Eyes Only
    The Living Daylights
    A View To A Kill
    Licence To Kill
    Never Say Never Again
  • Willard WhyteWillard Whyte Posts: 166MI6 Agent
    The 80's


    1...The Living Daylights.....Great score, good performance by Dalton. Love the bit he misses on purpose on the assasination.

    2...Octopussy...................Liked the Opening (a bit like FRWL) not bad film. Some good Nond moments like the auction, the dice game. Crap theme tune.

    3...Licence to Kill..............Too blood thirsty.

    4...From A View to a kill....Terrible Grace Jones awful, story crap, Walken even worse !

    5...FYEO..........................Worst Bond film of alltime, terrible score and wooden actors.
    I smell a rat
  • Agent007jamestAgent007jamest usaPosts: 163MI6 Agent
    edited June 2012
    1. Never Say Never Again (Its Connery enough said!)
    2. The Living Daylights (Someone tell Joe Don Baker that Moore is not Bond anymore! He will get another chance to make an ass out of himself soon enough!)
    3. License To Kill (Timothy Dalton is my 3rd favorite Bond and he gives another excellent performance)
    4. For Your Eyes Only (my fav Moore outing. Precredit sequence made the film to me! Goodbye Blofeld!)
    5. Octopussy (Best part of the film is the title! Moore in a clown costume was not a stretch)
    6. A View To A Kill (Who the hell was that old man cooking quiche! :s )
  • Oddjob25Oddjob25 Posts: 10MI6 Agent
    1. For Your Eyes Only (6th favorite Bond Film)

    2. The Living Daylights (10th favorite Bond Film)

    3. Never Say Never Again (14th favorite Bond Film)

    4. Octopussy (15th favorite Bond Film)

    5. A View to A Kill (18th favorite Bond Film)

    6. License to Kill (20th favorite Bond Film)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    1. Octopussy - not a great movie, but lots of flash, lots of colour, a decent hench-dude, lots of pretty women, basically a good over-the-top spy romp. It occupies the lowest rung on my acceptable Bond list.

    2. The Living Daylights- Decent enough plot, Dalton tries hard, but he's just too excitable for me.

    3. For Your Eyes Only- Stupid beginning, stupid end, and the middle isn't serious enough OR over-the-top enough.

    4. Never Say Never Again- Boring for the most part.

    5. A View to A Kill- Unnecessary.

    6. License to Kill- Offensive in so very many ways. Felix all jovial on the phone at the end being maybe the worst of it.

    The Eighties pretty much sucked for Bond, I'm afraid. :(
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • vanguardvanguard Posts: 42MI6 Agent
    FYEO - Great character acting from Julian Glover and Topol, solid chase action, a back to basics movie filled with both realism and fun.

    OP - One my personal favorite Cold War movies with fantastic stunts, tension, and great locations.

    TLD - Nice precredit sequence, that last Barry score, good use of Euro settings make up for the disappointing second act and coda in Afghanistan and Tangiers.

    NSNA - Barbara Carrera, Domination, that house in Monte Carlo with the funky steps some of the cool things about the disappointing NSNA.

    LTK - does not feel Bondian to me. More a generic American hero/cop film.
  • WadsyWadsy Auckland, New ZealandPosts: 410MI6 Agent
    edited November 2016
    [This message has been deleted at the request of the original poster]
    1. FYEO 2. OHMSS 3. LTK 4. FRWL 5. TLD 6. TSWLM 7. GF 8. AVTAK 9. MR 10. DN 11. SF 12. LALD 13. TB 14. OP 15. CR 16. GE 17. YOLT 18. TMWTGG 19. SP 20. TND 21. TWINE 22. QOS 23. NTTD 24. DAF 25. DAD 26. NSNA 27. CR '67

    1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Craig 5. Lazenby 6. Brosnan
  • FiremassFiremass AlaskaPosts: 1,910MI6 Agent
    chrisisall wrote:
    1. Octopussy - not a great movie, but lots of flash, lots of colour, a decent hench-dude, lots of pretty women, basically a good over-the-top spy romp. It occupies the lowest rung on my acceptable Bond list.

    2. The Living Daylights- Decent enough plot, Dalton tries hard, but he's just too excitable for me.

    3. For Your Eyes Only- Stupid beginning, stupid end, and the middle isn't serious enough OR over-the-top enough.

    4. Never Say Never Again- Boring for the most part.

    5. A View to A Kill- Unnecessary.

    6. License to Kill- Offensive in so very many ways. Felix all jovial on the phone at the end being maybe the worst of it.

    The Eighties pretty much sucked for Bond, I'm afraid. :(

    wait…what?!???!!
    My current 10 favorite:

    1. GE 2. MR 3. OP 4. TMWTGG 5. TSWLM 6. TND 7. TWINE 8.DN 9. GF 10. AVTAK
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    chrisisall wrote:

    2. The Living Daylights- Decent enough plot, Dalton tries hard, but he's just too excitable for me.
    6. License to Kill- Offensive in so very many ways. Felix all jovial on the phone at the end being maybe the worst of it.

    Evidence that he had taste and sense 11 days after signing up here.
    From then on he went downhill all the way :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Bondage007Bondage007 AustraliaPosts: 371MI6 Agent
    80's is perhaps my favourite decade.

    Great mix of all things Bond in these two, one more serious, and one sillier adventure
    1. TLD
    2. OP

    3. FYEO
    4. LTK - great movie but not really a Bond movie
    5. AVTAK - still enjoyable but feels cheap
    2019 Bondathon...in progress (6) FRWL (7) GE (8) FYEO (9) TND (10) MR (11) GF (12) LALD (13) DAF (14) LTK (15) TMWTGG (16) TB (17) TSWLM (18) DAD (19) AVTAK (20) YOLT (21) QOS (22) SF (23) TWINE (24) SP
  • DR NO-ahDR NO-ah AustraliaPosts: 104MI6 Agent
    This is my rankings as of now but I am just about to rewatch all of these films in order so I strongly suspect it will change as does my preferences overall do over time.

    1.TLD
    2.FYEO
    3.OP
    4.AVTAK
    5.LTK

    I enjoy all five of them really though and it is close between some of the numbers.
    "Mango, banana and tangerine. Sugar and ackee and cocoa bean!"
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