Very very very few fans ever pick Brosnan as their favorite. At this point the only Bond with less fans than Brosnan would be Lazenby.
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I blind-bought the Timothy Dalton Bond films...
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Very very very few fans ever pick Brosnan as their favorite. At this point the only Bond with less fans than Brosnan would be Lazenby.
Messofanego
Banned
I never liked Bond films but when either of these films came on TV, I was surprised at how dark and interesting they were. This thread makes me want to give them a proper watch, thanks.
I think for me it remains:
1. Sean Connery - Not the best actor to play the role, but he made it iconic and is by far the most charismatic actor to ever play Bond. And, until Craig, he was the only actor who was authentic and believable in the physical aspects of Bond.
2. Daniel Craig - Like Timothy Dalton, Craig in his first 2 films hews very close to literary Bond, complete with all the self-medicating, self-loathing and brutality the character deals in. Interchangeable with Timothy Dalton. I put him above Dalton because Craig was fortunate to get the best film in the series.
3. Timothy Dalton - Fleming's Bond brought to life. Brought authenticity, credibility and humanity to Bond, and my god, Dalton could sell a scene with nothing more than his eyes. A magnetic performer. Interchangeable with Daniel Craig.
*big chasm of a gap*
4. George Lazenby - He only got one kick at the can and was something of a Connery-lite, but I always liked his humor and he looked the part.
5. Roger Moore - Your grandfather's Bond. Despite hating most of his Bond movies, it was never because of Moore. His charm and comedic sensibilities could sell even the worst lines or absurd plots.
6. Pierce Brosnan - I know it's not a common or popular opinion, but I felt that Brosnan always tried to combine the best elements of Connery ad Moore without bringing anything original to the role. A jack of all trades is a master of none and all that.
1. Sean Connery - Not the best actor to play the role, but he made it iconic and is by far the most charismatic actor to ever play Bond. And, until Craig, he was the only actor who was authentic and believable in the physical aspects of Bond.
2. Daniel Craig - Like Timothy Dalton, Craig in his first 2 films hews very close to literary Bond, complete with all the self-medicating, self-loathing and brutality the character deals in. Interchangeable with Timothy Dalton. I put him above Dalton because Craig was fortunate to get the best film in the series.
3. Timothy Dalton - Fleming's Bond brought to life. Brought authenticity, credibility and humanity to Bond, and my god, Dalton could sell a scene with nothing more than his eyes. A magnetic performer. Interchangeable with Daniel Craig.
*big chasm of a gap*
4. George Lazenby - He only got one kick at the can and was something of a Connery-lite, but I always liked his humor and he looked the part.
5. Roger Moore - Your grandfather's Bond. Despite hating most of his Bond movies, it was never because of Moore. His charm and comedic sensibilities could sell even the worst lines or absurd plots.
6. Pierce Brosnan - I know it's not a common or popular opinion, but I felt that Brosnan always tried to combine the best elements of Connery ad Moore without bringing anything original to the role. A jack of all trades is a master of none and all that.
That scene is probably my favorite of the Living Daylights movie :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlZyeel-n9w
Don't watch if you don't wanna get spoiled.
Dalton is so good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlZyeel-n9w
Don't watch if you don't wanna get spoiled.
Dalton is so good.
Violence Jack
Member
Dalton is my favorite Bond after Connery. Shame he couldn't do more.
Fourth Storm
Member
Amazing how opinion seems to be turning around on this. I remember catching some of License to Kill on television and really enjoying the realistic late 80s feel of the flick.
DVD too
First and foremost. Timothy Dalton is the best Bond out there. Secondly, The Living Daylights is the best Bond movie. And License to Kill is up there as well, even though it's a bit different, grittier and edgier.
You are welcome in the James Bond OT as well.
You are welcome in the James Bond OT as well.
-shadow-
Member
I really like License to Kill, not that big a fan of Living Day Lights. I think my problem is that Living Day Light seemed to play it rather safe and a couple of moments were Moore levels of corny. Passing the border on the cello case is the moment I always just go grab some popcorn and a drink. I did like Dalton in the film, but some moments in the film really screamed Moore Bond to me. I'm fine with the Moore films, but those moments really feel misplaced in the films after him.
License to Kill I can understand why people might hate it, but personally it's my favorite Bond flick from before the reboot. It did do something that the others hadn't really done to that point and the fact that Bond lost all his cool and did whatever he needed to do to get back for Felix was great. Plus the way Dalton clearly is loosing all his cool when he's talking to his boss is great, you clearly see him go from one emotion to the next.
Sure the movie still has a couple of ridiculous moment like the opening wedding/chopper moment and the bar fight, but it didn't go so far where it's just stupid. Plus I really like Sanchez. Such a simple villain, but very effective with how Robert Davi portrayed him.
Both fine flicks, I just prefer one far above the other.
You're linking to this very topic
License to Kill I can understand why people might hate it, but personally it's my favorite Bond flick from before the reboot. It did do something that the others hadn't really done to that point and the fact that Bond lost all his cool and did whatever he needed to do to get back for Felix was great. Plus the way Dalton clearly is loosing all his cool when he's talking to his boss is great, you clearly see him go from one emotion to the next.
Sure the movie still has a couple of ridiculous moment like the opening wedding/chopper moment and the bar fight, but it didn't go so far where it's just stupid. Plus I really like Sanchez. Such a simple villain, but very effective with how Robert Davi portrayed him.
Both fine flicks, I just prefer one far above the other.
You're linking to this very topic
Oh duh. Here's the James Bond OT.
My man
Bobby Roberts
Banned
-shadow-
Member
I still don't get how they thought this delivery was good. It's so weird, but I absolutely love it.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Pure Del Toro. The first real glimpse at the man.
I love him holding up the finger at the very end like "hey now"
I love him holding up the finger at the very end like "hey now"
Yeah, I feel the Dalton outings were pretty underrated up until recently. Although, I can understand how the transition from Moore to Dalton would be very jarring for people at the time, perhaps the world just wasn't ready for it yet.
Dalton is easily one of the top 3 Bonds for me, would have been cool to see him do more.
Dalton is easily one of the top 3 Bonds for me, would have been cool to see him do more.
soundscream
Member
The one major gripe I have with The Living Daylights is the opening scene. They should have done it at night. Why were they wearing black in the middle of the day?
Kabuki Quantum Lover
Member
I thought I was the only one who like the Dalton Bond movies...
oh for fucksake op
what have you done
fucking hell
you've only gone and bought the two best films in the entire Bond series
goddamnit bro
because they were secret agents and shit
what have you done
fucking hell
you've only gone and bought the two best films in the entire Bond series
goddamnit bro
because they were secret agents and shit
Way, way, way better. The legal issues causing the endless delays and thus Dalton walking away from the role remains the worst thing to happen to this franchise.
JeTmAn81
Member
I always thought The Living Daylights was pretty cool. Just some nice action setpieces and good characters (cello lady). However, I never really sat down and watched License to Kill. It just didn't seem that interesting. It was set in America, Robert Davi played a non-comic villain...dunno man.
I feel like people like Brosnan as a Bond but hate most of the films he happened to star in for other reasons (namely, being shit, Goldeneye excepted).
MisterFalcon
Member
Dalton's the best actor to every play Bond.
He may not have been the best Bond but he's capable of an immense variety of roles, I've seen him as a Nazi, a redneck sherrif, supervillain, Victorian gentleman
and he's crushed it every time.
He may not have been the best Bond but he's capable of an immense variety of roles, I've seen him as a Nazi, a redneck sherrif, supervillain, Victorian gentleman
asshole
jetpacks was yes
Member
Living Daylights is so good. Was able to see it at MoMa a couple of years ago when they had their big 50th anniversary screening of all of the Bond movies, and it was even more enjoyable with a big crowd. License to Kill was a bit off the mark for me, more of a typical 80s action movie. The soundtrack didn't help.
NoFaceNico
Member
I loved The Living Daylights, but don't like License to Kill. It's strange because most people are the other way around.
Dalton in Living Daylights is like a perfect blend of everything that made the previous three Bond actors great. I love the story, humor, casting, everything. It's also one of the last Bond films to be based on one of Flemming's short stories (at least the beginning is) until Casino Royale. The only thing that lets it down is a really stupid villain who's obsessed with miniature battlefields but thankfully he's not the only villain but it's only more confusing when the same actor comes back in the Brosnan era as a CIA ally named "Wade."
Also, pay attention to the hit man, especially in the beginning. I swear Agent 47 is based on him. He uses disguises to get past security, a choke wire, devices and objects in his environment, he's even caught while dumping a body in a box that looks exactly like what happens when you dump a body in Blood Money or Absolution.
Neither of Dalton's movies ever got a lot of respect when they were fresh but License to Kill has started to gain some support in recent years because people say it's edgy and is the best adaptation of what Bond's character from the original books was like. I don't agree with the "edgy" part, the movie is incredibly tame throughout. They say it's edgy because he resigns and "goes rogue" but he's still working for the greater good and even gets help from Q, so not much has changed there. It also doesn't feel like a Bond film because the movie couldn't be more of a feature length Miami Vice ripoff if it tried. 80's action movie cliches are everywhere and not in a good way, it really dates the film. I'd recommend watching it just because it's one of the strangest Bond films out there and it shows how quickly the Bond formula adapts to pop culture but otherwise the movie is regrettable.
Dalton in Living Daylights is like a perfect blend of everything that made the previous three Bond actors great. I love the story, humor, casting, everything. It's also one of the last Bond films to be based on one of Flemming's short stories (at least the beginning is) until Casino Royale. The only thing that lets it down is a really stupid villain who's obsessed with miniature battlefields but thankfully he's not the only villain but it's only more confusing when the same actor comes back in the Brosnan era as a CIA ally named "Wade."
Also, pay attention to the hit man, especially in the beginning. I swear Agent 47 is based on him. He uses disguises to get past security, a choke wire, devices and objects in his environment, he's even caught while dumping a body in a box that looks exactly like what happens when you dump a body in Blood Money or Absolution.
Neither of Dalton's movies ever got a lot of respect when they were fresh but License to Kill has started to gain some support in recent years because people say it's edgy and is the best adaptation of what Bond's character from the original books was like. I don't agree with the "edgy" part, the movie is incredibly tame throughout. They say it's edgy because he resigns and "goes rogue" but he's still working for the greater good and even gets help from Q, so not much has changed there. It also doesn't feel like a Bond film because the movie couldn't be more of a feature length Miami Vice ripoff if it tried. 80's action movie cliches are everywhere and not in a good way, it really dates the film. I'd recommend watching it just because it's one of the strangest Bond films out there and it shows how quickly the Bond formula adapts to pop culture but otherwise the movie is regrettable.
Both Dalton flicks would be my absolute favorites (Living Daylights more than License, which is just a little too 80s with the "going rogue" narco theme but still great) were it not for the fact that Goldeneye is my go to Bond (and yes, nostalgia and the N64 game does a lot of the heavy lifting, I won't deny it). A Dalton Goldeneye would have been incredible, but would have robbed Brosnan of his only good outing as the character.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
I don't know that people really say it's "edgy" but if they do it's likely less to do with his "going rogue" and more to do with the fact it got an R-rating and needed to be cut back. It's still the most straight up violent of all the Bond films.
NoFaceNico
Member
Are you sure? I would say people like Moore even less. Lazenby has a cult following because people imagine "what could have been" if he stayed with the series and his movie is a favorite to some.
I like all the Bond actors, each for different reasons, but Brosnan is my favorite. The only ones who are universally loved are Connery and Craig.
Also doesn't help that a long time characters fiancé is raped, and murdered, followed by his legs being mauled by sharks.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
That's part of the violence I'm talking about, yeah.
Anthony Zerbe's untimely end is probably the messiest death in any Bond.
Anthony Zerbe's untimely end is probably the messiest death in any Bond.
I remeber that Brosman was going to be the Bond for Living Daylight but he couldn't because he was making Remington Steele.
Anyway, Daylights is one of my Fave Bonds movie of all time (probably my fave), and License to Kill have Benicio del Toro.
Yeah, it's really fucking brutal at times. Felix's maiming, the assault on the Hong Kong agents, Krest's Cronenberg-esque death, Dario getting ground up (complete with chunks of him mixing in with the cocaine), Heller being straight up impaled on a forklift... there's a lot of crazy shit that goes on in that movie.
NoFaceNico
Member
IMDB says the movie was rated PG-13, but you're right to an extent because Living Daylights is rated PG. I disagree that it received a higher rating because of violence or gore, I'm pretty sure it was because of the heavy drug theme throughout. It's a typical 80's cocaine cowboy movie, again- watch it because it's so different from the rest it's interesting.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
It wasn't rated R initially for drugs. It was for violence. They trimmed the violence back and got a PG-13.
It even carried a 15 rating in the UK because they didn't cut it, and it was just for the violence. Drug stuff typically only will bumps things up if people are using them, which isn't the case in this film.
Both of Timothy's films are not only good Bond flicks, but also good movies too, and LTK is my 4th favorite 007 movie. Timothy was the fucking man.
Absolutely insane. Hard to believe the film was in the same continuity with the other movies sometimes!
KittenMaster
Member
Yeah. The movie literally features
a man being exploded in a pressure chamber with his blood splattering over glass
NoFaceNico
Member
The MPAA rating for License to Kill does specifically say "for action violence and drug content" but speaking of MPAA ratings it's interesting that this movie has very few sexual themes. It's another thing that separates this movie from the pack, Dalton confirmed in an interview that they wanted to tone down Bond's playful attitude towards sex because of the AIDS epidemic that was big in the media at the time.
Yeah, that was a big thing in the Dalton era. I thought it was really refreshing to see them focus in mainly one female character in those films, and in TLD's case, just the one. It gave them a lot more room for development, which is why most people consider Kara Milovy and Pam Bouvier among the best of the entire lot.
massivekettle
Member
Mostly have to do with the quality of his movies.
Given the similarities between Craig and Dalton's movies, Dalton has seen a resurgence in recent years.
The 70s Bonds haven't aged well and as a result Moore's standing has worsened.
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