Search found 1 match: Robert Shaw

I had the video boxset as a wee lad and watched all the pre-Brosnan ones at least a couple of times, but sadly there aren't many I've seen again in the past 15 years, and thus I'm only including the ones I remember particularly well.

1. From Russia with Love - fast-paced, exciting and played straight. Features Connery's best performance, and Red Grant is seriously cool (and thus began a lifelong appreciation of Robert Shaw).

2. The Spy Who Loved Me - although Moore is the weakest Bond for me (I mean, seriously, he's probably the one you'd have the best chance against if you had to fight one), it's got the best theme song, one of the best Bond girls, the first appearance of Jaws and that mad underwater hideout. The underwhelming villain is the only downside besides Moore.

3. You Only Live Twice - even though the Japanese "disguise" is completely bonkers, this is one of the most exciting entries with great use of gadgets. The piranha pool was deeply unsettling when I was a kid.

4. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - sure, Lazenby's a bit of a stinker but otherwise it's one of the most consistently entertaining Bond efforts with some fantastic set pieces.

5. Goldfinger - great fun, with one of the more ludicrous storylines and Frobe on top form as villain. Nobody seems to agree with me, but I always thought the laser scene was shite because there's no way he'd have set all that up only to let Bond out of it when he spouts some blatantly hollow threats. Oddjob is iconic but laughably inept with that hat (just like me on the GoldenEye game).

6. GoldenEye - the clear and obvious winner of the Brosnan films. Good thrills, and Xenia's the best female Bond villain since Rosa Klebb. I always quite liked Alan Cumming's Boris as a comic relief baddie too.

7. Skyfall - didn't feel like any other Bond film due to its lack of girls and gadgets, not to mention the more personal elements involving his past, but these were refreshing touches. I felt Silva was underused though.

8. Licence to Kill - I like that Sanchez is just a drug dealer and isn't behind some outrageous world domination scheme. People praise the grittiness and edge of unpleasantness present in the Craig films, but I think this one is far more so - remember Benicio Del Toro going through the cocaine grinder? The Wayne Newton televangelist is pretty funny too.

9. Dr. No - Bond finding his feet. It's pretty good but has more plot lulls than subsequent entries, and the title character is hardly even in it!

10. Casino Royale - so many went mad for it when it came out but for me it was just serviceable really.

11. A View to a Kill - Zorin's great but only because I could watch Walken do anything and be wholly entertained. Other than that it's pretty crap. I've always found Grace Jones' physique utterly repellent, but despite her muscles I still can't believe that Bond sits back and watches her push that minecart by herself.

12. Octopussy - pretty rubbish. Villains were pants and the story not very engaging. Some bland plot about nuking Europe or something? Whatever. At least the circus train was a little different.

13. Tomorrow Never Dies - could never get into this one. Elliot Carver just wasn't a good bad guy.

14. Quantum of Solace - dogshit, with totally piss-poor action sequences and a villain with nil charisma.

14. Die Another Day - this must be everybody's least favourite, right? I can't really think of a single positive aspect.

Need to rewatch:
Thunderball
Diamonds Are Forever
Live and Let Die
The Man with the Golden Gun
Moonraker
For Your Eyes Only
The Living Daylights

Never seen:
The World Is Not Enough
Spectre