Bond...James Bond

[staffslad]

Who is your favourite actor to play James Bond and what is your favourite Bond film? Also, your favourite Bond girl, Bond villan, film scene and title song.

I will start the ball rolling. My favourite Bond is Timothy Dalton, and he beats Sean Connery by a whisker for me. I like his harder-edged portrayal of Bond after the far lighter Roger Moore era.

The Living Daylights is overall my favourite Bond film. It has some great action scenes and a plot that is far more grounded than we had seen in a long time.

Favourite Bond girl is Daniela Bianchi, who played Tatiana Romanova in From Russia with Love. She's beautiful and sensual, but has an innocence and naivity about her that I find very appealing.

Favourite Bond villan is probably Donald Pleasence as Blofeld in You Only Live Twice. That guy has quiet menace down to a 'T'. Definitely the best portrayal of Blofeld imo.

Favourite scene. The pre-credits sequence from The Living Daylights, where Bond is on the roof of the Land Rover and it goes over a cliff.

Best Bond song...I have two: Diamonds are Forever and The Living Daylights. Dame Shirley belts out the former as only she can, and A-Ha really rock it in the latter.

[tex]

Fave bond has to be connery although i would of liked to have seen Lazenby appear again in diamonds are forever, the franchise became a parody when Moore took over and the series should never have been taken in the direction it was.

Fave film would be OHMSS for several reasons, i thought Lazenby in spite of being panned by most of the critics was outstanding in the role and anybody who dismisses this film on those grounds really should give it a second chance, great action,great locations,great casting,

Fave bond girl is Daniela bianchi she has class as Tatiana and in real life, followed closely by Jill st john as Tiffany case the complete opposite of tatiana, airhead, bit trashy but great fun

Fave villain is Emilio largo in Thunderball, sinister and merciless brilliantly portrayed by Adolfo celli

Fave scene is the opening of Tomorrow never dies, great action here but the rest of the film does not live up IE worst story, worst villain.

Fave song Goldfinger and Diamonds....theres only one Shirley bassey

[tex]

Great thread Staffslad!...massive bond fan right here

[staffslad]

Apparently, Eon wanted to sign Lazenby on a 7 picture deal, but his agent persuaded him that the Bond series would be old hat in the 70s, so he quit after just the one. If Lazenby had stayed, that would have taken him up to For your Eyes Only in 1981. Lazenby was better than some give him credit for, and I am sure he would have grown into the role. Of course, that would have removed Roger Moore from the scene and probably the silliness of some of the films in that era would have been at least toned down--the double-take pigeon for instance.

Dalton would have been 007 in Goldeneye, but there was a 6 year hiatus after Licence to Kill, and he got fed up of waiting.

[tex]

Dalton quit Much to the relief of Brosnan who had been up for the role before Dalton was hired but was contracted to do another remmington steele, Lazenby had not endeared himself to the producers and i suspect if he had not quit that he would likely have been fired. What a wasted opportunity for Lazenby who could of become a big star instead of a big head. He got very little work after Bond due to a reputation for being difficult to work with by crew and cast members. He must kick himself every night before going to sleep.

[staffslad]

My understanding vis-a-vis Brosnan and Bond is that when Remington Steele was cancelled after 4 series, Brosnan got the role of Bond. However, Brosnan's Remington Steele contract was still in effect, despite the show being axed. His selection as the next Bond generated renewed interest in Remington Steele and the makers decided to make another series, choosing to do that on the last day of the contract, after which Brosnan would have been free to walk away. In the end, only 6 episodes were transmitted in series 5, and Brosnan had to wait nearly a decade to play 007.

[Richard1978]

I've heard George Lazenby insisted on doing his own stunts until he hurt himself, just the sort of thing film makers don't like! Also OHMSS was a demanding film for a relatively inexperienced actor, but at least they were willing to give him another chance.

Part of the problems with Roger Moore's time as 007 were the producers wanted to made them different in tone to Connery's but ended up making them too self parodying.

Timothy Dalton was originally considered for For your Eyes Only as Moore was slow signing a new contract, & they wanted someone in case they needed a new actor.

[tex]

I've heard George Lazenby insisted on doing his own stunts until he hurt himself, just the sort of thing film makers don't like! Also OHMSS was a demanding film for a relatively inexperienced actor, but at least they were willing to give him another chance.

Part of the problems with Roger Moore's time as 007 were the producers wanted to made them different in tone to Connery's but ended up making them too self parodying.

Timothy Dalton was originally considered for For your Eyes Only as Moore was slow signing a new contract, & they wanted someone in case they needed a new actor.

What second chance did Lazenby get? he had become so obnoxious i dont think Brocolli and Saltzman would have given him a second movie (imo)
strange also that Moore went on to make a view to a kill after for your eyes only

[Richard1978]

What second chance did Lazenby get? he had become so obnoxious i dont think Brocolli and Saltzman would have given him a second movie (imo)
strange also that Moore went on to make a view to a kill after for your eyes only

As Staffslad mentioned above George Lazenby was offered a multifilm deal, but turned it down after his agent reckoned the series would fade away in the 1970s.

Roger Moore made both Octopussy & View To a Kill after For Your Eyes Only. I've heard he considered View To a Kill a film too far, not enjoying making it.

[George 1978]

Do ITV still show James Bond films? I know that they used to do so on Bank Holidays in the 1990s, but as they just show normal programming on those days, I suppose the answer is no to that respect. I am sure that they have been seen on Saturday and Sunday afternoons though.

Regarding favourite bond actors, I cannot make up my mind between Connery or Moore, so I would choose films that they were in. When I last saw Ben Price in Coronation Street, I actually thought that would make an excellent James Bond - he looks like someone who would play him.

Back in the 1990s on the Radio 4 panel game First Impressions, they got someone (Kate Robbins or someone like that) to sing Bond film theme songs at a piano singing it like Victoria Wood which I thought was such a brilliant talent!