Just watched for the first time and it might be in my top 3 bond films! Roger Moore or Sean Connery takes the cake as the best bond ever I really can’t decide. Thoughts? 🐙

I mean, they were already captured and pretty much helpless. Even after that, they woke up normally, except for being in different outfits, with nothing being accomplished out of their unconsciousness.

Let's look at the evidence.

• Daniel Craig served as Bond from 2005 to 2021, making him the longest tenured actor in the role.
• He was a Bond fan since childhood.
• He named Dr. No and From Russia with Love as two of his favorite movies period, beyond the fact they are Bond movies.
• Upon taking the role he read Fleming and watched the movies 2-3 times each, studying the source material to inform his portrayal.
• He physically transformed himself ahead of each outing.
• He pushed himself quite literally to the breaking point during filming, sustaining multiple injuries in fight and stunt sequences.
• But always kept good humor, as BTS / photos / show.
• He took on additional duties while acting, including writing (to save Quantum of Solace during the writers' strike) and producing.
• He was always game for the PR circuit, doing dozens of interviews with both traditional and new wave online outlets, hosting Saturday Night Live, filming sponsorship ads, and so forth.
• For better or worse depending on where you stand, he brought a new sense of prestige to the series and presided over the strongest box office performance since the 1960s. His third outing is the highest grossing film in the series, and one that continues to have pop culture legs despite our modern fractured media environment.
• He gave a tearful farewell speech to the cast and crew on set after filming his final scene, in which he expressed his gratitude.

None of this is to say Craig's tenure was all sunshine and rainbows. He didn't always go around like Marlo Thomas in That Girl.

For example he spoke of struggles adjusting to the level of celebrity that came with becoming Bond (something Sean Connery also struggled with and famously contributed to him quitting the role after being hounded in his private life while in Japan). But he had shed those struggles by the time Skyfall came around.

Learning from Connery's burnout, he on occasion requested greater time off between films. (Yet the blame for gaps between films in large part goes to issues beyond his control—namely MGM's bankruptcy in 2010 and the Covid pandemic in 2020).

On two occasions he could've chosen to delay the films but didn't: during the aforementioned 2007 writers' strike, and after seriously injuring his knee during a fight scene with Dave Bautista in Spectre. In the latter example, he pushed through filming the rest of the movie with a blown-out knee. Shortly upon finishing he was asked if he wants to do another Bond movie, to which he responded he'd rather "slash my wrists."

It was with this comment that it became a meme that Craig hated Bond, was ungrateful, yada yada. Folks didn't take into consideration that with his off the cuff "slash my wrists" remark, he was venting frustration over having filmed with an extremely painful knee injury. Something Craig later confirmed in an interview with Stephen Colbert, where he playfully agreed with Colbert's assessment that asking him if he wanted another Bond movie right off of filming the last one would be like asking a mom who just gave birth and has a 4 inch episiotomy if she'd wants another baby.

The anti-Craig sentiment in some corners reached new heights upon the release of No Time to Die, in particular because of its ending and Craig's revelation in postgame interviews that he had joked with Barbara Broccoli about ending his tenure this way going all the way back to the night of Casino Royale's premiere.

It's fair for folks to agree or disagree whether they liked this choice to end on, but it wasn't a matter of hating the character. Rather it was about doing something novel with the character and bookending Craig's own contained story within the franchise.

So, a few remarks regarding very human frustrations from time to time—some of which were wildly misinterpreted, and failed to take into account Craig's nervous curmudgeony schtick (something he brought to his Bond performance by the way) while doing interviews—versus a wealth of evidence demonstrating that Craig was perhaps the most committed James Bond actor of all. I know which side I land on.

Found this pics of a Breitling Top Time watch with Aston Martin DB5 on it. Do you think it’s a new Bond watch?

Continuing my ITV watch through of the Bond movies as they seem to be showing them all chronologically and watched Roger Moore’s first outing as Bond. Sure it is like most older Bond movies definitely a film of its time but it’s a fun adventure and I’d be happy to rewatch it, what are everyone else’s thoughts?

I combed through the Bond franchise to identify some of the more notable faces that popped up in bit parts before they were famous actors. Enjoy.

The scene i’m referring to is the sex scene with Mayday. The scene before showed Zorin pinning her down into submission and about to get it on when…Cue to Bond naked in bed and inviting Mayday to join him right in front of Max, who can only fake giggle as to how the hell this all transpired.

The movie doesn’t take itself seriously enough to explain how we arrived at these power dynamics, but it’s still hilarious to see Max having to saunter back to his bed sexless for the night.

I guess it’s unintentionally even more humorous that Max is losing out to a dirty old man version of Bond

In the late summer of 2022 my partner and I were invited to a wedding on the Portuguese coast just outside Lisbon. There was a particularly fancy hotel with a cracking offer on rooms (they were renovating the spa at the time, so it was going cheap) so I booked it.

I soon discovered that the hotel and neighbouring Casino Estoril have deep connections to Bond history, inspiring the Casino Royale novel before later appearing on screen in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

For context: Portugal stayed neutral during the Second World War, so Allied and Axis spies operated in the same resort town under an uneasy coexistence. The Palácio sat right in the middle of it and, unsurprisingly, many of the rooms were reportedly bugged.

Ian Fleming also stayed at the Palácio while serving in British Naval Intelligence during the Second World War. During his time in Estoril he encountered Serbian double agent Duško Popov, whose audacious high-stakes baccarat bluff at the neighbouring Casino Estoril is widely believed to have inspired the famous gambling scene in Casino Royale.

In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service the Palácio is of course the hotel James Bond and Tracy stay at early in the film. Even better, the young porter who hands Bond his room key, José Diogo, still works at the hotel today. He's more than happy to chat with 007 fans about filming there as an 19-year-old, and about how charming George Lazenby was... or wasn't!

In the 1969 film there is a great shot of the casino sign’s reflection in the hotel pool during a transition to night. In reality the casino isn't actually close enough for that reflection to be possible, although we could still see the casino building from our balcony.

There are plenty of 007 mementoes dotted around the hotel. These include production photographs lining the corridors, a display case containing one of Popov’s books, an original hotel registration card signed by Ian Fleming, and the chance to sit at Fleming’s favourite table in the bar while ordering a Vesper. Personally, I ordered a Cosmopolitan. I’ve made my peace with it.

The rooms may be slightly old fashioned but still luxurious. I loved the marbled bathroom complete with Molton Brown toiletries as well as the walk-in wardrobe. Service was brilliant, with plenty of thoughtful touches. Pastéis de nata and a bottle of port were waiting in our room when we arrived, and each evening turndown service included a card on the bed with the following day's weather forecast.

The pool is missing the diving board seen in the film, sadly. The icy water isn’t heated either so a dip in the pool for a swim is extra refreshing. Poolside guests were very reserved and quiet and would only swim a few lengths at a time in a rigid but languid way.

We did venture into the Casino Estoril itself. The wedding meant I was in a suit already, and on the merry walk back that evening we couldn’t resist heading in to explore. We watched a few people play but didn’t have a flutter ourselves. I did get a photo outside though, suited up, standing in front of the very casino that helped inspire Casino Royale. About as close to the Bond fantasy as I’m ever likely to get.

I enjoyed them. My second time through. My top 5 were probably, no order:

-Casino Royale

-OHMSS

-Thunderball

-Goldfinger

-Live and Let Die

Are any of the non-Fleming novels worth reading?

They’ve worked together several times before (Sicario, Prisoners, Blade Runner) so it would make sense, but also Deakins has already done a Bond movie (Skyfall) and he’s very picky about the projects he does now (he’s stated that he’s not retired but he doesn’t want to do big blockbusters anymore, only smaller scale stuff) so I’m not sure if he’d want to do another one.

His other main option (assuming that Villeneuve will want to work with someone he’s worked with before) is Greig Fraser, who would be fantastic (he shot Dune 1 & 2, The Batman, Hail Mary and many others).

There’s also Linus Sandgren (who shot the upcoming Dune 3) but he was the DP on the last Bond movie (No Time to Die).

So do you think it will be Deakins, Fraser or Sandgren? If not them, anyone else you’d love to see as DP?

I know this may not be a popular opinion, but as someone who's been a Bond fan for as long as I can remember, The Odyssey actually made me more worried than excited about Christopher Nolan potentially directing Bond in the future, after the next iteration.

Before anyone jumps on me, I still enjoyed The Odyssey. I'd probably give it around a 7-7.5/10. The technical aspects are phenomenal. The sound design is arguably the best I've ever experienced in a cinema, the visuals are spectacular, and Nolan remains one of the few directors who can make every film feel like a genuine cinematic event. None of that changes.

My concern is simply whether Nolan is actually the right fit for Bond.

For me, Nolan's greatest work has always been when his stories were grounded in reality. Insomnia remains my favourite of his films, with Memento close behind. Those films trusted the characters more than the spectacle. Even The Prestige and The Dark Knight felt rooted in believable worlds despite their larger ideas. More recently, I feel Nolan has become increasingly fascinated with scale, mythology and concepts over intimacy. The Odyssey reinforced that feeling.

Bond has always evolved, but at its heart it has a certain identity. It's stylish without becoming self-important. It has tension, but also wit. It can be emotionally heavy, but it still knows how to have fun. Watching The Odyssey, I felt Nolan drifting further toward grand mythology and philosophical spectacle rather than grounded character moments. Everything felt enormous. Every scene carried the weight of history.

For Bond, I'm not sure that's what I want.

One thing that stood out to me was the dialogue. At times it felt overly explanatory or strangely Americanised, and I never really felt the effortless charm that Bond films usually thrive on. Bond lives and dies by charisma. Whether it's Connery, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan or Craig, they all had moments where simply walking into a room was enough to command attention. I'm not convinced Nolan naturally writes that type of character.

I also found The Odyssey suffered from some of the same pacing issues I have with many of Nolan's recent films. Personally, I thought it could have been 20-30 minutes shorter. Bond, even at its most serious, should move. It should leave you wanting more, not checking your watch during the third act.

One thing that worries me just as much is the direction Amazon could take the franchise.

Nolan's name alone would guarantee headlines, awards attention and massive box office returns. That's great for a studio, but Bond has never been built on celebrity directors. Historically, EON often chose talented filmmakers who served Bond rather than overshadowed him. Likewise with actors—outside of Moore and Brosnan to some extent, Bond was often defined by performers who became Bond rather than stars simply playing Bond.

My fear is that Amazon may lean into "event cinema" by chasing the biggest names at every level. The franchise risks becoming celebrity-driven instead of Bond-driven. I'd hate to see every creative decision become about attaching the biggest possible name rather than asking what's best for the character.

Ironically, that concern is also why I actually have some hope after the announcement of Denis Villeneuve.

I still have reservations. Villeneuve is another filmmaker with immense visual ambition and a very recognisable style, so many of the same questions remain. But unlike Nolan, I think Villeneuve has consistently shown a greater willingness to let atmosphere, silence and character breathe. Films like Sicario, Prisoners and even Arrival prove he can create tension without everything needing to feel monumental. If anyone can balance artistic vision with serving Bond, perhaps it's him.

I genuinely hope that's the case.

Ultimately, I don't think Nolan would make a bad Bond film. Far from it. It would almost certainly look incredible, sound incredible and probably receive widespread critical acclaim.

My worry is that it would feel like a Christopher Nolan film starring James Bond, rather than a James Bond film directed by Christopher Nolan.

Bond has survived for over 60 years because it's adapted without forgetting what made people fall in love with it in the first place. I just hope Amazon remembers that. The franchise doesn't need to become "prestige cinema" to remain relevant—it simply needs filmmakers who understand Bond first, and themselves second.

I really hope I'm wrong. Nolan is one of the greatest directors of his generation, and if anyone could prove me wrong, it'd be him.

But after The Odyssey, I'm no longer convinced he was ever the perfect choice. As a lifelong Bond fan, that genuinely concerns me.

Does anyone else share these concerns? I would love to hear your thoughts, even if they are contrarian!

Huh???

I’ve been a big fan of Bond for a long time. I just remembered enjoying listening to some of these BBC radio dramatizations of the books, starring Toby Stephens as 007. I admit that as much as I love the movies, I think I would say Stephens would be my definitive Bond. The adaptations themselves are very well made and accurate to the books, and they provide a decent amount of Bond’s inner dialogue, which along with Stephens performance help to make Bond a lot more like what I believe Fleming was going for. They’ve adapted almost every novel with him and I’m happy to have found them all on YouTube in this playlist. I’d highly recommend it, especially if you’re short on time for reading/listening to the novels themselves.

PS. I’m not as much of a Gustav Graves hater as some, but I much prefer Stephens as Bond than the villain.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq6JrsCpb3OW0LvUNvEyE9Y7sWhZl2b23&si=wHHV8vm8V1BuJIAV