Favorite James Bond Actor?

[Genie+]

Perhaps not, but I was just pointing out that he wasn't a poll option for those who might want to be different.

Also - Steve Martin did an SNL skit where Bond was on a budget where MI6 wasn't paying for his personal vacation.

Cheap Bond wouldn’t be going to Epcot anymore

 

[Mysterian]

A lot of the decision making relies on the movies they were in...

To some degree. Craig-era Bond films are a far cry from Connery's world, both of which I like. Just as Bale and West were both good Batmen, but wow are they of opposite tones.

Timothy Dalton's run has been considered the most faithful, but I'm not worried about the books.

 

[_19disnA]

I always enjoyed Sean and, more currently Pierce. I don't like the dark turn the Daniel Craig bond took. I loved the older kitchy bond movies.

I was thinking the same thing. Both Sean & Pierce played their roles well, were entertaining to watch and were fighting to save the world from some nasty villain. Seems they ran out of new story lines for Daniel Craig and it more about someone out to get him or his boss. Didn't care for any of those.

 

[amcnj]

Sean Connery was Bond when I was young, so he is who always first comes to mind when I hear the name James Bond.

 

[bcla]

To some degree. Craig-era Bond films are a far cry from Connery's world, both of which I like. Just as Bale and West were both good Batmen, but wow are they of opposite tones.

Timothy Dalton's run has been considered the most faithful, but I'm not worried about the books.

There were some cringey moments with Dalton's portrayal. I'm sure the Farewell to Arms reference in front of the Hemingway Home went way past the heads of most people watching Licence to Kill.

In many ways nothing could be truly "faithful" to Ian Fleming's vision. He kept on making changes to the Bond backstory, including a Scottish father - after Sean Connery had portrayed his character. But Bond was a chainsmoker and Roger Moore and even Sean Connery got away from that, but Dalton brought that back. But that simply isn't going to happen.

And the Craig era Bond was a reboot. But a lot of people forget that Bond wasn't just an intelligence officer but a trained assassin. He definitely brought that back, although the backstory of a former Special Boat Service officer didn't make much sense. Officers past a certain rank are rarely front-line combatants. In particular, I remember Black Panther had Erik Stevens as a Navy SEAL officer who's a front-line operator, but where reality is that enlisted personnel do most of the heavy lifting.

 

[CGB]

Sean Connery is my favorite, hands down. I was really happy to see Pierce Brosnan take the role, as I was a huge Remington Steele fan in the 80s.

I also hope to see Henry Cavill join the line-up at some point.

 

[pinkxray]

I don’t recall ever seeing James Bond movies as a kid. One our first date Dh and I went to see a movie. It happened to be The World is Not Enough with James Brosnan. So for me he is James Bond. Now that I’ve seen others, I still like him the best, although I don’t think he really had the best material to work with movie wise?

The Daniel Craig James bond seems a bit too serious for me.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I voted Sean Connery.

 

[Titanium]

Perhaps not, but I was just pointing out that he wasn't a poll option for those who might want to be different.

Also - Steve Martin did an SNL skit where Bond was on a budget where MI6 wasn't paying for his personal vacation.

"The Scottish" thing cracked me up.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Sean Connery made the role, and is probably responsible for the franchise lasting so long and being so successful. But I will say that Daniel Craig brought an edge to the part that was really good, too.

 

[Mysterian]

There were some cringey moments with Dalton's portrayal. I'm sure the Farewell to Arms reference in front of the Hemingway Home went way past the heads of most people watching Licence to Kill.

In many ways nothing could be truly "faithful" to Ian Fleming's vision. He kept on making changes to the Bond backstory, including a Scottish father - after Sean Connery had portrayed his character. But Bond was a chainsmoker and Roger Moore and even Sean Connery got away from that, but Dalton brought that back. But that simply isn't going to happen.

And the Craig era Bond was a reboot. But a lot of people forget that Bond wasn't just an intelligence officer but a trained assassin. He definitely brought that back, although the backstory of a former Special Boat Service officer didn't make much sense. Officers past a certain rank are rarely front-line combatants. In particular, I remember Black Panther had Erik Stevens as a Navy SEAL officer who's a front-line operator, but where reality is that enlisted personnel do most of the heavy lifting.

All that and you never mentioned James Bond Jr?

 

[Mysterian]

I was thinking the same thing. Both Sean & Pierce played their roles well, were entertaining to watch and were fighting to save the world from some nasty villain. Seems they ran out of new story lines for Daniel Craig and it more about someone out to get him or his boss. Didn't care for any of those.

The Connery world of Bond is everything cliché to James Bond, down to the offbeat villains, the uniformed henchman, wacky spy vehicles and gadgets, etc. Pretty much everything Austin Powers spoofs. All of that to me is what Bond is first and foremost.

I liked the Craig films overall, despite some moments, and appreciated that they were all part of a storyline. I think fans were divided on that too, preferring stand-alone films. Me, I think it added to the plot having the events of one movie affect the next film.

Wouldn't mind a new Bond film that feels akin to the Connery era. A villain with a weird robot arm that's a secret weapon, and a Bond girl who knows how to disarm the arm, because she designed it, or something. Lasers and other stuff happen! Kersplash! Bond uses a robot manatee to enter the submarine base! All that.

 

[BrianL]

The Connery world of Bond is everything cliché to James Bond, down to the offbeat villains, the uniformed henchman, wacky spy vehicles and gadgets, etc. Pretty much everything Austin Powers spoofs. All of that to me is what Bond is first and foremost.

I liked the Craig films overall, despite some moments, and appreciated that they were all part of a storyline. I think fans were divided on that too, preferring stand-alone films. Me, I think it added to the plot having the events of one movie affect the next film.

Wouldn't mind a new Bond film that feels akin to the Connery era. A villain with a weird robot arm that's a secret weapon, and a Bond girl who knows how to disarm the arm, because she designed it, or something. Lasers and other stuff happen! Kersplash! Bond uses a robot manatee to enter the submarine base! All that.

I could never get into the Daniel Craig Bond films becuase they are too action oriented, but honestly the spy stuff doesn't work as well today. I would love to see the next Bond film be a very stylish period peice, set in the 1960s with everything that entails. I would really like that!

 

[White Cat]

I feel that Craig’s Bond was more how Ian Fleming would have wanted.

 

[CdnCarrie]

And of course the actual James Bond was Canadian... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stephenson

 

[Mysterian]

I feel that Craig’s Bond was more how Ian Fleming would have wanted.

I feel that Craig is especially different than Connery, Moore, Dalton and Brosnan because they are four non-blondes.

 

[Mysterian]

I could never get into the Daniel Craig Bond films becuase they are too action oriented, but honestly the spy stuff doesn't work as well today. I would love to see the next Bond film be a very stylish period peice, set in the 1960s with everything that entails. I would really like that!

I agree with the latter wholeheartedly, but I‘m not sure what you mean by the bolded. Contemporary spy stories don’t work these days? I’m sticking to my manatee-sub.

PS- What Bond films are not abundantly action-oriented?

 

[BrianL]

I agree with the latter wholeheartedly, but I‘m not sure what you mean by the bolded. Contemporary spy stories don’t work these days? I’m sticking to my manatee-sub.

PS- What Bond films are not abundantly action-oriented?

I just mean that without the Cold War backdrop, it isn't as compelling. The fall of the Iron Curtain was really bad for James Bond's business.

 

[Mysterian]

I just mean that without the Cold War backdrop, it isn't as compelling. The fall of the Iron Curtain was really bad for James Bond's business.

Many Bond villains were pretty self-serving, not so much Cold War-focused. Steal a bunch of gold, build a space laser, control the media. harness solar energy, destroy all life on Earth, shoot lasers at Bond's crotch, etc.

And again every Bond is pretty action-oriented, there's not many cerebral Bond films I can think of.

 

[BrianL]

Many Bond villains were pretty self-serving, not so much Cold War-focused. Steal a bunch of gold, build a space laser, control the media. harness solar energy, destroy all life on Earth, shoot lasers at Bond's crotch, etc.

And again every Bond is pretty action-oriented, there's not many cerebral Bond films I can think of.

It's hard to describe, it's just a certain vibe. Certainly it wasn't that the bad guys were all Russian, etc, but the idea of spies/espionage was deeply entrenched in that. Sure older Bond movies had action sequences, but they also focused on the spycraft and intrigue, not to mention some time for James with the ladies. Newer films are more bombastic, stunts and explosions. They also eschew the ocassionally goofy moments that added a bit of charm to the older style movies.