Bond, James Bond

[Barry]

I have occasionally been mentioning “older” movies, now available on Blu-Ray and 4K, Also, I have been using my rating system because that is the way I talk to my friends.  We don’t say “3 stars” we say, good, bad etc. I invite you to list movies like I did.  Choose a “topic” a time or whatever.
 
I am reading all of Flemings James Bond Books, with new editions from the Folio Society. He wrote twelve novels and two books of short stories. There have been 27 more Bond novels from different authors over the years. And I thought I would rate the movies, available in sets these days. The Craig Bonds are the only ones in 4 so far.
 
But I did notice change in Fleming’s writing style, beginning with Thunderball, his eight novel.  It is very much more cinematic than the previous ones.
 
A short history of Thunderball, there have been BOOKS written on the legalities and lawsuits here.  Briefly. Fleming, in the late 1950s, unable to sell Bond to the movies, teamed with screenwriter Kevin McCloy to write the screenplay of “Thunderball.” When they failed to sell it, Fleming produced the book and McClory sued. The judge awarded Fleming the book rights and McClory the screenplay rights.  McCloy then was hired to produce the original movie and he used his screenplay to produce, on his own, “Never Say Never Again.” But he kept legally trying to get the rights to James Bond.  After 1972 and Diamonds are Forever, concepts created for Thunderball, “Spectre” and “Blofeld” were removed from the Bond movies.
 
A short history of Casino Royale: Fleming sold Casino Royale in 1954 and thy produced the first live action Bond.. It starred Barry Nelson as the first Bond and Peter Lorie as the villain.  So this was not included in the package later sold to the movies. Colgems, now Sony, bought the rights and released one of the worst movies I ever saw in  April 1967. I was just ahead of “You Only Live Twice” released inJune 1967.
 
In 1999, Sony, buying Colgems, now had the rights to the movie Casino Royale and teamed with McClory. McClory claimed he had the rights to James Bond. Sony announced they would make Bond movies. MGM and the Fleming estate sued.  The courts ruled:
1.  Colgems had only the rights to make ONE movie and that was made.
2.  McClory waited years to long to sue for the rights to James Bond.
MGM and Sony arranged a deal and MGM traded the rights they had to Spider-Man to Sony for Casino Royale.
 
With Casino Royale, the producers decided to start at the beginning, dismissing Bronson. But they still did not have the rights to Spectre and Blofeld.  McClory died in November 2006 and in 2013 MGM and the Fleming estate bought all of his rights to Bond from his family.  So we get “Spectre” and “No Time to Die.” And they own the original “Casino Royale” and “Never Say Never Again.”
 
Using my system, here is the rating so the Bond films. The closer they follow the book, the better they are.
 
Great:
Goldfinger: My Favorite
From Russia with Love
Doctor No
Skyfall
On Her Majesty’s Service (Great story, worst Bond)
 
Very Good
Thunderball
Casino Royale (Craig)
For You Eyes Only (The only serious Bond movie Moore made and he hated it!)
License to Kill (Serious and violent)
 
Good
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds are Forever (The beginning of comic-book Bond)
The Spy Who Loved Me
The Living Daylights (Dalton was good)
Goldeneye (Bronson was good, but all of his 4 movies were formula.)
Tomorrow Never Dies
The World is Not Enough
Die Another Day (Bronson shines in the first hour, the second hour is awful.)
Spectre
No Time to Die
 
Sit-throughable
Casino Royale (1954)  Not very good but very interesting to watch today.
Live and Let Die
Moonraker
Never Say Never Again (Needless remake of Thunderball.)
 
Bad
The Man with the Golden Gun
Octopussy
Quantum of Solace (There was little story here)
 
Really Bad
Casino Royale 1967 (One of the worst movies ever)
A View to A Kill
 

[David Vaughn]

Great history lesson (as always) Barry. 

[Lucjules]

Very good post. 
The only Bond movie I haven’t seen, On Her Majesty’s Service, made your great list so I guess I need to get on it. 

[AVSCraig]

I liked Quantum of Solace a lot more on a 2nd viewing. I rate it good but not great myself.

[Barry]

Very good post.
The only Bond movie I haven’t seen, On Her Majesty’s Service, made your great list so I guess I need to get on it.

If you have a chance to watch it. A very much follows the book

[Barry]

I liked Quantum of Solace a lot more on a 2nd viewing. I rate it good but not great myself.

I’ll watch it again and let you know if I change my mind!