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Alternative007's
Top Five James Bond Films
As
an
experiment I asked several contributors to this site to list their top
five James Bond films in order. The film in first place takes five
points and so on with one point for the fifth film. Once the lists were
in the points were tallied and the top five James Bond films were
revealed.
(1) On Her
Majesty's Secret Service (20 points)
First place in all but one of the lists. Still not as widely
appreciated as it should be but has cult status with Bond fans
who recognise it as a stylish, unique and human entry unlike
any
other in the series. As close to perfect as a James
Bond
film will ever get, OHMSS serves up a story that engages us
and
characters we care about with amazing
action-sequences.
(2) Goldfinger (19 points)
In second place just a point behind, Goldfinger remains a
hugely popular and enjoyable film with classic characters
and situations. This film more than any other
established a
distinct formula and set of rules for the series: A villain
with a
grand scheme, henchman, gadgets, huge set-piece ending,
grand production design. The execution of this
formula by
Goldfinger changed the face of cinema.
(3) From Russia With Love (14
points)
Another enduringly popular early entry in the series.
The atmospheric and stylish FRWL established Connery as the
definitive James Bond and gave him his greatest ever
foe in
Robert Shaw's Red Grant. A real sense of intrigue lifts this
into
the top echelon of James Bond films.
(4) The Spy Who
Loved Me (7 points)
1977's epic The Spy Who Loved earned enough points for fourth
place on our list. Atlantis, Jaws, the pyramids, Roger
Moore's
Lotus. It might be a tad fantastical for some tastes but most
of
us seemed to agree that The Spy Who Loved Me rivals any James
Bond
film for pure unadulterated fun and spectacle.
(5) Thunderball (5
points)
The first epic Bond closed out the top five. Thunderball is not
the most widely loved film in the series and some consider
it overlong and a bit dull now. Not so
here though.
Sean Connery's performance, John Barry's score and Terence
Young's assured direction earnt enough votes for fifth place
on
our James Bond list.
c 2006
Alternative 007
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