The James Bond Thread: RIP Robbie Coltrane

[Georgy Zhukov]

After checking the numbers, Skyfall is number 3 in box office behind Goldfinger and Thunderball. Beat out You Only Live Twice. This makes Skyfall this biggest Bond film since Connery.

[James Bond]

I think it still needs to beat Live and Let Die to have that honor, which it will. Here's the inflation adjusted numbers (top 10) I found:

1. $1,037,291,060.32 - Thunderball

2. $932,346,267.74 - Goldfinger

3. $843,280,463.96 - Live And Let Die

4. $773,204,227.54 - You Only Live Twice

5. $707,967,950.50 - The Spy Who Loved Me

6. $682,098,608.86 - Casino Royale

7. $670,341,133.13 - Moonraker

8. $662,795,358.02 - Diamonds Are Forever

9. $629,928,504.77 - Quantum Of Solace

10. $596,667,068.63 - From Russia With Love

Even if it doesn't hit a billion there's still a damn good chance it'll pass Goldfinger. In any event, it's been an impressive run and Skyfall is indeed the most successful Bond film since the craze in the sixties.

For a comparison, here's the top 10 films by estimated US ticket sales (I think Skyfall's is from last week):

Thunderball - 74,800,000

Goldfinger - 66,300,000

You Only Live Twice - 35,904,000

Skyfall - 28,498,700

Moonraker - 28,011,200

Die Another Day - 27,584,000

Tomorrow Never Dies - 26,911,200

From Russia With Love - 26,663,200

Diamonds Are Forever - 26,557,300

Casino Royale - 25,428,700

So, most bodies in North American cinemas since the Connery days.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Shit, I was way off for Live and Let Die I had no idea it was so successful. The ticket sales have to be passed You Only Live Twice by now.

I wonder how Casino Royale did on DVD sales since it seems more people have seen the film than in theatetes.

[DieselDaisy]

Weirdly, QOS did better than CR at the theatres!

[Georgy Zhukov]

Weirdly, QOS did better than CR at the theatres!

Yeah, ticket prices and inflation went up in just those two years. Today Casino Royale would have made $191 million in the US.

[James Bond]

Same thing happened between The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Moonraker made more money in 1979 (it was the top grossing Roger film), but Spy wins by inflation.

I think it's easy to forget that Live and Let Die was a big hit for them (inflation non-adjusted it made more money than Sean's return in Diamonds). Since The Man With The Golden Gun nearly flopped, I think often those two get kind of labeled together. I knew it had been successful but I didn't realize it was that successful.

DVD sales would be interesting. I know lots of people who didn't see the Craig movies until DVD, one of those people I went to Skyfall with. He had dismissed Craig until I told him to watch the films. Naturally, he wasn't disappointed and couldn't wait for Skyfall.

[Georgy Zhukov]

I guess public interest was to see how the new Bond would do. Also the film came out in 1973 when ticket sales have been on the rise since 1969. I think part of the blame for OHMSS underwhelming sales was because 1969 is one of the lowest in ticket sales of all time. People just weren't interested in seeing movies. Looking back, the fillmmakers know OHMSS did really well, just not as well as Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. It still did better than half of Roger's, both Dalton's, half of Brosnan's and one of Craig's films.

I think George Lazenby's role is one of the most misconceived Bonds ever. The press didn't get the dry wit of Diana Rigg when she said she was eating garlic before their love scenes. They seemed to got along fine. The press also went on about how Lazenby was difficult to work with yet he was offered seven films. Just doesn't add up.

There's still that pre-concieved notion that no one can be better than Connery or Pierce Brosnan.

[James Bond]

I agree. At the time it probably felt like they were slowly losing money (since it was less profitable than Sean's). Still, for the first Bond without Sean it did pretty well. It still made a profit and as you said, even did better than some of the Roger films. I think a lot of casual Bond fans assume Lazenby was fired since the film "flopped" even though the truth is he walked away from the role and the film turned a decent profit.

I think the producers found Lazenby difficult to work, as well as Peter Hunt. Lazenby admitted in interviews that he didn't have the best attitude and his ego got the best of him. He thought he was on top of the world now that he was Bond and thought he'd get the royal treatment by everybody. Check out the "Inside OHMSS" documentary on the DVD. It talks about some of the incidents George got himself into, all ego related. It was the studio (UA) that offered Lazenby the contract, probably figuring they could secure an unknown for a bunch of films and avoid having to search for a new Bond for some time.

I think people are starting to come around to that notion. When Pierce was Bond, it was always "Connery is the best, but Pierce is a comfortable number 2" but now I've noticed a lot of people ranking Daniel on par with Connery if not higher. I think Daniel will be as hard of a Bond to follow as Connery. He's setting a new template, that's for sure. Skyfall was the perfect blend of the modern direction of the Craig films and classic Bond.

[Georgy Zhukov]

The producers already looked at a black guy for the next Bond. Idris Elba was considered after Craig finishes, but it doesn't add up since he would be in his late 40's by the time Craig finishes. As long he ages well. Imagine the trolling if he ever got cast?

Right, I forgot about that. Lazenby fought hard to get that role and then he walked away. I think they also felt they could have gotten away with paying him less than experienced actors. I believe at that time no one really wanted the role in fear of being type cast.

The biggest criticism I've seen about Craig that he is not as "suave" as Brosnan, but his Bond up until Skyfall was inexperienced. Also Brosnan was suave but as I said before he didn't offer much else. Craig is a Bond who can get away with wearing a hawaiian shirt (I think he only wore it in the beginning of Casino) and would return from a mission with his face all cut up. Skyfall he seems to suffer less injuries. Skyfall is Craig becoming the veteran Bond. To be fair, Craig didn't have that going for him when Quantum of Solace followed and you see him pick up skills to be the Bond we know. Such as learning how to use women like that Quantum agent used on Vesper to screw Bond over.

I am glad so many people seem to enjoy Octopussy. That is a love or hate Bond film.

If I had to choose ten favorites in no order

Skyfall

From Russia with Love

Goldfinger

On Her Majesy's Secret Service

Casino Royale

For Your Eyes Only

Licence to Kill

GoldenEye

The Living Daylights

The Spy Who Loved Me

[James Bond]

I'm not sure how much truth there was to that. The timing doesn't add up and there was a similar rumor around the same time that he was being lined up to play the next villain. Hard to believe any of that when there isn't even a script for Bond 24 yet. They never do casting this early in advance. I can imagine the backlash though.

Plus, considering the great working relationship between EON and Craig and Barbara's recent comments that she'd like Craig to stay on for even more after his five, it's probably just some overblown comments.

Brosnan had the look but his acting always struck me as something pretending he was James Bond rather than someone who was James Bond. The scripts didn't help but I honestly don't think he's that great an actor. I think anybody who grew up with Bond in the nineties will always have a soft spot for him. I know I do, but in retrospect, I don't think he's the best Bond. Also, the impact of the GoldenEye game certainly implanted his image as James Bond in the minds of many people, mine included. That was my introduction to Bond.

I'm with you and Karri though. Octopussy is awesome. It's almost forgotten about sometimes but it's probably my favorite of Roger's. Even though he's starting to look really old at that point it's a fun movie from start to finish. Can't stand the title song though, always been my least favorite.

[Crazyman]

Brosnan had the look but his acting always struck me as something pretending he was James Bond rather than someone who was James Bond. The scripts didn't help but I honestly don't think he's that great an actor. I think anybody who grew up with Bond in the nineties will always have a soft spot for him. I know I do, but in retrospect, I don't think he's the best Bond. Also, the impact of the GoldenEye game certainly implanted his image as James Bond in the minds of many people, mine included. That was my introduction to Bond.

I agree with all of this. I also think that's why most people from our generation initially refused to believe Craig could be Bond, because Brosnan looked like Bond, while Craig didn't. When I think of "James Bond", Connery and Brosnan come to mind, simply because one was the original and one has the "look"

[DieselDaisy]

Dalton is the one who most resembles Fleming's Bond.

[Georgy Zhukov]

I think it was some article where Barbara's words were twisted around. I forgot the British press is more sleazy than Fox News. Unless it is the BBC.

I hope he does at least eight films. More than Roger and Sean. What does everyone think of Never Say Never Again? Should I buy it?

Brosnan was my first Bond as well. GoldenEye was the first Bond movie I saw on TV and it was an unforgotten. My mom was pissed at my dad because she saw James Bond as sexist I saw Tomorrow Never Dies in theaters but I never bothered with Brosnan's last two. It felt like they were just being safe. Dies and World were too predictable and Die Another Day made so much money probably because of the 40th anniversary hype. It quickly became one of the most hated. But that is what Brosnan was, he was the safe choice.

To me what helped in Octopussy was Maud Adams as the Bond girl. She was 37 so she was closer to his age than say most Bond girls. Yes the plot was silly, Bond in a clown suit but the film was so well edited you just didn't care.

Brosnan had the look but his acting always struck me as something pretending he was James Bond rather than someone who was James Bond. The scripts didn't help but I honestly don't think he's that great an actor. I think anybody who grew up with Bond in the nineties will always have a soft spot for him. I know I do, but in retrospect, I don't think he's the best Bond. Also, the impact of the GoldenEye game certainly implanted his image as James Bond in the minds of many people, mine included. That was my introduction to Bond.

I agree with all of this. I also think that's why most people from our generation initially refused to believe Craig could be Bond, because Brosnan looked like Bond, while Craig didn't. When I think of "James Bond", Connery and Brosnan come to mind, simply because one was the original and one has the "look"

Dalton is the one who most resembles Fleming's Bond.

I thought Craig resembled the sketch from Flemming's description. In fact all of them did in some ways.

[James Bond]

I have a love/hate relationship with Never Say Never Again. Some of the dialogue is actually really good, on par with the early Connery films, and Connery turns in a better performance than Twice and Diamonds. The plot is that of Thunderball of course, albeit with some updates for 1983. The older Connery is taken into consideration in the story, which is good, and thus the scene at Shrublands becomes Connery getting back into shape when M decides to restore the double-0 section for the assignment.

I'd say about half of the film is good. The first half, aside from some awful visual effects when the missiles get stolen and a really stupid scene where the card game with Largo is replaced by him and Bond playing some Battleship-esque video game, is pretty solid. Both Bond girls are good, and Max von Sydow makes an interesting Blofeld.

Second half really falls apart though. Probably the worst climax in any Bond movie. Zero suspense, zero excitement. Script problems plagued the production beforehand and it shows.

The score is awful too. I know they couldn't license the Bond theme, but the score itself sounds nothing like a Bond score should. Too relaxed, boring cues, and no excitement at all.

You can't help but miss the official series when watching it though. No gun barrel, no pre-title sequence (the opening sequence would have been better without the lame, forgettable title song), and no series regulars. Still, it's worth a watch if you find it cheap.

I agree with you with Maud Adams being a good choice for Octopussy. On screen it just looked much better considering Roger was older. The clown thing never bothered me. It's a silly disguise, but nonetheless, a disguise and it worked. The train sequence and aerial fight at the end forms one of the best second halves to any Bond film. As a side note - Octopussy beat Never Say Never Again at the box office. Well deserved.

I think all the Bond's have had a bit of Fleming's sketch, but none have been a perfect match for the literary Bond. The literary Bond is much colder, so Dalton is probably the closest portrayal wise (even Craig still has the humor). Craig matches the rugged good looks and cold blue eyes, but not the height and dark hair. Still, Connery didn't have the eyes, and none of them have had the distinct scar on the right cheek. Literary Bond and Movie Bond are two entirely different entities.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Never Say Never Again did come out after Octopussy and compared to Octopussy, Never Say Never Again was underwhelming. You don't mess with Cubby I guess.

Bond fans need to understand books and film are different mediums. I am sure Fleming wish he wrote what the writers came up for The Spy Who Loved Me.

[Georgy Zhukov]

I should get Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace on Blu Ray. Not going to bother with the other 20.

[Powerage5]

I think NSNA is fun. Not an especially good movie, but not dreadful either. I got it as a gift, probably wouldn't have bought it with my own money though

[Georgy Zhukov]

It might be worth a download.

[James Bond]

It is watchable, mostly thanks to Connery. I guess what happened is originally the script was a mostly original story with Connery involved in the writing process to give some of his ideas, thus how they were able to entice him to star in the film too. EON got wind of it and sued, and the result was the script had to be re-written using only elements from the Thunderball novel as that was all McClory had. The final script was rushed for the sake of getting something out there.

You should have got Bond 50 when it was on sale on Amazon last week.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Yeah, if I suck cock off a millionaire to get the money.

I believe Connery loved the making of Thunderball so he was willing to do it again. I think the health clinic scene made more sense in Never than Thunderball.

I prefer Claudine Auger over Kim Basinger...Claudine is one of my all time favorite Bond girls. She was so beautiful. Luciana Paluzzi or whatever her name was, girl who played Fiona Volpe was hot too. I didn't realize the girl who played Paula was also the one of the Gypsy girls in From Russia with Love.

Klaus played a better Largo than the other guy though.

[James Bond]

Claudine is definitely an underrated Bond girl. You hardly hear her mentioned among the greats, but she's always been one of my favorites. Thunderball is tied with From Russia With Love as my favorite Connery film. Goldfinger has a great opening and a great finale, as well as the luxury of having a top villain and henchman, but the middle is literally just Bond walking around with his hands in his pockets. Vastly overrated film among critics.

I'm torn on the Largo situation... Klaus is pretty good, but I think Adolfo Celi is very underrated as a Bond villain. He's far from a physical threat to Bond, but I like the relationship between his Largo and Connery. Bond plays him for half the film and Largo totally knows it, yet he just goes along with it. He's not threatened by him and only wants him dead because he's "an enemy of SPECTRE" and not from a personal experience. I always thought that was a good dynamic.

Similar to Scaramanga - he literally has nothing but respect for Bond, yet at the same time wants him dead by the finale. It's too bad the whole "cat and mouse hunt between Bond and the world's deadliest assassin" concept was wasted in the film. That concept has so much potential, and Christopher Lee was criminally underused. I'd be all for recycling that idea in a Craig film, this time doing it right.

[Georgy Zhukov]

The next movie would be cool if some unknown assassin is hunting down Bond so for the next two hours he is trying to outsmart his hinter.

Claudine to me is the hottest Bond girl of all time. And she wasn't annoying at all. My only complaint about Thunderball is that she didn't get enough screen time. The thing about her wanting to kill Largo was rushed but it was the first time fans were treated to a vengeful Bond girl who actually succeeds.

I agee with you about Goldfinger. It was a great Bond film, but like Connery, we are expected to think it as the best. It made the film series a huge hit, but it kind of ruined it because the next 17 films are compared to it. I can name better Bond films. OHMSS, Casino Royale, even Skyfall.

[DieselDaisy]

And the Tarzan sequence in Octopussy?

[Georgy Zhukov]

And the Tarzan sequence in Octopussy?

Beach Boys scene in A View to a Kill

[James Bond]

The Tarzan yell never bothered me. It's not as bad as them ruining one of the greatest car stunts of all time (the spiral in The Man With The Golden Gun) with a slide whistle and Sheriff Pepper who shouldn't have even been in the film, or as Georgy said, the Beach Boys scene in A View To A Kill.