Shaken Not Stirred

Of all of the long running film series out there this one has to be one of the best of all time. James Bond, whose License To Kill has been valid for nearly fifty years, has been played by six actors (in the official canon at least) starred in 22 films and counting and is one of the biggest fictional characters in the world. As he reaches his golden anniversary, I have decided to do a list of my favourite Bond films so far and have rated them by film and also the song written for the title sequence, which go together like a vodka and martini. Well I am a bloke after all, and as everybody knows we love a good list. Leave me a comment if you disagree or to do your own list.



1. Live and Let Die (1973)

Roger Moore’s first outing as 007 is his best and in my opinion still the greatest Bond film in the series. Moor excels as the smart and cool agent in a story which sees him travel to New York and investigate the murders of his fellow British agents and take on a Harlem drug lord named Mr Big. Moore’s Bond faces a struggle against gangsters and voodoo magic, not to mention fending off a snake with a homemade flamethrower. Along the way he becomes involved with Jane Seymour’s sexy mystic virgin Solitaire, who soon loses her powers after Bond has ruthlessly de-flowered her (you don’t know whether to hit him or shake his hand in some parts of this film).

Although there are some rather negative racial overtones, since the film was made during the blaxploitation era of cinema, it still stands as one of the series stronger contributions and is packed full of memorable moments, such as using alligators to cross the lake and the boat chase stunt. Also Paul McCartney and Wings wrote one the most iconic Bond songs of all. It was so good even Guns ‘N’ Roses copied it.


Film - *****
Theme Tune - *****

2. Goldfinger (1964)

Everything about this film screams iconic. It includes the super famous Aston Martin DB5 for the very first time and spawned an incredibly successful die cast toy which every man must have had as a child. It stars Honor Blackman as the equally memorable Pussy Galore (a name which has been lampooned ever since in spy spoofs) and one of the best super villains ever. Sean Connery’s third outing is a masterpiece in how an action film can grab you. Superb stunts, sex appeal, quotable dialogue and villains like Oddjob, whose hat can cut through marble, who are still imitated almost half a century after it was first made.

The theme tune sung by Shirley Bassey also oozes class, and rightly deserves the award for best 007 song. Goldfinger is the perfect example of when cast, crew and everybody else involved really put there all in and produce a masterpiece that still captivates audiences to this day.

Film - *****
Theme Tune - *****


3. Casino Royale (2006)

After the disaster that was Die Another Day, it was clear that 007 was running out of legs. So what do you do with an ailing product? Reboot it of course! By taking Bond back to before he obtained his 00 status it meant delving into the layers of the character underneath the tuxedo and discovering a more vulnerable Bond. Daniel Craig really excels in his first adventure, where he is thrown into a game of cards and betrayal, which ultimately maketh the man. The gadgets are also stripped back, although the stunts remain very impressive and the story is also a very solid one, based on the original Ian Fleming novel written so many years earlier.

However, Chris Cornell’s contribution to the soundtrack is not the strongest. It tries to hard to say ‘ look at me, I’m load and can put a hard rock sound in a Bond film’. When you try too hard it really shows and it’s probably my least favourites of the theme tunes these films have had to offer.

Film - *****
Theme Tune - **


4. On Her Majesties Secret Service (1969)

Maybe a bit of a surprise this one, possibly for many fans disliking George Lazemby’s only appearance as Bond, but they overlook just how strong the story is and that it is pivotal to the evolution of the character and a turning point in the series. In short, this is the one where Bond falls in love. Diana Rigg is gorgeous as the ill-fated wife to be Tracy Di Vicenzo and Telly Savalas makes his only appearance as Ernst Stravro Blofeld in the series.

It is also the first film in the series that really acknowledges that it is part of a continuing story, which does lead questions as to whether the Lazemby Bond is the same as Sean Connery (the egg timer in the title sequence) and sees Bond taking on SPECTRE in the Swiss alps, a fitting setting for some brilliant action scenes. Then there is the heartbreaking last scene, which gives us the first glimpse into Bond’s rather lonely life.

On the soundtrack side John Barry’s score is fantastic and gets the blood pumping. On the sweeter side, We Have All The Time In The World is one of the best songs ever written, and the terrible irony that the title and lyrics are in parallel with music legend Louis Armstrong’s health at the time. He died not too long after recording it and serves as a fitting tribute to one of music’s all time best.


5. The Living Daylights (1987)

It is a big shame that Timothy Dalton’s turn as 007 was only limited to two films. His first remains his best, set at the time when the Soviet Union was falling and the Cold War was coming to an end. Nonetheless, this entry into the series deals with a KGB agent defecting and then becoming kidnapped, leading Bond across, Morocco and the Middle East.

Dalton’s imaging of 007 is darker and more flawed than the more comedic and debonair Roger Moore, an approach that has also worked for Daniel Craig so far. However there is still time for funny moments such as escaping the Russian authorities by riding down a snowy hill in a Cello case.

For the second film running a pop band was chosen to write the theme tune. Norwegian band A-Ha does a great job with The Living Daylights, proving to be both catchy and credible.

Film - ****
Theme Tune _ ****


6. From Russia With Love (1963)

The second Bond film in the series is widely considered a fans favourite and it also is a direct follow on from Dr. No. Bond is sent to Istanbul after being told that an ex agent who has been wanted by M16 for years is willing to defect, yet only to him. Also SPECTRE are plotting to steal a decoder from the Soviets and its leader Number 1 (the first appearance of Blofeld) is also looking to exact revenge on Bond following the death of Dr. No.

The film itself is a brilliant example of early 60s filmmaking and with a strong plot and memorable moments of action it fully deserves its place in my top ten. The title song as sung by Matt Munro gives him the honour of being the first musician to sing in the titles of the series.

Film - ****
Theme Tune - ***


7. Goldeneye (1995)

After a six-year hiatus it was Pierce Brosnan’s turn to put on the gun holster in this his only entry on my list. Goldeneye is the first post Cold War Bond film and it deals with the fallout of Bond’s ex-friend and 00 agent Alec Trevelyan betraying his friend and stopping him and Russian allies from using a satellite weapon called Goldeneye on London and causing global financial meltdown. Along the way he encounters Xenia Onatopp, who can crush men in her thighs and the only survivor from Goldeneye’s attack on a bunker in Severnaya.

The film is a welcome addition to the series and to my mind is Brosnan’s finest performance as Bond, not as flawed a Dalton but with a sprinkle of Roger Moore wit and Connery’s hardman act thrown in. The story itself is not as strong as some of the entries which had dealt with the Cold War before but it does bring an end to this chapter of the Iron Curtain in the series and shows that the series was moving forward.

The song is a classy return to a more classic Bond sounding piece and Bono and The Edge captured the essence of what makes a good Bond track. Sung by Tina Turner, Goldeneye is bombastic and brings with it a hint of mid-90’s cool and slickness.

Film - ****
Theme Tune - ***


8. You Only Live Twice (1967)

Austin Powers? Spy Hard? None of these spoof would have been made if it wasn't for Sean Connery's fifth film as 007. The massive sets in a hollowed out volcano and the look of Donald PLeasance's portyral of Blofeld is quintissential with the series. Bond fakes his murder in Hong Kong so that he has more freedom to operate when investigating a stolen American spacecraft which the United States believe was taken by the Soviets.

The film is a bank holiday favourite in England and that is where my memories of watching it with my Grandparents as a child come into play. It is perhaps one of the more action orientated addition to the series but then again it is perhaps Connery's most fanatical.

Nancy Sinatra's theme tune is equally as memorable, even though it has been said that she struggled to record it. The final piece is as edited as the film itself and splised together from multiple takes. Still it deserves its place in this list.

Film - ****
Theme Tune - ***

9. Thunderball (1965)

Yet another Connery segment, proving that it is the old Bonds that are the best, and Thunderball had an awful lot to do to continue the success that was laid down by its predecessor Goldginger. Bond is given the assigment of find two NATO bombs that have been stolen by SPECTRE who this time are holding the world to ransom over £100 million in diamonds in return for bot blowing up Miami.

The gadget supplied by Q in this film are wholesomely impressive, and the Aston Martin DB5 makes its second appearance. There is also the famous pre titles sequence with the jet pack and the final scenes underwater are incredibly well shot. The film was later remade as Never Say Never Again, but lets not go into that.

Tom Jones's belting performance in the theme song is once again very typical with what has in the later day been considered as stereotypical with the genre. It was parodied by Weird Al Yankovic for the Leslie Nielsen spoof Spy Hard, as was the use of aquatic imagery in the titles sequence.

Film - ***
Theme Tune - ***


10. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Even though it is mostly considered to be Roger Moore's best film it only just makes my top ten, narrowly beating Timothy Dalton's License To Kill to the post. Moore's third outing as Bond deals with a premise not too dissimilar to that of You Only Live Twice, only this time it is both British ans Soviet submarines which are gonig missing. The trail leads Bond to Egypt and his first encuonter with the steel teethed Jaws, who would go down as one of the most popular villians in the series history.

However, the signs that Bond was about to get a bit too silly and far out were evident here, the submarine car for example would be one small step towards the next picture, Moonraker which for my money is one of the worst 007 movies ever made. The underwater city, Atlantis, owned by comic book baddie Karl Stromberg is also a turn down the wrong road for me. No wonder the tone was darkened For Your Eyes Only which saw a more welcome return of a serious 007.

The pre titles sequence is however one of the more exhilirating and the title song, Nobody Does It Better is I think one of the best sung by Carly Simon. It is one of the less hurried of the songs used in Bond films and for it, the love song sails along to titles and stays in your head long after the film is over. About 30 years later in fact.

Film - ***
Theme Tune - ****

So there you have it, my top ten. Whats yours?