Friday Five: Top 5 James Bond Movies

I have really had a good time making these posts the post few weeks.  Thank you for taking time to read my lists, both baseball related and non-baseball related, that I have posted.  This week I am going to put up two more list with one list being a baseball list and one list being a non-baseball list.  James Bond movies are obviously not a baseball list.  I have always enjoyed these films and they always seem to pop up on my radar at some point for background noise at night while I am working on school work.  I kind of drift between 80s and 90s music, detective shows (I have been on Motive for the last year), and movies.

There are many random movies I will put on for background noise, but nothing that is new or never viewed.  I have seen all of the James Bond movies and know them well.  After watching them and watching them and watching them some more they are still entertaining....well not this one.....

Which has my vote as the worst James Bond movie and is my almost only unwatchable.  Tosca isn't for everyone....... Here are my five favorites in order......

5. Casino Royale (2006)

The only modern Bond movie that is on my list of great Bond films.  The film is sort of taking the franchise back to square one and starts off the viewers from the beginning of Bond's career as 007.  The plot of the movie is sold and Craig does a great job as Bond.  Better than any performance turned in by the likes of Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, or Pierce Brosnan.  The plot of the movie does a good job of showing viewers a lot of background on the James Bond character.  Easily the best of the modern Bond movies.  My one critique with this movie does not actually involve this movie, but the follow up movies behind this story.  We have already discussed, Quantum of Solace is terrible, and Skyfall seems to present a sort of end of the line for Bond.  If the franchise is going to be reset, then why rap it back up in three films.  Skyfall, by the way, is a decent movie.  

4.  Dr. No (1962) 

First film in the franchise belongs on the list, but it was not the best early Bond film.  Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli created a partnership to make the Bond films after Saltzman won the rights to the James Bond book franchise.  Connery does a good job in the movie, but the film was cheaply made and it shows at different points during the movie.  In 1962 money it was filmed and produced for just over twenty thousands pounds.  I don't have a pound sign on my computer.  I'm told, if I am doing my math correctly, that is just under a half million pounds today.  I think that means cheap.  The two producers originally wanted Carey Grant to play the role of James Bond, but he only committed to one film.  

3.  From Russia With Love (1963)

This early Bond film was important for several reasons.  First, it introduced viewers to the crime organization Spector.  Many of the early Connery films circled around his fights with the different villains from this crime syndicate.  Here's their introduction.....

The plot of the film was really good too with Bond running around Turkey and Eastern Europe on trains trying to get his hands on a code cracking device which will help the West battle those pesky Soviets.  The movie has great henchman from Redd Grant and his garrote watch to Rosa Klebb and her knife shoe.  Of course, Bond had his on gizmos and gadgets in this film as viewers are introduced to the character of Q Branch.   

2.  On Her Majesty's Secret Service

This one flies under the radar.  I know several Bond movie enthusiast who hate this film.  Really, I think it boils down to the fact that it's an earlier Bond film and does not star Sean Connery.  Of course, the last two or three Sean Connery movies were well written, but not great performances by the best known Bond actor.  Just my two cents.  The movie has a great plot and tons of great action scenes.  I love the ski chase.  One of the best chase scenes in any Bond movie.  Sweet music too.  

1. Goldfinger

Yes, it's number one on everyone's list, but what's not to love.  Gold, Atomic Bombs, a Korean Henchman with a killer hat, Fort Knox, Pussy Galore, Communist countries conspiring to bring down the west.....Gold painted girls and this cool laser scene.   If I had a trophy I would mail it to Sean Connery and Gert Frobe.