My first cinema Bond was The Living Daylights. No idea what my first actual Bond film was, probably Connery or Moore. I do remember being flummoxed by OHMSS because who was this guy??
The James Bond Film Discussion Thread (With Bonus Lazenby!)
- Thread starter GhoulEddie74
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My first was DAF, which is why I like it more than it really deserves. First in the cinema was Goldeneye and I’ve since seen all subsequent releases on the big screen too.
My first theatrical Bond experience wasn't until Casino Royale, but I grew up watching the Connery, Lazenby, and Brosnan movies on VHS and TV with my dad.
I still have fond memories of the VHS release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which is my dad's favorite. We wore that tape out over the years.
I still have fond memories of the VHS release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which is my dad's favorite. We wore that tape out over the years.
Mine was L2K. And, yeah, I was eight. It probably shouldn't have been. 
FYEO in the theater. LALD on TV.
My first theatrical Bond was Casino Royale, though by then I'd already seen the first 20 official films on VHS.
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Yeah I've seen every Bond film from TLD on the big screen, even a pandemic couldn't stop me!
First theatrical: Diamonds Are Forever.
My first Bond was Moonraker when I was about ten years old, a VHS recording from a TV airing. My Mom would gradually show us the Bond movies starting with the Roger Moore era, probably because she considered them most suitable for children (and Moonraker the most of those). Availability was also an issue back then.
The first I saw in a theater was Tomorrow Never Dies.
The first I saw in a theater was Tomorrow Never Dies.
It was actually pretty cool — my senior year of college, I did an independent study where I looked at the Bond films through an historical lens (I was a history major and film minor). One of the film professors was a big Bond fan and had all the movies thru TWINE (I graduated before Die Another Day was released) on DVD, and he was kind enough to make VHS transfers for me, so I was able to watch all 19 films in widescreen.
That's cool.
But I'm a little disappointed it wasn't the actual VHS releases. Those things were fire.
But I'm a little disappointed it wasn't the actual VHS releases. Those things were fire.
I have no idea what my first Bond movie was - I grew up watching them on ABC with the family. Moonraker might've been my first one in the theater, but I'm not sure.
Especially after the pre-credits sequence, which may still be one of the Top 5 in the entire franchise.
You think? I'm running through in my head as many as I can remember. One thing the MR precred has is "random shlubs wiped out because they were there" which is always a standout Bond trope. (And MR does it a couple of times for goodies and baddies. When the Drax scientists die horribly just because Bond was a schmuck and left a vial out? Man that messed me up.) I do love when the precred manages to introduce the plot AND give Bond a standalone adventure. The FRWL (sorta) / YOLT model vs. the Goldfinger / TND / Indiana Jones model.
But there are more great ones than bad ones. MR is probably the best Moore. Not to bag on Rog more than usual, but he had more than his share of dumb ones. But Spy and MR (being largely the same movie) are standouts. (Ski Jump!) I don't remember the Hamilton ones and most of the Glen ones are stupid.
I think the best ones are Connery and Brosnan. Connery - FRWL (can't kill Bond at the end, kill him at the start - see also YOLT). Goldfinger is the platonic ideal. Thunderball rocks (Jet pack!). YOLT!!! (Space March!) Diamonds are Forever is... There. (Hamilton!)
Brosnan - Goldenye is solid top 3. TND is totally self contained (and has the best music with the possible exception of Goldfinger). TWINE would have been solid as it was (getting the money) and then they stretched it out to include the boat chase and that was pretty territifc. DAD was--- OK.
Craig - Casino Royale laid down the promise the rest of the film picked up. Quantum would have been awesome if it was the only part of the movie that was filmed in that style. Spyfall was almost Goldfinger levels of perfect, wasn't it? I don't remember SPECTRE and I still haven't seen NttD.
Oh, while we're here: Dalton: I like TLD. Is that the only time that "Bond, James Bond" was said in the precred? LTK was... OK, I guess.
Lazenby: Oh, he said it too, didn't he? And of course "Never happened to the other fellow."
I mean they're like Doctor Whos. Far more good than bad.
TND isn't totally self-contained though, the arms bazaar is where Gupta buys the GPS encoder for Carver.
Exactly.
It strikes me that the only PTS in the last 40 years that has no relevance to the main plot of the film is Casino Royale. Prior to this, off the top of my head, you have to go back to Octopussy!
I think both of Tim's were great, especially TLD's
The more I think about it the more I think the number of PTSs with zero link to the plot of the film is small.
Goldfinger, FYEO, Octopussy, Casino Royale for definite.
MR isn't really relevant but does have Jaws in it.
Thunderball probably, though is Bouvar mentioned later?
People might argue Diamonds but we do get Blofeld and it sets up Blofeld having doubles.
Beyond this I don't think there's any others totally stand alone
Goldfinger, FYEO, Octopussy, Casino Royale for definite.
MR isn't really relevant but does have Jaws in it.
Thunderball probably, though is Bouvar mentioned later?
People might argue Diamonds but we do get Blofeld and it sets up Blofeld having doubles.
Beyond this I don't think there's any others totally stand alone
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