James Bond 007: The Duel

"THUNDERBALL" (1965) Review

I had just viewed the 1965 Bond movie, "THUNDERBALL" for the first time in several years. And I can see why this movie is considered to be one of my all time favorite Bond flicks. But I do not think I can state why in one or two sentences.

“THUNDERBALL” turned out to be director Terence Young’s third and last Bond film. Most Bond fans consider it to be his least superior film, but I consider it to be his second best, following 1963’s “FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE”. The story was based upon an unfinished script called “Warhead”, co-written by Ian Fleming,...

TIMOTHY DALTON AND THE JAMES BOND FRANCHISE

I am going to start out saying that EON Productions have been lucky in choosing the six actors who managed to bring their own sense of style to the role of James Bond . . . and I mean all of them. And all were smart enough to portray Bond in a way that suited them, instead of adhering to what the public or the producers wanted them to play Bond.

That said, I want to say a few things about Timothy Dalton. Even though I was a major fan of Roger Moore, I realized by the mid-80s that it was time for him to retire from the role. With great fondness, I said...

“MOONRAKER” (1979) Review

Well, I just watched “MOONRAKER”. Today, it is considered to be one of the worst Bond movies of all times. It has been accused by fans and critics alike of taking the Bond franchise into a realm of tasteless excess and fantasy. I will not deny there are aspects of “MOONRAKER” that turned me off – including Bond’s final confrontation with the villain aboard the latter’s space station. But after watching it . . . I cannot honestly list “MOONRAKER” as one of my least favorite Bond films, let alone as one of the worst. Trust me, I have seen a lot worst....

"FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE" (1963) Review

Have you ever heard the song, ”What a Difference a Day Makes”? Well, the phrase - ”What a difference, a year makes” kept going through my head, while viewing 1963’s ”FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE”. It seemed such a difference from the very inferior ”DR. NO” (and would prove to be quite a difference in my eyes to 1964’s ”GOLDFINGER”).

Not only do I consider ”FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE” to be one of the finest Bond films in the franchise, I also view it as Connery’s best. In fact, as with 1965’s ”THUNDERBALL”, his acting was superb in...

”GOLDENEYE” (1995) Review

What can I say about 1995’s ”GOLDENEYE”? For one, it marked a series of firsts for the Bond franchise. The movie happened to be Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as James Bond. ”GOLDENEYE” turned out to be Dame Judi Dench’s first time portraying Bond’s MI-6 boss, “M”. And the movie also proved to be a first Bond film for director Martin Campbell, who will return eleven years later to direct 2006’s ”CASINO ROYALE”.

After 1989’s ”LICENSE TO KILL”, I found myself frustrated by talk that it was time for EON Productions to give up on Timothy...

"LICENCE TO KILL" (1989) Review


Most James Bond fans tend to use ”LICENSE TO KILL” as an example of why Timothy Dalton’s tenure as the British agent had failed. Failed? Hmm. Granted, the Welsh-born actor had only starred in two Bond films, but chances are he would have starred in a third if EON Productions had not found itself mired in some lengthy legal battle that lasted throughout the early 1990s. Although ”LICENSE TO KILL” never made as much money at the U.S. box office as its predecessor, ”THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS”, it proved to be an interesting addition to the Bond franchise....

"DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" (1971) Review

I might as well be frank. After my recent viewing of "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER", I have come to the conclusion that it just might truly be the worst James Bond movie ever released by EON Productions. I certainly view it as an unworthy follow-up to the superb "ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE". Yet, despite my low opinion of the movie, I also found it to be very funny.

The movie’s pre-credits started the movie out with a montage featuring Bond’s search for Ernst Stravos Blofeld, head of SPECTRE and the man responsible for the brutal murder of the agent’s...