The Bond movies that have the licence to thrill

 

 

 

The man that men want to be and women want to be with – that is right, we said it. James Bond has been setting the bar high for men for over four decades, thanks to his debonair demeanor, combat skills and clever one-liners, we can never get enough.

 

There have been over 20 movies bringing in over $5.5 billion worldwide. It is clear that Bond is a brand that everyone around the world can relate to and celebrate – he certainly is Britain’s best export!

 

With Skyfall due to be released soon we thought we would look back at how Bond has developed over the years. Our Top 5 James Bond Movies:

 

5: Diamonds are Forever

 

Bond: Sean Connery

Favourite One Liner: 

 

Tiffany Case: “I’ll finish dressing.”

James Bond: “Oh please don’t, not on my account.”

Sean Connery returned for Diamonds are Forever, 007 as he investigates a diamond-smuggling plot which involves action thrills and the obvious highlight being a car chase that winds up on the streets of Las Vegas. Bond’s revenge-fueled chase to end Blofeld’s reign makes for great viewing. The end result being a fitting send-off for Connery’s run as James Bond!

 

4: For Your Eyes Only

 

Bond: Roger Moore
Favourite one liner: 

 

James Bond: “Now put your clothes back on, and I’ll buy you an ice cream”

 

After the undeniable excess of predecessors The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only bolted Bond back to the mainstream. Increasingly over-the-top gadgets and set-pieces are put aside in favor of a more realistic and real feel. And while the storyline is nothing too left-field, For Your Eyes Only certainly benefits from the inclusion of increasingly thrilling action sequences, including a fast-paced chase on a ski slope – you remember, don’t you?

 

 

3: GoldenEye

Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Favourite one-liner:

 

Xenia Onatopp: “You don’t need the gun, Commander” 

James Bond: “Well, that depends on your definition of safe sex”

 

After the disappointment of Timothy Dalton’s two-movie run, GoldenEye — featuring Pierce Brosnan’s first go-around as 007 — certainly comes off as a welcome return to the Connery days as 007. The story line follows Bond as he attempts to stop a agent from crippling the world via computers and technology! A insightful storyline for the time.  It was also memorable for Famke Janssen’s star-making work as Onatopp and has secured her place within the hall of fame of great Bond girls.

 

 

2: Goldfinger

 

Bond: Sean Connery
Favourite one-liner:

 

Pussy Galore: “My name is Pussy Galore”

James Bond: “I must be dreaming”

 

There’s little doubt that Goldfinger has come to set-out what a perfect James Bond adventure looks like, as the film boasts a whole host of iconic elements: memorable characters (Pussy Galore, Oddjob) and quotable dialogue “No, Mr. Bond; I expect you to die!”

 

The film subsequently remains a favorite for fans around the globe, with Sean Connery at his charismatic best!

 

The movie also hosts Twitter’s favorite one-liner: after tossing a lamp into a bathtub holding a bad guy, Bond exclaims: “Shocking! Positively Shocking!”

 

1: Casino Royale

 

Bond: Daniel Craig
Favourite one-liner:

 

Vesper Lynd: “Am I going to have a problem with you, Mr. Bond?”

James Bond: “No, don’t worry, you’re not my type”

Vesper Lynd: “Smart?”

James Bond: “Single”
The James Bond series got a hard and fast reboot with Casino Royale, as 007’s origins are explored in a film that details his first field assignment and his first encounter with a dastardly villain (Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre).

 

Daniel Craig put in a great proformance as Bond and actually made 007 more human, with the character’s ill-fated romance with Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd proving instrumental in his transformation from mild-mannered spy to calculating killer.

 

Though it does drag on a little too long, Casino Royale ultimately satisfies both long-time fans of the series and younger viewers who’ve never seen Bond in action before. Craig’s first run at Bond proved successful and the movie making Bond the killer the country needs in a time of plight, was a cold and calculated move.

 

 

Agree with our pick of Bond movies? Skyfall, due 26 October 2012 could change our line up. Check out the Elysium Magazine preview.