To Bond fans, was Timothy Dalton a good Bond?

[Nameless 24]

Watching License to Kill at the moment and I think he wasn't that bad as James Bond despite being the Agent only once in his career.

I know him from various films and TV appearances (Hot Fuzz as the Supermarket Boss and Doctor Who as Rassilon) and I have to say he's pretty charismatic in his films.

I don't really have much of an opinion on Sean Connery or Rodger Moore since everyone's used to knowing them as James Bond, so judging them from other films can be pretty difficult (I know Connery always speaks Scottish in other films and pretty much have no idea what Moore has done).

Anyway, let me know your thoughts on the forgotten Bond!  ;D

[Barry the Nomad]

Actually Dalton has played Bond twice! (The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989))

As a Bond fan, I can say that he was very true to the bond from the books. He was a better choice for the character than Moore, in my opinion. The problem was, the movies themselves were weak. The stories weren't that exciting and after the wackiness of Moore's final films, they went too serious with Dalton's stuff.

Still, he is very much under appreciated. I think studio politics f'd up the third movie he'd be in and by the time they were ready to make another he was too old, so they brought in Brosnan who I believe was in the running when Dalton was chosen. Brosnan couldn't do it at the time since he was Remington Steele from 1982–87.

You failed to mention the MOST under appreciated and typically unknown Bond: George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He did a good job, had probably one of the biggest character moments for Bond in the first 20 films [spoiler]he gets married and then his wife is killed[/spoiler]. In fact this event is mentioned by nearly every Bond since that movie.

Problem was, Lazenby only wanted to be Bond in one film, which really doesn't work for a series. So they brought back Connery one more time before casting Moore.

[Nameless 24]

Actually Dalton has played Bond twice! (The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989))

As a Bond fan, I can say that he was very true to the bond from the books. He was a better choice for the character than Moore, in my opinion. The problem was, the movies themselves were weak. The stories weren't that exciting and after the wackiness of Moore's final films, they went too serious with Dalton's stuff.

Still, he is very much under appreciated. I think studio politics f'd up the third movie he'd be in and by the time they were ready to make another he was too old, so they brought in Brosnan who I believe was in the running when Dalton was chosen. Brosnan couldn't do it at the time since he was Remington Steele from 1982–87.

You failed to mention the MOST under appreciated and typically unknown Bond: George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He did a good job, had probably one of the biggest character moments for Bond in the first 20 films [spoiler]he gets married and then his wife is killed[/spoiler]. In fact this event is mentioned by nearly every Bond since that movie.

Problem was, Lazenby only wanted to be Bond in one film, which really doesn't work for a series. So they brought back Connery one more time before casting Moore.

lol That proves that he's a forgotten Bond as I actually forgot that he did TLD too! XD

I did acknowledge George Lazenby as well, but didn't he demand something ridiculous as the producers wanted him to be Bond for longer but he refused to do it again?

That's intriguing. I haven't read any of the novels myself, although I plan to do so one day to see whether the original Fleming novels hold up.

Wow, so Connery was asked again between those films? That's a first (and probably the last).

I only ever grew up on Brosnan's Bond, so forgive my arrogance if I say that I have only watched one Connery film and 3 of Moore's (they did a marathon one Summer and I caught a few of them, out of the older ones I felt that You Only Live Twice was one that felt pretty mordern, I watched the Spy Who Loved Me and Live and Let Die too, the latter being my favourite old Bond film).

As for License to Kill, I actually liked it, but I can see why it's a weak Bond film...although I don't find Daniel Craig's Bond a Bond film at all (although I don't mind his iteration of Bond, it somehow feels "off").

[Barry the Nomad]

I grew up on Brosnan too, saw World is Not Enough five times in the theaters. Though at my family cabin we had a shelf of VHS tapes and Dr. No, You Only Live Twice and For Your Eyes Only were among them. So even when Brosnan was Bond to me, I was really into Connery's Bond and knew of Moore's thanks to seeing one of his better movies.

I love Craig's Bond, I think it helps that his was a reboot of the franchise. Helped me in not comparing him to past actors so much, since he's a whole new story.

Maybe I'm biased. I did see Casino Royale's premiere in London, even got to walk the red carpet behind Craig. Here's some shameless pics:

The theater before they let us in: http://i.imgur.com/Wrjkd.jpg

View from the red carpet: http://i.imgur.com/YvCCr.jpg

Shaky pic of the back of Craig, he's the one in the middle. We weren't supposed to stop and snap photos but I did for the hell of it, You Only Live Twice Once: http://i.imgur.com/QTHud.jpg

Edit: Fuck it, since I'm being a dirty name dropper, we also got to spend an evening hanging out with Christopher Lee: http://i.imgur.com/1SbzV.jpg

He is friends with the guy who organized our trip, so he set up a dinner party for him and the fifteen of us on the trip. He talked a bunch, going on about wanting to be a singer but ending up as an actor. Got him to autograph an album he released at the time and shook his hand, I didn't know what to say so I said "You were fantastic in Lord of the Rings and Star Wars" and he thanked me and said they were the two things he was most proud to work on in recent years. Most awesome celebrity moment of my life.

One thing I learned that night: he hates squirrels. HATES them.

[mylifewithsega]

HOLYFUCKINGSHITYOUMETCHRISTOPHERLEEANDGOTTOSEECASINOROYALEINFUCKINGLONDONWITHJAMESBOND?!?!?!

Okay, Barry, this is me dripping with envy. *stands in puddle*

[Barry the Nomad]

Awesome, right? I mean, the premiere was great fun. Saw Judi Dench, Chris Cornell, Craig. But hanging out with Christopher Lee for over two hours?? So awesome. And I can't stress enough how small and casual an event it was. It wasn't like a convention Q&A or an autograph signing. It was just like, his daughter took him out to our party, he was meant to be there for an hour, he was enjoying himself so he hung around for over two. Obviously I was nervous, but I did stand and listen to speak. Even if what he was saying was sometimes a little "old man going on and on", that voice. You can just stand and listen to his great voice talk about anything.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OlqjYP3P5Q[/youtube]

[Nameless 24]

I grew up on Brosnan too, saw World is Not Enough five times in the theaters. Though at my family cabin we had a shelf of VHS tapes and Dr. No, You Only Live Twice and For Your Eyes Only were among them. So even when Brosnan was Bond to me, I was really into Connery's Bond and knew of Moore's thanks to seeing one of his better movies.

*High fives*

I don't know who to choose with Sean Connery or Roger Moore, I liked them both honestly, but I think Moore edges it for me.

I love Craig's Bond, I think it helps that his was a reboot of the franchise. Helped me in not comparing him to past actors so much, since he's a whole new story.

I like Daniel Craig as an actor, but as Bond...I don't know...I felt the Director took Bond to a direction not very Bond like...I can't explain it. I see Casino Royale as a good film, but I can't see it as a Bond film.

Maybe I'm biased. I did see Casino Royale's premiere in London, even got to walk the red carpet behind Craig. Here's some shameless pics:

The theater before they let us in: http://i.imgur.com/Wrjkd.jpg

View from the red carpet: http://i.imgur.com/YvCCr.jpg

Shaky pic of the back of Craig, he's the one in the middle. We weren't supposed to stop and snap photos but I did for the hell of it, You Only Live Twice Once: http://i.imgur.com/QTHud.jpg

Edit: Fuck it, since I'm being a dirty name dropper, we also got to spend an evening hanging out with Christopher Lee: http://i.imgur.com/1SbzV.jpg

I am jealous. Been to London once and saw that Cinema with my own eyes in the daytime (as well as a tramp sleeping there). However, never been to a Première, so you have achieved something none of us will possibly experience in England! lol

Christoper Lee is also very epic indeed. I wish to meet Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart one day though before they perish, being from the North and making it in America!

He is friends with the guy who organized our trip, so he set up a dinner party for him and the fifteen of us on the trip. He talked a bunch, going on about wanting to be a singer but ending up as an actor. Got him to autograph an album he released at the time and shook his hand, I didn't know what to say so I said "You were fantastic in Lord of the Rings and Star Wars" and he thanked me and said they were the two things he was most proud to work on in recent years. Most awesome celebrity moment of my life.

Wow, I never knew that! I wonder what he sings? Is he a crooner?

I bet it was, although you should have mentioned one of his older films...DRACULA! XD

One thing I learned that night: he hates squirrels. HATES them.

Welcome to London, where they pretty much try to crawl up your leg if you have food. :3

[Barry the Nomad]

Oh no! Don't mention Dracula! He really doesn't like talking about being Dracula. For him, it was just a job. I forgot how he stated it exactly, but when somebody brought it up he said something like "I don't talk about that anymore". I figure, given how longe he's been on this earth, the Dracula days are so far in the past that he's pretty much moved on and would rather talk about things that interest him.

His singing is sort of a mix between opera and spoken word, hard to explain. Here's an old movie with him singing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9MuEA2eF8c

Really, it's all thanks to his voice. Not so much that he carries a tune, but that he can be so booming and dramatic.

[Nameless 24]

Oh no! Don't mention Dracula! He really doesn't like talking about being Dracula. For him, it was just a job. I forgot how he stated it exactly, but when somebody brought it up he said something like "I don't talk about that anymore". I figure, given how longe he's been on this earth, the Dracula days are so far in the past that he's pretty much moved on and would rather talk about things that interest him.

His singing is sort of a mix between opera and spoken word, hard to explain. Here's an old movie with him singing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9MuEA2eF8c

Really, it's all thanks to his voice. Not so much that he carries a tune, but that he can be so booming and dramatic.

I see, that's a shame as I think that was the film that made him a star, but I guess he may have had bad memories about it I guess (perhaps he felt like he was very inexperienced or something, given how far he has progressed since then).

I'll have to check it out later unfortunately, but it does indeed sound interesting.

[Barry the Nomad]

I believe Hammer cut a LOT if not ALL of his dialogue in the later films. Watch the Cinemassacre Monster Madness reviews and James notes how Lee doesn't even speak in some of the films. That is criminal, given how great the man's voice is.

So I'm sure that sort of stuff lead to him not being as proud of the role. Or at least, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

Oh yeah, speaking on bond, the 50th anniversary blu-ray releases next week! I pre-ordered it, cannot wait:

[Nameless 24]

I believe Hammer cut a LOT if not ALL of his dialogue in the later films. Watch the Cinemassacre Monster Madness reviews and James notes how Lee doesn't even speak in some of the films. That is criminal, given how great the man's voice is.

So I'm sure that sort of stuff lead to him not being as proud of the role. Or at least, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

Oh yeah, speaking on bond, the 50th anniversary blu-ray releases next week! I pre-ordered it, cannot wait:

That sucks, and a shame...I can understand why he'd be like that about it now I guess.

Awesome, but I see one of those box sets every year, and usually going for £200! D:

[Barry the Nomad]

Really? Every year? This is the first set to have every movie on blu-ray (I believe 7 of the movies are new to the format including the awesome Goldeneye). I think the last big set was an incomplete blu-ray collection and before that a complete DVD collection up to World is Not Enough.

Anyway, I think this is the definitive collection, so I can't wait! Glad I held off on past releases. I even passed on Casino Royale in hopes of a complete set.

[Nameless 24]

Really? Every year? This is the first set to have every movie on blu-ray (I believe 7 of the movies are new to the format including the awesome Goldeneye). I think the last big set was an incomplete blu-ray collection and before that a complete DVD collection up to World is Not Enough.

Anyway, I think this is the definitive collection, so I can't wait! Glad I held off on past releases. I even passed on Casino Royale in hopes of a complete set.

Well, DVD wise, I always see a Bond collection when one comes out, or when an Anniversary/Movie Milestone has come around (45 Year Edition, Bond's 20 Adventures Collection, Bond 2000 Edition etc), if it's the first Blu Ray collection then I can't blame Paramount (?) for releasing one, but I fear they'll make a "Bond 2015 Collection" down the line.

That's good to hear, but when Skyfall is released, you will be one down again.

It'll be a sad day when one of the Bond's or a Bond Woman dies...because afaik, none of the Actors/Actresses in the film has died (I know that Q died not too long ago, but I mean the Bond Actors/Bond Girl Actresses themselves).

I am actually very impressed that after 50 years, they are all very well and alive.

[Barry the Nomad]

The Bond 50 box actually has an empty sleeve for Skyfall, and the set itself is meant to contain the first 50 years. So in that sense, anything after Skyfall would make sense sitting outside the collection.

[Nameless 24]

That's interesting, and making the box set somewhat future proof...