Moore, Roger Moore

Back to non-cancer related posts. So far the chemo and radiation is going well, and aside from a slight headache, I am not feeling any significant side effects. Our next consultation at Duke is set for July 20. It's all been good news. The fact that the tumor is metholated, the ADH1 mutation, are all factors in increasing my life expectancy.

A couple of days ago, we lost one of the actors who played James Bond, when Roger Moore died at 89. Inspired by my friend Erik, I am going to attempt to rank all of the people who played James Bond.

1. Sean Connery: He set the standard, made the mold, pick your cliche. He was the first, and the best. The only drawback is that you could get away with more sexism and Beatle-bashing in the 1960s.
Best movie: Goldfinger, still the best Bond movie ever.
Worst movie: You Only Live Twice, kind of cartoonish, but still entertaining.

2. Daniel Craig: Probably has more raw acting ability than any other Bond. He brings an emotional depth to Bond never seen before. According to a 2012 interview, he is Roger Moore's favorite Bond because of his appearance and acting ability. The next movie after "Spectre" remains in a holding pattern. It is only referred to as "Bond 25" on IMDB. Craig, who performs most of his own stunts, now says he is up for another movie, even though, at 49, he is no spring chicken. Also, "Spectre" was not reviewed well, and it's kind of sad that "Kingsman: The Secret Service" was a better Bond movie than the actual Bond movie.
Best movie: "Casino Royale," I agree with Erik that the parkour scene is the best action sequence in the entire series. The other 2 hours of the movie was pretty good, too.
Worst movie: Quantum of Solace, this is what happens when you make a movie during a writers' strike. Still very watchable, but is more or less a tacked-on (and very expensive) sequel to "Casino Royale."

Update: According to Screen Rant, a release date for the still untitled "Bond 25" is November 8, 2019. It will likely be Craig's last movie as 007. Start debating about who will be the next Bond. Personally, I don't care as long as he is male, British, and a good actor. Idris Elba, the studio's choice according to a leak, would be a good choice, as would "Downton Abbey" actor Dan Stevens, and Michael Fassbender.

3. Timothy Dalton: Probably the most underrated James Bond,and a decent actor. A lot of people didn't like "Licence to Kill" because it was very dark and violent. I thought it was a refreshing departure from the series to have Bond pursue a personal vendetta instead of saving the world as usual. If you watch him in other movies, particularly "Hot Fuzz," his character is much more lighthearted.
Best movie: "Licence to Kill," see above.
Worst movie: "The Living Daylights," process of elimination, as there are only two to pick from. This was still a very good movie, particularly the car chase and escape using a cello and its case.

4. Roger Moore: His portrayal of Bond was more lighthearted than others, and I believe he was fully aware of that. Movies like "Moonraker" and "A View to a Kill" are nearly unwatchable, but other movies like "For Your Eyes Only" wanted to return Bond to its roots after "Moonraker" by killing "Blofeld," having a car chase in a Citroen 2CV instead of a gadget-laden Aston Martin, and a great sequence on a former Winter Olympics site. According to a 2012 interview, he admits he could have done it better, despite the theme song for "The Spy Who Loved Me."
Best movie: "The Spy Who Loved Me," Good action sequences, decent story, and introduces unforgettable henchman Jaws.
Worst movie: "Moonraker," The Bond franchise tried to capitalize of the success of "Star Wars," and the result is the worst movie in the franchise.

5. Pierce Brosnan: He looked the part and got the whole swave and debonair thing down pat, but was hurt by lousy scripts and movies that relied too much on huge explosions and special effects. However, they brought Judi Dench on board as the new M, and she is unforgettable.
Best movie: "Goldeneye," Some fun action sequences, and introduces Judi Dench as M. Also, it spawned a totally awesome video game.
Worst movie: "Die Another Day," A CGI-laden mess, and Halle Berry is terrible. At least its reviews sent a message to the Broccolis that Bond needed to go in a new direction (see Daniel Craig, above).

Incomplete: George Lazenby: This Australian model was only in one movie, but it happened to be based on Ian Fleming's best novel, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" The movie could have been paced better, but it has decent action sequences and great performances by Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas, and provides an emotional gut punch at the end of the movie. It is hard to tell how good Lazenby would have been in future movies. I can't blame them for bringing back Connery for "Diamonds Are Forever."