Spectre was never better than it was in this movie. It's a classic in all ways from introducing actually practical mission useful gadgets to using the Fleming sweep taking us to exotic locations to Kerim Bey, Bond's best agent friend. Absolutely loved the concept of Spectre Island. The poison shoe blades were worth the price of admission.
I'm 29 and it's my favourite bond. Our generation grew up with the zeitgeist of Austin powers and were expecting stuff like Goldfinger and the Roger Moore stuff. The only Bond I had on dvd was Die Another Day. Slowly as I started growing up, people were telling me they didn't like it because nothing makes sense (especially the 2nd half). Then when I did my Bond marathon later on and got to FRWL I was thrilled. To this day it is the only thriller in the franchise. It does Hitchcock well like how Casino Royale does Bourne well and Skyfall does The Dark Knight Well. I thought the rest of the film's were going to be like, but then I Got to Goldfinger and that was disappointment. People complaining about Die Another Day but odd-job destroys a statue with his hat? By now I love it a lot and is on my top 10 but it was jarring going from the first 2 to that at first.
For me, FRWL is the pinnacle of a Cold War spy thriller. I love the 1960s pacing, the performances and the storytelling. Couple that with TLD, OHMSS and Casino Royale and you've got a perfect 4 James Bond movies. I'm getting so tired of the modern pacing of action films that never use suspense at all and can't wait to get on to the next thing. You never see Bond relaxing for more than 30 seconds and you know that if there is a scene that long, the next one is going to have a bunch of explosions. What made Bond different until License To Kill was that it was a very British, suspenseful spy series. It was less about run, jump, shoot and blow something up than it was about suspense and storytelling. Now we're in too much of a hurry. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, but my first films were the Connery ones. I was so disappointed when I started watching the Brosnans after that.
I'm LOVING all the comments from 20-somethings saying that, despite their age, they rank FRWL very high on their lists! You can be young and still recognize great cinema! Way to represent guys!!
I'm 26 and FRWL is one of my favourites, but Dalton's my favourite Bond, I really like QoS and Lazenby never really won me over so take from that what you will haha
Star Wars (glossy) Empire (dark) Jedi (glossy) -- Raiders (glossy) Temple (dark) Crusade (glossy) -- Dr No (glossy) Russia (dark) Goldfinger (super glossy) and remained pretty much glossy from there on. Very young viewers will probably, unfairly, compare 'Russia' with 'Spy/Moonraker' etc.
@@atticustezza9872 you had me until you said Quantum of Solace. I'm only 3 years older than you and think it is the worst by far along with Diamonds are Forever and The Man With the Golden Gun. All 3 are unwatchable.
@@ennesshay5040 the Dalton films are pretty dark. Brosnan's 1 and 3 films are dark. On Her Majesty and For Your Eyes Only are dark and all the Craig ones are dark.
@@crobeastness I see Quantum's flaws but I really don't get why people hate it. Die another day and Diamonds are forever are almost unwatchable because of how cheesy they are. Quantum for me felt like a nod to For your eyes only, another favourite of mine, Craig looks great in the film, the tone is darker and the action is half decent. I am not trying to change anyone's mind you like what you like and don't what you don't. But I am curious what is really so bad about it?
I'm 29 and have been a Bond fan since age 8. FRWL has always been a top favorite of mine. For a long time growing up, it probably was my favorite. Now I would say that the first four Sean Connery Bond films and OHMSS is the Bond franchise at its peak!
I’m only 33 and I’ve always really liked From Russia With Love, even when I was in high school I enjoyed it. I find the story intriguing and probably Connery’s best portrayal as Bond in my opinion. And Robert Shaw was fantastic as Red Grant, he’s easily one of the best henchmen/villains in the whole franchise! Only criticism is the helicopter and boat scene towards the end drags on a bit, that’s about it really.
No sophomore slump for me with this one. From Russia With Love gets better and grows on me more with each viewing. I’m sure I’ve seen it at least 16 times or more. The film is a cinematic jewel, not just for us Bond Fans, but for general movie fans and movie history. It’s a gorgeous film!
Absolutely 007's finest story. In every possible way, this film is spy thriller gold and avoids all of the silliness that rendered too many of the subsequent films over-the-top self-parodies. Great stuff and right up there with On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Does it make any sense that this isn't my favourite 'Bond' film, but that it's my favourite movie from the Bond franchise? It's so special to me that I try not to watch it too much, so as not to overwatch it.
I'm gonna' LOVE this! Russia is one of my favorite Bond movies! Joe really analyzes these films in-depth. This will surely be some great commentary on this legendary film.
21 year old Bond fan here, From Russia With Love is a masterpiece. People my age who don't like this are just stupid and think something that's old sucks because.......it's old.
im 25 and i stilll think its a great film, and its one of those golden age spy stories that we wont have again, its inspirational, alot of new bond actors have to do the kissing scene from the movie for audition, daniel craig nailed it i wonder what brosnan and dalton did for that, and the the fight scene in the train was a highlight, and that inspired the goldeneye fight, its just a great spy film and happens to be bond, i understand your pints of having scenes show up from nowhere, but its a great spy story its one of my top bond films Rip seac connery
Totally agree From Russia With Love is a classic and was my No.1 Bond film until the Daniel Craig Era and even then it still matches up well for me with those films. Straight from my first viewing I felt From Russia with Love was a different class of bond movie to the rest. The rest right up to a View to a Kill are mostly just decent entertainment, but From Russia with Love is a couple of levels above most of them.
I am on the younger side of the Bond fan community (early 20s to be exact) and I love From Russia With Love! It was the only Bond film that felt like a Cold War spy thriller. It did its job and improved from Dr. No in many aspects.
Wow Joe - lately you have been on fire with these thumbnails - just awesome!! Not sure this second film theory is as on the money as the other theories - but any reason to have You and David talking Bond is fine with me! (Just like David will eventually have to battle Calvin on all 25 films - even the ones they agree on!)
FRWL is the best Bond story and film, as a 25 year old. FRWL instilled the pre-credits sequence, gave us Barry and the plot is the most classic, realistic, engrossing, clever and non-bombastic 'save the world' of the Bond movies- which I love. I love the multiple endings, you can't criticise any of them and each comes as a surprise. I would argue FRWL creates the Bond tropes you mention
While I prefer Doctor No. I must admit that FRWL is a superior film. It's better constructed. The characters, relationships and intrigue are more authentic to the espionage genre. As for younger viewers not loving this film. I'll admit, when I was a teenager. I used to call this film boring. But thankfully I've matured and so did my tastes. Hopefully the younger 007 fans go through a similar journey as I did with this film.
I'm in my 40s but I admit. It took me the 3rd time watching FRWL to truly like this film. One point, I had this as my worst Bond film of all time, gulp.
Excellent in depth review as always! Great to see the two of you back in action. (And that opening was Spectacular Joe!) FRWL - for us Veteran older fans - is just about as good as James Bond gets. However - it is much more “ old fashioned” in the style of. Golden age Hollywood 50’s and early 60’s films than most of the series and I could definitely see younger fans not being anywhere near as into it than some of the other films. So yes - that sophomore theory could be happening here! But still- To me, this is an improvement on Dr No in every way and has absolutely everything you would want to see in a James Bond Movie. ...with the Next one you guys will DEFINITELY have a sophomore issue happening!
I like it and have seen it more than once. I think it's an improvement on "Dr. No," but not as good as "Goldfinger," or, especially, "Thunderball." Some of the Kerim Bey stuff and the gypsy camp act could've been removed without any impact on the film's climax. Plus, it's unlikely that a real life Rosa Klebb would quit her job as head of intelligence for a superpower to join a crime syndicate. Talk about a step down! But, it was good to get a behind the scenes look at the operations at SPECTRE Island. The film still has the best fight scene in cinema history, one that was quite violent for its day, but which still holds up today. And I can't get enough of Robert Shaw as Red Grant. I'd watch it again (and again and again).
For me (...and Sean Connery), this was our favorite James Bond movie. Period. Chao. Retired Vietnam era veteran, ex Detroiter, expatriate living in México, Colombia, etc....permanently.
My take is FRWL improves on every aspect of Doctor No which is a great film this is a true Cold War thriller spy espionage here it’s a treat... enter John Barry and here we go...
The multiple action/thriller scenes a the latter half of the film for me are not excessive at all. They really ratchet up the film in exciting ways. I appreciate how the filmmakers are trying to give the audience more bang for the buck. FRWL is a masterpiece in the Bond series. I encourage viewers to sit back and enjoy the rich intrigue and characterizations the film serves deliciously.
FRWL is the perfect James Bond movie. All the elements are there, just right: The perfect Bond (Sean Connery in his peak), the pure-Fleming storyline, a wonderful Bondgirl (Daniela Bianchi), magnificent locations, unforgettable soundtrack, and the villain who puts the call on the audience that Bond is really in danger. Plus we have Rosa Klebb !What about the train fight scene ! That´s amazing ! 10/10. Trying to resume, FRWL is a movie for adults, not for kids.
Films set aboard trains are always good. Hitchcock liked to do it, North by Northwest, The Lady Vanishes. Connery was in Murder on the Orient Express. It gives the film a sense of pace, exotic foreign locations, a host characters trapped in a confined space.
Frankly, the second films usually present the best or, most interesting, of the actors' tenures. I would take as a batch, the second every time. And twice on Sundays.
As a true Cold War Baby Boomer, From Russia With Love is the most realistic and thrilling. The Attache Case is the precursor to the Aston Martin DB5. Q’s 1st appearance and Blofeld’s as well.
I just realized something unique about FRWL that I really like. The scene where Karim Bey tells Bond "The game is played a little differently here", the small scene where Tania says goodbye to her embassy colleagues after work--these add up to the sense of a larger world of diplomacy and espionage in the background, into which this story fits nicely. And when Karim Bey is killed, Bond turns to MI6 for help--how often does that happen? The series' focus on weird supervillains means perhaps most films could not rely on this background, but it is interesting to think about missed opportunities. In TND why does no one pick up the phone and call the Chinese ambassador? YOLT does include such discussions, but presented with no sense of realism. Suppose DAD had included scenes set in Seoul where Bond or diplomats discuss the impending threat.
OK, make that "almost unique." QOS and Spectre show us something of this (although in Spectre all the romance has gone out of this world). And Bond calls for help in Skyfall.
Definitely with TMWTGG, LTK, TND, and QoS they hit a slump. Though at the time of release, I considered Tomorrow Never Dies to be superior to GoldenEye, but time has not been kind with TND, while GE has improved with further viewings (even if the abysmal Serra score is still a distraction).
FRWL is a gem from the pre credit sequence where they kill "Bond" and that bombastic title starts, all the way to when they get off the train. Great spy stuff that I wish would make it's way back into a modern movie. The rest is good, but they're right, it's kind of a series of ending scenes tacked on to the movie to add action. Wouldn't change it though.
FRWL is Connery's Best Bond film, though I admit before the age of 11 I thought it was boring. The boat chase should have been cut to make the film tighter, but perhaps they could have had the helicopter scene moved to during the train journey after the train is forced to stop by the Russians? I think the hotel scene at the end is fine, it's the same as having Tee Hee on the train at the end of LALD and Wint & Kidd on the ship in DAF.
I'm 29 and it's my favourite bond. Our generation grew up with the zeitgeist of Austin powers and were expecting stuff like Goldfinger and the Roger Moore stuff. The only Bond I had on dvd was Die Another Day. Slowly as I started growing up, people were telling me they didn't like it because nothing makes sense (especially the 2nd half). Then when I did my Bond marathon later on and got to FRWL I was thrilled. To this day it is the only thriller in the franchise. It does Hitchcock well like how Casino Royale does Bourne well and Skyfall does The Dark Knight Well. I am a very big Hitchcock fan and have seen most of his movies. From Russia With Love is on par with his best. I thought the rest of the film's were going to be like, but then I Got to Goldfinger and that was disappointment. People complaining about Die Another Day but odd-job destroys a statue with his hat? By now I love it a lot and is on my top 10 but it was jarring going from the first 2 to that at first.
The problem with From Russia With Love is the same as in Goldfinger...a couple of unforgettable scenes are separated by ENDLESS stretches that are enough to put you to sleep. Personally, I found the pace of Dr. No and Thunderball much more enjoyable than Connery's 2nd and 3rd....
another great video..another great theme...but...another time that i disagree, and here agree with the calvin comments....and i'm in my 60's....i saw all of the bond films when they were first released in theatres, and i thought 'russia' was slow and unispired, compared to 'dr. no'....not that it isn't good, or that connery isn't terrific...i think the pace has alot to do with it as well as the storyline itself....it is a definite 'slump' between 'no' and 'goldfinger'....a great theme that proved itself out... looking forward to the next one....stay well guys...peace...rocky
I'd say FRWL is Connery's best film as Bond. It's second only to OHMSS for me. It has the one of the strongest storylines. Plus, a great henchman in Red Grant, the train stuff and Connery as Bond.
I watched the whole canon in order a few years back and this one impressed me the most. Dr. No was good, and it established Connery as a star, but this was a real step up, and laid the foundation for Bond as series. If this had sucked I don't think anyone would know who Bond is today. Yeah, it's a little slow in parts but that's real espionage; I sincerely don't mind all the snooping around in sewers and assassinating bad guys with sniper rifles. The only downside for me is the third act, which is just a big dumb action sequence.. but that's a common misstep in all of the films. Oh, and it has my favorite theme song as well. They still use that exhilarating, catch-your-attention intro in the films and that subsequent melody fits the mysterious, romantic, and intriguing mood of the character to a T.
Adore FRWL. The beginning of the white heat of Bond. I would argue that The Bourne Supremacy is the best Jason Bourne film in the same way. Despite the majority saying The Bourne Ultimatum is the best, like the majority saying Goldfinger is a better film than FRWL.
Pure Bond. From Russia with Love and Casino Royale pulled that pure Bond thing off without ANY of the added baggage. And the tropes of the series that were introduced later, while they were certainly great, became baggage as the series dragged on.
Disagree with this affecting FRWL. FRWL is arguably Connerys best, in fact top five of the entire series. The theory works with Moore, Craig, Brosnan and Dalton even though those actors second films weren't their worst. To fix the endings of FRWL is to put the train fight at the end and bin off the scene on the boat in Venice . .
It's an easy film to admire, but it is a very slow burn until the Orient Express onwards. I'm 53 years old btw. I think I'm naturally less engaged by Terence Young's three films.
Interesting debate, I think I agree with Joe's argument that this movie is in fact a 'positive' slump, it's different and it worked for all the right reasons. This movie is in my top 10 for sure, but I do understand where my generation (millenials) is coming from with the critique. It's a less exciting and bombastic film
I think the opinion of that movie varies less depending on age but according to how much you are into the so called "Bond Formula". The more you want Bond to be phantastic, the less you like FRWL. It's just very down to earth has a believable Plot and half the movie seemingly takes place in a train. I love it and rank it Top 3 but someone who expects Volcano HQ's, Lasers & invisible cars might be very disappointed with this movie.
Great observation! This whole series (firsts, lasts, thirds, etc.) never really works for the Connery's, (or throughout the 60s) because everything is still new and fresh and pioneering... it's really not until the subsequent actors step in that you start to see patterns or formulas.
So he said it right there, he didn't care much about it until he watched it a bunch more times for reviews. So maby it's not an age thing, maybe it just gets better everything you watch it!
With apologies to W. Somerset Maugham, FRWL is a "summing up" of all that has come before in the British pedigree of Spy Fiction. From Buchan, to Greene, to Ambler, Fleming continued on by updating the genre with consumerism and sex. And the movie reflects that genre perfectly. The argument that this film is just a rip off of Hitchcock is too easy to make and does an injustice to both parties.
all Bond movies are flawed my favorites are Dr. No.FRWL. and Casino because their spy movies other Bond's get away from that. old movies hit trouble when they force action into the movie like the multiple endings in FRWL, new movies sometimes try to write a story around action scenes which is worse, as for younger people saying it's slow or boring you have to take the era in which it's made into consideration, i think with everybody streaming everything people are not exposed to somethings, as a kid in the 80's watched alot of things i wouldn't have chosen to watch if streaming was an option it gave me a better perspective of how older movies were made , some old movies i saw as a kid i didn't really like but now love,i thought FRWL was just ok when i 1st saw it now it's a favorite
I'm not sure how people can say From Russia with Love is boring in comparison to Dr No. Dr No was way more boring and as a result ranks very low for me. I just tried rewatching it again last week and only got 25mins in and turned it off as I was just bored with all the talk about strangways.
![ละลาย (LALALYE) - DAOU PITTAYA ต้าห์อู๋ พิทยา [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wo6r9TgausI/mqdefault.jpg)
This is my favourite Bond movie of all time
Spectre was never better than it was in this movie. It's a classic in all ways from introducing actually practical mission useful gadgets to using the Fleming sweep taking us to exotic locations to Kerim Bey, Bond's best agent friend. Absolutely loved the concept of Spectre Island. The poison shoe blades were worth the price of admission.
To David's theory, I'm 30 and FRWL is in my top 5 films. I love it. I realize I'm an odd one, but this one is as David said, a cinematic treasure.
I'm 29 and it's my favourite bond. Our generation grew up with the zeitgeist of Austin powers and were expecting stuff like Goldfinger and the Roger Moore stuff.
The only Bond I had on dvd was Die Another Day. Slowly as I started growing up, people were telling me they didn't like it because nothing makes sense (especially the 2nd half). Then when I did my Bond marathon later on and got to FRWL I was thrilled. To this day it is the only thriller in the franchise. It does Hitchcock well like how Casino Royale does Bourne well and Skyfall does The Dark Knight Well.
I thought the rest of the film's were going to be like, but then I Got to Goldfinger and that was disappointment. People complaining about Die Another Day but odd-job destroys a statue with his hat? By now I love it a lot and is on my top 10 but it was jarring going from the first 2 to that at first.
Ditto
For me, FRWL is the pinnacle of a Cold War spy thriller. I love the 1960s pacing, the performances and the storytelling. Couple that with TLD, OHMSS and Casino Royale and you've got a perfect 4 James Bond movies. I'm getting so tired of the modern pacing of action films that never use suspense at all and can't wait to get on to the next thing. You never see Bond relaxing for more than 30 seconds and you know that if there is a scene that long, the next one is going to have a bunch of explosions. What made Bond different until License To Kill was that it was a very British, suspenseful spy series. It was less about run, jump, shoot and blow something up than it was about suspense and storytelling. Now we're in too much of a hurry. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, but my first films were the Connery ones. I was so disappointed when I started watching the Brosnans after that.
Great points! I share a LOT of your sentiments here! Well said!
This is Connery's best Bond. One of my personal five best of the entire series. No sophomore slump here. Not by a longshot.
I'm LOVING all the comments from 20-somethings saying that, despite their age, they rank FRWL very high on their lists! You can be young and still recognize great cinema! Way to represent guys!!
I'm 26 and FRWL is one of my favourites, but Dalton's my favourite Bond, I really like QoS and Lazenby never really won me over so take from that what you will haha
Star Wars (glossy) Empire (dark) Jedi (glossy) -- Raiders (glossy) Temple (dark) Crusade (glossy) -- Dr No (glossy) Russia (dark) Goldfinger (super glossy) and remained pretty much glossy from there on. Very young viewers will probably, unfairly, compare 'Russia' with 'Spy/Moonraker' etc.
@@atticustezza9872 you had me until you said Quantum of Solace. I'm only 3 years older than you and think it is the worst by far along with Diamonds are Forever and The Man With the Golden Gun. All 3 are unwatchable.
@@ennesshay5040 the Dalton films are pretty dark. Brosnan's 1 and 3 films are dark. On Her Majesty and For Your Eyes Only are dark and all the Craig ones are dark.
@@crobeastness I see Quantum's flaws but I really don't get why people hate it. Die another day and Diamonds are forever are almost unwatchable because of how cheesy they are.
Quantum for me felt like a nod to For your eyes only, another favourite of mine, Craig looks great in the film, the tone is darker and the action is half decent.
I am not trying to change anyone's mind you like what you like and don't what you don't. But I am curious what is really so bad about it?
I'm 29 and have been a Bond fan since age 8. FRWL has always been a top favorite of mine. For a long time growing up, it probably was my favorite. Now I would say that the first four Sean Connery Bond films and OHMSS is the Bond franchise at its peak!
That suggests you have some problems with YOLT? LOL. Yeah, me too.
I’m only 33 and I’ve always really liked From Russia With Love, even when I was in high school I enjoyed it. I find the story intriguing and probably Connery’s best portrayal as Bond in my opinion. And Robert Shaw was fantastic as Red Grant, he’s easily one of the best henchmen/villains in the whole franchise! Only criticism is the helicopter and boat scene towards the end drags on a bit, that’s about it really.
I’m 32 my favorite director is Alfred hitchcock and this is my favorite bond film
No sophomore slump for me with this one. From Russia With Love gets better and grows on me more with each viewing. I’m sure I’ve seen it at least 16 times or more. The film is a cinematic jewel, not just for us Bond Fans, but for general movie fans and movie history. It’s a gorgeous film!
Best villian best fight scene that by itself makes it the best Bond movie.
Three reasons why FRWL is no Sophomore Slump: Daniela Bianchi, Red Grant and John Barry
Absolutely 007's finest story. In every possible way, this film is spy thriller gold and avoids all of the silliness that rendered too many of the subsequent films over-the-top self-parodies. Great stuff and right up there with On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
I agree but there is some silliness with the ending fight and the knife on the end of her shoe.
One of the very best James Bond films.Sean Connery is great as 007.
I like the opening sequence, Terence Young said it was a tribute to French film Last Year at Marienbad.
I love this film. It's my second favorite. It's the most real spy thriller. And it has the best ensemble cast.
To David's point, I'm 21 and From Russia with Love is my third favourite Bond film and Dr. No, Goldfinger and Thunderball are all in my top 10
Does it make any sense that this isn't my favourite 'Bond' film, but that it's my favourite movie from the Bond franchise?
It's so special to me that I try not to watch it too much, so as not to overwatch it.
Yes. Head and shoulders better than any other Bond film. I also try not to watch it too much, so as not to overwatch it.
Best film in the series, so no, there is no Sophomore slump here.
Damn straight !
Absolutely.
second after casino for me. And potentially skyfall, i dont know they're too close.
I'm gonna' LOVE this! Russia is one of my favorite Bond movies! Joe really analyzes these films in-depth. This will surely be some great commentary on this legendary film.
Thumbnail is brilliant
When it comes to Bond TH-cam channels, yours is criminally underrated. Love the analysis. Thank you for the entertaining content as always.
Thank you! That was very kind!
Caught the thumbnail wow great stuff quiz you are a wizard with these things
I'm sorry, I'm in my late 20's and From Russia with Love is my favorite James Bond movie.
I love this movie. So exotic. You've got Russia, Turkey, a long train ride. A hot Bond girl. A badass bad guy.
I’m 18 and love from Russia with love, so I guess I’m in a minority. I don’t think this film is boring at all and of course connery is fantastic.
Me too!
Hell yeah
21 year old Bond fan here, From Russia With Love is a masterpiece. People my age who don't like this are just stupid and think something that's old sucks because.......it's old.
Refreshing to hear someone who is young appreciates the older movies / classics
Thanks, dude. I got into it when I was 15, back in 1998. It was "old" back then, but I loved it. And I still love it. It's timeless.
im 25 and i stilll think its a great film, and its one of those golden age spy stories that we wont have again, its inspirational, alot of new bond actors have to do the kissing scene from the movie for audition, daniel craig nailed it i wonder what brosnan and dalton did for that, and the the fight scene in the train was a highlight, and that inspired the goldeneye fight, its just a great spy film and happens to be bond, i understand your pints of having scenes show up from nowhere, but its a great spy story its one of my top bond films Rip seac connery
Seriously For those People Who are My Age And Don't Like FRWL Seriously Don't Understand Good Story I'm Sorry!!! This is Pure Bond At it's Best!!!!
Totally agree From Russia With Love is a classic and was my No.1 Bond film until the Daniel Craig Era and even then it still matches up well for me with those films. Straight from my first viewing I felt From Russia with Love was a different class of bond movie to the rest. The rest right up to a View to a Kill are mostly just decent entertainment, but From Russia with Love is a couple of levels above most of them.
I am on the younger side of the Bond fan community (early 20s to be exact) and I love From Russia With Love! It was the only Bond film that felt like a Cold War spy thriller. It did its job and improved from Dr. No in many aspects.
Wow Joe - lately you have been on fire with these thumbnails - just awesome!!
Not sure this second film theory is as on the money as the other theories - but any reason to have You and David talking Bond is fine with me!
(Just like David will eventually have to battle Calvin on all 25 films - even the ones they agree on!)
Pitchforks at the ready!
I’m in my late 20’s, but FRWL is my favourite of the entire series
FRWL is the best Bond story and film, as a 25 year old. FRWL instilled the pre-credits sequence, gave us Barry and the plot is the most classic, realistic, engrossing, clever and non-bombastic 'save the world' of the Bond movies- which I love. I love the multiple endings, you can't criticise any of them and each comes as a surprise.
I would argue FRWL creates the Bond tropes you mention
I think it’s absolutely spectacular and potentially the best of the series!
While I prefer Doctor No. I must admit that FRWL is a superior film. It's better constructed. The characters, relationships and intrigue are more authentic to the espionage genre. As for younger viewers not loving this film. I'll admit, when I was a teenager. I used to call this film boring. But thankfully I've matured and so did my tastes. Hopefully the younger 007 fans go through a similar journey as I did with this film.
I'm in my 40s but I admit. It took me the 3rd time watching FRWL to truly like this film. One point, I had this as my worst Bond film of all time, gulp.
@@greatwuta at least it's better than Diamonds Are Forever 😂
@@treadstone1970 You are so right. And to think that in one point of my life I actually ranked DAF higher than FRWL. What an idiot I was.
Excellent in depth review as always!
Great to see the two of you back in action.
(And that opening was Spectacular Joe!)
FRWL - for us Veteran older fans - is just about as good as James Bond gets.
However - it is much more
“ old fashioned” in the style of. Golden age Hollywood 50’s and early 60’s films than most of the series and I could definitely see younger fans not being anywhere near as into it than some of the other films.
So yes - that sophomore theory could be happening here!
But still- To me, this is an improvement on Dr No in every way and has absolutely everything you would want to see in a James Bond Movie.
...with the Next one you guys will DEFINITELY have a sophomore issue happening!
I like it and have seen it more than once. I think it's an improvement on "Dr. No," but not as good as "Goldfinger," or, especially, "Thunderball."
Some of the Kerim Bey stuff and the gypsy camp act could've been removed without any impact on the film's climax. Plus, it's unlikely that a real life Rosa Klebb would quit her job as head of intelligence for a superpower to join a crime syndicate. Talk about a step down!
But, it was good to get a behind the scenes look at the operations at SPECTRE Island. The film still has the best fight scene in cinema history, one that was quite violent for its day, but which still holds up today. And I can't get enough of Robert Shaw as Red Grant.
I'd watch it again (and again and again).
For me (...and Sean Connery), this was our favorite James Bond movie.
Period.
Chao.
Retired Vietnam era veteran, ex Detroiter, expatriate living in México, Colombia, etc....permanently.
My take is FRWL improves on every aspect of Doctor No which is a great film this is a true Cold War thriller spy espionage here it’s a treat... enter John Barry and here we go...
I was hoping you guys would find a way to do more theory videos... And you sure did. Cheers fellas. Here’s to more.
The multiple action/thriller scenes a the latter half of the film for me are not excessive at all. They really ratchet up the film in exciting ways. I appreciate how the filmmakers are trying to give the audience more bang for the buck. FRWL is a masterpiece in the Bond series. I encourage viewers to sit back and enjoy the rich intrigue and characterizations the film serves deliciously.
FRWL is the perfect James Bond movie. All the elements are there, just right: The perfect Bond (Sean Connery in his peak), the pure-Fleming storyline, a wonderful Bondgirl (Daniela Bianchi), magnificent locations, unforgettable soundtrack, and the villain who puts the call on the audience that Bond is really in danger. Plus we have Rosa Klebb !What about the train fight scene ! That´s amazing ! 10/10. Trying to resume, FRWL is a movie for adults, not for kids.
I'm close to 30 and proclaim that FRWL was my boyhood favorite, and is second to Casino today.
FRWL was virtually shot back-back with Dr No, just a superb film!
From Russia With Love is better than Dr No. Facts. Technically, dialogue, acting, actors, writing etc all better. Therefore no sophomore slump.
No, it does not.
Love your videos, your opinions and all thoughts on bond entertainment. Cheers
Films set aboard trains are always good. Hitchcock liked to do it, North by Northwest, The Lady Vanishes. Connery was in Murder on the Orient Express. It gives the film a sense of pace, exotic foreign locations, a host characters trapped in a confined space.
A classic imo along with OHMSS, LALD, TSWLM, Goldeneye and Casino
Frankly, the second films usually present the best or, most interesting, of the actors' tenures. I would take as a batch, the second every time. And twice on Sundays.
As a true Cold War Baby Boomer, From Russia With Love is the most realistic and thrilling. The Attache Case is the precursor to the Aston Martin DB5. Q’s 1st appearance and Blofeld’s as well.
I just realized something unique about FRWL that I really like. The scene where Karim Bey tells Bond "The game is played a little differently here", the small scene where Tania says goodbye to her embassy colleagues after work--these add up to the sense of a larger world of diplomacy and espionage in the background, into which this story fits nicely. And when Karim Bey is killed, Bond turns to MI6 for help--how often does that happen?
The series' focus on weird supervillains means perhaps most films could not rely on this background, but it is interesting to think about missed opportunities. In TND why does no one pick up the phone and call the Chinese ambassador? YOLT does include such discussions, but presented with no sense of realism. Suppose DAD had included scenes set in Seoul where Bond or diplomats discuss the impending threat.
OK, make that "almost unique." QOS and Spectre show us something of this (although in Spectre all the romance has gone out of this world). And Bond calls for help in Skyfall.
I’m under 30, and I love this movie! Connery’s best outing as Bond. Pure cold war thriller from beginning to end!
This is Connery’s best
Definitely with TMWTGG, LTK, TND, and QoS they hit a slump. Though at the time of release, I considered Tomorrow Never Dies to be superior to GoldenEye, but time has not been kind with TND, while GE has improved with further viewings (even if the abysmal Serra score is still a distraction).
I'm sorry but I enjoy Licence To Kill more than The Living Daylights and I enjoy Tomorrow Never Dies more than Goldeneye
@@greatwuta everyone is free to their own opinions so all is good.
FRWL is a gem from the pre credit sequence where they kill "Bond" and that bombastic title starts, all the way to when they get off the train. Great spy stuff that I wish would make it's way back into a modern movie. The rest is good, but they're right, it's kind of a series of ending scenes tacked on to the movie to add action. Wouldn't change it though.
I'm 19 and FRWL is my 3rd favourite Bond film!
FRWL is Connery's Best Bond film, though I admit before the age of 11 I thought it was boring.
The boat chase should have been cut to make the film tighter, but perhaps they could have had the helicopter scene moved to during the train journey after the train is forced to stop by the Russians?
I think the hotel scene at the end is fine, it's the same as having Tee Hee on the train at the end of LALD and Wint & Kidd on the ship in DAF.
I'm 29 and it's my favourite bond. Our generation grew up with the zeitgeist of Austin powers and were expecting stuff like Goldfinger and the Roger Moore stuff.
The only Bond I had on dvd was Die Another Day. Slowly as I started growing up, people were telling me they didn't like it because nothing makes sense (especially the 2nd half). Then when I did my Bond marathon later on and got to FRWL I was thrilled. To this day it is the only thriller in the franchise. It does Hitchcock well like how Casino Royale does Bourne well and Skyfall does The Dark Knight Well. I am a very big Hitchcock fan and have seen most of his movies. From Russia With Love is on par with his best.
I thought the rest of the film's were going to be like, but then I Got to Goldfinger and that was disappointment. People complaining about Die Another Day but odd-job destroys a statue with his hat? By now I love it a lot and is on my top 10 but it was jarring going from the first 2 to that at first.
Born in 82 , and FRWL would probably make my top 5. Great Cold War era spy movie in general , not just a great Bond movie
I'm 32 and FRWL is easily in my top 5 :)
The problem with From Russia With Love is the same as in Goldfinger...a couple of unforgettable scenes are separated by ENDLESS stretches that are enough to put you to sleep. Personally, I found the pace of Dr. No and Thunderball much more enjoyable than Connery's 2nd and 3rd....
Yes I was so excited for this series!
IMO the only sophomore slump of the series was TMWTGG and even that is pretty damn watchable.
26 year old here and FRWL is easily a top 5 bond film for me. How on earth is this movie boring? The pacing in my opinion is perfect.
I'm 23 but FRWL has never left my top ten. TB is still my favorite Connery film though.
My favorite and I am a Bond expert, Robert Shaw as Red Grant is the best Bond villain!
When people say FRWL was influenced by Hitchcock do they mostly mean North by Northwest?
The only Thriller in the entire franchise. Favourite too.
another great video..another great theme...but...another time that i disagree, and here agree with the calvin comments....and i'm in my 60's....i saw all of the bond films when they were first released in theatres, and i thought 'russia' was slow and unispired, compared to 'dr. no'....not that it isn't good, or that connery isn't terrific...i think the pace has alot to do with it as well as the storyline itself....it is a definite 'slump' between 'no' and 'goldfinger'....a great theme that proved itself out... looking forward to the next one....stay well guys...peace...rocky
I'd say FRWL is Connery's best film as Bond. It's second only to OHMSS for me.
It has the one of the strongest storylines. Plus, a great henchman in Red Grant, the train stuff and Connery as Bond.
I think Dr No isn´t as great as people say, and this is much better!
I'm 30 and I love your videos. They are jusht the right shize....
....for me that ish
Intriguing theory; just not applicable to this (#2) film!
WW84; Psycho 2; Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; Indy 2...
Great movie and my favourite novel.
No effing way. One of the top five best Bond films to date
I m in my 20s I love is movie
Is the slide whistle in TMWTGG really that offensive? I loved it when I saw it in cinemas in 1974! Granted, I was 9 years old but still...
No more "offensive" than bringing Sheriff J W Pepper for an encore, or the camera crew being exposed in the mirror of Saida's dressing room...
I watched the whole canon in order a few years back and this one impressed me the most. Dr. No was good, and it established Connery as a star, but this was a real step up, and laid the foundation for Bond as series. If this had sucked I don't think anyone would know who Bond is today.
Yeah, it's a little slow in parts but that's real espionage; I sincerely don't mind all the snooping around in sewers and assassinating bad guys with sniper rifles. The only downside for me is the third act, which is just a big dumb action sequence.. but that's a common misstep in all of the films.
Oh, and it has my favorite theme song as well. They still use that exhilarating, catch-your-attention intro in the films and that subsequent melody fits the mysterious, romantic, and intriguing mood of the character to a T.
They should put in the ending from the video game where red grant returns in a giant robotic octopus as the last boss...
Adore FRWL. The beginning of the white heat of Bond. I would argue that The Bourne Supremacy is the best Jason Bourne film in the same way. Despite the majority saying The Bourne Ultimatum is the best, like the majority saying Goldfinger is a better film than FRWL.
I'm a Brit and had to learn what sophomore meant today
best of Connery, maybe the best ever
Wait, you guys are allowed to get together? We can't do that in Ontario, Canada. We're in lockdown for another month.
Anybody notice Yurok Gargarin’s picture in the Russian embassy?
Pure Bond. From Russia with Love and Casino Royale pulled that pure Bond thing off without ANY of the added baggage. And the tropes of the series that were introduced later, while they were certainly great, became baggage as the series dragged on.
I prefer From Russia with love than Dr No
Disagree with this affecting FRWL. FRWL is arguably Connerys best, in fact top five of the entire series.
The theory works with Moore, Craig, Brosnan and Dalton even though those actors second films weren't their worst.
To fix the endings of FRWL is to put the train fight at the end and bin off the scene on the boat in Venice . .
It's an easy film to admire, but it is a very slow burn until the Orient Express onwards. I'm 53 years old btw. I think I'm naturally less engaged by Terence Young's three films.
Interesting debate, I think I agree with Joe's argument that this movie is in fact a 'positive' slump, it's different and it worked for all the right reasons. This movie is in my top 10 for sure, but I do understand where my generation (millenials) is coming from with the critique. It's a less exciting and bombastic film
Regarding The Empire Strakes Back, is there anyone in the world who considers it bad or prefers TROJ ?
I think the opinion of that movie varies less depending on age but according to how much you are into the so called "Bond Formula". The more you want Bond to be phantastic, the less you like FRWL. It's just very down to earth has a believable Plot and half the movie seemingly takes place in a train. I love it and rank it Top 3 but someone who expects Volcano HQ's, Lasers & invisible cars might be very disappointed with this movie.
Great observation! This whole series (firsts, lasts, thirds, etc.) never really works for the Connery's, (or throughout the 60s) because everything is still new and fresh and pioneering... it's really not until the subsequent actors step in that you start to see patterns or formulas.
So he said it right there, he didn't care much about it until he watched it a bunch more times for reviews. So maby it's not an age thing, maybe it just gets better everything you watch it!
FRWL was better than Dr No!
With apologies to W. Somerset Maugham, FRWL is a "summing up" of all that has come before in the British pedigree of Spy Fiction. From Buchan, to Greene, to Ambler, Fleming continued on by updating the genre with consumerism and sex. And the movie reflects that genre perfectly. The argument that this film is just a rip off of Hitchcock is too easy to make and does an injustice to both parties.
FRWL is the closest movie to the book, IMHO. Shame they didn't (couldn't?) use The Orient Express in the film.
And terminator 2....plus FRWL
all Bond movies are flawed my favorites are Dr. No.FRWL. and Casino because their spy movies other Bond's get away from that. old movies hit trouble when they force action into the movie like the multiple endings in FRWL, new movies sometimes try to write a story around action scenes which is worse, as for younger people saying it's slow or boring you have to take the era in which it's made into consideration, i think with everybody streaming everything people are not exposed to somethings, as a kid in the 80's watched alot of things i wouldn't have chosen to watch if streaming was an option it gave me a better perspective of how older movies were made , some old movies i saw as a kid i didn't really like but now love,i thought FRWL was just ok when i 1st saw it now it's a favorite
I'm not sure how people can say From Russia with Love is boring in comparison to Dr No. Dr No was way more boring and as a result ranks very low for me. I just tried rewatching it again last week and only got 25mins in and turned it off as I was just bored with all the talk about strangways.