Honestly i dont understand the hate for Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough. Loved both of em, ESPECIALLY the former. I'll concede that GoldenEye was his best one, but TND was a great movie and so was TWINE imo. ...pretty sure we can all agree Die Another Day is trash tho. (Although admittedly I enjoyed the first half hour, the initial setup had potential imo but once it got to the ice hotel all hell broke loose)
Not for his first two films. Goldeneye has the best rogues gallery of any single Bond film and Tomorrow Never Dies has the best pacing in the entire franchise.
I've actually grown to LOVE Pierce Brosnan's Bond in the last couple of years. I think the bashing on his movies takes away from his consistently amazing portrayal. To me, he's the one that truly got it best after Connery! When you see him in that tuxedo for the first time in GoldenEye, I just see Fleming's James Bond!
I actually would edit your last sentence if I was typing it. I adore seeing him in the tux. Dreamy and so perfect for my inner eye. Yet all of that, the "Fleming's James Bond" part doesn't strike with me. Fleming's Bond was an assassin, not a gentleman spy. Moore and Brosnan both were lovely at playing the latter. Casino Royale is an interesting read and that honestly is either Craig--who DID get that movie right--or Dalton who just got the feel right for the character as Fleming wrote him. Brosnan will remain my #1 though. Not including Connery just because Fleming didn't like him when he met him for the role. Sean DID make it work wonderfully, but if the author doesn't see you in the role, then well.....
I'm suprised how many Dalton fans here are in the comments. Really like him. I really like Daltons, lets say more serious, brutal humor, especially the strawberry jam-scene :) 2 films were too less. Let's hope for a Dalton-cameo in No time to die. Hopefully next xear :) The are bringing back one thing from the Dalton-era, a Dalton-cameo would be perfect. Well, I don't think this will ever happen. :(
My favourite Moore performances are as Simon Templar and Lord Brett Sinclair. I have every episode of both and watch them regularly. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks this.
You echo my sentiments exactly. 'The Man Who Haunted Himself' is a rare example of Sir Roger being given a chance to stretch his acting sinews, so to speak.
He was even pretty fun in the movie The Quest with Jean Claude Van Damme. It was a departure from the normal action/martial arts movies Van Damme did as it had more of a globetrotting adventure tone. Moore was absolutely perfect to throw into the mix since his Bond films embraced that element the most. I'll be damned if he doesn't look like he's having fun too.
Whenever I watch Connery: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass. Whenever I watch Moore: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass. Whenever I watch Dalton: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass. Whenever I watch Brosnan: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass. Whenever I watch Craig: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass.
@@Clay3613 I think what LTK needed was a better script. The gimmick of Bond resigning to avenge someone is problematic for two reasons: the audience doesn't care who Bond avenges and we can't believe that a franchise film would end this way. I can easily accept a dark, gritty Bond had it reflected the complex nature of Fleming's novels. There was no time devoted to Bond's inner conflict regarding the killing he's done or the moral gray area of his trade. All we get is a pissed off dude trying to kill a generic action movie villain.
@@ricardocantoral7672 exactly. It didn't have nearly the depth it thought it did. It was a TV movie with a huge budget. Miami Vice meets Man on Fire. I find that Dalton, while admirable in his aim, for some reason lacks the necessary screen presence in these movies. Not only was LTK tedious, and without the Bond flavour, it wasn't as dark and disturbing as it wanted to be. I didn't buy it at all.
My favorite is Pierce Brosnan. You more or less nailed the reasons for why. I don't see his "jack of all trades" as a bad thing. To me, Brosnan had it all. The coolness of Connery, the physicality of Lazenby, the wit (and love of puns) of Moore, and at times the dark edge of Dalton. It helps that I absolutely adore his first three films and still considered them all personal favorites. Die Another Day is a different story, but even there Brosnan was giving it his all and I can't imagine any other actor being able to make the material he given work as well as he did.
Lazenby is my least favorite too. To be fair to him, he is quite energetic in the fight scenes. He is also pretty good in the romantic scenes with Tracy and I actually prefer his barn proposal scene to Craig’s scene in CR with Vesper at that lakeside villa. And he absolutely nailed the emotion of the last scene. I think the biggest problems with Lazenby are in the scenes where he is directly comparable to Connery, such as in the casino, or talking to the villain, or just basically sneaking around. He simply doesn’t have natural Connery’s onscreen presence and charisma. During the casino scene, he just looks like another patron but Connery looks like he is totally at ease with his effortless charm. He also doesn’t have that element of danger that Connery had when dealing with the villains.
Very good point about the scenes directly comparable with Connery being the ones he succeeds the least in! I never thought of it like that but you're right. He does well in the scenes we don't typically think of as "Bondian", romancing Tracey, emotional at the end etc but when he's doing the classic Bond stuff it's a little harder to swallow.
Yeah. It's kind of to be expected from a guy who had only done modeling and a few chocolate commercials, but his acting even on its own just is so wooden.
What a great video Calvin, happy Christmas to you! Here's my personal ranking and my favourite performance. 1. Timothy Dalton - Dark and charming, loved his take and his two films were masterpieces. Underrated as hell, played Bond perfectly. Favourite performance = Licence To Kill 2. Sean Connery - The obvious choice, the brutish, dazzling alpha male that won over millions to the series in its infancy. His first three performances are especially brilliant. Favorite performance = From Russia With Love 3. Pierce Brosnan - Slightly biased as an Irishman but I still think Brosnan did a fantastic job in the role. Showed coldness as well as magnetic charm, gotta respect that versatility. Favourite performance = The World Is Not Enough 4. Roger Moore = Such a good natured, instinctive and likeable actor, I can definitely see why he was kept on for so long (maybe a little too long!). I personally think he really hit his stride with Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only. Favourite performance = The Spy Who Loved Me 5. Daniel Craig = In 5th place due to the messy writing of his films which has split him into two different Bonds, the first and my absolute favourite is the young, ruthless SAS man in Casino Royale and Quantum and the other is the relic of a bygone era bore in Skyfall in Spectre. Another actor that stayed on far too long also. Favourite performance = Casino Royale. 6. George Lazenby = Really needed time to settle into the role, I still think he did a great job in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, him and Dalton played him really close to the novel more than any other actor. I would have loved another few films out of him.
I honestly could not pick between the first 4. I grew up with Connery and Moore. Brosnan was amazing in the 90s and I came to appreciate Dalton more and more over the years. I just was not fan of his movies. That was really the issue with Dalton. The movies were like 20 years ahead of its time. Too brutal and depressing for a Bond movie I was used to!
One of the things I love most about James Bond is how pluralistic the series is. I don't think I've ever known two people to have the same rankings and I think it's wonderful we get to understand diverse perspectives through a series we all enjoy. That being said.... The Living Daylights is my favorite one and this member of the Dalton Battalion enjoys him some strawberry jam.
9:30 "STRAWBERRY JAM!!!" ...that needs to be a meme! XD No surprise at all that 'ol Roger is "Onatopp" of the list. (I am so sorry for that pun...) If I have to make a prediction, I'd say Dalton is going to be #1 on the Fleming List and Brosnan will top the Objective List but we shall see! Looking forward to the continuation of this series!
Only surprised about Timothy Dalton being a little lower than I expected. I personally really like The Living Daylights and I can't really see why a lot of people don't like it. I thought at first it was the plot, but really it is better than Octopussy. I also thought it was a lack of villain or a confusion of who was the villain. Maybe Miriam D'Abo was not the best Bond girl, but I really love the film.
I think there are several big reasons: 1. The Bond Girl is extremely weak. 2. Koskov and Whittaker aren't the most intimidating or threatening of villains. 3. The film goes on a bit too long. That plane sequence in particular has an extra scene that I'm not sure needed to be there. 4. Saunders and Leiter (the version here) are weak allies (while Cameron Shaw is great), plus every John Glenn movie must have an ally that dies in the first half. 5. Dalton does a fine job in his first outing, but he seems to be more comfortable ( and IMO, does a better job) in the next film. I think it's a fine film, one of my favorites to watch, but I do see why it's a lesser film to others.
For me, this is how I rank the Bond actors in terms on personal opinion: 1) Sean Connery (he was great in the Eon flicks, but I personally feel like Never Say Never Again had his best performance, I absolutely love seeing him playing an older Bond and he was basically the book Bond plus more; so yeah, being able to play Bond both younger and older very effectively makes him my favorite) 2) Timothy Dalton (honestly, the fact that he stuck closely to the book character makes him a close second favorite and he really is how I imagine Bond sounding like in the books) 3) Roger Moore (nostalgia is strong with this take, I just love the one-liners and Roger just exudes charisma and likeability) 4) Pierce Brosnan (like Roger, I mainly have a nostalgic attachment towards him and I really feel like he handles the humor and smooth charm quite nicely; the one thing is that his performance could be a bit like a diet version of Roger Moore at times) 5) Daniel Craig (he doesn't look the way I feel Bond should look like, but he makes up for it with his acting) 6) George Lazenby (uneven performance, but very impactful and emotional at the right times) 7) David Niven (not bad, but the material he got could be baffling at times)
@@captainbrodude8251 Yeah, he isn't bad in Diamonds. Even though there are moments where he does look tired, there are also some legit good moments from him in a lot of scenes (mostly his scenes with Jill St. John, Norman Burton, Jimmy Dean, Lana Wood, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell).
6-George Lazenby: Had a nice short run and managed to do pretty well without any experience. 5-Daniel Craig: I think he pulls off a great and broad range of emotions and pulls off the seriousness of Bond. But comedy doesn't really suit him or his era. 4-Pierce Brosnan: This is a sad choice but I haven't seen all of his films in a while. He just has the charm and is so cool in the part. Can't wait to see the rest. 3- Sean Connery: Another effortlessly cool Bond he just owns every scene he's in (most of the time) and pulls off the base performance for all Bonds 2-Roger Moore: My childhood favourite Bond. I love comedic Bonds and the films. You're right he's fun and I love every film he's in. 1-Timothy Dalton: I'm gonna come and get you. Just kidding. I love both of his varied performances the first is very comedic and badass a bit generic but he pulls it off. When Saunders is brutally murder I feel the true Bond and bloodlust come to him in seconds. Also License To Kill is just that moment but the whole film it's so cold seeing him rip apart this criminal empire from the inside because he wants revenge for Felix and Della.
My list is identical to yours with the exception of perhaps switching Craig with Lazenby for last. I'm torn between them since Craig is obviously a better actor in general, but Lazenby fits my idea of Bond slightly better. Dalton can't get enough praise though, he's in a class of his own.
@@Apanblod I have the same thought. I put Craig at the bottom of most of my list if we're being honest I just put him at 5 because he has more movies than Lazenby so he has a bit more of an impact. They switch around often enough for me so it was the luck of the draw at this point.
Personally I would put Moore in 5th and basically from Craig upwards move up a slot, Moore is a good actor but his portrayal as bond, i liked as a dumb kid but as a dumb 18yr old the comedy doesnt suit me anymore, apart from that I agree with the list
My list goes: 7: *NIVEN.* Though I’m still hoping that David Niven the pelican from the book You Only Live Twice appears in a film someday. Shame it’s late for it to be played by Niven himself though. 6: *LAZENBY,* though I don’t dislike his Bond - he could’ve become a great Bond if he’d stuck around for longer and grown into the role. 5: *MOORE,* with the caveat that, if we were ranking the actors purely by who they were as people, he’d easily be #1, he seemed like a genuinely kind and charming man - I regret that I never got to meet him. As Bond, he’s very enjoyable to watch, it’s just campy Bond isn’t my favourite type of Bond - at times it feels a bit too pastiche. 4: *CRAIG.* Until recently he would’ve been #3, but recently I’ve begun to more appreciate... 3: *BROSNAN,* so Brosnan’s gone up while Craig went down. I think Craig is brilliant at his best, but can be rather dull at times, mostly in Spectre (I chalk that up more to bad direction on Sam Mendes part though). Brosnan’s best isn’t as high as Craig’s best, but his worst isn’t as low as Craig’s worst. Over time, I’ll probably switch back and forth over who’s #3 and who’s #4, but this is how I stand at the moment. I will say this though: I grew up during the Craig era though (I was 9 when he was cast) so he’ll always have that nostalgia factor over any other Bond actor. But then again I was born during the Brosnan era - that’s gotta count for something... OK, maybe not. 2: *CONNERY.* Though it’s a very close second - I could make him a joint #1 but that’d be cheating. Of course, he had the style and the suaveness, though, and he played it so effortlessly cool. 1: *DALTON.* Like with Brosnan & Craig, I flip-flop who’s my #1 between Connery & Dalton quite a bit. Dalton pips it though, because I think he had the best grasp of who Bond is, and I admire the way Dalton never forgets that, at his core, Bond is a cold, brutal assassin. I’ll forever curse Giancarlo Parretti, for it was his dodgy dealings with MGM that put the kibosh on Dalton’s tenure as Bond.
I forgot about the pelican! I wonder if they can use archive audio of Niven to faithfully represent the character on screen... You know, distort his speech in pelican squawks etc... Thanks for the great list, Bencol along with the reasoning for each pick. Happy to see some Brosnan love too! Until very recently my 3rd and 4th swapped around... I'd probably have ranked Craig above Connery if you'd asked me a year ago. Maybe it's because I've recently see the Connery films again given his passing or maybe it's because I'm a little fatigued by the sheer length of the Craig and the NTTD delays but I went Marie Kondo on this list and based purely on "does it spark joy" and Connery's performances certainly spark more joy in me than Craig at the moment! Your points on Dalton are very true as well. I think he's the most dedicated to the part (maybe Craig too) in the sense that he really thought through the character, went back to Fleming etc and seemed to really want to do it justice. Obviously this is a testament to his commitment to his practice and art. Shame he didn't have more opportunities to really make a bigger stamp in the part.
49 year old here, and have been lucky enough to watch much of the franchise in actual theatres. For me, dalton is the most skilled actor to play the role, so I always felt a bit bad for him, as it wasn’t really a great bond era with regard to writing, budget, general standard of movies at the time. When I watch Craig in the opening black and white scene in casino royale, I just can’t help recasting it with an age appropriate dalton in my head 🤔
Brosnan was the Bond I grown up with but after rewatching Dalton's movies I must say he is my favorite because he is the closest than any other Bond to play the caracter like in the novel and really should've made a 3rd movie.
My ranking of the Bond actors changes a lot but currently: 1. Pierce Brosnan 2. Daniel Craig 3. Sean Connery 4. Timothy Dalton 5. Roger Moore 6. George Lazenby I always find it hard to rank them and putting Roger Moore at 5 doesn’t feel right
My film's ranking are a bit different but my bond ranking would be : 1) Timothy Dalton 2) Sean Connery 3) Daniel Craig 4) Roger Moore 5) Pierce Brosnan 6) George Lazenby 7) David Niven
Well, this is like choosing your favorite children, isn't it? 6. George Lazenby - Only due to the fact that he merely had one film. I actually think he's quite terrific. Yes, even in the dubbed over scenes. Why? Cause I actually buy that he's playing this derpy geneologist character. I feel like he did quite well and it's a shame that it would take 20 years until Dalton gave OHMSS a sequel in spirit of that film. 5. Brosnan - Look, I grew up on Goldeneye as well and I love Brosnan. I think his biggest weakness is that he feels like a bit of a cardboard cut out of Bond sometimes. Like: This is who Bond as a combination of all versions that ever existed in any Bond fan's mind. I do feel like he loses something due to that. I think his strongest performance is actually in Tomorrow Never Dies. I just love the sheer joy of him using the remote BMW. 4. Craig - Well, I was one of those kids that grew up with Bond and then hated on Craig for no good reason for a solid while, thinking that Bond could never be blond. Basically, I was a little twat. Craig is great, particularly in Casino Royale which gives a Bond actor the most compelling story to act out since LTK, imo. I feel like sometimes he does get a little too much psycho-analyzed in his films. A bit of that is good and fine, but I don't want my Bond to be 100% deconstructed. 3. Moore - It's impossible to dislike Sir Roger. I think he sometimes overdid it with the puns and his kissing scenes always have me asking if he means to suck out the soul of each particular woman (seriously, I love Roger, but that is not how you kiss someone), but of course I adore his sheer britishness. I think his strongest performance by far is in TSWLM, where he finally found his footing as a new version of James Bond. I do agree that his more dramatic moments (especially those involving Tracy) are underrated. I just wish he had retired from the role a film or two earlier. 2. Connery - What is there left to say that hasn't been said? He's forever going to be the one and only James Bond for millions of people and I can't argue with that. He had a sexual aggressiveness to him that could rarely ever by captured again. I think his strongest performance is definitely in FRWL. He's also awesome in Goldfinger, but he does not get as much to do in that movie, I think. 1. Dalton - Well, I'm forever gonna be a Dalton fanboy, byeeee :D
Terrific breakdown of each actor, mate ! I actually agree with Brosnan possibly giving his best performance in TND, he’s quite enthusiastic and almost juvenile in that film, it’s very refreshing and fits the tone :)
@@b.chaline4394 Yes! I feel like that may be one thing Brosnan brought to the role that was completely his own. It's sort of a different version of what Lazenby did. He too felt juvenile, but in a more naiv and vulnerable kind of way. I think Brosnan plays it more for fun, which I like. I think he's actually quite good in all of his Bond films, although a bit too brooding throughout TWINE, which is a shame, cause his story line in that one is quite good. Also, thanks man. Glad you enjoyed reading it :)
@@nikolaiquack8548 You're welcome ;) and I couldn't agree more ! Brosnan was really great overall but there are two scenes in TWINE where I feel like he missed the mark : his first encounter with Renard in the underground facility, and the subsequent confrontration with Elektra. In the former, he goes waaay too agitated and nervous too quickly (compare that scene with the extremely similar one between Bond and Pushkin in TLD, where there's real buildup and escalation) which undermines the tension of the scene, while in the latter, his line delivery has always felt too camp for my taste ("There's no point in living if you can't feel al-liiiive"). But maybe it's just my opinion^^
Dalton is so great, I love him in the role. He is an underrated actor overall. Licence to Kill is definitely his better performance but Living Daylights is my favorite of the two films.
I enjoy your analysis as usual. I also have come to terms with putting Moore at the top of my list. I always thought I was a Connery guy, but recently realized I like a lot more of Moore’s films
Fair enough man. My ranking: Timothy Dalton (LTK was the first one I saw when I was 6 and TLD is my all time favourite Bond movie) It's also because he brings a lot of energy, emotion and drama into the role. He's also close to the character in the Fleming novels and does his own action. So, that's a plus. Roger Moore (Always loved his films a kid - met him in real life too) Sean Connery (Dr No and Goldfinger being Connery at his best) Daniel Craig (Casino Royale and Skyfall being his good ones) Pierce Brosnan (His first three movies were pretty stellar. Especially Goldeneye. Just Die Another Day was terrible!) George Lazenby (not that he's bad as OHMSS is in my top 10)
Honestly it’s hard for me to judge *performances*, as I am mildly autistic, but my favorite is Dalton by a mile... it may just be the things the plot has him do however that contributes to my like of him, I’m not sure
I just have to say as a part of Dalton's Battalion, I really appreciated and loved every gag you've made regarding that topic. It literally made my day better, great job Calvin!
Here's my own personal subjective list: 1. Timothy Dalton (My one despair in life is your lack of appreciation for him and his movies. He's simply the best in my eyes, and I delight in every single - intense - second he is on screen.) 2. Roger Moore (I agree with all that you said. He's an obvious second to me.) 3. Daniel Craig (The hardest one to rank - it might get easier once his tenure is over.) 4. Sean Connery (I committed an even greater offence than you as I ranked him even lower than you. I struggle to see what seems so obvious to most people apparently.) 5. Pierce Brosnan (Sorry Calvin! Please don't come after me - I might be able to put a word in with the Dalton Brigade on your behalf...! Truce?) 6. George Lazenby (Finally, we're in exact agreement! He's still great, obviously, despite coming last, and he shines in his scenes with Diana Rigg.) PS: Nothing in your list surprised me, even though I was still praying for a miracle (that did not happen) when you reached number five... But the other two ranking lists will be harder to predict, I expect. I'll be looking forward to them!
When it comes to ranking Bond actors, I can truly see how someone could give each actor as his favorite. It all comes down to what you like best about Bond. For me, I prefer the more light-hearted performances of Bond. My personal, subjective ranking: 1. Brosnan: the modern Bond 2. Moore: the gentleman Bond 3. Connery: the original Bond 4. Craig: the post 9/11 Bond 5. Dalton: Fleming's Bond 6. Lazenby: the one-hit wonder
Very close ranking to mine, although I'd move Brosnan down to #3 and Connery and Moore are tied for #1. Very hard for me to choose between Moore and Connery. Lazenby is an interesting one -- I really wish Lazenby had done more films -- I find it really hard to rank him as he only did one film (so I usually don't rank him). I think if he'd done more films - he'd probably be at or near the top.
7) Niven - a fun take on the character, just like the movie needed, but not that memorable unfortunately 6) Lazenby - I'm actually a fan of his, but I can't deny that his quips leave much to be desired, and the George Baker dubbing midway through OHMSS really hurts him 5) Brosnan - Don't get me wrong, I love him for pretty much the same reasons as you Calvin, and I actually think he doesn't have a bad performance. But some of his choices in TWINE are questionable (his first encounter with Renard, how he confronts Elektra afterwards...) and there are small portions of Goldeneye that leave me imagining what Dalton would have done. But he was an absolute trooper throughout the feverish dream that is DAD and for that alone, kuddos to him 4) Craig - Gosh, I can't believe it myself, especially considering how Casino Royale is my personal favourite Bond film, but he sleepwalks through Spectre and QoS' overall mess doesn't help him either. Still, I love his grittier approach to the character and his legacy is cemented, no matter what happens in NTTD 3) Moore - I think it took two entire movies to find his stride, but once he did, he REALLY did. Even in AVTAK, he's just so enjoyable and charming, you just can't help but love the man. And I totally agree that his more serious moments are very underrated 2) Dalton - Yeah, I'm one of the guys knocking on your door, Calvin^^ Joking aside, I just love everything that Dalton brought to the role, including TLD, where I find him just equally as phenomenal as in LTK. I got chills just thinking on his acting opposite Pushkin or when he throws the bag of money to Killifer 1) Connery - I know it sounds like a cliché, but... Sean Connery IS James Bond, from the first second he appears on screen in Dr No, uttering the classic "Bond, James Bond" line. I don't think I've ever seen an actor as effortlessly charismatic and compelling as Sir Sean Connery. As I said when he passed away last month, he was THE man, and always will be :)
For me my personal favourite and true to Fleming list are basically the same, so here is my list: 1. Timothy Dalton 2. Daniel Craig 3. Sean Connery 4. Roger Moore 5. Pierce Brosnan 6. George Lazenby For me Dalton are the most faithful to Bond within the first 5 Fleming books, while Connery and to a lesser extent Moore are more akin to how Fleming wrote the character from "Dr. No" and onwards.
@@BirdsElopeWithTheSun09 He's actually better at that stuff than Craig. Craig, who everyone calls the cold blooded Bond hasn't had a true cold blooded kill since the opening of Casino Royale.
@@BirdsElopeWithTheSun09 A classic Brosnan Bond bit was pausing for a moment when he had a villain at his mercy before delivering the killing blow. The motivation could be interpreted differently in different situations, relishing a particularly hated foe's fear or steeling himself because he had close emotional ties, but it gave those kills a very deliberate, premeditated feel. I think a lot of people are so overwhelmed by their memories of the ridiculousness of Die Another Day that they forget the death scenes of Alec, Dr. Kaufman, Carver, and Electra.
Brosnan is really just Moore redux for the 90's; too much of superman and a bit too stylish for his own good. Bond should exhibit coolness, vulnerability, and ruthlessness. I think even Lazenby showed far better Bond qualities than Brosnan.
As a member of the Timothy Dalton battalion I must say that the ambush and the subsequent imprisonment served you well - at least Timothy Dalton had never such a catastrophic movie under his belt like "Die Another Day".
I love dalton and both of his movies but in fairness goldeneye and the world is not enough are both better than the living daylights and license to kill. Yeah, Brosnan has some terrible movies but he has 2 great ones.
I wish Dalton had gotten 2 more films. He's my favorite Dark Bond. Goldeneye was written for him and for a man who got cast as Bond at the last minute he did an excellent job in The Living Daylights.
"You could drop this man into almost any film in any scenario and he'll still be a badass, no matter what you ask him to do." I was really hoping for a Zardoz cutaway there.
@@andrewgentilliIt's completely head-canon, but I like to think that Henry Jones Sr. is a lot like Connery himself...a man of mixed heritage (Connery is Scots-Irish, Jones Sr....maybe Welsh father due to surname and a Scottish mother) who grew up in the rough part of Edinburgh but who worked his ass off to rise above his perceived station and become a respected history professor...but one who has quietly shunned his origins and sees his son's behaviour as too much like his own early years for comfort. But The Last Crusade shows Henry and Indy both coming to see each other better, and the former realizing his son's methodology isn't so flawed when it's used to keep precious artifacts safe from villainous hands.
My subjective rankings: 1. Roger Moore - Everything you said about Moore here was spot on and is precisely why I also consider him my favourite Bond. He stars in my favourite Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, so that immediately makes him the top contender for me. Plus he's the most likeable version of Bond, so that allows me to emphasise with him more. Not that Bond can't have unlikeable traits of course, that's part of what makes him interesting. 2. Sean Connery - Probably the most enigmatic performer out of all the Bonds for me who's mainly a highlight in each of his films. I'll admit that he does sometimes look zoned out in You Only Live Twice but the more I watch it the less I feel he was outright bored and more like he was trying hard to keep up the quality despite the strain he was facing. But even so, I get a kick out of him in all his other films (even Diamonds Are Forever, which I feel is his most underrated performance as Bond) because of how natural he is in the role. 3/4. Timothy Dalton/Daniel Craig - I just can't choose between either of them, they both do so many things well. I don't mind Dalton's portrayal in The Living Daylights but I'll agree with you that Licence to Kill has the better of his two performances. He's perfect as a Fleming-esque Bond much in the way that Craig is perfect as a gritty re-interpretation of the character with some traits of other Bonds to work well in the cinematic Bond universe. 5. Pierce Brosnan - I've always liked Brosnan as Bond and I don't think he ever gave a bad performance but Goldeneye aside his films haven't ranked as high for me as those from the other actors' tenures so that might affect why he's not one of my top favourites. He's still entertaining of course. 6. George Lazenby - He's not terrible and has his moments but his inexperience really shows from time to time. He's also a bit too laid back for my liking and I feel like that's another reason why I don't find his attempts to play suave and sophisticated very convincing.
Completely agree! How about that 20 minute opening sequence in The World is Not Enough! That was impressive!! Unfortunately the rest of the movie can’t live up to it. But I agree he always had great opening sequences.
For sure, he probably had the best PTS in terms of consistency, as not all of Connery's were particularly great or memorable, Lazenby had one, and a controversial one too. Moore had some great ones, but AVTAK and FYEO kinda ruin it. Dalton had a great one in TLD, but LTK's wasn't very memorable. Craig has three great ones, but QOS is a bit shit. Brosnan never had a bad one. His weakest is probably DAD but unlike most of the rest of the film, the sequence itself is highly decent
@@accidentalgenius2976 yes DAD isobjectivley bad but its still highly enjoyable. Its like Iron Man 3. They start serious and Realistic very grounded and as the film avances they get More outlandish Guy Pearce as Killian gave me huge gustave Graves vibes. In die Another Day we had diamond suegery in IronMan 3 we got the Extremis program. I think the reason I loved RDJ as Tony Stark so easily is Because he reminded me so much to Pierce Brosnan's Bond
Huh, this is exactly the same as my list! Brosnan will always be my guy, I just can't help it. I was 8 when Goldeneye came out (I'm an old lady lol) and it made me a Bond fan for life. He's so cool, he's sooooooo ridiculously attractive (yes, even nowadays), and he really nailed those ruthless killer vibes as well. And I even remember back in the day when some people were saying that *he* was the "emotional" Bond because of Paris Carver and Electra King! As if being sad about people you love dying is not manly and not something that Bond would do, like he didn’t cry when his wife was murdered in "Majesty's" 🙄 But I do feel bad for putting Moore so low because I really do like his first 3 films (and I guess I could throw Moonraker in there too lol) but I think what really hurts him in my eyes--not that he could really help it--is his age in those later films. He's just not as believable as others in some of those action scenes and it takes me right out of it. I know he was older than Connery but even in DAF and NSNA, Connery still had a presence about him, he still looked like he could kick some ass. It's freaking *Sean Connery*. And he was still quite handsome then too!🥰 I just can't say the same thing for Moore in FYEO, Octopussy, and AVTAK and it doesn't help that those movies are just... not good.
Roger Moore - Spy who loved me Sean Connery - Goldfinger Daniel Craig - Skyfall Pierce Brosnan - Goldeneye George Lazenby - OHMSS Timothy Dalton - Licence to kill
Here's my list: 6.) George Lazenby (Despite being in one film, that film is known to be a classic Bond film. The ending to On Her Majesty's Secret Service was handled quite well. His emotion was powerful. Since he was in only 1 film I couldn't quite see him as Bond.) 5.) Timothy Dalton (He's a good actor. But I didn't enjoy him as Bond. His films were kinda dark.) 4.) Daniel Craig (Craig isn't that bad as Bond. It's just he isn't my favorite. He still did a good job as Bond and introducing Bond to a new generation of fans.) 3.) Roger Moore (Moore's humor was not that bad. He was the longest James Bond actor from 1973-1985 in seven films and that's actually impressive for being the oldest James Bond actor.) 2.) Pierce Brosnan (I enjoy him as a modern James Bond. Goldeneye remains one of my favorite Bond films.) 1.) Sean Connery (I enjoy his portrayal of Bond, he's the one that brought the character to life. And I grew up watching him with my parents.)
I would choose Moore everytime too. I also like his role in "The Cannonball Run" Were he plays "Seymor Goldfab" a guy dressing up as Roger Moore, pretending to be James Bond. He does such a great performance. The whole role is a parody of all his lines, gags, character takes. "When i was in egypt...doing..."The fly who above´d me" Pure gold.
This is hard because I actually like all of them so far.. 1. Sean Connery the OG 2. Roger Moore.. yeah I stand by it 3. Daniel Craig 4. Pierce Bronson 5. Timothy dalton 6. George Lazenby All I think did great 👍
Considering the plot point in Casino Royale ‘67 where Niven’s Bond (once he becomes M) renames every MI6 agent ‘James Bond 007’, surely that means if you’re including CR67 and Niven on this list, you’ve got to extend your list to everyone else. I mean, how do you compare Peter Sellers against Terence Cooper? Ursula Andress against Joanna Pettet? Security Dwarf against Bernard Cribbins? Your audience deserves to know, Calvin!
Not trying to to speak for Calvin but if I had to guess that he would have a similar opinion to my own in that Sellers Cooper and the rest are all fake James Bond Sellers real character name is Evelyn Tremble
@@ralphroshia9247 Just a joke - pointing out how stupid that plot point was, especially as it has little to no bearing on the rest of the film. Though it does give us one of the film’s best lines: “EVELYN TREMBLE: The name’s Bond. James Bond. CONCIERGE: James Bond? TREMBLE: [turns to Vesper] Isn’t it?”
I do blame that bit of dialogue and the 'carry on your legend' line for the code name theory-ironic given that Casino Royale '67 was the first Bond movie to have a different actor as Bond.
1. timothy dalton - the perfect bond in my opinion. yes, more perfect than sean. in my opinion, the best bond is the bond that is closest to the books. i think it’s unfair that most of the ‘dark bond’ praise goes to craig when dalton does it better imo 2. sean connery - omg he’s amazing as bond. oozes charm and perfectly represents the suave secret agent part of the character. i have to say though that i can’t put the bond that was bored for most of his films first 3. roger moore - yeah, he’s not very close to the books, but my god i love what he does with the role. i’m a huge fan of the moore era and think he’s always amazing. he always makes me laugh and is such a comforting person to watch 4. pierce brosnan - yeah my childhood bond too. i LOVED this bond. while i’m not as fond of his bond now, he’s still great. he plays the suave secret agent perfectly and is just so damn charming and a massive badass. i do think that he goes too far into the action hero stereotype sometimes but other than that he’s great 5. daniel craig - i like him a lot but i just don’t connect with his character that much. i don’t like how they have tried to make a cinematic universe with his films. i also think his character develops awfully. in his first 2 he is new and inexperienced but then in skyfall he’s an ‘old dog’ who’s seen it all. we didn’t get to see that so i don’t connect with it sadly. i like craig’s bond a lot but i prefer others 6. george lazenby - good at times and in a great film but wooden. that’s just it. he does a fine job but just doesn’t always do it for me.
1. Sean Connery 2. Pierce Brosnan 3. Roger Moore 4. Daniel Craig 5. Timothy Dalton 6. George Lazenby I agree with your sentiments on Brosnan. It’s a shame that people like to jump on the hate bandwagon and bash the guy, when he’s the only other actor to have successfully nailed all the elements of the role besides Connery. While I personally rank him at 3, I always love seeing Roger Moore praise and appreciation. It warms my heart.
I've been a bond fan for quite some time, but just recently, I've became invested in the bond fandom and, as an ex-member of both marvel and star wars fandom, I must say, this is the most cultural, peaceful and nice fandom there is. Hats off.
Brosnan is my #1. He seems like the secret love child of Connery and Moore. He's got the action down, the charm, the comedic timing, He's perfect for me. Brosnan to me is Bond, James Bond and always will be.
For me: (6) Lazenby, (5) Moore, (4) Brosnan, (3) Craig, (2) Connery, (1) Dalton Connery and Craig were tied for a while, and briefly I had Craig above Connery. But Connery has reclaimed #2 for me. Interestingly, I find Dalton's performance in The Living Daylights better than in Licence to Kill. He feels more lived in as Bond, and I love that his take on the humor of the series is to turn it in inward. He's making quips for himself to keep himself as Bond entertained rather than trying to entertain the audience with them. It's more a defense and coping mechanism given the life he lives rather than something external. It's a wonderful touch that just nails Bond for me. Dalton in LTK feels like they tipped the scale a bit too far the other direction. If Dalton was able to do Bond 17 (or even GoldenEye, as it was originally written with him still in mind), I think he would've tuned both of these ends into a perfect mix. And funny that you place Moore and Brosnan at the top of your list. When I think of Bond on a spectrum, Moore and Brosnan are on one end. Brosnan has two Bonds, the GoldenEye version and the version from the other three films. The second version feels like an update of Moore's Bond through the '90s action lens, so it makes sense to me that if you lean towards Moore as your fave, Brosnan is right behind. (I prefer Bronsan's take in GoldenEye as well because you can feel the Dalton DNA in it.)
I thought this would be *really* tough going given that I know we disagree on this from watching your previous videos but it's a credit to you that you still made it thoroughly entertaining and not a bitter pill to swallow at all. Bravo. Myself? My own personal ranking is as follows - and I must stress that I love all the Bonds and refer you to the excellent video above and the kind man within's pleas for reason, because I know it looks almost scientifically designed to annoy you ;) 1) Craig - it was Dalton until 2006 when, sitting in the cinema watching Casino Royale, he gets in the shower with Vesper and is just there for her. Weird feeling having been a lifelong Dalton's-ma-boy type to be watching him get usurped but it's probably why it remains my favourite moment being in a cinema in my life. It's also a lovely, lovely feeling to have been a lifelong Bond fan and then be rewarded in adulthood with your favourite James Bond being the new boy. I don't think that's ever going to happen again and I treasure the feeling. 2) Dalton - I became a Bond fan when he was still the incumbent but I'm not sure that's the reason because he isn't exactly kid-friendly and wasn't the first Bond I saw (in fact, out of the four at that point he was the last). But I responded to him in a way I didn't with the others at that point and it's something I found I could then contextualise why as I grew older. His Bond stayed with me, basically, and has never left me. I adore his two films. 3) Connery - a.k.a. the only point on the list where we'll agree with a placement ;) I feel his performance is one of the most analysed in all of cinema, probably in all of acting, but while he deserves so many of his plaudits I think it's important to remember (for me anyway) that when he played the part it might have become a phenomenon, but there wasn't yet a legacy to contend with. By the very nature of there being Connery, anyone who follows him has it harder. And I think that's a very important criterion when assessing Bond's performances, at least it is for me. And so while he is stone cold brilliant, there are two whose achievements I feel are greater because they're not him. 4) Lazenby - I know, I know. But his performance is so different and I kind of like how raw it is. When you say you can't see anything other than wooden, I'm the opposite and can't see any of the wood. It's no Connery but it's solid IMO. There are even moments he pulls off better than I think any of the others would. Each Bond gets at least moment where I think, "I can't see any of the others doing that," (or at least as well) and I think Lazenby gets about 4 in his one film. 5) Brosnan - The incumbent Bond as I came of age and yet... I went to all of his films in the cinema and GoldenEye being the very first one I could see on the big screen and despite the unbridled excitement I've never felt since at there finally being a new Bond movie I watched all of his films (and enjoyed some of them) wishing Dalton was still Bond. I couldn't shake it. As I said, Dalton's Bond stayed with me but Brosnan's kind of washed over me. You point to his all-rounder quality as a virtue, which it definitely is and is easily his biggest strength in the role but it stops me from feeling like he completely nails any particular quality. 6) Moore - This will look needlessly controversial and my apologies. He was my first Bond too, by the way. My granddad showed me Goldfinger when I was little and I was so used to Moore I didn't know who Connery's character was. But with this being a subjective list, Moore's way into the character just isn't one I personally enjoy as much as the others. And there are times I find the Bond he plays truly unlikeable, and not in the way I feel like I'm supposed to. Anyway, truly brilliant video and I look forward to comparing notes on Parts 2 and 3...
Thanks for the really detailed and thoughtful comment, Chris! Really enjoyed reading this through. Our lists are very opposite it seems but I love the diversity of opinion that exists within the Bond fandom so this was a great read! :D
I like dalton and more-so TLD bc i find his delivery as just good dry humor. I find his quips with kara as him just being pissed off by her innocence/naivety and it always gets a good chuckle out of me.
AN UNTOLD STORY: After the release of "Thunderball" Sean Connery had agreed with the producers to make "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". In his interview to PLAYBOY on November 1965, Connery said that the plan was "to start On Her Majesty's Secret Service in Switzerland in January" (1966). And then stated: "But we have to be careful where we go next, because I think with Thunderball we've reached the limit as far as size and gimmicks are concerned... What is needed now is a change of course ... more attention to character and better dialogue". As we see, Sean Connery was anticipating (and not bored) on doing OHMSS because it was a challenge for him to act in a darker and more complex Bond movie. He wanted to work in depth with the evolution of Bond's character. But then the producers decided to make YOLT instead of OHMSS (because of some snow problems in Switzerland). Sean Connery was hugely disappointed. From then on he lost interest for the series. Knowing what an actor he was, Connery would have made OHMSS his greatest Bond movie...
Excellent list. My personal ranking (please note I love them all, no actor has ever failed in the part) list of the Bonds is: 1. Timothy Dalton 2. Roger Moore 3. Sean Connery 4. Pierce Brosnan 5. George Lazenby 6. Daniel Craig 7. David Niven
Thanks, Liam and thanks for sharing your list too! Very much agree with your topline about no actor has ever failed in the part, even though I rank Lazenby quite low for essentially not being a proper actor, it's still saying something he was able to pull off the part at all given his lack of experience!
@@calvindyson Thanks Calvin, especially for not turning me into an omelette for my Moore ranking. And yes, Lazenby is surprisingly good for many reasons. Just think how good he could have developed but then we wouldn't have had Moore...doesn't bare thinking about.
Daniel Craig was cast as Bond when I was 8, and won’t be leaving til I’m 24. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna cry at the end of NTTD, I don’t want him to go :(
Dalton will always be my favourite, however the older i get the more i love watching Roger in the part. Totally agree with your comments regarding his portrayal of his interpretation of the character.
8:01 that Pushkin interrogation scene was great though. If you ask The Living Daylights would have easily been a top 5 Bond movie had it completely not fallen off a cliff, momentum wise, when they reached the climax in Afghanistan.
Here is my own Subjective Ranking note my Objective list will look a little different 1 Roger Moore 2 Sean Connery 3 Pierce Brosnan 4 Daniel Craig 5 Timothy Dalton 6 George Lazenby 7 David Niven
My faves are the same as Calvins 1.Roger Moore 2. Brosnan 3.Connery 4.Craig 5. Dalton 5.Lazenby 6.David Niven - ( snap!) I think a lot of it has to do with when you grew up and what Bond you grew up with but I just find Rogers films easier to repeat watch plus he seems to be the only one who had genuine love for the franchise and character. It ended nicely when he retired from the role there wasn't any bad taste or unfinished business.
Oh, lovely Roger Moore. I think I said that my local cinema back in the 70s - I'm so bleedin' old - played The Man With The Golden Gun and Live And Let Die in the wrong order and every summer I'd go to see them. I adored the tongue in cheek loveliness of Roger's Bond films, gadgets, secret bases and perhaps a bit of sly Carry On naughtiness. Hated the way he kissed women though. Always looked like he was slurping up the final drips of a milkshake to me. I loved Pierce Brosnan ; GoldenEye was fab and I adored Famke Janssen as Xenia and my favourite Bond girl has to be Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonava. Sean Connery, as you say, was absolutely superb in Goldfinger - my favourite Bond film ... all roles are played perfectly by everyone, and I wish I'd met Gert Frobe, bless him. I like Craig because he upset the apple cart somewhat and I'm always fascinated about the garlic story between Lazenby and the divoon Dame Diana Rigg. David Niven was such a lovely actor, but not a good Bond. Love this video, me deario!!!
Great ranking of the Bond actors! I also loved the end where you were blown up by the crazy Timothy Dalton fans. That was comedy gold! You have great Bond content and keep up the great work! This would be my ranking of the main James Bond actors: 1: Pierce Brosnan 2: Roger Moore 3: Sean Connery 4: Timothy Dalton 5: Daniel Craig 6: George Lazenby I feel that Pierce Brosnan played the best and most balanced James Bond. He had the classic Bond look, he was suave, he had humor, and he was tough. I also agree with all that you said about Roger Moore. I felt he had many serious moments, but I loved his humor and charm. He had the best and most witty one-liners. I know that stuntmen were in a lot of the action scenes, but I always felt that the Roger Moore Bond films had some of the best action scenes out of any of the Bond films, so I always liked Roger Moore's Bond character in those action scenes. Sean Connery comes in a very close 3rd for me, and almost tied with Roger Moore as a Bond character. Sometimes I go back and forth as to which Bond I like better, but I'd give the edge to Roger Moore. I liked Roger Moore's Bond films better than Sean Connery's, with the exception of the masterpiece of Goldfinger. Sean Connery played the role so well and was suave, charming, and tough! Timothy Dalton was a more serious Bond, but he had the classic Bond look and he still had some charm. He was the closest to the Bond character of the novels and pulled off the character very well. I wish he was liked better back in the day when he played the role, instead of later down the road. Though better late than never, I suppose. George Lazenby was ok as James Bond, but at the same time, I felt he was lacking some and it felt a little awkward in the role. To me Daniel Craig is way too serious, harsh, and brutal. He doesn't have the classic Bond look, and doesn't have the humor and charm that we've come to know in the James Bond character of the films, though he did improve in this department in Spectre, which is my favorite film of his tenure as Bond. Overall, to me he comes across as a cold-blooded mercenary and would make a better Bond villain than Bond himself. He's a good actor, but I have a hard time seeing him as James Bond and I see him more like a great action hero/antihero from a different series. I know Daniel Craig is well liked as Bond and has a lot of fans, and I respect that, but I personally never fully got used to him as James Bond. Though if they build from Spectre and go further in the humor and charm department for Daniel Craig's Bond, then perhaps I'll finally like him more as James Bond . I will say that after Daniel Craig's overly serious portrayal of James Bond, I'd like to see the role go back to a James Bond with more humor and charm when they choose the next Bond after No Time to Die. And I feel Calvin Dyson, would make a great James Bond! He has the classic Bond look, humor, charm, and sophistication. Calvin Dyson would give the character of Bond some much needed humor after Daniel Craig's excessive seriousness. And who else would play a better Bond than someone that has a channel dedicated to James Bond! This guy knows the character of James Bond inside and out. So I declare that there should be a petition made to make casting directors aware that Calvin Dyson would make such a great James Bond and should get the opportunity to go on an audition for the next casting of James Bond!
Just wanna chime in and say that I love how much praise Dalton gets from the general fanbase nowadays; I feel like people just weren't ready for his new take at the time, but now that we're in an age where everybody loves deep characters and source faithfulness it seems like loads of people have suddenly warmed to him
For me, dalton was the most skilled actor in the role, but was unlucky not to have a Time Machine 😂. I can see him as bond in casino royale or skyfall . Whilst Craig is a very good actor, I remain unconvinced by him as bond. He played too many petulant types in his earlier movies to convince me, I guess (road to perdition, sharpe tv series). I also found “blonde bond” a bit jarring. Although Sean bean certainly shows in goldeneye that he could have pulled it off 🤔
My ranking: 1. Roger Moore 2. Timothy Dalton 3. Daniel Craig 4. Sean Connery 5. Pierce Brosnan 6. George Lazenby Hard disagree on The Living Daylights though. I think it’s the perfect Bond film and would be the film I’d show to a non Bond fan. As far as Brosnan’s low ranking, Tomorrow Never Dies is one of my absolute favorite Bond films, but the rest of his films rank lower mid tier or low tier on my list.
Here is my raking for James bond actor number seven George lazenby number five Timothy dolton number four Daniel Craig number thrid pierce brosnan number two sean conerry number one Roger Moore and least favourite James bond is David Niven
No Bond will ever surpass the great Roger Moore - the best of the best! Try to catch the old(1971-1972) television series 'The Persuaders', where he stars along side Tony Curtis. Roger Moore wrapped this series right before his first Bond film, Live and Let Die(1973).
BTW, if you like Moore, I can highly recommend his biography "My Word is my Bond." It is a lot of fun to read. BTW, I loved Moonraker too, even though plot was ridiculous.
I like that Roger Moore finally gets the appreciation he deserves. For Your Eyes Only is probably his best work, given the fact it was a grounded Bond and Roger Moore was working with a dislocated shoulder and then couple in his fear of heights, but it never showed on his screen that he was in pain or discomfort about filming a scene.
My Personal Rankings: 7. David Niven - Too Old and Funny 6. George Lazenby - He Kinda Sucks at Acting 5. Timothy Dalton - He is a great actor, but is too dark 4. Roger Moore - Really enjoy him, but I don't feel like he IS BOND 3. Sean Connery - Really great actor and one of the best bonds, but he doesn't perform well in some of his films 2. Pierce Brosnan - I really feel like he IS BOND 1. Daniel Craig - Love his style and he nails bond
Excellent choices. Mine differs slightly. I have not seen the David Niven performance so that is off of my list. 6 Daniel Craig ( Completely Overrated) He often lacks chemistry with the Bond Girls and seems depressed and miserable in the series. 5. George Lazanby (Definitely looks like James Bond) Lacking in his acting. Great in his fight scenes. 4. Timothy Dalton (Closest to Ian Fleming's vision of what James Bond is) Brilliant actor. Lacks a truly great Bond movie.. 3. Roger Moore (Sauve, sophistication, and charisma in the role.) He is brilliant in The Spy Who Loved Me. My all-time favourite Bond Film. 2. Pierce Brosnan The perfect combination of Roger Moore and Sean Connery. Goldeneye is the best Bond Film in the the last 25 years. Had Pierce Brosnan stopped after his first three Bond Films and never made Die Another Day he would be legendary 1.Sean Connery The iconic James Bond . From Russia with Love is a masterpiece. Connery paved the way for all others. ,
Personally I can never rank them above one another. I have Brosnan and Connery on the same level. Craig and dalton and lazenby on another and then Moore somewhere in between
Completely agree on the Living Daylights, I love Dalton and would personally have him over Moore and Brosnan simply for Licence to Kill and that deleted scene alone but the tone in TLD is so jarring at times. My personal god tier of the Bond films is 11 out of the 24 (5 Connery, 2 Craig, 1 of each other) and this definitely affects my order. 1 - Connery 2 - Craig 3 - Dalton 4 - Brosnan 5 - Moore 6 - Lazenby
This was awesome Calvin, great job!! Christmas has come early!! I am the guy putting the explosive tooth paste around the door, lol!! "Strawberry jam time!!!" For me Dalton is #1. The Living Day Lights I did not like at first as it was such a sharp contrast to Roger Moore, the Bond I grew up with but after watching it I apricated it for giving us a real, gritty and believable Bond! Dalton was perfect!! #2 is Sean Connery, the original bad ass Bond who did it all so effortlessly, a mans man!! #3,. Roger Moore, certainly the most charming of the lot, and certainly the best and kindness man in really life of them all, a true gentleman!! #4. Pierce Brosnan, I grew up watching Remington Steel and could not wait for him to be Bond as the was just sooooooo Suave!! I was really disappointed when he was not Bond after Moore but looking back I am happy he did not get the part right away as we would have been robbed of Daltons version!! Pierce was great as Bond but just not as bad ass as Dalton or Connery!! #5 Daniel Craig, he is a great Bond and brings the cold heartiness of Dalton back! Certainly the best with physical action scenes and It is honestly hard not to have him higher but then again look at the company he's in , lol!! #6 good old George Lazenby, who I also liked as Bond. Like you said Calvin there really is no bad Bond. To me there is just different levels of great!!
My ranking: 6. Brosnan - He was the only Bond I didn't like. I didn't like that they really milked the whole M is a woman thing. They seemed to put the sex of the character before the character itself. I'm glad they didn't do that in the Craig films. The Bond girls were never the typical damsel in distress either. They were always fighting alongside Bond, which removed any emotion that could be had. Bond never really had to save the girl. That's another thing that I'm glad they changed with Craig's films. My favorite film was GoldenEye. 5. Lazenby - I liked On Her Majesty's Secret Service and I thought he was good as Bond, but fair or not, he was only in one film and didn't get the chance to grow into the role. Definitely nailed the final emotional scene, though. 4. Dalton - After Moore's 7 lighthearted films, it was refreshing to see a different take on Bond. I liked the dark, edgy version that he played. I also liked how he disobeyed MI6 in License To Kill. My favorite film was The Living Daylights. 3. Craig - As I said before when comparing Craig to Brosnan, I liked the fact that they no longer pushed the whole M is a woman thing. She was just M and it wasn't a big deal. They also went back to the classic type of Bond girl. Bond had to save the damsel in distress. I also liked how they gave a good story that spanned all the films. As an added bonus, they brought back the classic Aston Martin that Connery drove. My favorite film was Skyfall. 2. Moore - I liked that he brought a more light-hearted, comedic style to Bond. The perfect word to describe his films was fun. He was easily the most suave and charming Bond. Jaws was also a great henchman. My favorite film was The Spy Who Loved Me. 1. Connery - He is James Bond. He pulled off all the traits of Bond from the suave, charming side to the rugged physical force he was in fights. His films had a nice story arc as well with Spectre and Blofeld. Oddjob was probably the greatest henchman and Goldfinger was probably the greatest villain. Pussy Galore was probably the greatest Bond girl and easily had the greatest name. My favorite film was easily Goldfinger. Edit: On further consideration, I enjoyed License To Kill more than The Living Daylights. License To Kill was my favorite Bond film of Dalton's. Edit 2: I should rephrase my characterization of the Bond films with Brosnan. I thought Brosnan nailed the part, but the script and cast around him other than Judi Dench as M, Desmond Llewellyn as Q, and Sean Bean as 006 was not good.
My ranking: Craig: Overall most consistent portrayal of Bond with grit, humor and charm. Also, he gets his balls busted, that's something. Connery: swag and dangerous charm personified. Dalton: Closest to book Bond, but overlooked by mainstream. Moore: Charming and humorous. Though nothing like book Bond, he managed to make his own Bond work. Brosnan: Charming and fairly decent with action scenes. Yet he could've done more with the role and his performance was inconsistent. Lazenby: Kind of a default choice, but he did show physicality and brute that suits book Bond in his fight scenes. He was good with romantic scenes but otherwise just fine for someone untrained. Nelson: Cool and that's it. Niven: (Roger eyebrow raise) He played Bond?
![[Live] ศึกมหึมันส์มวยไทยสังเวียนเดือด เวทีมวยชั่วคราวสวนสยาม | จันทร์ 30 กันยายน 2567](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pM1k6f7JXUc/mqdefault.jpg)
I feel like long term followers of Calvin have known what his ranking is without even watching this video
HA! Am I that predictable? I feel like I barely mention how much I love Moonraker at all... ;)
Without even watching it I'm guessing Moore
@@regularsizedrudy5340 me too
@@regularsizedrudy5340 indeed. It is.
Oh yeah you NEVER mention how much you like Moonraker.
Brosnan just is Bond, looks the part, speaks the part, acts the part... just a shame the writing/script let him down.
Totally Agreed but I also love Moore too 👍
Honestly i dont understand the hate for Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough. Loved both of em, ESPECIALLY the former. I'll concede that GoldenEye was his best one, but TND was a great movie and so was TWINE imo.
...pretty sure we can all agree Die Another Day is trash tho. (Although admittedly I enjoyed the first half hour, the initial setup had potential imo but once it got to the ice hotel all hell broke loose)
@@xxrocketshark216xx4 Even as a Dalton fan I can admit that Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Bond film.
Not for his first two films. Goldeneye has the best rogues gallery of any single Bond film and Tomorrow Never Dies has the best pacing in the entire franchise.
@@vladpiranha Also TND has the best car chase of his era (GE is a tank chase, so that’s different)
You have nothing to worry about. All of us Dalton fans won't ravage due to personal favorite, we just lurk til the "Fleming's Bond" section.
I’m very pleased to hear! You are a kind and merciful group!
Keep behind the doors of perception.
I've actually grown to LOVE Pierce Brosnan's Bond in the last couple of years. I think the bashing on his movies takes away from his consistently amazing portrayal. To me, he's the one that truly got it best after Connery! When you see him in that tuxedo for the first time in GoldenEye, I just see Fleming's James Bond!
Who did you have as your #2 originally?
@@zerominuseleven
1 Brosnan / Moore
3 Connery
4 Dalton
5 Craig
6 Niven
7 Lazenby
I actually would edit your last sentence if I was typing it. I adore seeing him in the tux. Dreamy and so perfect for my inner eye. Yet all of that, the "Fleming's James Bond" part doesn't strike with me. Fleming's Bond was an assassin, not a gentleman spy. Moore and Brosnan both were lovely at playing the latter. Casino Royale is an interesting read and that honestly is either Craig--who DID get that movie right--or Dalton who just got the feel right for the character as Fleming wrote him. Brosnan will remain my #1 though. Not including Connery just because Fleming didn't like him when he met him for the role. Sean DID make it work wonderfully, but if the author doesn't see you in the role, then well.....
I was part of the Timothy Dalton Battalion, sorry :( lol
You can't handle the truth.
I don't blame you.
Can't win them all.
At the end of the day, we all have a favourite Bond. And I’m firmly in the "Dalton should of done two more" battalion 😆
I am the LEADER of the Timothy Dalton battalion!
I'm suprised how many Dalton fans here are in the comments. Really like him. I really like Daltons, lets say more serious, brutal humor, especially the strawberry jam-scene :) 2 films were too less. Let's hope for a Dalton-cameo in No time to die. Hopefully next xear :) The are bringing back one thing from the Dalton-era, a Dalton-cameo would be perfect. Well, I don't think this will ever happen. :(
Dalton was my favorite but I personally wouldn’t like seeing previous bond actors cameo in new ones
Around 6 or so years ago story was alot different but in past years people are starting to appreciate him alot more.
I've been fantasizing them bringing back Dalton as Q or M
Absolutely adore Roger Moore, not just as Bond though, as an actor in general. Especially for his work in The Saint and The Persuaders!
My favourite Moore performances are as Simon Templar and Lord Brett Sinclair. I have every episode of both and watch them regularly. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks this.
@@holydiver73 Why would you expect to be alone? “The Saint” ran for 7 years largely due to the huge audience appeal of Roger Moore.
You echo my sentiments exactly. 'The Man Who Haunted Himself' is a rare example of Sir Roger being given a chance to stretch his acting sinews, so to speak.
He was even pretty fun in the movie The Quest with Jean Claude Van Damme. It was a departure from the normal action/martial arts movies Van Damme did as it had more of a globetrotting adventure tone. Moore was absolutely perfect to throw into the mix since his Bond films embraced that element the most. I'll be damned if he doesn't look like he's having fun too.
Jack Messent, Fabulous Bond
Whenever I watch Connery: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass.
Whenever I watch Moore: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass.
Whenever I watch Dalton: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass.
Whenever I watch Brosnan: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass.
Whenever I watch Craig: Yep, he is the best Bond, so cool and badass.
George Lazenby has left the chat
This
@@theflash5689 That never happened to the other fella.
Damn fourth wall conformist.
@@tobyhart8515 best comment lol
Swap out Craig for Lazenby and I'd agree!
Timothy Dalton was for me the Bond Fleming created even down to his looks and demeanour.
LTK needed a bit more humor.
Agreed. Dalton even looks like the illustrations of Bond on the covers of the Pan Paperback editions of Fleming's books !
He should have 3 bond films instead of 2
@@Clay3613 I think what LTK needed was a better script. The gimmick of Bond resigning to avenge someone is problematic for two reasons: the audience doesn't care who Bond avenges and we can't believe that a franchise film would end this way. I can easily accept a dark, gritty Bond had it reflected the complex nature of Fleming's novels. There was no time devoted to Bond's inner conflict regarding the killing he's done or the moral gray area of his trade. All we get is a pissed off dude trying to kill a generic action movie villain.
@@ricardocantoral7672 exactly. It didn't have nearly the depth it thought it did. It was a TV movie with a huge budget. Miami Vice meets Man on Fire.
I find that Dalton, while admirable in his aim, for some reason lacks the necessary screen presence in these movies. Not only was LTK tedious, and without the Bond flavour, it wasn't as dark and disturbing as it wanted to be. I didn't buy it at all.
My favorite is Pierce Brosnan. You more or less nailed the reasons for why. I don't see his "jack of all trades" as a bad thing. To me, Brosnan had it all. The coolness of Connery, the physicality of Lazenby, the wit (and love of puns) of Moore, and at times the dark edge of Dalton. It helps that I absolutely adore his first three films and still considered them all personal favorites. Die Another Day is a different story, but even there Brosnan was giving it his all and I can't imagine any other actor being able to make the material he given work as well as he did.
100%
Lazenby is my least favorite too. To be fair to him, he is quite energetic in the fight scenes. He is also pretty good in the romantic scenes with Tracy and I actually prefer his barn proposal scene to Craig’s scene in CR with Vesper at that lakeside villa. And he absolutely nailed the emotion of the last scene. I think the biggest problems with Lazenby are in the scenes where he is directly comparable to Connery, such as in the casino, or talking to the villain, or just basically sneaking around. He simply doesn’t have natural Connery’s onscreen presence and charisma. During the casino scene, he just looks like another patron but Connery looks like he is totally at ease with his effortless charm. He also doesn’t have that element of danger that Connery had when dealing with the villains.
Very good point about the scenes directly comparable with Connery being the ones he succeeds the least in! I never thought of it like that but you're right. He does well in the scenes we don't typically think of as "Bondian", romancing Tracey, emotional at the end etc but when he's doing the classic Bond stuff it's a little harder to swallow.
In the right scenes, Lazenby looks hard as fuck! But fight scenes aside, he's pretty pants in comparison to the other fellas.
True. George never got a crotch-laser / spine-stretch scene... unless you count photographing bear
Yeah. It's kind of to be expected from a guy who had only done modeling and a few chocolate commercials, but his acting even on its own just is so wooden.
Dalton's take always felt like an actual spy/assassin blending in with the crowd and I think that's what makes him my favorite.
6-George Lazenby
5-Daniel Craig
4-Timothy Dalton
3-Roger Moore
2-Pierce Brosnan
1-Sean Connery
Agree with your top three that is mine
Well said.
1 Brosnan / Moore
3 Connery
4 Dalton
5 Craig
6 Niven
7 Lazenby
What a great video Calvin, happy Christmas to you! Here's my personal ranking and my favourite performance.
1. Timothy Dalton - Dark and charming, loved his take and his two films were masterpieces. Underrated as hell, played Bond perfectly. Favourite performance = Licence To Kill
2. Sean Connery - The obvious choice, the brutish, dazzling alpha male that won over millions to the series in its infancy. His first three performances are especially brilliant. Favorite performance = From Russia With Love
3. Pierce Brosnan - Slightly biased as an Irishman but I still think Brosnan did a fantastic job in the role. Showed coldness as well as magnetic charm, gotta respect that versatility. Favourite performance = The World Is Not Enough
4. Roger Moore = Such a good natured, instinctive and likeable actor, I can definitely see why he was kept on for so long (maybe a little too long!). I personally think he really hit his stride with Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only. Favourite performance = The Spy Who Loved Me
5. Daniel Craig = In 5th place due to the messy writing of his films which has split him into two different Bonds, the first and my absolute favourite is the young, ruthless SAS man in Casino Royale and Quantum and the other is the relic of a bygone era bore in Skyfall in Spectre. Another actor that stayed on far too long also. Favourite performance = Casino Royale.
6. George Lazenby = Really needed time to settle into the role, I still think he did a great job in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, him and Dalton played him really close to the novel more than any other actor. I would have loved another few films out of him.
I honestly could not pick between the first 4. I grew up with Connery and Moore. Brosnan was amazing in the 90s and I came to appreciate Dalton more and more over the years. I just was not fan of his movies. That was really the issue with Dalton. The movies were like 20 years ahead of its time. Too brutal and depressing for a Bond movie I was used to!
@@kkarx
1 Brosnan / Moore
3 Connery
4 Dalton
5 Craig
6 Niven
7 Lazenby
7. They're
6. All
5. Great
4. In
3. Different
2. Ways
1. Roger Moore
7. Not
6. True
5. At
4. All
3. Because
2. Of
1. Sean Connery
7. Not
6. At
5. All
4. Correct
3. Because
2. Of
1. Pierce Brosnan
7. Not
6. True
5. At
4. All
3. Because
2. Of
1. Timothy Dalton
7. False
6. In
5. Many
4. Ways
3. Because
2. Of
1. Daniel Craig
Thank you, roger is amazing but he is my #2.
One of the things I love most about James Bond is how pluralistic the series is. I don't think I've ever known two people to have the same rankings and I think it's wonderful we get to understand diverse perspectives through a series we all enjoy.
That being said....
The Living Daylights is my favorite one and this member of the Dalton Battalion enjoys him some strawberry jam.
9:30 "STRAWBERRY JAM!!!" ...that needs to be a meme! XD
No surprise at all that 'ol Roger is "Onatopp" of the list. (I am so sorry for that pun...)
If I have to make a prediction, I'd say Dalton is going to be #1 on the Fleming List and Brosnan will top the Objective List but we shall see! Looking forward to the continuation of this series!
Prepare for A LOT of strawberry jam shoutouts when I get to review Dalton's films in detail!!
@@calvindyson I can’t wait!!!!
Only surprised about Timothy Dalton being a little lower than I expected. I personally really like The Living Daylights and I can't really see why a lot of people don't like it. I thought at first it was the plot, but really it is better than Octopussy. I also thought it was a lack of villain or a confusion of who was the villain. Maybe Miriam D'Abo was not the best Bond girl, but I really love the film.
I think there are several big reasons: 1. The Bond Girl is extremely weak. 2. Koskov and Whittaker aren't the most intimidating or threatening of villains.
3. The film goes on a bit too long. That plane sequence in particular has an extra scene that I'm not sure needed to be there.
4. Saunders and Leiter (the version here) are weak allies (while Cameron Shaw is great), plus every John Glenn movie must have an ally that dies in the first half.
5. Dalton does a fine job in his first outing, but he seems to be more comfortable ( and IMO, does a better job) in the next film.
I think it's a fine film, one of my favorites to watch, but I do see why it's a lesser film to others.
@@stephenjarvis534 good points
I find the plot a little confusing. The villains plans and all that.
@@andre.mateus I can see what you mean, but Octopussy makes no sense and TMWTGG feels like the plot is sort of tacked on to the end of the film.
I honestly thought Dalton's character was better written in The Living Daylights even though he was stuck with the Moore one liners.
For me, this is how I rank the Bond actors in terms on personal opinion:
1) Sean Connery (he was great in the Eon flicks, but I personally feel like Never Say Never Again had his best performance, I absolutely love seeing him playing an older Bond and he was basically the book Bond plus more; so yeah, being able to play Bond both younger and older very effectively makes him my favorite)
2) Timothy Dalton (honestly, the fact that he stuck closely to the book character makes him a close second favorite and he really is how I imagine Bond sounding like in the books)
3) Roger Moore (nostalgia is strong with this take, I just love the one-liners and Roger just exudes charisma and likeability)
4) Pierce Brosnan (like Roger, I mainly have a nostalgic attachment towards him and I really feel like he handles the humor and smooth charm quite nicely; the one thing is that his performance could be a bit like a diet version of Roger Moore at times)
5) Daniel Craig (he doesn't look the way I feel Bond should look like, but he makes up for it with his acting)
6) George Lazenby (uneven performance, but very impactful and emotional at the right times)
7) David Niven (not bad, but the material he got could be baffling at times)
I never heard that about Connery in NSNA.....bold hot take mate
@@captainbrodude8251 Well, I always liked his performance there a whole lot. He really seems to be in top form and enjoying himself in the role.
@@CannonFodder93 I kinda feel a similar way about his DAF performance....
@@captainbrodude8251 Yeah, he isn't bad in Diamonds. Even though there are moments where he does look tired, there are also some legit good moments from him in a lot of scenes (mostly his scenes with Jill St. John, Norman Burton, Jimmy Dean, Lana Wood, Desmond Llewelyn and Lois Maxwell).
@@CannonFodder93 he aged a lot but he gave his all tbf
6-George Lazenby: Had a nice short run and managed to do pretty well without any experience.
5-Daniel Craig: I think he pulls off a great and broad range of emotions and pulls off the seriousness of Bond. But comedy doesn't really suit him or his era.
4-Pierce Brosnan: This is a sad choice but I haven't seen all of his films in a while. He just has the charm and is so cool in the part. Can't wait to see the rest.
3- Sean Connery: Another effortlessly cool Bond he just owns every scene he's in (most of the time) and pulls off the base performance for all Bonds
2-Roger Moore: My childhood favourite Bond. I love comedic Bonds and the films. You're right he's fun and I love every film he's in.
1-Timothy Dalton: I'm gonna come and get you. Just kidding. I love both of his varied performances the first is very comedic and badass a bit generic but he pulls it off. When Saunders is brutally murder I feel the true Bond and bloodlust come to him in seconds. Also License To Kill is just that moment but the whole film it's so cold seeing him rip apart this criminal empire from the inside because he wants revenge for Felix and Della.
Couldn't agree more
My list is identical to yours with the exception of perhaps switching Craig with Lazenby for last. I'm torn between them since Craig is obviously a better actor in general, but Lazenby fits my idea of Bond slightly better. Dalton can't get enough praise though, he's in a class of his own.
@@Apanblod I have the same thought. I put Craig at the bottom of most of my list if we're being honest I just put him at 5 because he has more movies than Lazenby so he has a bit more of an impact. They switch around often enough for me so it was the luck of the draw at this point.
Personally I would put Moore in 5th and basically from Craig upwards move up a slot, Moore is a good actor but his portrayal as bond, i liked as a dumb kid but as a dumb 18yr old the comedy doesnt suit me anymore, apart from that I agree with the list
Never seen anybody rank Dalton and Craig at opposite ends of their list.
As a Dalton fan I must apologise for my splinter-cell's actions
I love Roger Moore most too, he is criminally underrated. I love the fact he never took himself entirely seriously.
Noah G, Totally agreed, 2nd only to Brosnan for me
It's mostly criminals who underate him
My list goes:
7: *NIVEN.* Though I’m still hoping that David Niven the pelican from the book You Only Live Twice appears in a film someday. Shame it’s late for it to be played by Niven himself though.
6: *LAZENBY,* though I don’t dislike his Bond - he could’ve become a great Bond if he’d stuck around for longer and grown into the role.
5: *MOORE,* with the caveat that, if we were ranking the actors purely by who they were as people, he’d easily be #1, he seemed like a genuinely kind and charming man - I regret that I never got to meet him. As Bond, he’s very enjoyable to watch, it’s just campy Bond isn’t my favourite type of Bond - at times it feels a bit too pastiche.
4: *CRAIG.* Until recently he would’ve been #3, but recently I’ve begun to more appreciate...
3: *BROSNAN,* so Brosnan’s gone up while Craig went down. I think Craig is brilliant at his best, but can be rather dull at times, mostly in Spectre (I chalk that up more to bad direction on Sam Mendes part though). Brosnan’s best isn’t as high as Craig’s best, but his worst isn’t as low as Craig’s worst. Over time, I’ll probably switch back and forth over who’s #3 and who’s #4, but this is how I stand at the moment. I will say this though: I grew up during the Craig era though (I was 9 when he was cast) so he’ll always have that nostalgia factor over any other Bond actor. But then again I was born during the Brosnan era - that’s gotta count for something... OK, maybe not.
2: *CONNERY.* Though it’s a very close second - I could make him a joint #1 but that’d be cheating. Of course, he had the style and the suaveness, though, and he played it so effortlessly cool.
1: *DALTON.* Like with Brosnan & Craig, I flip-flop who’s my #1 between Connery & Dalton quite a bit. Dalton pips it though, because I think he had the best grasp of who Bond is, and I admire the way Dalton never forgets that, at his core, Bond is a cold, brutal assassin. I’ll forever curse Giancarlo Parretti, for it was his dodgy dealings with MGM that put the kibosh on Dalton’s tenure as Bond.
I forgot about the pelican! I wonder if they can use archive audio of Niven to faithfully represent the character on screen... You know, distort his speech in pelican squawks etc...
Thanks for the great list, Bencol along with the reasoning for each pick. Happy to see some Brosnan love too! Until very recently my 3rd and 4th swapped around... I'd probably have ranked Craig above Connery if you'd asked me a year ago. Maybe it's because I've recently see the Connery films again given his passing or maybe it's because I'm a little fatigued by the sheer length of the Craig and the NTTD delays but I went Marie Kondo on this list and based purely on "does it spark joy" and Connery's performances certainly spark more joy in me than Craig at the moment!
Your points on Dalton are very true as well. I think he's the most dedicated to the part (maybe Craig too) in the sense that he really thought through the character, went back to Fleming etc and seemed to really want to do it justice. Obviously this is a testament to his commitment to his practice and art. Shame he didn't have more opportunities to really make a bigger stamp in the part.
I love Dalton he can pull off the comedy then switch to seriousness on a dime.
@@calvindyson Love the Marie Kondo reference.
Love this and agree Dalton is an incredible bond
49 year old here, and have been lucky enough to watch much of the franchise in actual theatres. For me, dalton is the most skilled actor to play the role, so I always felt a bit bad for him, as it wasn’t really a great bond era with regard to writing, budget, general standard of movies at the time. When I watch Craig in the opening black and white scene in casino royale, I just can’t help recasting it with an age appropriate dalton in my head 🤔
Brosnan was the Bond I grown up with but after rewatching Dalton's movies I must say he is my favorite because he is the closest than any other Bond to play the caracter like in the novel and really should've made a 3rd movie.
Connery has to be my favourite. His films are classic and iconic. Especially goldfinger
My ranking of the Bond actors changes a lot but currently:
1. Pierce Brosnan
2. Daniel Craig
3. Sean Connery
4. Timothy Dalton
5. Roger Moore
6. George Lazenby
I always find it hard to rank them and putting Roger Moore at 5 doesn’t feel right
Maybe you should rethink the Moore ranking then.
This is the list sir
I actually agree with this! For me right now I would have Daniel Craig at #1 but I really like this^
@@iamcoffeemug9350
1 Brosnan / Moore
3 Connery
4 Dalton
5 Craig
6 Niven
7 Lazenby
My film's ranking are a bit different but my bond ranking would be :
1) Timothy Dalton
2) Sean Connery
3) Daniel Craig
4) Roger Moore
5) Pierce Brosnan
6) George Lazenby
7) David Niven
Decent list
Profile pic checks out.
Well, this is like choosing your favorite children, isn't it?
6. George Lazenby - Only due to the fact that he merely had one film. I actually think he's quite terrific. Yes, even in the dubbed over scenes. Why? Cause I actually buy that he's playing this derpy geneologist character. I feel like he did quite well and it's a shame that it would take 20 years until Dalton gave OHMSS a sequel in spirit of that film.
5. Brosnan - Look, I grew up on Goldeneye as well and I love Brosnan. I think his biggest weakness is that he feels like a bit of a cardboard cut out of Bond sometimes. Like: This is who Bond as a combination of all versions that ever existed in any Bond fan's mind. I do feel like he loses something due to that. I think his strongest performance is actually in Tomorrow Never Dies. I just love the sheer joy of him using the remote BMW.
4. Craig - Well, I was one of those kids that grew up with Bond and then hated on Craig for no good reason for a solid while, thinking that Bond could never be blond. Basically, I was a little twat. Craig is great, particularly in Casino Royale which gives a Bond actor the most compelling story to act out since LTK, imo. I feel like sometimes he does get a little too much psycho-analyzed in his films. A bit of that is good and fine, but I don't want my Bond to be 100% deconstructed.
3. Moore - It's impossible to dislike Sir Roger. I think he sometimes overdid it with the puns and his kissing scenes always have me asking if he means to suck out the soul of each particular woman (seriously, I love Roger, but that is not how you kiss someone), but of course I adore his sheer britishness. I think his strongest performance by far is in TSWLM, where he finally found his footing as a new version of James Bond. I do agree that his more dramatic moments (especially those involving Tracy) are underrated. I just wish he had retired from the role a film or two earlier.
2. Connery - What is there left to say that hasn't been said? He's forever going to be the one and only James Bond for millions of people and I can't argue with that. He had a sexual aggressiveness to him that could rarely ever by captured again. I think his strongest performance is definitely in FRWL. He's also awesome in Goldfinger, but he does not get as much to do in that movie, I think.
1. Dalton - Well, I'm forever gonna be a Dalton fanboy, byeeee :D
Terrific breakdown of each actor, mate ! I actually agree with Brosnan possibly giving his best performance in TND, he’s quite enthusiastic and almost juvenile in that film, it’s very refreshing and fits the tone :)
@@b.chaline4394 Yes! I feel like that may be one thing Brosnan brought to the role that was completely his own. It's sort of a different version of what Lazenby did. He too felt juvenile, but in a more naiv and vulnerable kind of way. I think Brosnan plays it more for fun, which I like. I think he's actually quite good in all of his Bond films, although a bit too brooding throughout TWINE, which is a shame, cause his story line in that one is quite good.
Also, thanks man. Glad you enjoyed reading it :)
@@nikolaiquack8548 You're welcome ;) and I couldn't agree more ! Brosnan was really great overall but there are two scenes in TWINE where I feel like he missed the mark : his first encounter with Renard in the underground facility, and the subsequent confrontration with Elektra. In the former, he goes waaay too agitated and nervous too quickly (compare that scene with the extremely similar one between Bond and Pushkin in TLD, where there's real buildup and escalation) which undermines the tension of the scene, while in the latter, his line delivery has always felt too camp for my taste ("There's no point in living if you can't feel al-liiiive"). But maybe it's just my opinion^^
@@b.chaline4394 Oh yeah, I agree with your opinion on both of those scenes :D
My ranking:
1.Sean Connery
2. Roger Moore
3. Pierce Brosnan
4.Timothy Dalton
5.Daniel Craig
6. George Lazenby
7.Niven
1 Brosnan / Moore
3 Connery
4 Dalton
5 Craig
6 Niven
7 Lazenby
Favourite will always be Dalton. Such a clever serious take to the role
it’s a shame they didn’t pump out 2 more movies in that 6 year hiatus
@@jamesbancroft2467 He was originally meant to do a third in 1991 if it weren’t for MGM’s financial issues at the time.
Dalton is so great, I love him in the role. He is an underrated actor overall. Licence to Kill is definitely his better performance but Living Daylights is my favorite of the two films.
Have you seen him in Penny Dreadful? He's Awesome as Sir Malcolm Murray in that Show.....
@@nekusakura6748 no I have not but I love him in Hot Fuzz
I enjoy your analysis as usual. I also have come to terms with putting Moore at the top of my list. I always thought I was a Connery guy, but recently realized I like a lot more of Moore’s films
so many languages and you decided to speak facts.
I agree with this.
Fair enough man. My ranking:
Timothy Dalton (LTK was the first one I saw when I was 6 and TLD is my all time favourite Bond movie)
It's also because he brings a lot of energy, emotion and drama into the role. He's also close to the character in the Fleming novels and does his own action. So, that's a plus.
Roger Moore (Always loved his films a kid - met him in real life too)
Sean Connery (Dr No and Goldfinger being Connery at his best)
Daniel Craig (Casino Royale and Skyfall being his good ones)
Pierce Brosnan (His first three movies were pretty stellar. Especially Goldeneye. Just Die Another Day was terrible!)
George Lazenby (not that he's bad as OHMSS is in my top 10)
Yeah this would be my ranking too.
Honestly it’s hard for me to judge *performances*, as I am mildly autistic, but my favorite is Dalton by a mile... it may just be the things the plot has him do however that contributes to my like of him, I’m not sure
I just have to say as a part of Dalton's Battalion, I really appreciated and loved every gag you've made regarding that topic. It literally made my day better, great job Calvin!
Im a Dalton fan going into this ,oh boy imma get my pitchfork ready lmao
Edit:Ok you have come a long way with Tim ill take it!
I can’t tell you how happy I am to read this! If I get an Ok from a Dalton fan, I’m VERY happy!!
Here's my own personal subjective list:
1. Timothy Dalton (My one despair in life is your lack of appreciation for him and his movies. He's simply the best in my eyes, and I delight in every single - intense - second he is on screen.)
2. Roger Moore (I agree with all that you said. He's an obvious second to me.)
3. Daniel Craig (The hardest one to rank - it might get easier once his tenure is over.)
4. Sean Connery (I committed an even greater offence than you as I ranked him even lower than you. I struggle to see what seems so obvious to most people apparently.)
5. Pierce Brosnan (Sorry Calvin! Please don't come after me - I might be able to put a word in with the Dalton Brigade on your behalf...! Truce?)
6. George Lazenby (Finally, we're in exact agreement! He's still great, obviously, despite coming last, and he shines in his scenes with Diana Rigg.)
PS: Nothing in your list surprised me, even though I was still praying for a miracle (that did not happen) when you reached number five... But the other two ranking lists will be harder to predict, I expect. I'll be looking forward to them!
When it comes to ranking Bond actors, I can truly see how someone could give each actor as his favorite. It all comes down to what you like best about Bond. For me, I prefer the more light-hearted performances of Bond. My personal, subjective ranking:
1. Brosnan: the modern Bond
2. Moore: the gentleman Bond
3. Connery: the original Bond
4. Craig: the post 9/11 Bond
5. Dalton: Fleming's Bond
6. Lazenby: the one-hit wonder
Very close ranking to mine, although I'd move Brosnan down to #3 and Connery and Moore are tied for #1. Very hard for me to choose between Moore and Connery. Lazenby is an interesting one -- I really wish Lazenby had done more films -- I find it really hard to rank him as he only did one film (so I usually don't rank him). I think if he'd done more films - he'd probably be at or near the top.
7) Niven - a fun take on the character, just like the movie needed, but not that memorable unfortunately
6) Lazenby - I'm actually a fan of his, but I can't deny that his quips leave much to be desired, and the George Baker dubbing midway through OHMSS really hurts him
5) Brosnan - Don't get me wrong, I love him for pretty much the same reasons as you Calvin, and I actually think he doesn't have a bad performance. But some of his choices in TWINE are questionable (his first encounter with Renard, how he confronts Elektra afterwards...) and there are small portions of Goldeneye that leave me imagining what Dalton would have done. But he was an absolute trooper throughout the feverish dream that is DAD and for that alone, kuddos to him
4) Craig - Gosh, I can't believe it myself, especially considering how Casino Royale is my personal favourite Bond film, but he sleepwalks through Spectre and QoS' overall mess doesn't help him either. Still, I love his grittier approach to the character and his legacy is cemented, no matter what happens in NTTD
3) Moore - I think it took two entire movies to find his stride, but once he did, he REALLY did. Even in AVTAK, he's just so enjoyable and charming, you just can't help but love the man. And I totally agree that his more serious moments are very underrated
2) Dalton - Yeah, I'm one of the guys knocking on your door, Calvin^^ Joking aside, I just love everything that Dalton brought to the role, including TLD, where I find him just equally as phenomenal as in LTK. I got chills just thinking on his acting opposite Pushkin or when he throws the bag of money to Killifer
1) Connery - I know it sounds like a cliché, but... Sean Connery IS James Bond, from the first second he appears on screen in Dr No, uttering the classic "Bond, James Bond" line. I don't think I've ever seen an actor as effortlessly charismatic and compelling as Sir Sean Connery. As I said when he passed away last month, he was THE man, and always will be :)
For me my personal favourite and true to Fleming list are basically the same, so here is my list:
1. Timothy Dalton
2. Daniel Craig
3. Sean Connery
4. Roger Moore
5. Pierce Brosnan
6. George Lazenby
For me Dalton are the most faithful to Bond within the first 5 Fleming books, while Connery and to a lesser extent Moore are more akin to how Fleming wrote the character from "Dr. No" and onwards.
It's a Tie Between Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton for me, with Sir Roger Moore as a Close Second place.
Brosnan is the cool Bond. He excels at being cool
He's also really great at the psychopathic cold blooded killer bond moments.
@@BirdsElopeWithTheSun09 He's actually better at that stuff than Craig. Craig, who everyone calls the cold blooded Bond hasn't had a true cold blooded kill since the opening of Casino Royale.
@@BirdsElopeWithTheSun09 A classic Brosnan Bond bit was pausing for a moment when he had a villain at his mercy before delivering the killing blow. The motivation could be interpreted differently in different situations, relishing a particularly hated foe's fear or steeling himself because he had close emotional ties, but it gave those kills a very deliberate, premeditated feel. I think a lot of people are so overwhelmed by their memories of the ridiculousness of Die Another Day that they forget the death scenes of Alec, Dr. Kaufman, Carver, and Electra.
Brosnan is really just Moore redux for the 90's; too much of superman and a bit too stylish for his own good. Bond should exhibit coolness, vulnerability, and ruthlessness. I think even Lazenby showed far better Bond qualities than Brosnan.
@@ricardocantoral7672 Craig is neither cool, nor really that ruthless if you think about it.
As a member of the Timothy Dalton battalion I must say that the ambush and the subsequent imprisonment served you well - at least Timothy Dalton had never such a catastrophic movie under his belt like "Die Another Day".
I love dalton and both of his movies but in fairness goldeneye and the world is not enough are both better than the living daylights and license to kill. Yeah, Brosnan has some terrible movies but he has 2 great ones.
I wish Dalton had gotten 2 more films. He's my favorite Dark Bond. Goldeneye was written for him and for a man who got cast as Bond at the last minute he did an excellent job in The Living Daylights.
"You could drop this man into almost any film in any scenario and he'll still be a badass, no matter what you ask him to do." I was really hoping for a Zardoz cutaway there.
I don’t know if Dr Henry Jones is a ‘badass’ but he’s as watchable as any Connery performance.
@@andrewgentilliIt's completely head-canon, but I like to think that Henry Jones Sr. is a lot like Connery himself...a man of mixed heritage (Connery is Scots-Irish, Jones Sr....maybe Welsh father due to surname and a Scottish mother) who grew up in the rough part of Edinburgh but who worked his ass off to rise above his perceived station and become a respected history professor...but one who has quietly shunned his origins and sees his son's behaviour as too much like his own early years for comfort.
But The Last Crusade shows Henry and Indy both coming to see each other better, and the former realizing his son's methodology isn't so flawed when it's used to keep precious artifacts safe from villainous hands.
My subjective rankings:
1. Roger Moore - Everything you said about Moore here was spot on and is precisely why I also consider him my favourite Bond. He stars in my favourite Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, so that immediately makes him the top contender for me. Plus he's the most likeable version of Bond, so that allows me to emphasise with him more. Not that Bond can't have unlikeable traits of course, that's part of what makes him interesting.
2. Sean Connery - Probably the most enigmatic performer out of all the Bonds for me who's mainly a highlight in each of his films. I'll admit that he does sometimes look zoned out in You Only Live Twice but the more I watch it the less I feel he was outright bored and more like he was trying hard to keep up the quality despite the strain he was facing. But even so, I get a kick out of him in all his other films (even Diamonds Are Forever, which I feel is his most underrated performance as Bond) because of how natural he is in the role.
3/4. Timothy Dalton/Daniel Craig - I just can't choose between either of them, they both do so many things well. I don't mind Dalton's portrayal in The Living Daylights but I'll agree with you that Licence to Kill has the better of his two performances. He's perfect as a Fleming-esque Bond much in the way that Craig is perfect as a gritty re-interpretation of the character with some traits of other Bonds to work well in the cinematic Bond universe.
5. Pierce Brosnan - I've always liked Brosnan as Bond and I don't think he ever gave a bad performance but Goldeneye aside his films haven't ranked as high for me as those from the other actors' tenures so that might affect why he's not one of my top favourites. He's still entertaining of course.
6. George Lazenby - He's not terrible and has his moments but his inexperience really shows from time to time. He's also a bit too laid back for my liking and I feel like that's another reason why I don't find his attempts to play suave and sophisticated very convincing.
You missed your nr 4
@@qeetuhd Just corrected it, thanks.
@@retrodude1131 ye welcome
Awesome vid. My personal ranking is:
7. Lazenby
6. Niven
5. Craig
4. Dalton
3. Brosnan
2. Moore
1. Connery
Thanks, Shameer and thanks for sharing your list!
Brosnan had the best pre credit sequences. Even Die another Day had a great one.
Completely agree! How about that 20 minute opening sequence in The World is Not Enough! That was impressive!! Unfortunately the rest of the movie can’t live up to it. But I agree he always had great opening sequences.
@@davidw5532 TWINE is criminally underrated along with TND in my opinion. DAD is just bad.
For sure, he probably had the best PTS in terms of consistency, as not all of Connery's were particularly great or memorable, Lazenby had one, and a controversial one too. Moore had some great ones, but AVTAK and FYEO kinda ruin it. Dalton had a great one in TLD, but LTK's wasn't very memorable. Craig has three great ones, but QOS is a bit shit. Brosnan never had a bad one. His weakest is probably DAD but unlike most of the rest of the film, the sequence itself is highly decent
@@accidentalgenius2976 Agreed
@@accidentalgenius2976 yes DAD isobjectivley bad but its still highly enjoyable. Its like Iron Man 3.
They start serious and Realistic very grounded and as the film avances they get More outlandish
Guy Pearce as Killian gave me huge gustave Graves vibes.
In die Another Day we had diamond suegery in IronMan 3 we got the Extremis program.
I think the reason I loved RDJ as Tony Stark so easily is Because he reminded me so much to Pierce Brosnan's Bond
My ranking is:
1. Brosnan
2. Craig
3. Connery
4. Moore
5. Dalton
6. Lazenby
Always nice to see some extra Brosnan love! Thanks for sharing this, George!
Mines the same as Calvins. I think in the future Brosnan will get more credit because he had everything didn't he.
Nice list but the Dalton Squad will be coming for you 😡
Huh, this is exactly the same as my list!
Brosnan will always be my guy, I just can't help it. I was 8 when Goldeneye came out (I'm an old lady lol) and it made me a Bond fan for life. He's so cool, he's sooooooo ridiculously attractive (yes, even nowadays), and he really nailed those ruthless killer vibes as well. And I even remember back in the day when some people were saying that *he* was the "emotional" Bond because of Paris Carver and Electra King! As if being sad about people you love dying is not manly and not something that Bond would do, like he didn’t cry when his wife was murdered in "Majesty's" 🙄
But I do feel bad for putting Moore so low because I really do like his first 3 films (and I guess I could throw Moonraker in there too lol) but I think what really hurts him in my eyes--not that he could really help it--is his age in those later films. He's just not as believable as others in some of those action scenes and it takes me right out of it. I know he was older than Connery but even in DAF and NSNA, Connery still had a presence about him, he still looked like he could kick some ass. It's freaking *Sean Connery*. And he was still quite handsome then too!🥰
I just can't say the same thing for Moore in FYEO, Octopussy, and AVTAK and it doesn't help that those movies are just... not good.
Roger Moore - Spy who loved me
Sean Connery - Goldfinger
Daniel Craig - Skyfall
Pierce Brosnan - Goldeneye
George Lazenby - OHMSS
Timothy Dalton - Licence to kill
I cannot explain how excited I am to watch this lol
Here's my list:
6.) George Lazenby (Despite being in one film, that film is known to be a classic Bond film. The ending to On Her Majesty's Secret Service was handled quite well. His emotion was powerful. Since he was in only 1 film I couldn't quite see him as Bond.)
5.) Timothy Dalton (He's a good actor. But I didn't enjoy him as Bond. His films were kinda dark.)
4.) Daniel Craig (Craig isn't that bad as Bond. It's just he isn't my favorite. He still did a good job as Bond and introducing Bond to a new generation of fans.)
3.) Roger Moore (Moore's humor was not that bad. He was the longest James Bond actor from 1973-1985 in seven films and that's actually impressive for being the oldest James Bond actor.)
2.) Pierce Brosnan (I enjoy him as a modern James Bond. Goldeneye remains one of my favorite Bond films.)
1.) Sean Connery (I enjoy his portrayal of Bond, he's the one that brought the character to life. And I grew up watching him with my parents.)
I would choose Moore everytime too.
I also like his role in "The Cannonball Run" Were he plays "Seymor Goldfab" a guy dressing up as Roger Moore, pretending to be James Bond. He does such a great performance. The whole role is a parody of all his lines, gags, character takes. "When i was in egypt...doing..."The fly who above´d me" Pure gold.
“You know something mother, you’re too Jewish “ 😂
This is hard because I actually like all of them so far..
1. Sean Connery the OG
2. Roger Moore.. yeah I stand by it
3. Daniel Craig
4. Pierce Bronson
5. Timothy dalton
6. George Lazenby
All I think did great 👍
Sorry, I have to award you a 'D minus' for that remark, in response to your miss-spelling of Roger's name (which is, of course, minus a 'd'!)
I almost agree but I would switch Daniel and Roger
Considering the plot point in Casino Royale ‘67 where Niven’s Bond (once he becomes M) renames every MI6 agent ‘James Bond 007’, surely that means if you’re including CR67 and Niven on this list, you’ve got to extend your list to everyone else. I mean, how do you compare Peter Sellers against Terence Cooper? Ursula Andress against Joanna Pettet? Security Dwarf against Bernard Cribbins? Your audience deserves to know, Calvin!
Not trying to to speak for Calvin but if I had to guess that he would have a similar opinion to my own in that Sellers Cooper and the rest are all fake James Bond Sellers real character name is Evelyn Tremble
@@ralphroshia9247 Just a joke - pointing out how stupid that plot point was, especially as it has little to no bearing on the rest of the film. Though it does give us one of the film’s best lines:
“EVELYN TREMBLE: The name’s Bond. James Bond.
CONCIERGE: James Bond?
TREMBLE: [turns to Vesper] Isn’t it?”
I do blame that bit of dialogue and the 'carry on your legend' line for the code name theory-ironic given that Casino Royale '67 was the first Bond movie to have a different actor as Bond.
I suppose given every agent is called 'James Bond 007' we have the first female James Bond's appearing in a film...
1. timothy dalton - the perfect bond in my opinion. yes, more perfect than sean. in my opinion, the best bond is the bond that is closest to the books. i think it’s unfair that most of the ‘dark bond’ praise goes to craig when dalton does it better imo
2. sean connery - omg he’s amazing as bond. oozes charm and perfectly represents the suave secret agent part of the character. i have to say though that i can’t put the bond that was bored for most of his films first
3. roger moore - yeah, he’s not very close to the books, but my god i love what he does with the role. i’m a huge fan of the moore era and think he’s always amazing. he always makes me laugh and is such a comforting person to watch
4. pierce brosnan - yeah my childhood bond too. i LOVED this bond. while i’m not as fond of his bond now, he’s still great. he plays the suave secret agent perfectly and is just so damn charming and a massive badass. i do think that he goes too far into the action hero stereotype sometimes but other than that he’s great
5. daniel craig - i like him a lot but i just don’t connect with his character that much. i don’t like how they have tried to make a cinematic universe with his films. i also think his character develops awfully. in his first 2 he is new and inexperienced but then in skyfall he’s an ‘old dog’ who’s seen it all. we didn’t get to see that so i don’t connect with it sadly. i like craig’s bond a lot but i prefer others
6. george lazenby - good at times and in a great film but wooden. that’s just it. he does a fine job but just doesn’t always do it for me.
1. Sean Connery
2. Pierce Brosnan
3. Roger Moore
4. Daniel Craig
5. Timothy Dalton
6. George Lazenby
I agree with your sentiments on Brosnan. It’s a shame that people like to jump on the hate bandwagon and bash the guy, when he’s the only other actor to have successfully nailed all the elements of the role besides Connery.
While I personally rank him at 3, I always love seeing Roger Moore praise and appreciation. It warms my heart.
I've been a bond fan for quite some time, but just recently, I've became invested in the bond fandom and, as an ex-member of both marvel and star wars fandom, I must say, this is the most cultural, peaceful and nice fandom there is. Hats off.
Brosnan is my #1. He seems like the secret love child of Connery and Moore. He's got the action down, the charm, the comedic timing, He's perfect for me. Brosnan to me is Bond, James Bond and always will be.
For me: (6) Lazenby, (5) Moore, (4) Brosnan, (3) Craig, (2) Connery, (1) Dalton
Connery and Craig were tied for a while, and briefly I had Craig above Connery. But Connery has reclaimed #2 for me.
Interestingly, I find Dalton's performance in The Living Daylights better than in Licence to Kill. He feels more lived in as Bond, and I love that his take on the humor of the series is to turn it in inward. He's making quips for himself to keep himself as Bond entertained rather than trying to entertain the audience with them. It's more a defense and coping mechanism given the life he lives rather than something external. It's a wonderful touch that just nails Bond for me. Dalton in LTK feels like they tipped the scale a bit too far the other direction. If Dalton was able to do Bond 17 (or even GoldenEye, as it was originally written with him still in mind), I think he would've tuned both of these ends into a perfect mix.
And funny that you place Moore and Brosnan at the top of your list. When I think of Bond on a spectrum, Moore and Brosnan are on one end. Brosnan has two Bonds, the GoldenEye version and the version from the other three films. The second version feels like an update of Moore's Bond through the '90s action lens, so it makes sense to me that if you lean towards Moore as your fave, Brosnan is right behind. (I prefer Bronsan's take in GoldenEye as well because you can feel the Dalton DNA in it.)
When are we going to see the objective ranking of Bond actors?
I thought this would be *really* tough going given that I know we disagree on this from watching your previous videos but it's a credit to you that you still made it thoroughly entertaining and not a bitter pill to swallow at all. Bravo.
Myself? My own personal ranking is as follows - and I must stress that I love all the Bonds and refer you to the excellent video above and the kind man within's pleas for reason, because I know it looks almost scientifically designed to annoy you ;)
1) Craig - it was Dalton until 2006 when, sitting in the cinema watching Casino Royale, he gets in the shower with Vesper and is just there for her. Weird feeling having been a lifelong Dalton's-ma-boy type to be watching him get usurped but it's probably why it remains my favourite moment being in a cinema in my life. It's also a lovely, lovely feeling to have been a lifelong Bond fan and then be rewarded in adulthood with your favourite James Bond being the new boy. I don't think that's ever going to happen again and I treasure the feeling.
2) Dalton - I became a Bond fan when he was still the incumbent but I'm not sure that's the reason because he isn't exactly kid-friendly and wasn't the first Bond I saw (in fact, out of the four at that point he was the last). But I responded to him in a way I didn't with the others at that point and it's something I found I could then contextualise why as I grew older. His Bond stayed with me, basically, and has never left me. I adore his two films.
3) Connery - a.k.a. the only point on the list where we'll agree with a placement ;) I feel his performance is one of the most analysed in all of cinema, probably in all of acting, but while he deserves so many of his plaudits I think it's important to remember (for me anyway) that when he played the part it might have become a phenomenon, but there wasn't yet a legacy to contend with. By the very nature of there being Connery, anyone who follows him has it harder. And I think that's a very important criterion when assessing Bond's performances, at least it is for me. And so while he is stone cold brilliant, there are two whose achievements I feel are greater because they're not him.
4) Lazenby - I know, I know. But his performance is so different and I kind of like how raw it is. When you say you can't see anything other than wooden, I'm the opposite and can't see any of the wood. It's no Connery but it's solid IMO. There are even moments he pulls off better than I think any of the others would. Each Bond gets at least moment where I think, "I can't see any of the others doing that," (or at least as well) and I think Lazenby gets about 4 in his one film.
5) Brosnan - The incumbent Bond as I came of age and yet... I went to all of his films in the cinema and GoldenEye being the very first one I could see on the big screen and despite the unbridled excitement I've never felt since at there finally being a new Bond movie I watched all of his films (and enjoyed some of them) wishing Dalton was still Bond. I couldn't shake it. As I said, Dalton's Bond stayed with me but Brosnan's kind of washed over me. You point to his all-rounder quality as a virtue, which it definitely is and is easily his biggest strength in the role but it stops me from feeling like he completely nails any particular quality.
6) Moore - This will look needlessly controversial and my apologies. He was my first Bond too, by the way. My granddad showed me Goldfinger when I was little and I was so used to Moore I didn't know who Connery's character was. But with this being a subjective list, Moore's way into the character just isn't one I personally enjoy as much as the others. And there are times I find the Bond he plays truly unlikeable, and not in the way I feel like I'm supposed to.
Anyway, truly brilliant video and I look forward to comparing notes on Parts 2 and 3...
Thanks for the really detailed and thoughtful comment, Chris! Really enjoyed reading this through. Our lists are very opposite it seems but I love the diversity of opinion that exists within the Bond fandom so this was a great read! :D
I like dalton and more-so TLD bc i find his delivery as just good dry humor. I find his quips with kara as him just being pissed off by her innocence/naivety and it always gets a good chuckle out of me.
AN UNTOLD STORY: After the release of "Thunderball" Sean Connery had agreed with the producers to make "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". In his interview to PLAYBOY on November 1965, Connery said that the plan was "to start On Her Majesty's Secret Service in Switzerland in January" (1966). And then stated: "But we have to be careful where we go next, because I think with Thunderball we've reached the limit as far as size and gimmicks are concerned... What is needed now is a change of course ... more attention to character and better dialogue".
As we see, Sean Connery was anticipating (and not bored) on doing OHMSS because it was a challenge for him to act in a darker and more complex Bond movie. He wanted to work in depth with the evolution of Bond's character. But then the producers decided to make YOLT instead of OHMSS (because of some snow problems in Switzerland). Sean Connery was hugely disappointed. From then on he lost interest for the series. Knowing what an actor he was, Connery would have made OHMSS his greatest Bond movie...
Connery's my favorite love how suave yet cold blooded he is, and i as a straight man find him incredibly attractive
6: George Lasenby
5: Timothy Dalton
4: Pierce Brosnan
3: Roger Moore
2: Daniel Craig
1: Sean Connery
Excellent list. My personal ranking (please note I love them all, no actor has ever failed in the part) list of the Bonds is:
1. Timothy Dalton
2. Roger Moore
3. Sean Connery
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. George Lazenby
6. Daniel Craig
7. David Niven
Thanks, Liam and thanks for sharing your list too! Very much agree with your topline about no actor has ever failed in the part, even though I rank Lazenby quite low for essentially not being a proper actor, it's still saying something he was able to pull off the part at all given his lack of experience!
@@calvindyson Thanks Calvin, especially for not turning me into an omelette for my Moore ranking.
And yes, Lazenby is surprisingly good for many reasons. Just think how good he could have developed but then we wouldn't have had Moore...doesn't bare thinking about.
Timmy D was the goat.
@@EdwardWLTV Damn right!
Daniel Craig was cast as Bond when I was 8, and won’t be leaving til I’m 24. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna cry at the end of NTTD, I don’t want him to go :(
Part of the Journey is the end :(
Dalton will always be my favourite, however the older i get the more i love watching Roger in the part. Totally agree with your comments regarding his portrayal of his interpretation of the character.
YEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!
Someone finally put roger moore first, thank you sooooooooo much!! IM NOT THE ONLY ONE!!!!!! 🤣🤣
LETS GO!!!!
Here it is, in no order:
Moore/Brosnan: leading man
Dalton/Craig: actor
Lazenby: stuntman/model
Connery: movie star
But, Connery hated being a "movie star".
Clay3613
He made a poor job of fighting against it.
6. Moore (Joker Bond)
5. Lazenby (Fake Bond)
4. Brosnan (Elegant Bond)
3. Craig (Fighter Bond)
2. Dalton (Realistic Bond)
1. Connery (of course, the best! Is James Bond!!! )
8:01 that Pushkin interrogation scene was great though. If you ask The Living Daylights would have easily been a top 5 Bond movie had it completely not fallen off a cliff, momentum wise, when they reached the climax in Afghanistan.
Damn I was holding out hope for Timothy Dalton. I bet he’ll do better on the other lists.
Here is my own
Subjective Ranking note my Objective list will look a little different
1 Roger Moore
2 Sean Connery
3 Pierce Brosnan
4 Daniel Craig
5 Timothy Dalton
6 George Lazenby
7 David Niven
We have very similar preferences I see! Just the 2 and 3 swapped around.
My faves are the same as Calvins 1.Roger Moore 2. Brosnan 3.Connery 4.Craig 5. Dalton 5.Lazenby 6.David Niven - ( snap!) I think a lot of it has to do with when you grew up and what Bond you grew up with but I just find Rogers films easier to repeat watch plus he seems to be the only one who had genuine love for the franchise and character. It ended nicely when he retired from the role there wasn't any bad taste or unfinished business.
Oh, lovely Roger Moore. I think I said that my local cinema back in the 70s - I'm so bleedin' old - played The Man With The Golden Gun and Live And Let Die in the wrong order and every summer I'd go to see them. I adored the tongue in cheek loveliness of Roger's Bond films, gadgets, secret bases and perhaps a bit of sly Carry On naughtiness. Hated the way he kissed women though. Always looked like he was slurping up the final drips of a milkshake to me. I loved Pierce Brosnan ; GoldenEye was fab and I adored Famke Janssen as Xenia and my favourite Bond girl has to be Izabella Scorupco as Natalya Simonava. Sean Connery, as you say, was absolutely superb in Goldfinger - my favourite Bond film ... all roles are played perfectly by everyone, and I wish I'd met Gert Frobe, bless him. I like Craig because he upset the apple cart somewhat and I'm always fascinated about the garlic story between Lazenby and the divoon Dame Diana Rigg. David Niven was such a lovely actor, but not a good Bond. Love this video, me deario!!!
I absolutely cherished this video Calvin....Christmas did come early.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks very much for this 😁😄
I’ll give it as I always give it:
6) Lazenby
5) Craig
4) Dalton
3) Brosnan
2) Moore
1) Connery
On some days I prefer Moore over Connery.
Great ranking of the Bond actors! I also loved the end where you were blown up by the crazy Timothy Dalton fans. That was comedy gold! You have great Bond content and keep up the great work! This would be my ranking of the main James Bond actors:
1: Pierce Brosnan
2: Roger Moore
3: Sean Connery
4: Timothy Dalton
5: Daniel Craig
6: George Lazenby
I feel that Pierce Brosnan played the best and most balanced James Bond. He had the classic Bond look, he was suave, he had humor, and he was tough. I also agree with all that you said about Roger Moore. I felt he had many serious moments, but I loved his humor and charm. He had the best and most witty one-liners. I know that stuntmen were in a lot of the action scenes, but I always felt that the Roger Moore Bond films had some of the best action scenes out of any of the Bond films, so I always liked Roger Moore's Bond character in those action scenes. Sean Connery comes in a very close 3rd for me, and almost tied with Roger Moore as a Bond character. Sometimes I go back and forth as to which Bond I like better, but I'd give the edge to Roger Moore. I liked Roger Moore's Bond films better than Sean Connery's, with the exception of the masterpiece of Goldfinger. Sean Connery played the role so well and was suave, charming, and tough! Timothy Dalton was a more serious Bond, but he had the classic Bond look and he still had some charm. He was the closest to the Bond character of the novels and pulled off the character very well. I wish he was liked better back in the day when he played the role, instead of later down the road. Though better late than never, I suppose. George Lazenby was ok as James Bond, but at the same time, I felt he was lacking some and it felt a little awkward in the role. To me Daniel Craig is way too serious, harsh, and brutal. He doesn't have the classic Bond look, and doesn't have the humor and charm that we've come to know in the James Bond character of the films, though he did improve in this department in Spectre, which is my favorite film of his tenure as Bond. Overall, to me he comes across as a cold-blooded mercenary and would make a better Bond villain than Bond himself. He's a good actor, but I have a hard time seeing him as James Bond and I see him more like a great action hero/antihero from a different series. I know Daniel Craig is well liked as Bond and has a lot of fans, and I respect that, but I personally never fully got used to him as James Bond. Though if they build from Spectre and go further in the humor and charm department for Daniel Craig's Bond, then perhaps I'll finally like him more as James Bond .
I will say that after Daniel Craig's overly serious portrayal of James Bond, I'd like to see the role go back to a James Bond with more humor and charm when they choose the next Bond after No Time to Die. And I feel Calvin Dyson, would make a great James Bond! He has the classic Bond look, humor, charm, and sophistication. Calvin Dyson would give the character of Bond some much needed humor after Daniel Craig's excessive seriousness. And who else would play a better Bond than someone that has a channel dedicated to James Bond! This guy knows the character of James Bond inside and out. So I declare that there should be a petition made to make casting directors aware that Calvin Dyson would make such a great James Bond and should get the opportunity to go on an audition for the next casting of James Bond!
Just wanna chime in and say that I love how much praise Dalton gets from the general fanbase nowadays; I feel like people just weren't ready for his new take at the time, but now that we're in an age where everybody loves deep characters and source faithfulness it seems like loads of people have suddenly warmed to him
For me, dalton was the most skilled actor in the role, but was unlucky not to have a Time Machine 😂. I can see him as bond in casino royale or skyfall . Whilst Craig is a very good actor, I remain unconvinced by him as bond. He played too many petulant types in his earlier movies to convince me, I guess (road to perdition, sharpe tv series). I also found “blonde bond” a bit jarring. Although Sean bean certainly shows in goldeneye that he could have pulled it off 🤔
My ranking:
1. Roger Moore
2. Timothy Dalton
3. Daniel Craig
4. Sean Connery
5. Pierce Brosnan
6. George Lazenby
Hard disagree on The Living Daylights though. I think it’s the perfect Bond film and would be the film I’d show to a non Bond fan.
As far as Brosnan’s low ranking, Tomorrow Never Dies is one of my absolute favorite Bond films, but the rest of his films rank lower mid tier or low tier on my list.
You're meant to rank the Bond actors, not their films
Timothy Dalton would be so good for the contemporary films. A lot of things Daniel Craig emoted really felt similar! So much more intensity!
I'm still very new to the bond fandom. I've seen Skyfall, Dr. No, Live and Let die, and Goldeneye, what should I watch next?
I would say everyone of them, but maybe goldfinger and Casino Royale, they are one of the best
@@marckeler8051 Good idea, I was already eyeing up either from russia with love or goldfinger
From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the trinity of Bond excellence.
Here is my raking for James bond actor number seven George lazenby number five Timothy dolton number four Daniel Craig number thrid pierce brosnan number two sean conerry number one Roger Moore and least favourite James bond is David Niven
TWINE has my favorite Brosnan performance. He just seemed so natural as Bond and he handled the emotional stuff with Elektra really well
I'm not a big Brosnan fan but yes he's really excellent in that one.
No Bond will ever surpass the great Roger Moore - the best of the best! Try to catch the old(1971-1972) television series 'The Persuaders', where he stars along side Tony Curtis. Roger Moore wrapped this series right before his first Bond film, Live and Let Die(1973).
I agree with this list, Roger Moore is definitely my favourite Bond too!
1. Roger Moore
2. Sean Connery
3. Daniel Craig
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. Timothy Dalton
6. George Lazenby
7. David Niven
BTW, if you like Moore, I can highly recommend his biography "My Word is my Bond." It is a lot of fun to read. BTW, I loved Moonraker too, even though plot was ridiculous.
I like that Roger Moore finally gets the appreciation he deserves. For Your Eyes Only is probably his best work, given the fact it was a grounded Bond and Roger Moore was working with a dislocated shoulder and then couple in his fear of heights, but it never showed on his screen that he was in pain or discomfort about filming a scene.
My Personal Rankings:
7. David Niven - Too Old and Funny
6. George Lazenby - He Kinda Sucks at Acting
5. Timothy Dalton - He is a great actor, but is too dark
4. Roger Moore - Really enjoy him, but I don't feel like he IS BOND
3. Sean Connery - Really great actor and one of the best bonds, but he doesn't perform well in some of his films
2. Pierce Brosnan - I really feel like he IS BOND
1. Daniel Craig - Love his style and he nails bond
Excellent choices. Mine differs slightly. I have not seen the David Niven performance so that is off of my list.
6 Daniel Craig ( Completely Overrated) He often lacks chemistry with the Bond Girls and seems depressed and miserable in the series.
5. George Lazanby (Definitely looks like James Bond) Lacking in his acting. Great in his fight scenes.
4. Timothy Dalton (Closest to Ian Fleming's vision of what James Bond is) Brilliant actor. Lacks a truly great Bond movie..
3. Roger Moore (Sauve, sophistication, and charisma in the role.) He is brilliant in The Spy Who Loved Me. My all-time favourite Bond Film.
2. Pierce Brosnan The perfect combination of Roger Moore and Sean Connery. Goldeneye is the best Bond Film in the the last 25 years. Had Pierce Brosnan stopped after his first three Bond Films and never made Die Another Day he would be legendary
1.Sean Connery The iconic James Bond . From Russia with Love is a masterpiece. Connery paved the way for all others.
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Personally I can never rank them above one another. I have Brosnan and Connery on the same level. Craig and dalton and lazenby on another and then Moore somewhere in between
Honestly, I think I'd go...
6. Brosnan
5. Dalton
4. Moore
3. Lazenby
2. Craig
1. Connery
Completely agree on the Living Daylights, I love Dalton and would personally have him over Moore and Brosnan simply for Licence to Kill and that deleted scene alone but the tone in TLD is so jarring at times.
My personal god tier of the Bond films is 11 out of the 24 (5 Connery, 2 Craig, 1 of each other) and this definitely affects my order.
1 - Connery
2 - Craig
3 - Dalton
4 - Brosnan
5 - Moore
6 - Lazenby
My James Bond Actor Ranking:
1.Sean Connery
2.Pierce Brosnan
3.Daniel Craig
4.Rooger Moore
5.Timothy Dalton
6.George Lazenby
This was awesome Calvin, great job!! Christmas has come early!! I am the guy putting the explosive tooth paste around the door, lol!! "Strawberry jam time!!!" For me Dalton is #1. The Living Day Lights I did not like at first as it was such a sharp contrast to Roger Moore, the Bond I grew up with but after watching it I apricated it for giving us a real, gritty and believable Bond! Dalton was perfect!! #2 is Sean Connery, the original bad ass Bond who did it all so effortlessly, a mans man!! #3,. Roger Moore, certainly the most charming of the lot, and certainly the best and kindness man in really life of them all, a true gentleman!! #4. Pierce Brosnan, I grew up watching Remington Steel and could not wait for him to be Bond as the was just sooooooo Suave!! I was really disappointed when he was not Bond after Moore but looking back I am happy he did not get the part right away as we would have been robbed of Daltons version!! Pierce was great as Bond but just not as bad ass as Dalton or Connery!! #5 Daniel Craig, he is a great Bond and brings the cold heartiness of Dalton back! Certainly the best with physical action scenes and It is honestly hard not to have him higher but then again look at the company he's in , lol!! #6 good old George Lazenby, who I also liked as Bond. Like you said Calvin there really is no bad Bond. To me there is just different levels of great!!
You’re quote “We have a release date to meet” during the Dalton part of the video hits pretty hard nowadays
My ranking:
6. Brosnan - He was the only Bond I didn't like. I didn't like that they really milked the whole M is a woman thing. They seemed to put the sex of the character before the character itself. I'm glad they didn't do that in the Craig films. The Bond girls were never the typical damsel in distress either. They were always fighting alongside Bond, which removed any emotion that could be had. Bond never really had to save the girl. That's another thing that I'm glad they changed with Craig's films. My favorite film was GoldenEye.
5. Lazenby - I liked On Her Majesty's Secret Service and I thought he was good as Bond, but fair or not, he was only in one film and didn't get the chance to grow into the role. Definitely nailed the final emotional scene, though.
4. Dalton - After Moore's 7 lighthearted films, it was refreshing to see a different take on Bond. I liked the dark, edgy version that he played. I also liked how he disobeyed MI6 in License To Kill. My favorite film was The Living Daylights.
3. Craig - As I said before when comparing Craig to Brosnan, I liked the fact that they no longer pushed the whole M is a woman thing. She was just M and it wasn't a big deal. They also went back to the classic type of Bond girl. Bond had to save the damsel in distress. I also liked how they gave a good story that spanned all the films. As an added bonus, they brought back the classic Aston Martin that Connery drove. My favorite film was Skyfall.
2. Moore - I liked that he brought a more light-hearted, comedic style to Bond. The perfect word to describe his films was fun. He was easily the most suave and charming Bond. Jaws was also a great henchman. My favorite film was The Spy Who Loved Me.
1. Connery - He is James Bond. He pulled off all the traits of Bond from the suave, charming side to the rugged physical force he was in fights. His films had a nice story arc as well with Spectre and Blofeld. Oddjob was probably the greatest henchman and Goldfinger was probably the greatest villain. Pussy Galore was probably the greatest Bond girl and easily had the greatest name. My favorite film was easily Goldfinger.
Edit: On further consideration, I enjoyed License To Kill more than The Living Daylights. License To Kill was my favorite Bond film of Dalton's.
Edit 2: I should rephrase my characterization of the Bond films with Brosnan. I thought Brosnan nailed the part, but the script and cast around him other than Judi Dench as M, Desmond Llewellyn as Q, and Sean Bean as 006 was not good.
I never thought that Lazenby’s best film was OHMSS...
My opinion
1. Sean Connery
2. Pierce Brosnan
3. Daniel craig
4. Timothy Dalton
5. Roger Moore
6. George Lazenby
My ranking:
Craig: Overall most consistent portrayal of Bond with grit, humor and charm. Also, he gets his balls busted, that's something.
Connery: swag and dangerous charm personified.
Dalton: Closest to book Bond, but overlooked by mainstream.
Moore: Charming and humorous. Though nothing like book Bond, he managed to make his own Bond work.
Brosnan: Charming and fairly decent with action scenes. Yet he could've done more with the role and his performance was inconsistent.
Lazenby: Kind of a default choice, but he did show physicality and brute that suits book Bond in his fight scenes. He was good with romantic scenes but otherwise just fine for someone untrained.
Nelson: Cool and that's it.
Niven: (Roger eyebrow raise) He played Bond?
Interesting, I for one think that Brosnan was particularly consistent in the role - it is the films around him that've let him down in my opinion :)
Craig is the only Bond who appears at least semi-naked once in his title sequences.
Fairly accurate description of each, i'd say