11 replies to this topic

[Golden Claw]

Now that we are half way into the 3rd year of the 10s and the dust has settled down on the noughties, I think its pertinent to ask the question:

From a socio-cultural point of view, which Bond movie made between 2000-09 defined that decade the best? I mean, the most '2000s' movie of the decade? Which couldn't have been made in any other decade?

And while I'm at it, I also ask the same question about the 4 earlier decades.

Which Bond movie made between 1960-69 is the most '60s' movie of that decade? Which defines the 60s the best? Which couldn't have been made in any other decade?

Which Bond movie made between 1970-79 is the most '70s' movie of that decade? Which defines the 70s the best? Which couldn't have been made in any other decade?

Which Bond movie made between 1980-89 is the most '80s' movie of that decade? Which defines the 80s the best? Which couldn't have been made in any other decade?

Which Bond movie made between 1990-99 is the most '90s' movie of that decade? Which defines the 90s the best? Which couldn't have been made in any other decade?

[thecasinoroyale]

Good question - I suppose for each 'decade', in my opinion, the defining Bond film would be...


60's - 'Goldfinger' - It really touched upon the style, culture and assets of the 1960s gentleman / spy and the social attitudes towards women.

70's - 'Live And Let Die' - One of the best Bond films and it really encapsulates the 70's for me, it seems more grounded in reality than other 70's era. Powerful inclinations about the racial divide between white and black people is a big arc. Focusing on the drug issues of America and the general look and sound couldn't do it better for a 1973 Bond movie.

80's - Tough one this. In one hand I feel 'A View To A Kill' is very 80's. Quite cheesy in general, but with the plot of Silicon Valley and microchips, that underlines the 1980's boom in technology. Duran Duran sum up the 80s also. But on the other hand 'Licence To Kill' is a very hard ednged 80s Bond film. Tough, gritty and dark - once again, like 'Live And Let Die', it's a very real look at the 1980s drug business and even the action is very big and loud. So...at an edge, I will go for 'Licence To Kill'

90's - 'Tomorrow Never Dies' - The focus on the power of the media is the backbone for this Bond and very in touch with the 90s. Style from the gadgets (mobile phone) and vehicles (BMW / Stealth Boat) just emit a technology driven society on the grow and the threat of nuclear war, always present in the world.

00's - 'Die Another Day' 'Casino Royale' - Out of the 3 Bond movies of that decade, it's not a hard choice. Current threats and political motives (mention of 9/11), current social interpretations between the sexes and a very modern Bond.


Tough question Broken Claw, but will be interesting to see other people's interpretations.

[graric]

2000's would easily be Casino Royale, given how the decades action films were obsessed with being 'Dark and Gritty' (wouldn't say it defined the decade seeing as how it jumped onto the band wagon started by Bourne)

90's: probably Goldeneye: it was a contemporary take on 60's nostalgia (in similar ways to bands like Oasis) and put alot of emphasis on being post Berlin wall

80's: either A View To A Kill or License to (A View to a Kill is very much in keeping with the excess of the 80's, while LTK is a very 80's Action Film- with revenge/ drugs)
70's- Moonraker (the Space Age started by Star Wars/ pop culture references like Close Encounters theme)
60's- Goldfinger (the 60's spy film movement was basically a reaction to this film)

[Dustin]

I'm not sure it's really as easy as that - defining times, eras by decades. There's a big difference if we talk about the beginning of the 1960s or the end, in cultural terms as well as in sociological and political ones. The film that perhaps comes closest to the pulse of the early 1960s to me is not FRWL with its Cold War resonances, but TB with its fears of nuclear holocaust - although that fear arguably remained a topic well into the 1980s.

The harbinger of the early 1970s lush & fluffiness to me would be OHMSS which already shows all the signs of DAF without the latter's flabbiness.

The 1980s to me are best represented by AVTAK - a lavish feast of brands and nifty items, set in scene at Paris and San Francisco. The American decade - if ever there was one, I'm not sure about that - cast into one Bond film.

The 1990s: can they really be considered a decade? I have only hazy memories and to me they indicate only a '1980s Decade - Volume II'. TND, it's the first thing I can think of there.

The 2000s are undoubtedly best represented by TSWLM, a Bond film that could not have been made in any other decade. Only, they did. Can't be helped.

[SecretAgentFan]

My choice would be:

60´s: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (kinda psychedelic, free-wheeling, naive)
70´s: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (excessive and not ashamed about it)
80´s: OCTOPUSSY (Cold war is fun)
90´s: TOMORROW NEVER DIES (action for action´s sake)
00´s: CASINO ROYALE (brooding hero, everything´s in crisis)

[HellIsHere]

60s: Goldfinger
70s: The Spy Who Loved Me
80s: Octopussy
90s: Tomorrow Never Dies
00s: Casino Royale

[DamnCoffee]

60's - Goldfinger
70's - The Spy Who Loved Me
80's - The Living Daylights
90's - GoldenEye
00's - Casino Royale

[Miles Miservy]

The movie of the 60's has to be "YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE". It was it the height of the space race and captivated Bond fans the world over.

The movie of the 70's should be "MOONRAKER" for, pretty much, the same reasons as YOLT. Brand new technology, meant to benefit mankind, is perversly twisted at the whim of a mad man.

The 80's movie has to be "The Living Daylights" because the plot revolves, albeit loosely, around factual, historical events. Only TMWTGG (energy crisis), Goldeneye (fall of Soviet Union) & CR (post 9/11) are the other films that date themselves

The movie of the 90's has to be "Tomorrow Never Dies". Ever since the 1st Gulf War, the policies of civilized nations, East and West have been driven by the perception of mass media.

The movie of 2000's....... tough call but I'd say "Quantum of Solace". I know that many will disagree with me but, there can be no denying that this is the only movie that addresses the aspect of enviromental issues and how villains would & could exploit them.

I'm not sure it's really as easy as that - defining times, eras by decades. There's a big difference if we talk about the beginning of the 1960s or the end, in cultural terms as well as in sociological and political ones. The film that perhaps comes closest to the pulse of the early 1960s to me is not FRWL with its Cold War resonances, but TB with its fears of nuclear holocaust - although that fear arguably remained a topic well into the 1980s.

The harbinger of the early 1970s lush & fluffiness to me would be OHMSS which already shows all the signs of DAF without the latter's flabbiness.

The 1980s to me are best represented by AVTAK - a lavish feast of brands and nifty items, set in scene at Paris and San Francisco. The American decade - if ever there was one, I'm not sure about that - cast into one Bond film.

The 1990s: can they really be considered a decade? I have only hazy memories and to me they indicate only a '1980s Decade - Volume II'. TND, it's the first thing I can think of there.

The 2000s are undoubtedly best represented by TSWLM, a Bond film that could not have been made in any other decade. Only, they did. Can't be helped.

Um.......... let's do the time warp AGAIN!!!!

OHMSS was released in 1969 & TSWLM was released in 1977. Not sure if you understood the question.

[hilly]

60's- Goldfinger. Cool, stylish and swaggering
70's The Spy Who Loved Me. From Rog's flares to Caroline Munro and the disco soundtrack. This film couldn't be more 70's if it tried. You can almost smell the Brut 33 through the screen
80's - A View To A Kill. A plot that shows the power of the microchip, the last gasp of the Cold War, Grace Jones and Rog in a jogging suit. Think of 80's music and Duran Duran will probably spring to mind too
90's Goldeneye- The Cold War is over and the internet is now commonplace and ripe for criminal mis-use. The world suddenly got smaller and borders have become a little blurred. Britpop is king and Bond can British and proud ( whilst driving a German car and wearing Italian suits)
2000's. Casino Royale. 9/11 changed everything and inevitably it's influence would be felt in Bond's world. Global terrorism was no longer the preserve of fanciful organisations such as SPECTRE. A man in a cave in Afghanistan was able to direct people across Europe to kill. And they had access to millions of dollars and seemingly endless resources.

[AMC Hornet]

I'm with you, Hilly (most of the way).

1960s: Thunderball was actually part of the culture of the time, and spawned a whole subgenre of 'beach blanket' spy movies. All that was missing was Fabian, Frankie and Annette. Fun in the sun, mindless action and package holidays tours a go-go.

1970s: A tie between LALD and MR, the former for riding the 'Blacksploitation' band wagon, and the latter for exploiting the aerospace and sci-fi obsessions of the time. Extra point to LALD for having its theme song on the pop charts.

1980s: While not a favorite, I have to admit Moore's farewell performance tried to exploit the headlines of the time - the only problem is, microchips and steroids just aren't all that interesting, not even in tandem. Binder's titles definitely date the film, putting the 80s 'tacky' in AVTAK.

1990s: GE chronicles the end of the cold war, highlights the 'every man for himself' attitude of the new Russia and answers the self-posed question, 'is 007 still relevant in the 90s?' Answer: HELL YEAH! And Tina Turner never dates.

2000s: CR reflects not only the dark & gritty nature of the films of the past decade, it also conforms with the recent desire to both reintroduce and deconstruct our heroes to see what 'makes them tick.' Brosnan's films paid lip service to this fad, but coupled with the opportunity to actually use some source material for the first time in 17 years, CR hits home. Changing baccarat to poker not only modernizes the film, it makes more sense.

Now, where did I go wrong?

[Peckinpah1976]

Whatever the strengths and weaknesses of the respective films, I'd say that Quantum of Solace with it's cynical view of power through the control of natural resources and third world nations, malignant U.S foreign policy and the UK's submissive and compliant role in this is far more reflective of the recent cultural, economic and political landscape than Casino Royale (which with only a few tweaks could easily have been made as a period piece) - the later film also has far more contemporary aesthetics.

Edited by Peckinpah1976, 11 May 2012 - 06:59 AM.

[DaveBond21]

60's - Goldfinger
70's - The Spy Who Loved Me
80's - The Living Daylights
90's - GoldenEye
00's - Casino Royale

I'd agree with this one, although I think AVTAK is more 80's than any other Bond movie. It can't get more 1980s than Grace Jones and Duran Duran.

For Casino Royale, I'd echo British comedians Adam and Joe when they say, ironically...

"We've got a new Bond for the Noughties
Cause the world's a terrible place"

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