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007 Best Film Franchise?


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#1 Zen Razor

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Posted 10 May 2015 - 09:57 AM

I've been thinking about this for sometime and have debated this with my friend but in all honesty I believe the Bond franchise if the best film series to ever exist, and here's why. What other franchise has been able to survive for over 50 years and still be as strong as the Bond franchise? The series is more relevant now than ever, Has been a huge Pop culture hit and has ranked high on many list. The films never get old and nearly stand the test of time and with every installment seems to always innovate and keep the same fans satisfied. Do you agree or not? If not why, and what franchise you think is best?



#2 Hansen

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Posted 10 May 2015 - 01:21 PM

No debate for sure.
And a close second would be Star Wars

But right now, which one is the most enjoyable ? I would rathet go to MI or F&F or Captain America

#3 DaveBond21

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 06:39 AM

Yes, Bond is best.

 

Star Wars is up there too.



#4 Double-Oh Agent

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 07:19 AM

James Bond 007 is the king. With Star Wars second.



#5 Call Billy Bob

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 07:26 AM

For sheer number of films, I've got to give a shout out to Godzilla. 28 Japanese productions along with the 2 American ones.

 

My top 5:

 

1. Bond

2. Star Wars

3. Star Trek

4. Indiana Jones

5. Nolan Batman



#6 DaveBond21

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 07:28 AM

Indiana Jones is also great. The first two Jaws films are excellent.

 

I also love the American Pie movies (except for the Band Camp one)



#7 Guy Haines

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 07:59 AM

In terms of longevity and numbers there's really no contest. Plus, how many times have you heard the words "just like something out of a James Bond film?" The series has impacted culturally and socially, although some in the higher bracket arts world don't like to admit it. I think Christoph Waltz's comments when asked about the Bond series immediately after he was announced were good.



#8 Zen Razor

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 08:33 AM

Honestly I can't agree anymore. In all honesty I'm a big comic book fan and I'm looking forward to future Marvel and DC films but I still don't think those films even touch the Bond series, I can't say just a couple of films like Avengers can get any close to the entire Bond franchise, Outside of the film industry I think Comics take it but I feel like the Bond franchise is just too much and pretty much the peak level of cinema. Now that's not saying all the films are perfect but every film has some good and bad about them or there is always film in the franchise to make up for the mistake.



#9 SecretAgentFan

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Posted 11 May 2015 - 09:57 AM

For sheer number of films, I've got to give a shout out to Godzilla. 28 Japanese productions along with the 2 American ones.

 

My top 5:

 

1. Bond

2. Star Wars

3. Star Trek

4. Indiana Jones

5. Nolan Batman

 

 

That would be mine, too.



#10 thecasinoroyale

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Posted 18 May 2015 - 12:38 PM

Agreed.

 

Just above the 7 Police Academy films.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I jest. :)

 

1) 007

2) Star Wars

3) Indiana Jones

 

That about does it for me.



#11 Hansen

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Posted 18 May 2015 - 08:14 PM

Could the Godfather be considered as a Franchise ?
If so, Bond would have a pretty serious contender -in my opinion.

#12 Call Billy Bob

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Posted 18 May 2015 - 08:21 PM

Could the Godfather be considered as a Franchise ?

I would definitely think so.

#13 saint mark

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Posted 19 May 2015 - 06:52 AM

The Harry Potter franchise beats the 007 in continuety,

 

The same applies to Jacksons middle earth tales.



#14 Professor Pi

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Posted 22 May 2015 - 06:35 AM

Box office wise, Bond is currently #4 behind Star Wars, Harry Potter and the MCU.  Both Bond and Star Wars should overtake Harry Potter with their next releases.

 

http://www.the-numbe...ies/franchises/

 

However, factoring in cultural impact and longevity, my list goes:

 

#1  James Bond 007 -- 50+ years of solid filmmaking, song titles, sexual revolution, martini recipe mixes, and gadgets.  No other franchise checks all these bases.  And no other franchise goes toe to toe with all the others decade after decade like Bond.

 

#2 Star Trek -- Bonus points for longevity (started four years after Bond), but factoring in the TV series, music scores, nerd culture, space exploration, and technological impacts on our society jumps Trek up several spots in the ranking, even if its movies aren't always as solid as other franchises'.  Plus it was always an allegorical reflection on society.

 

#3 Star Wars -- Epic good vs evil fairy tale that captures childhood's imagination more than any other franchise.  Might not exist without Star Trek TV, and Trek movies definitely wouldn't exist without Star Wars.  Though rival fanbases, these franchises have a symbiotic sibling relationship.  One thing Star Wars has that's unique to its franchise--each film release is a must see cultural event.  But taking SW down a peg ... Jar Jar Binks. 

 

#4 Marvel Cinematic Universe -- What they've done in less than ten years is phenomenal.  One could rank Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Guardians each as their own right in this list, but the fact that it's a whole brand of franchises put together combining spy stories, gadgets, sci fi and fantasy puts every one else on their toes, and not just the people over at DC.  If only DC had done this with their Superman and Batman films ... oh wait, ... right.  And Marvel shows no signs of slowing down either.  And I'm lumping in the Spiderman franchise here too, as it's not really qualitatively different from other Marvel offerings, albeit a different studio.

 

#5 Lord of the Rings/Hobbit -- Like Star Wars, each movie is better than its predecessor when watched in episodic order, with one or two exceptions. Its metaphors and story give Peter Jackson's two trilogies the nod over the Harry Potter franchise.

 

#6 Indiana Jones -- Oh, were it not for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, this would be higher.  Though that 4th movie did make Temple of Doom look like a masterpiece.

 

#7 Harry Potter -- I've seen all these once and have them all, but am not as attached to it as much as the other franchises.  I think it's because I was already an adult when they came out and didn't have kids to read the books to.  Doesn't speak to societal issues like LOTR does or have IJ's connection to history.  But a solid story arc over eight films and good special effects. 

 

#8 Batman -- Nolan's trilogy is masterful, and The Dark Knight may be the best superhero movie ever made.  Batman is a lot like Bond, what with the gadgets and lack of sci fi fantasy elements.  The Tim Burton films don't hold up to Nolan's, but were huge pop culture blockbusters on the level of Star Wars in their day.  Will Affleck's Batman be ranked among these, or the Schumacher movies?

 

#9 Superman -- Those first two were epic, proven with Man of Steel borrowing much of its plot from Superman II.  But efforts to make a satisfying third film followup always fell flat, III and Quest for Peace being so bad that Superman Returns felt like the proper conclusion to a Superman trilogy.  But six movies and only two major villains featured?  Come on, Warner Brothers, that's a bit lazy.

 

#10 X-Men -- Better films than Superman, and only two clunkers to be found (Origins and Last Stand, if you're wondering,) but other franchises did what X-Men did first, if not always better (doesn't First Class feel like a Bond film!?)  The Wolverine is actually pretty close to a faithful adaptation of Fleming's You Only LIve Twice novel.  X2 and Days of Future Past are the two best so far (looking at you, Apocalypse.)

 

Other franchises are either too derivative (Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne and Mission Impossible), limited to a single trilogy (Godfather, Back to the Future), tell basically the same story over and over (Jurassic Park, Fast and Furious) or have movies as bad as some are great (*cough*, Alien, *cough* and ... Die Hard)  If I could bend the rules a bit, I'd include Game of Thrones, as it's basically a fifty hour $250M movie sprawling over fifty episodes for four years now.  For its genre, it easily trumps Thor, Harry Potter, and even Lord of the Rings.

 

Great thread topic.


Edited by Professor Pi, 22 May 2015 - 06:44 AM.


#15 George Kaplan

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Posted 22 May 2015 - 03:18 PM

What other franchise has been able to survive for over 50 years and still be as strong as the Bond franchise?

 

Has there been another franchise that has lasted 50 years as movies alone?  None of the modern successors as movies (Star Trek, Star Wars being the chief contenders) are over 40 yet.  And classical series (say, the Oland-Toler-Winters "Charlie Chan series") may have racked up more B-Movie entries (that Chan series had 42 to Bond's 24) but didn't last as long (again about 15 years for Chan).  And if you start talking about character based movies (say Sherlock Holmes) you're not really talking about a single series any more.

 

Whether other series may be better can be debated, for sure, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find any movie series that really can compare to Bond directly in terms of longevity.  And that longevity and continual warm reception has to put it high on any list of cultural impact.  And, IMO, the movies themselves do stand the tests of time - with even the worst Bond film being highly watchable.


Edited by George Kaplan, 22 May 2015 - 03:19 PM.


#16 Call Billy Bob

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Posted 22 May 2015 - 03:49 PM

What other franchise has been able to survive for over 50 years and still be as strong as the Bond franchise?

 
Has there been another franchise that has lasted 50 years as movies alone?

As a huge Godzilla fan, I've got to throw another shout out to the big guy here.

#17 George Kaplan

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Posted 22 May 2015 - 08:37 PM

Yeah, I'm amazed I blanked on that (even having read it the other day when I first saw the thread!)

 

I love Godzilla films, but I'll say the quality (and indeed the intent - the original series moving into being kids films and all) of the three primary serieses is pretty all over the place.



#18 Hansen

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Posted 22 May 2015 - 08:45 PM

Box office wise, Bond is currently #4 behind Star Wars, Harry Potter and the MCU. Both Bond and Star Wars should overtake Harry Potter with their next releases.

http://www.the-numbe...ies/franchises/

.

Inflation adjusted Bond is the best 13 Bn vs 10 if I am correct

#19 jaguar007

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Posted 23 May 2015 - 08:27 AM

I really have to agree with Professor Pi right here. No movie/tv series has been so prominent in popularity and pop culture for so long as the top three. The question remains to be seen if anyone will care about Harry Potter or not in another 35 years.

Box office wise, Bond is currently #4 behind Star Wars, Harry Potter and the MCU.  Both Bond and Star Wars should overtake Harry Potter with their next releases.

 

http://www.the-numbe...ies/franchises/

 

However, factoring in cultural impact and longevity, my list goes:

 

#1  James Bond 007 -- 50+ years of solid filmmaking, song titles, sexual revolution, martini recipe mixes, and gadgets.  No other franchise checks all these bases.  And no other franchise goes toe to toe with all the others decade after decade like Bond.

 

#2 Star Trek -- Bonus points for longevity (started four years after Bond), but factoring in the TV series, music scores, nerd culture, space exploration, and technological impacts on our society jumps Trek up several spots in the ranking, even if its movies aren't always as solid as other franchises'.  Plus it was always an allegorical reflection on society.

 

#3 Star Wars -- Epic good vs evil fairy tale that captures childhood's imagination more than any other franchise.  Might not exist without Star Trek TV, and Trek movies definitely wouldn't exist without Star Wars.  Though rival fanbases, these franchises have a symbiotic sibling relationship.  One thing Star Wars has that's unique to its franchise--each film release is a must see cultural event.  But taking SW down a peg ... Jar Jar Binks. 

 

 



#20 dtuba

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Posted 23 May 2015 - 10:30 PM

 

 

What other franchise has been able to survive for over 50 years and still be as strong as the Bond franchise?

 
Has there been another franchise that has lasted 50 years as movies alone?

 

As a huge Godzilla fan, I've got to throw another shout out to the big guy here.

 

Bravo Billy Bob, count me in as a huge Gojira fan as well.

 

One of these days, when I've got loads of time on my hands, I may sit down and write a piece comparing the two franchises, the timelines, the re-boots, the highs and lows of each ( for example, is Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster comparable to Thunderball? Is Final Wars the DAD of Godzilla films? etc, etc etc).

 

But that's a piece for another day. Consider yourself forewarned.

 

 

But, yes, Bond is the greatest of them all.



#21 Call Billy Bob

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Posted 24 May 2015 - 03:55 AM

But that's a piece for another day. Consider yourself forewarned.

Bring it!