408 replies to this topic

[Guy Haines]

I have voted for TLD, but it is only very narrowly in front. I gave TLD the nod on the basis of my initial reaction to it back in 1987 - I hadn't been so pleased with a Bond film, and a Bond actor, in years! In retrospect, you can see that TLD had flaws, and my reaction to it might have been different if certain filmed scenes had been included rather than left on the cutting room floor. (I think all of you know which scenes!)

LTK had a great villain in Robert Davi as Franz Sanchez. As villains go, Davi made Sanchez seem more than two dimensional or cartoonish. And I had no problem with the Bond-v-the cartel plot - I think if Fleming had been around in this era and still writing about Bond, he would, at some point, have pitted 007 against the Columbians - just as he had Bond take on US gangsters in the novel DAF. I think my problem with LTK was that the film tries too hard to remind the audience that this Bond is tougher and more serious. The various gruesome deaths of certain - mostly villainous - characters are ingenious, but again seem to be about telling the audience that this isn't Moore's Bond anymore, rather than moving the plot forward, imo. Also, I felt that some of the dialogue was a bit flat in the middle section - I understand that since Richard Maibaum was unavailable because of a writers strike, Michael G. Wilson had to pretty much produce the script single handed. (correct me if I'm wrong, please.) Another writer was sorely missing at times. LTK was, however, a striking and entertaining addition to the series, and it is a pity its marketing was so botched.

One more thing - does anyone think LTK might have fared as well under its original title of "Licence Revoked"? I understand the reason for the change of title was that audiences might confuse Bond losing his 00 status with losing his driving licence. I can't believe that the film makers had such a low opinion of the perceptiveness of the typical cinema audience.

[Kreivi von Glödä]

The Living Daylights.

In my opinion the 80´s gave us only 2 good Bond films, FYEO and TLD. LTK was along with OP and DAD the worst 3 Bond films ever - John Glens dull direction and the whole Miami Vice-vibe kills the movie for me. Sure it has scenes lifted directly from Flemings novels but it does not "feel" like a Bond film, just an above average generic action/revenge thriller. LTK lacks simply charm.
TLD on the other hand is a classic, which could benefit only from a stronger villain/villains.

[Virgosy]

Licence to kill of course !

- the best Timothy Dalton James Bond film
- the best film of the 80's
- the best James Bond ever...

When I've decided to watch all the James Bond film, it was this movie I expected to see one day.

[AViewToAPussy]

Daylights.

[elizabeth]

I never voted on this poll because I needed to rewatch the Dalton Bonds. Now that I have, I shall vote.

I think Licence to Kill is the best, simply because of the love triangle and how Bond feels conflicted at the end.

[iBond]

I like Licence to Kill better because it was the only film Dalton did where the script was written just for him and not modified from another actor expecting to play the part. Daylights, as I'm sure many of you already know, was originally written for Moore. But when he finally stepped down and Dalton took over, it was changed to be a more realistic film. Licence to Kill is a perfect film for Dalton and it shows just how ruthless he can be as 007. Moore, Brosnan or even Connery wouldn't be able to pull that film off. I mean, imagine having Dalton starred in a film with Jaws...I don't think so.

Edited by iBond, 15 March 2011 - 06:44 AM.

[Perry]

Ahhhh Ahhhh A-ha... The Living Daylights...

[iBond]

Ahhhh Ahhhh A-ha... The Living Daylights...

Classic! And welcome aboard!

[Perry]

Ahhhh Ahhhh A-ha... The Living Daylights...

Classic! And welcome aboard!

Tankyou, tankyou...

[x007AceOfSpades]

I've always felt that the Dalton era was a step to becoming a some-what more faithful adaption of the character through Fleming's vision and a step to taking the character and films slightly more realistic. I don't know, that's just me.

[00 Brosnan]

The Living Daylights ranks highly on my list of Bond films, whereas LTK ranks near the bottom.

TLD really feels like a Bond film. Cool pre-title sequence, numerous wonderful action and chase sequences, decent plot, beautiful women, beautiful locations.

LTK on the other hand I have several problems with. It feels like a cross between Bond and Lethal Weapon. Overall the action sequences seem pretty tame for a Bond film, but the few death sequences were unnecessarily graphic in my opinion. I mean watching a guy scream as he gets chopped up inch by inch makes my skin crawl. The plot and the villains are nothing unique. The one compelling villain in the film, Dario is severely under used.

I'm not a big fan of Pam Bouvier either. She's clingy and gets jealous quite easily, two big turn offs in my opinion. Talisa Soto (Lupe)....damn baby! Any scene w/ her in it automatically gets my approval.

Edited by 00 Brosnan, 08 April 2011 - 07:15 AM.

[Angus]

TLD Definitely, that action packed warfare at the end - LOVE IT. The OST is amazing as well. Not forgetting Necros fight on plane! However LTK does have Sanchez - ultimate modern day villain of the time - crazy drug lord. 'I think it's time we start cutting over head.' Uzi to the face! Plus that truck chase was epic.

[TheREAL008]

License to Kill, but by a narrow margin.

It was a different film that took chances to go against the standard formula; and while it wasn't that much of a success...it still holds up as a solid Bond film. License To Kill has the distinction of possibly being the last true Bond film before the woes of the early 90's and the erroneous casting of Bronsan, and the muck of the four Bond films of the latter ninties and of 2002.

Timothy's two entries will always outclass Pierce's by a long mile. Truly a damn shame he never got a third.

[00 Brosnan]

License to Kill, but by a narrow margin.

It was a different film that took chances to go against the standard formula; and while it wasn't that much of a success...it still holds up as a solid Bond film. License To Kill has the distinction of possibly being the last true Bond film before the woes of the early 90's and the erroneous casting of Bronsan, and the muck of the four Bond films of the latter ninties and of 2002.

Timothy's two entries will always outclass Pierce's by a long mile. Truly a damn shame he never got a third.

The Living Daylights is a great Bond film. Licence to Kill is Lethal Weapon w/ some guy named Bond. It tanked and almost ended the series b/c it just wasn't relevant to movie goers...b/c it wasn't a good Bond film.

Not counting the current Bond, in the history of Bond, there are 3 guys who stand out to the mainstream public...Connery, Moore, and Brosnan. The further we get from the 1980s, the more Dalton will fade. I'm willing to bet the majority of people don't even know who he is. Dalton is a good actor who had one successful Bond film, Brosnan had four...EON made such a huge mistake...

[Virgosy]

The Living Daylights is a great Bond film. Licence to Kill is Lethal Weapon w/ some guy named Bond. It tanked and almost ended the series b/c it just wasn't relevant to movie goers...b/c it wasn't a good Bond film.

Not counting the current Bond, in the history of Bond, there are 3 guys who stand out to the mainstream public...Connery, Moore, and Brosnan. The further we get from the 1980s, the more Dalton will fade. I'm willing to bet the majority of people don't even know who he is. Dalton is a good actor who had one successful Bond film, Brosnan had four...EON made such a huge mistake...

Because we must consider the mainstream public and the box-office to appreciate a movie personally... ?

And we could also say that the further we get from the 1990/2000s, the more Brosnan will fade. It has already begun for Die another day. Brosnan had four movies which were successful, but it doesn't mean that they are great movies by the way. Moonraker has also been successful...

[iBond]

People just felt that the interpretation of Bond from books to screen should stay apart.

[00 Brosnan]

Because we must consider the mainstream public and the box-office to appreciate a movie personally... ?

Personally, no. I was speaking more in general terms. I admit I went a little overboard w/ my criticism though.

People just felt that the interpretation of Bond from books to screen should stay apart.

Generally, I tend to agree with that. I don't care how so and so person acted in the book or who did what to who. Is being true to a book necessarily going to make something more entertaining?

[Frank Mean]

I like Licence To Kill so much but there is something more in The Living Daylights : a better plot (clever and surprising) and a better music (The Living Daylights probably have a better soundtrack than all of the other films).

[00 Brosnan]

I like Licence To Kill so much but there is something more in The Living Daylights : a better plot (clever and surprising) and a better music (The Living Daylights probably have a better soundtrack than all of the other films).

I agree, I like LTK (I like all the Bond films), but TLD just came together much better and screams James Bond. Whereas, LTK is the only film in the series that doesn't feel like James Bond to me. It gives off that Letal Weapon/80's Steven Seagal vibe in my opinion.

[Npatic]

Licence to kill by miles!

[J B]

I'm sort of torn between the two, because while I think they were both good as far as Bond films go, I think I'll vote Licence to Kill. It was the most compelling to me for some reason. When Felix Leiter was mutilated, and his wife killed, I felt the intensity of Bond's concern in that situation. The rest of the film was a hardcore vendetta, and it fit in very well with what happened earlier. Licence to Kill, in my opinion, is also one of the most "different" James Bond movies. There is just something very distinctive about it. I think Timothy Dalton did a good job at playing a harder-edged Bond, not entirely like our current Daniel Craig either.

P.S. I watched it today for what may have been my second or third time, and that was a long time ago since my previous viewing, so now that I've watched it with new eyes, there was more to take in.

Edited by J B, 20 August 2011 - 05:04 AM.

[bribond]

They are both superb but Licence to Kill is a stronger experience. I remember coming out of the film on opening night in July 1989 just drained. The audience had had a great time. The more personal, violent story and Dalton's strong performance worked very well. The film actually has a lot of humor in it too, but it is the kind that worked better with an audience. For example, Dalton's line "Well, that shouldn't be too difficult" in front of Sanchez' men nearly brought the house down. Sanchez' line "Because I know things" also worked well in the theatres. Q's extended presence is great too and Sanchez is one of the best villains (ruthless but with a code of honor).

TLD is more of a spy/adventure film, also true to Bond's roots as a spy. I also loved Dalton in that film and the focus on the relationship with Kara. I also thought Necros was a well drawn out villain. He's very capable and a good antagonist for Bond. Listen to all the accents he uses when breaking into the Safe House. I was less impressed with Koskov as a villain but have liked Jeroen Krabbe in other films.

[thecasinoroyale]

Just watching TLD on TV now...have to say I love the pre-title sequence, we've not had a Bond throw themselves into a role as much as Dalton did for his first film! Great song by a-ha also!

[Pussfeller]

I like them both, but increasingly I find LTK to be rough around the edges and spiritually un-Bondian. It feels too American to me, and not just because of its setting. It's as if they took a cruel, narc-exalting Reaganite revenge fantasy and inserted James Bond into it. The uncritical, unironic depiction of the drug war is particularly naive and embarrassing. Bond is supposed to be a cool, cynical professional who isn't afraid to enjoy life's forbidden fruit, not a hot-headed puritan primadonna with a fascist streak. That shift in ethos, combined with 007's virtual celibacy, makes for a very un-Bondian experience. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy aspects of the film, such as Dalton's simmering presence and Robert Davi's strange mix of deadly menace, puerile mayhem, and avuncular clownishness. The supporting players are mostly crap, the stunts are cheap, and the locations are drab, but LTK is an interesting and watchable film. I'm just glad it didn't start a trend.

[glidrose]

LTK: one of the best.

TLD: one of the worst.

[The Shark]

Wrong way round. One has John Barry, the other...

[mrevans]

I really like them both but if I had to choose I would pick LTK because I like a personal revenge story that dealt with Bond's personallity. Every time I watch it I enjoy it and at the same time am left with a sense of sorrow that Timothy Dalton did not get a chance to do more movies. Its very down to earth and believable. It also shows Bond facing off against a villian who a good match for him. Great movie. Definitly in my top five.

[glidrose]

Wrong way round. One has John Barry, the other...

We're talking films, not music. Not everything is about the composer.

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

The Living Daylights. TLD is one of the best Bonds while LTK is one of the worst.

[Mr_Wint]

I like Licence to Kill better because it was the only film Dalton did where the script was written just for him and not modified from another actor expecting to play the part. Daylights, as I'm sure many of you already know, was originally written for Moore.

I have always wondered how much truth there is in these claims. Moore left the role not so long after AVTAK was released. This must have been way before they started with the script for TLD. And wasn't the first Maibaum/Wilson draft dealing with a young Bond, early in his career?

But EON needed something clever to sell LTK... "You should see this if you liked TLD, because Dalton is back. If you didn't like TLD, come back anyway, because you really haven't seen Dalton's Bond yet."