55 replies to this topic

[Yitztak]

Definitely From Russia With Love- it's not only the best on this poll but also the best overall.

[pgram]

Voted FRWL. When I first ranked the Bond films in my mind, some years ago, I ranked FRWL first, TB second and DN third. Then, when I found out they are the three directed by Young, I realised this was not a coincidence.

I won't go too much into details that others have already pointed out, but I will just say that if you want to really appreciate the work of a director, just read the books and see what elements were changed for the films. You 'll see that the changes brought to Young's films really did improve the story a hundred times. It is well known that Young defined the cinematic Bond. But this is not all. He also defined SPECTRE. Read TB. Then watch TB, or FRWL or DN. The scope of the organisation in the movies is a lot bigger. And it is all thanks to the direction of the films (and art design, to be fair).

Think of it another way: compare Young's films to the rest. Young's are easily a lot better. For example, compare how he exploited the Jankanoo (or whatever it is spelled) to create a suspenceful chase sequence, to the sequences in the carnival of Rio in MR. Actually, they are not even comparable.

The guy was subtle and elegant in his direction. He used noir and expressionistic subtones, which combined with the glamour and cosmopolitan feel that Cubby wanted made James Bond who he is. Like so many others have said in other threads, in Bond you can't pretend. You either are, or are not. And it is well known that Young was James Bond- and he brought his flair to the films he directed.

FRWL is not just my all time favourite Bond film, it is one of my favourite films, period. TB is the quintessential Bond film, IMO. Whenever I switch on the TV and see underwater scenes, my first reaction is to stop to see if this is a Bond film. DN is the first, really improved the book and changed the way cinema has been made since. And of course there was also Ursulla...

[Loomis]

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is the best, but DR. NO is my favourite. Not really a fan of THUNDERBALL.

[Brian Flagg]

Easy. THUNDERBALL. The reasons are many and well documented as I've posted on this magnificent Bond film many, many times before. I love it as much now as I did 26 years ago, when I first saw it.

[Colossus]

1.From Russia with Love
2.Dr. No
3.Thunderball

From Russia with Love is my favorite of all time with DN second.

TB faultered on pacing and plain innovation (except for the iconic jet-pack), but may not have been (or was how you look at it) Young's fault because he left before editing could finish. The reason it made the most money is because it was riding off the success and hype of Goldfinger.

[Brian Flagg]

1.From Russia with Love
2.Dr. No
3.Thunderball


TB faultered on pacing and plain innovation (except for the iconic jet-pack), but may not have been...The reason it made the most money is because it was riding off the success and hype of Goldfinger.

That's a pretty glib statement, painted with a very broad stroke, IMO. TB made a ton of money, so if it was as you claim, "riding off the success and hype of Goldfinger" (another Bond film routinely bashed on these boards)then it would have made some money initially and then fizzled. TB, despite it's editing problems, was a ton of fun and people loved the fact that everything but the kitchen sink was thrown in. It's long been Connery's favorite performance as 007 and it definitely shows on screen, as his confidence and charm is evident in every frame he's in. TB is also one of the biggest moneymakers (inflation adjusted, of course) in the entire Bond series.

IMO, FRWL is has one foot in the 1950s and the other in the "Bond Formula" that would really take off with Goldfinger. That's not bashing FRWL, but it still is a bit "creaky" at times, a problem which would be remedied with Goldfinger.

I will now cue up "Into Miami" and groove....

[Colossus]

FRWL was written in the '50s just as Goldfinger was, so just because it has no active diabolical villain with a crazy scheme and outrageous gadgets doesn't mean it's "creaky" at all. And indeed TB did ride off the success from GF, it's not to say TB is a bad Bond movie, one near the top in the 20 so Bond films i'd say, but it doesn't match its 3 predecessors. Had TB been every bit as good as GF, then YOLT would have continued to make as much money riding off the success of TB, but it didn't.

Where is the proof that TB is Connery's favorite performance? I believe that was a perpetuated hoax, he always stated his favorite was FRWL.

[Arch Stanton]

Though I do have a ranking with the three, I voted "can't pick one", just to show how much I think Terrance Young rocks. My ranking though, and it's really close between them, is FRWL/TB/DN. I rate them all as four-star movies.

[tdalton]

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is my favorite of the Terence Young films, but DR. NO comes in a very close second.

[dunmall]

i voted honestly that i couldn't pick one. they are all so good!

[K1Bond007]

Clearly From Russia with Love. It astounds me that it's not (currently) winning.

[tdalton]

Clearly From Russia with Love. It astounds me that it's not (currently) winning.

It surprises me as well. I wouldn't have been all that surprised if it was losing to DR. NO, but I am surprised that it's losing to THUNDERBALL in the poll.

[killkenny kid]

From Russia with Love
Thunderball
Dr. No

[Mr. Somerset]

I actually love all three, FRWL may be the best. However, I voted Thunderball due to my never ending infatuation with Claudine Auger.

[DaveBond21]

I love all three films, but if you were to ask me which ones I would watch now, and in what order, I would have to say:-

FRWL
DN
TB


I love From Russia With Love, I think it is the ultimate spy thriller.

[BondReader 007]

Easy enough,...
1.From Russia with Love
2.Dr. No
3.Thunderball
And each and every one a cinema classic! Prime Bond at his very best. For movies that is.

[The Richmond Spy]

Had to go with Dr. No. Although I think From Russia With Love is a better film, the job Young and others did on Dr. No can't go overlooked. Over 40 years later, it looks as if they did a pretty good job on that one.

[Harmonica]

From Russia with Love is definitely my favorite Young film (and 2nd overall), followed by Thunderball and Dr. No. It's about as flawless as a movie can get: an outstanding performance from Connery, a great plot that doesn't sacrifice depth for action, a beautiful Bond girl, a truly menacing henchman, and a memorable villainness. I also love how in FRWL and TB, Blofeld is barely seen and never mentioned; this was a great move to set him up as the main villain in 3 subsequent films.

Thunderball's only major flaw is the overlong underwater scene early on where the bombs are hijacked. It should've been much shorter. Other than that, the film is great: classic Connery, the best group of girls in any Bond film (Fiona, Domino, Patricia, Paula), a great villain, and an interesting plot.

Dr. No is great as well in that it's the first film in the series, unburdened by the stress of being a sequel and only concerned with its own merits. I love Wiseman's Dr. No and how he is only heard briefly before you see him in the end. And of course, there's Connery and Andress.

[DaveBond21]

In my opinion, these three films have the best 2 villains - Dr No and Blofeld. And their depictions are perfect.

The influence of the villains is shown through the fear of those who work for him. Professor Dent is clearly petrified of Dr No, as is the driver of the car who commits suicide rather than report back.

Same with Blofeld in FRWL and TB - the fear and anxiety in the faces of his staff, shows what a marvellously evil villain he is.

[Scottlee]

Not a hard pick for me given that Thunderball was already my favourite Connery Bond.

[Nikos]

I always liked to think of GOLDFINGER as a Young film even though it seems impossible to me that Hamilton is the same man who also did LALD and TMWTGG. My point is that I would have liked Young to have directed all the Connery films if possible and that I agree with the idea that his films set the tone for the series, but that tone got lost in the course of time and nearly vanished (compare Carver's party or the casino scene in TWINE to similar ones in Young's entries and you ll know what I mean). The man was class personified.

[Gri007]

Not a hard pick for me given that Thunderball was already my favourite Connery Bond.

Agreed. Thunderball couldn't have been better if it wasn't for Young.

The fight scene with Largo at the end is very dramatic, and reminds me of the fight between 006 and Bond in GE.

It is said though, that Martin Campbell does tend to have the same directing technique as Young did though, hence why the climax at the end of both GE and TB were dramatic, fast and tough, and in some respect violent.

[Strangelove]

I voted for From Russia With Love. Dr. No would be my #2, but Thunderball is great as well. Young always achieved a great Bond feel.

[Bondesque]

Each of the three films are very good and rate at least in the top 5 of the series.

My choice would be:

1. FRWL --- a nearly perfect spy thriller. A model for the genre. FRWL is a great film even if you aren't into Bond or spy movies at all. It stands on it's own as pure entertainment. Connery looked incredible and his cold edged assassin was Bond to perfection. The surrounding cast was very strong as well.

2. TB --- Loved it's style and exotic locale. Warm locations just seem to fit Bond more then cold, dreary ones regardless of storyline. It also had better Bond girls then FRWL. Dominoe and Lupe were each very, very sexy. TB is a pure Bond movie. You can't look at it outside of the series as you can FRWL. Spectre, Blofeld, etc all brought us into the fantasy of Bond without it being a cartoon (as it became in subsequent films). It took itself seriously.

TB isn't perfect, it has some poor editing and the underwater sequence was far too long. Connery was really into his prime here, looking great and fighting fit.

3. DR. NO --- the classic that started it all. I personally love the first meeting with M where he gives Bond his assignment and lectures him on that "damned barretta". It introduced us into a world that we had never seen before. It changes us forever. Dr. No also has my favorite scene in all the films. Bond calmly telling Prof. Dent that he's had his six"...then executing without batting an eye. This is the stuff of legend.

These films should be the model for EON as it continues making Bond films for the future.

[Johnboy007]

I love all three, but From Russia With Love is just a bit better than the rest of them.

[Bon-san]

I'm a big fan of all three, but I went with Thunderball for the spectacle, the locations, the girls, the villains, the story and very good Bond.