New Ranking of JAMES BOND Movies
With the recent release of the new James Bond movie, "SKYFALL", I have made a new ranking of all the Bond films produced and released by EON Productions (do not expect to find 1967's "CASINO ROYALE" or 1983's "NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN" on this list) from favorite to least favorite:
NEW RANKING OF JAMES BOND MOVIES
1. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) - The only film to feature Australian George Lazenby, this adaptation of Ian Fleming's 1963 novel has James Bond's search for master criminal Ernst Stravos Blofeld affecting his private life. Directed by Peter Hunt, the movie also stars Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas.
2. "Casino Royale" (2006) - Daniel Craig made his debut as James Bond in this adaptation of Fleming's 1953 novel about Bond's efforts to beat a banker for a terrorist organization at a poker tournament, in order to force the latter to provide information about the organization. Directed by Martin Campbell, the movie co-stars Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen and Judi Dench.
3. "The Living Daylights" (1987) - Timothy Dalton made his debut as Bond in this partial adaptation of Fleming's 1966 short story in which Bond's efforts to stop a Soviet sniper from killing a defector leads to a revelation of a conspiracy between the defector and an American arms dealer. Directed by John Glen, the movie co-stars Maryam D'Abo, Joe Don Baker and Jeroen Krabbe.
4. "For Your Eyes Only" (1981) - Based on two Fleming short stories from 1960, the movie has Bond searching for a missing missile command system, while becoming tangled in a web of deception spun by rival Greek businessmen and dealing with a woman seeking revenge for the murder of her parents. Co-starring Carole Bouquet, Julian Glover and Topol; the movie marked the directing debut of John Glen.
5. "From Russia With Love" (1963) - Terence Young directed this adaptation of Fleming's 1957 novel about Bond's efforts to acquire the Soviet's Lektor machine, unaware that he is being set up by SPECTRE. The movie starred Sean Connery as Bond, along with Daniela Bianchi, Lotte Lenya, Robert Shaw and Pedro Armendáriz.
6. Octopussy" (1983) - A fake Fabergé egg and a fellow agent's death leads James Bond to uncover an international jewel smuggling operation, headed by the mysterious Octopussy, being used by a Soviet general and an Afghan prince to disguise a nuclear attack on NATO forces in West Germany. Directed by John Glen, the movie stars Roger Moore as Bond, Maud Adams, Louis Jordan, Steven Berkoff and Robert Brown in his debut as "M".
7. "Thunderball" (1965) - Adapted from Fleming's 1961 novel, this movie has Bond and CIA agent Felix Leiter attempting to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by SPECTRE for an extortion scheme. Directed by Terence Young, the movie stars Sean Connery as Bond, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi and Luciana Paluzzi.
8. "Goldeneye" (1995) - Pierce Brosnan made his debut as Bond in this tale about the agent's efforts to prevent an arms syndicate from using Russia's GoldenEye satellite weapon against London in order to cause a global financial meltdown. Directed by Martin Campbell, the movie co-stars Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen and Judi Dench in her debut as "M".
9. "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) - Taking its title from Fleming's 1962 novel, this movie has Bond and Soviet agent Anya Amasova investigate the disappearances of British and Soviet submarines carrying nuclear warheads. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, the movie starred Roger Moore as Bond, Barbara Bach, Kurt Jurgens and Richard Kiel.
10. "Quantum of Solace" (2008) - Taking its title from a Fleming short story, this movie is a follow up to "CASINO ROYALE", continuing Bond's investigation into the terrorist organization Quantum, while dealing with the emotional effects of a tragic death. Directed by Marc Foster, the movie starred Daniel Craig as Bond, Olga Kurylenko and Mathieu Amalric.
11. "License to Kill" (1989) - Directed by John Glen, this movie has Bond resigning from MI-6 in order to seek revenge against the Latin American drug lord that maimed his best friend, Felix Leiter. The movie starred Timothy Dalton as Bond, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi, Talisa Soto and Don Stroud.
12. "The World Is Not Enough" (1999) - Directed by Michael Apted, the movie has Bond uncovering a nuclear plot, when he protects an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who cannot feel pain. The movie starred Pierce Brosnan as Bond, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle and Denise Richards.
13. "A View to a Kill" (1985) - Taking its title from one of Fleming's 1960 short stories, this film has Bond investigating an East-German born industrialist with possible ties to the KGB. Directed by John Glen, the movie starred Roger Moore as Bond, Tanya Roberts, Christopher Walken and Grace Jones.
14. "You Only Live Twice" (1967) - Loosely based on Fleming's 1964 novel, the movie has Bond and Japan's Secret Service investigating the disappearance of American and Soviet manned spacecrafts in orbit, due to the actions of SPECTRE. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, the movie starred Sean Connery as Bond, Mie Hama, Akiko Wakabayashi, Tetsurō Tamba and Donald Pleasence.
15. "Die Another Day" (2002) - A failed mission in North Korea leads to Bond's capture, fourteen months in captivity, a desire to find the MI-6 mole responsible and a British billionaire with ties to a North Korean agent. Directed by Lee Tamahori, the movie starred Pierce Brosnan as Bond, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike and Will Yun Lee.
16. "Live and Let Die" (1973) - Roger Moore made his debut as Bond in this adaptation of Fleming's 1954 novel about MI-6's investigation into the deaths of three fellow agents who had been investigating the Prime Minister of San Monique.
17. "Moonraker" (1979) - Based on Fleming's 1955 novel, this movie features Bond's investigation into the disappearance of a space shuttle on loan to the British government by a millionaire with catastrophic plans of his own. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, the movie starred Roger Moore as Bond, Lois Chiles, Michel Lonsdale and Richard Kiel.
18. "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) - Bond and a Chinese agent form an alliance to prevent a media mogul from creating a war between Britain and China in order to obtain exclusive global media coverage. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, the movie starred Pierce Brosnan as Bond, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Pryce and Teri Hatcher.
19. "The Man With the Golden Gun" (1974) - Loosely based on Fleming's 1965 novel, this movie has Bond sent after the Solex Agitator, a device that can harness the power of the sun, while facing the assassin Francisco Scaramanga, the "Man with the Golden Gun". Directed by Guy Hamilton, the movie starred Roger Moore as Bond, Britt Ekland, Christopher Lee and Maud Adams.
20. "Dr. No" (1962) - Based upon Fleming's 1958 novel, this movie kicked off the Bond movie franchise and featured Sean Connery's debut as the British agent, whose investigation into the death of a fellow agent leads him to a Eurasian agent for SPECTRE and their plans to disrupt the U.S. space program. Directed by Terence Young, the movie co-starred Ursula Andress and Joseph Wiseman.
21. "Skyfall" - Directed by Sam Mendes, this film has Bond's loyalty to "M" tested, when her past comes back to haunt her in the form of a former agent, who initiates a series of attacks upon MI-6. The movie starred Daniel Craig as Bond, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem and Naomie Harris.
22. "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971) - Based on Fleming's 1956 novel, this movie has Bond's investigations into a diamond smuggling ring lead to another conflict with SPECTRE and Ernst Stravos Blofeld. Directed by Guy Hamilton, the movie starred Sean Connery as Bond, Jill St. John and Charles Gray.
23. "Goldfinger" - Based on Fleming's 1959 novel, this movie has Bond investigating a German-born gold magnate, who harbors plans to destroy the U.S. gold supply at Fort Knox. Directed by Guy Hamilton, the movie starred Sean Connery as Bond, Honor Blackman and Gert Frobe.