On 5th October 1962, Dr. No was released in cinemas and kick started a global phenomenon and an integral part of British pop culture. 59 years later, on 5th October 2021, yours truly went to the cinema to watch the 25th James Bond film; No time to Die. Obviously you’d have to be very lucky to meet someone who has seen every single Bond film in the cinema, that would be incredible! However, thanks to the fantastic modern technology which is Blu-ray, over the past year I have watched through 24 Bond films with my dad at home. Now having watched the 25th and Daniel Craig’s final instalment as 007, and I can say that these films really stand as a testament to how much cinema and British culture has changed over the past 60 years.
The main similarity I found all the Bond films to have, whether it was George Lazenby or Daniel Craig, was that they all had the same ‘essence’. No other spy or action movies could capture the same essence as the Bond films. It’s almost like the Bond films have a secret recipe. The same ingredients, just different flavours. Sean Connery is the classic Victoria sponge cake, whilst Daniel Craig is the more zesty red velvet cake. The ingredients include a far-away, exotic country, the swimsuit love interest, 007’s banter with Q, the gadget cars, the cheesy one-liners, and of course a scarred villain with an atrocious plan for the world. These ingredients are things we’ve come to expect from every Bond film, but they’re not the sort of clichés we get tired of after two or three runs. These sort of clichés we appreciate as part of the Bond recipe just as we still appreciate a Victoria or red velvet cake the 25th time we’ve eaten one.
I’m quite optimistic when it comes to films. Even if a film receives mixed reception by fans and critics, I can still appreciate it for what it is; film makers bringing their creation to life and doing something they love. The Bond films are no exception. Even if the films do tremble in their objective quality, and even if some scenes aren’t portrayed as convincingly as they should be (not naming any names on behalf of Her Majesty’s Secret Service), I still found enjoyment out of every single one of them. All misogyny aside, Sean Connery was James Bond. He was the template for all the other to succeed him, and had the perfect balance between serious moments and cheesy one-liners. Every time he was on screen I felt like he was going to charm the hell out of me. Now say what you will about George Lazenby, but I loved the snowy, mountainous setting in Switzerland in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. From the facility with Blofeld’s Angels of Death to the bobsleigh chase, the Switzerland setting was definitely a stand-out for me. By the time Roger Moore came around, the Bond recipe had become relatively iconic and unique, especially to me as it was my first time watching through them. Moore’s campiness of 007 is what made him stand out to me. I don’t think I could see Sean Connery or Timothy Dalton unzipping a woman’s dress with a magnetic watch followed by the line “Sheer magnetism darling”. None other than Roger Moore would have wrestled with a python and simply said “I discovered he had a crush on me”. I found myself laughing most throughout Moore’s run, but not in a bad way; simply amused by his boldness to make such cheesy one-liners in serious situations.
I found Timothy Dalton to be the most emotionally-charged, lovey-dovey Bond. Probably the least misogynistic Bond to date, Dalton nailed the seriousness of the character and had some of what I found to be the more believable love interests. Pierce Brosnan however balanced Moore’s campiness and Dalton’s seriousness, and was what I believed to be the most ruthless Bond to date. He had the guts to intentionally drop Sean Bean onto solid concrete and gun down what would’ve been a potential love interest. Brosnan was absolutely merciless and did what needed to be done, which I loved. Last, but most definitely not least, was Britain’s current national treasure, Daniel Craig. To me, Craig was the perfect encapsulation of a 21st-century Bond. Connery set the template and Craig made it his own. He had the charm of Connery, the one-liners of Moore, the emotion of Dalton and the ruthlessness of Brosnan. Not to mention he stars in my personal favourite, Skyfall. And No time to Die is a brilliant send off to him and a fulfilling ending to Craig’s run as 007. Watching the clip of Craig on the set of No time to Die expressing his love and enjoyment for making these films was awe-inspiring. Whether it be chasing Blofeld down a bobsleigh track, or hunting down a disfigured Freddie Mercury, the passion of the film makers will always be felt in the essence of the Bond films.
As much as I’ve enjoyed the journey through the history of 007, this isn’t to say I’d personally welcome some change-ups to the recipe. I’d love to see new cast member Lashana Lynch take up the role, or even the likes of Idris Elba (although please keep Ben Whishaw as Q for a few more at least, I beg). Furthermore, I’d fully support a villain that doesn’t have some facial disfigurement. But ultimately, it really doesn’t matter what the characters look like, the Bond recipe has stood the test of time and I have faith it will stand for another 25 movies.
G does Films 