I'm back. Sorry for how late I am. You can count me in, I just watched Dr. No. I think it's a 7/10. The music and Connery make it really memorable but it becomes kinda boring during No's Island.

I can't wait for From Russia with Love! It's one of my top 5.

Also, for the poll, my favorite is Daniel Craig. As a book Bond fan, I think him, Connery and Dalton are the ones who channel the original Bond the best. He's also been in my favorite Bond movies so that helps, lol.

I wish I had the fortitude to participate. I've seen all of the Bond movies, with the huge exception of having never watched a Pierce Brosnan Bond. Not. One.

I "grew up" with Moore Bond, so he's my favorite. Any thoughts on doing a complete run through of The Simpsons?

Make a thread for it.

@OP

Just finished Dr. No about an hour ago. From the top, I thought Quarrel, Felix Leiter, and Dr. No himself were all great. The writing is really well done, but a lot of Bond's one liners to pick up women really wouldn't work today (they're still charming though). As far as special effects are concerned, for a movie that released in 1962, they're pretty damn good. I did notice a few jump cuts when guns were shot, particularly in the beginning of the movie when Strangways and his secretary are killed. It didn't really detract from the movie though. In the car chase scene when Bond was on his way to fuck the Chinese girl, the close-ups to Bond driving were jarring due to the obvious green screen effect. Not a very great chase and Bond wasn't even driving an Aston Martin (as far as I could tell). I also find it interesting that we don't even get introduced to Honey Ryder until over half-way through the film and she's second billed, even before Dr. No. Oh well, just a bit of trivia.

Best girl: Sylvia Trench

Number of girls Bond slept with: at least 3 I can remember

6/10

Watched Dr. No on Saturday.

It's kind of a perfect baseline for the series. It's not great, but it's solid all around. I really like the grounded storyline and the slow-burn detective work in the first act. Connery is immediately perfect in the role.

Once they get to Crab Key, things sputter for a while--the movie just works better when its dealing with espionage as opposed to action--but it picks up with the introduction of Dr No. Wiseman is really great as the titular villain; so much that I wish he had more screen time. The back and forth between Bond and No is especially good, with No controlling the room and Bond trying in vain to bait him. There's a line that I never paid attention to until this rewatch:

"Unfortunately, I misjudged you. You are just a stupid policeman."

This captures the character well, even if it's meant as an insult. Bond IS a stupid policeman, in the best way possible.

7/10

I have watched Dr. No. I'll go for a 7 out of 10 - not an all time great, but definitely a solid effort that is always enjoyable to watch. Some thoughts (which may be a retread of what other people have said):

- Connery seems very natural as Bond. Feels very comfortable even though it's his first time in the role.
- I like the fact that Dr No only appears in the last 15 minutes or so. Gives a sense of mystery and anticipation.
- I appreciate the slow nature of the film, and how it gradually unfolds.
- I love the lighting and ambience in some of the shots (eg when Bond/Honey first enter the underground lair after being washed down, Bond waiting for the Professor in Taro's house). Very serene at times.
- As mentioned above, some nice verbal sparring between Bond and Dr No at the dinner table. A lot of respect, but also some venom in their words. Suppose it was to become a series trademark.

One other thing I forgot to mention, the night sequence where they sneak onto Crab Key was shot during the day and they put a filter over it. Pretty jarring to look at the characters who are all squinting because of the sun when it's supposed to be nighttime.

“Welcome to Jamaica, Mr. Bond.”

Dr. No could have been a disaster. Look no further than the first adaptation of a Fleming Bond novel, Casino Royale, a 1954 episode of Climax! which introduced audiences to Jimmy Bond, an American secret agent known for his card skills. But in the hands of producers, Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and director Terence Young, Dr. No becomes a solid start to one of the most successful franchises in cinema history laying a groundwork that would result in repeated and higher successes rather than diminishing returns.

Sean Connery IS James Bond. Nearly sixty years from that first immortal “Bond. James Bond.” with a deft flick of the lighter, he’s still the man all successors try to and (sadly fail to) live up to. Brilliant casting created a Bond that’s a mixture of brute force and posh sophistication. He’s charming but can also rough and tumble with any number of heavies that come his way. But Connery also imbues Bond with a touch of humanity.

Dr. No is not afraid to show Bond as being susceptible to the forces around him. There’s a small scene where he returns to his hotel room and after checking his spy traps and pouring himself a drink, he sits down in a chair, holds his glass up to his forehead and closes his eyes. In that small moment we see the weight of being a secret agent: the constant vigilance, the exhausting hours and the all too brief moments of calm. Not soon after, having just escaped death from a tarantula, Bond becomes sick and heads into the bathroom. These moments show that Bond is not superhuman and are great touches to a pretty tight script.

Dr. No is a solid entry into the Bond canon. If it was not the first film, and since it introduces Connery as Bond, it’s slightly more elevated than if it had come later in the franchise. The story is good enough. You forget going back how versed in spy craft and Cold War machinations these early films are. Just wait until the next one! What elevates Dr. No is its innate sense of style. What is cliché now was new in 1962. The futuristic set design by Ken Adam working on a shoestring budget would only improve with successive films. The music is loud and thrilling, even if Bond walking through an airport is pretty mundane to break out the Bond theme. Ursula Andress rising from the ocean like a goddess and Jack Lord as the suave and stylish Felix Leiter help surround Bond with a great supporting cast. And then of course, there’s Dr. No himself. In his all too brief screen time, the film presents him as mysterious, deadly and determined. He’s memorable despite his physical absence. He’s not the best villain by far but he remains memorable because his presence hangs over the entire film.

I’m going to give Dr. No a 7/10. Again, it would probably be a 6 if it wasn’t the first and if Connery still didn’t provide chills so many decades later. Bond is at his most ruthless in these early films but Connery sells it. You admire the man and believe the stakes he’s in. The plot may have a few holes examining it later but the story is focused and never drags while watching it. I think this James Bond thing might just take off.

Current Rankings:
1) Dr. No

Never noticed this, will have to keep an eye out next time I watch (whenever that may be).

As an aside, I love Bond's line to Dent just before he shoots him. "That's a Smith and Wesson, and you've had your six". Awesome.

That was a fantastic line. M speaking to Bond about his Beretta was pretty cool too. I always thought Bond had the Walther PPK.

I've watched From Russia with Love... I take it it's not too early to start talking about it?

The last time I did a Bondathon, this come top of my rankings, so it'll be interesting to see if it differs this time around. This is a big step up from Dr. No, and is an enthralling watch. Right from that first scene (and what an incredible scene that is), you just know it's going to be something special. Unsure whether to score this as a 9 or a 10. In the Bond canon, it's probably a 10, whereas in the context of all films it's a 9... what say you @Veknoid_Outcast? Some other thoughts:

- Some nice scenery and location shots - the interiors for the chess and the mosque scene in particular.
- There's some real cloak and dagger stuff going on here, which I really like in Bond films.
- I made note of the fact that the actual James Bond doesn't appear until about 17 minutes in, which I thought was interesting.
- Robert Shaw is brilliant as Grant - very physically imposing. The way he's a lingering threat, constantly shadowing Bond, one step ahead is wonderfully done - there's this simmering tension in not knowing when he'll strike. The train scenes really invoke a sense of claustrophobia and ramp that tension up further.
- Connery is well in the groove now. There's a bit more humour and one liners in the script, but it's never over done.
- If I had to nitpick, I feel that there's a bit too much crammed into the final few scenes. After having the threat of Grant build and build, there's then about three additional SPECTRE attacks in a short space of time. I suppose it shows how resourceful they are, but it just seemed a little much for me.