I go with FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, as it is my favorite Bond film of all-time.
It is, in my opinion, one of the few that really seems to be closest to the Bond Fleming created.
The other two films that are close are THUNDERBALL and (believe it or not) CASINO ROYALE (with Daniel Craig).
THUNDERBALL is close because the original screenplay was by Fleming himself. In fact, Fleming turned THUNDERBALL into a novel based upon his original script.
I like DR. NO a great deal, but I really love FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.
It’s Russia for me too. Still my favourite Bond film of all. Don’t ask me why. It just has something that I’ve always connected with. I enjoy all the early Bonds but this one edges them all for me.
Yes, Dr.No
Never have been a fan of Russia, although the film is rather close to the book, like Chris said, and I’m a Fleming fan (haven’t read any of his books for years though). I guess it has something to do with Connery. I am not a Connery fan, I don’t like his acting style and I don’t like his accent (or is it his voice? I don’t really know). In the other Bonds he doesn’t bother me, but here he does, probably because the film is closer to the book.
None of the early films are very much like the Fleming books actually, which was probably a good thing
The movie Bond had a sense of humour and wasn’t involved with world politics as much, which is just as well since Bond is adventure stories and not serious spy fiction
I think both Dr No & Russia are good movies if a bit dated, they both have the same director Terence Young who was good at creating a certain atmosphere, and they were both rather violent and sexually daring for the times they were made
The sets in Dr No still looks rather impressive, particularly since it was a low-budget production, and the plot involves the 1960s space race which is fun to see
Russia is a bit sloppy from a technical point of view, and is probably even more dated, but it’s still a pretty cool spy adventure movie I think
Great credit sequence with the names projected onto the belly dancer
I vote Dr.No, but I like all the stuff with Connery. Well, I’m a fan of 007 saga, even George Lazenby’s quick appearance it’s worth watching in my opinion.
I think Dr No is Connery’s best, though FRWL great as well. Diamonds are Forever is the only one I don’t like in some way.
I agree with you on DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. It is purely a bad film.
I absolutely agree with that, too. I actually like Lazenby as Bond.
In addiction, this one has scenes shot in Portugal!
Chris, On Her Majestiy’s , Dr. No and Goldfinger are also more or less close to the books. Just like From Russia and Thunderball, and all 5 more than Casino Royale. Or not?
Funny thing about From Russia. In the book the Russian Secret Service plans to compromise the British Secret Service by luring JB into a sex trap. Here the decoding machine is only a bait for the trap.
But in the film the machine is what Spectre wants to get via Bond. A senseless complicated plan which doesn’t make now any sense. And there’s much more which doesn’t make any sense after this change.
Like I said the movies weren’t supposed to reflect world politics as much as Fleming’s books, which is why the producers deliberately avoided using the Russians as bad guys
Same with Dr No, in the book he’s working for the Soviet Union, in the movie it’s Spectre
I think this was a good thing since Bond is just fun entertainment anyway
I have also read the Fleming books some years ago, but I don’t think they were that good, on the contrary rather dull actually
The (early) films are much better in my opinion, you have the music, the humour, and all the visual stuff which is what Bond is all about
I voted Dr No in this poll, but both films are quite ok I think
I’ve gone with From Russia With Love, because I think it’s a more rounded movie, shows more confidence in all departments and has better set-pieces.
I like Dr No very much, though, especially because it contains possibly the greatest scene in any Bond movie:
I prefer FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, i’m a big lover of James Bond films but i never thought DR.NO was that good and i’m surprised other stories were made after it to be honest.