live and let die

007 DAYS OF JAMES BOND: From Worst to First (Part 1)

/ Chris Luckett / Leave a comment
Photo: United Artists

Photo: United Artists

Chris Luckett

As a seven-part feature, I’ll be counting down the final week to Skyfall‘s release in North American theatres on Nov. 9 with seven James Bond-related articles. Day 5: From Worst to First (Part 1).

We’ve counted down the best title sequences, the best stunts, the best henchmen, and the best deaths of the 007 series, but there’s only one Bond list that people really care about. In the final days before Skyfall hits theatres, it’s time to tackle the Big One: ranking all 22 movies.

It’s been 50 years of 007, from Dr. No to Skyfall. There have been more successes than failures, but that’s not to say there haven’t been a few weak links in the chain. To begin: the weakest… Continue reading →

007 DAYS OF JAMES BOND: The Best Deaths

/ Chris Luckett / Leave a comment
Photo: United Artists

Photo: United Artists

Chris Luckett

As a seven-part feature, I’ll be counting down the final week to Skyfall’s release in North American theatres on Nov. 9 with seven James Bond-related articles. Day 4: The Best Deaths.

When telling stories of an agent with a licence to kill and megalomaniacal villains, the body count is bound to stack pretty high. (According to sources CommanderBond.net and AllOuttaBubbleGum.com, there’ve been 1,299 deaths in the first 22 official Bond movies.) Many deaths have been generic, numerous have been memorable, but the best of the best leave you shocked and a little shaken (if not stirred). Continue reading →

007 DAYS OF JAMES BOND: The Best Henchmen/women

/ Chris Luckett / Leave a comment
Photo: United Artists

Photo: United Artists

Chris Luckett

As a seven-part feature, I’ll be counting down the final week to Skyfall’s release in North American theatres on Nov. 9 with seven James Bond-related articles. Day 3: The Best Henchmen/women.

Villains get all the glory. Le Chiffre, Rosa Klebb, Scaramanga, Max Zorin, Hugo Drax, Blofeld, Alec Trevelyan… They get all the credit, even though they often delegate most of the work. Their henchmen are the ones who are often in the trenches, trying to kill Bond and keep him from reaching their boss. It’s about time they got their dues. Continue reading →

007 DAYS OF JAMES BOND: The Best Stunts

/ Chris Luckett / Leave a comment
Photo: United Artists

Photo: United Artists

Chris Luckett

As a seven-part feature, I’ll be counting down the final week to Skyfall‘s release in North American theatres on Nov. 9 with seven James Bond-related articles. Day 2: The Best Stunts.

The James Bond movies have always had an action element to them, and with action scenes eventually comes outrageous stunts. The 007 series has had some of the craziest of cinema over the years, setting numerous Guinness world records. Continue reading →

007 DAYS OF JAMES BOND: The Best Title Sequences

/ Chris Luckett / Leave a comment
Photo: United Artists

Photo: United Artists

Chris Luckett

As a seven-part feature, I’ll be counting down the final week to Skyfall’s release in North American theatres on Nov. 9 with seven James Bond-related articles. Day 1: The Best Title Sequences.

James Bond films fell into formula rather quickly. Even the Daniel Craig era, which aimed to reinvent the series and its trademarks, has still kept significant concepts signature to the franchise. One of the most beloved aspects of the films from the very beginning has been the stylized and often-psychedelic title sequence that accompanies the opening credits of a Bond film. Continue reading →