So, I've been on an intense 007 binge over the past few months, mainly by way of several
audio books about James Bond and/or Ian Fleming, as well as a few
documentaries on YouTube devoted to the author, books, and movies. I've been a James Bond fan since 7th grade, when I saw my first Bond
film (Diamonds Are Forever) and read my first Bond novel (You Only Live Twice). These days, now and again, I get that urge to jump back into the world of 007, like an itch that needs scratching.
I suppose it's a given that, when someone goes on such a tear as I have, there will be lists, so I'm posting a handful right here. Mind you, these are "Favorite" lists, NOT "Best of" lists. I have certain favorites that are objectively of lower quality than others that are not my favorites. For example, in the movie department, Skyfall is certainly a better film than Diamonds Are Forever, yet for personal reasons, I prefer the latter. In book department, I'm rating only those I've read that follow Ian Fleming's continuity, not the later novels by John Gardener, Raymond Benson, Christopher Wood, et. al. I've read many of those, and for the post part, I don't care for them. Also, being a huge fan of soundtrack music, I had to include my favorite opening themes. Also — the movie/music selections are limited to the official Eon Productions films; the 1967 Casino Royale doesn't even count, and you can throw 1983's Never Say Never Again somewhere in the middle of the rankings, and the score near the bottom.
Again... all of these constitute my favorites. Somewhere back in the history of this blog, I did post a "Best" list of James Bond films, but that's now out of date, and perhaps one day, when I'm feeling mad enough, I might create an updated "Best" list. Today is not that day. I'm not posting my reasons for these selections, either; I have neither the time nor the energy. Let it be known that at no time do I demean anyone else's favorites however they might diverge from mine, and I appreciate the same courtesy. Just take it on faith that, to credit Peter Gabriel, I know what I like, and I like what I know... as do you. So, lucky bloody you, here we go.
James Bond 007 Books Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) From Russia With Love (Ian Fleming)
2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Ian Fleming)
3) Casino Royale (Ian Fleming)
I suppose it's a given that, when someone goes on such a tear as I have, there will be lists, so I'm posting a handful right here. Mind you, these are "Favorite" lists, NOT "Best of" lists. I have certain favorites that are objectively of lower quality than others that are not my favorites. For example, in the movie department, Skyfall is certainly a better film than Diamonds Are Forever, yet for personal reasons, I prefer the latter. In book department, I'm rating only those I've read that follow Ian Fleming's continuity, not the later novels by John Gardener, Raymond Benson, Christopher Wood, et. al. I've read many of those, and for the post part, I don't care for them. Also, being a huge fan of soundtrack music, I had to include my favorite opening themes. Also — the movie/music selections are limited to the official Eon Productions films; the 1967 Casino Royale doesn't even count, and you can throw 1983's Never Say Never Again somewhere in the middle of the rankings, and the score near the bottom.
Again... all of these constitute my favorites. Somewhere back in the history of this blog, I did post a "Best" list of James Bond films, but that's now out of date, and perhaps one day, when I'm feeling mad enough, I might create an updated "Best" list. Today is not that day. I'm not posting my reasons for these selections, either; I have neither the time nor the energy. Let it be known that at no time do I demean anyone else's favorites however they might diverge from mine, and I appreciate the same courtesy. Just take it on faith that, to credit Peter Gabriel, I know what I like, and I like what I know... as do you. So, lucky bloody you, here we go.
James Bond 007 Books Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) From Russia With Love (Ian Fleming)
2) On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Ian Fleming)
3) Casino Royale (Ian Fleming)
4) Thunderball (Ian Fleming)
5) Moonraker (Ian Fleming)
6) Live and Let Die (Ian Fleming)
7) Diamonds Are Forever (Ian Fleming)
8) Goldfinger (Ian Fleming)
9) Doctor No (Ian Fleming)
10) You Only Live Twice (Ian Fleming)
11) Colonel Sun (Kingsley Amis)
12) For Your Eyes Only (Ian Fleming)
13) Octopussy/The Living Daylights (Ian Fleming)
14) Forever and a Day (Anthony Horowitz)
15) With a Mind to Kill (Anthony Horowitz)
16) Trigger Mortis (Anthony Horowitz)
17) The Man With the Golden Gun (Ian Fleming)
18) Solo (William Boyd)
19) Devil May Care (Sebastian Faulks)
20) The Spy Who Loved Me (Ian Fleming)
5) Moonraker (Ian Fleming)
6) Live and Let Die (Ian Fleming)
7) Diamonds Are Forever (Ian Fleming)
8) Goldfinger (Ian Fleming)
9) Doctor No (Ian Fleming)
10) You Only Live Twice (Ian Fleming)
11) Colonel Sun (Kingsley Amis)
12) For Your Eyes Only (Ian Fleming)
13) Octopussy/The Living Daylights (Ian Fleming)
14) Forever and a Day (Anthony Horowitz)
15) With a Mind to Kill (Anthony Horowitz)
16) Trigger Mortis (Anthony Horowitz)
17) The Man With the Golden Gun (Ian Fleming)
18) Solo (William Boyd)
19) Devil May Care (Sebastian Faulks)
20) The Spy Who Loved Me (Ian Fleming)
James Bond 007 Movies Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2) Goldfinger
3) From Russia With Love
4) Casino Royale
5) Diamonds Are Forever
6) Thunderball
7) For Your Eyes Only
8) You Only Live Twice
9) Live and Let Die
10) The Spy Who Loved Me
11) Doctor No
12) Tomorrow Never Dies
13) The Living Daylights
14) Licence to Kill
15) Goldeneye
16) Octopussy
17) The World Is Not Enough
18) Quantum of Solace
19) Skyfall
20) No Time to Die
21) The Man With the Golden Gun
22) A View to a Kill
23) Moonraker
24) Die Another Day
James Bond 007 Actor Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) Sean Connery
2) Pierce Brosnan
3) Daniel Craig
4) Timothy Dalton
5) Roger Moore
6) George Lazenby
James Bond 007 Movie Themes Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) On Her Majesty's Secret Service (instrumental opening)
2) Goldfinger
3) Diamonds Are Forever
4) Thunderball
5) Casino Royale ("You Know My Name")
6) Live and Let Die
7) From Russia With Love (instrumental opening)
8) The Living Daylights
9) A View to a Kill
10) Tomorrow Never Dies ("Surrender," ending title)
11) The World Is Not Enough
12) Licence to Kill
13) You Only Live Twice
14) Doctor No (James Bond Theme)
15) Goldeneye
16) Moonraker
17) The Man with the Golden Gun
18) No Time to Die
19) The Spy Who Loved Me ("Nobody Does It Better")
20) Skyfall
21) Octopussy ("All-Time High")
22) Spectre ("The Writing's on the Wall")
23) Quantum of Solace ("Another Way to Die")
24) Die Another Day
1) On Her Majesty's Secret Service
2) Goldfinger
3) From Russia With Love
4) Casino Royale
5) Diamonds Are Forever
6) Thunderball
7) For Your Eyes Only
8) You Only Live Twice
9) Live and Let Die
10) The Spy Who Loved Me
11) Doctor No
12) Tomorrow Never Dies
13) The Living Daylights
14) Licence to Kill
15) Goldeneye
16) Octopussy
17) The World Is Not Enough
18) Quantum of Solace
19) Skyfall
20) No Time to Die
21) The Man With the Golden Gun
22) A View to a Kill
23) Moonraker
24) Die Another Day
James Bond 007 Actor Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) Sean Connery
2) Pierce Brosnan
3) Daniel Craig
4) Timothy Dalton
5) Roger Moore
6) George Lazenby
James Bond 007 Movie Themes Rated Favorite to Least Favorite
1) On Her Majesty's Secret Service (instrumental opening)
2) Goldfinger
3) Diamonds Are Forever
4) Thunderball
5) Casino Royale ("You Know My Name")
6) Live and Let Die
7) From Russia With Love (instrumental opening)
8) The Living Daylights
9) A View to a Kill
10) Tomorrow Never Dies ("Surrender," ending title)
11) The World Is Not Enough
12) Licence to Kill
13) You Only Live Twice
14) Doctor No (James Bond Theme)
15) Goldeneye
16) Moonraker
17) The Man with the Golden Gun
18) No Time to Die
19) The Spy Who Loved Me ("Nobody Does It Better")
20) Skyfall
21) Octopussy ("All-Time High")
22) Spectre ("The Writing's on the Wall")
23) Quantum of Solace ("Another Way to Die")
24) Die Another Day
