The 10 Best Moments from A View to a Kill (1985): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from A View to a Kill. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Bond, rushing back to his room, manages to make a flying leap to grab hold of the closing drawbridge.

9. Using the detached snowmobile ski, 007 zips through the water leaving the Russian skiers behind in the pre-title sequence.

8. Dr. Mortner and Scarpine fight over the dynamite.

7. Zorin shoots Mr. Howe.

6. The taxi Bond "commandeers" to pursue May Day in Paris gets sliced in half (although admittedly silly too).

5. Bond calls Zorin a psychopath.

4. May Day escorts the man out of the meeting on Zorin's blimp.

TOP THREE

3. May Day, making her escape, leaps off the Eiffel Tower and opens a parachute.

2. May Day stays with the bomb.

1. Max Zorin meets his fate.

Hardly a fan favorite, I'm mixed on A View to a Kill myself: I enjoy its villains, action set pieces (save the totally unnecessary cop chase sequence), and thrilling finale, but it feels long and has a rather weak Bond girl in Stacey Sutton.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from A View to a Kill: the hopelessly coincidental check imprint gadget on Bond's person at Zorin's party: why would this ever be standard issue?

The 10 Best Moments from Never Say Never Again (1983): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Never Say Never Again. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Connery winks to the audience at the film's end, regarding "never" returning to service....

9. Nigel gets tossed into the pool by Bond.

8. Positioned outside the window at the prison, Bond pulls the guard out sending him into the water below.

7. Fatima Blush waterskis up into the harbor bar and right into Bond.

6. The bomb under the bed goes off: "Proof that we made the right decision... your place or mine?"

5. Largo releases the controls on the video game, ceding final victory to Bond.

4. Bond easily escapes his motorcycle being led into the truck.

TOP THREE

3. Following the demise of the burly henchman against the glass lab equipment, Bond looks to see what he threw in his eyes.

2. Bond retrieves his cigar case from the panicked guard in the closet.

1. Bond uses his rocket-firing fountain pen on Fatima Blush, and it doesn't quite work— at first.

Many Bond purists despise this film, but I think Never Say Never Again is as good as could be expected and really a decent effort by all, if not one I frequently pull off the shelf.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Never Say Never Again: the horse jump of Bond/Domino off the top of the prison: just dumb.

The 10 Best Moments from Octopussy (1983): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Octopussy. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. 009 smashes through the door at the British Ambassador's residence, releasing the Faberge egg that rolls across the floor.

9. Vijay uses his backhand on a henchman.

8. Magda makes a "sari" exit.

7. Bond hangs onto Kamal Kahn's plane for dear life.

6. Bond, sliding down the banister, machine guns the ornamental finial and slides off into the last henchman.

5. Bond rides the rails when the tires of his car are shot out.

4. "... And that's for 009."

TOP THREE

3. 007 is nonetheless able to accomplish his just-failed mission in the pre-title sequence.

2. Bond uses Kamal Kahn's "lucky" dice: "It's all in the wrist."

1. Bond defuses the bomb at the circus.

Octopussy should have been a great Bond, but it just isn't: the double villains (Orlov/Kamal Khan), weak Bond-girl relationship, and hokey humor contribute to weakening it.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Octopussy: A lot to choose from herein! I'll pick Bond's "Tarzan" bit.  But Bond's ordering of a tiger to "sit!" and his overly detailed and immaculate clown make-up at the circus (which he applies in seconds) are both close seconds.

The 10 Best Moments from For Your Eyes Only (1981): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from For Your Eyes Only. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Bond and Columbo nearly shoot each other on the ship in the pre-dawn raid.

9. Bond places his ski pole between two trees as he's being pursued.

8. Melina "perforates" Gonzales.

7. Bond sends the motorcycle through the shop window.

6. Bond brakes and swerves backward in the Citroen, causing one of the henchmans car's to rear end the other, and sending it rolling down the hill (in the same way they had just done to Bond/Melina).

5. Bond scoops up the wheelchair-bound villain in the pre-title sequence.

4. Locque falls out of the car, as it tumbles (presumably a happy accident with the dummy).

TOP THREE

3. Henchman Apostis kicks Bond back down the cliff side.

2. Bond takes care of Apostis.

1. Bond sends Locque over the edge.

For Your Eyes Only has long been my favorite Bond movie, with Roger Moore delivering as a tough 007 yet still with a twinkle in his eye, and a series of top-notch actions sequences.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from For Your Eyes Only: Bond pats "Blofeld" on the head in the pre-title sequence (clearly a dummy) and says "keep your hair on"....

Which brings me to: If I could change three things in the Bond series, they would be the following:

1. In From Russia, With Love-- possibly the Bond movie that's the closest to perfection-- I would cut the boat sequence with the barrels that Bond sets aflame at the end.  After Bond's duel with Red Grant, this sequence is terribly anticlimactic.  I can see the producers not wishing to drop an expensive action sequence, but if we went from Rosa Klebb saying that there's "still time [to get Bond]" to her appearance in Bond/Tatiana's hotel room, the movie, tightened from 115 minutes to 111.5 minutes, to me, would be perfect. One simple cut.

2. For Your Eyes Only is a such a great Bond movie and it's marred by the pre-title sequence with the (just seconds-only) joking with Blofeld/unidentified Blofeldesque villain and then the villain's weird delicatessen line.  If Bond didn't joke with him (he's deadly serious the rest of the time) and if the villain just pounded on the window, and if Bond didn't end with the "oh, you want to get off" line, but instead said, "This is for Tracy" [which would also clearly ID the man as Blofeld]-- how much better would that pre-title sequence be/ and For Your Eyes Only be on the whole? (And, in a interesting way, it would also tie in ironically with Melina wanting revenge and Bond cautioning her against it.)

3. Dumping that darn slide whistle effect during the great The Man with the Golden Gun car stunt-- that one at least the producers have admitted regretting! See someone's You Tube correction of this travesty.

The 10 Best Moments from Moonraker (1979): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Moonraker. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Dr. Goodhead puts Bond in his place: "... we'd better get started, you don't want to lose time as well as the space shuttle, do you?"

9. The use of the 5-note Close Encounters signature.

8. When Jaws is caught up in the stream of Carnaval-goers, he just goes with it.

7. The scientists die from the poison gas, as Bond looks on.

6. As purposefully over-the-top as it is, I do enjoy Bond's gondola hovercraft ride through St. Mark's square, with the repeat gag (from The Spy Who Loved Me) of the guy looking at his drink (the second of three appearances by Victor Tourjansky).

5. Bond makes quick work of the knife-throwing assassin in the coffin on the gondola.

4. 007 helps Drax "take a giant step for mankind."

TOP THREE

3. Drax notes that Bond missed his shot (at the pheasants), to which Bond shortly replies, "Did I?"

2. In the recesses of his fading mind, Bond flashes back to M's office where he demonstrated Q's latest gadget on one of M's oil paintings.

1. Bond is pushed out of a plane without a parachute.

Moonraker, like Die Another Day is hopelessly cartoonish, however, also like Die Another Day it's one of the single most enjoyable to watch of all of the Bond films, and I look forward to every repeat viewing of it.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Moonraker: Bond's micro camera having 007 written on it— even for Moonraker's standards, just too silly.

The 10 Best Moments from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from The Spy Who Loved Me. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. I had to cut it down from a very long list! What are your favorite moments?

10. The scientists look to Stromberg terrified as the elevator door shuts on them.

9. Jaws lives up to his nickname, killing the shark.

8. Bond interrupts XXX, when, while rattling off 007's dossier, she gets to Tracy's death.

7. XXX bests 007, correcting him about the location of Stromberg's marine research laboratory on Sardinia.

6. After having been instructed not to, Bond attempts to shake hands with Stromberg.

5. 007 doesn't fall for (or through) the elevator's trap door (even a greater moment when you recall Bond's instincts in Blofeld's elevator in Diamonds Are Forever).

4. Bond gives Stromberg a taste of his own medicine, firing through the under table gun barrel chute.

TOP THREE

3. We find out the Lotus' main functionality.

2. Bond fails to assist Stromberg's henchman... "What a helpful chap."

1. The climax of the pre-title sequence.

For the Connery set, The Spy Who Loved Me is a pale remake of You Only Live Twice; for me it's one of the single most entertaining and solidly dramatic of the entire canon.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from The Spy Who Loved Me: I can understand the British and Soviets joining forces, but it's a little too much to think MI6 would march the Russians straight through Q's lab!

The 10 Best Moments from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from The Man with the Golden Gun. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. When Bond wonders who'd want to pay $1 million to kill him, M responds: "Jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors, the list is endless!"

9. Andrea Anders' (Maud Adams) demise.

8. The canted temporary headquarters of M are revealed inside the wreckage of the Queen Elizabeth.

7. Bond sucker kicks his opponent at the training school.

6. Lt. Hip's nieces turn out to be karate experts.

5. The return of Sheriff J. W. Pepper.

4. We see that the fingers of Bond's left hand are "back" on his wax figure.

TOP THREE

3. Scaramanga assembles his gun.

2. Bond aims the specially-made rifle at Lazar with the line: "...speak or forever hold your peace/piece."

1. The AMC Hornet's astonishing mid-air 360.

The Man with the Golden Gun qualifies as one of the least effective films in the series, with nonetheless one of the best villains.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from The Man with the Golden Gun: Crazily it's the same as my #1 favorite moment, the 360 done by Bond in the AMC Hornet, because the moment was colossally ruined by that awful "comic" penny whistle sound effect— when the stunt is shown in "compilations" invariably the James Bond theme is properly played.

The 10 Best Moments from Live and Let Die (1973): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Live and Let Die. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. (There are a surprisingly high number of great moments in this Bond which you never think of as one of the best entries per se, I didn't even have room for the double decker bus' top getting sliced off!) What are your favorite moments?

10. Baron Samedi makes one final appearance at the film's end.

9. Mr. Big implodes the couch that Whisper is sitting on.

8. As the tarot cards fall from Bond's hand we see the stacked deck of "lovers."

7. "Same time tomorrow, Mrs. Bell?"

6. Tee Hee's disappointment at not being given the order to snip Bond's finger.

5. Bond and his table vanish through the floor at the second Fillet of Soul.

4. Sheriff J. W. Pepper finds out he can't arrest Bond: "Secret agent? On whose side?!"

TOP THREE

3. The second trick that Bond's watch is capable of is revealed.

2. The flying leap Bond's boat makes across the highway.

1. Bond's escape from the crocodiles.

Live and Let Die is always better than you remember, but so atypical as to never be worthy of the top tier of Bond movies.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Live and Let Die: the embarrassingly comical killing of Mr. Big.

The 10 Best Moments from Diamonds Are Forever (1971): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Diamonds Are Forever. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences.  What are your favorite moments?

10. Bond walks out onto his balcony and rides the top of the outside elevator to the penthouse of The Whyte House.

9. The real Klaus Hergersheimer from G section arrives in Dr. Metz's lab.

8. Fighting Peter Franks, Bond stops the elevator with his foot, just as he's about to be decapitated.

7. "Welcome to hell, Blofeld."

6. Mr. Wint drops the scorpion down Dr. Tynan's shirt.

5. The flames rise as 007 is trapped in the casket.

4. Bond tricks Mr. Wint into blowing his cover, by exposing his lack in knowledge of clarets.

TOP THREE

3. On two wheels, Bond and Tiffany escape down the narrow alley (continuity issue and all) in Vegas.

2. So she'd give up Blofeld's location, Bond chokes the girl in the pre-title sequence with her bikini top.

1. Bond uses his piston gun for something other than "mountaineering about outside The Whyte House."

Diamonds Are Forever is a solid Bond actioner, however with kind of a loosey-goosey performance by Connery and a weak climax.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Diamonds Are Forever: Why, knowing that this was Connery's one-shot Eon Productions finale, did they leave Blofeld dangling in the air, instead of providing fan's with a great villain death? If this non-moment doesn't count, there's always Blofeld in drag (ugh!).

The 10 Best Moments from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from On Her Majesty's Secret Service. (For OHMSS, I could probably have come up with 20, truth be told— so many moments!) I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorites?

10. Tracy kills the SPECTRE man by impaling him on the wall ornament.

9. Blofeld taunts Bond, saying he needs to be calmed until he's allowed back into "polite society."

8. Approaching Ruby's bedside, Bond is surprised by Fraulein Bunt!

7. Bond tears his pockets out to make gloves.

6. When Tracy pulls Bond's PPK on him, he has to get tough with her.

5. Bond smashes his ski into the jumping henchman, sending him off the mountain.

4. Tracy's re-entrance into the plot, skating up to Bond at the village party, rescuing him.

TOP THREE

3. Lazenby's take on the gun barrel logo stance of Bond, droping down to one knee as he shoots.

2. Bond slides down the ice in the raid on Piz Gloria, maching-gunning the SPECTRE agents.

1. Bond reacts to the loss of Tracy.

The Bond fan community is mostly agreed that On Her Majesty's Secret Service is among the very best of the James Bond movies, and I concur: the action is solid and the love story dovetails perfectly.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from On Her Majesty's Secret Service: as with Thunderball, none really, although I find Bond's rummaging through his desk looking at various relics from past missions unrealistic and heavy-handing (see this is the same Bond!-- the clips in the titles were enough of a reminder I think).

The 10 Best Moments from You Only Live Twice (1967): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from You Only Live Twice. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. When the nerve center of Blofeld's underground lair is damaged by explosives, Bond mocks Blofeld's earlier suggestion that it's "impregnable."

9. To ascertain his identity, Bond takes Henderson's cane from him and smacks his wooden leg with it.

8. Little Nellie is constructed and her "identity" revealed.

7. Bond pushes away his oysters when Kissy tells him they won't be sleeping in the same bed.

6. Aki (sadly) meets her end.

5. Bond uses a couch as a weapon against Osato's thug.

4. Tiger's classic line: "Good choice— she's very sexyful."

TOP THREE

3. Bond seizes the opportunity to use the cigarette rocket gun.

2. Helga Brandt is shown the price of failure to SPECTRE.

1. We see Ernst Starvo Blofeld in the flesh, introducing himself and then reciting the titular line.

You Only Live Twice has many defenders but to me it's only just OK, with some repetition (Aki driving up and rescuing Bond) and unfortunately an unsatisfying conclusion with Blofeld taking center stage this time as the main villain and then escaping at the end.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from You Only Live Twice: Bond conveniently has not only a camouflage outfit but also the suction cup devices he needs to descend into Blofeld's secret lair before he even knows it's there!  (This coincidence-city situation happens earlier too: Bond has a safe-cracking device in his suit pocket just when he needs it in Osato's office!) You Only Happen to Have Exactly the Gadget You Need Twice

The 10 Best Moments from Casino Royale (1967): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from the spoof Casino Royale (1967). I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. Sir James Bond (David Niven) karate chops the cement ball in half to the delight of Lady Fiona McTarry/ Agent Mimi (Deborah Kerr).

9. Peter O'Toole's cameo in the bagpipers sequence.

8. Orson Welles, hamming it up to the hilt as Le Chiffre, conjures numerous international flags in his scarf trick, accompanied by flying doves, sparklers, and flashing light.

7. Dr. Noah's evil plan is revealed.

6. Mata Bond (Joanna Petit) first appears, dancing amidst the scarves and petals in the Indian temple.

5. Jimmy Bond (Woody Allen) attempts to talk his way out of his execution: "What if I told you I was pregnant?"

4. Evelyn Tremble as "James Bond" beats Le Chiffre at baccarat.

TOP THREE

3. Evelyn Tremble poses on the rotating bed [itself parodied by Mike Myers in Austin Powers].

2. To the strands of "The Look of Love," Vesper Lynd invites Evelyn Tremble into her home: in slow motion, we see them through a fish tank, with the fish appearing in suspended animation.

1. Jimmy Bond uses an exploding cigarette to escape the firing squad ("So long suckers!") and jumps over the wall— finding a firing squad in the midst of another execution on the other side.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Casino Royale (1967): I was never a big fan of this movie but it has great music, fun cameos, and both Woody Allen and Peter Sellers are quite funny; every other joke is kind of a misfire, however, and I suppose the worst "moment" for me is when the Indians arrive in the climactic fight at the casino, jumping out of a plane with teepee-shaped parachutes.

The 10 Best Moments from Thunderball (1965): Countdown to Skyfall— Nov. 9th!

Spoilers, of course. Although at times I've been purposefully oblique: if you're a fan, you'll get the references.

Here's my list of the top ten best moments from Thunderball. I've tried to pick actual individual moments rather than sequences. What are your favorite moments?

10. With a casual jab of the elbow, Bond sets off the fire alarm at Shrublands.

9. Bond's reaction to seeing Q in the field, solidifying the two character's relationship with one another for the rest of the series.

8. Bond tricks Largo's henchmen into shooting at each other.

7. When Fiona Volpe in the tub asks Bond to give her something to put on, Bond brings over her shoes.

6. Count Lippe cranks up the lever of the "rack" to maximum on Bond.

5. Underwater, Largo eliminates greedy Derval-imposter Angelo by cutting his air line.

4. Bond shows up Largo skeet shooting: "It seems terribly difficult..."

TOP THREE

3. Number 9 learns the penalty of embezzling from SPECTRE.

2. Bond gives Vargas the point.

1. 007 makes his escape in the pre-title sequence via jet pack.

Thunderball has always been for me the most underrated of the films.  I consider it one of the very best entries in the series, with Connery's most assured performance as 007.

For good measure, what I think is the worst moment from Thunderball: actually there really aren't any, although I'm always a little disappointed that Bond doesn't get to use his car gadgets when Fiona does his dirty work for him (on the motorcycle).