With only a little over a month to go before the release of the 25th canon James Bond film No Time to Die, the possibility of a series rewatch seems downright daunting. Our suggestion? Just stick to the Essentials. Here's a sampling ofeight of the best Bond flicks, spanning all six of his iterations, to prep you for the film's release on April 10...
Dr. No (1961)
The Bond girl is born with Ursula Andress' Honey Ryder in the first official big screen adventure of Ian Fleming's most beloved creation. While there's not a nip slip or bare bun in sight, it's worth rewatching this one because No Time to Die is rumored to be a twist on the Dr. No story and character. It'll be interesting to see how they work it in, if at all, making this one a definite rewatch.
From Russia with Love (1963)
Sean Connery's second outing as James Bond is my personal favorite Bond film. It all really comes together in this one, and while many would argue—and are likely right—that Goldfinger is the superior film, From Russia with Love gets a leg up for featuring the series' first nude scene!53 minutes in, the gorgeousDaniela Bianchi(above) walks past a window fully nude, giving us the briefest look at her beautiful boobs and butt!
Goldfinger (1964)
Probably the most famous and most-often-cited as the best film in the franchise, Sean Connery's third go around as James Bond features some of the best action sequences in the series. In addition to perhaps the most famous Bond girl, Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore, the film also gave Bond one of his most iconic moments when he discovers poor Shirley Eaton (above) dead on the bed from asphyxia, due to being painted the color of the villain's name!
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Although he is widely regarded as the weakest actor to play the role, Australian model turned actor George Lazenby lucked into landing in one of the super spy's best adventures with this 1969 quasi-reboot. Lazenby decided he was done with the role partway through filming, causing them to change the ending to the more tragic one we have now. The film is also notable for featuring the first clearly visible nipple in the franchise courtesy of the adorableAngela Scoular(above)!
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
If you're noticing a pattern amongst the better Bond flicks, they tend to be the ones that pair him with an equally ass-kicking female partner, rather than a dead meat Bond girl. Roger Moore's best outing as Bond is this 1977 flick where he shares the spotlight with the gorgeous Barbara Bach (above), their relationship providing the film with its title.Bach—before she became Mrs. Ringo Starr—had done nudity prior to appearing in the film, but relied on a body double for the brief shot of her right breast!
The Living Daylights (1987)
Too far ahead of its time for its own good, the short-lived Timothy Dalton-era was ushered in with this better-than-average Bond outing that attempted to be a somewhat meta-take on the material. Sadly, it's not as good or successful at that challenge as Casino Royale would end up being almost 20 years later, but points to them for trying something with a little more of an arch take on the character. Bonus points forfeaturing a brief look atVirginia Hey's left breast (above)! Hey! That's pretty awesome!
GoldenEye (1995)
Like Timothy Dalton before him, Pierce Brosnan fared best as Bond in his first time playing the role. He's not bad in his other three Bond outings, but the films around him get progressively stupider after this one. Famke Janssen and Izabella Scorupco (above) make for damn good Bond girls and the film's plot and action sequences aren't insultingly stupid to the audience. I can't say the same for Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, or especially Die Another Day.
All of the Daniel Craig Bonds
Yeah, yeah, this one's a bit of a cheat, but since Craig took ownership of the role with 2006's Casino Royale, there's been an arc building for his character. While the reverse Star Trek sequel rule applies here—the even numbered ones are the "bad" ones—but the chance for them to wrap everything up with No Time to Die makesit seem like it's worth rewatching all four of his prior films.
Casino Royale has the gorgeous Eva Green as Vesper Lynd, the first woman in this new chronology to break Bond's heart. And no wonder, she's worth all the headaches and various brushes with death she causes for him...
2008's Quantum of Solaceis pretty weak sauce, with a completely forgettable villain, but it contains lots of expansion on the world set up in Casino Royale, while itself setting up a lot of stuff that's still paying off. If nothing else, check it out for poor Gemma Arterton—as Strawberry Fields, barf—getting doused with motor oil in an homage to Goldfinger...
2012's Skyfall is arguably the top of the mountain for the franchise under Craig's stead, and it also broughtJudi Dench's nearly 20 year storyline as M to a satisfactory close. Of course, as great as the action and espionage are, it's still a little creepy that Bond joins poorBérénice Marlohein the shower mere hours after she divulged to him that she was sold into sex slavery as a child...
At the very least, give 2015's Spectre another go. Although it's longer than sin and takes a bit too long to get going, it seems that with the reappearance of Christoph Waltz's Blofeld in No Time to Die, and the fallout from Bond's decision to leave his life behind for a woman he hardly knew, are going to play heavily into the new film's narrative. That woman, Léa Seydoux's Madeleine Swann is also back in the new movie, after making an obviously huge impression on Craig in her first go-around...
