What if Sean Connery played Bond until 1985?

[jorgem]

You know that Roger Moore played Bond until he was almost 60 years old. He was 58 during A View to a Kill. Could you imagine what would be like if Sean Connery was still playing 007 from Live and Let Die to A View to a Kill? Sean Connery hanging on to the mooring rope in A View to a Kill? Ski chase in the Swiss Alps in The Spy Who Loved Me? A fight in outer space in Moonraker?

[FormerBondFan]

You know that Roger Moore played Bond until he was almost 60 years old. He was 58 during A View to a Kill. Could you imagine what would be like if Sean Connery was still playing 007 from Live and Let Die to A View to a Kill? Sean Connery hanging on to the mooring rope in A View to a Kill? Ski chase in the Swiss Alps in The Spy Who Loved Me? A fight in outer space in Moonraker?

Sean was getting old by the time he did DAF despite being 40 so I don't know, but it would interesting to see how the films from LALD to AVTAK turned if he did them.

[The Saint 007]

Well, I've always found the Connery and Moore eras to be the most alike in terms of the formula, villains/henchmen, secret lairs, gadgets, women, etc. Which is why I think A View To A Kill was the last old-school Bond film before things began to change. The feeling or vibe in the Connery/Moore eras are quite similar, and I think they can be interchanged. I can easily see Connery's Bond taking on Jaws, just as I can easily see Moore's Bond taking on Oddjob. And since they were both pretty good with maintaining their character in the most humorous situations, you could easily see Connery fighting with Nick Nack, or Moore fighting with the two gymnastic girls Bambi and Thumper.

Even though Sean Connery was a few years younger than Roger Moore, he still looked a little older. And as FormerBondFan mentioned, Connery did age a bit by Diamonds Are Forever, so I don't know if he would have been able to play Bond until 1985. And even if Connery still looked young enough, I don't know if he would have had the interest to play Bond for that long. But as I mentioned, I can see Connery and Moore being able to play in each others Bond films.

[commander0077again]

Connery showed more vitality in The Rock and the Hunt for Red October than in DAF. Although he had white hair, he was still believable in the car chase and other action scenes. Seems that he let the flab on in DAF, but got in better shape. I would've rather see the Connery-Rock as Bond than Dalton. Why, I would pay to see that, whereas for Downfall I'll just wait for the interesting but gullible Miss Suaveankles to bring the DVD.

[Count_Lippe]

Well, I've always found the Connery and Moore eras to be the most alike in terms of the formula, villains/henchmen, secret lairs, gadgets, women, etc. Which is why I think A View To A Kill was the last old-school Bond film before things began to change. The feeling or vibe in the Connery/Moore eras are quite similar, and I think they can be interchanged. I can easily see Connery's Bond taking on Jaws, just as I can easily see Moore's Bond taking on Oddjob. And since they were both pretty good with maintaining their character in the most humorous situations, you could easily see Connery fighting with Nick Nack, or Moore fighting with the two gymnastic girls Bambi and Thumper.

Even though Sean Connery was a few years younger than Roger Moore, he still looked a little older. And as FormerBondFan mentioned, Connery did age a bit by Diamonds Are Forever, so I don't know if he would have been able to play Bond until 1985. And even if Connery still looked young enough, I don't know if he would have had the interest to play Bond for that long. But as I mentioned, I can see Connery and Moore being able to play in each others Bond films.

I was a kid in the 80s and I remember that many "true" Bond fans really didn't like the Moore Bonds of that era.

The Roger Moore Bonds were considered too slapstick and parodic, even though they retained the formula from the Sean Connery Bonds of the 60s.

Funny thing is that this style was evident as early as Diamonds Are Forever however, so it didn't start with Moore.

Maybe the producers felt Bond was beginning to get a little out of fashion even as early as 1970, and moved the series in a more self-ironic direction?

They were also influenced by other popular action genres of those days, blaxploitation, kung fu, car chase movies.

Connery did start to look a bit older in the early 70s, and he never had really youthful looks, he always looked sort of "mature" even in his 30s.

I don't know when he started sounding the way he did in later years though, he didn't have that weird accent and voice when he played 007 in the 60s you know.

My name ish Bond, Jamesh Bond. Agent double 0 sheven of the shecret shervishe.

[commander0077again]

Yesh, I've wondered about Connery's accent, too. Is the voice of his latter films his natural accent, and he changed it when playing Bond? I once met a Scottish doctor, and he sounded very much like Connery, but not so thick -- as in saying Yesh. I'm trying to remember the comic strip with the cat who speaks like Connery: "Ish that show?"

[Kristatos]

Yesh, I've wondered about Connery's accent, too. Is the voice of his latter films his natural accent, and he changed it when playing Bond?

I think it's the result of him getting false teeth.

[Count_Lippe]

Anyway, it was probably a good thing to change actor in the 70s, Connery was both tired with the role and started to look a bit too old.

I also don't really like his performance in NSNA, even though he was supposed to be an older 007 in that film.

Moore was very popular with mainstream audiences, especially after The Spy Who Loved Me which was a smash hit.

But the traditional Bond fans didn't like Moore and the light-hearted direction the series had taken.

Moore did a couple of films too much also, and someone else should have taken over in the early 80s.

I think the Bond films of the 70s could have been a lot tougher though, most of the other action genres of the 70s were very tough and violent.

Instead the producers made Bond into more or less a parody of the old classics.

[The Saint 007]

Moore was very popular with mainstream audiences, especially after The Spy Who Loved Me which was a smash hit.

But the traditional Bond fans didn't like Moore and the light-hearted direction the series had taken.

I remember seeing a comment on another forum where someone said that you can't really be a fan of both Sean Connery and Roger Moore, you either like one or the other. But that's hardly true, because both Connery and Moore are my most favourite Bonds, and I also see other people on various Bond forums say that the Connery/Moore combo is their most favourite. While I personally prefer the light-hearted Bond films, I still do enjoy the more down-to-earth Bond films as well. I can't get into the Daniel Craig Bonds, however, because they take themselves far too seriously for my liking, and they lack the charm and appeal of the classics.

[Captain Arthurs]

I love all the Bonds and films before Craig (although of course I have my favourite films) . I thought Bond was a cult, fun series where the same film was essentially remade again and again with the same elements.

Now the series as been rebooted and I'm told that those old films were awful. To be honest I can't bring myself to watch the older Bond films at the moment as they remind me of the fact that the awful Daniel Craig represents Bond now and I want nothing to do with his embarrassing Bond films.

[bjmdds]

Captain, Cr-egg has put the stench in the franchise forever Until he leaves, he will permeate it into intolerability.

[Daltonite Toothpaste]

I love all the Bonds and films before Craig (although of course I have my favourite films) . I thought Bond was a cult, fun series where the same film was essentially remade again and again with the same elements.

Now the series as been rebooted and I'm told that those old films were awful. To be honest I can't bring myself to watch the older Bond films at the moment as they remind me of the fact that the awful Daniel Craig represents Bond now and I want nothing to do with his embarrassing Bond films.

Are you saying that you can't watch any Bond film, because Craig is Bond? Jesus, I dislike Craig as much as anyone else, but i'm not going to let the Craig era ruin my enjoyment of the past films, especially TLD & LTK (which I can watch and not once think about any other Bond).

[Count_Lippe]

Moore was very popular with mainstream audiences, especially after The Spy Who Loved Me which was a smash hit.

But the traditional Bond fans didn't like Moore and the light-hearted direction the series had taken.

I remember seeing a comment on another forum where someone said that you can't really be a fan of both Sean Connery and Roger Moore, you either like one or the other. But that's hardly true, because both Connery and Moore are my most favourite Bonds, and I also see other people on various Bond forums say that the Connery/Moore combo is their most favourite. While I personally prefer the light-hearted Bond films, I still do enjoy the more down-to-earth Bond films as well. I can't get into the Daniel Craig Bonds, however, because they take themselves far too seriously for my liking, and they lack the charm and appeal of the classics.

I think younger Bond fans today can appreciate both Connery and Moore, but for the fans who grew up with Connery it was probably harder to accept Moore and his light-hearted style.

I didn't grow up with Connery but I've always preferred the 60s films anyway.

[Count_Lippe]

Btw, I really liked The Living Daylights when it premiered in 1987, that film seemed like a breath of fresh air after the rather mediocre Octopussy and AVTAK, even though it still had some of the silly humour.

[Kristatos]

My attitude to the Moore films has changed over the years. Moonraker was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema, when I was 12, and I loved it at the time. Later, I found the comedy rather embarrassing, but now, I find the pretentiousness of the Craig era has made me realise that there are worse sins than a bit of silliness in a Bond film.

[Count_Lippe]

During the Moore era nobody thought Bond would ever become serious again, but now 30 years later we have these ultra-serious Bond "dramas".

It's really absurd.

[FormerBondFan]

Until he leaves, he will permeate it into intolerability.

And after DC leaves, Sheamus (or any other direct opposites) shall take over. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Saint 007]

Btw, I really liked The Living Daylights when it premiered in 1987, that film seemed like a breath of fresh air after the rather mediocre Octopussy and AVTAK, even though it still had some of the silly humour.

I'll admit that as a kid I didn't care too much for the Dalton Bonds, but I appreciate them more now. I think Dalton does a better job of the darker portrayal of Bond than Craig, even though he only made two Bond films. I know there will be Craig fans who will think it's a blasphemy to even suggest such a thing, and will point to the fact that Craig's Bond films getting more critical praise, making more money, and receiving nominations/awards would rightfully make Craig the better Bond. But I don't allow critics or other people influence my personal tastes, and in the end, I still find the Dalton Bonds more enjoyable/entertaining than the Craig Bonds.

[Count_Lippe]

I'll admit that as a kid I didn't care too much for the Dalton Bonds, but I appreciate them more now. I think Dalton does a better job of the darker portrayal of Bond than Craig, even though he only made two Bond films.

I agree of course, and Dalton also felt more true to Fleming's portrayal of Bond.

There's nothing Flemingesque at all about Craig.

For some reason they used the Bond theme from Live and Let Die for one of the TLD trailers but it works really well.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3QtS3tL2Qw[/video]

[commander0077again]

Moore was very popular with mainstream audiences, especially after The Spy Who Loved Me which was a smash hit.

But the traditional Bond fans didn't like Moore and the light-hearted direction the series had taken.

I remember seeing a comment on another forum where someone said that you can't really be a fan of both Sean Connery and Roger Moore, you either like one or the other. But that's hardly true, because both Connery and Moore are my most favourite Bonds, and I also see other people on various Bond forums say that the Connery/Moore combo is their most favourite. While I personally prefer the light-hearted Bond films, I still do enjoy the more down-to-earth Bond films as well. I can't get into the Daniel Craig Bonds, however, because they take themselves far too seriously for my liking, and they lack the charm and appeal of the classics.

I enjoy Live and Let Die for being a nice mix of the lighter Moore with serious touches. It has some classic scenes such as the 'torture' in Mr Big's big table, as Bond's pinkie is nearly clipped. The music in that scene is tops. Moore gets to say "The names ...." "Names are for tombstones!" He was starting to sag in FYEO, but overall a respectful effort in all departments. "Get your clothes on .... and ... I'll buy you an ice cream..." a nice jibe on his age. Craig 'bonds' features an unlikeable hero. How can that be? As far back as Casablanca it was understood that the hero should have charm. How can audiences root for a bore? I understand that some see Craig as unboring, but really ....! To quote Noel Coward, "This tastes like armpits!" (referring to breakfast Fleming had made at Goldeneye).