Well, we did it. After 23 weeks of spies, gadgets, and alarmingly unhealthy sexual behavior, MTV Movies Blog crossed the finish-line of the first ever Bond-a-Thond.
Along the way, we kept an eye on some totals, chronicled the most memorable moments, and simply basked in the glory of 007 and the world of Ian Flemming. It was a rip-roaring adventure that got a little dark somewhere around 1979, but just like Bond, we persevered and made it through.
Click past the jump to check out some of our more unusual superlatives, as well as, the totals from our "by the numbers" counts and my closing thoughts on the series.
Best Unused Songs
Tie: Shirley Bassey's "No Good About Goodbye" from "Quantum of Solace" & Johnny Cash's "Thunderball"
Best Villain Death
Without a doubt, this award has to go to Yaphet Kotto as Dr. Kananga, who inflates after getting shot with a shark gun capsule.
Best Gun Barrel Turn
George Lazenby for his pizazz. (He's second from the right.)
Best Films By Bond
Sean Connery - "Goldfinger"
George Lazenby - ummm..."On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
Roger Moore - "The Spy Who Loved Me"
Timothy Dalton - "Licence to Kill"
Pierce Brosnan - "GoldenEye"
Daniel Craig - "Skyfall"
"Bond, James Bond" Occurrences: 19.5 (averaging 0.85 per film)
Martinis: 20 (averaging 0.87 per film)
Card Games: 11
Cigarettes Smoked: 14
Explosions: 395 (averaging 18 per film*)
Tuxes Worn: 29
Kills By Bond: 296 (averaging 13 per film*)
Sexual Partners: 57 (averaging 2.5 per film)
Average Time Before First Sex Act: 29 minutes in
*Total and average do not include "Skyfall."
Parting Words:
Of all the accomplishments "Skyfall" can be credited with, which include being a thrilling action movie, a meditation on the genre, and a showcase for some of the generation's best actors, the most important is the argument it makes for the eternal popularity of the character. When asked "What is 'Skyfall' about," if you answered "James Bond," you would be absolutely correct.
I say this not because "Skyfall" is a Bond movie and therefore that's all you need to know, but what EON did with its 50th anniversary installment was make a thoughtful and compelling thesis about its leading man within the trappings of a traditional Bond movie. Even as the world and the movies we enjoy evolve, there will always be something alluring about the man in the tuxedo, leaning against the bar with a martini in his hand and a Walther on his side.
When the Bond films are at their strongest, they function as a filter for the specific time in which they were made. The best installments crystalize the escapist ideals of that time period. What did men strive to be, and whom did women strive to be with? Thanks to Bond we have nearly two dozen records of those desires over the course of half a century.
This is why Bond will simply not go away. His essence is the core of what we look for in entertainment, and his skin is ever adapting to the cultural pulse. Bond will always be the man for that job, simply because nobody does it better.
The Complete Bond-a-Thond
Bond-a-Thond #1: "Dr. No"
Bond-a-Thond #2: "From Russia With Love"
Bond-a-Thond #3: "Goldfinger"
Bond-a-Thond #4: "Thunderball"
Bond-a-Thond #5: "You Only Live Twice"
Bond-a-Thond #6: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
Bond-a-Thond #7: "Diamonds Are Forever"
Bond-a-Thond #8: "Live and Let Die"
Bond-a-Thond #9: "The Man With the Golden Gun"
Bond-a-Thond #10: "The Spy Who Loved Me"
Bond-a-Thond #11: "Moonraker"
Bond-a-Thond #12: "For Your Eyes Only"
Bond-a-Thond #13: "Octopussy"
Bond-a-Thond #14: "A View to a Kill"
Bond-a-Thond #15: "The Living Daylights"
Bond-a-Thond #16: "Licence to Kill"
Bond-a-Thond #17: "GoldenEye"
Bond-a-Thond #18: "Tomorrow Never Dies"
Bond-a-Thond #19: "The World Is Not Enough"
Bond-a-Thond #20: "Die Another Day"
Bond-a-Thond #21: "Casino Royale"
Bond-a-Thond #22: "Quantum of Solace"
Bond-a-Thond #23: "Skyfall"
