It's an unconventional choice, but 1987's James Bond 007 movie, The Living Daylights may be my favorite Bond movie. Pre Daylights, I was never a big Bond fan. I liked them on TV, sure, but it wasn't until 85's A View To A Kill that I went to the cinema to see one (and look at the poor choice that turned out to be!)
So here's why:-
1/ Timothy Dalton, although not the best Bond ever, brought back a seriousness and intensity lacking from the part. You believe he's a ruthless agent with the authority to kill at will, as well as a human being that gets angry or scared. He pulls off Bonds one-liners with a quiet and dry smugness pull handles the romantic scenes a little uncomfortably. I love his introduction in the p[re-title sequence as he turns dramatically into camera.
2/ The action scenes are the best and most consistant in any Bond movie, since Live And Let Die. From the opening Gibraltar Land Rover chase to the assualt on the Safe House to the Tangiers roof chase; all are well staged, exciting set-pieces. The airfield assualt and Hercules Plane escape provide a rollercoaster finale for the movie while Koskovs defection show just how much more inventive the writers are this time round. The best though is the Aston Martin snow chase. It's great to see a new Aston in action (not seen since those early 60's movies) in a beautifully structured and imaginative display of stunts and practical effects.
3/ The plot, which has two collaborating Bond villains, defecting Russian General Koskov and Arm Dealer Whittaker, brings the franchise kicking and screaming into the modern world. The cold war style narrative, plus the absence of a science-fiction, control the world plot-device gives this entry into the series a fresh feel.
4/ John Barry's score is arguably his best ever (yes, even better than OHMSS or You Only Live Twice). The mixture of electronic with the distinct Barry orchestrations gives an exhilarating soundtrack. He also pushes the Bond theme to the fore, perhaps to make newcomer sound more heroic; but ir works.
As a side note Maryam D'Abo as Kara has the distinction of being one of the most attractive and adorable Bond-girls ever. She is, with the exception of trek across an Afghan airfield, the wettest, most unrelentlessly weak and girlie Bond co-star ever. Bless her.
Is this the best Bond, well there's others I'm fond of too including Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale and On Her Majesties Secret Service. But Daylights was the one that converted me to Bond and saved me from brain destruction in the summer of '87. Having watched the mind-numbing misery of Superman 4, it was a quick visit to the Odeon to catch the next performance of Daylights that saved my sanity. And for that alone, I shall always admire it.
