Film No.: 2
Released: 1963
Votes: 40
Bond: Sean Connery
Why: "Dr. No" may have established the franchise, but it was the follow-up -- released the very next year, with the budget doubled in the wake of the first film's success -- that essentially designed the Bond film as we know and love it today: not only did it introduce the signature 007 title sequence with accompanying theme song, but it was also the first film to feature key villain Blofeld (though he isn't named as such), and gave gadget-master Q the longrunning face of actor Desmond Llewelyn. Best of all, of course, it gave us composer John Barry: who can imagine the series without his work? Milestones aside, meanwhile, "Russia" might remain the most densely and intelligently plotted entry in the series. Until Daniel Craig's stern makeover, it was also arguably the least campy -- Lotte Lenya's lethally-shod villain Rosa Klebb notwithstanding.

-Guy Lodge