Film No.: 8
Released: 1973
Votes: 27
Bond: Roger Moore
Why: After one George Lazenby outing and a one-shot return by Sean Connery, Roger Moore steps into 007's shoes for a long tenure, and audiences were already familiar with him for his not-dissimilar role on TV's "The Saint." The 007 producers used Moore's arrival as a catalyst to change up the formula for "Live and Let Die," in which, put simply, Bond goes blaxploitation. The action was moved to the U.S. and the Caribbean where Bond goes up against drug traffickers and voodoo cultists (led by the great Yaphet Kotto). Jane Seymour also shows up as one of the most famous Bond Girls, a clairvoyant hottie known as Solitaire. It also features the series' first bona fide rock song in Paul McCartney's smash hit title track. It's arguably the best theme song in the series, and works well alongside Beatles producer George Martin's deeply funky orchestral score which itself was a refreshing change of pace for the franchise.  

- Dave Lewis