James Bond's classic foe returns in Sam Mendes' second 007 film, that hasn't aged well with fans. (Eon/MGM)

Daniel Craig's second 007 was hamstrung by the Hollywood writer's strike, and failed to capitalise on the success of his debut. (Eon/MGM)

Invisible cars. Need we say more about Pierce Brosnan's 007 swansong? (Eon/MGM)

A cruelly low ranking for the film that started it all, however it lacks many of the common ingredients that make Bond Bond. (Eon/MGM)

After the George Lazenby blip, producers tempted a bored-looking Connery back for one more payday. (Eon/MGM)

Brosnan's third 007 film saw Bond tackling Robert Carlyle's pain-resistant Renard and Sophie Marceau's Elektra in an over-stuffed pre-millennial adventure. (Eon/MGM)

Roger Moore's seventh and final Bond film had one foot in the past, and another in the future, but ended up tripping over itself. (Eon/MGM)

Roger Moore tackled Christopher Lee's Scaramanga in a fun, stylish, but cartoony romp. (Eon/MGM)

Bond took on his first female villain for another outlandish romp. It's the one with the Faberge eggs. (Eon/MGM)

With spymania gripping the world, the Bond producers delivered their most OTT 007 adventure yet. (Eon/MGM)

On the one hand you have Donald Pleasance's delightfully hammy Blofeld and his iconic volcano lair, but on the other hand, you have Bond's misjudged Japanese makeover. (Eon/MGM)

Roper Moore's outlandish space-set adventure is openly mocked by casual observers of the series, but beloved by its hardcore fans. (Eon/MGM)

Brosnan's second Bond film saw 007 taking on Jonathan Pryce's devilish media mogul Elliot Carver on a in a spectacular globe-trotting romp. (Eon/MGM)

After the excesses of Moonraker, Bond went back to basics – and to the books – for a stripped back espionage thriller with great results. (Eon/MGM)

Roger Moore's Bond debut was a blaxploitation-influenced American adventure, and is one of the most delightfully weird 007 films ever. (Eon/MGM)

Dalton's brutal second Bond film is beloved by hardcore fans for finally giving them something close to Ian Fleming's original intentions. It's the only 15-rated Bond. (Eon/MGM)

Sam Mendes delivered an all-time classic for 007's 50th anniversary. M and Q returned, as did Bond's Aston Martin DB5, for the most emotionally-resonant Bond film of the modern era. (Eon/MGM)

The second 007 film was based on the best Fleming book, and remains a high point of espionage cinema. Spectre agents Red Grant and Rosa Klebb faced off with the effortlessly cool Sean Connery for a timeless adventure. (Eon/MGM)

Although not a hit with casual outsiders, Timothy Dalton's take on 007 is beloved by hardcore fans of the series, with his first outing as Bond considered his best film. (Eon/MGM)

Long considered to be the gold standard for Bond films (pun intended), Connery's third 007 film cemented the franchise's template forever, with its tricked out Aston Martin, Shirley Bassey song, memorable titles, and of course, the gold-painted Bond girl. (Eon/MGM)

Roger Moore's third 007 film is packed with iconic moments, and considered his best Bond film by the fans. Opening with the Union Jack parachute jump off the mountain, followed by Carly Simon's Nobody Better Does It Better, and packing in an iconic villain (Jaws), iconic Bond girl (Barbara Bach's Agent XXX), a submarine-swallowing supertanker, and - of course - Bond's underwater car, it's an all-time high for the series. (Eon/MGM)

George Lazenby quit 007 after just one film (he rues the decision to his day), but his one outing as Bond has left an indelible mark on the series. Its unforgettable mountain-set Blofeld battle is topped off with the series' biggest ever downer ending - it's the franchise's Empire Strikes Back and fans can't get enough of it. (Eon/MGM)

Daniel Craig was gifted the series' first ever proper reboot, with his 007 debut adapting Fleming's debut Bond book. After the excesses of Die Another Day, Martin Campbell delivered a muscular, stripped back, down to earth Bond, reframing the character entirely for the 21st century. (Eon/MGM)

Pierce Brosnan's 007 debut tops the poll of hardcore Bond fans for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's just a great 90s action movie – relentless, stylish, packed with memorable action set pieces – but also it came at an incredibly crucial make-or-break moment for the films. Longtime producer Cubby Broccoli had passed on producing the films to his stepson and daughter - Michael G Wilson and Barbara Brocoli – after six years off the screens, and they just knocked it out of the park on their first attempt. (Eon/MGM)