43 replies to this topic

[Athena007]

I think we should put this up on the CBn main page news site since the book is out now... If yo'ud like to use it I wrote a little something (part of which I used in a review I put on Amazon.com), I'll send it to the news e-mail address just to make sure (news at commanderbond dot net, right?)



John Cork

[Triton]

Any mention of the women who were the voices when the models were dubbed Athena?

I think that some mention should be made of the synergy that was developed when the face and body of Ursula Andress was given the voice of Monica van der Zyl creating the character Honey Rider.

The early James Bond girl is a gestalt of beauty contest winners combined with the sultry voices of accomplished actresses.

The question is, is Ursula Andress really the quintessential Bond girl? or is the Honey Rider creation the quitessential Bond girl?

Later Bond girls may have the super model beauty, but many of them lack credible intelligence or experience. For example, I don't believe for one minute that Denise Richards has a PhD in anything, especially nuclear physics. Nor am I convinced for one moment that Tanya Roberts' Stacy Sutton is a practicing geologist.

The Bond people try too hard to make the super models into actresses. Perhaps they should set their sights lower and hire average looking actresses whose real beauty and sex appeal is their intelligence, charm, and sense of credible determination and independence. The romantic interest in a James Bond film needs to be more than just a beautiful body.

We as an audience need to go "Wow she is pretty cool, no wonder Bond is interested in her."

[DLibrasnow]

I agree with your post Triton, but don't you think EON is doing that more now?!

[Triton]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow
I agree with your post Triton, but don't you think EON is doing that more now?!

Perhaps that may be their intent at times, but they are wanting in execution. It seems that Terri Hatcher and Denise Richards were cast for no better reason than their pictures were downloaded from the Internet by teenage boys. But even if they did hire an actress who met all the requirements I stated in my previous post, she would often be let down by a poorly conceived character with even worse dialogue.

[Turn]

I agree Triton has a good point also. But what about when a good actress like Halle Berry gets a role? The point about wanting in the execution takes hold.

We have what is supposed to be a female Bond, but only end up with somebody who constantly gets captured and spouts cliched dialogue like "Your momma (or mother or whatever it is) and "I got the 'thrust' of it." No new ground there or anything particularly memorable.

What will a lot of people remember Halle's Jinx for -- coming out of the sea in that bikini. And where did that one come from?

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by Triton
I think that some mention should be made of the synergy that was developed when the face and body of Ursula Andress was given the voice of Monica van der Zyl creating the character Honey Rider.

Don't forget about Dianne Coupland (Monty Norman's then wife) who provided the singing voice for the character. Her voice is very important in defining that famous "walking out of the sea" scene.

[Triton]

Originally posted by Blofeld's Cat

Don't forget about Dianne Coupland (Monty Norman's then wife) who provided the singing voice for the character. Her voice is very important in defining that famous "walking out of the sea" scene.

Thanks for the information, I was not aware about that.

It makes you wonder if someday the Bond girl will be a CGI creation that is the combination of the best attributes of multiple women. The hands of X hand model, coupled with the body of Y lingerie model, coupled with the sultry voice of Z actress, coupled with the athleticism of W gymnast or athelete.

[TheSaint]

14 years later, and graham Rye's "The James Bond Girls" book still sets the standard.

[Triton]

Originally posted by TheSaint
14 years later, and graham Rye's "The James Bond Girls" book still sets the standard.

How so? I am not familiar with Graham Rye's book and have never seen it.

[Xenobia]

Hey Saint...if you can, get your hands on Tim Greaves' Bond girl book. I won't say it is better than Rye's (although I think it is), but it does make an excellent companion to it.

-- Xenobia

[Qwerty]

Originally posted by Triton


How so? I am not familiar with Graham Rye's book and have never seen it.

I have this one...it's not bad. It runs from Dr. No through Tomorrow Never Dies. for each film, it gives a full briefing of the movie and then gives some detail on the casting and information about some of the main Bond girls in each movie. I wouldn't call it the best, but it's certainly one to own if you can get your hands on it. (It's in an oversize paperback style, I believe.)

[TheSaint]

A friend of mine bought the Tim Greaves book and suggested I give it a pass as there are no photos in it at all. When it comes to books on the Bond phenomenon, unless it's James Chapman's excellent "License to Thrill", I tend to favor the photo heavy books.

[Xenobia]

Photo heavy books are great...but come on, I think we all remember what the girls look like.

What makes the Greaves book so great is that it has in it a filmography for the girls that I haven't seen elsewhere.

-- Xen

[Turn]

I'd like to see the Greaves book. It must not have been promoted very heavily.

I have the "James Bond Girls" book and rarely ever pull it off the shelf. Sure the pictures are nice, but aside from that there's little there. Who needs a plot rehash? That's another criticism I have of some of the making-of books. Why waste time with what we already know or can easily find out about?