12 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Of the two novelizations Christopher Wood did in 1977 and 1979, James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me and James Bond And Moonraker, which do you:

-Like more
-Think is the better story

[DLibrasnow]

I like both of the Wood novelizations but I think JB,TSWLM is the better of the two.

That said JB, MR is much, much better than the movie of the same name. They really should have stuck more closely to the Wood story.

[David Schofield]

Spy is, as I've said in other posts, the second best continuation Bond after Colonel Sun.

Moonraker, unfortunately, is hands-tied in this respect: can we really exepct another Hugo Drax to be given the charge of his country's space/military defence system? Can we accept Bond in space?

That apart, as I'm sure all would say, Mooraker the film would have been better if it had followed Wood's book. Again, like Spy, Wood even seems to be writing about Fleming's Bond (something I have a problem with Benson and, to a less exetent, Gardner, achieveing) albeit is an outrageous situtation.

[DLibrasnow]

Well said David...I also consider JB, TSWLM as one of the best of all the continuation novels.

[Qwerty]

At the moment, I'd say I favor TSWLM slightly more.

[Loomis]

That apart, as I'm sure all would say, Mooraker the film would have been better if it had followed Wood's book.

I've read neither of these novelizations, although I've read quite a number of posts on various threads on CBn raving about them, JB: TSWLM in particular.

I'd be grateful if someone were to detail on this thread the main differences between the films and the novelizations, as well as cool/surprising elements about these books.

[Tanger]

JB,TSWLM is definitely the superior although both are excellent and far more readable than some of Gardner/Benson.

Loomis - imo, if you can afford to, track down both of these. They're usually widely available on eBay and a worthy addition to any Bond fans bookshelf. Actually I'd say they're pretty much essential.

[Napoleon Solo]

That apart, as I'm sure all would say, Mooraker the film would have been better if it had followed Wood's book.

I've read neither of these novelizations, although I've read quite a number of posts on various threads on CBn raving about them, JB: TSWLM in particular.

I'd be grateful if someone were to detail on this thread the main differences between the films and the novelizations, as well as cool/surprising elements about these books.

Not a complete list by any means:

JB,TSWLM: Bond is captured by KGB spies, who use electrodes on his, er, sensitive areas. Villain is named Sigmond Stromberg, instead of Karl. Background on Jaws, including being Polish. To install the steel teeth, his vocal cords needed to severed.

JBAM: The Corinne character of the film has a different name. Apparently, an American actress was cast, but since MR was being filmed in France (and to take advantage of financial incentives), the character suddenly became French and had a different name. Bond takes a short space walk in the climatic sequence.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

That apart, as I'm sure all would say, Mooraker the film would have been better if it had followed Wood's book.

I've read neither of these novelizations, although I've read quite a number of posts on various threads on CBn raving about them, JB: TSWLM in particular.

I'd be grateful if someone were to detail on this thread the main differences between the films and the novelizations, as well as cool/surprising elements about these books.

Not a complete list by any means:

JB,TSWLM: Bond is captured by KGB spies, who use electrodes on his, er, sensitive areas. Villain is named Sigmond Stromberg, instead of Karl. Background on Jaws, including being Polish. To install the steel teeth, his vocal cords needed to severed.

JBAM: The Corinne character of the film has a different name. Apparently, an American actress was cast, but since MR was being filmed in France (and to take advantage of financial incentives), the character suddenly became French and had a different name. Bond takes a short space walk in the climatic sequence.

Also in JBAM, Corinne is named Trudi Parker. Holly also informs Bond of Trudi's "accidental" death in the woods where Drax's dobermans "somehow got loose." Bond reacts to this with guilt and should have been included in the film version(although I am fond of Moonraker as it is).

TSWLM: has no Naomi(sadly), and Anya does not bring up Tracy's death. I think Anya learns that Bond killed Sergei from the KGB not Bond though it's been a while since I've read it. Also, I believe Stromberg wants Jaws and Anya to be the "Adam and Eve" of the new human race(shades of what would happen with Drax's plan in Moonraker.)

Of the two novelization, I liked TSWLM better since it contrasted more with its film than JBAM did with its film.

[Napoleon Solo]

Of the two novelization, I liked TSWLM better since it contrasted more with its film than JBAM did with its film.

In both cases, though, I think Wood demonstrated a familiarity with the Fleming/Bond canon and the ability to make the fanciful storylines Fleming-like. A small example: In JBAM, Bond is recalling his latest fitness report while on the plane. The sequence definitely recalls Fleming's Thunderball novel. It's a nice touch among a chapter depicting fantastic events. Wood did that sort of thing throughout both novelizations. It would have been interesting if Glidrose/IFP had hired Wood to do his own original novel.

[golrush007]

Firstly, I enjoyed Both of Wood's novelisations very much. I would say they are well clear at the top of my ranking of the novelisations. I also think that if they were included in the list of continuation novels they would also rank highly, especially JB,TSWLM.

Of the two I prefer JB,TSWLM, which is interesting because I prefer the film of MR to TSWLM. Wood is on top form in this book though, and I like the whole SMERSH slant which was added by Wood. Both novels pay close attention to the style of the Fleming novels, and Bond's character is clearly Fleming's Bond rather than Moore's. I would heartily recommend these books to anybody who enjoys Fleming's Bond, as they are a nice hybrid between Fleming and cinematic Bond. To be honest, I think that they should get Wood to write some continuation books.

[Double-Oh Agent]

That apart, as I'm sure all would say, Mooraker the film would have been better if it had followed Wood's book.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've read neither of these novelizations, although I've read quite a number of posts on various threads on CBn raving about them, JB: TSWLM in particular.

I'd be grateful if someone were to detail on this thread the main differences between the films and the novelizations, as well as cool/surprising elements about these books.

Not a complete list by any means:

JB,TSWLM: Bond is captured by KGB spies, who use electrodes on his, er, sensitive areas. Villain is named Sigmond Stromberg, instead of Karl. Background on Jaws, including being Polish. To install the steel teeth, his vocal cords needed to severed.

JBAM: The Corinne character of the film has a different name. Apparently, an American actress was cast, but since MR was being filmed in France (and to take advantage of financial incentives), the character suddenly became French and had a different name. Bond takes a short space walk in the climatic sequence.

Also in JBAM, Corinne is named Trudi Parker. Holly also informs Bond of Trudi's "accidental" death in the woods where Drax's dobermans "somehow got loose." Bond reacts to this with guilt and should have been included in the film version(although I am fond of Moonraker as it is).

TSWLM: has no Naomi(sadly), and Anya does not bring up Tracy's death. I think Anya learns that Bond killed Sergei from the KGB not Bond though it's been a while since I've read it. Also, I believe Stromberg wants Jaws and Anya to be the "Adam and Eve" of the new human race(shades of what would happen with Drax's plan in Moonraker.)

Of the two novelization, I liked TSWLM better since it contrasted more with its film than JBAM did with its film.

James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me includes Jaws' real name, which is Zbigniew Krycsiwiki. By the way, I think Wood has commented before that the reason Stromberg's first name differs in the novelization from the film is because he somehow forgot the villain's name!

James Bond And Moonraker has Bond and Holly investigating the space station a little more and having to hide from Jaws.

Both novelizations are good, although I might lean more toward James Bond And Moonraker. Maybe it's because of the space station scenes, which are much better than the film. I wish EON would have filmed Bond's space walk, which is exciting and suspenseful. An opportunity lost in my book.

[Qwerty]

I've decided to add a poll for this one, so... vote away!