955 replies to this topic

[Alessandra]

I'm comfortable with my sexuality so I'm gonna weigh on the 'prettiness of the fellas'.

Personally, I think Craig is fairly average in terms of looks. He's not ugly as most would put it, again my opinion, but he's not drop dead, knee-buckling gorgeous either.

Really though, I think he's getting a raw deal because Brosnan was a very, very handsome man and to go from him to Craig, is a bit of a step down in terms of sheer physical facial beauty. It would've been the same with Owen too. There's a certain 'Realness' to their looks.

Mind you, there is an interesting sort of cruelty in Craig's face, that Brosnan didn't really have, that I think will work extremely well for the character of Bond.

However, there is so much more to being attractive than just your face. It's how someone talks, walks, really, how comfortable they seem in their skin.

I have yet to see Craig act as Bond yet so who knows, maybe the entire package is more appealing than the photos flying around.

Just my two cents.

~Felix

Thanks Felix for taking part
But let's focus on the wider point: what is it that strikes you most in Bond movies? I would really like the men to answer this! I'm curious! (Italians have this saying: Curiosity is female)

[tonymascia1]

 TMCloseup.jpg   4.01KB   83 downloadsJust an experiment here...

I've "mixed" Daniel Craig with Timothy Dalton (in his Bond days), with a few totally subjective changes...

I've given this "creation" better hair, darker eyes --- but with a twinkle, and a smile showing readiness for a Sir Roger-like quip.

Would someone looking like this (assuming everyhting else is equal) make a better Bond than Mr. Craig, just a good villain, or have I created just another mincing poof who'd be lucky to get work as an extra?

[Alessandra]

 TMCloseup.jpg   4.01KB   83 downloadsJust an experiment here...

I've "mixed" Daniel Craig with Timothy Dalton (in his Bond days), with a few totally subjective changes...

I've given this "creation" better hair, darker eyes --- but with a twinkle, and a smile showing readiness for a Sir Roger-like quip.

Would someone looking like this (assuming everyhting else is equal) make a better Bond than Mr. Craig, just a good villain, or have I created just another mincing poof who'd be lucky to get work as an extra?

now, this is YOU!!
Cannot go wrong in recognizing a man I talk to lol

[spynovelfan]

I think you look very nice, Tony.

[tonymascia1]

A question that was on another thread, but is particularly relevant here...

If you were trying to get a lady friend, girlfriend, wife, etc. into Bond films, which one(s) would you show them first? Of course, this is assuming you are unsure of her tastes.

Without knowing M'Lady's preferences, I think choosing from GF, TSWLM, and GE may be good bets. I'd include TLD and OHMSS if I knew she had patience (she'd have to, if she's with me!)

[Alessandra]

Gentlemen contributing to this thread.. a call to arms! lol
None of you has yet answered my question, and since as I said above "la curiosita' e' femmina" (curiosity is female) as we say in Italian.. puuuhleeezee give us your contributions on what follows:
would you kindly tell us if what strikes you most in a Bond movie is as I said A)he kicks his enemies' a...s and drives fast cars and b)he sleeps with all the girls
..or what other things strike you most??
I am curious on this, and I like to compare the different views..

PS: afterwards I promise I will both answer Tony's question on "how to impress a woman by showing her a Bond movie" (that was the REAL intent of the question Tony dear, let's say it plain! ) and will cook agnolotti for all of you. Now Tony as Italian American may know what agnolotti are, but I doubt the others do.. Maybe Spy, who's been sleeping on an Italian couch...

[spynovelfan]

Entirely from memory, I'd guess they're a kind of ravioli made with a small round piece of flattened pasta dough, folded over with a meat and vegetable stuffing inside, prepared either by being poached or browned in a frying pan with butter.



What appeals about Bond? Where to start? A man who knows just what to eat and drink, how to dress, just what to say, how to fight, drive, keep his cool in any situation... Suspense, thrills, humour, extravagance. Beautiful women, megalomaniacal villains. Impossible to boil it down for you, really, and I haven't done a good job here.

[tonymascia1]

Gentlemen contributing to this thread.. a call to arms! lol
None of you has yet answered my question, and since as I said above "la curiosita' e' femmina" (curiosity is female) as we say in Italian.. puuuhleeezee give us your contributions on what follows:
would you kindly tell us if what strikes you most in a Bond movie is as I said A)he kicks his enemies' a...s and drives fast cars and b)he sleeps with all the girls
..or what other things strike you most??
I am curious on this, and I like to compare the different views..

PS: afterwards I promise I will both answer Tony's question on "how to impress a woman by showing her a Bond movie" (that was the REAL intent of the question Tony dear, let's say it plain! ) and will cook agnolotti for all of you. Now Tony as Italian American may know what agnolotti are, but I doubt the others do.. Maybe Spy, who's been sleeping on an Italian couch...

Ale,

The best Bond movies are thrilling, exhilarating, and fun adventures.

Bond himself, at his best, is supremely comfortable with who he is and his abilities, and conveys that to both friend and foe alike. His humor, whether it's sardonic, dry, charming, or making the best of a bad pun, is delightful --- especially in intense or dangerous situations. I also find his moments as a walking encyclopedia are cool, as well.

[Alessandra]

Entirely from memory, I'd guess they're a kind of ravioli made with a small round piece of flattened pasta dough, folded over with a meat and vegetable stuffing inside, prepared either by being poached or browned  in a frying pan with butter.



What appeals about Bond? Where to start? A man who knows just what to eat and drink, how to dress, just what to say, how to fight, drive, keep his cool in any situation... Suspense, thrills, humour, extravagance. Beautiful women, megalomaniacal villains. Impossible to boil it down for you, really, and I haven't done a good job here.

Ahaaa! very good description of the "kind of ravioli", as far as dough and stuffing are concerned (usually the stuffing is made with rosted veal, parmesan, and egg, no vegetables), BUT they are not fried at all! it's a kind of stuffed pasta, so you boil it, and then dress it with melted butter and sage. Very good though for a first try. Did you have them on that Italian couch??? lol

now, on your what appeals aboud Bond I must say I'm surprised, you numbered quite a lot of things..I would've put it down to three.
And I am surprised at your mentioning "a man who knows just what to eat and drink".. because I always forget that this is a major achievement for a lot of men! being Italian, it's kind of unfair, because we have so much good stuff to eat and drink.. but it's very interesting.
I must admit (I am thinking about it now, as you raised it Spy), I cannot find a man who knows nothing about food and drinks fascinating. It's a big point missing if he doesn't have those abilities.
If I cannot picture a guy stilishly holding a glass with some refined combination of alcoholic stuff in it, and I only see him holding a pint of beer, then .. that's it
So undoubtedly another reason why I like Bond (but I did mention this in my first long "how I got to like Bond" list)
Let's say that if Pierce held a pint of beer after all that Dom Perignon and Veuve Cliquot......I'd be totally ok with it!!!!!!! lol

[Lounge Lizard]

would you kindly tell us if what strikes you most in a Bond movie is as I said A)he kicks his enemies' a...s and drives fast cars and b)he sleeps with all the girls
..or what other things strike you most??
I am curious on this, and I like to compare the different views..

What hooked me on Bond first was the visual aspect of it, the class and the mystery it seemed to exude, something that was missing from other films. And the suits. In most Hollywood movies, suits are only there to be ripped to pieces. There's something innately cool about a tuxedo (black or white) in the moonlight, especially if you move well in it- and Bond (well, about 75 % of him) always moved well in a tux. The surroundings, the locations. I loved the fact that Bond visits all these exotic places, knowing his way around everywhere, just the coolness of that: receiving a mission from M and boarding a plane in the middle of the night to a faraway place where... adventure lies waiting. And the casinos. Since watching Bond films (and reading Fleming) I still don't like gambling, but I love the architecture and decor of casinos. Oh yes, and of course the villains' lairs. I'm a sucker for rich production design, and you can't do much better than Bond in that department. So, I guess the visuals and the atmosphere did it for me, and they still do. Difficult to get it right, and in my opinion done best during the Connery years and in OHMSS.

And let's be fair, I didn't mind the Bond girls either. Ah, the Sixties...

[spynovelfan]

Yes, I think Pierce Brosnan could order a pint of cat's piss and women would still be falling over him.

Here's an extremely flattering shot of Craig in the new ad campaign for Gordon's gin. Exclusive to CBN, this:



'Gordon's. No wonder Englishmen look cool and 192 years old."

[Alessandra]

What hooked me on Bond first was the visual aspect of it, the class and the mystery it seemed to exude, something that was missing from other films. And the suits. In most Hollywood movies, suits are only there to be ripped to pieces. There's something innately cool about a tuxedo (black or white) in the moonlight, especially if you move well in it- and Bond (well, about 75 % of him) always moved well in a tux. The surroundings, the locations. I loved the fact that Bond visits all these exotic places, knowing his way around everywhere, just the coolness of that: receiving a mission from M and boarding a plane in the middle of the night to a faraway place where... adventure lies waiting.

I have rarely read such a passionate description of the coolness of Bond. Entirely agree. You must be a man who notices a lot of things though, because normally men are NID (Not Into Details).
which brings us, yet to another point why us women like Bond (well ok, ME, not every woman..): he is VERY much into details.
He knows everything but in a suave, humorous manner. and he knows the tiniest, most hidden secrets of things that meet his taste: a certain wine, a suit.. and probably even women's lingerie! lol

And the casinos. [..] Oh yes, and of course the villains' lairs. I'm a sucker for rich production design, and you can't do much better than Bond in that department. So, I guess the visuals and the atmosphere did it for me, and they still do.

Definitely. That beach house in Goldeneye was wonderful in its simplicity. The villains' lairs.. hmm. depends. The one in "the living daylights" was definitely tooooo much! but I think it's purposedly done to show that the enemies can't compete with Bond even in the environment they choose.. as rich as it may be, it's got to be a bit "tacky", because they try and keep up with him, but will never have the same class.

And let's be fair, I didn't mind the Bond girls either. Ah, the Sixties...

aaaahhh Cary Grant... LOL

[Alessandra]

[quote name='spynovelfan' date='19 October 2005 - 17:00'][QUOTE]
Yes, I think Pierce Brosnan could order a pint of cat's piss and women would still be falling over him. [/QUOTE]

LMAO! Priceless Spy... priceless. And totally right!

[Dalton's Wendy]

A question that was on another thread, but is particularly relevant here...

If you were trying to get a lady friend, girlfriend, wife, etc. into Bond films, which one(s) would you show them first?  Of course, this is assuming you are unsure of her tastes.

Without knowing M'Lady's preferences, I think choosing from GF, TSWLM, and GE may be good bets.  I'd include TLD and OHMSS if I knew she had patience (she'd have to, if she's with me!) 

The Living Daylights!

In that film, Dalton-as-Bond is romantic, sensitive, and displays a bit of culture, with his recognition and judgment of Borodin. (If your lady is a classical musician, as am I, she will appreciate Bond's heartfelt response to Kara's talent.) This is a side of Bond which I felt to be a bit different from other outings. Then again, according to a highly-recommended Biorhythm website, Timothy Dalton and I have an intellectual compatibility of 92%.

And when Bond takes Kara up in that ferris wheel, and their car gets stuck at the top, and he tells her he arranged it . . . well, now: that's what I call an amusement park!

[zencat]

This thread has made me wonder if we should add gender to our sidebar CBn profiles (optional, of course).

[Dalton's Wendy]

To spynovelfan:

Your post #71 -- hysterical!

Great tag line!

[Dalton's Wendy]

[quote name='Alessandra' date='19 October 2005 - 12:08']
[quote name='spynovelfan' date='19 October 2005 - 17:00'][QUOTE]
Yes, I think Pierce Brosnan could order a pint of cat's piss and women would still be falling over him. [/QUOTE]

LMAO! Priceless Spy... priceless. And totally right!

[/quote]

As for Sean Connery: I would be surprised if he ordered anything to drink other than that delightful beverage!

[WC]

Blimey. It must be a bloody good thread if it warrants its own announcement.

If I might ask... where is this announcement? Unless that was the first post?

[Alessandra]

This thread has made me wonder if we should add gender to our sidebar CBn profiles (optional, of course).

you mean we're being too girlie?? but we are talking to men! lol
probably a good idea actually to add that (Optional)

[Dalton's Wendy]

[quote name='Alessandra' date='19 October 2005 - 09:32']
[quote name='tonymascia1' date='19 October 2005 - 13:28'][quote]

Sean Connery was very much the working-class Scot when he auditioned for Doctor No.

[WC]

I have a question. It might be one which has already been covered or alluded to elsewhere:

Do you girls prefer Bond (as both a character and movie franchise) to be more PC and less chauvinistic, or vice versa? Should Bond girls be Bond women and virtually Bond's equal (as the franchise has been pushing for in the last few films) or do you like it the way it was in, say, the Connery films or TLD where the female was there merely to be rescued and even, dare I say, romanced?

In the Brosnan movies (especially DAD) I hated the fact that Bond seemed to have this respect for Jinx, almost as if he'd finally found a true partner. When running for that plane, it was so reminiscent of those dire movies with Brosnan and Alexandra Paul. Very insipid and tv-movie-ish.

[Dalton's Wendy]

I think women understand Bond more than blokes give them credit for. I'm always surprised how astute my wife is when talking Bond (which is rare). She's not interested in him to the same degree I am (which anyway is only mildly interested, ahem), but she knows what works. Watching NSNA on TV a few months ago, I asked her what she thought of Connery as an older Bond, and she just said 'It's Connery. He is Bond.' Sounded like a complete fanboy. She loved the Bourne fillms, hated DAD, loved OHMSS but thought Lazenby was a bit awkward and Blofeld's plot a bit silly. I tend to listen to her views. She's not going to discuss the Hargreaves/Messervy thing, and indeed often can't articulate what she likes or dislikes about Bond or any other artistic endeavour. But her instincts are usually pretty spot-on. I think that may be a female thing. Men tend to analyse to death (I'm a clear exception). Women just call it.

Your last sentence says it all, spynovelfan! That is the exact reason for us wishing to start this off-beat thread. Women do tend to approach things in a manner different from men.

I think it's because we think out of the other side of the little brain we have!

P.S. As much as I have dedicated my life to the adoration of Timothy Dalton, I must say that I agree with your wife: Sean Connery was, is, and always will be, James Bond. Everyone else is just an impostor.

Edited by Dalton's Wendy, 19 October 2005 - 05:06 PM.

[Dalton's Wendy]

I have a question. It might be one which has already been covered or alluded to elsewhere:

Do you girls prefer Bond (as both a character and movie franchise) to be more PC and less chauvinistic, or vice versa? Should Bond girls be Bond women and virtually Bond's equal (as the franchise has been pushing for in the last few films) or do you like it the way it was in, say, the Connery films or TLD where the female was there merely to be rescued and even, dare I say, romanced?

In the Brosnan movies (especially DAD) I hated the fact that Bond seemed to have this respect for Jinx, almost as if he'd finally found a true partner. When running for that plane, it was so reminiscent of those dire movies with Brosnan and Alexandra Paul. Very insipid and tv-movie-ish.

Well, I know that I will doubtless be kicked out of the "Women of the World" club for saying this, but . . . between you and me . . .vice versa!

In my very last posting, I indicated my respect for Sean Connery; elsewhere on this thread, I wrote that Goldfinger was my first Bond film, and that image has stayed with me ever since.

Personally, it really bugged me how many times Pam Bouvier came to Bond's rescue in Licence To Kill. One time when I was watching the movie, I actually kept a list next to my chair, of how many times she rescued Bond. My pen ran out of ink.

I want to watch James Bond, not Wonder Woman. (Don't all jump on me at once, ladies!)

[Lounge Lizard]

I highly doubt if Martin Campbell could ever be hired as a course instructor on the subject of that great intangible known as class.

Watching last week's press conference, I was appalled to see Mr. Campbell arrive at the event attired in a completely tasteless, actually ludicrous, manner. For an occasion of this magnitude in the film world -- the presentation of the first new James Bond in a decade, a hero famous for his own elegance -- Mr. Campbell, knowing that he himself would be the second focal point of the international press, should have dressed a bit more appropriately for the occasion.  I don't believe it would have been all that great an effort for Mr. Campbell to have worn a suit and a tie. I realize that he is an artist, and perhaps even an auteur, and therefore may not possess, or know how to tie, a necktie; nevertheless, I am certain that arrangements could have been made for someone to loan him one.

Instead, Mr. Campbell looked as if he couldn't wait to rush off to the nearest Starbucks.

Campbell on Class?  I think not.

The classlessness of the modern director has something to do with the demise of the classical Hollywood studio system, perhaps. The studio system relied on rules, codes and etiquette- its primary artists dressed as stylishly as its stars. Many directors wore dandyish clothes. And that had practical justifications: when working in the comfort of a studio, it is much easier to keep your suit in fine condition. When 'the movies' moved outside the studio, and filmmaking began to involve more and more location work, we saw the emergance of the hands-on, technician-director, with his Peter Pannish garderobe of shorts and baseball cap (of course, this law never applied to Western / outdoors directors of the studio days, like John Ford- although even they had far more sense of personal style than most modern day directors). I think a more casual sense of dress was also a means of rebelling against what was regarded as studio era 'stuffiness' in the late 1960s. Hmmm, the Sixties...

[WC]

I want to watch James Bond, not Wonder Woman.  (Don't all jump on me at once, ladies!)

Ah. Might the men here have that honour instead?

[Dalton's Wendy]

I'm comfortable with my sexuality so I'm gonna weigh on the 'prettiness of the fellas'.

However, there is so much more to being attractive than just your face. It's how someone talks, walks, really, how comfortable they seem in their skin.

I have yet to see Craig act as Bond yet so who knows, maybe the entire package is more appealing than the photos flying around.
~Felix

You are most definitely correct, Felix: being attractive is the result of a confluence of factors. Mere physical beauty is never enough; in fact, one fails to notice it after a period of time, in favour of other interesting and stimulating qualities.

Also, it is hardly fair to judge anyone merely on candid photos. The average person has no idea of the amount of time and effort which goes into a professional shot; the ones which we, the public, see on magazine covers and in advertisements are the final result of hours and hours of lighting and angles and makeup and thousands and thousands and thousands of bad shots being eliminated from a contact sheet.

[Dalton's Wendy]

[quote name='Welshcat' date='19 October 2005 - 13:16'][quote name='Dalton's Wendy' date='19 October 2005 - 17:12']
I want to watch James Bond, not Wonder Woman.

[WC]

would you kindly tell us if what strikes you most in a Bond movie is as I said A)he kicks his enemies' a...s and drives fast cars and b)he sleeps with all the girls
..or what other things strike you most??
I am curious on this, and I like to compare the different views..

What hooked me on Bond first was the visual aspect of it, the class and the mystery it seemed to exude, something that was missing from other films. And the suits. In most Hollywood movies, suits are only there to be ripped to pieces. There's something innately cool about a tuxedo (black or white) in the moonlight, especially if you move well in it- and Bond (well, about 75 % of him) always moved well in a tux. The surroundings, the locations. I loved the fact that Bond visits all these exotic places, knowing his way around everywhere, just the coolness of that: receiving a mission from M and boarding a plane in the middle of the night to a faraway place where... adventure lies waiting. And the casinos. Since watching Bond films (and reading Fleming) I still don't like gambling, but I love the architecture and decor of casinos. Oh yes, and of course the villains' lairs. I'm a sucker for rich production design, and you can't do much better than Bond in that department. So, I guess the visuals and the atmosphere did it for me, and they still do. Difficult to get it right, and in my opinion done best during the Connery years and in OHMSS.

And let's be fair, I didn't mind the Bond girls either. Ah, the Sixties...

Yes, I would totally agree with this. The Bond movies of the 60s had a certain style and panache, reminiscent of those old Hollywood movies of the 50s and earlier. There was more of a grace to it whereas now, everything has become dreadfully commercıalısed - more an engine for product placement and a vehicle for carrying the latest Hollywood glamour girl into the stratosphere.

The only exotic place Bond goes to is Cuba these days. Otherwise, it's pretty much a grim and rather bland affair. The location shots are not exactly shot lovingly or in an epic, expansive manner. There are no faraway places, because everything could just as easily be in the studio backlot.

And Bond? No longer a man with lots of tastes. Just an automaton who know how to push the right buttons, whether they are on the gadgets or on the girls.

[Dalton's Wendy]

The classlessness of the modern director has something to do with the demise of the classical Hollywood studio system, perhaps. The studio system relied on rules, codes and etiquette- its primary artists dressed as stylishly as its stars. Many directors wore dandyish clothes. And that had practical justifications: when working in the comfort of a studio, it is much easier to keep your suit in fine condition. When 'the movies' moved outside the studio, and filmmaking began to involve more and more location work, we saw the emergance of the hands-on, technician-director, with his Peter Pannish garderobe of shorts and baseball cap (of course, this law never applied to Western / outdoors directors of the studio days, like John Ford- although even they had far more sense of personal style than most modern day directors). I think a more casual sense of dress was also a means of rebelling against what was regarded as studio era 'stuffiness' in the late 1960s. Hmmm, the Sixties...

I certainly can't argue, Lounge Lizard, that the director should be free to dress any way he wants, while working, and definitely while on location.

Nevertheless, it could not be too much of a stretch of Mr. Campbell's imagination to figure that the eyes of the entertainment world and its fans would be on him that day. As well, James Bond -- both the man and the franchise -- have always attempted, and usually with success, to convey an image of elegance. Mr. Campbell, as a key figure in the press conference, should have shown more respect for the press, the audience, and the memory of Cubby Broccoli's beloved creation -- a creation, I might add, beloved by many largely because of his invariably tasteful sartorial appearance.

[Lounge Lizard]

I certainly can't argue, Lounge Lizard, that the director should be free to dress any way he wants, while working, and definitely while on location.

Nevertheless, it could not be too much of a stretch of Mr. Campbell's imagination to figure that the eyes of the entertainment world and its fans would be on him that day.  As well, James Bond -- both the man and the franchise -- have always attempted, and usually with success, to convey an image of elegance.  Mr. Campbell, as a key figure in the press conference, should have shown more respect for the press, the audience, and the memory of Cubby Broccoli's beloved creation -- a creation, I might add, beloved by many largely because of his invariably tasteful sartorial appearance.

Oh believe me, I agree. I just observed that it doesn't seem culturally relevant for directors to dress up for any occasion these days, because of their changed role so to speak. Can't remember what Spottiswoode, Apted and Tamahori wore on press conferences- don't seem like suit and tie guys to me.