62 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

In Casino Royale, there is M's comment that she misses the Cold War (the opposite of her opinion in GE).

And Bond doens't give a damn how is vodka martini is served...

[Major Tallon]

In Goldfinger when Bond is being flown to the U.S. in Goldfinger's private plane, Mei Li says, "Black attache case damaged when examined. So sorry." Conjures up visions of one of Goldfinger's men getting the teargas in the face. Maybe the same guy who got ejected from the car?

[DaveBond21]

In Goldfinger when Bond is being flown to the U.S. in Goldfinger's private plane, Mei Li says, "Black attache case damaged when examined. So sorry." Conjures up visions of one of Goldfinger's men getting the teargas in the face. Maybe the same guy who got ejected from the car?

I like that idea, Major Tallon. It's a much better image, than them knowing all about it, and destroying it before trying to open it.

[DaveBond21]

Another one - when bullets hit the tanker engine in LTK, the sounds they make play the James Bond Theme.

[DaveBond21]

I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got.


In Octopussy, Bond comes across a Tiger to which he instructs "Sit!" in exactly the same way as the late British TV presenter Barbara Woodhouse (very famous in 1983) used to do in her dog obedience show. I just wondered if everyone got that one.

[Colossus]

[quote name='Skudor' post='628481' date='17 October 2006 - 15:20'][quote name='Andrew' post='628463' date='17 October 2006 - 17:42']
[quote name='Turn' post='628003' date='17 October 2006 - 02:13']
The ultimate in-joke comes in the OHMSS teaser -

[Turn]

I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got.


In Octopussy, Bond comes across a Tiger to which he instructs "Sit!" in exactly the same way as the late British TV presenter Barbara Woodhouse (very famous in 1983) used to do in her dog obedience show. I just wondered if everyone got that one.

The only way I got that was during the special "James Bond the First 21 Years." In it, they interview several famous people and Barabara Woodhouse is one of them. It's an in-joke for British audiences, but to most it was just another goofy Moore moment.

[DaveBond21]

I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got.


In Octopussy, Bond comes across a Tiger to which he instructs "Sit!" in exactly the same way as the late British TV presenter Barbara Woodhouse (very famous in 1983) used to do in her dog obedience show. I just wondered if everyone got that one.

The only way I got that was during the special "James Bond the First 21 Years." In it, they interview several famous people and Barabara Woodhouse is one of them. It's an in-joke for British audiences, but to most it was just another goofy Moore moment.

That is interesting. So any Americans who have not seen that documentary (or read this post... ) have no idea why he says "Sit!" in that way. I wonder if there are any other British-only jokes in there, apart from the "Clampers" one I mentioned from TWINE.

[Aris007]

In CR where Bond calls M from Miami airport and after insisting to talk to her, when he finally has her on ther phone says: "I'll call you back"!

[dogmanstar]

The Lotus blowing up in FYEO--a clear sign that the gee-whiz gizmo of TSWLM is going away for a while. Classic!

[MajorB]

I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got.


In Octopussy, Bond comes across a Tiger to which he instructs "Sit!" in exactly the same way as the late British TV presenter Barbara Woodhouse (very famous in 1983) used to do in her dog obedience show. I just wondered if everyone got that one.

The only way I got that was during the special "James Bond the First 21 Years." In it, they interview several famous people and Barabara Woodhouse is one of them. It's an in-joke for British audiences, but to most it was just another goofy Moore moment.

I live in the U.S. and recognized "Sit!" when I saw the film in the theater. So there was at least some awareness of Barbara Woodhouse over here. I don't remember how, though, since it was so long ago. Possibly her show was in syndication here, meaning it wouldn't necessarily be shown in all markets. Or it was on the Public Broadcast System, which I don't think has as many broadcasting outlets as the main networks did.

[Piz Gloria 1969]

"The Empire WILL strike back" (TND mocking Star Wars lol ?)

Doesn't Monthy Pythons Flying Circus sound like P Galores Flying Circus...maybe one of the MP lads saw it and thought "hey , that's a pretty silly title , let's use it on our own show !"

LOL !

[DaveBond21]

The Empire WILL strike back" (TND mocking Star Wars lol ?)

That's just a typical British tabloid headline.

[Agent 76]

" Elektra King: I could have given you the world.
James Bond: The world is not enough.
Elektra King: Foolish sentiment.
James Bond: Family motto "

direct reference to Fleming, as the title "the world is not enough" is the Bond family motto in the books.

[Vauxhall]

...and of course it also harks back to ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE when they discuss Bond's family motto.

[Chula]

I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got.


In Octopussy,..."Sit!" in exactly the same way as the late British TV presenter Barbara Woodhouse. I just wondered if everyone got that one.

Dude, what do you think, we don't have televisions in America?

Ms. Woodhouse's TV show was broadcast here (on Channel 13 in New York, if I remember correctly). She was known in the States...almost as well known as in England. "60 Minutes" one of our top weekly TV shows in the ratings - that means about 25 million people watch it - did a feature piece on Woodhouse back in the 80s. That's at least 25 million Americans who knew who she was. What was the population of England in the early 1980s? See my point? I'd say nearly as many Americans knew Barbara Woodhouse as did Englishmen just from that "60 Minutes" feature piece alone.

We got the joke.

[DaveBond21]

I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got.


In Octopussy,..."Sit!" in exactly the same way as the late British TV presenter Barbara Woodhouse. I just wondered if everyone got that one.

Dude, what do you think, we don't have televisions in America?

Ms. Woodhouse's TV show was broadcast here (on Channel 13 in New York, if I remember correctly). She was known in the States...almost as well known as in England. "60 Minutes" one of our top weekly TV shows in the ratings - that means about 25 million people watch it - did a feature piece on Woodhouse back in the 80s. That's at least 25 million Americans who knew who she was. What was the population of England in the early 1980s? See my point? I'd say nearly as many Americans knew Barbara Woodhouse as did Englishmen just from that "60 Minutes" feature piece alone.

We got the joke.

Yes, but not everyone on here was born in the 1980s.

[Chula]

Yes, but not everyone on here was born in the 1980s.

So then why did you say this:
"I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got."
I suppose you should ask, who gets the joke TODAY?
Back when the film was released, Americans got the joke as well as Brits.


Here's one I don't think Brits got. J.W. Pepper's line:
"You got a set of wheels that just won't quit, boy."
A little in joke to an American car commercial that was running at the time on American TV.

[Aris007]

The reaction of Bond when Major Amasova got the verdict about the engine in TSWLM is one of my favourites!

[DaveBond21]

So then why did you say this:
"I just thought of a joke that I wonder if American audiences actually got."
I suppose you should ask, who gets the joke TODAY?

Yeah, you're right, that is what I meant. When I say "got" I mean did someone get it when they first saw the movie in 1993, or yesterday or whenever. It still makes sense like that.

Also my post was just a convenient way of informing those who never got the joke about its meaning, something it has managed to do judging by one reply on here and 2 communiques I have received thanking me for explaining it.

[Chula]

Yeah, you're right, that is what I meant....

I'll give you one that this American sure didn't get when I saw the film in the theater.
- the two traffic clampers getting splashed in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH were clampers from a British TV series.
I truly think that not many Americans picked up on that bit. It took the DVD for me to get that in-joke.

[DaveBond21]

Yeah, you're right, that is what I meant....

I'll give you one that this American sure didn't get when I saw the film in the theater.
- the two traffic clampers getting splashed in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH were clampers from a British TV series.
I truly think that not many Americans picked up on that bit. It took the DVD for me to get that in-joke.

Yeah, and at the time, those clampers were among the most hated people on British TV, so it was great to see them getting a soaking! I remember seeing 2nd Unit Director Vic Armstrong smiling with glee when describing how he set up that shot, on the "Best of Bond" documentary presented by Roger Moore in 2002.

[Chula]

That clampers bit is a good one that I can't share in the laughter.
But Americans have had some in-jokes that probably flew over the heads of 99% of the British audience. The Mankiewicz scripts are a good place to look for that.

[DaveBond21]

That clampers bit is a good one that I can't share in the laughter.
But Americans have had some in-jokes that probably flew over the heads of 99% of the British audience. The Mankiewicz scripts are a good place to look for that.

Yep. I didn't get the Sheriff Pepper joke.

[Chula]

Yep. I didn't get the Sheriff Pepper joke.

Not much of a joke. Just funny to hear Sheriff JW say a line that was from a very popular car commercial running at the time in America.

But the whole idea of taking the piss out of the Southern Sheriff with the belly and the racial insults and his utter befuddlement probably plays better for American audiences who actually know guys like that or have seen them on TV. Some things in Bond films play better for American audiences, and some beter for the Brits. Look, I know that when the Union Jack opened up in TSWLM, our audience laughed our butts off and applauded wildly (I was one), but I can imagine that same scene sent Brits into hysteria we can never imagine.

[Mr. Blofeld]

There are a couple of in-film references that I've noticed: For example, in Thunderball, Bond makes a comment that he thinks Largo's gun is a lady's gun, and they repartee about it; this hearkens back to the Armourer's comment in Dr. No about Bond's Beretta being "nice and light... in a lady's handbag."

I also caught that the calendar gag in OHMSS ("But today is the 14th", "I'm superstitious") is a direct reference to a joke in FRWL concerning when Kerim and Bond will bomb the Russian Embassy.

[DaveBond21]

Yep. I didn't get the Sheriff Pepper joke.

Not much of a joke. Just funny to hear Sheriff JW say a line that was from a very popular car commercial running at the time in America.

But the whole idea of taking the piss out of the Southern Sheriff with the belly and the racial insults and his utter befuddlement probably plays better for American audiences who actually know guys like that or have seen them on TV. Some things in Bond films play better for American audiences, and some beter for the Brits. Look, I know that when the Union Jack opened up in TSWLM, our audience laughed our butts off and applauded wildly (I was one), but I can imagine that same scene sent Brits into hysteria we can never imagine.

Indeed. This has also been discussed in a thread about British and American phrases used in the films. For example, in TND when Bond says "Time for a station break", when switching off Carver's power, it doesn't make sense. Station break is not a British term. Same with the use of the term cell phone in Casino Royale. In the UK they are called mobile phones (and in Australia too).

[Mark_Hazard]

This has also been discussed in a thread about British and American phrases used in the films. For example, in TND when Bond says "Time for a station break", when switching off Carver's power, it doesn't make sense. Station break is not a British term. Same with the use of the term cell phone in Casino Royale. In the UK they are called mobile phones (and in Australia too).

Whilst I can see the thinking behind not expecting the Americans to understand some British "in jokes" about UK tv programmes - I didn't realise that they were that popular over there either - I think that we Brits have got used to so many US tv imports (that's not a complaint) that we know what a cell phone is. I would also argue that, although not a term we are used to, we (at least most of us, although I stand to be corrected) all know what a "station break" is. Sorry if it seems that I'm supporting the "other side".

[DaveBond21]

This has also been discussed in a thread about British and American phrases used in the films. For example, in TND when Bond says "Time for a station break", when switching off Carver's power, it doesn't make sense. Station break is not a British term. Same with the use of the term cell phone in Casino Royale. In the UK they are called mobile phones (and in Australia too).

Whilst I can see the thinking behind not expecting the Americans to understand some British "in jokes" about UK tv programmes - I didn't realise that they were that popular over there either - I think that we Brits have got used to so many US tv imports (that's not a complaint) that we know what a cell phone is. I would also argue that, although not a term we are used to, we (at least most of us, although I stand to be corrected) all know what a "station break" is. Sorry if it seems that I'm supporting the "other side".

You're right, and I know what a "station break" is, but it's not the kind of phrase that a British spy would use to himself.

Conversely, Bond says "Buy me a pint!" to Alec during the Goldeneye PTS, something that you don't hear that often in the US, I assume. Indeed on the Goldeneye message board on imdb.com, someone was wondering why Bond would want a pint of milk, while others were shocked that the British don't use the metric system for beer.

[Mark_Hazard]

Whilst I can see the thinking behind not expecting the Americans to understand some British "in jokes" about UK tv programmes - I didn't realise that they were that popular over there either - I think that we Brits have got used to so many US tv imports (that's not a complaint) that we know what a cell phone is. I would also argue that, although not a term we are used to, we (at least most of us, although I stand to be corrected) all know what a "station break" is. Sorry if it seems that I'm supporting the "other side".

You're right, and I know what a "station break" is, but it's not the kind of phrase that a British spy would use to himself.

Sorry, yes, I see your point.

Conversely, Bond says "Buy me a pint!" to Alec during the Goldeneye PTS, something that you don't hear that often in the US, I assume. Indeed on the Goldeneye message board on imdb.com, someone was wondering why Bond would want a pint of milk, while others were shocked that the British don't use the metric system for beer.

The last time I remember seeing 007 drink a pint(?)/glass of milk was the Milk Marketing Board's adverts in the late 60s, with George Lazenby sinking one. Not being a drinker, or metricated , why should anyone be shocked not to hear us Brits ask for .56 litre, it sounds downright barmy .