27 replies to this topic

[Icephoenix]

In honour of 'Lets Revamp the Gardner Titles'
Anyone got any suggestions?

(Btw, your own titles, no not-used benson titles!)

[Tanger]

Zero Minus Ten - Countdown To Death

Never Dream Of Dying - In The Face Of Death

The Man With The Red Tattoo - Red Faced Fire

[rafterman]

I'd change ZMT to No Tears For Hong Kong and maybe TMWTRT to Red Widow Dawn...

[Mister Asterix]

Zero Minus Ten -- For Queen And Country
The Facts Of Death -- The Pythagoras Serum
High Time To Kill -- By The Skin Of The Teeth
Doubleshot -- A Dead Ringer
Never Dream Of Dying -- The Director's Cut

[General Koskov]

[zmt] = Tomorrow Never Dies novelisation

The plot of [zmt] is very close to the first incarnation of Tomorrow Never Dies, and it's a hell of a lot better than either the novelisation or the film Tomorrow Never Dies.

[tfod] = The silliest Benson book ever with goofy villians, and too many girls, [watch the HIV in your 'deposits' to the 'bank' Mr Bond], and a car that heals itself? Come on, Ray! Get with it!

What? Are you saying the title is too long?

[httk] is good the way it is. How about: Bond Looses a Golf Match in This One!

[ds] = Subtitled: The title is the best yet, too bad the story is a bunch of bull and the only thing 'double' are the girls!

[ndod]. OK, my bad, this is the best title. But what the hell: Never Kill Both of your Father-in-Law's daughters, or you'll end up with a dysfunctional family!

[General Koskov]

I suppose this shoudl go in CB.n suggestions, but regarding my above post: will there be any UB code for the Benson/Gardner novels?
Not that it really matters, but I think it's a good idea.

[Mister Asterix]

General Koskov (07 May, 2002 03:51 a.m.):
Since the Fleming novels have been made into films, the UB codes can be used for them. However if the code is clicked on, it leads to the film's page. So what if the pages were organised to have a starting page (from the UB code) that leads to either books or film?

The plan is that the book codes will be in all caps to distinguish from the film codes which are in italic so you can tell FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE from From Russia With Love. What the codes will actually be is still being discussed, but the whole project is waiting for Dave to finish this year's studies.

[Mouse]

ZERO MINUS TEN - Handover

THE FACTS OF DEATH - Death By Numbers (there is a film with a similar title)

HIGH TIME TO KILL - All Time High

DOUBLESHOT - Once Bitten, Twice Shy

NEVER DREAM OF DYING - They Don't Make Them Like They Used To

THE MAN WITH THE RED TATTOO - The Man With The Golden Gun Comes From Barbarossa And Has A Red Tattoo

[alexgilbert]

ZMT - Countdown
TFOD - The World is not Enough (a title more appropriate here then in the movie, in my opinion)
HTTK - A Better Way to Die
DS - Double or Nothing
NDOD - Never Dream of Dying
TMWTRT - Dragonfire

[Mister Asterix]

General Koskov (05 May, 2002 07:51 p.m.):
I suppose this shoudl go in CB.n suggestions, but regarding my above post: will there be any UB code for the Benson/Gardner novels?
Not that it really matters, but I think it's a good idea.

Not until after we get UB Codes for the Fleming novels.

[RossMan]

ZMT- The Pearl In the Crown, Call To Duty

NDOD- The New War

TMWTRT- Red Widow Dawn

[General Koskov]

Mister Asterix (05 May, 2002 08:33 p.m.):

General Koskov (05 May, 2002 07:51 p.m.):
I suppose this shoudl go in CB.n suggestions, but regarding my above post: will there be any UB code for the Benson/Gardner novels?
Not that it really matters, but I think it's a good idea.

Not until after we get UB Codes for the Fleming novels.

Since the Fleming novels have been made into films, the UB codes can be used for them. However if the code is clicked on, it leads to the film's page. So what if the pages were organised to have a starting page (from the UB code) that leads to either books or film?

[Icephoenix]

The Undertakers Wind
Gods Are For Eternity
Sky Is Not The Limit
Over Kill
Loved and Lost
Fury Of The Dragon

[Icephoenix]

Love these topics, perhaps some newer members might have some input?

ZMT - Time Waits Forever

TFOD - Nowhere To Die

HTTK - Summit Of Fears

DS - Two Live And Die

NDOD - Downfall Of Tears

TMWTRT - Once A Danger

[zencat]

Originally posted by rafterman
I'd change ZMT to No Tears For Hong Kong and maybe TMWTRT to Red Widow Dawn...

So, I think, would Raymond.

[Kronsteen]

High Time To Kill is an excellent title, but something like Icecold Mission or To Find Your Skin. Oh my, the last one was horrible...

Doubleshot is a pretty weak title, but it

[zencat]

[quote]Originally posted by Kronsteen
Doubleshot is a pretty weak title, but it

[brendan007]

TMWTRT= anything would be better, why didnt the publishers just call the book BENSONS RUN OUT OF IDEAS AND SO HAVE WE

i was so disapointed with TMWTRT, no where near as good as his previous books

[zencat]

Don't blame Benson for the title. He had a long list of alternatives and his own personal title choice, RED WIDOW DAWN, was excellent. John Gardner once said "the title thing has become a nightmare" and I think Raymond experienced this on TMWTRT.

[Dmitri Mishkin]

Zencat, what is the story on why Benson didn't use "Red Widow Dawn" ? Publisher rejection?

[Icephoenix]

I'd say so, thats the usual story.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I've only read one Benson.

High Time To Kill - The Eiger Sanction II

[Jim]

Originally posted by zencat

Benson's orginal title choices for Doubleshot were "DOPPLEGANGER" and "REFLECTIONS IN A BROKEN GLASS."

Not really that much better; and isn't the latter a smart alec "I know about Bond, me" take on "Reflections in a Golden Eye"?

The other original titles seem OK - I rather suspect that a (if not the primary reason) The Facts of Death wasn't called what it was called is because there's still UK copyright on a book called "The World is Not Enough" published in the (I think) 1950s/1960s - a historical novel. Read it ages ago and can't remember the name of the authoress.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Originally posted by Jim


Not really that much better; and isn't the latter a smart alec "I know about Bond, me" take on "Reflections in a Golden Eye"?

The other original titles seem OK - I rather suspect that a (if not the primary reason) The Facts of Death wasn't called what it was called is because there's still UK copyright on a book called "The World is Not Enough" published in the (I think) 1950s/1960s - a historical novel. Read it ages ago and can't remember the name of the authoress.

Maybe you refer to the book by Zoe Oldenburg?

[Jim]

That's the chap.

Jolly good read; 'tis heartily recommended

[Blofeld's Cat]

Chap!?

What exactly goes on in that JimClub of yours? I hear Pet Shop Boys and Village People music coming from it.

[Jim]

I was referring to the book.

And you broke the second rule of JimClub

[zencat]

Originally posted by Dmitri Mishkin
Zencat, what is the story on why Benson didn't use "Red Widow Dawn" ?  Publisher rejection?

Yep. From what I've heard, Raymond is required to submit a list of titles and apparently EVERYBODY needs to sign off on the final choice; Glidrose, Hodder, Putnam, the bum on the street, etc... See, this is the one change all the "suits" have to be "creative" so they go through a million and one titles and usually settle on some compromise. It's how we get a title like; No Deals, Mr. Bond ("Tomorrow Always Comes" was Gardner's choice). In Hollywood it's called "development" and it's how we get movies (and titles) like "Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever". All things considered, I think The Man With The Red Tattoo isn't so bad. Give Raymond credit for at least fighting for a Bondian title. I heard some of the "suits" suggestions and you can't believe how terrible they were.